MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

It isn't his skill level that might prevent him from gaining HOF acceptance.

 

Justin Fields: Chemistry really picked up quickly with DJ Moore



Bears teammates have remarked on how quickly the connection between quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver DJ Moore has developed since the start of the team’s offseason program and the interior view of the partnership is similar to the exterior one.

The team wrapped up its minicamp on Thursday and Fields spoke to reporters before heading off on a short break. Fields said that the two players found common ground early in their working relationship and that the chemistry between them is in a good place as they head to their first training camp together.

“It did come on quickly,” Fields said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. “I didn’t really expect anything because it’s different for each guy, but I feel like with DJ, his body language is pretty easy to read. Early on we communicated on how we want each route ran and stuff like that. Of course, he has a lot of experience. He’s been in the league for a good period of time now. He’s played a lot of football, so he knows different coverages really well. That’s one thing that I was kind of impressed about with the offense coming in and just understanding, seeing coverages really well on short routes and stuff like that. He’s been great. And you know, the chemistry has really picked up.”

Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney have missed time this spring as they recover from injuries and building chemistry across the entire unit will be a key to the offense’s development during training camp. Having Fields and Moore already ahead of the game should help that process a great deal.

PFT

 

Patrick Mahomes names Chiefs WR who will be 'called upon more'



The Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins last season but found ways to replace him en route to a Super Bowl win. A year later, one of those key pieces that filled the void is gone in JuJu Smith-Schuster, who's now with the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs aren't sweating Smith-Schuster's departure. In fact, head coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes believe they have an adequate replacement in second-year WR Skyy Moore.

Moor was drafted in Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft after a great 2021 season at Western Michigan where he put up 95 receptions for 1,292 yards and ten touchdowns. As a rookie for the Chiefs last year, Moore had 22 receptions for 250 yards, including a four-yard TD reception in the Super Bowl versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

Moore's path to playing time is more clear this season. And now that he's been in Kansas City's system for a year, Reid and Mahomes expect big things out of Moore.

"I think he’s taking a good jump," Reid said, per The Athletic. "The quarterback trusts him."

Moore believes he has the "hang of everything" and knows what Mahomes likes, saying "I’m going to be a reliable weapon for him."

Mahomes concurs with Moore's assessment and thinks he could be utilized in a way similar to that of Smith-Schuster. That would include snaps in the slot while running slant routes and shallow crossers. However, Moore's production won't be relegated to between the hashes, he can play outside and stretch the field as well. Mahomes called Moore a "great player" who began to make big plays at the end of last season.

"He’s someone that’s going to be called upon more, kind of in that same role that probably JuJu was in," Mahomes shared. "He can also go over the top and make plays happen.”

It's been a spoil of riches for the Chiefs on offense during the Andy Reid era. They consistently find electric playmakers to accentuate the greatness of Mahomes. While Reid said "There's still a ton of room to climb" for Moore, it feels like he's well on his way.

YARDBARKER

 

Ron Rivera: Sam Howell will start training camp as the Commanders’ QB1



After the 2022 season ended, the Commanders gave quarterback Sam Howell a tentative endorsement as the team’s top option for 2023.

It came with a caveat. Through the offseason program, nothing has changed.

Via John Keim of ESPN.com, coach Ron Rivera told reporters Howell will enter training camp as the starter.

“He’s much shown us what we want to see,” Rivera said.

The Commanders added veteran Jacoby Brissett, who hasn’t been willing to concede anything to Howell. For now, though, it’s still Howell.

“He’s young, we know he is young,” Rivera said. “There was a lot of room for growth, and we know that, but he’s got a good skillset. He’s mobile, he’s got good foot movement, he’s got quick twitch to him, good decision maker. He is still learning to make those decisions, but he’s also got the arm talent and that’s the thing that excites us.”

The team’s confidence in Howell has been buoyed by the decision to mic him up and listen to how he handles things at the line of scrimmage.

“A couple things that really stood out to me was really his confidence level in terms of calling the huddle, breaking the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage, making his calls and then operating the offense,” Rivera said.

Howell will continue to operate the offense as the No. 1 quarterback, once training camp opens. It will continue to be up to him to do enough to hold the job.

For now, Howell has time to relax and kick back. Have a drink. Maybe a steak. Well, maybe not a steak.

 

Dennis Allen: Derek Carr’s leadership is giving the Saints confidence



Saints head coach Dennis Allen is sensing a strong energy around his team at the end of the offseason program, and he attributes it to the arrival of new quarterback Derek Carr.

Allen said Carr has rallied the team around him in a way that a team needs its quarterback to do.

“Quarterback is the most important position on the field, and when you have a highly skilled player, a highly intelligent player, a guy that works the way the Derek does, a guy that has the type of leadership qualities that Derek has, that’s going to filter throughout the whole football team, players and coaches,” Allen said, via Jeff Duncan of NoLa.com. “I think that gives you a lot of confidence going into the season.”

Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu says Carr’s leadership trickles down to the entire team.

“There’s just something different about this year. There’s a camaraderie and a brotherhood. I think we all kind of feel it right now,” Mathieu said.

The Saints have missed the playoffs in both seasons since Drew Brees retired, but the arrival of Carr (not to mention the weak NFC South) is resulting in optimism in New Orleans that this could be the year they return to the postseason.

PFT

 

Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards sees 'similarities' between his former QB Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields

Linebacker T.J. Edwards has experienced a change of scenery this offseason, going from the NFC-champion Philadelphia Eagles to the three-win Chicago Bears, but he's found some familiarity in the teams' quarterback position.

"One thing with Jalen (Hurts) was he was always just kind of calm and collected," Edwards said on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week. "That's why we looked to him so much, just because he was always that calming factor. You do see similarities with (Justin) Fields. He doesn't seem to get rattled out there in terms of when we're mixing up looks on him and stuff like that."

The comparison is a timely one considering Fields is entering his third NFL season.

Hurts, one year ahead of him, took a massive leap to become a dominant cornerstone of Philly's future in 2022. He set career highs in completion percentage (66.5), passing touchdowns (22) and passer rating (101.5) while tying running backs Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler for the second-most rushing TDs in the NFL with 13.

His output placed him just behind Patrick Mahomes in AP 2022 Most Valuable Player voting, and his steady presence guided the Eagles to their fourth Super Bowl berth in franchise history.

It's the kind of leap the Bears need Fields to take, both in terms of leadership and performance, to escape the NFL cellar.

Chicago lost 13 of its final 14 games last year after surprising many to begin the season at 2-1, a stretch of failures Fields will be counted on to ensure does not repeat in the campaign ahead. As the team's offensive leader, he'll also need to help D.J. Moore assimilate into his new role as WR1, and compensate for the loss of veteran voices in the huddle, such as running back David Montgomery.

And despite Edwards commending his new QB's ability to avoid becoming rattled, Fields' pocket presence still requires drastic improvement if he is to replicate anything in the realm of Hurts' Year 3 jump.

Fields took a league-high 55 sacks last year, a number offset somewhat by his electric scrambling ability that netted 1,143 rushing yards, but it's a flaw that puts him in greater harm's way and tends to end drives before they start.

Evolving in that regard would also help Fields improve on his pedestrian passing numbers a year ago, when he threw for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Beyond the mental fortitude on display, Edwards believes Fields has all the physical tools required to do so.

"Dude's got such a strong arm, and he's been very accurate just about this entire OTAs and minicamp," Edwards said. "It's exciting to see, especially since he doesn't really add in the leg factor when we're just in helmets and things like that. So, I'm really excited to play with a guy like that, a guy who can make all the plays who can also lead this team. He's definitely the guy. It's exciting to be around, no doubt."

Should Fields end up treating fans come September to what Edwards has witnessed throughout the offseason, we could soon be comparing turnarounds in Chicago and Philadelphia, as well.

NFL.com

 

Five QB battles to watch heading into training camp


Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud vs. Davis Mills

The Texans drafted Stroud to be the face of the franchise, and with the team not expected to win many games, why not give him the reins from Week 1 and let him take his lumps? Stroud has already developed a nice rapport with receivers Nico Collins and third-round rookie Tank Dell, and it can only help his development if he’s given a full season to learn and grow in Bobby Slowik’s offense instead of holding a clipboard on the sideline.

Reports out of minicamp indicate that Stroud has taken the lion’s share of first-team reps — the opposite of OTAs, where Mills spent more time working with the first team — and the Texans offense flowed better with Stroud calling the shots.



Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson vs. Gardner Minshew

Rolling with Minshew in Week 1 and taking it game-by-game is probably the Colts’ best strategy, but when you have a player as dynamic and exciting as Richardson, it’s hard to keep him on the bench, especially if the losses start stacking up.


Head coach Shane Steichen has reportedly been impressed with how quickly Richardson has picked up Indy’s system and his ability to run both the red-zone and hurry-up offense. It appears Minshew is the starter for now, but with a strong training camp and preseason, Richardson could work his way to the top of the depth chart.



San Francisco 49ers: Trey Lance vs. Sam Darnold (vs. Brock Purdy)

Until Purdy is cleared with no limitations, I’m considering this a two-man competition for now, and I have to give the edge to Lance, who has two years in Kyle Shanahan’s system and has a stronger arm and true duel-threat ability. Once Purdy is healthy again, however, the job is clearly his to lose.


Lance and Darnold split first-team reps during minicamp, and all signs seem to indicate one hasn’t stood out over the other as the clear-cut favorite. That said, if the team has to roll with one until Purdy can play again, one would assume Lance would be the pick. The 23-year-old QB appears to have the backing of his teammates, particularly All-Pro tight end George Kittle, who recently acknowledged Lance looks “significantly better” than he did last season, playing with more confidence and command of the huddle.



Tampa Bay Bucs: Baker Mayfield vs. Kyle Trask


While Mayfield has really only had one successful season in his five-year career, it’s still tough for me to see Trask, who has all of nine career pass attempts, beating him out for Tampa’s starting job.

Mayfield and Trask have been alternating first-team reps during OTAs and minicamp, and reports point to the 28-year-old holding the edge, at least for now. However, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Friday as the team wrapped up minicamp it’s still very much an open competition.



Washington Commanders: Sam Howell vs. Jacoby Brissett

Despite all of the reports coming out of Commanders camp that Howell is the unquestioned No. 1 guy, I’m just not buying it until I have tangible proof that he, in fact, gives Washington a chance to be more competitive than Brissett, a seven-year veteran with 48 starts under his belt.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has liked what he’s seen from Howell during OTAs and minicamp in terms of mobility and decision making, while his teammates have noticed a better command of the offense and understanding of the playbook. Howell may be the real deal, but Brissett will push him during training camp.



YARDBARKER

 

Noah Brown who came over to the Texans from Dallas, thinks CJ Stroud is or can be better than Dak Prescott...

“They’re both great quarterbacks — great arm talent,” Brown said, via Coty Davis of SI.com. “That’s a great class to be in. I think he has all the potential to live up to that, maybe even surpass it. So, you know, I’m rooting for C.J., and I’m willing to have his back on anything.”

“I know C.J. has great arm talent,” Brown said. “The little bit of time I’ve been here working with him, he’s picked up the offense fast, taken ownership of his reps. I think that can only lead to positive things.”

Stroud finished his college career with 8,123 passing yards, a 69.3 completion percentage, 85 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Stroud was a first rounder this year, Dak was a 4th round pick in 2016, that may or may not be pertinent, but CJ does come from a great program with highly ranked credentials, so he should, if all goes well, do well in Houston.

On a sort of a side-note, Im wondering if Dak isnt overrated to begin with since the comparison was made by Brown, besides that being said by Brown, ive always kinda had my doubts about Dak. If he wernt on the Cowboys, would people even be talking about him? Just food for thought.

 

Prescott was 19th in the league in attempts and tied for first in INTs. Backup QB looked competent leading the offense, so it was not like 2021 where the offense completely disappeared when Prescott went down. Definitely still among the best 32 QBs in the league, but not top 5 or even top ten like some think.

 

Everyone knows how great Justin Jefferson has been in his first three years but here is one of those odds stats that shows how hreat he is and how real the struggle is for the Chicago bears. With 235 yards recieving Jefferson will have amassed enough yardage to pass the career leader of the Bears (Johnny Morris 5059 yards). Read it in an article on CBS

 

Wow, he only had one 1,000 yard season...albeit in the 12-14 game season era.

 

Aaron Rodgers advocates for legalization of psychedelics



Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers did indeed speak on Wednesday at a psychedelics conference in Denver. While doing so, Rodgers made a pitch for such substances to be legalized.

“Is it not ironic that the things that actually expand your mind are illegal and the things that . . . dumb you down have been legal for centuries?” Rodgers said, via audio provided to PFT. “We’ve got to change that. We’ve got to change that. It’s through awareness and education.”

One thing that didn’t change is the not-so-subtle persecution complex Rodgers takes wherever he goes.

“I guarantee you all these bums who want to come after me online about my experience and stuff, they’ve never tried it,” he added. “They’re the perfect people for it. We need to get these people taking it.”

Rodgers decided last year that he would have no qualms talking about using it, given the manner in which his play improved after he first experimented with it in 2020.

“It’s gonna be hard to cancel me,” he said of his initial ayahuasca experience. “Because previous year, 26 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, we had a good season. Ayahuasca, 46 touchdowns, five interceptions, MVP.”

He also said the “cool thing” about using it has been the response, but “not from the media that calls me a druggie or a hippie or whatever.” Then, he actually started sounding a little like a druggie or a hippie or whatever.

“You know,” Rodgers said, “words are so interesting. They have such power in their spells. There’s a reason it’s called ‘spelling,’ because the way that the letters are put together have such power.”

I’ve never called him a druggie or a hippie or whatever. I think he does indeed revel in being a victim, and of constantly externalizing blame. He’s hardly the only person in sports who behaves that way; he’s just one of the most prominent.

Here’s one comment that caught my attention, because it speaks to the struggles of football players who have made it to the top of the mountain. Rodgers said he started his spiritual journey in 2011, after winning the Super Bowl.

“Success in life was holding the Lombardi Trophy,” Rodgers said. “Now I’ve done it. Now what? Now what’s the purpose of all this?”

For some quarterbacks, the purpose is simple. Do it again. And again. And again. Rodgers opted for introspection and coincidentally (then again, he thinks there are no coincidences) he is still trying to get back to a Super Bowl, 13 years later.

Jets fans are surely hoping that whichever psychedelic Rodgers takes over the next months results in an epiphany that his purpose is to win one more Super Bowl before calling it quits — with his current team.

PFT
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Just adds more gasoline to the fire of my personal hatred of Aaron Rodgers. This guy is a fucking nut-case. Im being blunt and straight up serious... he really pisses me off. Now that I have that out of the way, I would also say that no matter what these 'in the spotlight' Super-Star athletes say or think, they are examples to todays youth. With all the shit being crammed down the youth's neck, even in the public school systems, lets tell the kids psychedelic DRUGS are ok, in fact, good for you. And yes Rodgers, I have experience in many forms of those kinds of drugs.

I would love for the NFL to tell Rodgers to STFU, but I doubt Goodell and his looney tunes constituents have the courage to deal with a League Super-Star like Rodgers.

Good luck Jets fans, your QB is a fruitcake!

 

I woke up full of piss n vinegar today... I need to try something different for breakfast.

 

Try some psychedelic mushrooms in an omelette.

 

This my brain on eggs!



Eggs... a terrible thing to waste.

 

Spot on assessment of this whiny, woe is me, idiot. I like the Packers but I could never stand this tool. Just shut up Aaron

 

Derek Carr on Raiders benching him: I was upset, I was mad, they made my wife cry

Derek Carr was not happy to be benched by the Raiders for the final two games of last season.

“I was, for lack of a better term, I was very upset; I was mad ,” Carr told the Fresno Bee.

Carr said that as much as he wanted to remain a Raider, with the way the end of his tenure was handled, he knew he was going to have to move on this offseason.

“Once they made my wife cry, that was pretty much over,” he said. “Once they made her cry, that was out. But the love for my teammates is what probably would have made me do it. But the way it worked out and the timing of things, I was just . . . it was time for me to move on. But who knows? You never know what will happen.”

Now the quarterback of the Saints, Carr is hoping he has found his final NFL home, after an abrupt end with the team he played for for the first nine years of his career.

NBC

 

Juwan Johnson: We have a lot of offensive pieces, which Derek Carr’s probably never had

Like many of his teammates, Saints tight end Juwan Johnson has been impressed by his new quarterback Derek Carr.

But with training camp approaching, Johnson noted that as New Orleans’ offense continues to evolve under coordinator Pete Carmichael, Carr may have better players around him than ever before.

“I feel like with Derek, there’s a lot of things you can do,” Johnson said in a recent interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He’s been in an offense where he’s had Josh McDaniels, Jon Gruden, so he has a lot of that he can bring over to our offense. Obviously, we have a lot of pieces on our offense — which I think he’s probably never had before. So that’s something that he can use a little bit.

“So, a big credit to Pete — Pete’s been working his tail off this offseason. We’ve got some stuff in there that I’m like, ‘Pete, I’ve never seen this before, but I like it.’ So, I’m really excited for Pete going into Year Two. He’s been behind Sean for so long. So, he’s learned a lot and he’s ready to blow up now.”

While the Saints do have players like Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Jamaal Williams, Michael Thomas, Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau, and Johnson, Carr did go through last season with Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, and Moreau. Waller and Renfrow weren’t healthy for the entire season, but it’s not like Carr was playing with a bunch of scrubs before.

Johnson is entering his fourth season with the Saints, with the club having picked him up as an undrafted free agent in 2020. So, Johnson spent one season with quarterback Drew Brees at the helm before going through the carousel of QBs over the last two years.

That’s likely why Johnson’s praise of Carr included a comparison to Brees.

“It honestly felt like we’ve been working with Derek for a while now, so OTAs was really good, really smooth,” Johnson said. “He’s giving me more of a feel — because he’s an older guy — he’s giving me a lot of Drew [Brees]. Going into the huddle, commanding the huddle, guys gravitating toward him — these are things [I saw from] how Drew conducted the offense and things like that.

“So, it’s giving me similar feels. And so I’m really excited about what Derek has and how he’s going to move this offense.”

NBC

 

The Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins believes Gardner Minshew has a “chance” to start Week 1.


Atkins said on Monday’s Rotoworld Football Show that the Colts used minicamp to see how much Anthony Richardson could handle. Colts coaches “stressed him from the jump” with rapid fire play recall and various offensive formations. If Richardson needs time to adjust to the pro game, Atkins said Minshew would step in and start early in the season until Richardson is ready to roll. “It’s trending toward Anthony’s job Week 1, but I don’t think it’s a guarantee because they need to have someone who is ready to run the entire playbook,” Atkins said. “Gardner is way ahead in terms of knowing the playbook” because he has familiarity with head coach Shane Steichen’s offensive scheme. Expect Richardson to continue to be drafted as if he gets the Week 1 nod.