MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Agree 100%. I think the scheme thing is the main reason why the story is gaining steam. We keep hearing things that make it seem likely he won't be back in Baltimore. So what offense would be the perfect system fit for him? Atlanta is the easy, obvious answer. But that doesn't automatically mean Terry Fontenot is going to sacrifice the draft for a few years and give up most of our new cap space to get one guy.

Ground control to the media: Atlanta already has a quarterback. The better QB question is who will be the backups, as Feleipe Franks is now a full time tight end. My answer to that one would be to resign Mariota to a $3-4 million deal and then either draft someone late or sign a UDFA to take Franks' role as the #3. If Mariota signs elsewhere instead, good for him! I'd sign Philip Walker or David Blough or some other potential free agent.

 

I agree, Mariota would be an excellent signing for a backup in Atlanta, especially when at any given moment your starter (not just Ridder, but and QB around the League) may go down to injury. Marcus could step right in, know the team/schemes with a very familiar approach and inflict some serious 'starting QB' attacks, not the half confused, stale, rusty guys like ive seen in Minnesota behind Cousins types.

My question is, after the seemingly poor repertoire with Mariota and Smith, could they close the door on the recent past, overlook some potential differences and just get back to playing football?

 

Speak of the devil...

Falcons cut Marcus Mariota



Marcus Mariota‘s stint with the Falcons is finished after one year.

The Falcons announced this morning that they have released Mariota.


That’s no surprise, given that cutting Mariota saves $12 million on the Falcons’ salary cap, and given that Mariota did not play well last season.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Mariota is only 29 years old and might still have a future in the NFL, but so far his career has been a disappointment. He’s likely to fit somewhere with a team that wants a veteran backup.

PFT

 

Jameis Winston and the Saints split is probably next.

 

I can't believe how much quality Giants conversation I missed! Alright I'm late to the game but here goes...

Allegedly Schoen and CAA had reached a loose agreement that would pay Jones $35 million APY. Jones, an economics major at Duke, believed that he can and should be able to get more then that, which caused the switch of agents. I have never been a "believer" in Daniel Jones. I believe I said wild things as the draft approached like "Shit I would rather take a chance on Will Grier at 17 then Jones at 6 because at least I can still take Brian Burns then..." BUT he has shown me he can do a few things I honestly didn't think he could previously. He played well within the system he is being asked to run, but the system is designed to suit him. Which begs the question - was he only asked to do these things because it's the first year in a new scheme or is this all they believe he can do?

Jones is... better in Daboll's system than Garrett's but I think that would be universally true of all QB's in 2022's NFL. The guy has limitations though. No one likes to talk about it but he is still a one read QB. Instead of one read checkdown Daboll built "run through the B gap if it's open" as the second progression in many his play calls. Jones also is really only making plays to half the field the VASTY majority of the time. People say he has good placement on his deep ball (this comes from a REALLY small sample size stat in 2019 where he had a high completion percentage on like 17 deep balls.) but he has good placement on SOME deep routes. But he also doesn't throw deep from the pocket. He had only 10 passes that traveled 10 yards or more through the air from the pocket all season. Only 2 of those were attempted to the far hash. He is really only playing half the field on most snaps. He struggles with placement on crossers at pretty much all depths which is something Daboll runs a lot. I still think Jones just has adequate arm strength and arm talent. There isn't really anything special about his arm at all. Its "NFL quality" and nothing more. Also this is the first season in Jones career he didn't miss games to injury.

Bottom line. The Giants really like him. First guy in last guy out. He's tough as hell, plays through pain, his teammates respect him. And after ending up with the 25th pick in the draft it's not like they can look to the draft for his immediate replacement. I think the Giants went into this offseason thinking they had their bridge QB. He was good enough to be the guy while they built up the roster. I think what they have is an average to above average NFL QB. I don't see him elevating to be a top 10 QB but he can be a Kirk Cousins or a Ryan Tannehill if you can build a good roster around him. The guys who are obvious good QB's but never in the conversations of who the top guys are. I would have been good with $35 APY for that, knowing that it gives the Giants a lower cap number this season, which would allow them to re-up some of the actual home grown talent on the roster, and it's really just a 3 year bridge contract. Honestly $35 APY is what I EXPECTED the Giants to give him (It's roughtly the average of tagging the guy for two seasons) and I was prepared for it to go as high as $38. I didn't LIKE it, but 38 puts him as like the 10th highest paid QB right now, before a few other QB's re-up. That felt about right based on timing of hitting free agency and all that jazz.

Now? I think he is getting the non-exclusive tag. I personally would eat the cap pain and make him play on it this year. It MIGHT mean Barkley walks (I'm ok with that TBH - I'd rather someone else pay him 14 APY...), and it probably means you can't extend all the guys you'd like to (Thomas, McKinney) but I'd rather make him play on the tag and prove he *IS* better than he played in 2022 then risking a LTD on a hope and a dream just for cap relief this season. And if anyone was crazy enough to try and sign Jones away I'd wish him luck and figure out a new plan with a smile on my face.

 

Oh and one other thing. The Giants have apparently spent a lot of time sniffing around Herndon Hooker. Which is just an interesting tidbit...

 

On overlooking some potential differences... the only thing I know of as a FACT is that the coach initially wasn't thrilled about Mariota's decision to have the knee examined. But the exam found the knee needed surgery, so from there it's unknown - was the organization ticked that he did it immediately rather than waiting until after the season? Flip side... by doing it immediately, he could have returned around the second week of the postseason, if the team made it that far.

Otherwise, all the alleged bad blood between him and the team was a fabrication by the media, thinking he left the team because he was upset about Ridder being named the starter. One way or the other, I hope the Netflix series this summer clears that one up.

But I have no doubt that they can sweep everything under the rug. To me the main question is whether Mariota would sign right away as a backup or if he'll seek something a little better as a stop-gap starter for some other team. At this point, the Ravens might soon need someone like him...

 

Well, Mariota was cut this morning... hope he finds a gig somewhere.

 

Dolphins yet to make call on Tua Tagovailoa's fifth-year option

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Miami Dolphins have not yet made a decision on whether to pick up quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's fifth-year option, coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday.

Speaking at the NFL scouting combine, McDaniel said it's still something he and general manager Chris Grier are discussing leading up to the May 1 deadline. Tagovailoa is entering the last guaranteed season of his rookie deal and has an option for $23.2 million in 2024.

"Like any other player, you factor in every variable," McDaniel said. "I think it's important to recognize we have a congruence of interests by the Dolphins and the player, Tua, that we both want him to play at a very high level for a long time for the Miami Dolphins."

Tagovailoa set career highs in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage and passer rating last season, leading the NFL in the latter. He also missed five games, including Miami's playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, with two concussions.

He enters the fourth year of his rookie contract to equal parts optimism after a standout season and skepticism regarding his durability -- Tagovailoa also missed four games in 2021 with various injuries.

"We're probably best served to utilize the time [until the deadline]," McDaniel said. "That's kind of the way we're approaching it, but that doesn't mean that we're spending any long period of time not discussing it. This is something that Chris and I have been working through."

McDaniel also did not close the door on tight end Mike Gesicki returning to the Dolphins in 2023.

The unrestricted free agent's receiving yards and receptions in 2022 were the lowest since his rookie year as he took a back seat to Durham Smythe, with Gesicki playing on the franchise tag after he and the Dolphins were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term contract last offseason.

"There's always a spot for good players. Mike has earned the opportunity to test the market," McDaniel said. "We very much encourage that but are not in the business of turning down good players."

ESPN

 

More of the 'same ol, same ol' about Carr...

Derek Carr met with Panthers, Saints Tuesday; set to meet with Jets Wednesday



Derek Carr‘s search for a new team is continuing in Indianapolis this week.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the quarterback met with a pair of NFC South teams on Tuesday. He had his first meeting with the Panthers — which included team owner David Tepper — and a second meeting with the Saints.


Carr initially met with the Saints before he was released by the Raiders last month.

Carr also had a meeting with the Jets after his release that General Manager Joe Douglas called “fantastic” during a Tuesday press conference. Rapoport reports that they will sit down for another meeting on Wednesday and Jets owner Woody Johnson is expected to be part of that conversation.

PFT

 

Seahawks see “rare opportunity” to draft a QB this year



Geno Smith‘s future with the Seahawks was a topic of conversation for General Manager John Schneider at the Scouting Combine on Tuesday, but he isn’t the only quarterback on the team’s radar heading into the offseason.

The Seahawks have two first-round picks, including No. 5, and two second-round picks at their disposal and that gives them the right kind of assets to add a rookie to the mix regardless of how things play out with Smith. Head coach Pete Carroll said it is a “rare opportunity” for the Seahawks to have a pick so high in the first round and that the team is “totally connected to the quarterbacks that are coming out” in this year’s draft.


Schneider said talks with Smith on a long-term deal have been positive, but he also made it clear that the team doesn’t see signing Smith as closing the door on drafting another quarterback in the first round.

“Because they don’t grow on trees,” Schneider said. “It’s very hard. It’s probably the hardest position to acquire a talent, a guy that everybody feels very confident in.”

The Seahawks have only drafted one quarterback — seventh-rounder Alex McGough in 2018 — since Russell Wilson arrived and took over the position in 2012. Wilson’s now in Denver and the picks that the Broncos sent to Seattle may result in the Seahawks setting up the future of the position for another decade.

PFT

 

With just Drew Lock and an un-signed Smith on the current roster, its a no-brainer to draft a QB in Seattle.

 

Ravens' Rashod Bateman calls out GM for WR comments

In a since-deleted tweet Thursday morning, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman called out general manager Eric DeCosta for his comments about the team's disappointing track record for drafting pass-catchers.

Bateman, who was a first-round pick by the Ravens in 2021, tweeted: "How bout you play to your player's strength and & stop pointing the finger at us and #8 ...blame the one you let do this.... we take heat 24/7 . & keep us healthy ... care about US & see what happen..ain't no promises tho ... tired of y'all lyin and capn on players for no reason"

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, who asked to be traded from the Ravens in 2022, replied to Bateman's tweet with, "Let him cook."

Bateman then deleted the tweet about 40 minutes later before posting: "My apologies" with an emoji of two people hugging.

Neither the Ravens nor Bateman's agent responded immediately to requests for comment.

Bateman sounded off on a tweet that posted DeCosta's quote Wednesday from the NFL combine about how he evaluates wide receivers.

"If I had an answer, that would probably mean I would have some better receivers," DeCosta said. "We're going to keep swinging. There have been some guys that have been successful players for us that were draft picks. We've never really hit on that All-Pro type of guy, which is disappointing, but it's not for a lack of effort. ... It's one of those anomalies that I really can't explain, other than to say that we're not going to stop trying."

Since the Ravens' first draft in 1996, Baltimore is the only team to not draft a Pro Bowl wide receiver. Over the past 12 seasons, Baltimore's wide receivers have combined to produce the fewest receiving yards (25,910) in the NFL and the second-fewest catches (2,004).

The Ravens are shifting their offensive philosophy this year with new coordinator Todd Monken, who replaces Greg Roman and his run-oriented approach. In four seasons with Roman, Baltimore attempted the fewest passes to wide receivers (592).

Bateman, who was the 27th pick of the 2021 draft, has been limited to 61 catches for 800 yards and three touchdowns in two injury-filled seasons. He missed the first five games of his rookie season after undergoing groin surgery. Bateman was then sidelined for the final nine games after having foot surgery.

In January, Bateman pushed back on the notion that he has always been injured by tweeting: "Never missed a practice or game until the nfl .. (injury proned) y'all so weak."

Last month, the Ravens fired head strength and conditioning coach Steve Saunders. Baltimore's strength coaches received an "F-minus" in the NFLPA's report card that was released Wednesday.

At the combine, DeCosta mentioned the need to have a strong performance and wellness department, which includes the training room, mental health, diet and nutrition and strength coaches.

"They have to be the very best as well because players are going to get hurt, and you can get incremental value by having the very best people working for you to get your players back on the field," DeCosta said.

ESPN
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Thought this was interesting and kind of pertinent to some of the conversations weve had on here before. Bateman's frustration is understandable, but maybe under Monken there will be a better, more open repour, between DeCosta, Monken and #8. They need to sit down and do some peace-pipe stuff, or something.

 

Giants' Joe Schoen sounds pessimistic about signing QB Daniel Jones

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen sounds less confident he will sign quarterback Daniel Jones to a contract before this coming Tuesday's deadline for teams to use their franchise tags.

"You’re starting to feel the time crunch a little bit," Schoen admitted during a Thursday morning appearance on NFL Network, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. "I wish we were a little bit closer on a deal than what we are right now. But again, there’s still time."

Schoen offered these comments after he previously remarked at the NFL Combine he felt "cautiously optimistic" about signing both Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley to new deals ahead of Tuesday. As Michael Eisen of the Giants' website pointed out, Schoen left no doubt that Jones will remain his QB1 through this offseason one way or another.

Schoen and the Giants essentially had to start from scratch in negotiations after Jones switched agents and went from CAA to Athletes First. It's been reported on multiple occasions that the 25-year-old's camp wants him to earn up to $45 million per season via his next contract, but NFC East insider Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports said on Wednesday the realistic "sweet spot" for a deal could be closer to $37M per year and an agreement that could allow Jones to reach free agency as early as 2025.


Using the franchise tag on Jones would cost New York roughly $32.4M in salary cap and cash. Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com wrote Thursday morning that Schoen tagging Jones now "seems inevitable."

Schoen couldn't refute that take. According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, the executive said he and Jones' representatives are "gonna circle back up again today at some point" regarding talks.

Also on Wednesday, Vacchiano tweeted the Giants appear unlikely to offer Barkley more than $12.5M per year even though he may be looking for closer to $14M per campaign. Using the franchise tag to retain Barkley's rights would cost around $10.1M in salary cap and cash, but that option won't be available if Schoen has to tag Jones before Tuesday's deadline.

In short, Giants fans may want to prepare themselves to see Barkley carrying the football for a different team during summer workouts. The negotiating window for free agency opens on March 13.

By Zac Wassink - YARDBARKER

 

I can't believe Jones would expect that much. If he got 35 to 37, I'd think that's a windfall for him. He had a good year and helped win a playoff game but let's not get crazy.

 

Me either he won a playoff game so I quess he's Mr Everything now

 

He did less than Baker Mayfield each of his last two years with the Browns and he was cast off... Mayfield won a playoff game in 2021, the next year was injured and that's all she wrote.

Daniel Jones is NOT a $45M/year QB... I don't care how much the salary cap goes up, it will always be the same statement.

 

Giants General Manager Joe Schoen said earlier this week that he wished the team and quarterback Daniel Jones were closer in their talks about a new contract, but Friday brings some better news on that front.

Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports that the two sides have made progress toward an agreement and that it isn’t “unreasonable” for a deal to be done by Tuesday’s deadline for the Giants to use their franchise tag. If they are able to come to terms, they’d be able to use the tag on running back Saquon Barkley.


Word this week is that Jones is looking for more than $45 million a year in any deal.

The franchise tag for Jones would come with a $32.416 million salary for the 2023 season and second tag would carry a $38.89 million salary for 2024, so the Giants could secure the quarterback’s rights for two more years without reaching that level, but the report indicates any long-term agreement would have an average of at least $40 million.

PFT

 

$45 million seems like a lot for a so so QB IMO

 

It absolutely is.

On the other hand - The way the NFL is set up, this is becoming the norm. As long as owners, GM's and investors are willing to puke this cash money up, I really dont blame a feller for trying to bilk the system for what its worth.