MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Tua Tagovailoa ignoring critics of arm strength, ends Dolphins practice with 'money' deep-ball to Tyreek Hill

Questions of Tua Tagovailoa's quarterbacking skills have dominated the conversation in Miami after the team underwent an offensive overhaul this offseason.

More specifically, it's been the topic of Tagovailoa's arm strength that has fueled doubters. New Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel showed he's well aware of those questions once asked about how confident he was in the QB's arm following Thursday's practice.

"So you're saying there was a good deep-ball today?" McDaniel facetiously asked a reporter. "Were you pretty confident that it would be completed? There was a couple."

Befittingly enough, one of those deep completions ended Dolphins practice with Tagovailoa connecting with Tyreek Hill, the highlight acquisition for Miami this offseason. Though it may just be a small example of Tagovailoa's progress on the deep ball, it gave the 24-year-old QB a chance to address the criticism on a high note.

"For me, it's just zone that out," Tagovailoa said. "I mean we come out to practice, everyone else, Twitter warriors, keyboard warriors, whatever you want to call them, they're not out here practicing with us working hard. So, I don't know if you guys recorded that last one to Tyreek -- I don't know about you but that looked like money."

McDaniel, who is an overlooked figure within the Dolphins' offensive upgrades, proceeded to dive into what he thought of the deep ball from a coach and player's perspective.

"Here's the thing about quarterback that I always think is funny; you can only design plays that the quarterback has time to throw, and generally, within the time of the play from a historical perspective, you can't get a receiver down the field past, I don't know 55, 60 yards in what we call one-hitch timing," McDaniel explained. "So, you have to have a prerequisite arm strength to be able to throw it 60 (yards), in my opinion, and then if you're not gonna be able to anticipate and you have to see something happen before you do it, you probably need to throw 70. Because you have to wait to see it and then a receiver gets down further. Hopefully you have the protection. The way we've always operated since 2005 when I got in the league, is if a quarterback can see the defense and is accurate, then you just see if he can throw it 60 yards.


"I think he might've had a 55-yarder today, but that's why you hear no cause for concern at all from the players because they know that, too. He's plenty fast and the great thing is he sees the field. He's not throwing the ball 85 yards, but I don't see the practical application of an 85-yard thrower unless you have the best offensive line in the history of football. And the defensive is poor to add on rushers when you're max protected."

Tagovailoa enters a crucial third season, one which portends to be a key evaluation for his long-term future with the Dolphins. What hasn't helped Tagovailoa is that McDaniel's system is the third one he's had to digest since entering the league as a former No. 5 overall pick. So far, McDaniel is happy with Tagovailoa's progress and provided insightful details on his growth once seeing him face adversity for the first time.

"I'm really excited about the reps that Tua is getting in this offense," said McDaniel, a 39-year-old offensive specialist entering his first year as a head coach. "I'm excited about where he's at. I talked to him and I talked to the team today specifically about just waiting for those moments where you have a slight obstacle, and Tua's very very critical on his ball placement and he's a very accurate quarterback as a result. Yesterday, he had some throws that he demands better of himself, but like I told everybody else, today was the first day I got to really evaluate Tua because that is professional quarterback in the National Football League -- you're going to have things that you don't execute to perfection, you're going to have people talking about how you're not performing and guess what? No one cares.

"It's about leading, and he had a ton of energy. I was very very happy with his effort today because it was one of the million reps you need at that position to handle the scrutiny, the pressure, all that stuff. I think his teammates have really noticed a difference in him, he's opening up, he's kind of coming into his own in that regard, and he's been unbelievably coachable. He's let his guard down and we've ben able to keep his confidence high, which it should be right now, for sure, while correcting him and getting his game better, which is the ultimate goal for everyone."

In 21 starts, Tagovailoa has shown tremendous accuracy on short-passing situations, but he has few examples of success throwing it deep. His 10.1 yards per completion ranked 30th in the NFL following a season where he set career-highs in completions (263) and passing yards (2,653). With a 16-10 touchdown to interception ratio, Tagovailoa finished Year 2 with a respectable 90.1 passer rating, but where he can improve was clear.

With the Dolphins adding deep-threat receivers like Hill and Ced Wilson to a WR corps with Jaylen Waddle and pass-catching tight end Mike Gesicki, Tagovailoa is being provided with the tools for an explosive offense. McDaniel and Tagovailoa are putting in the work to ensure they exploit the potential.

NFL.com

 

Nick Sirianni: I’m noticing a big difference in Jalen Hurts



The Eagles made significant moves on both sides of the ball this offseason, but they didn’t do anything to change the top of our quarterback depth chart.

Jalen Hurts closed out last season as the starter and remains in that spot despite some questions heading into the offseason about whether they’d try to make a change. That could be back on the table if Hurts fails to make progress during the 2022 season, but head coach Nick Sirianni said recently that he’s seeing growth from the third-year player.


“I’m noticing a big difference,” Sirianni said to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN. “What I see is a crisper ball. The accuracy I’ve been very pleased with. You can just see him taking strides every single day with his accuracy because of the fundamentals he has with his feet and his upper body.”

The Eagles will be looking for the same kind of difference in Hurts’ play once they hit the field this fall and seeing it would be a big step toward a long run in Philadelphia for the quarterback.

PFT

 

Daniel Jones says he’s learning to go down earlier to avoid injuries



Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has yet to play a full NFL season, and a major part of his focus heading into Year Four is staying healthy enough to stay on the field all year.

That’s why, Jones said, he’s learning to avoid contact and slide sooner so that he can avoid injuries like the neck injury that ended his 2021 season or the hamstring injury that caused him to miss time in 2020.


“I think more than anything it’s just being aware in certain situations, and making the decision to go down earlier. I think there’s things you can watch on tape and learn from it, and I’ll continue to learn,” Jones said.

Jones is a good runner, with 172 carries for 1,000 yards so far in his NFL career, an impressive average of 5.8 yards per carry. But if Jones has to sacrifice some rushing yards to keep himself healthy, that’s a trade-off the Giants will take.

PFT

 

Aaron Rodgers 'definitely' finishing playing career with Packers

Though the start of the 2022 season is still roughly three months away, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has let his retirement plans be known.

When asked Tuesday if he planned to finish his career with Green Bay, Rodgers was emphatic that he'd go out as a Packer.

"Yes, definitely," he said at the first day of Packers mandatory minicamp.

Rodgers, the two-time reigning AP NFL Most Valuable Player, signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Pack this offseason. However, the length of the deal shouldn't offer any indication of how much longer Rodgers, 38, will play. While he made it clear he'll eventually hang it up while donning the green and gold, Rodgers is simply focused on the 2022 season and realizes that how any campaign plays out will prove pivotal in his decision to continue playing or retire.

"If you say I'm for sure playing two more, three years and then you have a magical season that ends with a championship and think that that might be the best way to ride off, I don't want to commit to something," Rodgers said, via ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "You say, I'm only playing one more year and you have a bitter taste in your mouth and still got the drive and the passion to play one or two more years, I just don't want to get pigeonholed into it.

"So I'm focused on this season. I'm never gonna drag it out in the offseason. The conversations I've had with [general manager] Brian [Gutekunst] have been very honest and direct, and that's not going to change, and we'll sit down after the season, hopefully after a championship and figure out what the next step is."

Though questions surrounding Rodgers' future will carry on through the conclusion of his career, there is likewise an abundance of quandaries regarding his receiving corps.


That's really nothing novel for Rodgers, who's on the doorstep of playing the final football season of his 30s. Over the past few seasons, there's been a call for more receiving help to compliment All-Pro standout Davante Adams.

This year around, though, Adams is gone, having been traded to Las Vegas, and that departure has left the Packers' wide receiver cupboard rather bare, or at least unfamiliar.

Ultimately, Adams wanted out of Green Bay and into Las Vegas to reunite with his college teammate, quarterback Derek Carr.

Rodgers found no flaw in Adams' reasoning for wishing to leave Titletown.

"We had some really honest conversations about my future here, and how long I wanted to play, and his own thoughts about his future and where he wanted to play, live and raise his family," Rodgers said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "The team obviously stepped up and made a competitive, or even more compelling, offer. Ultimately, Davante thought it was best for him and his family to be in Vegas, so that was tough for sure, but I love Tae and love our connection. I'm a little biased, but it's hard to think of a better player I played with. He had a chance to be the all-time record in a lot of categories at receiver for us. I thought that might be a little nugget that would kind of keep him here, but Tae made a decision that he thought was in the best decision for him and his family, and I can't fault him for that at all."

After he skipped organized team activities, Tuesday was Rodgers' first time in a while to talk to the media, and also his first opportunity to get to know his new receivers. Among the fresh faces set to line up wide are free-agent acquisition Sammy Watkins and a crop of rookies: second-round pick Christian Watson, fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs and seventh-round pick Samori Toure.

"I miss the guys," Rodgers said, "I love being around the guys. It's been a nice offseason. I appreciate my [training] team back in Southern California and the work we put in. But it's good to be back out here with the guys. Good to meet Christian and Romeo and get reacclimated with some of the older guys. It's just about timing and them feeling the cadence and the urgency and stuff, and just nice to be back in the building with these people.

"They've been great about me taking care of myself the way I best need to. Obviously, it's worked out the last couple years by my play, and I expect nothing less."


Packers minicamp runs through Thursday and then OTAs recommence June 13, but Rodgers said he won't be in attendance for the latter. That's the immediate future.

Beyond that, he's set to retire as a Packer, which at this point last year certainly seemed in question. Just when Rodgers intends to call it a career remains to be determined by the future Hall of Famer. For now, it's all about getting ready for 2022, a shot at a third MVP in a row and an elusive second trip to the Super Bowl.

NFL.com

 

John Harbaugh: I expect Lamar Jackson to be at mandatory minicamp



Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has not been attending Baltimore’s voluntary OTAs over the last few weeks.

But head coach John Harbaugh said on Wednesday that he’s expecting Jackson to be at mandatory minicamp next week.


“I know he’s working hard. Lamar Jackson’s a hard worker, so I’m not worried about how hard he’s working,” Harbaugh said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “I fully expect him to come back in great shape — that’s what he talks about. I’m sure he’s strong, I’m sure he’s doing a good job, and when he gets back here, we’ll roll with Lamar. Right now, we roll with the guys we’ve got. And when he gets here, he’ll merge right in with everybody and we’ll go to work with Lamar.”

Jackson has downplayed his absence from the team’s offseason program. But Jackson is still involved in a unique situation with the Ravens, in that he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal and has not engaged the team on a potential contract extension.

The 2019 MVP, Jackson is set to make just over $23 million guaranteed on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in the coming season.

PFT

 

Jordan Love: I’ll take what I’m given and run with it



Aaron Rodgers was in Green Bay for the Packers mandatory minicamp this week and that meant Jordan Love didn’t get to run the first team offense the way he has throughout the voluntary portions of the team’s offseason program.

Love will get more chances to do that this summer, but he’ll be locked to the bench if all goes as planned for the Packers during the regular season. Given Rodgers’ new contract, it’s not clear that Love will ever get the chance to pilot the Packers in a meaningful game but the 2020 first-round pick is adamant that he isn’t focusing on that part of his future.


Love said that he’s “more comfortable, relaxed, and being able to process things at lot faster” than he was earlier in his career and that he’s continuing to devote his energy to getting better rather than whether or not his future lies in Green Bay.

“I am human,” Love said, via Jason Wilde of Madison.com. “And that stuff’s going to be there, regardless. But I think I do a pretty good job at compartmentalizing it. I don’t even want to think about that stuff. I can’t control what’s going on, I have no idea what might happen. So rather than stressing about things that might happen, things that might not happen, I’m just here right now. I’ll take what I’m given and run with it.”

Rodgers said this week that he plans to finish his career with the Packers, but gave no hints about when that might be. Unless it is after the 2022 season, it’s hard to feel confident that Love is going to be his successor in Green Bay’s offense.

PFT

 

He'll take what he's given and run with it... He'll be running with a clipboard!!!

 

I hope they don’t realize it’s missing and suspend him for stealing.

 

Comfortable just holding the clipboard and riding the bench huh Green Bay better hope Aaron Rodgers doesn't get hurt or it's the Jordan Love show

 

Tyreek Hill: Tua Tagovailoa is more accurate than Patrick Mahomes



The first episode of It Needed To Be Said features Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill and agent Drew Rosenhaus saying plenty of things about his departure from the Chiefs. Hill also says a few things about his new quarterback, and about his former one.

“I’ve had a chance to see Tua [Tagovailoa] throw the ball, to myself, but. . . . he’s that dude, bro,” Hill said. “Like, what a lot of people don’t know, like, I’m not just sitting just saying this because he’s my quarterback now. . . . like, I’m not trying to get more targets right now, but what I’m trying to say is Tua is that deal, bro. . . . Bro, he has a heck of an arm, bro. He’s accurate. He can throw the deep ball, and he actually goes through his reads, where people are like on Twitter like saying, ‘Oh, he doesn’t go through his reads.’ Man, this dude is that dude.”


Hill’s co-host, Julius Collins, then asked Hill who has the stronger arm, Tua or Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes?

“Obviously, like I’m gonna go with 15 as the strongest arm but as far as accuracy-wise, I’m going with Tua all day,” Hill said.

“So which one would you rather have, the deep ball where you gotta scramble around the field to try to go find it, or do you want that accuracy to hit you breadbasket on the run?” Collins asked Hill.

“I want it to hit me right in the breadbasket, just like I did in the Buffalo Bills game and take it 70,” Hill said. “And the rest is history.”

Hill added that his game in Miami will consist of a lot more than tracking long throws.

“I love the deep ball, but guess what though? I done expanded my game,” Hill said. “So now I’m doing a lot more than just the deep ball now. I’m doing intermediate routes. I’m doing short routes. So now I actually need a guy who can just get me the ball now, on a dagger route, on a corner route, on a shallow cross route. You know, right now, right in my chest. So I can do the rest. I make you look good now.”

Hill pointed out that, during a game without Mahomes in 2019, he made Matt Moore look pretty good, while Mahomes was out with a knee injury.

“I just want people to understand I went for 150 with Matt Moore as my quarterback,” Hill said. “I love you, Matt Moore. Versus the Minnesota Vikings. If you don’t remember that game, 150 and one touchdown with Matt Moore as my quarterback. And Tua T. is 10-10 Matt Moores. I love Matt Moore, but Tua T. is 10 Matt Moores.” (Hill had six catches for 140 yards and a touchdown that day.)

So, again, it will be very interesting to see how the Chiefs do without Hill, and how Hill does without Mahomes. But here’s the simple truth. Hill’s boasting will serve only to put more pressure on Tua to perform at a high level in 2022.

PFT

 

Mac Jones’ deep passing showing improvement in Patriots’ offseason practices



Although Patriots quarterback Mac Jones exceeded expectations as a rookie last season, his deep passing left something to be desired: Jones wasn’t particularly accurate throwing downfield, and that was a limitation for the Patriots’ offense.

So it qualifies as good news out of the Patriots’ offseason practice that Jones is showing improvement in the deep passing game, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.


“We want to be able to do whatever we want to do at any given time, whether that’s a run, pass, play-action — short, medium, or long. We’re trying to be able to have a little bit of variety,” Jones said.

The Patriots’ offense will be different this season, with longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels having left to become head coach of the Raiders, and still no word out of New England about who will function as the offensive coordinator. If Jones can consistently hit passes downfield in 2022 in a way he was unable to do in 2021, that will lead to significant improvement in the offense, no matter who is calling the plays.

PFT

 

Report: Browns and Panthers still talking about Baker Mayfield, salary remains obstacle



The Panthers and Browns have spoken about a trade that would send quarterback Baker Mayfield to Carolina at points this offseason, but the Panthers’ demand that the Browns pick up the lion’s share of Mayfield’s $18.8 million salary have kept anything from happening.

That obstacle reportedly hasn’t gone anywhere as the Panthers close in on the end of their offseason program. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports that the two teams continue to have dialogue about a trade, but that the issue of how much of Mayfield’s salary the Browns will eat remains a stumbling block.


Jones adds that the Panthers would like to get something done now so that Mayfield could get some time with the team during this week’s minicamp, but there’s no sign that anyone is budging on the salary front at this point.

Mayfield was excused from the Browns’ minicamp and has not spent any time with the team since they traded for Deshaun Watson. Sam Darnold, Matt Corral, and P.J. Walker are the current quarterbacks in Carolina.

PFT

 

Nyheim Hines: Matt Ryan isn’t missing the layups



Quarterback Matt Ryan has been drawing rave reviews from players all the way up to team owner Jim Irsay since becoming the Colts quarterback earlier this offseason.

That trend has continued with Nyheim Hines.


The running back signed a three-year contract extension with the Colts at the start of the 2021 season. But his production went down significantly from 2020, in part because of quarterback Carson Wentz’s play. Where Hines had 63 receptions for 482 yards with four TDs in 2020, he had just 40 catches for 310 yards with one touchdown last season.

As General Manager Chris Ballard put it, the Colts didn’t hit enough of the short plays that were there to be made in 2021 — the layups. With Philip Rivers at quarterback in 2020, many of those kinds of plays went to Hines.

According to the running back, those plays have a chance to be back in 2022.

“When we get a certain defense, we know Matt is going out there to try to kill,” Hines said, via Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star. “He makes the tight throws when he needs to. He’s not missing the layups.”

Hines generally appears to have high confidence in Ryan and his ability as a QB.

“It’s all on the quarterback,” Hines said. “Quarterback play is everything. We’re going to have great quarterback play this year. When the box is stacked, he’s going to see it and make the reads to get out of it. When it’s not stacked, he’s not going to be scared to hand the ball off.

“Matt has the keys, and we’re going to go as far as he goes.”

PFT

 

Everyone looks better in shorts

 

Mike McCarthy sees Dak Prescott running more this season



As he returned from a serious ankle injury, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was significantly limited as a runner in 2021. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy doesn’t think that will be the case in 2022.

McCarthy said today that he plans to put more called quarterback runs in the Cowboys’ offense this season, saying that Prescott now looks completely healed from the ankle injury and ready to make more plays with his legs than he did last year.


Prescott has been impressive with his offseason workouts and is quicker, leaner and more flexible than he was last year, McCarthy said.

For the first five years of his career, running the ball was a major part of Prescott’s game: He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 1.5 rushing first downs per game from 2016 to 2020. But in 2021, Prescott averaged just 3.0 yards per carry and 0.4 rushing first downs per game.

If Prescott can use his legs more effectively in 2022, that opens up a lot more possibilities for a Cowboys offense that was already good last year even without Prescott able to do everything.

PFT
________
________________

Oh, he'll be running alright... running for his life!

 

Lamar Jackson’s return to practice lifts the Ravens



Lamar Jackson pronounced himself “ready for the season” after showing up for the team’s mandatory minicamp. After seeing the quarterback practice Tuesday, his teammates concur.

“I think everybody knows that Lamar, he’s what drives our team,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said Tuesday, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “The energy around him being here lifts everybody up.”


The Ravens hadn’t seen Jackson on a field since Dec. 29 when he tried to practice with a right ankle injury. He missed the final four games and then skipped the team’s entire voluntary offseason program before reporting Monday and practicing Tuesday.

“He’s the ultimate pro,” Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell said. “He prepares and handles his business the way you’re supposed to. Just being a young guy, he’s so mature. He understands how to do things the right way.”

Questions, though, remain about Jackson off the field. No one seems to know what is going on with him as he enters his fifth-year option that will pay him $23.016 million this season.

The Ravens are expected to use the franchise tag on him if they can’t reach a long-term deal by March 7.

That puts pressure on Jackson to have a better year than he did last year when he threw for 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games.

PFT

 

The Texans continue to be all-in with Davis Mills



The Texans have opted to give 2021 third-round quarterback Davis Mills the keys to the offense for 2022. As the team wraps its offseason program with a mandatory minicamp, Mills and coach Love Smith talked about the quarterback’s development.

“I feel like I’m at a good spot,” Mills told reporters. “Obviously there’s still a lot of room to grow, but more confident, more comfortable out there with the offense and my teammates around me. Ready to keep progressing and head into the season.”


He said his experience from his rookie season is making him more confident and comfortable. “Just having experience and being able to make fast, smart decisions and protect the football,” Mills said. “I think experience is a big factor in how my game progressed through the last season. These reps I’ve gotten in this offseason are extremely valuable and I’m excited to keep progressing. I still have a lot to prove to myself and to my teammates to go out there and win games, but we’re all excited for it, and I want to keep moving forward.”

Last year, Tyrod Taylor got the bulk of the reps in the offseason and training camp, as Mills was learning the ropes. This year, Mills is holding the rope.

“I still have a lot to prove,” Mills said. “Got to go out there and win the job each and every day and put my best foot forward each and every day out here at practice. It’s exciting and I want to keep proving that to the guys.”

He’s proving it to his coach, with a work ethic that will help him get to his ceiling, where that may be.

“We feel good about him, improvement,” Smith told reporters. “If you go through I think maybe 38, 37 days or so we’ve gone through of actual work here, and you’re a guy like Davis who’s the first guy in the building and the last guy to leave, he’s gotten a lot of reps, a lot of instructions. I’ve seen him make some of the type of plays we know he’s capable of making.”

As a rookie, Mills appeared in 13 games and started 11. He generated 2,664 passing yards, threw 16 touchdown passes, and had 10 interception. He completed 66.8 percent of his throws.

The Texans do indeed seem to be intent on entrusting the job to Mills. There has been scant chatter about Houston adding a veteran to potentially supplant Mills. They could have easily asked for Baker Mayfield as part of the Deshaun Watson trade, for example. They didn’t.

Would they pursue Mayfield or 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo if either or both players are cut? There has been no indication that they would — which means that they’re not interested. Or that G.M. Nick Caserio is doing his best to feign lack of interest until one or the other, or both, are free and clear.

PFT

 

Justin Fields: Bears not ready to play now, we will be when the time comes



The Bears installed a new offense after hiring Matt Eberflus as their head coach and Luke Getsy as their offensive coordinator earlier this year and the transition remains a work in progress as the offseason comes to an end.

Rhythm and timing are important to the scheme and those things are still developing, which is why Tuesday’s practice showed the defense was well ahead of the offense in Chicago. Quarterback Justin Fields said that “they’re throwing a lot at us” and that there are predictably mistakes that follow, but he’s focused on “not making the same mistake twice” at this point in the calendar.


As they move closer to Week 1, that focus will shift to fully putting the offense into motion because Fields knows that the team isn’t ready for game action at this point.

“Uh, no,” Fields said, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m not ready for the season to start. I’m the type of guy that would like to know I’m prepared. So, right now, I’m just being honest. We’re not ready to play a game right now. And when that time comes, we will be ready. So, right now, no — not ready to play a game.”

The Bears’ offseason moves have drawn criticism for not doing enough to surround Fields with the talent needed to thrive this season, but the final word on that will come once the team actually hits the field. If training camp puts them in a more comfortable place in the system, the chances of surpassing low expectations will look a lot better.

PFT

 

Arthur Smith: Desmond Ridder is light years ahead of most young QBs from the neck up



Desmond Ridder had to wait until the third round to hear his name called as the second quarterback off the board during this year’s draft.

But Ridder may have landed in exactly the right spot as he begins his pro career.


On Wednesday, head coach Arthur Smith praised the way the young quarterback has grasped the playbook since joining the club’s offseason program, saying he’s “very intelligent.”

“He’s light years ahead of most other young quarterbacks from the neck up,” Smith said, via Charles Odum of the Associated Press. “I will give him that compliment.”

Smith added, “Clearly he’s got to continue to improve … but behind the scenes, there are things he has done that have impressed me as a rookie.”

Ridder said he started to feel comfortable with the playbook and its terminology “about last week.”

“Honestly, I’m not going to lie, I thought I was going to come in and struggle a little bit,” Ridder said. “We’re almost all the way through all our installs and putting in all those checks. I’ve got a good grasp of it. That kind of surprised me, honestly, you know? I’m not going to say I wouldn’t have picked it up, but I thought it would take me just a little bit longer, an extra couple of days. But I’ve been able to pick up on it pretty smoothly.”

Ridder gained plenty of experience in his four years at Cincinnati, helping lead the program to the College Football Playoff as a senior in 2021. Now it appears there’s a chance he could beat out Marcus Mariota in training camp to become the Falcons’ QB1.

PFT

 

I was an advocate for Ridder to go to Carolina, and I believed they could have justified a high pick with his name.

It would have removed the negations for Baker by putting an arm in the room that could compete with Sam, while having the neck up ability to earn a spot quickly.