MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

George Kittle: Experienced Jimmy Garoppolo vs. raw Trey Lance is a “toss-up for me”



When making the media rounds on Friday in support of the second annual Tight End University, 49ers tight end George Kittle placed no limits on the questions that could or couldn’t be posed to him. And he knew that the most compelling topic would relate to the biggest question swirling around the team.

Who will the quarterback be in 2022?

Kittle has said that Trey Lance has an “insane ceiling,” but that he needs the experience that comes from playing. So, for the coming season, does Kittle prefer an inexperienced Lance who is working toward his ceiling or Jimmy Garoppolo, who has all the experience needed to lead the team?

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” Kittle said. “That’s one reason I’m glad I’m not the head coach of the 49ers. That’s all on Coach Shanahan. I’ll give you both ways. Jimmy G, awesome in the huddle, great leader, directs guys. People go to attention when he’s talking. He’s got a quick release, he knows the offense. Like I said, been to two NFC Championship games, knows what he’s doing. Trey Lance can run, extend plays, does all the play-action stuff incredible, could throw the ball 70 yards. I don’t know. It’s a toss-up for me.”

Kittle is fine with either guy playing, as long as they’re looking his way when they should be.

“As long as they’re throwing me the football, it is what it is,” Kittle said. “Football is a competitive sport. If there’s not competition, if you’re not fighting for your starting job every single day, then you’re not going to get any better. It was nice to see those two push each other all year. I think Trey learned a lot from Jimmy. If Trey is the starter and if there’s growing pains, hey, so be it. I think we have good enough players around him to help him succeed from Trent Williams, to [Brandon] Aiyuk, to hopefully Deebo [Samuel], to me, our run game. I think we have plenty of players around him to help him succeed.”

If the 49ers take both to camp and let them compete, the situation could become a distraction. How will the players keep that from happening?

“I mean we’re kind of used to it at this point,” Kittle said. “I mean, Jimmy G’s been under scrutiny since after the 2018 season where he tore his ACL. That whole season was like, ‘Oh, is Jimmy G the guy?’ Then he comes back, takes us to a Super Bowl, then we lose and then the next offseason is, ‘Oh, is Jimmy G the guy?’ We had another injury, 2020. It was a tough year for the Niners and then we came back and go to another NFC Championship game. We’ve been through this. It is what it is. I don’t think it’s really much of a distraction. I mean, I can’t tell being in the building. I see the guys show up every single day, go run routes, we lift weights, go to meetings, and it’s not really even a topic of conversation. We’re all here just trying to get better and whether that’s Jimmy G, whether it’s Trey Lance, whether it’s Nate Sudfeld, or our Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. Whoever is slinging that rock hopefully will just throw it to me more than anybody else.”

Still, the potential for dysfunctional remains high, if the 49ers insist on keeping Garoppolo around for training camp and the preseason. Several weeks ago, Garoppolo told Adam Schein that the 2021 season was “strange,” and that Garoppolo wouldn’t wish it on anybody. Did Kittle notice the awkwardness Garoppolo experienced?

“I mean, everybody can see it,” Kittle said. “When you trade three first-round draft picks for a quarterback, it kind of has a writing on the wall, doesn’t it? Jimmy did nothing but be a professional every single day. He didn’t complain about it one time. He wasn’t in a corner talking crap about the situation. He showed up every day as the starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. He went out there and practiced every day. He worked hard every single day. He set good examples for all the young guys, for all of us, and he motivated everybody. I don’t know if there’s a better professional in the NFL than Jimmy Garoppolo with how he dealt with that situation. I think he made everyone around him better that year. . . . Hey, you’re dealing with something that no one else here is dealing with and you’re being incredible about it. I can deal with any of my stuff and move on and just go play football. It was great. The way he handled it was great for us. I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody else but, hey, he did a lot with it and he played at a high level.”

That could be the best case anyone could make to another team for trading for Garoppolo, or for signing him if he’s eventually cut. He handled himself like a professional in a very awkward situation. Thus, he’ll most likely handle himself that way under far less stressful arrangements.

The question remains whether and when the 49ers will move him. The worst-case scenario for Garoppolo continues to be that the 49ers will let them compete, that Lance will win, and that Garoppolo will be faced with the choice between taking a dramatic pay cut or being released in late August, at a time when all other depth charts are set — and with no guaranteed salary for 2022. But that’s also the best-case scenario for the 49ers, since it will mean that Lance is ready to go, and that the 49ers will pick up millions in cap space that can be used to re-sign players like Samuel and Nick Bosa.

Through it all lingers the question of whether the 49ers think Lance is ready. If they have doubts, they’ll be tempted to string out the competition for as long as they can. If those doubts still linger after the preseason, perhaps they really will keep him them both, with Garoppolo continuing to serve as the starter.

PFT

 

Nick Foles agrees to two-year deal with Colts



The MVP of Super Bowl LII has found a new home.

Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, the Colts agreed to terms on a two-year deal with quarterback Nick Foles on Monday.


Late last week, reports emerged that Indianapolis was negotiating with Foles and that a deal could get done sooner than later.

Foles played under Colts head coach Frank Reich in Philadelphia. Reich was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2017, the year Foles took over for an injured Carson Wentz and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl victory. He then started several games for the team in 2018 when Wentz was out due to injury.

Since leaving the Eagles, Foles has played for the Jaguars and Bears. He won his only start in 2021, throwing for 250 yards with a touchdown.

Foles, who turned 33 in January, is expected to serve as Matt Ryan’s backup in 2022. The Colts also currently have Sam Ehlinger, James Morgan, and Jack Coan on their roster at quarterback.

PFT

 

Justin Herbert says he’s “getting after it” in the weight room, now weighs 245



Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was noticeably muscular at Monday’s opening of minicamp, and he says he’s been working hard in the weight room and gaining weight.

Herbert, who weighed 236 pounds at the Scouting Combine coming out of college, said he’s now up to 245 after working hard with strength and conditioning coach Jonathan Brooks.


“Just lifting, we’ve just been getting after it, and thankful to Jonathan Brooks, who’s been leading the charge,” Herbert said.

This is the time of year when players often say they’re in the best shape of their lives (Patriots quarterback Mac Jones said the same yesterday), but the 6-foot-6 Herbert legitimately looks bigger and stronger than ever before.

OFT

 

Broncos are building offense “completely around” Russell Wilson



The core of the friction between the Seahawks and Russell Wilson was simple. They didn’t let Russ cook.

More specifically, the offense didn’t run through Wilson. The offense wasn’t built around him. Coach Pete Carroll wanted to win with suffocating defense and a ground-and-pound running game. Wilson’s skills became more necessity (especially when the Seahawks were trailing in the second half) than luxury.


In Denver, Wilson finally gets his wish. He’ll be the centerpiece of the attack, the same way Patrick Mahomes is in Denver, Josh Allen is in Buffalo, and Aaron Rodgers is in Green Bay, just to name a few.

On Monday, the first day of Denver OTAs, new head coach Nathaniel Hackett explained to reporters the process of making Wilson fit the offense. Or, more accurately, of making the offense fit Wilson.

“We want to build this thing completely around him and make sure that he’s comfortable and watch him come alive,” Hackett said. “I think he did some awesome things today utilizing his athleticism, and at the same time, being just a pure drop-back passer. I think there were a lot of good things. We just have to keep developing that– the integration of the system, his feel with the rest of the team and how he is with the other guys — the wide receivers, tight ends — and getting those guys all on the same page.”

The best news is that Wilson seems to be completely beyond last year’s finger injury.

“[When] he throws the ball, it’s beautiful,” Hackett said. “He’s what we call a natural thrower. The guy just can spin it. Then watching him today make some of the plays he did with his feet and dodging and moving, it was like me when I was in flag football back when I was younger. He’s doing great, and we’re excited to see him just keep owning that system.”

That’s the key. Wilson now owns the system; the system no longer owns him. It will be very interesting to see how that affects Wilson’s performance in 2022.

PFT

 

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has been at OTAs in noticeably better shape, crediting his diet. "I think every year you want to do a self-diagnosis of how you felt for the games, your body fat, all that stuff," Jones said. "For me, cleaning up my diet -- I've probably learned more this offseason than I ever have about my diet, sleep, nutrition, wellness, all that stuff. I've taken what I've learned that I feel will help me and applied it." Jones is having his first offseason as the undisputed QB1 for New England after last year's uncertainty as a rookie competing with former Patriots quarterback Cam Newton. He seems to be putting in the work, also working with throwing coach Tom House, who worked extensively with Tom Brady over the years. The offense is still centered around the run game, and there are questions with the departure of long-time offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. However, the 23-year-old Jones is in a great position to improve on his rookie stat line of 3,801 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.--Dessy John - RotoBaller

 

Sam Darnold confident he can be one of the best QBs in the league



Sam Darnold is currently the No. 1 quarterback for the Panthers, but the team has not been shy about looking around at other options and there’s still a chance that they could make a move to change the makeup of the depth chart before the season gets underway.

That hasn’t done much to shake Darnold’s belief in himself, however. Darnold said on Tuesday, via David Newton of ESPN.com, that he is “confident I can be one of the best quarterbacks in the league” despite four years that have provided little evidence to support that feeling.


Darnold also said that he’s working to improve his footwork, which got “chaotic” during the 2021 season. That effort fits with Darnold’s overall approach to preparing for the season amid chatter about his short- and long-term future in the NFL.

“Everyone, including myself, knows the situation. . . . For me, it’s focusing on what I can do right now,” Darnold said, via Darin Gantt of the team’s website.

Unless the Panthers make a move for Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo, it seems likely that Darnold will be under center in Week 1. How long he stays there will likely come down to how much improvement comes from that self-directed focus.

PFT

 

Roger Goodell say NFL is “nearing the end” of investigative period on Deshaun Watson



The NFL, as expected, is closing in on making a decision regarding Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.

At the May ownership meetings in Atlanta, Commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear that things are moving toward a conclusion.


“I can’t give you a timeline,” Goodell told reporters, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “We are nearing the end of the investigative period and then it will be handled by our Disciplinary Officer.”

As we’ve explained, the Disciplinary Officer — jointly hired and paid by the NFL and NFL Players Association — will make a decision on discipline, after the NFL proposes a punishment. Goodell then handles any appeal, unless the Disciplinary Officer decides to impose no discipline at all.

The clock is ticking. It’s time for the NFL to initiate the process. It sounds like it will happen sooner than later.

PFT

 

Kyle Shanahan expects Jimmy Garoppolo to be traded but admits it’s “not a guarantee”



The 49ers were close to trading Jimmy Garoppolo before his March 8 surgery on his right shoulder. Garoppolo remains on their roster, due to make $25 million as a backup to Trey Lance.

That’s not good for anyone involved, and the 49ers would love to deal Garoppolo. But he’s not scheduled to throw until sometime this summer, so even Kyle Shanahan isn’t sure what Garoppolo’s future is.


“Nothing’s changed since that surgery,” Shanahan said Tuesday. “Where we were at before that, and then he got the surgery, so everything went on hold. I expect him at some time, most likley, to be traded, but who knows? That’s not a guarantee. It’s been exactly on hold when that happened. When he’s healthy, we’ll see what happens.”

The 49ers traded up to draft Trey Lance with the third overall selection in 2021. Lance is expected to take over as the full-time starter this season after Garoppolo started 15 of 17 games last season.

PFT

 

Jim Irsay: It’s been really exciting having Matt Ryan and his leadership



After moving on from Carson Wentz without an immediate replacement to be their QB1, the Colts were able to trade for veteran Matt Ryan.

It seems as if Colts owner Jim Irsay couldn’t be happier with his new quarterback.


“Oh man, I tell you it’s been great,” Irsay said at the league’s spring meeting on Tuesday, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s been really exciting having him in and his leadership.”

Irsay added that Ryan has been like a coach on the field for the club. And Indianapolis isn’t anticipating that he’ll be retiring anytime soon.

“It’s awesome. We’re really excited about Matt and we feel he just turned 37,” Irsay said. “He’s excited about playing and excited about finishing his legacy over the next three, four, or five years or whatever it is.

“I know with the same ideas that we have, with a world championship. It’s been great having him.”

Entering his 15th pro season, Ryan is coming off a year in which he threw for 3,968 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions — leading Atlanta to a 7-10 record.

 

Trey Lance: Finger injury impacted me all last season, feeling really good now



Jimmy Garoppolo‘s shoulder injury has had a big impact on the 49ers offseason because the team has not been able to trade him since he had surgery, but there hasn’t been any sign that his extended stay on the roster has impacted plans to start Trey Lance this fall.

Lance’s own health came up when he spoke to reporters from the team’s OTAs this week. Lance injured his right index finger in a preseason game and that didn’t keep him from playing during the regular season, but he said it was something that impacted him when he threw the ball.


After taking a few weeks off from throwing the football at the end of the season, Lance said the finger was finally back to where it needed to be.

“I kind of dealt with my finger throughout the season, so for me, it was kind of getting that back, and getting healthy, and feeling back to myself,” Lance said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “Like, towards the end of the season, I wasn’t the best version of myself overall. It was a long season, a long pre-draft process, of me not being in school. Everyone says it’s going to be, but you don’t really realize it until it happens. And I think the finger, for me, was the biggest thing just as far as throwing the ball. I kind of had to learn to throw the ball differently without kind of using my pointer finger, I guess because of just where it was at throughout the year. But now, I feel like I’m in a great spot, health-wise, and throwing the ball wall, and feeling really good.”

The question of what a full year of Lance as the starter will look like, but little doubt that the 49ers need him at 100 percent if they’re going to get the kind of answers they want.

PFT

 

The Lamar Jackson mystery continues to grow



The Ravens have a unique and largely unprecedented problem. And they have no idea how to solve it.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s long-term status with the team remains a mystery. He won’t engage the team on a contract, even though the team is ready to give him a major new deal. He insists that he doesn’t want to leave, but he’s not acting like he wants to stay.


Four weeks ago, he complained on social media about the team’s decision to trade receiver Hollywood Brown, even though Jackson knew Brown wanted out.

Now, Jackson is skipping OTAs. The Ravens are downplaying it, because they have no choice. They’ll downplay everything Jackson does or doesn’t do — until they become sufficiently exasperated with Jackson to move on from him.

Here’s the simple reality. Even though the offseason program is mandatory, OTAs are football practices that allow teams to install much of their offensive and defensive playbooks for the coming season. There’s value in having key players there, especially the quarterback.

Indeed, if the team’s assessment of Jackson’s contract posture is accurate, it’s all the more reason for Jackson to attend.

“The kid is so obsessed with winning a Super Bowl, that I think deep down, he doesn’t think he’s worthy,” owner Steve Bisciotti said in March. “I think he wants that to say, ‘Now, I deserve to be on top.'”

Fine. But to get to the top, he needs to climb. The climb happens now, during OTAs. If Jackson hopes to have a special season, the foundation for special is being laid now.

From 2018 through 2021, Jackson attended the OTAs. So why skip them now?

It’s all part of a mystery that the Ravens don’t want or need. And it underscores the existence of very real questions about whether any given year will be his last year with the team.

PFT

 

With Lamar Jackson M.I.A. at voluntary OTAs, the Baltimore Ravens are bringing in reinforcements under center.

Baltimore signed veteran backup quarterback Brett Hundley on Thursday.

Hundley, 28, spent much of the 2021 season with the Indianapolis Colts. The journeyman has not started an NFL game since 2017 when he started nine contests in place of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Hundley has also spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals during his seven years in the NFL.

He'll work alongside Ravens backups Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown while Jackson remains away from Ravens offseason workouts.

NFL.com

 

Raiders coach Josh McDaniels declines to discuss Colin Kaepernick workout

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is not shedding any insight into Colin Kaepernick's recent workout in the desert.

McDaniels declined on Thursday to comment to reporters on Kaepernick's workout with the Raiders, stating that he does not discuss players who are not currently on roster.

"Just by standard procedure, we will only talk about the people that are on our team," McDaniels said. "[General manager] Dave [Ziegler] and his staff have worked out tons of guys this spring, and we really don't make comments about the evaluations that we've made; or what they look like, what they didn't look like.

"They're kind of private for us as we look at things to try to make decisions to make the team better."

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that all indications are that Kaepernick's workout went well and that the quarterback impressed those in attendance.

The workout was Kaepernick's first with an NFL team since he parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers following the 2016 season. Kaepernick had a free-agent visit with the Seattle Seahawks in May of 2017, and recently threw in front of NFL scouts during halftime of the University of Michigan's spring game on April 2.

Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, during which he peacefully protested social injustice and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem prior to games.


"If there's an opportunity to improve the team, we've said it from Day 1 that we would look at every opportunity," McDaniels said when asked about Kaepernick's workout. "He's not the first player that we've looked at, and not the last one. There's going to be a lot of people that are going to come in and out of this building. ... The evaluations we make are private for us, and if we make a decision to add someone to the team then we'll do it."

Derek Carr is entrenched as the Raiders' starting quarterback after signing a three-year extension this offseason. Nick Mullens, Jarrett Stidham and rookie Chase Garbers are the other quarterbacks on Las Vegas' roster.

"There's nothing more important than that position," McDaniels said. "So when people say you know you've got it established, we certainly do. The next guy in line, you don't really talk about him until he's the most important guy in your organization when the starter gets hurt. I know there's a lot of us on this staff that have lived through some of those injuries; I certainly have experience with that. It's one of the toughest positions, if not the toughest position to play in all of sports.

"To try to constantly shuffle through and make sure you're doing the best you can to provide competition in that room and to have guys in there that can learn and play and produce in your system with the group that we have is really an important part of any football team, and we're encouraging the competition right now."

NFL.com

 

Patrick Mahomes on Chiefs' offense: 'It's going to be everybody'

Just how the Kansas City Chiefs offense will look and fare sans Tyreek Hill has been and will continue to be a prevailing question for the reigning AFC West champions until the 2022 regular season commences.

Following Hill's departure via trade to the Miami Dolphins, the Chiefs addressed the vacancy left by the Pro Bowler in free agency and the draft, but it's not going to be just one player looked on to replace Hill, according to quarterback Patrick Mahomes. No, the QB believes it will be a village of playmakers who will offer the Chiefs a more unpredictable look in the upcoming campaign.

"That's what you're going to see in this offense this year, it's going to be everybody," Mahomes said Thursday after spending organized team activities spreading the ball around to a cavalcade of pass catchers new and familiar. "It's not going to be one guy. Obviously Travis [Kelce] is still going to get a lot of completions, a lot of yards, but the whole receiving room is going to have big days and that can be something we use to our advantage.

"It's a very deep receiving room. It's hard to tell which guys are going to make it because we've got so many good receivers. That's what you want. You want that competition. You want guys competing every single day to make the roster because they're going to help us in the end."

Kelce might be a tight end, but he is unequivocally the team's No. 1 receiver. The seven-time Pro Bowler has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for six seasons in a row, a feat no other tight end in NFL history has accomplished. He's likewise rattled off a half-dozen consecutive campaigns with more than 80 receptions and in the last four straight he's surpassed 90.

What comes after Kelce is the major quandary. Free-agent signees Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster project to be Chiefs starters, possibly along with second-round rookie Skyy Moore or Mecole Hardman, who's currently dealing with a hamstring issue.

Valdes-Scantling is a burner who rivals Hill in the speed category, but he was never a go-to guy and never produced more than 38 receptions in four years with the Green Bay Packers. Smith-Schuster is a former Pro Bowler, but that was in 2018. His numbers with the Pittsburgh Steelers had fallen off since then after he was thrust, at least for a time, into a No. 1 role, and he's also coming off an injury. Hardman has come up a bit short of expectations as a wideout, though he's on the heels of a 2021 season in which he had career highs of 59 catches and 693 yards.

Mahomes' message seems to be that there doesn't need to be a Hill replacement, though, but better yet a host of options who will make it more difficult for opposing defenses, who will no longer be game-planning to stop Kelce and Hill.

"I think this year we'll be different where you're not going to know where you're gonna get the deep ball from," Mahomes said. "You're not gonna know where you're gonna get the short pass from, cause we have a lot of different guys who can do it all."

Beyond Valdes-Scantling, Smith-Schuster, Moore and Hardman there is myriad intrigue as well. Josh Gordon is back with the team, former first-rounder Corey Coleman is on the roster and undrafted free agent Justyn Ross has already turned heads at OTAs.

Mahomes and many of the receivers previously got together for offseason workouts in Texas. It was an important trip in terms of building camaraderie and tendency.

"You kind of build that chemistry," Mahomes said. "And I think a big part of, especially our offense, is having that chemistry on the field. Being able to know what the guy is doing without having to talk about it. I think it's translated. So far, in the practice that we've had, we feel like we're on the same page in having that chemistry and we're gonna keep building on that."

The Chiefs' receiving corps isn't lacking in speed or depth, but as of now it's brimming with uncertainty in the aftermath of Hill's exit. Thus, Mahomes and all his many options will keep building chemistry, keep working and keep answering questions on life after Tyreek until they kick off 2022 against the Arizona Cardinals.

NFL.com

 

Falcons QB Marcus Mariota both 'hungry to get back on the field again,' happy to mentor Desmond Ridder

Marcus Mariota spent enough time on the bench to learn he'd like to again become a starting quarterback in the NFL.

He found such an opportunity in Atlanta, where Mariota signed to take over for the since-traded Matt Ryan. Mariota will play under the direction of a familiar face, coach Arthur Smith, and the lessons learned in the last few years haven't been lost on him as he begins his time with the Falcons.

"For me personally the last couple of years was a learning opportunity," Mariota said after Thursday's offseason workout, via the Associated Press. "Previously when I was at Tennessee I had an opportunity to play. I was a starter. Being around that and then going and learning for a couple of years, I'm kind of hungry to get back on the field again."

Getting back on the field also includes welcoming in a rookie quarterback, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, whom Atlanta selected in the third round of the 2022 draft. After Ryan Tannehill's initial comments regarding rookie Malik Willis caused a stir, similar questions were directed toward Mariota.

He didn't flinch, sticking to what he'd said ahead of the draft: should Atlanta select a quarterback, Mariota would "give as much advice and knowledge as I can."

"Absolutely," Mariota said Thursday when asked if he'd mentor Ridder. "I kind of always view that relationship in the quarterback room as important and special. I always felt that a good quarterback room can allow everybody to be better and allow everybody to grow. ... At the end of the day if they've got questions or I've got questions, they're a great set of eyes for me as well."

Collaboration appears to be the goal for Mariota and the Falcons, who are attempting to return Atlanta to contention in the franchise's second season under Smith. The coach is pleased with what he has in both Ridder and Mariota, adding he isn't asking the veteran to "be Matt Ryan or be Peyton Manning. Be Marcus Mariota."


He hopes the wisdom Mariota gained during his difficult conclusion with Tennessee and time spent as Derek Carr's backup in Las Vegas will propel Mariota in his new opportunity.

"Everybody, you get another shot at something and there are lessons learned and there are hard lessons," Smith said. "You take something the right way and you're more appreciative of the opportunity. ... It's been fun being around him again, not just as a player but as a person."

It seems Smith values Mariota for who he is as much as what he can do on the field. With this in mind, it's no surprise to hear Mariota is open to helping Ridder. We'll see if it translates into success in 2022 and beyond.

NFL.com

 

Bears QB Justin Fields has 'plenty of confidence' in WR corps to 'get the job done'

With the ever-ballooning value of franchise quarterbacks, the rookie contract period has become a critical time for teams attempting to build around a young signal-caller. It's vital for general success, of course, but it's of equal or greater importance that clubs surround an unproven QB with enough talent to fully evaluate him before rolling out the checkbook to broker a second deal.

There are naysayers who believe the Chicago Bears are failing to do just that with second-year quarterback Justin Fields. After losing wide receiver Allen Robinson to the Los Angeles Rams and seeing a number of speedy wideouts like Jakeem Grant and Marquise Goodwin depart in free agency, Chicago restocked its WR cupboard with established but unflashy players -- names like Tajae Sharpe, Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown.

If you ask Fields, however, the teammates he sees on the roster and in practice are more than enough to reach the Bears' objectives this season.

"We don't have an Odell [Beckham Jr.] or a Cooper Kupp on our team, but at the end of the day I think if everybody is on their P's and Q's, and we're on top of everything and not making mistakes, the players we have right now are good enough," Fields said last week in an interview with Bleacher Report. "The front office thinks that, too. The fans outside of the facility, they don't know what's going on at practice. Just because we don't have a big-name guy doesn't mean those guys aren't talented. I have plenty of confidence in myself and my teammates that we're going to get the job done."

Fields may have a point about big-name wideouts compared to those of the lesser-known variety. The recently departed Robinson was far and away the flashiest name on the offensive roster last season yet failed to develop chemistry with the rookie QB. He managed a paltry 38 receptions for 410 yards and 1 touchdown -- all career lows apart from his one-game 2017 campaign in Jacksonville that was cut short by a torn ACL.

Meanwhile, the Bears' 2020 fifth-rounder, Darnell Mooney, doubled down on a rookie season that sizzled with potential by posting 1,055 receiving yards and cementing himself as Chicago's go-to aerial option.

"How hard he works," Fields said regarding Mooney. "He's already talented; he's fast and has great hands. On top of that, he works harder than anybody I know other than myself. A couple nights ago, we were in the facility until 12:30 a.m. going through plays and walking through plays for the next day at practice."


Mooney has gained Fields' trust and laid the blueprint for Bears wideouts succeeding under a certain degree of anonymity to the casual fan. It's something Chicago's free-agent additions will look to replicate, and it's a level of success that rookie WR Velus Jones should strive for as he gains his footing in the NFL.

The early returns have already been positive for Jones, who Fields made a point of praising.

"At rookie minicamp there was one play that stood out to me, he had a 10-yard dig route in and caught it and hit that second gear kick for a touchdown," Fields said. "I think he caught it at 10 yards and took it 60, so he's a great run-after-the-catch guy. He's going to pick up a lot of yards and is physical. He's almost like a running back at receiver. Having him on the outside and putting the ball in his hands and letting him work will be great."

It remains to be seen if Fields' words of reassurance in May turn into a proof of concept come September. If he is right in his evaluation, however, the decision makers in Chicago will be well-equipped to continue making theirs.

NFL.com

 

Dak Prescott: We definitely haven’t taken a step back



The Cowboys traded starting receiver Amari Cooper, who had 68 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Starting defensive end Randy Gregory, who had six sacks, an interception and three forced fumbles last season, left in free agency. The Cowboys cut starting right tackle La'el Collins and kicker Greg Zuerlein, and starting left guard Connor Williams and third receiver Cedrick Wilson left in free agency.

On paper, it appears the Cowboys aren’t as good as the 2021 version that won the NFC East.


Then again, this time last year, no one knew Micah Parsons was going to be Micah Parsons. So maybe their draft picks and their unheralded free agent signings are as good or better than the players they are replacing. Time will tell.

But quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t conceding anything. He believes in the players the Cowboys have in the locker room.

“We know what we have in this locker room and we know what we can be,” Prescott said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “Talent is one thing, but if you don’t fulfill it, it doesn’t really mean anything. So just from the names and stuff like that, we got young players that just haven’t had a chance to make a name for themselves. I’m excited for those guys to be able to do that and for them to prove people wrong.

“I know what this team has and the men that they have and the coaches and the leadership. We definitely didn’t take a step back. We’re going to continue to get better and that’s what this offseason is about, and that’s what moving forward is.”

The best news for the Cowboys is they were able to keep coordinators Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn, and they still have the most accomplished quarterback in the division.

PFT

 

Kyler Murray at Cardinals facility, is expected to practice Wednesday



Quarterback Kyler Murray opted not to join the Cardinals for early phases of their offseason program, but he’s taking a different course on the first day of June.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Murray is at the team’s facility as they resume their organized team activities on Wednesday. Murray is expected to take part in his first practice of the offseason once the team hits the field a bit later in the day.


Murray’s decision to stay away from voluntary workouts continued an offseason of intrigue about his relationship with the team as he looks for his second NFL contract. Things seemed very rocky shortly after the Cardinals were knocked out of the playoffs, but seemed to improve over time.

General Manager Steve Keim said late last month that he thinks the team will be able to get something done on the contract front this summer. Murray’s return to the team may be a signal of confidence that things are heading in that direction.

PFT

 

Jacksonville Jaguars second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence has shown improvement at organized team activities compared to where he was at last year heading into his rookie season. Lawrence showed his elite arm strength in his rookie season, but he now looks more decisive and sure of himself when it comes to delivering the ball, especially in tight windows. The first overall pick struggled in Year 1, throwing more interceptions (17) than touchdowns (12) while throwing for 3,641 yards in 17 games. The Jags spent big in free agency on receiver Christian Kirk and Zay Jones to give Lawrence more help through the air, and the healthy return of running back Travis Etienne should help as well.

ROTO BALLER

 

NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick set to retire after 17 seasons



Ryan Fitzpatrick, one of the NFL’s most charismatic quarterbacks whose standout play was sometimes defined by his nickname, FitzMagic, is retiring after 17 seasons.

Fitzpatrick sent text messages to former teammates on Thursday, including former Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson, who shared his message from the quarterback on social media.

“Forever grateful for the magical ride,” Fitzpatrick wrote to Jackson, along with a photo including names of many other teammates he played with during his career, which saw him play for nine teams.

Fitzpatrick, a seventh-round pick out of Harvard by the St. Louis Rams in 2005, will be fondly remembered for his luscious dark blonde beard (which reached far past his helmet chinstrap), while his witty personality and fun-loving nature galvanized teammates and fans.

Fitzpatrick played two seasons with the Rams (2005-06) and two with the Cincinnati Bengals (2007-08) before his run as a four-year starter with the Buffalo Bills (2009-13). He spent a season each with the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans before a two-year stint with the New York Jets.

In his final five seasons, Fitzpatrick fought for playing time as a starter while nurturing quarterbacks like Jameis Winston in two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2017-18) and Tua Tagovailoa in two seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2019-20). His final season, competing with Taylor Heinicke in Washington, was cut short after just one game due to a season-ending hip injury.

Fitzpatrick’s career took on new life when he threw for more than 400 yards and at least three touchdowns in three straight games to start the 2018 season. After the second game, when Fitzpatrick threw four touchdowns, he conducted his postgame news conference wearing teammate DeSean Jackson’s jewelry and black jacket, opened just enough to expose his hairy chest.

Another memorable moment came off the bench for the Dolphins on the road in Las Vegas, where a Raiders player nearly ripped Fitzpatrick’s head off by the facemask, only to see the quarterback complete a 34-yard pass down the left sideline to set up a game-winning field goal.

Fitzpatrick’s NFL career ends with 34,990 passing yards and 223 passing touchdowns in 166 games played.

USA TODAY