MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Bill Belichick: We’ve played without Tom Brady before



Since he became head coach of the Patriots in 2000, Bill Belichick has started five quarterbacks. Five.

Drew Bledsoe started 18 games, Matt Cassel 15, Jacoby Brissett two and Jimmy Garoppolo two. They went 18-19 with those four players as their quarterback with Belichick as their head coach. The Patriots were 219-64 with Tom Brady.

In 2020, Belichick will start his sixth quarterback in his Patriots’ tenure, the fifth not named Brady.

“Well, we’ve played at other times without Tom,” Belichick said on NFL Network on Thursday night, via NESN. “Whether it was the [2008] season after he was injured — we played 15 games with Cassel and went 11-5 — or heading into the ’16 season with Jimmy and then Jacoby, and Tom coming back after the four-game suspension.

“So there have been other times where we’ve dealt with that. We’ll do what we always do, which is try to prepare the team the best that we can, utilize our players and the skills that they have and put ourselves in the best position we can to be competitive and win. That’s what we always do, and we’ll continue to do that.”

The Patriots showed their faith in Jarrett Stidham by what they didn’t do — or haven’t done yet anyway. They didn’t sign a veteran quarterback or draft one.

Instead, they signed undrafted free agents Brian Lewerke from Michigan State and J'mar Smith from Louisiana Tech.

The Patriots also have veteran Brian Hoyer.

“Stid worked really hard last year,” Belichick said. “He was our backup quarterback the entire season, and I know he’s working hard in the offseason. I know he’s made a lot of progress in terms of understanding our offense and understanding opponent defenses like all players do from Year One to Year Two.

“I’m sure he will get out there and be ready to go, be prepared, compete hard, and we’ll see where it takes us.”

NBC

 

Kirk Cousins’ advice to Dak Prescott: Franchise tag can be your friend

Kirk Cousins played under the franchise tag twice, in 2016 and again in 2017, before leaving for the Vikings in free agency in 2018. He originally signed a three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings before agreeing to a two-year, $66 million extension this offseason.

It worked out for Cousins, who was the first quarterback to play under the franchise tag since Drew Brees in 2005 with the Chargers. That worked out for Brees, too.
Cousins thus is highly qualified to give Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott advice.

The Cowboys used the $31.4 million tag on Prescott this offseason but have yet to reach a long-term agreement with a July 15 deadline looming.

“Anybody who I run into who’s been franchise tagged, we have one on our team this year in Anthony Harris, I believe the franchise tag can be your friend,” Cousins said on ESPN on Thursday night. “I don’t think it’s something to be disappointed with. I think it enables you to be well compensated, and deservedly so, for the upcoming season. Then, I always say the cream will rise to the top. If you’re good enough, the cream’s going to rise to the top, and you’re going to get compensated the way you want to. Sometimes it doesn’t happen as quickly as you would like, but if you deserve it, and you’ve earned it, it’s going to happen. So you’ve just got to stay the course and stay patient. Certainly in my journey, it all worked out. I wouldn’t go back and change a thing.

“So my message to Dak, when I saw him midseason last year, was, ‘Hey, whatever happens, don’t be afraid of the tag. It can be your friend, and you can use it to your advantage.'”

NBC

 

The Cowboys have giveth, but they will not be taketh-ing away.

The labor deal allowed the Cowboys to use the franchise tag to keep quarterback Dak Prescott from becoming a free agent in March. The labor deal also allows the Cowboys to rescind the franchise tender at any time before he accepts it.

Appearing on Friday’s #PFTPM podcast, Cowboys COO, executive V.P., and director of player personnel Stephen Jones was asked whether the franchise tag could or would be rescinded.

“Absolutely not,” Jones said. “Dak’s our quarterback for the future. Obviously, this hasn’t been the easiest thing. As Jerry says, ‘As money gets bigger, deals get harder.’ Certainly, we’re talking a significant amount of money here which he so deserves. Absolutely not. Dak’s going to be our quarterback this year. He’s our quarterback for the future. We think the world of him. He represents our franchise in a very positive way in terms of what we want as a leader of our team. He’s just an outstanding man, and we would never rescind the franchise tag.”

Here’s what this means, as a practical matter: If the Cowboys and Prescott don’t get a long-term deal finalized before the July 15 deadline for doing so, Dak will make $31.4 million this year. Then, in 2021, the Cowboys would have to offer Prescott $37.68 million (a 20-percent raise over his 2020 salary) in order to keep him from becoming a free agent.

That’s $69.08 million for two years with a 44-percent raise over $37.68 million ($54.25 million) for a third franchise tag in 2022 (or another 20-percent raise — $45.21 million — for a transition tag in 2022), and that’s why Dak reportedly is looking for a deal that averages $35 million per year. If Dak is willing to play on a year-to-year basis for two more years, he’ll pocket nearly $70 million in salary (plus enhanced marketing money for being the quarterback of America’s Team) and he’ll either hit the market or the ultra-jackpot in 2022.

By ruling out rescinding the tender, the Cowboys have accepted the fact that they’ll either give Dak a record contract or see the clock tick loudly toward a potential financial nightmare, or the departure of their starting quarterback.

The Cowboys also have forfeited the vague threat of dropping Dak onto the open market in, for example, August, once budgets have been blown and depth charts have been set and the kind of money the Cowboys are currently offering simply would not be available from one of the other teams.

Then again, the Cowboys may feel differently come the middle of August, if they can’t get a deal done by July 15 and if Dak chooses to exercise his right to skip training camp. And if/when someone points out that the Cowboys ruled out rescinding the tag in May, the Cowboys can simply borrow a line that became relevant in NFL circles this week.

“Sometimes it don’t go as planned.”

NBC

 

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins agree to terms on rookie deal

Purchase those No. 1 jerseys with confidence, Dolphins fan, because Tua Tagovailoa has signed on the dotted line.

The quarterback has agreed to terms with Miami on his rookie contract, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday. The contract is a four-year deal worth $30.28 million and includes a fifth-year option and a signing bonus of $19.6 million. The pact is fully guaranteed, Rapoport added.

These contracts aren't all that much to write home about anymore, as we're more than a decade removed from the olden days of rookie deals, when the highly touted newcomers could leverage their newfound value and hold out for more money. Some holdouts lasted into training camp back then, but with both the last collective bargaining agreement and the new CBA ratified in March, rookie salaries have since been relegated to a slotting system. Tagovailoa's place as the No. 5 overall pick scheduled him to be paid the aforementioned total. All that's left to figure out is the size of a signing bonus and the language of the contract.

With the financials sorted out, Tagovailoa can proceed forward on his path to filling Miami's franchise quarterback role.

NFL.com

 

Aaron Rodgers spoke publicly for the first time last Friday about the Packers’ decision to draft quarterback Jordan Love in the first round and the attention paid to his comments underscored how many eyes will be on the two players once the Packers get on the field.

Everyone watching will be thinking about when Love might be ready to ascend to the starting lineup and whether he’s the right choice to succeed a two-time MVP in Green Bay. That comes with pressure for the rookie, but he told Omar Ruiz of NFL Media that he would be feeling the same pressure to prove himself regardless of the circumstances surrounding his selection.

“No matter where I would have landed, that was the goal for me,” Love said. “You gotta go out there, prove yourself and make a name for yourself. It’s a job, you gotta be able to keep that. For me, just trying to learn the offense and prove myself.”

Love is currently working out with Keenan Allen and Tyrell Williams, so he’s able to throw to NFL receivers while waiting for a chance to start working with Rodgers and the Packers. Plenty of people will be watching to see how that’s helped to prepare him for the spotlight that will accompany him to Green Bay.

NBC

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick: I’m Tua’s biggest cheerleader, but I want to play



The big question for much of the Dolphins offseason was whether they’d pick a quarterback early in the first round and they answered it by selecting Tua Tagovailoa.

With Tagovailoa in the fold, the big question now has to do with when Tagovailoa is going to take over the starting job. Ryan Fitzpatrick is in line for that role right now and he discussed how he’ll welcome Tagovailoa to the team while appearing on former Bills teammate Eric Wood’s podcast.

Fitzpatrick said he’s excited the Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa and that he’s “an open book” for anything that the rookie might want to ask him, although he’d prefer that his new teammate learn while watching for a while.

“I’m his biggest cheerleader right now, but I also want to be out there playing,” Fitzpatrick said, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “I also want to be on the field, and that’s why I’m still doing it is because I still enjoy playing the game. Hopefully some of the lessons I’m able to teach him are him watching me play, but if it’s the other way around I’m going to do my best to help him succeed the best way he can.”

Fitzpatrick’s experience and Tagovailoa’s extended layoff after last year’s hip injury would seem to give the veteran a clear leg up on making sure Tagovailoa is learning through observation at the start of the year.

NBC

 

Tua just take your time and make sure the hip is healed up good

 

I don't think the Dolphins are going to rush Tua, at all. Their plan to this point certainly hasn't indicated they're willing to sacrifice long-term success for short term gain.

The only thing is, Miami fans are RABID over this kid. They want to see him play today. Maybe it's just my proximity to the fan base, but between the anticipation that's built for months and months leading up the draft, and the lack of QB success there since Marino, Miami fans are frothing at the mouth to see him play.

It's going to be interesting to see if and for how long they sit him. Meanwhile, Cincy's new QB already got the old one fired, and will presumably be starting day one. That adds to Miami's pressure. It's definitely going to be an interesting story line. I just moved to Orlando, so local bars might not be as bad as I'm sure they will be in South FL, if Tua is sitting on the bench. I can't imagine the hell holes they'll be on opening day if Fitzpatrick is playing. Yikes.

 

Yeah it will be very interesting to see how long Tua sits? Good Question

 

The Chiefs want to sign Patrick Mahomes to a long-term contract sooner than later. They thus will begin contract talks with Mahomes’ agent sooner than later.

“The negotiations are something we’ll be getting into this summer,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said on a Facebook Live event with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “But what he has said and what we’ve said, both sides, is he wants to be a Kansas City Chief for life, and that’s our mentality as well. We want him to play his entire career in Kansas City, and that’s what we’re going to be shooting for.”

Mahomes is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal, set to count $5.3 million against the salary cap with an $825,000 base salary. It is a safe bet the quarterback will become the league’s highest-paid player when the deal is signed.

The only question is: When does it get done?

Mahomes, 24, won league MVP honors in his first season as a starter in 2018 and capped last season with Super Bowl MVP honors. In only 31 games as a starter, Mahomes has a 24-7 record, a Super Bowl ring, 9,412 passing yards, 76 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

“In terms of special qualities, the thing that really struck me in 2018, the first year that he became a full-time starter for us, was his leadership ability,” Hunt said. “We knew he had these special physical gifts. We had seen him on the practice field. We’d seen the no-look throws. We had seen the 70-yard bombs, all that stuff. I’m not sure we had seen the left-handed throw but maybe. But anyhow, we knew we had that. But the pleasant surprise was what a great leader he was at age 23. An NFL locker room is a very difficult place to come into as a young player and lead, but it was very evident that the entire team was looking up to him in his first year as a starter, and of course, that carried over into this past season.

“He has a tremendous amount of humility going back to what I said about leadership qualities. So he’s very humble on one hand and very competitive on the other and his teammates all respect him and want to play for him and with him.”

NBC

 

The Jets have agreed to terms with free agent Joe Flacco on a one-year contract, the quarterback’s agency, JL Sports, announced on social media.

The deal is worth $1.5 million, with a maximum value of $4.5 million with incentives, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The Jets have sought a veteran quarterback in recent weeks and had interest in Andy Dalton before he signed with the Cowboys.

Flacco joins a quarterbacks room with starter Sam Darnold and backups David Fales, Mike White and rookie James Morgan. Fales has no career starts and has played only five games with 48 attempts, and White has never appeared in a regular-season game.

The Jets went 0-6 the past two years when Darnold missed starts, with Josh McCown going 0-3 in 2018, Trevor Siemian 0-1 last season and Luke Falk 0-2 last season.

Flacco, who spent last season in Denver after 11 years in Baltimore, had neck surgery in early April. He is not expected to be cleared until somewhere around late August.

Flacco, 35, has a 98-73 record in his 12 seasons, throwing for 40,067 yards with 218 touchdowns and 141 interceptions.

NBC

 

Matthew Stafford: We want to be a great offense



Matthew Stafford ranked second in the NFL in touchdowns (19), fourth in passing yards (2,499) and fifth in passer rating (106.0) before a Week Nine back injury prematurely ended his season.

It was the Lions quarterback’s first year in Darrell Bevell’s offense.

Now back to health, and with a year in the offense, Stafford expects bigger and better things from himself and the offense this season.

“We want to be a great offense, and the first step to it is making sure everyone is on the same page, pulling in the same direction,” Stafford said, via Tim Twentyman of the team website. “I think we’ve got that. Hopefully, we can continue to grow and get better in year two.”

The Lions have receivers Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola and tight end T.J. Hockenson back this season. Rookie D'Andre Swift has joined the running backs room with Kerryon Johnson.

Stafford, 32, is heading into his 12th season and his second with Bevell. That experience, Stafford said, should help the Lions given COVID-19’s impact on the offseason program.

“It doesn’t hurt to be in a second year of an offense and not try to learn something new and try to be a rookie quarterback or second-year guy coming in,” Stafford said. “Definitely, I feel like it’s a positive for us as a team and for myself. When I get out there and throw with those guys, when I get chances to work with them, I feel like I can teach them as good as our coaches can on what we’re looking for and what they need to do. That’s an advantage for us. Now let’s just hope that shows up on Sundays.”

Stafford faces pressure in 2020 to actually do what he hopes to do.

NBC

 

I didnt realize Stafford was having that good of a season before the injury...

 

Report: Dolphins not opposed to playing Tua Tagovailoa this year



Dolphins veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said last week that Tua Tagovailoa could flourish under new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.

So even if Fitzpatrick starts the season under center because he already has, it could be a temporary assignment.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, a person who talked to the Dolphins front office about their plans came away with the impression that they weren’t opposed to playing Tagovialoa as a rookie.

At a certain level, the response to this is “Of course they aren’t, that’s why they picked him fifth overall.”

But the combination of Fitzpatrick being stable, knowing Gailey’s system well from their time with the Bills and Jets, and Tagovailoa’s lack of on-field preparation in it makes it reasonable that Fitzpatrick would start early in the season. Without normal offseason programs and OTA and the on-field reps (even the non-contact kind), Tagovailoa’s missing important time on the field with teammates.

But if Tagovailoa impresses in whatever form of training camp and preseason the Dolphins have this year, that timeline could be accelerated.

NBC

 

Baker Mayfield spoke for the first time this offseason Wednesday, and it wasn't by mistake.

Mayfield has intentionally remained quiet in the months following the most disappointing Browns season in over a decade. None of these Browns are prancing about and asking for attention during this offseason, an approach that would've been likely even if the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic didn't happen.

They're still busy getting the bitter taste of humble pie out of their mouths.

"Everybody that has been interviewed on our team has kind of hit the nail on the head over and over about, it's time to work," Mayfield told reporters Wednesday. "It's time to do our thing instead of talking about it.

"I guess this is the first media thing I've done just because there's no need to be talking about it, it's just time to go do it. And right now it's kind of moving in silence, which is fine with me. That's how I used to do it before getting on a bigger stage, so I'm happy to get back to those roots, and like I said earlier, get back to the fundamentals to where I can accomplish the goals for when the season comes around."

About this time last year, all the Browns did was talk. There was Mayfield's interview with ESPN, including accompanying photos of the quarterback leading a pack of dogs on leashes, and his photoshoot with a tiger. There was Damarious Randall's bold proclamation that those Browns were good enough to go from just talking playoffs to talking Super Bowl. There was even the receiving duo of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which proclaimed the Browns were "back".


The Browns' media day meetings featured visits from all three major networks carrying NFL football, with each outlet occupying space in or near the team's Berea headquarters for production shoots and the like. It was a media madhouse for a team that typically doesn't get visited by more than one of the outlets, let alone three. A lot of what was shot by the in-house media team on that day was never used (or at least used often), as the team fell incredibly short of its expectations. Visions of touchdown dances and euphoric seas of orange and brown never came to life.

In a few short months, the Browns went from lovable losers to a promising bunch to a team about which most of the country was tired of hearing. When they faltered, the rest of the league reveled in their failure. The Browns had no one but themselves to blame for the negative noise, either -- they'd repeatedly asked for the attention.

They're doing the opposite this time around, focusing instead on installing and learning new coach Kevin Stefanski's offense (under the direction of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt), getting healthy and preparing to take a measured, consistent and hopefully productive approach to the 2020 season. Some analysts have wisely pointed out that folks shouldn't forget about the Browns just because they went down in a ball of flames last season; they're still just as talented, if not more. It's just they aren't leading the A block of programming on major sports networks this time around.

It sounds as if Mayfield, the quarterback whose confidence sometimes borders on cocky, prefers to stay out of the spotlight. He has a new reason to believe doubters again exist. He needn't look further than the Browns' schedule -- and to their division rivals in Maryland.

NFL.com

 

When it comes to signing a young franchise quarterback to a second contract, the sooner the team gets it done, the cheaper it will be. The Chiefs officially have commenced the process of getting a long-term deal done with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star reports that negotiations between the Chiefs and Mahomes have begun.

The best player in the NFL after only two seasons as a starter and already on track to be one of the best to ever play the game, Mahomes deserves to be the highest paid player in football. Many have suggested that he’ll be the first player to crack the $40 million-per-year threshhold.

With two years left on his rookie deal, it won’t cost $40 million per year to get to $40 million per year, given the way the NFL and NFL Players Association values contracts. A five-year, $200 million extension (i.e., $40 million per year in new money) would become, given the money he’s due to make in 2020 ($2.794 million) and 2021 ($24.837 million), a seven-year contract with an annual value at signing of $32.5 million.

For the Chiefs, the prospect of getting Mahomes committed through 2026 at $32.5 million per year is a ski-mask bargain. That could result in Mahomes wanting a shorter-term deal, like a four-year extension. At $40 million per year in new money, a four-year extension would cost the Chiefs $31.27 million per year at signing. Again, another ski-mask bargain.

When fans see that Mahomes is worth $40 million per year (he is), they’ll likely think he’s getting $40 million per year at signing. But giving Mahomes a deal worth $40 million per year at signing would drive the new-money average through the roof. If, for example, the Chiefs were to rip up the two years left on Mahomes’ current deal and replace it with a six-year, $240 million contract (i.e., $40 million per year at signing), the new-money average would become $53 million per year.

The ultimate challenge becomes finding a way to give Mahomes what he has earned without wrecking the team’s salary-cap situation. And that’s why Mahomes should be the first player to have his compensation tied to salary-cap percentage.

Such a contract would have specific salary figures for each year of the deal (which would protect him against a drop in the salary cap), along with a commitment that his compensation would always reflect at least, say, 15 percent of the team’s total salary cap. As the cap keeps going up (after the dust settles on the pandemic it surely will), Mahomes would be protected against his deal becoming obsolete, without being perceived as a salary-cap hog.

Whatever his pay, there would always be, for example, 85 cents on the dollar left to put a team around him. Or 84. Or 83. Whatever the two sides decide the best number is, that’s the amount that will be left, year-in and year-out.

Mahomes has made it clear that he wants to leave enough money on the table for other players. He could, if he wanted, take a harder-line position, telling management that it’s their job to manage the cap and to put quality players on the field with him. If the two sides find a way to peg his pay to a specific, predetermined percentage of the salary cap, there will be no issue regarding whether he’s getting too much or not enough. Whatever the cap, he’ll get the same piece every year, relative to the rest of it.

Other players have tried to tie compensation to cap percentage. The teams have resisted, possibly at the behest of the NFL’s Management Council. Regardless, the right player to blaze that trial is Mahomes — and here’s hoping that he and his agents use their leverage to get something like that done, for the good of Mahomes and for other players behind him who would have a better chance of securing a similar term.

NBC

 

Deshaun Watson “excited” about his new weapons



Deshaun Watson won’t have DeAndre Hopkins to throw to anymore. The Texans traded Hopkins in the offseason, and he and his 632 catches for 8,602 yards and 54 touchdowns are now in Arizona.

The Texans instead added receivers Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb and running back David Johnson.

“We’re excited about the veteran weapons, the new weapons that we have,” Watson told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle while discussing his summer reading program. “Over the past couple of years, we haven’t had too much veteran depth, especially in the receiving room. For us to get a couple of guys to come in and be able to help us produce and play a lot of football, not just to elevate their game but our game as a whole organization as a whole offense and as a quarterback, I’m very excited about it. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Texans traded with the Rams for Cooks. They signed Cobb as a free agent. They traded for Johnson in the deal with the Cardinals for Hopkins.

The three have combined for 1,135 catches for 14,301 yards and 93 touchdowns, while Johnson also has added 781 career rushes for 3,128 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Watson praised General Manager/coach Bill O’Brien and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who will call the plays this season.

“They are doing a heck of a job adding a lot of veteran guys that have played a lot of football at the highest level,” Watson said, via Daniel Gotera of KHOU. “And for them to come in and be professionals and to help the younger guys but also help myself.

“Those guys played with — like Cooks played with Jared Goff who played in the Super Bowl. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, same with Cobb playing with Aaron Rodgers and Dak [Prescott]. I can learn so much from those guys, and they have seen so much. Mentally, [they can help] take my game to another level.”

NBC

 

If Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick resents rookie Tua Tagovailoa coming along to push him out of the starting job, he’s not showing it.

Instead, Fitzpatrick says he’s excited to work with Tagovailoa, which has already begun during video meetings, and he expects Tagovailoa to have a great career as the Dolphins’ franchise quarterback.

“We’ve been going over some of that stuff, and my mind and the process and how I think through it, right or wrong, just to provide some perspective,” Fitzpatrick said, via the Palm Beach Post. “I’m excited for him to be here. I loved watching him play in college. I think he’s going to be an awesome addition to the team for a long time.”

Tagovailoa said he’s hoping to create a good impression with his new teammates.

“Just creating relationships,” Tagovailoa said. “Maybe starting out with the quarterbacks and then working my way down to the linemen or starting with the linemen, but just creating relationships a little at a time. Especially during times like this, it’s hard, so I think that’d be best.”

NBC

It’s unknown at this point who the Dolphins’ Week One starting quarterback will be, but both of the candidates seem ready to work together.

 

Matt Nagy will see plenty of preseason reps before picking Foles or Trubisky



Bears coach Matt Nagy indicated that preseason play will be of utmost importance in Chicago’s quarterback competition.

Nagy said he’ll get a long look at both Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky playing live snaps with the first-string offense before he decides which one of them will start in Week One.

“Preseason games, reps, playing more, creating more reps,” Nagy said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “Having both those quarterbacks play with the same wide receivers and tight ends against the same defenses — that’s going to be important. I do believe it’ll naturally happen. I feel good about that. We have a good plan. And they understand it.”

Nagy has previously said he regretted holding the starters out of the preseason last year. This year, the preseason may be the determining factor as Nagy decides whether to put Trubisky or Foles under center when the games count for real.

NBC

 

David Cutcliffe is helping Daniel Jones reduce fumbles



Giants quarterback Daniel Jones threw 24 touchdown passes as a rookie. Which is very good. He had 18 fumbles. Which is not.

In fact, Jones’ 18 fumbles were the most by any NFL player since former Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper fumbled 23 times in 2002.

This year, Jones is working on cutting down on his fumbles. He’s been working with his former coach at Duke, David Cutcliffe, to address the situation.

“We have a bunch of drills that are designed for pocket movement,” Cutcliffe said, via Dan Duggan of TheAthletic.com. “We’re using equipment people, the coaches — anybody we can to just create small, tight places in the pocket. One thing people forget is the sound of the pocket. What does noise do to most normal people? You flinch. You have to create a focus. So I yell, I do different things.”

Last month, Simms and I discussed Jones’ fumbling on PFT Live. The challenge ultimately is one of awareness; knowing when defenders are in the vicinity of the hand holding the ball, knowing when to tuck the ball away while on the move, knowing how much time the quarterback has to get rid of the ball as a defender closes in for a hit aimed at jarring the ball loose.

It’s likely something that Jones will improve with time and repetitions, as he better understands how his body fits within the broader jumble of human beings flying around on a football field, with 11 of which having sharply different goal and objectives than the other 11. If he doesn’t improve, it will be hard for him to become the best quarterback he can be — and for the Giants to win as many games as they can.

NBC