NFL - NEWS & NOTES

NFL makes surprising decision regarding famous Eagles play

The NFL and its competition committee made a fairly surprising decision about a possible rule change Thursday that the Philadelphia Eagles will probably be very happy with.

The competition committee did not list the Eagles’ controversial quarterback sneak play on its list of rule proposals and bylaws to be considered ahead of the 2023 season, according to Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic. That means the play, which allows multiple players to line up behind quarterback Jalen Hurts and essentially push him forward on a quarterback sneak, will still be permitted for at least another year.

The rule allowing ball carriers to be pushed was thought to be on the chopping block for next season. Many across the league objected to it, claiming that it turned the play into a rugby scrum instead of showcasing players’ athleticism. The Eagles were successful 36 of the 40 times they attempted the play in 2022, and one coach claimed he was going to run the play constantly if it was not banned.

Essentially, any team employing this sort of quarterback sneak strategy will safely convert far more often than not, regardless of what the defense does about it. That may get the rule revisited after the 2023 season, but for now, the Eagles are free and clear to keep pushing Hurts past the marker.

YARDBARKER

 

Every time I hear the name Agholor this guy comes to mind after an apartment building caught fire in downtown Philadelphia...

 

Interesting. Thanks for the update.

 

Nice... laughed my ass off, good stuff!

 

Report: Calais Campbell will visit Jets, Bills next week

Free agent defensive lineman Calais Campbell is making the rounds as he weighs his next destination.

The Ravens released Campbell on March 13 to save $7 million in cap space.

He already has visited the Falcons and Jaguars and has the Jets and Bills on his itinerary next week, Tiffany Blackmon of 929TheGame reports.

Campbell recorded 5.5 sacks with four tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hits in 14 games with the Ravens last season.

Since the Cardinals made Campbell a second-round pick in 2008, he has spent nine years in Arizona, three in Jacksonville and three in Baltimore.

PFT
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Guess he wont be headed to Minnesota... everybody knows them bums are broke. Probably land in Cleveland.

 

Some teams know how to prioritize the trenches, some don't. Only one of those two wins consistently.

 

LB Bobby Wagner is back to Seattle. 1yr/$7M

 

Sean Payton: Broncos won’t trade Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton



Despite talk that the Broncos might shop one of their top receivers this offseason, coach Sean Payton says Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy are staying put.

“We’re not trading those two players,” Payton said. “When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, [Broncos General Manager] George Paton’s job is to pick it up and say, ‘Hey. Tell you what, we’re not.’ And so, we’ve received calls, you bet. Those are two good football players. But we’re in the business of gathering talent right now. Why do people call? Because they know we’re void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think, regarding Courtland. But we like the current group that we’re working with.”

If the Broncos end up trading either Jeudy or Sutton, it would hardly be the first time that a team traded a player after the coach said they wouldn’t. But Payton sounds pretty definitive about not moving either Jeudy or Sutton.

Payton knows he was hired to turn around an offense that was ugly in Russell Wilson‘s first year in Denver, and Payton wants Wilson to have as many receivers as possible.

PFT
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It didnt make sense from the beginning of the 'trade Jeudy' talks. Markets are stingy and they probably wouldnt have been able to upgrade, so IMO, Payton is doing the right thing.

 

This is weird to me...

Jerry Jones has surprising admission about Ezekiel Elliott

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted Monday that the team never actually approached Elliott about reworking his contract in order to keep him. Jones said the Cowboys would be interested in bringing Elliott back if the market develops that way, however.



In other words, the Cowboys did not even ask if Elliott would be interested in re-negotiating his deal into something that could keep him on the team. Perhaps they figured it was pointless, or had been given indications from Elliott that there was no reason to bother. Either way, it suggests that the Cowboys were not too pained to move on from their former first-round pick.

YARDBARKER

 

Pollard has made Eliot yesterday’s news. The only problem is that RBs get hurt a lot and it’s hard to eat up cap for a backup.

 

Bengals sign tight end Irv Smith



The Bengals were in the market for a tight end, and they’ve found one in Irv Smith Jr.

Smith signed with the Bengals on Monday night.

The 24-year-old Smith was a 2019 second-round pick of the Vikings out of Alabama and has played his entire four-year career with the Vikings. He showed some promise in his first two seasons but has been plagued by injuries the last two seasons, missing all of 2021 with a knee injury and half of 2022 with an ankle injury.

Last year he played eight games and caught 25 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith is the son of Irv Smith Sr., a tight end who was a first-round pick of the Saints in 1993 and played seven NFL seasons.

The Bengals had been looking for a tight end since last year’s starter, Hayden Hurst, left for Carolina in free agency.

PFT

 

He has been a disappointment for the Vikings nothing but Injury prone, bet he blows up for the Bengals

 

Report: Group led by Josh Harris submits $6 billion bid for Commanders

Josh Harris would have paid $5 billion for the Broncos. He’s now willing to pay $6 billion for the Commanders.

With some partners involved, of course.

Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the potential ownership group led by Josh Harris officially submitted “a fully-financed bid that meets Dan Snyder’s $6 billion asking price, per source.”


Buried in this report is the notion that Snyder, who supposedly wanted $7 billion of the team, is willing to accept $6 billion. While $6 billion represents a massive return on his original investment, the difference between $6 billion and $7 billion is ONE BILLION DOLLARS.

Did he never want $7 billion? Did he leak that he wants $7 billion to get $6 billion? Could he get $7 billion from Jeff Bezos, making spite a nine-figure endeavor?

Mitchell Rales recently joined the Harris group, adding to the financial wherewithal. Magic Johnson has gotten on board, too.

PFT
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I cant believe an offer like that wouldnt be accepted. The Commanders are all a fucking mess, go on take the money and run.

 

Raiders sign DeAndre Carter



The Raiders have added another wide receiver to their offense.

DeAndre Carter has signed a one-year deal with the Raiders, according to Jordan Schultz of TheScore.com.


Carter, who will turn 30 on April 10, is coming off his best season. He caught 46 passes for 538 yards and three touchdowns last year, his only year with the Chargers.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pound Carter was originally undrafted out of Sacramento State in 2015 and has made a lot of stops in his NFL career, spending time in Baltimore, Oakland, New England, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Houston, Chicago and Washington before signing with the Chargers last year.

Carter also had 497 kickoff return yards and 339 punt return yards last season.

PFT

 

Roger Goodell defends possibility of Thursday night flex scheduling

The NFL will take up discussion of flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football again in May after not having the votes to approve the league’s proposed measure Tuesday.

The league wants the leeway to move late-season games from Sunday to Thursday, with a 15-day advance notice, to assure better matchups for Amazon.


Giants co-owner John Mara sounded off after the meeting ended, calling the proposal “really inconsiderate to our season-ticket holders” and “abusive.”

“Listen, there isn’t anybody in that room, any of our organizations who don’t put our fans first. That’s really important,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in response. “Obviously, providing the best matchups for our fans is part of what we do. That’s part of what I think our scheduling has always focused on and flex has been a part of that. We are very judicious with it and we’re very careful with it, and we look at all of the impacts of it. So, before those decisions are made, I think we average in the years we’ve been doing it about a flex and a half a year. It can vary in any particular year. So, it’s a very important thing for us to balance with the what I would call season-ticket holders and the in-stadium markets, but we have millions of fans who also watch on television, so reaching them is a balance that you always strike and making sure we do it right.”

In 2006, the NFL adopted flexible schedule for late-season Sunday nights. This season, late-season Monday night flexing is possible for the first time.

On Tuesday, owners did approve allowing teams to play on two short weeks during the season. That means teams can play two Thursday night games on short rest during the 2023 season.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacted unfavorably to the decision on social media.

“I don’t think we are putting Amazon over our players,” Goodell said in response. “We’ve always been doing at data with respect to injuries and the impact on players. That drove our decisions throughout the first 12 or so years of Thursday Night Football and how it’s evolved. I think the data is very clear: It doesn’t show a higher injury rate. But we recognize shorter weeks. We went through this with COVID, too. We had to have a lot of flexibility. Those are obviously different circumstances, but we work very closely on that.

“I hear from a lot of players directly, too. They love the 10 days afterward. In fact, they call it a mini-bye, so there are benefits on that. You have different views. We want to consider all of them. Players have their views. Coaches have their views. We have to try to balance all of that.”

PFT

 

I dont understand the catering to Amazon... dont like it much to be honest. Too much pay per view as it is and its not fair to the teams/fans that will be flexed.

 

Agree with the too much pay per view. This won't end well. I remember watching boxing on TV? We all watched Ali, Forman, Leonard, etc. We knew their names and faces back then. Here's SoCals challenge. Quick, name the heavyweight champion of the world right now! I can't. Pay for view did that. Is the NFL next?

 

That was the days of Howard Coselle. Boxing went pay per view so long ago that I can’t remember the last boxing match I watched.

 

Agree with the too much pay per view. This won't end well. I remember watching boxing on TV? We all watched Ali, Forman, Leonard, etc. We knew their names and faces back then. Here's SoCals challenge. Quick, name the heavyweight champion of the world right now! I can't. Pay for view did that. Is the NFL next?



What a great question SCS.....I honestly do not know and would have to goggle it .

Gidi is right when was the last good toe to toe Boxing Match you watched ?

I will pray to God the NFL is not going down the same road.

 

Mike Tyson made a ton of money from pay per view. Unfortunately he spent two tons of money.