MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

PFF Quarterback Rankings: All 32 starters ahead of the 2023 NFL season

1. PATRICK MAHOMES, CHIEFS
Mahomes is the standard by which all NFL quarterbacks are now measured. With Manning and Brady now names of the past, Mahomes is the new benchmark pushing the boundaries of what we have seen previously. Since coming into the league, he has 191 big-time throws including the postseason, the most in the NFL. He has also passed for 8.1 yards per attempt, a figure only quarterbacks playing for Kyle Shanahan have surpassed over the same span.

2. JOSH ALLEN, BILLS
If Mahomes is the obvious starting point, the next two spots are a toss-up between Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. Each player is capable of elite play and outstanding levels, but the tiebreaker is Allen's rushing ability. It may not be a deal-breaker in every game, but there will be gotta-have-it situations where Allen is virtually unstoppable because of how many different ways he can beat a defense. Burrow can’t bring that to the table.

3. JOE BURROW, BENGALS
Burrow has led the league in PFF passing grade (by fractions) in each of the past two regular seasons. He has shown that, while everybody might be chasing special athletes at the position, just putting the ball in the right place at the right time is still capable of transformative play at the position. He has a career 77.1% adjusted completion rate, and his turnover-worthy play rate has gone down in each of his NFL seasons.

4. JUSTIN HERBERT, CHARGERS
This is a big year for Herbert to justify the hype that has surrounded him since his phenomenal rookie season. We have seen glimpses of what he is capable of, but he passed for just 6.8 yards per attempt last season and finished eighth in PFF passing grade. Kellen Moore's arrival as the Chargers' offensive coordinator could be the key that fully unlocks Herbert, and if he is, this is where Herbert belongs.

5. AARON RODGERS, JETS
We are only a year removed from Rodgers coming off back-to-back MVP seasons, but at 39 years old any downturn in performance inevitably raises questions about whether this is the beginning of the end. The New York Jets should have a better supporting cast than Rodgers had last year in Green Bay, and he will know the offense, so I expect it to be a bounce-back season for the veteran.

6. LAMAR JACKSON, RAVENS
Jackson is a former league MVP. He’s also coming off consecutive injury-marred seasons and is changing offensive systems for the first time in his NFL career. Greg Roman built a bespoke offense around Jackson, but now Jackson has to adapt his game to a more conventional offense under Todd Monken. How Jackson fares this season will go a long way toward cementing his position in rankings like these, one way or another.

7. JALEN HURTS, EAGLES
Hurts was phenomenal in 2022, but the hardest part of that kind of play in the NFL is sustaining it. Lamar Jackson one spot above him is a great example of that. Hurts has taken big steps forward every season of his career, and if he has another one in the tank, then he is ranked too low at No. 7. Hurts averaged 8.0 yards per attempt last season and added almost 800 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

8. TREVOR LAWRENCE, JAGUARS
Lawrence arrived last season. It took him half the year to get the Urban Meyer residue off, but from Week 9 onward, only Burrow and Mahomes earned a higher PFF grade. Billed as a truly generational talent when he was drafted, Lawrence showed that ability in 2022, and the Jaguars have continued to surround him with talent this offseason.

9. KIRK COUSINS, VIKINGS
Cousins is probably at the top of the second tier of quarterbacks — those who you can win with but are unlikely to transform a team into a contender simply by their presence. Cousins has earned a PFF passing grade of at least 77.7 every season in Minnesota. He is an exceptionally accurate passer with plenty of big plays in his arsenal who maybe lacks that transcendent, intangible talent that every team chases at the position.

10. DAK PRESCOTT, COWBOYS
Prescott has shown himself to be one of the most sensitive quarterbacks in the league to changes in his supporting cast. His overall PFF grade has ranged from 71.8 to 85.2 over his career, and those changes tend to go hand in hand with the level of receiving help and blocking in front of him. Prescott’s turnover-worthy play rate has been above 3.0% in each of the past four seasons, but when at his best he can lead one of the top offenses in the game.

11. TUA TAGOVAILOA, DOLPHINS
Can Tua back up what we saw in 2022, or was his play beginning to be found out anyway when concussions became the overriding factor in his season? That’s the big question for him and Miami heading into 2023. Tua led the league with a massive 8.9 yards per attempt last season and also had one of the highest average depths of target, having been in the middle of the pack before that. He has elite potential within Mike McDaniel’s offense but now needs to repeat it.

12. MATTHEW STAFFORD, RAMS
Is Stafford physically able to be the player he once was? Last season was a nightmare for the Rams from start to finish, and Stafford wasn’t far different on an individual level. He went from throwing 50 touchdowns including the playoffs the season before to just 10 across nine games before being shut down for the year. The Rams and Stafford are likely on the far side of their Super Bowl window, but how much he has left in the tank is a big unknown.

13. DESHAUN WATSON, BROWNS
Maybe the hardest player to rank on the list, Watson has one of the widest ranges of outcomes in the NFL. He finished 2022 with just a 55.3 overall PFF grade after returning from suspension and didn’t noticeably improve as one does if they are just shaking off the rust. In his last full season with Houston (2020), he earned a 92.5 PFF grade and was one of the best quarterbacks in the game. I have no earthly idea how good Watson will be in 2023, and neither does anybody else.

14. DEREK CARR, SAINTS
Last year’s 66.6 PFF grade was the lowest of Carr’s career outside of his rookie season. In what was supposed to be a solid season, Carr’s big plays declined and he was notably less accurate overall. His adjusted completion rate dropped by more than 6 percentage points from the year before to his lowest level since he was a rookie. That likely represents the floor for Carr’s play, and he has typically been a borderline top-10 player over his career.

15. GENO SMITH, SEAHAWKS
Another difficult quarterback to rank, Smith improbably ranked as a top-five quarterback for much of last season before the wheels fell off a little late in the year. Was that the inevitable regression back to the mean, or was it a product of his pass protection suffering a similar late-season collapse? Smith had flashed before in his NFL career, but we hadn’t seen the heights he hit last season. He earned three single-game PFF grades north of 90.0 and posted a 5.4% big-time throw rate.

16. JARED GOFF, LIONS
Goff is in an outstanding offense with one of the best coordinators in football running the show. Depending on the numbers you look at, his stats will make him look like one of the best passers in football, but it’s clear to anybody with a critical eye that that doesn’t quite match reality. Goff ranked 19th last season in PFF passing grade and 30th in big-time throw rate. He is a solid quarterback for the offense he’s in but is not as good as some of the results would suggest.

 

17. DANIEL JONES, GIANTS
In his first year with Brian Daboll as his coach, Jones saw an uptick in results, but his performance didn’t necessarily match that improvement, albeit with very little help around him in terms of a supporting cast. Jones has now posted a big-time throw rate under 2.0% for two consecutive seasons, the lowest mark in the league. His rushing threat, however, is a huge boost to that offense, and he should have more success in 2023 with better players to target.

18. JUSTIN FIELDS, BEARS
Fields won himself a starting job last season with almost no help around him. New general manager Ryan Poles stripped the roster of talent around him, and Fields was still able to emerge as one of the most dynamic players in the league. His passing is still very much a work in progress, but last season his primary targets were tight end Cole Kmet and speedster Darnell Mooney. This is a huge year for Fields to show what he can do with more help.

19. RYAN TANNEHILL, TITANS
Tannehill is very much in the decline of his career at this point, but he is being made to look worse by the collapse of talent around him in Tennessee. The Titans ended last season with the league’s worst offensive line, and they may be entering this one with the league’s worst receiving corps. Tannehill has little chance to prove he is still capable of his best play and is coming off a 75.9% adjusted completion rate and a 2.5% turnover-worthy play rate in 2022.

20. RUSSELL WILSON, BRONCOS
Wilson ranked 26th in PFF passing grade last season and 29th in overall grade. It’s difficult to overstate how bad his first year in Denver was and how much uncertainty that paints his future in. Sean Payton has been brought in to make the best of a disastrous situation, but exactly where Wilson can land on the spectrum between last season and his best play in Seattle is pure guesswork. Given his visible decline in athleticism, it seems likely that his baseline is closer to last year than his peak, but he is a player with a wide range of outcomes.

21. MAC JONES, PATRIOTS
Bringing in real coaching on offense has the potential to be huge for Jones. As underwhelming as last season was, it’s important to remember that Jones earned an 80.0 overall PFF grade as a rookie, finishing just outside the top 10 of eligible quarterbacks that year. He doesn’t have the dynamic athleticism of Justin Fields or the arm of Trevor Lawrence, but he has already shown he can be a very high-level distributor of the football and a better player than many give him credit for.

22. KENNY PICKETT, STEELERS
The best quarterback in what was deemed an awful quarterback class, Pickett performed admirably in his rookie season even though the statistics weren’t necessarily pretty. His PFF passing grade was good enough to rank 16th in the league, but he finished the season with more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (seven). Pittsburgh’s scheme was toothless and predictable in 2022, and that might be the biggest obstacle standing between Pickett and real improvement in these rankings.

23. BROCK PURDY, 49ERS
Purdy passed for 8.3 yards per attempt last season in his run as the starter — more than Patrick Mahomes and every quarterback in the league other than Tua Tagovailoa — but he attempted just 233 passes in an offense we know to be a virtual cheat code for production. It would be wrong to dismiss his success altogether — he was better than players like Nick Mullens who also had success in that offense — but it would also be crazy to overreact to such a small sample size, even outside of the risk associated with the UCL surgery Purdy had on his elbow.

24. JIMMY GAROPPOLO, RAIDERS
For his injury history alone, Garoppolo is likely capped at this kind of level in the rankings. He was outperformed by Purdy last season in the same offense and now goes to a new offensive system, albeit one he is familiar with from his stint in New England. The Raiders have a good collection of receivers to throw to, but Garoppolo has a 3.6% career turnover-worthy play rate, significantly higher than his big-time-throw rate (2.9%). Even if he stays healthy all season, he is likely a below-average starter.

25. BRYCE YOUNG, PANTHERS
Young was the best quarterback in this draft by a considerable margin, and the only thing that made the discussion close was his lack of size — something that becomes obvious any time he is captured on film with anything near him to show true scale. Young has elite accuracy, anticipation and decision-making (back-to-back seasons with a 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate), but success at his size in the modern NFL is without precedent.

26. JORDAN LOVE, PACKERS
Love passed for 9.3 yards per attempt last season and earned a 78.7 PFF grade. On the other hand, he attempted 21 passes and was disastrous the last time he was on the field before that. We have very little idea what Love can become, with the biggest piece of evidence being that the Packers decided it was time to move on from Aaron Rodgers and turn the keys over to his successor. Countering that was the contract they got Love to agree to, which could only have started with the assumption that they were not going to pick up his fifth-year option.

27. SAM HOWELL, COMMANDERS
Another almost total gamble, Howell was given one game late last season to audition for the starting job and performed well in it. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 35 yards and another score. Howell was seen as a legitimate prospect before sliding all the way to the fifth round of the 2022 draft, but expecting anything above this would be wildly optimistic.

28. BAKER MAYFIELD, BUCCANEERS
It’s difficult to argue that Mayfield's 2022 season was easily predictable, but it’s equally difficult to maintain any kind of lofty expectations for him going forward after witnessing it. His 50.6 PFF grade on the year was 13 grading points lower than his previous career-worst mark (which involved a torn shoulder), and it speaks volumes that the Rams were happy to let him walk after he led the team to a remarkable win just after stepping off the plane after they traded for him. Mayfield has very good play on his NFL resume, but it’s getting harder and harder to see it in the rearview mirror.

29. COLT MCCOY, CARDINALS
With Kyler Murray not likely to be ready until late in the season, if at all, McCoy will helm the Cardinals' offense for most of the season. It would be easy to assume that’s the worst quarterback situation in the league, but the chances are that one of the better backups in the game performs better than some of the young starters. McCoy has handled more than 100 dropbacks in each of the past two seasons, completing 71% of his passes at 6.6 yards per attempt over that time.

30. C.J. STROUD, TEXANS
There were a lot of Stroud fans throughout the pre-draft process, but I was always a little lower on him than most. He has NFL stature and elite accuracy, but outside of the Georgia game in the college football playoffs, he had some real issues under pressure or after the play had broken down. His PFF grade under pressure last season placed him in the 18th percentile, and that only improves to the 34th percentile if you look at a two-year sample size.

31. DESMOND RIDDER, FALCONS
There was little we saw from Ridder last season to suggest he will approach even average play at the position. Marcus Mariota played his way to the bench with his performances, and Ridder was simply the young quarterback in line for reps. He posted a 68.5% adjusted completion rate and had two turnover-worthy plays to three big-time throws. He also recorded just 136 dropbacks, so it would be a stretch to draw any concrete conclusions.

32. ANTHONY RICHARDSON, COLTS
Richardson wasn’t even a particularly good college quarterback last season in the SEC. His overall PFF grade came in at 80.3, which ranked 38th in the nation and was being propped up by his rushing ability — something that will need to continue in the NFL. The good news for him is that he landed with a head coach who just executed this development arc with Jalen Hurts. Richardson will need to rely on the limitless athleticism that saw him average 7.4 yards per carry last season while he develops as a passer.

 

Lamar Jackson expects “less running and more throwing” in new Ravens offense



Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said on Wednesday that his plan for the rest of the offseason program is to get the team’s new offense “down pat,” but he’s already learned some key parts of what offensive coordinator Todd Monken wants to do to this year.

Jackson was asked if he believes the new offense will highlight different parts of his game than the Ravens have highlighted in the past and his response was “less running and more throwing.”

“Absolutely. Especially with the receivers we have. . . . Just being able to throw the ball down the field. Running can only take you so far,” Jackson said. “I feel like with this new era of teams and offenses in the league, I feel like we need that, and coach Todd Monken, what I’m seeing in this offense so far, it’s tremendous.”

While talking about the team’s additions on offense earlier this month, Jackson mused about throwing for 6,000 yards this season. That may not turn out to be the case, but the signs are pointing to a different approach in the first year of the quarterback’s new contract.

PFT

 

That’s a slap in the face to Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence IMO, LJ may be a former MVP but hasn’t finished either of the last two seasons. Hurts just took his team to the Super Bowl and Lawrence got a playoff win. Kirk Cousins has an argument to be higher than Jackson as well.

 

I'm good with this, because PFF at least gave explanations for the ranking, and their reasons even make sense! That beats the heck out of the crap from Yahoo! Sports, NBC, Bleacher Report and other sources that bashed the team without any reason at all or with bad logic.

The counter to PFF is that Ridder's debut game was horrible (tanking his grade) and he got better with each successive week. PFF is going by the raw numbers without really taking that progress into consideration. So it's fair that they knock him, and it's also fair that Falcons fans see the improvement and are more optimistic.

He's also continuing to work on his mechanics - something that all of the younger QBs like Pickett, Howell, Fields and Love can do to keep improving throughout the season this year and shoot up the list in future rankings the same way that Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence did from last year to this year. He's only 23, after all. It's not like he's reached his peak. He was better in his final college season than the previous year, his technique was better at the end of 2022 than in camp and preseason, and he should continue to improve those fundamentals throughout camp this year and be better at the start of the 2023 season than he was in his four games in 2022.

But the biggest thing that stands to help Ridder is having a much better team around him, especially a defense that won't be counting on a bunch of muppets to start four games at CB and play 1200+ snaps on the defensive line this year. It's amazing what a difference NOT having $77.5 million in dead cap space makes when you're building a roster. He won't be playing from behind as much this year as he did last year - or as much as Matt Ryan had to in his final four years in Atlanta.

Counting back the last five seasons, the Falcons have ranked 27th, 26th, 29th, 20th, and 28th in total defense. I'm expecting a significant improvement from the defense this year.

 

Some of the PFF stuff makes sense, some doesnt, in my opinion... case in point, how does Stroud Rank ahead of Ridder when Stroud has zero NFL experience? You can throw Sam Howell in that discussion also.

 

I agree here. Lamar still getting a free pass in everything lately, when the past 2 seasons have been relatively sub-par, in my opinion. He even got paid like he's done something, but out-side of his first two seasons, I dont see anything too special personally. I guess I could say, he's at this moment the most overrated player in this years QB ranks. This might be a controversial statement on my part (the overrated part), but Id like to see him stay healthy, hit receivers consistently and actually look elite. I might be hyper-critical also, but the rank above Hurts made me that way.

Bottom line is, I find these rankings interesting and entertaining and great conversation pieces... I understand they arnt written in stone, so Im just being a little nit-picky.

 

Desmond Ridder: I’m a lot more comfortable after a year under my belt



Desmond Ridder arrived in Atlanta a year ago as a third-round pick, uncertain about anything.

He didn’t know where to go or what to do; he didn’t know the offense; he didn’t know all of his teammates; and he certainly didn’t know his future.

Ridder enters this season as the Falcons’ starting quarterback.

“This time last year, my head was spinning,” Ridder said Wednesday, via Scott Bair of the team website. “Obviously having a year under my belt and a whole offseason, things have become a lot more comfortable. Now we’re trying to work the intricate details of it, the ins and outs, and knowing the exact reasons why everything is going on.”

Ridder roomed with Tyler Allgeier and Drake London during rookie minicamp last season, and they spent time at night using poker chips to learn the plays. Ridder now knows exactly what he’s doing and where he’s going.

He has become the team leader.

“He already had the confidence last year,” Allgeier said. “Now he has a year under him after learning from Marcus [Mariota]. He’s just a natural-born leader. Him coming in last year, being with him the apartments last year [during rookie minicamp] and then seeing him now, that’s a big step. He always had the confidence. We’re all confident playing behind him.”

Ridder made four starts last season, with two touchdowns and no interceptions and the Falcons went 2-2.

PFT

 

Anthony Richardson splitting first-team reps, doing “next-level stuff” at Colts OTAs



Heading into the draft, one school of thought about Anthony Richardson was that he will need time on the bench to observe and develop before taking over as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

The Colts took Richardson with the fourth overall pick and they have Gardner Minshew on the roster, which gives them an experienced option at the position should they choose to follow the slower path to Richardson running the offense. At this point, however, the job appears to be very much up for grabs.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen said at a Thursday press conference, via Stephen Holder of TheAthletic.com, that Richardson and Minshew are splitting the first-team reps at OTAs and that “everything is an evaluation” when it comes to how they’ll divide the workload.

Steichen added that Richardson “made some big plays today” and has done some “next-level stuff” in his short time on the field for the team. The more that happens, the likelier it is that Richardson will be getting all the first-team reps by the time the fall rolls around.

PFT

 

Allen Robinson: Kenny Pickett is wise beyond his years for a second-year QB



The Steelers acquired Allen Robinson in part to bring a veteran presence to the club’s receivers room.

But if Robinson has a bounce-back year, he could also provide a solid target for second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett.

This week, Robinson said he’s been impressed with the young signal-caller during the team’s offseason program.

“For a second-year quarterback he is definitely wise beyond his years,” Robinson said, via Teresa Varley of the team’s website. “How he leads the charge. His work ethic day in and day out. Very focused. He is definitely beyond his years.

“I was impressed when I got here. Watching somebody from the outside looking in, you definitely see the talent. Once you actually get in the facility and are able to be around Kenny, you see why he is successful.”

Robinson added that he watched Pickett play in college at Pitt and noticed there that the quarterback has a knack for winning.

“I don’t think that goes anywhere once a guy gets to the NFL. Once you put other guys around him, you start to see that player evolve into even more of a guy,” Robinson said. “Leaders are born. … It doesn’t take a lot of time for a guy who is a natural leader. I think anybody here can tell that from Kenny.

“I have been here a little over a month and you can already tell his leadership, how he leads the charge day in and day out. For a second-year guy, that isn’t easy. For a guy to be able to take a bull by the horns like that, it’s pretty impressive.”

Pickett completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,404 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions as a rookie. While the Steelers have kept continuity in the QBs room, Pickett is now the unquestioned starter heading into the 2023 season.

PFT

 

At first I was thinking the same thing with Howell in particular, since Ridder's stats were better. But what PFF didn't say in the text of the writeup is that their scores knock Ridder pretty hard for his inaccurate throws. It's not just complete vs incomplete. You get dinged a lot more if you throw an uncatchable ball. Ridder had a bunch of those - especially in his debut - so his PFF rating suffered the consequences.

The good news for Falcons fans is that his misfires are due to mechanical issues that can be corrected, and he's working on them. He has even named the biggest one specifically (his tendency to launch the throw with too much weight on his back foot) as something he's now focusing on.

So I don't mind the PFF review at all. They are at least paying attention. And unlike the dipshit from Yahoo! Sports, PFF at least got his name right.

I have a much bigger issue with the media's general notion that since Ridder is a second-year QB who is still ironing out the wrinkles, the Falcons will automatically be as bad or worse than they were last year or the year before. That's utter nonsense. The defensive roster is a day vs. night difference from what they had in 2022. Or 2021, 2020, 2019 or 2018, for that matter. You won't see practice squad projects or undrafted rookies in the starting lineup this year.

 

Kenny Pickett Had His SUV Stolen With Steelers’ Playbook Inside

Fresh off of his rookie season, Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is a fairly notable face in and around Pittsburgh.

Like many others around the NFL, the rising second-year signal-caller recently finished the first week of organized team activities this week. But beyond participating in Wednesday’s OTAs, Pickett’s day became a bit more intriguing.

While attending an event at a local car dealership near Pittsburgh, Pickett’s 2023 Genesis SUV was stolen.

Thankfully, it did not take police a lot of time to find the stolen vehicle.

Marcie Cipriani of WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh reported Friday that police arrested 60-year-old Christopher Carter, of Murrysville, Pa., on Wednesday and charged him with theft, receiving stolen property and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, according to court records obtained by WTAE.

Police were able to arrest Carter quickly because he left his personal car at the dealership after stealing Pickett’s, according to WTAE-TV. Police found Pickett’s car near Westmoreland Heritage Trail in Murrysville.

To make the situation even more riveting, Pickett’s playbook was inside of the car when Carter stole the signal-caller’s SUV. That meant the 23-year-old needed not only his car back but also his handbook of instructions to continue his growth as a leader in Pittsburgh next season.

Thankfully, the playbook was recovered and returned to Pickett, along with the vehicle.

In his first season, Pickett threw for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. With a better grasp of the playbook—and it now back in his possession—Pickett will seek to increase his production in Year 2, so long as he keeps his guide close by at all times.

SI
__________
_______________________

A Steeler got stolen?

 

Why didn’t Jimmy Garoppolo have foot surgery during the 2022 season?



After then-49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury in December 2022, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that Garoppolo did not need foot surgery, and that he could return to action in seven or eight weeks.

So he didn’t have surgery. And he supposedly was on track to returning, to the point at which some wondered whether he could have suited up for the fateful NFC Championship game, which saw the 49ers eventually have no healthy quarterbacks.

It’s now clear that Garoppolo wasn’t malingering. It’s also now clear that he should have had the surgery in December.

By the time Garoppolo became a free agent, the foot had not healed. It had not healed to the point at which the Raiders refused to pay him an $11.25 million signing bonus, instead shifting the money to 2023 base salary — money he’ll never earn if the surgery failed to repair the foot.

Even if the surgery works, there’s a lingering question that is currently ricocheting around the NFL grapevine. Why didn’t he have surgery in December?

The most obvious explanation from the team’s perspective is that the 49ers thought he’d be able to return for the Super Bowl, if the 49ers had made it that far. It’s not clear whether that would have been the case.

A month later, the Raiders weren’t comfortable clearing him without surgery. At times, different doctors from different teams will have different opinions about the same injury. But it would have been odd for the 49ers to welcome him back just a few weeks before the Raiders weren’t comfortable welcoming him in.

The 49ers also might not have been inclined to push for surgery because, either way, he wouldn’t have been ready to play at any point in the postseason.

Then there’s the reality that, as one league source astutely pointed out, Garoppolo had to want to go under the knife. There’s a good chance he just didn’t want the surgery.

For Lisfranc injuries, the question becomes spacing of the bones. At a certain amount of spacing, the foot becomes unstable. Within a certain range, the injury can be repaired with rehab. Garoppolo might have decided to opt for a conservative approach (remember, he delayed shoulder surgery in 2022), hoping that rehab would work.

Ultimately, it didn’t. Ultimately, he needed surgery. Even then, the question becomes whether the surgery will work.

The Raiders and Garoppolo assume it will. The revised contract, including the eliminated signing bonus and the waiver that potentially keeps Garoppolo from every receiving a cent from the Raiders, creates a different vibe.

Time will tell whether it works. If it doesn’t, the Raiders will have a problem at the most important position on the field. And Garoppolo will be a man without a country — and without compensation.

PFT

 

Terry McLaurin sees “real quiet confidence” in Sam Howell



Terry McLaurin has seen a lot of quarterbacks roll through the lineup since joining the Commanders as a 2019 second-round pick and most of them took more snaps than Sam Howell did in his rookie season.

Howell stayed on the bench until getting a start in Week 18 and going 11-of-19 for 169 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Howell also ran for a touchdown in a win over the Cowboys and the outing was enough for the Commanders to install the 2022 fifth-rounder as their No. 1 quarterback heading into the offseason.

Jacoby Brissett signed with Washington as a free agent, but Howell remains on top of the depth chart and McLaurin has seen “a good grasp of playing football” from the quarterback. McLaurin also said that Howell’s leadership qualities have jumped out at him.

“I think Sam has a real quiet confidence about him,” McLaurin said, via the team’s website. “He’s not gonna tell people what to do, but he knows what he’s doing when he gets out on the field. . . . He’s taken the bull by the horns, and he’s really led us a lot this offseason.”

Howell is the 10th starting quarterback that McLaurin has played with in the NFL and the hope in Washington will be that he is the last addition to that list for quite a while.

PFT

 

Ryan Tannehill: We’re making good mistakes on offense and growing from them



The Titans were underwhelming on offense in 2022 and that led to a change in offensive coordinator at the start of the offseason.

A change at that spot means a change in offensive scheme as well and that can mean sloppiness at practices as players learn their roles in Tim Kelly’s approach to running the unit. On Wednesday, quarterback Ryan Tannehill confirmed that the Titans are having those problems at OTAs but added that he thinks the team is benefitting from making them now.

“We’re learning a new offense right now,” Tannehill said, via Nick Suss of the Tennessean. “That’s our number one objective as an offense is to master this offense. Taking advantage of every rep we get. A lot of new stuff, terminology, concepts, blocking schemes, the whole thing. There are a lot of mistakes being made, but they’re good mistakes. We’re growing from them.”

Tannehill said that working out the kinks isn’t “going to happen overnight” and expects the growing pains to continue into training camp this summer. The hope is that those hard times are “really going to help us in the fall moving forward” and the way the organization moves forward will be greatly impacted by how successful the offense’s efforts in the coming months.

PFT

 

Im wondering if the new offensive scheme will be beneficial to Tannehill, he's had a bismal last 2 seasons, especially last season and seems to be catching all the blame. I looked at their WR's and its not all that impressive... and nothing on offense sticks out as excellent. Derrick Henry was solid, averaging 4.4 yds/carry, but they were one dimensional on offense, very predictable in my opinion.

I guess my point is this... Is it fair to blame it on Tannehill and would a QB change be the answer? Im thinking new scheme just might be what the doctor ordered... for Tannehill and the offense. They wernt too shabby a couple seasons ago, so maybe they can rekindle what they had and not do a complete rebuild. Put up something conducive for Ryan and let Henry do his thing and they might be better than expected.

 

No, probably not fair to put it all on Tannehill. However he also received more than his share of accolades when King Henry was dominating and getting 8-9 man boxes. Such is life in the NFL, QBs get more praise or more blame in most cases. Idk why people expected him to have a great season when they traded away his best weapon and replaced him with a rookie.Occasionally that works, but I don’t believe that’s the norm. Typically year 2 Is when those young receivers start hitting their stride.

 

Totally agree. The weapons at WR arnt really any thing to write home about now. TE is getting better, but outside of Henry there really isnt super star material. Skoronski at the O-line will help in pass protection and maybe create space for Henry in the run game, but to put all the blame on Ryan isnt cool.

 

John Lynch: Trey Lance has had a really, really quality offseason



49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch have both been consistent this offseason that Brock Purdy is likely going to be the team’s starting quarterback to begin the 2023 season.

But San Francisco still has the 2021 No. 3 overall pick on its roster who was QB1 entering 2022.

In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio this week, Lynch said that Trey Lance has done well during the team’s offseason program.

“We’re extremely high on Trey,” Lynch said, via 49erswebzone.com. “The great thing for Trey and for Sam Darnold, that we brought in, is with Brock off to the sideline—Brock had his first session throwing the other day, and everything’s tracking great—but those guys have got the work in the offseason, and they’re both relishing that opportunity.

“Really proud of Trey. Trey came back off a broken and dislocated ankle, and he’s out there, has had a really, really quality offseason. So we still remain very high on Trey.”

Lance, Sam Darnold, and Brandon Allen are handling the duties at QB for the 49ers while Purdy recovers from his elbow surgery. While there were some rumors that the 49ers could trade Lance, it appears he’ll remain on San Francisco’s roster for 2023 — unless someone comes up with an offer the club can’t refuse.

PFT

 

I guess my point is this... Is it fair to blame it on Tannehill and would a QB change be the answer? Im thinking new scheme just might be what the doctor ordered... for Tannehill and the offense.



I agree Will......2022 was a very disappointing season as a Titan's Fan....Ryan injured his ankle in week #7 and came back but re-injured his ankle and went on IR.

They lost 7 in a row to end the season and the worst one was Houston Texans....I thought for sure they had the division Locked Up and were set to go into playoffs'.............NOT.

I'm glad they Fired Todd Downing and replaced him with Tim Kelly (OC) .....I hoping this will get a NEW Scheme rolling and they will benefit from Kelly.

I really want to see Levi (QB) in Pre-season......week #1 vs the Bears would be a good start or come in at the 2nd Half

I would also like to see Malik Willis (QB) be changed to WR.....he was terrible at Replacing Tannehill..... BUT he can run and has great hands.

They have lots of time to work things out and get Healthy for 2023....Go Titans Go