Pederson Has High Expectations For Jalen Hurts
(5/12 10:59 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Eagles have penciled in Hurts as their starter for 2021. They are one of the favorites for Deshaun Watson, and it's possible the Texans could trade the quarterback before the 2021 season if he settles the 22 civil lawsuits against him. But former Eagles coach Doug Pederson is a big believer in what Hurts can do with an improved receiving corps. "I do. I like Jalen Hurts," Pederson told John Clark of NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com. "And I think now with the opportunity he has, with the guys around him and getting DeVonta [Smith], getting him in here and getting him working. I know that's his buddy. Just putting the pieces together. That's something he can build on. I'm excited for Jalen and what he can do."
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
Hurts, 22, started only four games last season, so it's a small sample size. He went 1-3 and threw six touchdowns and four interceptions for the season but had back-to-back 300-yard passing games. But the Eagles drafted Smith in the first round to go with last year's first-round pick, receiver Jalen Reagor. Reagor, who began his season with a torn ligament in his thumb that required surgery and ended it with a concussion, missed five games and had 31 catches for 396 yards and a touchdown. "I don't think he got to show the best [he had]," Pederson said. "I think the injury really set him back just a little bit last year as a rookie, and he'll come in healthy. He knows exactly how to attack the game, to attack the offseason, and come in healthy and be ready to go. I think it's kind of a great 1-2 punch that they have and really looking forward to watching them. ..." Fantasy managers are hoping Hurts can continue to provide the high-end scoring that comes with his mobility while Reagor is becoming more of an afterthought.
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Teddy Bridgewater Eager To Compete
(5/12 10:59 AM PT)
The Facts:
It was a mild surprise Denver didn't add a rookie to its QB room during the draft -- Justin Fields and Mac Jones were both available when the Broncos were on the clock with the No. 9 pick. It would be a shock if new general manager George Paton and Co. were able to swing a deal for Aaron Rodgers. Odds are Drew Lock and Bridgewater will be battling it out this summer. The latter, who joined the Broncos just two weeks ago, sees what most everyone else does in his new squad. "It's a talented football team, and it has so many pieces," Bridgewater said. "I'm just glad to be a part of what they're doing around here and what we're trying to build here. It's a great, unique opportunity for me to come in and compete and lead at the same time. I'm just grateful for this opportunity."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
There's no doubt Denver boasts talent and/or potential at every position group. There's also no doubt the least inspiring of those is QB. No NFL starter threw interceptions at a higher clip last year than Lock (3.4 percent), who was unable to build on the promise he showed in a shortened rookie season. It's why the Broncos traded for Bridgewater and will have an open competition before the season. The 28-year-old veteran is coming off a steady but unspectacular season himself, only his second as a full-time starter. Throwing a mere 15 touchdowns probably contributed to him being exiled one year into a three-year pact. We'll all be watching to see how this competition plays out.
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Kerryon Johnson Eager To Compete For A Role With Eagles
(5/12 10:58 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Eagles scooped up Johnson off the waiver wire from Detroit, adding the 23-year-old to a diverse backfield that includes Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Jordan Howard, Jason Huntley, fifth-round rookie Kenneth Gainwell and former undrafted free agents Elijah Holyfield and Adrian Killins Jr. It's a deep group, with Sanders slated for the bulk of the reps in Nick Sirianni's system. Johnson welcomes the chance to carve out a role in his new surroundings. "My expectation is to compete. I don't think having a crowded room full of talented guys is ever an issue," Johnson said. "It's going to make every single player better. ... You've got three very proven guys in this league. You've got three very young guys coming in hungry, and this is all going to make us all better."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
A second-round pick by the Lions in 2018, Johnson flashed play-making ability off the bat, with explosiveness to make splash plays, averaging 5.4 yards per carry as a rookie. Knee injuries, however, sideswiped each of his first two seasons, relegating him to just 18 games played in 2018 and 2019. Last season, Detroit drafted his replacement in D'Andre Swift. Johnson stayed healthy but was relegated to just 52 carries before ultimately being waived after the draft. The running back told Philadelphia reporters that he's healthy and feels "better than I've felt in a long time" as he joins his new squad. New Eagles HC Nick Sirianni has experience with offenses juggling deep backfields in his previous tenures with the Chargers and Colts. That said, Johnson is going to have a hard time carving out a consistent role barring some attrition ahead of him.
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Speculation About Deshaun Watson's Future Is Ongoing
(5/11 11:30 AM PT)
The Facts:
Peter King wrote in his latest NBC Sports column that his "gut feeling" is Watson will be with a new team when the 2022 season begins. He then listed some of his own odds for where Watson might end up, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers topped the list at 3-to-1.
Reported by Larry Brown Sports
Diehards Line:
The Eagles will have an extra first-round pick next year if Carson Wentz plays at least 75 percent of the offensive snaps with the Indianapolis Colts, which could put them in a strong position to deal for Watson. The Eagles are hoping Jalen Hurts proves he can be a viable NFL starter this season. That said, Mike Fisher of TexansDaily.com was told by a source that Watson is "still in play" for Philly. The timetable for when a Watson trade might take place is unclear, but Fisher reports that the Eagles are definitely still interested. Watson is facing sexual assault lawsuits from 22 women who say they provided massage therapy for him in the past. The NFL is conducting its own investigation of the allegations, and Watson will almost certainly be suspended if not placed on the Commissioner's Exempt list. A recent report claimed the Texans are in the process of moving on from Watson.
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Falcons Convinced Matt Ryan Can Still Play At A High Level
(5/11 11:28 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Falcons' new brass signaled they were sticking with Ryan when they reworked his contract, pushing his salary-cap figure northward in 2022. They underscored that plan when they rebuffed adding a quarterback during the 2021 NFL Draft. Ryan's new quarterbacks coach, Charles London, raved about the 36-year-old's ability to continue playing at a high level. "We studied every drop-back pass, every play-action pass, everything that Matt did this past year," London said via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We thought as a staff that he was still performing at a high level. He could still do everything that was needed to do to run this this offense. I look forward to working with him. He has a very unique skill-set."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
The former NFL MVP has thrown for 4,000-plus yards in each of the past 10 seasons, including 4,581 in 2020, while leading the NFL in attempts (626) and completions (407). "He's been doing it in this league for a long time at a high level," London said. "We expect that to continue this year. ..." Sitting at No. 4 overall, the Falcons could have drafted a QB, like Justin Fields, to take over for Ryan eventually. The logic went that if everything goes right under new coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot, Atlanta won't be in a position to select a high-caliber successor for the aging QB. The Falcons are betting that the talent surrounding Ryan can prolong his career. Given modern medicine and player conditioning, it's possible Ryan retains his status as a top-10 signal-caller and can get back to his MVP-caliber play in Smith's offense.
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Mike Davis Clear Leader Of Falcons Backfield, But Competition Is Open
(5/11 11:27 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Falcons' revamped running back room didn't include adding to the backfield with any of their nine selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. The decision to bypass the position leaves newcomers Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson headlining the group alongside Qadree Ollison, Tony Brooks-James and undrafted free agents Javian Hawkins and Caleb Huntley.Running backs coach Desmond Kitchings told reporters Monday that he's considering it an open competition for snaps heading into offseason workouts. "If I'm in the room, personally, I see this as an opportunity," Kitchings said. "This is an open (competition). Let's go out here and compete."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Davis is the clear leader at this stage for a Falcons team that is replacing 89 percent of its carries from 2020 after jettisoning Todd Gurley, Brian Hill and Ito Smith. Kitchings called Davis a "natural pass catcher" who can play all three downs. Coming off a career year in Carolina, Davis finally looks to have landed a lead role. "That's one of his stronger attributes is that Mike does play the game physical, breaking tackles," Kitchings said of Davis. "I think Mike also has some very good short-area change of direction and ability to make some guys miss in the open field." It's clear that Kitchings has big plans for Patterson, who signed to be more than just a spectacular return man in Atlanta. The RBs coach spoke highly of Ollison and UDFAs Hawkins and Huntley, who could carve out roles with good training camps. Few had Jacksonville's James Robinson on their radars at this stage last year, and he took hold of that job. Given the opportunity available in Atlanta, nothing should be ruled out at this stage. It's certainly something we'll be watching closely in coming weeks.
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Davante Adams Makes It Clear Rodgers' Future Will Affect His
(5/10 5:39 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Packers may or may not have quarterback Aaron Rodgers this season. That could affect whether they have Adams in 2022. Rodgers and the franchise are in a standoff that remains to be seen how it's going to end. Adams is entering the final year of his contract, scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2022. The four-time Pro Bowler told Colin Cowherd on Monday that he supports his quarterback "100 percent" and that Rodgers' future could affect his future. "Potentially. Potentially," Adams said. "That's my guy. That's the only guy I've had other than that 2017 season when he got hurt. That's the only guy that I've played with. We've built up a special connection over the years that has put us both in really good positions in our career."
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
Adams continued: "We've established a lot together. It would change a lot, man. It doesn't mean I'd be gone, but I'd definitely have to do some extra thinking if my guy wasn't here. ..." Adams, 28, has averaged 103 receptions for 1,252 yards and 12 touchdowns the past three seasons. But that's with Rodgers as his quarterback, not Jordan Love. If Rodgers leaves, Adams could, too, a year from now.
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Turner Thinks Curtis Samuel Is Just Scratching The Surface
(5/10 5:38 PM PT)
The Facts:
Samuel is the centerpiece of the Football Teams' offseason weapons upgrade. The dynamic wideout has proven he can be a threat from anywhere on the field, giving WFT offensive coordinator Scott Turner multiple options in deploying Samuel and star Terry McLaurin together. Turner, who was in Carolina with Samuel for two seasons -- including taking over as OC after Ron Rivera was fired in 2019 -- recently saud the receiver is "high energy" who can improve leaps and bounds. "You can do a lot of different things with him," Turner said. "He's only 24-years-old, I think he's just scratching the surface on what he's capable of."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Last year, Washington couldn't find a sidekick for McLaurin. Enter Samuel, fellow free-agent addition Adam Humphries and third-round rookie Dyami Brown. The NFC East champs have more firepower to aid new QB Ryan Fitzpatrick than they did at any point last season. Although Carolina didn't make full use of Samuel under his watch, Turner saw how the regime that replaced him in Carolina maximized the talent and he now has the blueprint to how Samuel's versatility can be an asset. It's the OC's job to build upon that foundation in Washington. "Yeah, I'm fired up, man. Curtis is one of my all-time favorite guys," Turner said.
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Flores: Dolphins Success Isn't All On Tua Tagovailoa
(5/10 5:35 PM PT)
The Facts:
Brian Flores' Miami Dolphins won 10 games in 2020, just the second time the club has hit double-digit victories in 12 seasons. Even that accomplishment, however, left the Dolphins out of the playoffs. Flores doesn't want to fall short once again, but there is one big "if" hovering over Miami: Tagovailoa. After an up-and-down 2020, the expectations are building for the young signal-caller. If he doesn't play well, the entire operation could implode. That's not the thinking within the building, however. Flores told Peter King for his Football Morning In America column that he doesn't put all the weight on Tua's shoulders.
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
"I never like to put it on one player," Flores said. "I think we've got a lot of young players, and we're looking for all of those players as well as really everyone on our team to improve in a variety of ways. If they're putting all the work in, I expect them to improve, get better, and perform better. Tua is obviously at the top of that list. ..." Thanks in part to wheeling and dealing GM Chris Grier, the Dolphins added talent to a rising roster, selecting four potential impact players within the first 42 selections during the 2021 NFL Draft -- receiver Jaylen Waddle, pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, defensive back Jevon Holland and offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg. The upgrades at receiver and on defense will raise expectations in Miami. After years of rebuilding -- and without the Ryan Fitzpatrick backstop this season, a promising roster is in Tua's hands. The Dolphins are betting big that the QB will smooth out the valleys that epitomized his rookie season and make a big leap in Year 2.
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Report: Tim Tebow, Jaguars Closing In On Deal
(5/10 1:06 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Jaguars are planning to sign QB-turned-TE Tebow to a 1-year deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, a deal that’s not done yet but that could be official in the next week or so.
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Tebow is 33, hasn’t played in a regular-season NFL game in nine years and is changing positions. He’s a long shot to make the team. But if anyone can find a role for him, it’s Urban Meyer, who molded Tebow into a Heisman winner and two-time national champ at Florida. ... We'll follow up as needed.
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