MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

All first round picks (1-31 this year) automatically have a 5th year option built into their 4-year deal per the CBA. The assigned amount is similar to the Transition Tag.

 

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh: '200 percent' chance Lamar Jackson stays in Baltimore


It's been more than a year since the football world started worrying about Lamar Jackson's future in Baltimore, and there still isn't any sign he and the Baltimore Ravens will strike an agreement soon.

In most cases, this would mean Jackson is headed for free agency with the start of the league year in March. But the Ravens aren't letting him go anywhere. He's still their franchise quarterback.

"One hundred percent, 200 percent. There's no question about it," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Thursday. "Lamar Jackson is our quarterback. He's been our quarterback. Everything that we've done in terms of building our offense and building our team, how we think in terms of putting people around him is based on this incredible young man, his talent, his ability and his competitiveness.

"I love Lamar, (general manager) Eric (DeCosta) loves Lamar, and it's not gonna change in the future. I don't know anything about the details or the whole thing, but I know one thing: I'm like all the fans out there and everybody else. I'll have my fingers crossed, my toes crossed and I'll be saying prayers. I have faith it's gonna get done, and we've got the best people in the world doing it. ... Eric wants him here, I want him here, Steve wants him here, and Lamar wants to be here. it's gonna work out."

DeCosta has been deadlocked in a marathon of a public dance with Jackson, telling reporters repeatedly since February they're going to operate at Jackson's pace and willingness to operate at Jackson's pace and willingness to negotiate. So far, it hasn't produced much.

Thursday provided DeCosta another opportunity to recite the same phrases he's been using for nearly a year.


"Well, it certainly takes two to tango, but I think Lamar and I have a great relationship," DeCosta said. "I think we communicate quite often; we spent some time together today as a matter of fact. We've spoken throughout the season multiple times. These negotiations all happen differently. … I wouldn't characterize the percentages of getting any deal done or how long it's gonna take, except to say that we'll communicate effectively, we'll be as fair as we can be and we'll try to hammer out a deal. Hopefully we can get to that point."

Jackson has a few valid gripes with the team, including one the Ravens addressed Thursday by parting ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Jackson voiced displeasure with the team's predictable nature in 2021, and a new OC should fix things, especially if said hire doesn't pigeonhole Jackson as a quarterback whose primary asset is his running ability.

That running ability has also earned Jackson a bit of a reputation for being injury prone, even if it's not quite accurate. Jackson's higher rate of runs would theoretically leave him susceptible to more hits, sure, but he suffered an ankle injury that ended his 2021 season while attempting to avoid pressure before passing, not running. His knee injury in 2022 came while he was moving through the pocket with the goal of releasing another pass.

Both cut his season short, forcing the Ravens to rely on Tyler Huntley and in 2022, rookie Anthony Brown. Baltimore isn't letting these unfortunate occurrences impact its negotiations, at least not publicly.

"I don't anticipate this being any kind of a trend," Harbaugh said. "Lamar, I don't believe is a guy that is going to have those issues going forward. You can't think that. And really, it's just football. Both those plays the last two years were kind of freaky plays that happen. They can happen.

"Lamar is a very durable player. I know that people might take issue with that. I get it. But I don't believe there's going to be a problem moving forward because I know how hard he's gonna work. Lamar Jackson works hard. Whether it's in the weight room, on the field, running, in the classroom, Lamar is all football. He works really hard at it. And that's really what you do. You work hard, you get yourself in great shape, you go play the game the way you play it. And that's what he'll do next year."

A dynamic, incredibly explosive quarterback is exactly what each NFL team would like on its roster. Baltimore has had one for the last five years, and even if Jackson hasn't earned a trip to the Super Bowl, he's certainly won plenty of regular-season games for the Ravens.


He's not the type a team just walks away from over money, even if the speculative cycle will have you believe otherwise.

If Baltimore can't strike a long-term deal with Jackson before the franchise tag deadline, it's safe to expect the Ravens to place the tag on the quarterback, paying him an average of the top five quarterback salaries for one year. The rate will be a hefty chunk of change, but that was always going to be the reality for the Ravens, especially after the division-rival Browns handed Deshaun Watson a massive, fully guaranteed contract in 2022.

"Any deal with Lamar is going to affect the salary cap," DeCosta said. "Whether we get a long-term deal done or we do an exclusive franchise or a traditional franchise. It's going to affect the cap, I mean those are big, big numbers. We're fortunate that we have a better salary cap than most. We have a lot more room than most teams do, which was by design three or four years ago.

"I think one of the things that we saw years ago with Joe (Flacco). When we had to do Joe's, we didn't have enough room to franchise Joe back then. So we kind of planned accordingly. We have a lot of salary cap space that we can use that creates some aspect of flexibility with us contract-wise and also franchise wise, as well. It gives us a couple different options. Regardless, it's not going to be a situation where the market is open and we're just going and signing guys left and right. That's not going to happen."

A franchise tag would secure Jackson's services for 2023, but could also create a stalemate. Some franchise-tagged players (e.g., Davante Adams) end up getting dealt elsewhere, while others sit out of offseason activities in what is their best method of resistance to the tag.

"That's something we're not going to talk about," DeCosta said of the thought of entertaining trade offers for Jackson. "Our singular focus is getting a long-term deal."

The Ravens are hoping their relationship with Jackson -- which might not be as stable as one would think, considering how Jackson acted on social media following Baltimore's loss to Cincinnati on Super Wild Card Weekend -- will be strong enough to avoid a standoff.

"I mean there's no guarantee it'll go that way. So you cross those bridges when you get there," Harbaugh said. "There's a history of that with guys that are given the tag, but Lamar's a unique guy, too. He's not beating to everybody's drum. He does his own thing the way he wants to do it. So those things will all come down the road as they come and we'll adjust and adapt as we face them."


NFL.com
________________
__________________________

Long read, sorry. I just didnt know how to break it down without loosing the jist of things.

 

What’s next for the 49ers at quarterback?

The biggest wild card for the upcoming offseason might be what the 49ers do with quarterback Trey Lance. They suddenly have a quarterback controversy with three signal-callers who appear to be capable of running the offense. Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo and Purdy all have viable arguments toward being the starter next season. It really depends on what roster-building avenue the 49ers take.

Purdy is the cheapest option that the 49ers can roll with. He signed a four-year, $3.7 million contract with the 49ers after being the last pick in the draft. He has run this offense to a degree that has the 49ers scoring 40+ points in the playoffs, but it’s fair to wonder what his ceiling is in the NFL and if he can continue being this guy in the future. Garoppolo is the steady hand and the quarterback they’ve had the most success with during Shanahan’s run as the head coach. Lance has the highest physical upside of the three, but he hasn’t played significant snaps since he was a sophomore at North Dakota State — in 2019. The 49ers traded three first-round draft picks for the right to select Lance, but he’s still a complete unknown.

The 49ers have an interesting problem. They don’t need the most talented quarterback on their roster to suit up for them. Shanahan has essentially made the 49ers' offense QB-proof and they’re loaded with playmakers at every position. If the 49ers want to try and recoup some of their draft picks from the Lance trade, he could still have enough intrigue around the league that they could get a first-round pick in exchange for him.

However, if Lance can be the guy who lets the 49ers truly raze defenses for the decade, maybe they should give him another chance to see if he can be a franchise quarterback for them. Everyone knows what this offense looks like with Garoppolo and Purdy running it — good enough to be a Super Bowl contender. However, Lance at his best might give the 49ers an even larger margin for error on offense due to his physical abilities. It’s a good problem to have, due to the presence of Shanahan, but a problem nonetheless.

At the very, very least, they have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league with Purdy. The expectations for the 49ers no matter who is under center are always going to be sky high, but the possibility of them actualizing those expectations might be easier if Lance is the starter.

Lance, Garoppolo, Purdy. That’s the question for the 49ers. It doesn’t feel like there’s a completely wrong answer here, it just depends on how risky the 49ers are willing to be with the most important position on the team. They’re in a rare position of being able to take a big swing at quarterback (Lance), stay with what they know (Garoppolo) or ride the hot hand (Purdy). This is a quarterback decision that can change the NFL landscape.

YAHOO
__________
_______________________

Dammmm, 3 QB's and 1 spot! Going to be fun/interesting to watch this unfold.

 

I know... He was not a first round pick.

 

Oh I see. The subject was Howell. Now I'm confused too. The three seasons were correct though.

 

Jimmy Garoppolo hits field for rehab work as he gets closer to return



The 49ers had only two players with designations for this week’s game against the Cowboys. They ruled out quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (foot) and cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle) for Sunday’s divisional round matchup.

Both, though, are getting closer to a return.


Garoppolo is out of his walking boot and returned to the practice field for rehab work on the side this week, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday.

Garoppolo, who remains on the 53-player roster, has a “better chance” to return for the Super Bowl if the 49ers get there than he does to come back for a possible NFC Championship Game next week.

“I’d be surprised [if Garoppolo was available next week], but I think it depends how on this whole weekend goes and stuff, but think there’s an outside chance,” Shanahan said.

Garoppolo broke his foot during the 49ers’ Week 13 game against the Dolphins.

If the 49ers continue to win, Garoppolo could return to back up rookie Brock Purdy. Josh Johnson, who joined the team after Garoppolo’s injury, currently is the No. 2 quarterback.

He started 10 games this season, and the 49ers went 7-3, as Garoppolo threw 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.

He becomes a free agent this spring and is expected to play elsewhere next season.

Shanahan said Thomas could return next week.

“I think there’s a chance,” he said.

PFT

 

Teammates say Tom Brady indicated after Monday’s game that he won’t return to Tampa Bay



After the Buccaneers were bounced out of the playoffs on Monday night, Tom Brady said only that he would take it one day at a time in determining his future. But teammates think he’s done in Tampa Bay.

NFL Media reports that “several” Buccaneers players felt after their interactions with Brady following the game that he had played his last game in Tampa Bay.


One player said, “I’d be surprised if he’s back.” Another said, “He sounded like a person saying goodbye for good.”

That, of course, doesn’t mean Brady is retiring. It’s possible that he’ll sign with another team in free agency and seek an eighth Super Bowl ring a year from now, at the age of 46.

Another Super Bowl ring will be Brady’s primary motivation if he does decide to return, and given the way the aging Buccaneers roster played last season, it’s easy to see why he wouldn’t think Tampa Bay is the best place for him to win another title.

PFT

 

IF, Brady leaves Tampa Bay, he needs to buy all of his linemen new cars or a house somewhere. He (Tom) has been protected extremely well. He's old and slow (like me) and has been able to do what he does best because of a little help from his friends.

 

Andy Reid: Patrick Mahomes is a tough nut



After Patrick Mahomes got caught between Corey Peters and Arden Key, and Key fell on the quarterback’s right ankle, bending it sideways, it appeared Mahomes’ day if not his season was done. Mahomes missed only 13 plays, playing through the obvious pain.

“He’s a tough kid,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, via Pete Sweeney of arrowheadpride.com. “He wanted to be in there. He wanted to be competing, and that’s a tribute to him and his competitiveness. However, you’ve got to make sure he’s OK, physically OK where he can protect himself, and if he can’t, then he can’t play. You have to go with the next guy. He’s a tough nut. And when I tell you he’s competitive, he’s very, very competitive.”


Mahomes initially stayed in the game, playing on the injured ankle for five plays while leading the Chiefs to a field goal and a 10-7 lead.

But Reid informed Mahomes that he wasn’t going back into the game without X-rays that were negative. Mahomes angrily threw off his parka and departed for the locker room.

“It was hard getting him out of the game, first of all,” Reid said. “He wanted to fight, and so we got him out, went to the X-ray, got an X-ray, looked at, taped. He came back, and he said he felt good enough to be protected, where he’s not going to get hurt. That’s obviously the primary thing.”

X-rays were negative, though Mahomes will undergo an MRI to confirm the injury isn’t nearly as bad as it looked.

He played the entire second half of the 27-20 win over the Jaguars.

“You felt like his mobility was good enough where he can do that,” Reid said. “We did a few little things with him on the sideline to see where he was at. [We] put him in, and it was short leash. If I felt like he wasn’t able to handle it, he would have been out — and back in [Chad] Henne [would go].”

Mahomes completed 10 of 15 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in the second half, finishing 22-of-30 for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

The question now is: Can Mahomes do it again next week? The ankle is going to swell; it’s going to be sore; and if nothing else, he surely won’t practice much, if at all, this week.

Mahomes said Saturday night that he was starting treatment immediately.

“I don’t want to jump to things right now,” Reid said. “Let’s just see how it goes here the next couple days. It’s going to be sore, I know. Let’s see where he’s at. He’s had this before, and he was able to keep pushing through — actually, against Jacksonvlle a couple years ago. The same type of deal. He pushed through that. The main thing is that he’s as safe as you could be on a football field. That’s the important thing.”

It was in the season opener against the Jaguars in 2019 that Mahomes injured his ankle. He played through it, not resting it until a midseason knee injury kept him out two games. The Chiefs went on to win the Super Bowl.

PFT

 

Report resurfaces that Lamar Jackson turned down $133 million fully guaranteed



On the first Sunday of the regular season, ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen reported that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson rejected a contract offer that would have paid him $133 million fully guaranteed at signing. Very recently, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark reported the same thing.

Here’s what we said in September, since it still applies: “The reporting has some gaps that make a full assessment of the offer impossible. What would the first-year cash flow have been? How much of the contract would have been guaranteed for injury? How much of the injury guarantee would have converted to a full guarantee in March 2023, since there’s no way they would have cut him after only one year, given whatever they would have been paying him in 2022?”


It’s impossible to fully evaluate a deal without knowing the full value of it. Every payment, every guarantee, every vesting deadline, every incentive, every escalator, every de-escalator, every workout bonus, every roster bonus, every option bonus, every per-game roster bonus, and every other device by which money would flow from team to play.

It’s also irrelevant at this point. Circumstances have changed. Jackson’s rookie contract is over. He finished the season with an injury that caused him to miss more than a few games, for the second straight year.

Also, other long-term, big-money quarterback deals (such as the ones given to Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray) possibly have become cautionary tales.

Will the Ravens make the same offer now? Will they offer more? Will they offer less?

Are they content to let Lamar test the market under the non-exclusive franchise tag? Would they match someone else’s offer? Would they be willing to take a pair of first-round picks instead? Would they trade him for something less than two ones?

These are the important questions now. Hearing again (and likely again) that he was offered $133 million fully guaranteed at signing means nothing in isolation, and it means even less given the passage of time.

So unless Lamar or the NFL Players Association or the Ravens are willing to disclose the full contents of any offers that have been made, it’s impossible for anyone to call a deal good or bad, fair or unfair, satisfactory or unsatisfactory. While that won’t stop people from reporting incomplete facts about the negotiations, past or present, those who see the information should remember that there’s no way to judge the full deal without knowing (spoiler alert) the full deal.

PFT

 

Still sounds to me like Lamar Jackson ought to try an agent.

 

Report: MRI confirms high ankle sprain for Patrick Mahomes



While X-rays were negative on Patrick Mahomes‘ ankle, the Chiefs quarterback underwent more tests on Sunday.

The results were encouraging for Kansas City.


According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, an MRI confirmed Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain and that Mahomes did not have any other significant damage.

As Mahomes said on Saturday night, Schefter reiterated that the quarterback plans to play in next week’s AFC Championship Game.

Mahomes was obviously hindered by the ankle injury, but he nevertheless re-entered the game in the second half after missing just 13 plays. The quarterback was 10-of-15 for 111 yards and a touchdown in the last 30 minutes, overall finishing 22-of-30 for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

Kansas City has an extra day of rest before playing again next Sunday. But Mahomes’ practice status will be worth monitoring throughout the week.

The Chiefs will play the winner of Bengals-Bills next Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

PFT

 

Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts make youngest pair of starting QBs in a conference championship



Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will make history as soon as they take the field on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.

The 23-year-old Purdy and the 24-year-old Hurts will become the first pair of starting quarterbacks in a conference championship game under age 25, and will have the lowest combined age for a pair of starting quarterbacks ever in a conference championship game.


Purdy is a rookie who will become the third-youngest conference championship game starting quarterback. Only Shuan King with the 1999 Buccaneers and Ben Roethlisberger with the 2004 Steelers were younger.

Hurts is in his third NFL season and will become the 20th-youngest conference championship game starting quarterback.

PFT

 

Kyle Shanahan: Brock Purdy has been “unbelievable” with avoiding turnovers



One of the most notable elements of Brock Purdy‘s play has been his ability to take care of the football.

Since he took over for Jimmy Garoppolo in the Week 13 win over the Dolphins, Purdy has thrown just three interceptions and he hasn’t fumbled in eight games.


In San Francisco’s two playoff games, Purdy has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 546 yards with three touchdowns and no picks — good for a 109.9 passer rating.

Purdy’s success as a seventh-round rookie — let alone the last pick of the draft — is unprecedented. But his ability to avoid turnovers is something head coach Kyle Shanahan especially appreciates.

“Yes, he’s been unbelievable with that,” Shanahan said in his Monday conference call with reporters. “I think that’s the No. 1 thing he’s done. And to be able to be as good with the ball as he has while still making a number of the plays that he has, that’s definitely the thing I’ve been most impressed with.”

While Purdy’s success has been remarkable, he’ll surely be tested when playing a strong Philadelphia defense in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.

PFT
__________
____________________

Good points on, Purdy. I dont know if he's lucky, good, or both... probably both. Going to be fun to see the decisions that have to be made once Jimmy G gets completely healthy and he's close. It might be a 'dilemma' in the works... good problem to have tho.

 

Some of it is coaches putting him in the right position to succeed. Some of it is the surrounding talent. Some is the fact they have not had to play a game where they were significantly behind the other team. Yes they trailed Seattle but never to the point where it made them one dimensional.

 

Rumors are flying, like they usually do this time of year and the one getting more attention is Rodgers to the Jets. I dont buy it. Too much would have to be given up for a QB who might retire at some point real soon and personally i dont think he's worth the bother, but hell, thats just my opinion.

If the jets were to deal for him, Rodgers cap numbers in the next two seasons would be $48.3 million combined if they pick up the 2 year deal. The Jets would also have to probably give up 2 first rounders.

Just seams to me to be too much to give up and not enough QB security for the Jets, unless maybe they are thinking Rodgers can lead them to the promised land next season, but thats a huge risk. The Packers season ought to be enough for others to see, Rodgers, without super-star talent surrounding him is not all that. They really struggled to start the season, started to seemingly right the ship, then back down they came in a hurry again... point being, Rodgers didnt save the day and in todays NFL, it takes a team, not just one guy. In fairness, Rodgers did have the trade of Devante Adams and injuries to deal with, but that happens at any given moment on any given team. Playing in New York with their scrutiny and spot-lights is no easy task for any one, especially if they sign a humungas contract and are expecting you to win it all (which after i think about it, might be fun to see).

Jets have a good and up and coming team, but is Rodgers going to be the savior or just another over-paid experiment?

Thats my editorial for the day... and I tried to go easy on the Diva QB... it wasnt easy.

 

So, lol, after I post that "editorial" Jets hire Nathaniel Hackett... former Green Bay OC.

Makes me wonder now.

 

Why?

 

Mike LaFleur the Jets OC left the Jets after the season, so they needed somebody.

 

Are the the JETS ready for the Aaron Rodgers circus if they trade for him if true he's to much of a drama queen IMO