HEADLINES

Month: August 2023

Bears Conducting Backup Quarterback Competition?

August 20th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top spot on the Bears’ quarterback depth chart, as confirmed by their handling of the 2023 offseason, belongs to Justin Fields. Despite the identity of his backup appearing clear before training camp and the preseason began, that may not be the case.

Chicago inked P.J. Walker to a two-year deal including $2MM guaranteed in free agency. That move seemed to place the 28-year-old in prime position to secure the QB2 role behind Fields, but camp practices and exhibition contests have not seen Walker perform well enough to cement his status with the team. That has opened the door to a competition for the job.

“I would just say everything is open right now, and it’s not just that position, it’s every position,” head coach Matt Eberflus said when asked about Walker and the quarterback spot. “If the guy is in a competition, everybody can look at the roster and see who’s in a competition. Those are all going to be open. I think if you close your mind off to that, you might be missing on something” (Twitter links via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).

While Walker has underperformed so far during the summer, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent has drawn attention for his play when given an opportunity. The latter completed nine of 10 passes for 76 scoreless passing yards during last night’s preseason game against the Colts, adding a rushing touchdown. That could point to a degree of upside compared to Walker, who started seven games in Carolina (including five in 2022) and struggled to put up noteworthy numbers across his three-year Panthers tenure.

Nathan Peterman is also in the fold for the Bears, meaning he could be a QB2 candidate depending on how the remainder of August plays out. Chicago made a low-cost investment in Peterman for the second straight year this offseason, after the former Bills draftee made three appearances and one start in 2022. The Bears’ final preseason contest will no doubt go a long way in determining the final pecking order under center. As things currently stand, though, Walker’s grip on the backup spot does not appear to be a firm one.

Latest On Lions’ RG Competition

August 20th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Rory Parks

The Lions’ offensive line was a key to their suprising success in 2022, and the club will return four-fifths of its starting front from last season. The only OL spot up for grabs is at right guard, and the battle between Graham Glasgow and Halapoulivaati Vaitai for that job is a close one.

Per Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, Vaitai entered training camp as the betting favorite for the post, which he manned from 2020-21 after signing a lucrative free agent contract with the Lions in March 2020. He struggled a bit in his first season in the Motor City, a campaign that was tainted to some degree by injury, but he rebounded with a strong 15-game performance in 2021. Unfortunately, he was forced to undergo back surgery last September, which caused him to miss the entire 2022 slate and to even consider retirement.

While Vaitai elected to resume his playing career, he did have to take a pay cut to remain on the roster. Meanwhile, Detroit reunited with Glasgow and allowed Evan Brown, who served as Vaitai’s primary replacement last year, to depart in free agency. Glasgow, a former third-round pick of the Lions, spent the last three seasons with the Broncos, and he will provide experienced insurance at both guard positions and at center in the event he does not win the right guard gig.

As Rogers notes, Vaitai was absent for a brief time in this year’s camp due to injury, and since then, he and Glasgow have largely split first-team reps at RG. Glasgow’s efforts in this positional battle have been compromised a bit by the fact that he has to step in for starting pivot Frank Ragnow whenever Ragnow needs time off, but he believes he has acquitted himself well just the same.

“I was saying earlier, I think if you can play center, you can play guard,” he said. “I would like to get more guard reps, but at the end of the day, it’s just the price of doing business.”

Both players have plenty of financial motivation. After being released by Denver three years into a four-year, $44MM contract, Glasgow is due just $1.5MM in base pay on his one-year pact this season (though he can earn up to $4.5MM). And Vaitai, as part of the above-referenced pay cut, agreed to remove the 2024 season from his contract, which means he, like Glasgow, will be eligible for free agency next year.

Commanders Release K Michael Badgley

August 20th, 2023 at 8:46am CST by Rory Parks

The Commanders’ kicking competition is over. Washington is releasing K Michael Badgley, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, which means that Joey Slye will remain the team’s placekicker.

After two disappointing seasons with the Panthers from 2019-20 that saw him post a poor 79.4% success rate on field goal tries, Slye had three-game cameos with the Texans and 49ers in 2021 before winding up in the nation’s capital for the second half of that season. His performance (12/12 on field goal attempts, 9/10 on extra point attempts) earned him a two-year contract last April.

Unfortunately, the 2022 campaign was not as successful, as Slye hit on just 83.3% of his FG attempts and missed four of his 28 PATs. Badgley, meanwhile, also had an 83.3% FG conversion rate in 12 games with the Lions last season, though he made all 33 of his PATs. Detroit re-signed him in March, and while it appeared as if he was the frontrunner in the club’s kicking battle, he was released last month. He quickly caught on with the Commanders but will have to search for another new home.

Now 28, Badgley has been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed during his 2018 rookie season with the Chargers. His 93.8% success rate on field goals and 96.4% success rate on PATs that year earned him his “Money Badger” nickname and appeared to solidify him as a fixture on the Bolts’ special teams unit for the foreseeable future. However, he appeared in just eight games in 2019 due to injury, and he endured an awful 2020, converting 72.7% of his field goal tries and missing several crucial kicks. The Chargers cut him prior to the 2021 season, and he bounced around to the Titans, Colts, Bears, and Lions over the next two years.

Washington has played one preseason game this summer, a 17-15 victory over the Browns. In that contest, Slye hit his lone FG attempt, a 49-yarder, and his only extra point try. Badgley also converted his one extra point attempt and did not get a shot at a field goal. As ESPN’s John Keim tweets, Slye and Badgley performed similarly in training camp with respect to their field goal and PAT work, but Slye had the clear advantage in terms of kickoffs.

Latest On Buccaneers’ QB Competition

August 20th, 2023 at 7:39am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 20: It appears that this competition will indeed come down to the final preseason game. Mayfield did not dress for the Bucs’ second preseason contest last night, a victory over the Jets, and ESPN’s Jenna Laine understandably took that to mean that Mayfield was on the verge of being named the Week 1 starter (Twitter link). However, head coach Todd Bowles revealed after his club’s 13-6 victory that he expects both Mayfield and Trask to play in Tampa Bay’s preseason finale against the Ravens next week (Twitter link via Greg Auman of FOX Sports).

The third quarterback on the depth chart, John Wolford, suffered a neck injury during the second half of the Jets game and was carted off the field, as Laine detailed. Fortunately, Wolford has feeling in his extermities, and Bowles indicated that all will be well with the former Rams signal-caller.

Further underscoring the as-yet-unsettled status of the club’s QB1 comeptition, Bowles said that he was prepared to send Mayfield into the game in relief of Wolford. Bowles only called upon Trask because he was already warmed up after having played the entire first half (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

AUGUST 16: With Anthony Richardson having won the starting job for the Colts, the quarterback competition in Tampa Bay is the lone remaining one around the league where the winner cannot at least be comfortably assumed. Plenty is yet to be determined regarding where Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask emerge in the pecking order.

At the onset of training camp, the Buccaneers split first-team reps between the pair, something which came as little surprise. Mayfield came to Tampa Bay on a one-year, $4MM deal looking to avoid the disastrous end to his Panthers tenure from last season. The former No. 1 pick faces serious questions about his ability to retain a starting role in the NFL, and this Buccaneers opportunity may be his last if it does not go well. Trask, meanwhile, entered the league with relatively high expectations as a second-round pick, but he has yet to receive a starting opportunity.

Mayfield has long been considered the favorite to win the Week 1 starting gig, but his tenure in that role may not be permanent if things remain close between he and Trask. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports that Tampa is willing to quickly install Trask as the No. 1 in the event Mayfield is tapped as the starter early but struggles to begin the season.

A final decision has not yet been made, and that will likely remain the case until after the team’s three preseason contests have been played. Mayfield outperformed Trask in the Buccaneers’ Friday loss to the Steelers, but Pauline notes the latter’s arm strength and his general lack of turnovers in camp could give him the edge to win the Week 1 start. The Florida product has expressed confidence about his readiness for the role despite having just nine regular season attempts to his name.

Regardless of who wins the job, Tampa Bay will be shorthanded in the receiving corps with Russell Gage out for the season. Fellow wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will be leaned on heavily by whomever starts the campaign under center, but it remains to be seen who that will be and how long of a leash they will be given.

Latest On 49ers QB Brock Purdy

August 19th, 2023 at 10:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Brock Purdy well into his recovery from UCL surgery, optimism is high that the 49ers will have their preferred starting quarterback in Week 1. Further progress in his rehab schedule was recently made.

[RELATED: 49ers Planned To Sign Philip Rivers For Super Bowl]

When Purdy was initially cleared to participate in team drills, he was understandably put on a pitch count. Last year’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ took rest days between practices as his throwing arm returned to full strength. That restriction was lifted this past week, as head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated (via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com).

Purdy has long been expected to be available for the start of the season, and being an everyday participant in training camp practices is another sign that he will be in place for Week 1. The 23-year-old has also repeatedly received praise from Shanahan and the rest of the coaching staff for his level of play filling in for both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo late in the 2022 campaign and through the postseason. Purdy’s place at the top of the team’s new quarterback depth chart has not changed.

“He’s been [the starter] since last year ended,” Shanahan confirmed, via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “He was always clearly our starter, but there were so many questions about his injury, how he’d come back from it, that we didn’t even know if he’d be ready for this year, so we had to prepare for everything else… Trey was the guy we gave the keys to last year, so we were definitely excited to have him in a situation [to play], and we also didn’t know if Brock would be back, so we needed someone to come in and at least compete with Trey, and give us a chance, because Trey was hurt last year, and just got cleared before OTAs.”

The latter point helped explain the addition of Sam Darnold to compete for the backup role with Garoppolo no longer in the fold. In a further illustration of Lance’s underwhelming showings since being deemed the starter ahead of last September, Darnold is believed to be in the lead for the QB2 role. The remainder of the preseason will leave plenty of opportunities for the pecking order to change, but a healthy Purdy will of course alleviate many concerns at the position ahead of a campaign in which San Francisco again has substantial expectations.

Purdy is among the 49ers starters who will take part in tonight’s game against the Broncos, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. That will mark his first live action since the NFC title game, and another step toward his full-time debut as the team’s undisputed starter under center.

Saints’ Jimmy Graham Arrested In California

August 19th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was arrested last night in California, according to a statement from the team (via Twitter). TMZ Sports was first with the news. The Saints are currently in California preparing for tomorrow’s preseason game against the Chargers.

[RELATED: TE Jimmy Graham Addresses Saints Reunion]

In their statement, the Saints attributed the incident to a “medical episode.”

“New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham experienced a medical episode last evening, which resulted in him becoming disoriented,” according to the statement. “He was taken into custody by local authorities and transported to a local hospital for evaluation for what Dr. John Amoss believes to be a likely seizure and spent the night under medical supervision and testing. Amoss met Graham at the hospital and is overseeing his care at this time. He was released this morning and is with the team as they continue preparations for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.”

Per the TMZ report, officers responded to a call regarding a “suspicious person acting erratically.” Police found Graham “wandering in traffic” near a Southern California resort, and when officers attempted to arrest the athlete, Graham resisted.

The NFL veteran was ultimately arrested for “suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and resisting, delaying and obstructing a police officer.” Both of those charges are misdemeanors. Graham has since been released from custody and the incident is under investigation.

After going unsigned during the 2022 season, Graham signed a one-year deal with the Saints in late July. The deal reunited Graham with the franchise that selected him in the third round of the 2010 draft. The tight end ultimately spent five years in New Orleans, hauling in 51 touchdowns in 78 games. Graham has since had stints with the Seahawks, Packers, and Bears. He most recently got into 15 games (six starts) for Chicago in 2021, finishing with 14 catches for 167 yards and three scores.

Graham was already facing an uphill battle to make the Saints’ roster. The team already has three clear TEs atop the depth chart, including incumbent Juwan Johnson, free agent addition Foster Moreau, and Swiss Army Knife Taysom Hill. We’ll see how last night’s incident impacts his roster status.

Steelers CB Levi Wallace Assured Of Starting Role

August 19th, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ cornerback room will look significantly different with free agent addition Patrick Peterson and second-round rookie Joey Porter Jr. How large of a workload the latter handles right away will go a long way in determining Pittsburgh’s secondary plans.

As detailed by Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Porter is firmly in contention for a starting role as a perimeter corner (subscription required). If he is able to secure that spot, Peterson would be well-positioned to transition from outside corner duties to more of a hybrid alignment which would see him log considerable time as a safety alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick. Such a scenario was discussed between Peterson and the Steelers’ coaching staff not long after his arrival on a two-year deal.

In the event Porter earns a first-team spot, veteran Levi Wallace would line up opposite him. The latter logged a 76% snap share in 2022, his first Steelers campaign. The former Bills UDFA had a strong showing with four interceptions, 13 pass deflections and a 53.2% completion percentage allowed in coverage. One year remains on his contract, and he is due to carry a $5.48MM cap hit – more than a reasonable rate for a full-time starter at the CB spot.

As Kaboly notes, Wallace is assured of starting regardless of if Porter wins the job opposite him, or Peterson is used in his traditional corner spot. In the latter case, Porter would be used off the bench and Chandon Sullivan would be used in the slot. Matching his performance from last season would allow Wallace, 28, to handle and uptick in playing time and put himself in a strong position ahead of free agency while giving Pittsburgh a consistent performer in the secondary.

Beyond that, questions will be raised about Porter’s readiness to play a major role as a rookie – something he was thought to be capable of coming out of college as one of the highest-rated members of this year’s strong corner class. At the age of 33, a move to safety would also likely pay dividends for Peterson with respect to prolonging his career and ensuring his effectiveness with a third career team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/23

August 19th, 2023 at 8:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Reverted to IR: CB Jordan Swann

Detroit Lions

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: DL La’Darius Hamilton, DL Tomasi Laulile
  • Waived: RB Khalan Lanorn
  • Placed on IR: DE Taco Charlton

Seattle Seahawks

Charlton signed with the 49ers earlier this month, but he will not see time with them this season. Being placed on IR means he will be sidelined until 2024, which could lead to yet another new opportunity being needed for the former first-rounder to continue his career. Charlton has played 60 games (with 13 starts) during his time in the NFL, including five appearances with the Bears last year. San Francisco will likely now look elsewhere for depth options on the edge.

Ravens Rumors: Jackson, Ricard, Mullen, Worley

August 19th, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s safe to say the Ravens are doing everything in their power to keep star quarterback Lamar Jackson happy. It all started with the massive contract extension to keep him off the market and keep him in Baltimore. Making Jackson the NFL’s highest-paid player in annual average value (at the time) was only Step One.

While they were working on his contract, the team also did their best to revamp his weapons cabinet. They utilized their top draft pick on Boston College wideout Zay Flowers. They also brought in a few veteran free agents like Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. to supplement Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, and company.

Soon after securing their quarterback of the future, the Ravens went to work getting him acquainted with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Monken immediately advocated for empowering his quarterback, opting to abandon the huddle-first offense of Jackson’s past in favor of an attack that allows Jackson to audible and make adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

Now Monken has taken that empowerment a step further, allowing Jackson input into the offense’s playbook design, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Apparently, Jackson was browsing social media when he stumbled across some routes that piqued his interest. He sent them to his position coach, Tee Martin, and Martin forwarded them to Monken. Monken agreed with Jackson’s assessment and added them to the playbook.

Big money. New targets. New play-caller who values Jackson’s input. If Jackson had any doubts that the Ravens were dedicated to setting him up for success, he can probably put those doubts to rest.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Charm City:

  • After experimenting a bit at his fourth NFL position, Ravens four-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard was back to his normal position this week at practice, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. The fullback/tight end hybrid had put in triple-duty in his first two NFL seasons, playing on the defensive line, as well. Lately, after his return from the physically unable to perform list, Baltimore has had Ricard working on the offensive line, potentially setting him up to compete for the open left guard spot. While Project Pat’s latest project wasn’t exactly a failure, he told head coach John Harbaugh that it was perhaps a project “for next year.” For now, Ricard was happy to be back in the role he’s comfortable with, a role he’s seen consistent success in.
  • Ravens cornerback Trayvon Mullen was all over the Ravens transaction reports in July. He was released after failing to disclose a non-football injury before eventually being brought back and assigned to the reserve/NFI list. While Baltimore clearly sees something in the young Clemson alum, it seems they won’t be seeing it this year. According to Hensley, Mullen underwent toe surgery and could potentially miss the entire season in recovery. This adds to the litany of cornerback injuries the Ravens are currently dealing with. Marlon Humphrey is expected to miss the start of the season, while Rock Ya-Sin, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Damarion Williams, and Arthur Maulet have all been dealing with preseason injuries. The team signed Ronald Darby to address the festering wound, but Darby is coming back from a major injury himself after his 2022 season ended early with a torn ACL.
  • As if Baltimore’s cornerbacks situation wasn’t bad enough, backup corner Daryl Worley informed Zrebiec this week that he’s been moved full-time to safety now. Worley claims that he hasn’t taken reps at cornerback at all this summer. Worley follows Brandon Stephens who also recently made the move back to his drafted position this offseason. This may be a testament to how confident the Ravens are in their young group of corners and new veterans to step up this year, but if things get much worse for the Ravens secondary, Worley and Stephens may find themselves bumping back out to cornerback, something Worley says he’s capable of doing if necessary.

Dolphins Notes: QB, Gaskin, Berrios, LG

August 19th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Ely Allen

In most cases, the Dolphins aren’t utilizing camp position battles to determine starting roles. But as the deadline to cut the roster down to 53 players draws nearer and nearer, decisions have to be made throughout the roster. Here’s a look at who’s battling for a roster spot as the preseason continues, thanks to some helpful analysis from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

  • At quarterback, the starter is set, but the backup job may be closer than you’d think. Miami signed quarterback Mike White in the first hour of free agency, making it seem like they were dead set on him taking over at QB2. Last year’s backup, Skylar Thompson, doesn’t seem willing to go down without a fight, though, making the battle more competitive than some would assume. White is the presumed winner of this position battle, but if Thompson has a stellar preseason, he has a chance to surprise.
  • After failing to sign free agent running back Dalvin Cook, the room is shaping up to hold Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, and third-round rookie De’Von Achane, at the very least. If the team is going to open up a fourth roster spot for the position, it’s likely that one of Myles Gaskin or Salvon Ahmed will fill the role while the other will be on the chopping block, if not both. The Dolphins will have to determine if a fourth running back will help the team, and if not, Gaskin or Ahmed’s time in South Beach may be over.
  • Behind the team’s top two wideouts, there are a number of options to plug in. According to Jackson, AFC East mainstay Braxton Berrios seems to be taking direction from wide receivers coach Wes Welker well, giving him an edge on the depth chart. He’s competing with Cedrick Wilson, Erik Ezukanma, and Chosen Anderson for the WR3 role, and seems to have a handle on it. Anderson has been making up for a slow start to camp lately but may need to compete with River Cracraft if the team only decides to keep six wide receivers.
  • At tight end, the battle for the third tight spot poses the most intrigue, assuming the team only takes three tight ends. The starter, Durham Smythe, and the rookie, Elijah Higgins, are likely to make the roster, leaving backups Eric Saubert and Tyler Kroft fighting for what is likely going to be the final roster spot at the position. Neither is much of a factor in the passing game, so whoever shows the best blocking ability throughout the rest of camp may be rewarded the short-term job security.
  • The biggest battle on the line is the battle for the starting left guard spot. Liam Eichenberg and Isaiah Wynn appear to be in a dead heat for the job, according to Jackson. Wynn has more NFL starting experience, but Eichenberg is more familiar with the franchise. Aside from that, the other big battle is for the swing tackle role. Veteran and former starter Kendall Lamm reportedly has established a lead over Cedric Ogbuehi for the job. Seventh-round rookie Ryan Hayes could also contribute to the team depth at the position if he makes the roster.
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