MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Report: Browns will start Dorian Thompson-Robinson on Sunday

The 6-3 Browns won’t have Deshaun Watson for the rest of the season. On Sunday, they’ll start the post-Watson era with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the starting quarterback.

Via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Thompson-Robinson is expected to get the nod.

That plan will become even more apparent later today, after word trickles out as to the quarterback who received the first-team reps in practice on Wednesday.

The fifth-round rookie from UCLA started the Week 4 game against the Ravens. It didn’t go well; he completed 17 of 30 passes for 130 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions in a 28-3 loss. P.J. Walker thereafter became the primary backup to Watson, starting two games — including a win over the 49ers.

Prior to Cleveland’s Week 8 loss at Seattle, Cabot asked Thompson-Robinson what would be different if/when he starts again.

“Night and day,” he said. “It’ll be a clear difference. I finally got my feet wet. I know what to do. I know what to study when I go out there.”

There’s another wrinkle to consider. Even though Thompson-Robinson had prepared to play against the Ravens in Week 4, he did not believe he’d be playing. Watson had consistently said he’d play, despite a shoulder injury. Thompson-Robinson, along with everyone else, was surprised when it was determined on game day that Watson wasn’t playing.

This time around, Thompson-Robinson gets the full week to get ready, with no doubt or uncertainty as to whether he’ll play.

 

That question WAS answered by Stefanski and the rumors are true, DTR is the starter

 

Josh Allen: I owe Ken Dorsey a lot, I’m sad to see him go

The Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey on Tuesday and quarterback Josh Allen had his chance to react to the news during a Wednesday press conference.

Allen and Dorsey had worked together since 2019 and Allen said “it hurts a lot” to see Dorsey lose his job because of how he and the offense have performed so far this season.

“I love Dorsey,” Allen said. “As a human being, he’s one of the good ones. He’s been in this room with me for a very long time. I feel like I owe him a lot of the success I’ve had in my career and he’s been a huge part of that. Sad to see him go. Fact is, if we play better as a team we probably don’t have to make a move like that. He’s a big part of what we’ve been doing the last few years. I talked with coach [Sean] McDermott. I understand the thought process of why we’re doing it. It’s unfortunate, but, at the same time, we’ve got a game against a division rival on Sunday and we still have time to turn this thing around.”

Allen said he does not believe the Bills have a “broken offense,” but noted their “massive” turnover splits in losses and said that the team’s “backs are against the wall” when it comes to correcting those issues because of how deep they are into the season. He added that he has faith in and “no choice but to be comfortable” with working with interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady on that front because the “clock’s ticking” on a season that started with high hopes in Buffalo.

PFT

 

Sam Howell: Leading the league in passing yards doesn’t mean that much to me

Commanders quarterback Sam Howell has been on a tear the last three weeks.

Howell thrown for 1,034 yards and eight touchdowns in a run that has led to a lot of chatter about how the Commanders have found their quarterback for the present and future. The run has also lifted him to the top spot in the league in passing yards with 2,783 on the year, but neither the platitudes nor the spot on the leaderboard are what Howell says he’s most focused on right now.

Howell said on Wednesday that he hasn’t “really noticed” the positive reviews that he’s been earning in recent weeks and that leading the league in passing doesn’t mean as much to him as the team’s 4-6 record.

“Honestly, I don’t really look at it a whole lot,” Howell said, via a transcript from the team. “It doesn’t really mean much to me. Obviously, I want to go out there every single weekend, play well and give our team a chance to win. Obviously, we haven’t won enough games. We haven’t won the games that I feel like we should have won this season. So that’s a little bit disappointing, but I really don’t look too much into what I’m doing on a personal level. I look more into what we’re doing as a team and just how I can improve for this football team and how I can put this football team in better chances to win football games.”

One of Washington’s losses was a 14-7 dud on the road against the Giants in Week Seven and the team can’t afford another one when the Giants pay them a visit this weekend. They’ll then have a quick turnaround to Dallas on Thanksgiving and a home game against the Dolphins before a Week 14 bye, so the next few weeks will determine what chance Washington has at the playoffs in what they hope will be the start of a long run under center for Howell.

NBC

 

Mike Lombardi today on Ryan Tannehill...

Paraphrasing, "Titans might be inclined to release him because of his large paragragh 5 salary. Someone may claim him (and pay him)."

That just doesn't seem reasonable for multiple reasons:

1. The team that needs him most (Cleveland) doesn't have a huge incentive to place a waiver claim. What team that is below them on the waiver wire order is going to claim him? Why not just hope he goes unclaimed and then you can write your own contract.

2. If he goes unclaimed he can get paid anyway. He's a vested veteran. He can file for termination pay and Titans have to pay his remaining 2023 salary.

 

He can file for termination pay and Titans have to pay his remaining 2023 salary.


I'm pretty sure he will NOT BU Will Levis and probably go the way you suggested.

And will the Titans put him on WW.....he is 35 yr and could clear.

I know he has played his last game as a Titan and he had some good years.

 

The Jets might claim him or the raiders or the saints or Giants all those teams have waiver priority over the Browns

 

The Browns waiver position is a mute point. Especially regarding Ryan Tannehill.

 

Wow. Learned something new today.

 

Wait, I thought the waiver system only applied to players with 4 years or less of accrued seasons? I don't think Tannehill would be subject to waivers.

I think if the Titans release him, they are on the hook for his remaining guaranteed salary (as well as all paid bonuses that are allocated over future years, will accelerate to 2024). Now... If he wants released, HE can release them from obligations in order to sign with a new club. The club and player can come to a mutual agreement releasing the club from obligation. It does not release the team from Dead cap obligations, I don't think, even if the player agrees to pay a portion of the bonus' back in the agreement.

Now in this case, he is in the last year of his contract, so if he agrees, the Titans could recoup the remaining salary for the remaining game checks, but they do have future year dead cap obligations that would accelerate to 2024 upon release.

This is how I BELIEVE it would work... someone please correct anything they know is different.

 

Never mind, I had a minute to look it up... the 4 years or less only applies during the trade cycle. Once the trade deadline is met, ALL players are subject to waivers.

 

This is Mike Florio's take on this situation... im not saying he's correct, but it addresses what the topic at hand is. Its also been commented on other sites.

With quarterback Deshaun Watson out for the season, the Browns apparently are inclined to stick with the players currently on the depth chart. However, even though the trade deadline has come and gone, there’s a way to potentially persuade the Titans to release Ryan Tannehill and/or the Raiders to cut Jimmy Garoppolo.

Both players would have to pass through waivers, given that the trade deadline has come and gone. Both players, given their contracts, would likely not attract a waivers claim.

Tannehill has a $27 million base salary for 2023. He has $12 million remaining. And if he’s released and clears waivers, he could be entitled to collect the balance of the salary as termination pay.

Garoppolo’s salary for 2023 is $11.25 million ($5 million remaining). He has $11.25 million in fully-guaranteed salary for 2024. If he’s released and not claimed, the Raiders would be on the hook.

Given the financial considerations, it’s unlikely that anyone would claim either player on waivers. Thus, the Titans and/or Raiders gain nothing by cutting their now-benched starting quarterbacks.

But what if the Browns get word to either team that, if the player is released, the Browns would claim the player on waivers? It would be unenforceable, and most likely a violation of the rules.

So what? Stuff like that happens all the time. If the Browns want either guy, there’s a way to get the message to the teams that, if they would be released, they would be claimed on waivers.

Tannehill makes more sense for the Browns, since he’s under contract only through 2023. There’s no need for Garoppolo in 2024, given that Watson is expected to be back and ready to go next year.

For now, the Browns seem to be intent on proceeding with the guys they have. And that’s their prerogative. But if they want to explore getting Tannehill or Garoppolo, there’s a way to make it worth either team’s while to shed the lingering financial obligations.

 

Correct... we posted at the same time.

 

Dorian Thompson-Robinson: I know what to expect now

When Dorian Thompson-Robinson made his first start back in Week 4, he looked like a rookie.

The fifth-round pick out of UCLA had to unexpectedly ascend to QB1 when it turned out Deshaun Watson actually couldn’t play against the Ravens due to his shoulder injury.

But now that Watson is out for the season, Thompson-Robinson will get another chance this weekend when the Browns host the Steelers. He’s expecting to deliver a much different result.

“I mean, shoot, I know what to expect now,” Thompson-Robinson said in his Thursday press conference. “Unlike many other people out there, I’ve been in an NFL game. So, I’m not stepping out there for the first time. I know all my keys, all what to look at throughout film, what to watch, who the key players are on their defense and everything now.

“So, I’m not just going out there wide-eyed anymore. I’m going out there with the things to look at, things to focus on, and a plan to be able to attack them.”

Thompson-Robinson added that he’s much better suited to handle the emotions of starting an NFL game this time around.

“I think I said this a couple of weeks ago, it’s going to be night and day,” Thompson-Robinson said. “Just my progression, my maturity, how I’ve handled the week thus far and all the weeks before it — just being able to learn from that first experience, I think, is going to help me a bunch.”

In his first start, Thompson-Robinson went 19-of-36 passing for 121 yards with three interceptions. He admitted that there were moments after that game where his confidence was shaken.

“I mean, yeah, of course,” Thompson-Robinson said. “When you get an opportunity to play and you don’t play up to your standards, then obviously you don’t get the job the next week — it’s frustrating. All those emotions just tend to come up naturally.

“Luckily, I still have a job. I still have to come in this building. I have wonderful teammates and staff that support me and embrace me. And, even when I was confident, they were telling me to be even more confident. So, those guys always push me to be my best every day. So it’s hard not to move past stuff and move on quickly.”

At 6-3, the Browns still have plenty in front of them. Several players expressed on Wednesday that the expectations don’t change with Watson out. Thompson-Robinson agrees with the sentiment.

“I’m glad they said that — because they shouldn’t,” Thompson-Robinson said. “We shouldn’t have a change in mindset, a change in goals. Our goals are still going to be the same whether it’s me, P.J. [Walker], or Deshaun. So, all I can say is I’m glad they didn’t say anything else.”

We’ll see how much Thompson-Robinson has improved when he takes the field against the Steelers on Sunday.

 

Justin Fields fully participates again in Bears practice

Everything continues to be on track for Bears quarterback Justin Fields to return to play this weekend against the Lions.

Fields was again a full participant in Thursday’s practice after he was listed as full on Wednesday.

After Fields missed the last four games with a thumb injury, head coach Matt Eberflus said in his Wednesday press conference that the plan is to have Fields start on Sunday. Fields himself said his thumb isn’t 100 percent, but it’s stable and he feels good.

Returning from injured reserve, running back Khalil Herbert (ankle/shin) was upgraded from limited to full on Thursday. Fellow running back D’Onta Foreman (ankle) remained limited.

Linebacker Jack Sanborn (ankle) was upgraded from limited to full.

The Bears added linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) to the injury report as a limited participant. Tight end Marcedes Lewis was also added for a rest day.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (knee) remained a non-participant.

Fullback Khari Blasingame (concussion), offensive lineman Nate Davis (ankle), and defensive back Terell Smith (illness) all remained full.

 

Lamar Jackson is poised to surpass Randall Cunningham’s career rushing yardage total tonight against the Bengals.

Cunningham retired with 4,928 rushing yards, and Jackson has 4,918 rushing yards in his career. So if Jackson runs for 11 yards tonight — which for him is a near certainty — he’ll move ahead of Cunningham on the career list.

Widely regarded as the best running quarterback of the 20th Century, Cunningham has been surpassed on the career rushing list by three more recent quarterbacks: Michael Vick is first all time with 6,109 rushing yards, Cam Newton is second with 5,628 and Russell Wilson is third with 5,167.

All the quarterbacks ahead of Jackson on the list played a lot longer than Jackson has: Vick played 143 games in his career, Newton played 148, Wilson has played 181 and Cunningham has played 161. Tonight will be the 81st game of Jackson’s career, so he’ll have more rushing yards than Randall Cunningham in about half as many games.

Jackson is only 26 years old, so it seems to be a near-certainty that he’ll be No. 1 on the quarterback career rushing list eventually. And he may put the record out of reach for any other quarterback for many, many years.

NBC

 

Hmmm... the halftime coverage included that vid of Burrow apparently filmed the day before the game with a brace on his wrist / hand. SI had posted about it as well:
https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news...-throwing-hand-thursday-night-football-ravens

But... guess who was NOT added to the injury report?
Injury Report | Cincinnati Bengals - bengals.com


Just a wild guess... there's gonna be some fallout over that.

 

There sure ought to be. I know everybody was all over the Falcons just a few weeks ago (as you well know).

 

Zac Taylor says Joe Burrow has sprained wrist

Bengals head coach head coach Zac Taylor said quarterback Joe Burrow sprained his right wrist.

Taylor offered no other information about how much time Burrow might miss.

“I have no idea. All the information I have is two seconds worth, and then we went to [try to] win the game,” Taylor said, via Charlie Clifford of WLWT.

The quarterback surely will undergo more medical testing Friday.

Burrow did not conduct postgame interviews but left the locker room with his right wrist wrapped in a bandage.

He left the game with 5:49 remaining in the first half, grabbing his hand after throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Joe Mixon. Burrow landed on the wrist when Jadeveon Clowney hit him on a 9-yard completion to Mixon on the play before the touchdown.

But it appears Burrow entered the game with an injury to the hand despite not being on the injury report.

He arrived in Baltimore on Wednesday wearing something on his throwing hand. The team posted — and later deleted — an arrival video with an image of Burrow’s hand with a black fingerless sleeve on it.

Taylor said that he was unaware of any issues with Burrow coming into tonight.

PFT
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Sounds fishy... Taylor not knowing and or if true, Joe not telling.