HEADLINES

Month: April 2023

Tension Remains Between Bill Belichick, Mac Jones; Patriots Shopped QB?

April 4th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots placed Mac Jones at the center of a historically unusual experiment last season, giving career defensive coach Matt Patricia the keys to the offense. It backfired, and Jones expressed steady frustration with the plan.

Jones’ irritation spilled outside the building, with NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran noting the former first-round pick was asking for assistance from coaches not on New England’s staff. Those efforts getting back to Bill Belichick has affected the sides’ relationship, Curran said during a WEEI interview (video link).

Alabama staffers received calls from Jones regarding the Patriots’ plan on offense, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms reports. This comes after a report that indicated Jones had said during the 2022 offseason he would be teaching the Pats’ offense to Joe Judge, who was moved into position as the team’s de facto quarterbacks coach following his Giants ouster. Judge remains on New England’s staff; Patricia is not currently with the team but has a potential path to stay.

This looks to be a storyline to monitor. Belichick has since shopped Jones this offseason, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who notes the 24th-year head coach has discussed his starting QB in trades with multiple teams. It is not known who Belichick discussed Jones’ potential availability with, but the Raiders were mentioned as a potential suitor before free agency. Las Vegas has since signed former Josh McDaniels pupil Jimmy Garoppolo. McDaniels worked with Jones in 2021.

The Texans also came up, per Florio. Houston GM Nick Caserio was not with the Patriots when they drafted Jones, but he obviously has deep New England ties due to his run as Belichick’s right-hand personnel man. Were the Patriots to attempt to trade Jones outside the AFC, teams like the Buccaneers and Commanders emerged as potential suitors. Those teams have since added Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett, respectively. These veterans would not seemingly be an impediment to a Jones pursuit, so how each organization proceeds in the draft could be relevant to the Patriots.

Jones talks may well have reached the offer stage, with AtoZsports.com’s Doug Kyed adding no offer was good enough to prompt the Patriots to act here. Tension remains between Belichick and Jones, per Kyed, who adds both Robert and Pats president Jonathan Kraft are fond of of the third-year quarterback. This makes it worth wondering if Belichick would have the green light to move on from the former No. 15 overall pick. Jones’ rookie contract can run through 2025, via the fifth-year option. After 2022, it cannot be assumed the Pats will pick up that option. The former national championship-winning QB’s deal has been mentioned as a barrier in the way of a Lamar Jackson pursuit; the Pats are one of the many teams planning to steer clear of the Ravens superstar.

“I’m a big fan of Mac,” Kraft said at the league meetings. “He came to us as a rookie. He quarterbacked in his rookie season and did a very fine job I thought. We made the playoffs. I think we experimented with some things last year that frankly didn’t work when it came to him, in my opinion.”

Belichick’s unusual Patricia-based plan also may have bothered Brian Hoyer. The off-and-on New England backup was not on board with installing a former defensive coordinator as the play-caller, Curran adds. He was not the only one, with veteran NFL reporter Mike Giardi noting (via Twitter) every position group observed the dysfunction on offense last season.

The Patriots released Hoyer this offseason, eating $1.6MM in dead money to do so, and the 15th-year veteran agreed to terms with the Raiders on Tuesday. Following Hoyer’s 2022 concussion, the Pats used third-stringer Bailey Zappe in place of Jones. A mini-QB controversy developed after the Western Kentucky one-and-done won both his starts. Jones regained his job after recovering from the high ankle sprain he sustained, but Zappe is now believed to have a chance at pushing Jones this offseason.

A fourth-round pick who played one season of Division I football — albeit a record-setting showing in a pass-crazed offense — Zappe would be an underdog against Jones, who now has Bill O’Brien in place as OC. On his way out of Tuscaloosa in 2021, Jones helped teach Nick Saban’s then-new OC the Crimson Tide’s offense. After Kraft called Belichick’s decision to install Patricia as the Pats’ primary play-caller a mistake, O’Brien — in his second tour of duty as New England’s OC — is now in place to help clean up the mess.

After elevating the Patriots’ passing attack — at least, compared to their Cam Newton season — and helping the 2021 team to the playoffs, Jones has seen his New England tenure veer off course. It will be interesting to see how he, Belichick, Judge and O’Brien coexist moving forward.

Ravens Offered Lamar Jackson $175MM In Total Guarantees; Deal No Longer On Table

April 4th, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Offseason No. 3 of the Ravens-Lamar Jackson contract story has produced the biggest headlines, which include franchise tag and a trade request. But this saga’s second year included the clearest picture of Baltimore’s offer.

Long reported to have offered Jackson $133MM fully guaranteed, the Ravens proposed the former MVP a deal with $175MM in total guarantees. The $42MM injury guarantee would have shifted to a full guarantee early over the course of the contract, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. An additional $25MM — present in the fourth year of the contract — would have become guaranteed in Year 3 of the deal, Breer adds. Overall, that 2022 offer topped $290MM over six years. The $175MM in total guarantees would have topped Russell Wilson ($165MM) for second in the league.

The year-out guarantees helped move the Patrick Mahomes Chiefs extension past the goal line in 2020, and while that 10-year agreement is an outlier and rather team-friendly, the two-time MVP has protections via the advanced rolling guarantees. Mahomes joins most of the league’s franchise QBs in having signed an extension before his fourth season. Jackson joins Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins in not doing so. Prescott, however, had a deal in place by this point in his career; he signed his Cowboys extension in March 2021. Jackson has played five seasons; no resolution is in sight.

Perhaps more importantly, given the time that has passed since the 2022 offseason — when the Ravens proposed the $175MM guaranteed ahead of the Jackson-imposed negotiation deadline — Breer adds this deal is no longer on the table. The Ravens remain in fairly good position, even after their disgruntled QB’s trade request emerged, as no team has shown much interest in authorizing the monster guarantee he seeks. Baltimore has also been open to a Cousins-style short-term accord that would come fully guaranteed, per Breer, who adds Jackson is not set against one type of structure.

Cousins signed a three-year, $84MM Vikings contract in 2018; that deal helped accelerate the QB market after it had moved slower in the years leading up to that point. Jackson indicated the Ravens have offered him a Cousins-like deal — a $133MM fully guaranteed pact over three years — but the self-represented passer turned it down. Jackson, 26, has continually been linked to seeking a contract in the Deshaun Watson full guarantee neighborhood ($230MM). With no other QB tied to more than $125MM in full guarantees, Jackson and the Ravens have a substantial gap to bridge.

Jackson’s refusal to use an agent in these negotiations has generated scrutiny, and the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes it has contributed to the sixth-year star being in this position. Since Jackson entered the league in 2018, Mahomes, Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Josh Allen and Kyler Murray have signed big-ticket extensions to lock in windfalls before their fourth seasons. Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert may join them this offseason. Watson earned unusual leverage to sign two deals before his sixth NFL campaign. Jackson played on his rookie salary in 2021 and the fifth-year option in 2022, putting him significantly behind his peers in earnings through five seasons. An agent might have helped prevent that outcome, and La Canfora adds some around the league believe a certified rep might also help provide clarity regarding the gridlock that has formed since the Ravens gave Jackson the $32.4MM non-exclusive tag.

The Ravens remain on solid footing with Jackson in part because teams have lined up to say they are not interested, closing doors early. These paths might not remain barricaded all the way through the July 17 tag deadline, but they are presently closed. Jackson’s playing style has caused concerns about a short career, according to one executive assessing the Ravens’ offseason (via The Athletic’s Mike Sando). Despite Jackson missing 10 regular-season games from 2021-22, his 727 carries lap the field among QBs through five seasons. Cam Newton‘s 599 are second. Another exec added that if the pass-oriented Mahomes were in this position, he would have 30 guaranteed offers.

Jackson’s injuries over the past two seasons and guarantee demands have frozen his market. The Ravens, meanwhile, want to bring back the former Heisman winner to play in new OC Todd Monken‘s scheme. A team’s draft not unfolding as planned might entice a post-draft offer sheet from another team, but for now, the Ravens are his only known suitor.

Front Office Notes: Ballard, Elway, Raiders, Eagles, Lions

April 4th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The Colts have three winning seasons and two playoff appearances during Chris Ballard‘s six seasons as the team’s general manager. Even in the midst of a 4-12-1 campaign that featured the firing of head coach Frank Reich, Colts owner Jim Irsay continued to endorse his top decision maker. However, fast forward a few months, and Irsay is now hinting that the Colts will have to perform better on the field if Ballard hopes to keep his job.

“Everyone has to be successful to keep their job, if you’re a general manager or head coach,” Irsay said (via Zak Keefer of The Athletic). “I really feel that he’s not on some quick, hot seat. But the expectations are there.”

As Keefer notes, Irsay has always been fond of his GM, admiring the executive’s drafting prowess and roster-building ability. The owner has also been willing to take part of the blame for the team’s recent inconsistencies, but Ballard was given full control of the recent head coaching search and will be fully responsible for making the Colts’ selection at No. 4 later this month.

In other words, if Ballard fails, it will be on him, and any struggles in 2023 could ultimately lead to the GM’s firing. As Keefer writes, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Colts have to be a playoff contender; rather, Irsay will be looking for “hope, optimism, [or] tangible proof that Ballard can fix the mess he’s made.”

Normally, a GM with Ballard’s resume probably would have been fired a few years ago, but Irsay also indicated that the organization is still reeling from Andrew Luck‘s sudden retirement decision in 2019.

“I’m not gonna make excuses for (Chris) or anyone else, (but) you know, the Andrew Luck card’s never been seen by a general manager before,” Irsay said. “I mean, that’s a tough one, guys. I’d like to see how other teams would respond when you have a 29-year-old who was supposed to be there for the next 10 years and win two Lombardis just walks away, two weeks before the season starts. I mean, that’s a hard one, you know?”

More front office notes from around the NFL…

  • After spending more than a decade in the Broncos front office, John Elway is stepping away. After serving as an outside consultant to GM George Paton in 2022, Elway and the Broncos have decided to part ways. “I’ve enjoyed the relationship with the Broncos for a long, long time,’’ Elway told Mike Klis of 9News in Denver. “I told Greg I’d be happy to be a resource for him and help in any way that I can. I just wanted the flexibility. They’re in great hands. I still plan on being around to watch and be a resource for Greg or George (Paton) if I can.’’ The Hall of Fame quarterback was the Broncos general manager for 10 years before transitioning to President of Football Operations in 2021.
  • Raiders senior vice president and chief of staff Marcel Reece resigned last month, according to Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur of The Athletic. The former Pro Bowl running back joined the team’s front office in 2020, earning a promotion to his last role in 2022. As the writers note, Reece follows a number of long-time executives who have recently left the organization, a group that includes former team presidents Marc Badain and Dan Ventrelle.
  • The Eagles will be heading into the draft with a new front office structure. They’ll no longer be relying on a vice president of player personnel like former execs Andy Weidl or Joe Douglas. Instead, Eagles GM Howie Roseman is going to be completely responsible for running the show. “The responsibility is mine,” Roseman said (via Zach Berman of The Athletic). “I don’t say that in any way other than that I take that very seriously and I think we have a process that has spanned different front offices. Hasn’t always been perfect, but we do have a process and a way of doing things. At the same time, if someone comes in and has an idea that can make that process better, let’s do that. Best idea has to win. … At the end of the day, it’s my job to outline a vision of what we’re looking for, whether it’s at the All-Star games, the combine, free-agent process, the draft process. I think the lines of communication have been great. There are a lot of really great, talented guys we have in our front office, and I’m looking forward to working with them.”
  • Chris Spielman has spent three years in the Lions front office, officially serving as “special assistant to the owner and CEO.” Justin Rogers of The Detroit News has provided some insight into the former Pro Bowl linebacker’s role, with the executive having his hand in draft preparation, weekly opponent scouting, and helping to hire the team’s GM and head coach. “I’ve been given the freedom to define the role, but in order to do that, the one thing I had to get, because it’s a paranoid business by nature, I had to make sure I had everybody’s trust, that I have zero agenda other than winning,” Spielman told Rogers. “Zero. I tell everyone, ‘I’ve already done my thing, man. I have zero agenda. I don’t want another role. I’m not looking for another role.’ My goal is to help everybody succeed to their highest level. When that happens, I feel like I win.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/4/23

April 4th, 2023 at 7:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Green Bay Packers

Seattle Seahawks

Following a four-year stint with the Raiders, Leavitt joined the Packers last offseason and ended up collecting 13 special teams tackles for his new squad. As NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets, Leavitt is a favorite of Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who has coached the player with both the Packers and Raiders.

Thompson was expected to see a bigger role in 2022 after getting into five games with Seattle in 2021. However, a preseason shoulder injury ended up wiping out his entire campaign.

Jaguars Sign OL Josh Wells

April 4th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Josh Wells is back with his first organization. The Jaguars announced today that they’ve signed the free agent offensive lineman.

Wells joined the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent out of James Madison in 2014 and ended up spending five years with the organization, appearing in 56 games (10 starts). Following a 2018 campaign where he was limited to seven games thanks in part to a groin injury and a concussion, the lineman was cut by Jacksonville.

He later caught on with the Buccaneers, where he spent the past four seasons. After starting eight of his first 45 games with the organization, Wells started a career-high seven games in 2022. Other than his first season in Tampa Bay, Pro Football Focus has generally graded the veteran as a steady offensive tackle, with the site giving hims props for both his pass- and run-blocking abilities in 2022.

Wells will likely serve as a swing tackle once again in 2023. Cam Robinson and Walker Little are entrenched as the team’s starting tackles, so Wells would need an injury to crack the starting lineup.

Cardinals Sign OL Elijah Wilkinson

April 4th, 2023 at 5:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Elijah Wilkinson is heading out west. The free agent offensive lineman is signing with the Cardinals, per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com. Earlier today, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweeted that Wilkinson was auditioning for the team.

A standout at UMass, Wilkinson went undrafted during the 2017 draft. He was quickly scooped up by the Broncos and proceeded to spend four years in Denver, including a 2019 campaign where he started 12 of his 15 appearances.

He had mostly a reserve role with the Bears in 2021 but found himself with a starting gig after joining the Falcons in 2022. He started all nine of his appearances for Atlanta last season, missing a chunk of games with a knee injury.

While Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of Wilkinson’s performance early in his career, they’ve been more positive in recent years. The site was particularly fond of his run blocking in 2021 and his pass blocking in 2022, although he only finished this past year as the 34th guard (among 50 qualifying players).

Still, Wilkinson’s versatility should come in handy for the Cardinals, as the 28-year-old has played both guard and tackle during his career. He previously got a look in Dallas, visiting them earlier this offseason.

Bengals To Meet With QB Trevor Siemian

April 4th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

A former seventh-round pick, Trevor Siemian has managed to overcome the odds and become an NFL regular for nearly a decade. The ex-Broncos starter remains a viable backup option, and the Bengals will take a look.

Siemian will head to Cincinnati for a Wednesday meeting, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. While the Northwestern alum has not been a regular starter since his three-year Broncos tenure wrapped after the 2017 season, teams have continued to add him as a backup.

The Bears released Siemian last month, cutting ties after they had inked the veteran to a two-year, $4MM deal in 2022. Since being traded from the Broncos to the Vikings in 2018, Siemian has played for the Jets, Titans, Saints and Bears. His most notable post-Denver work came in New Orleans in 2021, when a Saints team riddled with QB injuries used him as a four-game starter. New Orleans lost all four games, though the team did defeat Tampa Bay after Siemian replaced an injured Jameis Winston in October 2021.

The Bengals no longer have multiyear Joe Burrow backup Brandon Allen under contract. Allen had been with Cincinnati for the past three seasons. No team has signed the career reserve, but Siemian does offer considerably more in-game seasoning by comparison. The 2015 draftee has started 30 career games.

Siemian, 31, has a clear connection to the Bengals. OC Brian Callahan was in Denver as an offensive assistant during Siemian’s rookie season, when he played behind Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. The Broncos, after refusing to match the Texans’ Osweiler offer in 2016, turned to Siemian to start their Super Bowl title defense season. Despite having selected Paxton Lynch in the 2016 first round, Denver kept Siemian as its primary starter for most of the next two seasons. Callahan was only present in 2015, however, having joined the Lions’ staff shortly after Super Bowl 50.

Beyond Burrow, only former UDFA Jake Browning resides on Cincinnati’s roster at quarterback. Browning has been with the Bengals for two seasons, but the Super Bowl contenders are eyeing a more seasoned backup.

Titans OL Aaron Brewer Signs RFA Tender

April 4th, 2023 at 4:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Brewer is back in the fold for the Titans. Given a second-round restricted free agent tender in March, the 2022 Tennessee guard starter signed it Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Titans had given Brewer and defensive tackle Teair Tart second-round tenders.

The veteran blocker had until April 21 to sign an offer sheet with another team or sign his tender; the Titans could have retained Brewer for 120% of his 2022 salary had he not done so. Tart, in turn, should be expected to follow suit soon.

While RFA offer sheets are not too common, the Bears gave Ryan Bates one last year. The Bills matched it. However, the Titans tendered Brewer at the second-round level likely squashed any offer-sheet momentum. Not only does the Round 2 tender lock him into $4.3MM this season, an unmatched offer sheet would have required the signing team to send the Titans its second-round pick.

That would be a steep price for a guard who has one season of full-time starter experience. But the Titans, as they retool up front, look set to turn to Brewer once again. Signing the tender locks Brewer into his biggest payday yet. He played for the league minimum from 2020-22, coming into the NFL as a UDFA.

Brewer, 25, has experience at both guard and center. The Titans used him as their full-time left guard in 2022, making Rodger Saffold a cap casualty. Brewer started 17 games, which stood out on a Titans O-line flooded with backups by season’s end. Tennessee has since lost four-year right guard starter Nate Davis. Brewer and right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere will be positioned as the only two starting O-linemen returning for the team.

The Titans have added tackle Andre Dillard and guard Daniel Brunskill in free agency, and with Brewer having center experience as well, he could be an option there as well. Prior to letting Davis join the Bears in free agency, the Titans cut longtime center Ben Jones and left tackle Taylor Lewan. While Dillard is ticketed to replace Lewan, the Titans have not signed a veteran center. The team will likely look to address its interior O-line in the draft at some point, but Brewer and Brunskill’s positional flexibility give the team options.

Cardinals’ Terry McDonough Accuses Michael Bidwill Of Cheating, Gross Misconduct

April 4th, 2023 at 2:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cardinals executive Terry McDonough filed an arbitration claim against Michael Bidwill, accusing the owner of cheating and gross misconduct. McDonough’s filing claims the owner sabotaged his career in retaliation for an objection to support a plan to illegally communicate with then-suspended GM Steve Keim, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

A former GM candidate, McDonough accuses Bidwill of hatching a scheme in which McDonough and then-head coach Steve Wilks would communicate with Keim using burner phones during the GM’s team-imposed suspension in 2018. The Cards suspended Keim after his extreme DUI arrest that year. McDonough’s claim indicates he and Wilks objected to Bidwill’s plan. Upon voicing concerns about the alleged plan, McDonough said Bidwill wrote him up for insubordination and later followed through with a demotion. The demotion occurred in 2019, according to Stewart Mandel, Kalyn Kahler and Mike Sando of The Athletic (subscription required).

A Cardinals exec for the past 10 years, McDonough was a finalist for the 49ers’ GM job that ended up going to John Lynch in 2017. He has hovered off the radar since but has been an NFL staffer for more than 30 years. The claim also accuses Bidwill of sabotaging Wilks’ first HC opportunity — which ended after one season, a 3-13 year in 2018 — and berating McDonough since he came forward with objections to the 2018 plan. Wilks, whom the Cardinals replaced with Kliff Kingsbury in 2019, joined Brian Flores‘ class-action discrimination lawsuit last year. Wilks alleged the Cardinals gave him little chance to succeed and “unfairly and discriminatorily” fired him at the end of the ’18 season.

The Cardinals, who have since replaced Keim after 10 seasons in the GM chair, have denied McDonough’s claims, calling them “outlandish.” McDonough is seeking damages for breach of contract and emotional distress.

Keim’s suspension, which ran from July to August of 2018, prevented him from communication with Cardinals personnel. The filing indicates McDonough and Wilks voiced objections to the plan July 23, 2018. McDonough and Wilks followed through with Bidwill’s alleged scheme and used the burner phones to talk with Keim. McDonough is still in possession of the burner phone, according to his claim, which includes a picture of the device.

Once the Cardinals’ VP of player personnel, McDonough is listed on the Cardinals’ website as a senior personnel executive. McDonough informed Bidwill in 2019 he recorded phone conversations between he and Keim during the GM’s suspension, according to The Athletic. The demotion to senior personnel executive, per the claim, occurred shortly after McDonough’s text to Bidwill regarding the Keim recordings. The demotion cut McDonough’s salary from $550K to $330K. In 2022, McDonough said he was demoted again — from seventh to ninth in command. The Cards had extended him back in 2017, but this relationship has gone south since.

When Keim took a leave of absence last year — a hiatus that led to his permanent departure from the team — Bidwill installed execs Quentin Harris and Adrian Wilson as front office bosses in the interim. McDonough has alleged his refusal to go along with Bidwill’s plan led to career advancement opportunities disappearing. McDonough has not interviewed for a GM position since 2017; the claim also indicates Bidwill “bullied, belittled and criticized” McDonough in front of coaches and scouts during two meetings.

Regarding the phone scheme, the Cardinals denied Bidwill orchestrated it. The team said, via Schefter, another Cards exec “interfered with the protocol of that suspension” and credits the owner of directing the phones be retrieved and all communication with Keim stopped. McDonough’s filing also accuses Bidwill of treating a Black employee and two pregnant women poorly and creating “an environment of fear for minority employees.” Denying this claim as well, the Cardinals labeled it “a transparent smear that is truly beneath contempt.”

Under league rules, the Cardinals have 20 days to respond to McDonough’s filing. The NFL will handle the matter through its arbitration policy, per The Athletic. McDonough has been in the NFL since interning with the 49ers in 1989. He is the son of famed reporter Will McDonough, brother of ESPN play-by-play man Sean McDonough and former Phoenix Suns GM Ryan McDonough.

Commanders To Host QB Hendon Hooker

April 4th, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple teams out of range to grab one of this draft’s top quarterbacks are set to meet with Hendon Hooker. In addition to a Saints summit, the ex-Tennessee QB will meet with the Commanders, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.

Hooker is the only quarterback presently part of the Commanders’ visit itinerary, Albert Breer of SI.com adds (on Twitter). The rehabbing passer will head to Washington later this month. Thus far, only the Saints and Commanders have been confirmed as Hooker hosts. New Orleans brass is meeting with Hooker today.

The Commanders hold the No. 16 overall pick — 13 spots ahead of the Saints’ first draft slot — and Ron Rivera did not rule out a quarterback addition in the draft. The team has added Jacoby Brissett and offered 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell considerable praise, given the North Carolina product’s one NFL appearance, this offseason. While Hooker’s November ACL tear could slide him into the developmental realm, he is also 25. That is a concern for some teams, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com notes. This and the knee injury have affected the productive passer’s draft stock.

Hooker put up big numbers during both his Tennessee seasons. Over the past two years, he posted a 58-to-5 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. The 6-foot-3 passer also topped 1,000 rushing yards over his two Volunteers campaigns. Despite his season ending a bit early, Hooker finished fifth in the 2022 Heisman voting. He completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes as a senior. The 6-foot-3 passer targeted multiple wideouts expected to be chosen fairly early — Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman — and led the Volunteers to wins over five ranked teams in 2022, including Alabama in a shootout that featured five Hooker touchdown passes.

Hooker would be an interesting addition for one of the teams not in position to draft C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. Teams like the Titans, Buccaneers, Saints and Commanders represent potential destinations. Excepting the Saints, who have Derek Carr signed to a deal with a $100MM practical guarantee, the rest of this lot has starters signed for just one season.

Scouts Inc. slotted four QBs inside its top 25; Hooker is the only other passer inside the top 85. Sitting at No. 67 (No. 49 on Jeremiah’s board), the former Virginia Tech recruit will be a wild card come draft weekend.

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