Broncos Open To Trading Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson; Team Unlikely To Add At Deadline?
While calling the Broncos’ quarterback situation a surplus may be somewhat misleading due to a career backup/third-stringer and a recent bust comprising the reserve contingent, the AFC West team would be a place for teams in need to turn before the deadline.
Bo Nix beat out Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson after a strong preseason and has shown flashes, particularly after a shaky first two weeks, to help the Broncos to 4-3. Nix is entrenched as Denver’s starter, but the Broncos kept both Stidham and Wilson on their 53-man roster. As the deadline looms in less than two weeks, the prospect of the Broncos unloading one of their arms is in play.
Wilson’s talent still intrigues the Broncos, according to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, who indicates the team would be open to a trade that sends one of the backups elsewhere. Both Stidham and Wilson are on expiring contracts, but it is within reason the Broncos would view one as a player who could back up Nix beyond this season. It would be a reach to suggest either would generate extensive free agency interest, keeping the door open to one being Sean Payton‘s preference to stay.
Stidham, 28, said he still viewed himself as a starter-caliber quarterback following news of Nix’s August ascent to the QB1 gig. Both the Broncos and Raiders turned to the former fourth-round pick in unique circumstances. The Raiders ended Derek Carr‘s nine-season starter stay by parking him to prevent an injury inflating his 2023 guarantees; the Broncos effectively did the same a year later, with Russell Wilson being benched at the same Week 17 juncture. A sixth-year veteran, Stidham never made a start as a Patriot and has attempted just 197 career passes.
Attached to a two-year deal worth $10MM, Stidham loomed as a possible insurance option as a 2024 stopgap. But the Broncos traded for Wilson after long-running negotiations. Days later, they drafted Nix. Wilson’s erratic play did plenty to lead Robert Saleh out of New York, being benched three times from 2022-23. The former No. 2 overall pick’s arm strength outflanks both Nix and Stidham, but he has shown little to indicate a turn into a viable starter will commence. Wilson operated with the Broncos’ third-stringers in training camp and during the first two preseason games, before Nix officially became the starter, and was viewed as having plenty of ground to make up before training camp started. The Jets needed to take on some of Wilson’s salary in order to collect a sixth-rounder (in a pick-swap deal) in April.
Wilson, 24, would still stand to have more upside compared to Stidham. Though, the latter has been in Payton’s system for two seasons and may be the steadier option if Nix suffered an injury. Trading Stidham would clear more salary off the books, as he is due more than $2.5MM in prorated base pay this season. Wilson would be owed barely $500K by an acquiring team. In the event of a trade, the Broncos would probably need add a third QB, as no passers reside on the team’s practice squad.
Additionally, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes the Broncos should not be considered likely to add a piece in a trade. Although Denver hosts a listless Carolina team Sunday, the club is developing Nix and does not profile as a Super Bowl contender that would benefit from a hired gun. Indeed, Legwold adds the Broncos are more likely to offload talent — something they did not do last year, despite hitting the deadline at 3-5 — than bring in help this year. Wilson’s $83MM-plus in dead money still overshadows the team, even though the QB will count less on next year’s payroll (roughly $32MM) compared to this season.
While the addition of a pass catcher to help Nix — particularly one signed beyond 2024 — would seemingly boost this Broncos edition, they should probably not be considered a frontrunner for any of the receivers yet to be traded. The Broncos are shorthanded at the position, however, following the report of Josh Reynolds sustaining injuries in a recent shooting.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/24
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Rashad Weaver
- Released: CB Troy Pride
New York Giants
- Signed: OLB Boogie Basham
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Nesta Jade Silvera
- Released: DE Jonathan Garvin
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/24
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: DL Jalen Redmond, TE Robert Tonyan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return from IR: LB Tyler Matakevich
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S Ty Okada
This has been a busy week for Tonyan transactions. The Vikings dropped him from their 53-man roster to their practice squad the same day, as vested vets are allowed to do before the trade deadline, and are now elevating the veteran tight end. Tonyan has played in four Vikings games this season but has yet to catch a pass. His return to the active roster comes as the team ruled out T.J. Hockenson, who remains in the PUP-return window. Hockenson’s window closes Friday, pointing to a Week 9 debut.
Rams Activate WR Puka Nacua From IR
As it turns out, Puka Nacua did not need an extended ramp-up period to return from his knee injury. The Rams will have him ready to go for tonight’s Vikings matchup.
Los Angeles is officially activating Nacua from IR, a move that will come just two days after his return designation. The second-year player has missed most of this season, but just as Cooper Kupp returns, the younger of the Rams’ two receiver standouts will be back as well.
[RELATED: Rams Calling Teams On Cooper Kupp]
Nacua is unlikely to see a full workload, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter stops short of confirming he will play tonight. It would certainly be unusual for a team to take the step of activating a player for a Thursday-night game only to determine he is not ready. The Rams plan to play Nacua, per Schefter, and will determine how much he will be used based on pregame warmups.
The Rams have played most of this season without Kupp and Nacua, the latter of which suffering a PCL sprain — an aggravation of a knee injury sustained in training camp. This has been a key driver of the Rams’ 2-4 start.
Nacua was perhaps the central difference-maker in the Rams going from a retooling squad to a wild-card entrant in 2023, setting the rookie record for receiving yardage (1,486). Nacua played in all 17 games as a rookie and helped the Rams put the Lions on the ropes in Round 1. As this year’s Rams squad clings to hopes of returning to the playoffs, and interesting all-hands-on-deck opportunity emerges thanks to some timely injury returns.
Missing much of camp, Nacua returned from the knee issue in time for Week 1. He only made it through 25 snaps in the Lions rematch, leaving the game after catching one pass for four yards. As Kupp trade rumors circulate, Nacua’s performance tonight — against a 5-1 Vikings team — may determine how eager the Rams are to part with the former All-Pro. The Rams dropping to 2-5 would make them a more logical seller, putting Matthew Stafford in limbo — from a long-term perspective, at least — as well. The Kupp-Nacua tandem can aim to prevent this reality from taking shape with an upset tonight.
Tutu Atwell leads the Rams with 332 receiving yards, with rookie Jordan Whittington checking in with 201 and Demarcus Robinson with 198. Moving this trio down the depth chart will benefit Sean McVay‘s team, though part-time Nacua usage would keep some of the tertiary targets as regulars.
Kupp is coming off of his latest ankle injury, one that has seen him sidelined since Week 2. He was a full practice participant this week. He and Nacua played 11 games together last season, combining for eight 100-yard outings in that time. The Rams will hope their returns spark an offense still missing multiple starting O-linemen. Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom remain on IR, joining safety John Johnson. As was the case in 2022, the Rams are running short on injury activations. They are down to four with 10 games to go, though it is understandable the team is taking a short-term approach here given its sluggish start.
Chiefs Acquire DeAndre Hopkins From Titans
9:59pm: Tennessee is set to pay $2.5MM of Hopkins’ remaining base salary, Rapoport tweets. This will cover roughly half of Hopkins’ remaining total. The $2.5MM will be paid out as a signing bonus, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
As far as conditions go, the Chiefs will need to qualify for Super Bowl LIX with Hopkins playing 60% of the snaps during the regular season for the pick to climb from a fifth- to a fourth-rounder.
7:15am: The wide receiver market’s latest domino involves the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Decimated at the position, the Chiefs are making their move. They are expected to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.
Kansas City pursued Hopkins via trade and made a free agency offer — once the Cardinals ended up cutting him — in 2023. The team will circle back to the decorated pass catcher, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting Kansas City is sending a conditional fifth-round pick to Tennessee for Hopkins. Should conditions be met, Tennessee’s pick can rise to a fourth. A Super Bowl appearance will likely factor into the conditions, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.
Cooper Kupp also came up during the Chiefs’ WR search, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but financial issues impeded them regarding a deal with the Rams. The Chiefs, who sit in the bottom quartile in terms of cap space ($4.16MM entering Wednesday), required a team who would take on a departing player’s salary to fill their receiver need. The Titans are expected to eat some of Hopkins’ salary, Russini adds. It does not appear the Rams are prepared to eat a significant chunk of Kupp’s 2024 base.
The Chiefs were again connected to Hopkins recently, and it appears the Titans will pay some of the veteran’s prorated base salary to acquire the Day 3 pick. A $4.86MM tab remains on Hopkins’ 2024 base on a two-year, $26MM deal — one that proved too rich for the Chiefs during their 2023 free agency pursuit. Still finalizing the deal, the Chiefs are preparing to have Hopkins in uniform for their Week 8 Raiders matchup, Russini adds.
Hopkins, 32, has struggled to establish consistency this season. But that has been an issue across the Titans’ pass offense, as big-ticket free agency pickup Calvin Ridley has also failed to produce much in the way of consequence in a Tennessee passing attack featuring Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at the controls. Hopkins has 15 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown this season.
Although the Chiefs did extensive work on Hopkins in 2023, Rapoport indicates this trade did not gain steam until early this week. The team was targeting a player who could help inside and in the red zone, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports. A player who thrived on contested catches at his peak, Hopkins is not at this Texans-era apex any longer. But he has 79 career TDs and is coming off a 1,000-yard season.
Down both Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, the Chiefs had been reliant on players they reacquired. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman played roles for the depleted WR cadre, but the former is now down with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy first-round pick has delivered flashes, but the Texas-developed speedster has not offered consistency yet. Hopkins will stand to help the team in that department, providing help as a possession receiver to help free up the likes of Worthy and Travis Kelce.
This move comes barely a week after the Jets and Bills made their WR strikes, with both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper heading to New York. Carrying a lower ceiling at this point in his career, Hopkins will change teams for a lower price. Having battled injuries since his second Cardinals season, the three-time first-team All-Pro missed several weeks with a knee malady this summer. Hopkins, however, returned in time for Week 1 and has not missed a game. Considering the Chiefs’ in-house injury problems, it is clear they feel confident their new piece can stay healthy.
Hopkins loomed as a bigger trade piece in 2023, when countless rumors emerged about the receiver amid a Cardinals regime change. The former Texans star had loomed as a player the Monti Ossenfort-led front office was set to move on from, and the Chiefs came up on Hopkins’ list of preferred destinations. The Chiefs discussed Hopkins with the Cardinals, joining the Bills in that regard. But those talks broke down for salary reasons. Hopkins, who had signed a $27.5MM-per-year extension with the Cards, became unwilling to discuss taking a pay cut to facilitate a trade upon learning the Ravens gave Odell Beckham Jr. a fully guaranteed $15MM. The Cardinals then cut him.
While the Chiefs did not join the Titans and Patriots in hosting Hopkins as a free agent last summer, they made an offer. The allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes did not supersede what was viewed as a far superior Titans proposal, with Hopkins signing a two-year, $26MM deal with the then-Mike Vrabel-led Titans. Kansas City and New England are believed to have offered incentive-laden deals that came in well short of where Tennessee did.
Hopkins joined a team then quarterbacked by Ryan Tannehill, but the Titans quickly geared their mission around Levis. Hopkins played a central role in Levis’ rookie-year development, and despite the second-round pick struggling, his top receiver cranked out a seventh 1,000-yard season. Hopkins totaled 1,057 yards last year. This was off the pace he had set in Houston and during his first Arizona season, but the four-contract player — initially a 2013 Texans first-round pick — showed he could still contribute. Hopkins played all 17 games last season, representing an important selling point.
Benching Tannehill during what turned out to be Vrabel’s final season, the Titans heard from teams on Hopkins before last year’s deadline. They passed on moving both he and Derrick Henry. After Henry walked in free agency, the Titans again received interest on their oldest wide receiver. Hopkins had expressed a desire to finish his career in Tennessee, and the Titans were not believed to be shopping him. But they will move on from the contract-year player for a late-round pick.
The Rams are seeking a second-rounder for Kupp, who is only one year younger than Hopkins. Kupp, however, produced one of the greatest seasons in wide receiver history in 2021 and has been highly productive when healthy since. The latter caveat, coupled with a higher salary, will hurt the Rams’ negotiating position. The Titans have Ridley on a four-year, $92MM deal; the 1-5 team will keep building around around the recent free agency addition while saying goodbye to their 2023 free agent prize.
This marks the third straight year the Chiefs have acquired a wideout via trade in-season. Their Kadarius Toney swing ultimately backfired, despite a Super Bowl-record punt return, with the team cutting the shifty but unreliable ex-first-rounder in August. Hardman delivered the Super Bowl LVIII walk-off touchdown and re-signed with the team. The Chiefs will likely continue to involve Hardman in their offense, but the still-Kelce-centered passing attack will now heavily feature Hopkins alongside Worthy.
Browns Hand Play-Calling Reins To OC Ken Dorsey
Amid a disastrous start, the Browns are changing play-callers. Despite winning Coach of the Year twice since arriving in Cleveland in 2020, Kevin Stefanski will hand over play-calling duties to his new top lieutenant.
Ken Dorsey will take over in that role, Stefanski announced Wednesday. This comes nearly a year after the Bills fired Dorsey from his post as their offensive play-caller. While Stefanski is determining if Dorsey will call plays from the sideline or the booth, he is delegating play-calling responsibilities after holding that role for four-plus seasons.
Refusing to bench Deshaun Watson, Stefanski had said he needed to be better in the play-calling role. With Watson out of the picture for the season’s remainder (and potentially for good in Cleveland, though his contract remains an anchor), Dorsey will take over for the accomplished HC. With the Browns set to start Jameis Winston in Week 8, he will hear the former Bills OC calling the shots.
Stefanski saw his offense work with Baker Mayfield in 2020 and again with Joe Flacco, despite a spate of injuries on offense, last season. Both slates ended with the Cleveland HC honored as NFL Coach of the Year. Stefanski also coaxed decent play from Jacoby Brissett during Watson’s 11-game suspension in 2022. The Stefanski-Watson partnership did not mesh, and while the latter probably deserves the lion’s share of the blame (as he ranks last in QBR and first in guaranteed money), this has not been the coach’s finest hour either. The Browns enter Week 8 last in total offense and 29th in scoring.
Although Jimmy Haslam placed what can now be labeled blame on GM Andrew Berry for hatching the plan to fully guarantee Watson’s contract to convince him to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland in 2022, Stefanski was believed to be aligned with the front office boss. The Watson vision backfired spectacularly, and the Browns now must navigate a season that involves seller’s trades despite a quarterback signed at a fully guaranteed rate through 2026. Despite Berry and Stefanski having signed extensions this offseason, it would not be out of the question ownership is evaluating both long term — given the Watson debacle. Dorsey is suddenly a key player in this chapter.
The Bills fired Dorsey despite coaching a top-five offense. Buffalo began to lean on the run game more under interim OC Joe Brady, with Dorsey playing a role in attempting to influence Josh Allen to run less (for body preservation purposes). As Allen struggled with turnovers and the Bills in a midseason slump last season, Sean McDermott fired Dorsey. In Dorsey’s one full season as Buffalo’s OC (2022), the team ranked second in both points and yards. Of course, Allen played the lead role there. Going from the MVP candidate to Winston will be a steep drop for the second-chance OC.
Stefanski did not initially announce he would keep play-calling duties until training camp. Put in position to justify Watson’s starting spot repeatedly, Stefanski will now shift to a CEO role to close out his fifth season as Browns HC.
Watson’s endless struggles put Stefanski in a tough spot, and despite Flacco’s success producing a playoff berth, Stefanski — the Vikings’ play-caller before taking the Browns job in 2020 — will take a step back. At 1-6, the Browns are set for a major shakeup. It will be Dorsey and Winston’s show beginning Sunday.
Robert Saleh Working With Packers
Robert Saleh turned up at Packers practice Wednesday, and it does not appear the recently fired Jets HC was merely visiting. Matt LaFleur has a role in mind for the veteran defensive coach.
Crediting Saleh with helping him break into the NFL coaching ranks, LaFleur said (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) Saleh will work with the team through Thursday in a fluid role. Saleh was not expected coach elsewhere this season, but he has decided to help LaFleur for at least this week.
Saleh and LaFleur lived together while graduate assistants at Central Michigan in the 2000s. Saleh then encouraged Gary Kubiak to hire LaFleur as a Texans offensive assistant in 2008, Demovsky adds. LaFleur was the best man at Saleh’s wedding. Were Saleh to backtrack on a plan to stay out of coaching for this season’s remainder, it would make sense for that change of heart to involve the Packers.
The Jets fired Saleh after five games this season. Woody Johnson made the decision, going around GM Joe Douglas to do so. Saleh has remained in touch with interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich and would stand, based on his 49ers past and the Jets’ defensive turnaround over the past three seasons, to be a coveted DC candidate come 2025. Saleh, 45, may well stay busy in the meantime.
Some Jets players, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, view Johnson as acting too quickly. As a result of this — and presumably the team’s two losses under Ulbrich — less-than-ideal vibes are present in the locker room. Saleh went 20-36 as Jets HC, though much of that tenure involved QB bust Zach Wilson at the controls. Johnson cited a lack of belief in Saleh’s ability to turn this season around. While Ulbrich and Aaron Rodgers could eventually do so, they have dug a deeper hole since the full-time HC’s firing.
LaFleur said Saleh is working on the offensive side, but the temporary assistant has a history with new Packers DC Jeff Hafley as well. Hafley worked under Saleh as San Francisco’s DBs coach from 2017-18.
Dolphins Designate Tua Tagovailoa For Return From IR
Signs continue to point to a Tua Tagovailoa return Sunday. The Dolphins are moving their starter into position to be activated from IR, making their return designation official (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) today.
Buzz about Tagovailoa coming back when first eligible has persisted for weeks, and Mike McDaniel confirmed the fifth-year QB would practice this week. Tyreek Hill‘s comments about his fantasy status sure seem to reveal the All-Pro receiver’s confidence in Tua being back (and thus Miami’s pass-game potency being positioned to return).
After playing in every Dolphins game last season, Tagovailoa has missed the past four Miami contests due to his latest concussion. Head injuries overshadowed Tua’s progress in 2022, with the left-hander’s season first interrupted and then ending early due to concussions. Teams rarely place players on IR due to a concussion, but the Dolphins did so on the recommendation of medical personnel. While Tagovailoa said he was symptom-free the day after his injury against the Bills, he consulted several neurologists about his latest concussion.
The recently extended passer does not plan to wear a Guardian Cap upon return, and his latest re-emergence will prompt scrutiny due to a checkered past. But Tagovailoa’s route to collecting the full payout from a four-year, $212.4MM deal will require a return to action once cleared by doctors. The talented QB did consider retirement in 2023; he said he did not do so this time around.
This season both illustrated Tua’s importance to the Dolphins and the danger of not having a capable backup. Miami ranked first total offense and second in points last season; McDaniel’s team, despite the presences of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, sits last in scoring and 22nd in yardage through six games. Tagovailoa’s injury has sent the Dolphins into a tailspin, but they will attempt a rebound effort beginning Sunday against the Cardinals.
Teams Expected To Pursue Azeez Ojulari In Trades; Giants OLB Drew Offseason Interest
The Giants’ Brian Burns trade made their future at outside linebacker fairly clear. Burns landed a top-market extension upon being dealt to New York, and he has formed a quality tandem with Kayvon Thibodeaux, whose rookie contract can run through 2026 via the fifth-year option.
Other clubs have noticed the Giants’ plan, which has led to conversations about Thibodeaux’s current fill-in. Drafted during Dave Gettleman‘s final offseason in charge, Azeez Ojulari is having an intriguing contract year. With Thibodeaux likely to be back from a wrist injury in November, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates teams are expected to reach out to the Giants about their OLB3’s availability.
Clubs have already done some background work on Ojulari, a former second-round pick. Teams showed interest in Ojulari in August, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. With nearly two weeks remaining until the deadline, interest in the fourth-year pass rusher should pick up, as the Georgia product has put together a bounce-back start.
The Giants have seen their top rotational rusher fill in for Thibodeaux well, recording three sacks over the past two games as a starter. Thibodeaux only needs to miss two more contests; the former top-five pick returning would shuttle Ojulari back to a bench role. The Giants may not be too keen on selling just yet, as Ojulari is a key role player who is starting during a pivotal stretch for the struggling team. But New York is now 2-5 and coming off a one-sided (thanks largely to Saquon Barkley) defeat against Philadelphia. Calls about Giant players figure to pick up soon.
Ojulari, 24, showed plus pass-rushing form as a rookie, racking up eight sacks. The Gettleman years had not seen much in the way of investments on the edge until the Ojulari pick, with Joe Schoen‘s predecessor having dealt away Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon and not allocated much in the way of resources to replace them. Ojulari compiled 13.5 sacks over his first two seasons, reaching 5.5 in just seven games in 2022. But he totaled only 2.5 in 11 games last season, the second straight campaign that featured an Ojulari IR stint. The former No. 50 overall pick missed 16 games between the 2022 and ’23 seasons, partially pushing the Giants to upgrade via Burns.
Dexter Lawrence is the Giants’ runaway sack leader, with nine; the last part of the 2019 Odell Beckham Jr. trade still in place is certainly untouchable. Burns joins Ojulari with four, as the Giants — for all their issues elsewhere on the roster — have improved their pass rush. The Giants’ 31 sacks pace the NFL by three.
Should New York’s descent continue up until the Nov. 5 deadline, the team will likely consider dealing away pieces. Darius Slayton also figures to draw interest, having gone through a contract issue this offseason — one that concluded with only incentives added to a through-2024 deal. The Giants will need to weigh offers, but if Ojulari keeps up this pace, he will likely price himself out of the team’s post-2024 plans in free agency. Weighing a return now against a 2026 compensatory pick — for a GM who may be moving toward the hot seat — will be part of the Giants’ process as well.
QB Rumors: Falcons, Daniels, Rams, Titans
The Falcons‘ offseason quarterback plan drew considerable scrutiny, and evaluators are skeptical the team will carry it out. Kirk Cousins, who sits third in the NFL with 1,830 passing yards (highlighted by a 500-yard showing against the Buccaneers), is entrenched as Atlanta’s starting QB presently. Though, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes some around the league do not believe the Falcons will sit No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. for two seasons like they have planned to do. A Penix push toward a 2025 starting job would stand to bring forth Cousins trade rumors.
While nothing concrete has emerged on the Cousins front, this is not the first time execs have predicted a 2025 Falcons QB trade. Some in May predicted the long-rumored Cousins-Kyle Shanahan reunion would commence — if the 49ers become squeamish on a Brock Purdy megadeal. The Falcons have Cousins signed through 2027, though they have a clear out in 2026 — after $90MM of his $100MM guarantee will have been paid out. Penix, however, is already 24. Sitting the southpaw prospect until his age-26 season would not be optimal for the Falcons. Cousins’ 2025 money is fully guaranteed, which will be challenging for a trade. But if Penix’s development moves this situation toward a potential 2025 controversy, expect another offseason of Cousins rumors.
Here is the latest from the QB ranks:
- Jayden Daniels did not practice Wednesday, moving Marcus Mariota closer to making his first start since 2022. The rib injury the Commanders QB sustained is not considered serious, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but it would also not surprise — given the way Daniels winced after trying to return in Week 7 — if Washington exercised caution with the player who has a great chance of being the team’s first long-term QB1 in decades. Mariota played effectively against the Panthers but has not made a start since his controversial Falcons exit in December 2022.
- The Titans have not seen their Will Levis development project produce notable strides. Crippling turnovers have played a key role in Tennessee’s 1-5 start, and Levis is now leading with a shoulder injury. Among qualified options, the 2023 second-rounder ranks ahead of only Deshaun Watson in QBR. As such, SI.com’s Albert Breer guesses the franchise will go into 2025 with an objective to find a new quarterback. It is still early, but at this rate, Tennessee giving Levis a third year to prove he can be a locked-in starter would be a reach. Ran Carthon‘s club would be an interesting destination, given the resources allocated to upgrading the offensive talent level around Levis this offseason.
- Ditto the Rams, who have Matthew Stafford on a year-to-year arrangement. The Rams have not dangled Stafford in trades this year, separating the 16th-year veteran from Cooper Kupp, but they also did not authorize significant guarantee upgrades — like the QB sought — beyond 2024. As a result, Breer adds the team should be considered in play to draft Stafford’s heir apparent next year. Los Angeles is running out of time to land a successor who would develop behind Stafford, who is signed through 2026. Adding assets to help with that potential mission could be on the team’s mind now, as a Kupp trade would go toward that haul. The Rams and Chiefs discussed Kupp, but L.A.’s asking price — a second-rounder — may be steep for a player who has battled injuries in each of the seasons since his transcendent 2021.
- Aaron Rodgers does not appear in jeopardy of missing Week 8, but the Jets quarterback is now on the team’s injury report with three maladies. The 40-year-old starter is battling hamstring, knee and ankle maladies. Rodgers’ hamstring “flared up” against the Steelers, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets.