Mac Jones was too good. The Patriots' decision to release Cam Newton was a surprise primarily because they chose to go from one of the best backup quarterback situations in football to one of the worst. But it's impossible to deny Jones earned the starting job. He was Pro Football Focus' highest-graded passer this preseason among QBs with more than 40 dropbacks and their highest-graded rookie quarterback since they started tracking preseasons in 2013. By most accounts, Jones was better in practices, too. It doesn't take Bill Belichick to see the next-level traits Jones showed with his uncanny accuracy, excellent footwork and decision making.
Perhaps Belichick was wary of Newton's vaccination status or how his strong leadership and support from his teammates would play out as a backup. Perhaps Newton wanted a chance to catch on elsewhere like Dallas and Belichick gave it to him. Either way, New England is now one snap away from Hoyer playing. (Hoyer is reportedly expected to be re-signed after also being cut Tuesday in a procedural move.) The Patriots should be better with Jones leading the team this year, and they have a playoff-ready offensive line and defense. But they are undeniably worse if anything happens to their starting QB now when they were set to have one of the best backups in football. Here were the other biggest moves on a busy cut-down day: 2) Newton's release might not have even been the most impactful Patriots news of the day. The team placed Stephon Gilmore on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list Tuesday, knocking him out for the first six games of the season. Gilmore's desire for a new contract has overshadowed his recovery from a torn quad muscle that ranks as one of the worst injuries in the sport. While the Patriots knew they'd have a solid enough quarterback no matter who won that battle, there is no replacement for Gilmore on the roster. Jalen Mills is the team's starting outside cornerback opposite J.C. Jackson until Gilmore is back.Their next outside corner is ... former Raven Shaun Wade, acquired last week. Once the strongest position group on the roster, the cornerbacks could be the weakness of an otherwise-loaded defense. 3) The biggest names on the transaction wire Tuesday were headed to the PUP list. Saints receiver Michael Thomas will miss the first six weeks of the season, leaving Marquez Callaway a long runway to establish himself as the NFL's premier wide receiver. The Saints' offensive line -- which could feature a Year 2 leap by Cesar Ruiz -- is the primary reason to believe Sean Payton can win games without great pass catchers. It's my pick as the best line in football. 4) The third All-Pro on our PUP trilogy is Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari. I'm not particularly worried about Aaron Rodgers' blindside with Elgton Jenkins moving there. I am worried about the rest of the offensive line, which is counting on Matt LaFleur's scheme to compensate for a lack of talent. 5) Bengals fans blamed guard Michael Jordan for Joe Burrow's injury last year, which felt unfair. With that said, consider it a good sign for Cincinnati that it was able to go with a youth movement on the offensive line and release Jordan in the process. 6) Breshad Perriman's release from the Lions guarantees that they'll be looking for help on the waiver wire. It also helps guarantee that Amon-Ra St. Brown will be a factor in his rookie season. 7) Tavon Austin made the initial Jaguars roster over receivers Phillip Dorsett, Pharoh Cooper, Devin Smith and Laquon Treadwell. Those are a lot of familiar names who might be reaching the end of the line. 8) The Vikings will give tight end Chris Herndon a shot after he failed to capitalize on a number of opportunities with the Jets. The trade, first reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, gives the Vikings a pass-catching tight end to hold the fort until Irv Smith Jr. gets healthy. 9) Minnesota waived quarterback Jake Browning, which guarantees that rookie Kellen Mond will be Kirk Cousins' backup this year. 10) In a small surprise considering how training camp started, Cooper Rush won the Cowboys backup job over Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci, who were both cut. Cam Newton coming onboard makes too much sense, though. 11) The Bears cut veteran cornerback Desmond Trufant in a surprise move. The team's defense -- especially its young cornerback group -- hasn't received a lot of attention because of Justin Fields' arrival. It's safe to say Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay will be eager to test young starters Kindle Vildor and Duke Shelley in Week 1. 12) Josh Rosen's release from the 49ers wound up being a promotion. He made the Falcons roster as Matt Ryan's backup, at least for now. 13) Will Grier is out in Carolina, at least for now. That cements P.J. Walker as Sam Darnold's backup. 14) Benardrick McKinney was traded from the Texans to the Dolphins for Shaq Lawson in a deal of expensive misfires early in the offseason. Neither wound up making their team, with Lawson traded to the Jets and McKinney released. 15) Jordan Howard isn't going to be Miles Sanders' goal-line caddy after all. The veteran was cut, with rookie Kenneth Gainwell earning a major role alongside Sanders and Boston Scott. The bigger surprise in Philadelphia was the decision to waive Travis Fulgham. The Eagles kept J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who has never remotely produced like Fulgham did a year ago. Look for Fulgham to find a job elsewhere. 16) The Lions cut both their kickers (Zane Gonzalez and Randy Bullock) so they don't currently have one! 17) Johnny Hekker will stay with the Rams after all. Los Angeles found a taker for punter Corey Bojorquez in a 2023 late-round pick swap with the Packers. 18) Trace McSorley was waived by the Ravens. This isn't a surprise for anyone who watched Tyler Huntley's preseason, but for the rest of you: Tyler Huntley is good! The Ravens will have a chance if Lamar Jackson misses a game or two. 19) Malcolm Butler was placed on the reserve/retired list, one day after NFL Network's Mike Garafolo broke the news that Butler was thinking about leaving the game due to personal issues. 20) The new regime in Houston does not have the same patience with wide receiver Keke Coutee. The 2018 fourth-round pick caught 83 passes in three injury-plagued seasons. The slot receiver ultimately lost his spot on the roster to Anthony Miller, but figures to get another opportunity. 21) John Brown's release from the Raiders answers the question: What veteran free agent was paid the most guaranteed money this offseason without making the team? Brown was paid $3.24 million guaranteed, but general manager Mike Mayock and coach Jon Gruden still chose to keep Zay Jones over him. Brown clearly didn't impress at camp, but I'm stunned considering the tape he put up in Buffalo last year. 22) While the NFL world focused on roster construction, the long process of rebuilding one of our greatest cities began again in New Orleans. My heart breaks for everyone impacted by Hurricane Ida and the assessment from Sean Payton that the Saints would plan to be away from the city for the first month of the season couldn't help but bring up painful memories of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Payton arrived the season after, and it appears the team will follow a different playbook this time around. Payton indicated the team is leaning toward staying in the Dallas-Fort Worth area over the next month. The Saints have been practicing at the Cowboys' facility this week and could use TCU's or SMU's campus eventually, while playing their games at Payton's close friend Jerry Jones' stadium. The Saints are scheduled to host the Packers in Week 1. The displacement of the local football team cannot be compared to the real-life tragedies unfolding in Louisiana, but do not underestimate how disappointing it will be for a city that is mad for its football. The only bright side here is imagining how great it will be when the Saints are back playing in the dome, hopefully this season. It's a city that doesn't stay down for long and there's a bond between city and team that is unbreakable.
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A random collection of topics around the NFL:
- The Rams acquired running back Sony Michel from the New England Patriots in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round draft picks in 2022. The two late-round picks are conditional. The selections potentially become a fourth-rounder if the Rams get a fourth-round compensation pick (expected to come from losing John Johnson this year) -- the Rams don't yet have a fourth-rounder in 2022 before the comp pick process. Barring something odd taking place, we can colloquially consider the trade: Sony Michel for a fourth-rounder. Sony Michel had a chance to get cut by the Patriots as they have a stacked backfield. Michel just couldn't stay healthy but we'll see how the trip to the west coast works for him. - Jaguars Rookie running back Travis Etienne's Lisfranc injury has been diagnosed as a significant tear that will require surgery and will end his rookie season before it began. Etienne's original recovery timeline was a minimum of 12 weeks, but Jacksonville officially placed Etienne on injured reserve Tuesday, which means Etienne will have to wait for 2022 to make his NFL debut. - Lamar Jackson thinks that defenses haven't figured him out. I think they have, the question is whether your defense has the speed to stop a QB with 4.3 speed and tall tight ends. - Former Raiders receiver Cliff Branch and 15-year NFL head coach Dick Vermeil were selected as the senior finalist and coach finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022. - Cam Newton had to go into Covid protocol because of testing procedure confusion. This will give Mac Jones the majority of first team reps until later this week. Cam is off to a good start and will likely start the year but unless he is amazing, he probably won't finish it. Preseason Ups and Downs: - Cowboys' new linebacking duo of Micah Parsons and Keanu Neal: Neal came with Dan Quinn and changed positions. He is now officially a starter alongside Parsons, with veterans Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch coming off the bench. This is remarkable, considering Smith's contract and Vander Esch's draft pedigree combined with his electric rookie season. But Parsons is simply too good to keep off the field; the No. 12 overall pick's lining up at middle linebacker, Vander Esch's position. Neal passing Smith so quickly is a bigger eye-opener and raises more questions about Smith's future. - Patriots' front-seven depth: New England's offense may get better, but it's unlikely to be too far above average no matter who is at quarterback. The Pats' defense, on the other hand, has a chance to improve far more in 2021 with Matt Judon, Christian Barmore, Davon Godchaux and the returns of Kyle Van Noy and Dont'a Hightower making the team's front seven look vastly better than a year ago. They are all showing up in the preseason, especially Judon. - Teddy Bridgewater: It felt like the Broncos coaching staff was gearing up to name Drew Lock the team's starting quarterback until Teddy pitched a near-perfect game (in two possessions) against the Seahawks. Bridgewater was excellent at buying time in the pocket, earning comparisons to Tom Brady from Vic Fangio after the game. The coach said Teddy played "extremely well" and applauded his "quarterback awareness," which is the nicest thing I've ever heard Fangio say about a Broncos offensive player. Lock was forgettable in his relief appearance, partly due to a leaky backup offensive line. Bridgewater has a PFF grade of 83.4 through two games, while Lock is at 64.0. These grades -- like all preseason evaluations -- are from a tiny sample size where a few plays make all the difference. There has to be a better way to choose a starter. (Such as the body of work, when the coaching staff is so familiar with both players. This shouldn't be that hard.) - J.J. Watt: He is returning to practice Monday from a hamstring injury, although "return" feels like a misnomer. He's missed all of training camp and his buildup to the season is worth watching closely on a Cardinals defensive line that has been banged up all August. The Cardinals have already talked about Watt being on a pitch count which makes sense as they need him for later in the year and him getting hurt at the beginning isn't helpful. - DeVonta Smith: I don't care that he dropped a few passes, especially the ones thrown late and behind him by Joe Flacco. I do care that he's back on the field getting wide open against quality competition like New England's J.C. Jackson. Smith's route-running jumps off the screen. - Cowboys' offensive line: Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and La'el Collins were on the field at the same time for the first time since 2019. If that continues, this Cowboys offense should be just fine. - Jaret Patterson: Preseason MVP candidate! It's safe to say the undrafted running back from the University at Buffalo is going to make the Washington Football Team. He's great on returns and power runs, finding space through tight quarters by moving laterally. I wonder if Peyton Barber's going to make the team now. - Jimmy G: His barely playing and not being lights out continues to set the stage for a departure from the 49ers after this year. I'm throwing the idea of the Texans picking up in the off season and they trade away Watson. - - Bears' quarterbacks: This is no huge slight to the play of Andy Dalton or Justin Fields on Saturday. They were both uneven, with Fields showing more spark. This is a recognition of how tough their jobs could be with the current state of Chicago's offensive line. It's not just left tackle, where the Bears are hoping Jason Peters can save the day at age 39; right tackle Germain Ifedi also just came off the PUP list Monday. On the offensive line, you need coaching, talent or cohesion. I'm not sure the Bears have any of the above. While the boos for Dalton in the preseason felt unnecessarily cruel, it's worth wondering if Fields' mobility is a better fit behind such a faulty offensive line. Dalton may not get a chance to hit many throws on schedule. - O.J. Howard: He doesn't look the same coming off a torn Achilles tendon. A pair of drops and a blocking mishap further hurt Howard's chances of having a major role in Tampa when the season starts. Tampa fans are ready to dump him as he can't stay healthy and isn't the explosive player he was in college. Signings: - Panthers re-sign WR Robby Anderson (2 years, $29.5 million) Robby Anderson is coming off the best season in his career, catching 95 passes for 1,096 yards. It's not a surprise that the Panthers extended him, especially given that he has experience playing with the team's new quarterback, Sam Darnold. Paying Anderson about $15 million per year seems like a lot, but this is a short-term contract, so the risk isn't too high. This contract provides no value, but keeping Anderson for a couple more years is a good decision. - Seahawks re-sign S Jamal Adams (4 years, $70 million; $38 million guaranteed): Given how much Jamal Adams struggled last year, I thought the Seahawks would get a discount if they extended the former Jet. That did not happen, as Adams received a colossal contract for a player at his position. I'm not a big fan of this deal. Adams logged 9.5 sacks last year, but was routinely torched in coverage. Some of that happened to do with an injury, so the 25-year-old is expected to perform better in 2021. However, it doesn't seem right that the Seahawks couldn't get a bargain at all. Also, Adams isn't the greatest presence in the locker room, so that weighed down this grade as well. I don't hate this signing, but the Seahawks greatly overpaid for the production they got from Adams in 2020. - Josh Rosen to Atlanta to replace AJ McCarron (torn ACL). Rosen is now on his 5th team in four years in the NFL. And the guy is still only 24 so he has plenty of time to catch up to Ryan Fitzpatrick's nine teams. Can you name the QB who has been on the most teams? I'll give you a hint, he runs his own YouTube channel called The QB School. The news here is rather simple, not gonna bother pasting an entire article to explain: The Jacksonville Jaguars have waived Tim Tebow, who's attempt to come back to the NFL as a Tight End instead of as a quarterback is now very much likely over. We will likely never see Tebow wearing an NFL uniform ever again.
However, don't be surprised to see that if Tebow clears waivers, that Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer announces that he has hired Tebow in some generic sounding coaching consultant role, that can mean anything they really want it to...We all knew Tebow's comeback as a player was almost certainly doomed ever since it was announced...but we also kinda had in the back of our minds that Urban would do him a solid anyway, and find some kind of role for him within the organization...we are now at that phase. Our favorite time of year, when we can watch our favorite starting players play one quarter and then goof off for the rest of the game as a bunch of guys who will get cut in the next few weeks try to play football professionally!!! YAY!
It's safe to say, after Josh Allen retires, he won't ever need to work another day in his life...8/6/2021 The Bills just extended Allen through 2028...
6 years. 258 million. 150 guaranteed. That averages 43 million bucks a year. Listed as 1, 2 & 3 on depth chart, if applicable.
OFFENSE QB: Michael Vick, Ken Anderson, Jim Plunkett RB: Bo Jackson, Roger Craig, Ricky Williams FB: Mike Alstott WR1: Reggie Wayne, Sterling Sharpe WR2: Torry Holt, Hines Ward WR3 (Slot): Cliff Branch, Sterling Sharpe, Hines Ward TE: Mark Bavaro, Todd Christensen, Jay Novacek LT: Tony Boselli, Joe Jacoby LG: Logan Mankins, Bob Kuechenberg C: Jeff Saturday, Tom Nalen RG: Walt Sweeney, Randy Cross RT: Ralph Neely, Erik Williams DEFENSE LDE: L.C. Greenwood, Neil Smith RDE: Richard Seymour, Harvey Martin LDT: Steve McMichael, Bryant Young NT: Joe Klecko RDT: La'Roi Glover, Tom Sestak LOLB: Cornelious Bennett, Greg Lloyd ILB: Zach Thomas, Randy Gradishar ILB: Patrick Willis, Sam Mills ROLB: Pat Swilling, Chuck Howley LCB: Lester Hayes, Lemar Parrish RCB: Ken Riley, Ronde Barber FS: Jack Scott, Deron Cherry SS: Darren Woodson, LeRoy Butler SPECIAL TEAMS LS: Tom Nalen P: Shane Lechler K: Gary Anderson PR: Desmond Howard, Torry Holt KR: Desmond Howard, Hines Ward - The NFL preseason kicks off in...79 hours, as I write this.
- Serious question: Are the Colts actually better off with Carson Wentz being out 5-12 weeks? - Current Rams and former Lions QB Matthew Stafford told the media over the weekend that if the Lions had pushed him on the issue, he wouldn't have fought to get traded or threatened to hold out or anything like that, and would have just suited up and kept playing in Detroit. As it was, he asked to be traded, they obliged. This doesn't surprise me. Matt Stafford and his wife had had nothing but positive things to say about the Lions, we all just understand why he had to go, so he could have a chance to win... - Aaron Rodgers is back in Green Bay, for what will almost assuredly be his final season at Lambeau. With all of the demands made, the demands given in to, after this season, Rodgers is gone. He might not retire, but he isn't going to be a Packer anymore. Especially after he basically buried the entire franchise in an interview during training camp...It's clear he's only a Packer right now because the team refused to trade him. He doesn't want to be in Green Bay anymore. They are basically a separated couple, where the husband moves into the basement so that they can both still be there for the kids... - What a Hall of Fame class this is (keep in mind, this is 2020 and 2021 combined for the ceremonies)...Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, John Lynch, Charles Woodson, Steve Atwater, Isaac Bruce, Steve Hutchinson (GO BLUE), Edgerrin James, Troy Polamalu's hair, and Alan Faneca... - According to BetMGM, some poor schmuck dropped $500 on the Lions winning the Super Bowl this year...well, you know what they say. "A fool and his money are soon parted." - Lamar Jackson tested positive for COVID. While he might "recover" over a few weeks, COVID has affected people differently, and certain side effects could bother him all season. For the life of me, I don't understand why NFL players aren't getting vaccinated. I know the popular reasons, but dammit, when there is that much money at stake, let them poke you! - Also, CBS Sports released it's all-time non-Hall of Fame football roster, which I am gonna post in it's own thread shortly... |
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