Zach Wilson Losing Ground In Broncos’ QB Competition
This week of Broncos practices has revealed a separation in the team’s quarterback competition. One member of the three-man battle is losing ground to the point his place in it is now in question.
The team’s recent workouts included Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix receiving their turns with the first-string offense, but Zach Wilson saw his turn with the 1s skipped. For the time being, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, this appears a two-man competition. Sean Payton said recently the Broncos would eliminate a member from the competition during the first two weeks of padded practices. It looks like Wilson will be the one dropped, putting his roster spot in question.
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Payton indicated today the current makeup of Denver’s QB competition is not “etched in stone,” and SI.com’s Albert Breer adds it has been communicated to the former Jets No. 2 overall pick he is not yet out of this race. But Wilson entered training camp with ground to cover to win even the backup job. Early camp work is continuing this storyline.
No plans to stash Nix as a developmental third-stringer are in place, and Breer adds the No. 12 overall pick is swiftly picking up Payton’s offense. That said, Legwold indicates Stidham has spent most of this week with Denver’s first-stringers. Stidham, who has moved into a starting role after two teams have sat their starters (Russell Wilson, Derek Carr) due to injury guarantees, has the most experience of the trio in Payton’s offense, as he signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Broncos last March.
Stidham, 28 next week, would appear a placeholder at best. Nix being 24 and having set the record for most starts by a Division I-FBS quarterback (61) points to him making his starter debut early in the season — if not in Week 1. The preseason will be telling regarding the Oregon- and Auburn-developed prospect’s chances of winning this job — though, a midsummer report indicated it is likely his to lose — but Stidham should not be expected to hold him off for too long.
The Broncos would take on $2.73MM in dead money by releasing Zach Wilson and $2MM by cutting Stidham. Payton typically keeps two QBs on his active roster. Wilson would need to clear waivers to factor into any Broncos practice squad/emergency QB3 plans.
Elsewhere in Broncos camp, Breer notes the team’s No. 2 cornerback competition looks to be down to Riley Moss and Damarri Mathis. The team signed Levi Wallace and used a fifth-round pick on Kris Abrams-Draine, but this competition appeared Moss’ to lose entering camp.
The 2023 third-rounder, for whom the Broncos sent the Seahawks a 2024 third-rounder to acquire, played a special teams role after a core muscle injury set his development back last summer. Mathis, a 2022 fourth-rounder who replaced Ronald Darby as Denver’s outside CB starter opposite Patrick Surtain in 2022, struggled to start last season and was benched for Fabian Moreau. Wallace is the veteran of this group, with Moreau signing with the Vikings this week, but he was unable to hold a Steelers starting gig last season. The Broncos, who have Mathis signed through 2025 and Moss through 2026, only guaranteed Wallace $668K.
Bolts’ Justin Herbert Sustains Foot Injury
Justin Herbert‘s development in Jim Harbaugh‘s system will not include on-field work for a bit. The Chargers quarterback has sustained a foot injury that will keep him off the field, though the team announced this is not expected to threaten his regular-season availability.
The fifth-year passer sustained a plantar fascia injury in his right foot, per the Chargers, and at least a two-week period in a walking boot will follow. While this might not place Herbert’s Week 1 status in doubt, the Bolts are certain to be cautious with their centerpiece player in an effort to ensure no reinjury occurs.
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This will halt Herbert’s work in Harbaugh’s offense and move Easton Stick — Herbert’s injury replacement once he sustained a season-ending finger injury late last year — back to first-team duties. Despite Herbert not missing a rep during the Chargers’ Wednesday practice, he will be parked for a stretch.
Herbert is now in a fourth offense during his five-year career. The Bolts have transitioned from Shane Steichen to Joe Lombardi to Kellen Moore to Greg Roman as play-callers. While he has enjoyed several months to prepare, it is notable the upcoming period will not include much on-field work. It is now likely Herbert will not play in the preseason.
The Pro Bowl passer memorably played through a significant rib injury in 2022, a malady that certainly affected his performance that season. The Chargers still made the playoffs. Expectations are lower ahead of Harbaugh’s first season, as the Bolts stumbled badly in Brandon Staley‘s finale. This included an 0-4 mark in Stick starts.
The Harbaugh-Joe Hortiz regime re-signed Stick this offseason, giving the former North Dakota State standout a one-year deal worth $2.67MM. It was a bit surprising the new Los Angeles power duo did not make a move to improve the team’s backup situation, as Stick was a Tom Telesco-era pickup who spent his first three seasons as a third-stringer.
Stick is indeed in front of Max Duggan on the depth chart and will move into the QB1 spot, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes (subscription required). For now, Herbert remains on track to debut on time. But this injury’s potential to linger will be a central Chargers storyline to monitor ahead of the regular season.
Cowboys To Sign DE Shaka Toney
It looks like the Cowboys will be taking two defensive ends from their Thursday workout. In addition to adding Al-Quadin Muhammad, they are signing Shaka Toney, per veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson.
Toney joined Muhammad, Carl Lawson and Justin Hollins at the Dallas workout. While Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler followed Dan Quinn to Washington, the Cowboys will check on a former Commanders DE contributor.
This represents a second chance for Toney, who missed all of last season due to a gambling suspension. Washington did not immediately waive Toney, separating him from some of the other gambling offenders last year, but the new regime cut ties this offseason. The Cowboys look set to see how Muhammad and Toney fare, potentially giving two rushers a chance to vie for one roster spot following Sam Williams‘ ACL tear.
A 2021 Washington seventh-round pick, Toney mostly operated as a reserve in Montez Sweat-fronted DE groups during his two-year on-field run. The Penn State product combined for just 1.5 sacks in that span but played in 26 games. He was then part of the initial wave of gambling suspensions, joining a host of Lions. The Commanders kept Toney, who was found to have bet on NFL games while on team grounds, last year. Once Toney was reinstated, however, the Adam Peters regime dropped him. Toney’s Washington exit came shortly after the Armstrong and Fowler arrivals.
Toney, who also worked out for the Giants in May, did register 21.5 sacks in four seasons with the Nittany Lions. He and Muhammad join a Cowboys DE corps including starters Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, along with second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland. A prospective Toney-Muhammad competition may also produce a practice squad spot for the loser (or both); Muhammad is also set to miss Week 1 due to a PED suspension.
Patriots Sign DT Mike Purcell
In need of depth along the defensive interior following Christian Barmore‘s blood clots diagnosis, the Patriots have brought in Mike Purcell. The veteran agreed to a deal on Thursday, per an announcement from his agency.
Purcell is a veteran of eight seasons, with his past five campaigns coming in Denver. The 33-year-old did not survive roster cuts last year, but he was immediately retained and wound up remaining a key member of the Broncos’ D-line. Purcell started 10 of his 16 appearances in 2023, logging a defensive snap share of 44% and recording 25 tackles.
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The Broncos, who are now down to just five John Elway-era cogs remaining, took a flier on a player who had bounced out of the league — and into the short-lived Alliance of American Football — back in 2019. The veteran nose tackle provided a steady presence in Denver and started for the team’s three coaching staffs in that span.
Overall, Purcell started 37 games with the Broncos, a period that saw the team authorize a three-year, $14.8MM extension, and made an impact as a run defender. Pro Football Focus viewed Purcell’s 2021 and ’22 seasons favorably, respectively slotting him 39th and 42nd among interior D-linemen, but ranked him 106th at the position last season. While rumors about another Broncos-Purcell pact emerged earlier this offseason, he will relocate to New England after the concerning Barmore development.
Originally a 2013 49ers UDFA, Purcell stopped through six NFL cities before sticking around in Denver. This is actually a reunion for Purcell, who was with the Patriots in October and November of 2017. The 328-pound defender did not see any game action with that season’s AFC champion and finished the season with the Chiefs. The former Wyoming standout has also enjoyed short stints with the Bears, Rams and Panthers (and the AAF’s Salt Lake Stallions).
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Broncos Place OL Quinn Bailey On IR
AUGUST 1: Bailey is indeed out for the year. He was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement. His attention will now turn to rehab ahead of free agency next March. Rookie O-lineman Oliver Jervis was signed in a corresponding move.
JULY 31: Cameron Fleming worked as the Broncos’ swing tackle over the past two seasons, but the team did not re-sign the veteran in 2024. This left Quinn Bailey as a player vying for that role; he entered camp continuing to battle for a backup role he has held for multiple seasons. But the sixth-year Bronco saw that pursuit come to a likely end Wednesday.
Sean Payton said it “looks like” Bailey sustained a fractured ankle during practice, via 9News’ Mike Klis, who adds the veteran backup’s right leg was immobilized with an air cast. Bailey, 28, re-signed with the Broncos — on a one-year, $1.1MM deal with no guarantees — in March.
The Arizona State alum is set to undergo surgery, Klis adds. Fleming, 31, remains a free agent. Bailey is one of the Broncos’ longest-tenured players. He is among only five — along with Garett Bolles, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and Justin Strnad — left over from John Elway‘s GM tenure.
A former UDFA, Bailey started a game apiece over the past two seasons. The Broncos enjoyed good health along their offensive line last season but needed Fleming extensively in 2022. Bailey worked as a swing backup more that season, playing 132 offensive snaps. Many of those came at left guard, but the Broncos will be needing to look elsewhere on their roster for swing work.
Denver added Matt Peart on a one-year deal in March as well, and ex-Payton Saints charge Calvin Throckmorton also joined some of his former teammates in Denver. For interior depth, the team could turn to one of the losers of the center competition, which is primarily being waged between 2022 fifth-round pick Luke Wattenberg and 2023 seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth.
Arthur Blank: Falcons Did Not Plan To Pick First-Round QB
The Falcons adding Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 became easily this draft’s most discussed decision. Giving Kirk Cousins a $100MM practical guarantee and then turning to Round 1 to add a successor represents a free agency-era zag, and Arthur Blank indicated this was not necessarily the team’s pre-draft plan.
Blank said Cousins was informed pre-draft the Falcons were planning to select a quarterback, but the longtime owner noted the plan was not to pick a passer eighth overall. Grades on Penix (and a lukewarm view of the 2025 and ’26 QB classes, as early as it is regarding those future crops) led to the team pulling the trigger, and Raheem Morris said in April the team informed Cousins of that pick minutes before it was made. The team’s decision left Cousins “stunned.”
“I think (Cousins) was surprised as many people were and frankly we were,” Blank said of Penix being available at No. 8, via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall (subscription required). “Our plan was not to pick a quarterback at No. 8, but the grades our coaching staff had on Penix and him being available at No. 8 it turned out that that’s what happened.”
“We made it clear to Kirk that we probably were going to draft a quarterback in this draft, and it turned out that Michael Penix, who our coaching staff and personnel department graded extraordinarily high, they viewed him as a tremendous player, (was available),”
This is an unusual account of the Falcons’ draft plan, as the uproar about Penix going to Atlanta stemmed from the Washington prospect going earlier than expected (and to a team that had just given a QB a four-year, $180MM deal). It would be odd if Cousins was surprised by Penix remaining on the board at No. 8, given that questions about the left-hander had him at least dropping into the teens. The Raiders, at No. 13, were a popular Penix spot in mock drafts. Several teams placed a second-round grade on Penix, though a number of coaches were high on him. After the Falcons surprisingly made a move for one of the six first-round-level QBs, the Broncos shut down any effort to trade down from No. 12 in fear the Raiders would then draft Bo Nix.
The Falcons’ move to nab Penix created a running storyline. Cousins declined to answer whether he would have signed with the Falcons had he known they would have chosen Penix. While the veteran may still have done so due to the $100MM guarantee Atlanta was willing to authorize, this will be a closely monitored situation for as long as the two passers are on the roster. Unsurprisingly, Blank’s view of recent Falcons QB situations prompted the aggressive offseason at the position.
“We have seen that movie where we didn’t have a franchise quarterback, and we didn’t want to repeat that again,” Blank said. “I certainly didn’t.”
Blank and the Falcons have certainly shifted course. A year ago, the owner was eager to build around Desmond Ridder’s rookie contract. Blank had explained why the Falcons, who were close to acquiring Deshaun Watson in 2022, joined the rest of the NFL in not pursuing Lamar Jackson after the Ravens QB’s trade request surfaced. The Falcons built their 2023 offseason around Ridder, naming him the former third-rounder the starter months before training camp. After the team benched Ridder on multiple occasions last season, it moved him to Arizona for Rondale Moore.
The Falcons are back in the franchise-QB contract business, with Cousins — barring a trade — locked in for at least two seasons. The longtime Vikings starter, who recently received full clearance, is coming off an Achilles tear ahead of his age-36 season. Penix is already 24, separating this plan from the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordan Love succession; Love was 21 when Green Bay traded up for him.
This decision obviously cut into Atlanta’s ability to build a team around Cousins, as efforts to trade back into Round 1 for a pass rusher did not succeed. But the Falcons do now have a long-term plan in place at the game’s premier position. Rumors will undoubtedly persist about the team’s QB situation, but for now, no question exists as to which one is the starter.
“Kirk Cousins is our franchise quarterback. He is our starting quarterback and he seems to be doing great from a medical standpoint,” Blank said. “… But I know age does kind of creep up. I can speak for myself personally on that. We also know that there will be a point where we will need a transition, and we want to do that smoothly.
“I’m very sensitive on behalf of our fan base on not having a period of time post-Kirk Cousins to have a gap again between having that kind of franchise quarterback and being in the spin cycle and not being able to get out.”
Blank said he was closely involved in the Falcons’ pre-draft process but reminded (via Kendall) Terry Fontenot and the team’s personnel staff have the final say and made the ultimate call. That choice will likely determine the GM’s future in Atlanta, as the team is riding a three-season streak of 7-10 records.
“They don’t have to clear (picks) with me,” Blank said. “They just have to make me aware of what is going on. I don’t like surprises. They know that, but it’s not up to me to make those decisions. It’s up to them and for me to understand the logic behind it.”
Offseason In Review: Denver Broncos
The quest to find a long-term quarterback has dominated Broncos discourse since Peyton Manning‘s 2016 retirement, and while the organization’s failures here were not particularly costly during the initial years following the all-time great’s exit, the most recent effort certainly was. As a result of the Russell Wilson tenure, the Broncos became a punching bag for a season before seeing some 2023 improvements drop their 2024 draft slot. Now, they are in Year 1 of a dead money abyss unlike anything any team has encountered.
Bailing on Wilson’s pricey extension set a record that will be difficult to break for the foreseeable future, and the Broncos are taking another swing at quarterback — this one handpicked by Sean Payton. Making other notable subtractions and contract adjustments after making strides under Payton, the Broncos will attempt to field a competitive team despite Wilson’s contract consuming a significant chunk of their salary cap.
Extensions and restructures:
- Reached four-year, $72MM extension ($24MM guaranteed) with RG Quinn Meinerz
- Added $1.7MM incentive package to Courtland Sutton‘s contract
- Reached pay-cut agreement with Tim Patrick, reducing WR’s salary to $1.13MM
- Kept LB Jonas Griffith on one-year, $985K extension
- Restructured G Ben Powers, DL Zach Allen‘s contracts to create nearly $20MM in cap space
The Broncos are still using the phonetically interesting Payton-Paton power duo. GM George Paton was the point man behind three of this decade’s worst decisions — the Nathaniel Hackett hire, the Wilson trade and then the QB’s extension — but the group he drafted in 2021 has developed nicely. Paton plucked starters Patrick Surtain, Javonte Williams, Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper in his first draft, but the biggest success story is probably a third-round guard from the Division III ranks. Meinerz has been a regular starter in Denver since midway through his rookie year, and he became the first Paton-era draftee to see his contract extended.
Meinerz, 25, impressed at the 2021 Senior Bowl — a vital component of his rise, as the COVID-19 pandemic nixed the non-Division I-FBS levels’ 2020 seasons — and replaced an injured Graham Glasgow in 2021. Meinerz beat out Glasgow for the Broncos’ right guard gig in 2022 and graded as a top-10 guard, per Pro Football Focus, over the past two seasons. Excelling in the run game, Meinerz was probably the Broncos’ top offensive player during the Wilson years. The team will bet on upside, as no Pro Bowls are yet on the Wisconsin-Whitewater alum’s resume.
Although Louis Vasquez rewarded the Broncos, the team has struggled with guard payments over the past several years. Neither Glasgow nor Ronald Leary justified their high price tags under John Elway, and the Payton-Paton pair has now doubled down at guard. The team gave Ben Powers a four-year, $52MM deal in 2023. The ex-Raven appears locked in for at least two more seasons, as the team restructured his contract to create 2024 cap space. Bo Nix‘s rookie contract stands to help the Broncos afford big payments elsewhere on the roster, though Wilson’s $83MM-plus in dead money from 2024-25 undercuts that advantage.
Denver paying Meinerz also clouds Garett Bolles‘ future. Meinerz’s terms match Denver’s left tackle for the most lucrative O-line contract in team history, and with right tackle Mike McGlinchey also on an upper-crust contract at his position, it is fair to wonder if Bolles is entering his final season with the team.
Bolles, 32, is in a contract year and has angled for a second extension. No known negotiations have transpired. The Meinerz payment points to the Broncos rolling with three pricey O-line contracts and looking for Bolles’ successor next year. For now, Denver is the rare team with four eight-figure O-line deals on its payroll. This is in step with Payton’s approach in New Orleans, where early-round O-line draft choices and extensions were commonplace.
Sutton, 28, reemerged as Denver’s top wide receiver last season, overtaking Jerry Jeudy as Wilson’s favorite target. Snaring some snazzy touchdown receptions, Sutton played a central role in the Broncos’ five-game midseason win streak. With Jeudy traded, Sutton stands as more important regarding Nix’s development. Days before the Broncos made their Nix pick, Sutton lobbied for a contract adjustment. The Broncos have their top target at a below-market rate thanks to an extension (four years, $60MM) authorized back in 2021 — shortly before the 2022 offseason changed the position’s landscape — and the team did not give in.
Denver waited out Sutton, who showed for minicamp after missing the offseason program, and incentives became the endgame here. The team gave the seventh-year vet a $1.7MM incentive package, reminding of the Chargers’ low-level resolution with Austin Ekeler last year. Sutton can increase his earnings to $15.2MM this year but remains tied to a contract with just $2MM guaranteed for 2024 and no guarantees in place for 2025.
As a vested veteran, the rest of Sutton’s $13MM base salary will become guaranteed just before Week 1. But the long-running trade candidate — teams called on the former second-rounder in April and figure to again soon — was unable to secure a notable contract update, putting the pre-Payton pickup’s long-term Denver future in doubt.
Patrick, 30, has managed to hang around despite two season-nullifying injuries. After serving as a key target for Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater, Patrick did not play a down with Wilson. After summer ACL and Achilles tears, the former UDFA — the second-longest-tenured Bronco, behind Bolles — accepted a pay cut down to the veteran minimum to stay. Patrick signed a three-year, $30MM extension days before the Broncos paid Sutton. The Broncos brought in Patrick under Elway, and despite his back-to-back 700-plus-yard seasons from 2020-21, the 6-4 wideout — healthy once again — is a wild card in this revamped position group.
Trades:
- Dealt WR Jerry Jeudy to Browns for Nos. 136, 203
- Acquired DL John Franklin-Myers from Jets in exchange for 2026 sixth-round pick
- Obtained QB Zach Wilson, No. 256 from Jets for No. 203
Rumblings of the Jeudy-Sutton tandem — after four years and incessant trade rumors together — separating emerged early this offseason. Jeudy trade rumors date back to the 2022 deadline, and they followed the former first-round pick into the 2023 offseason and up to last year’s deadline. The Broncos hoped the Elway-era draftee could help Wilson rebound in 2023, and they set a lofty asking price (a first-rounder) in trades last year. Before the deadline, Denver received an offer involving third- and fifth-round picks. Amid their midseason turnaround that included a win over the Chiefs just before the deadline, the Broncos declined and ultimately moved on for less months later.
The Browns are still betting on the 2020 first-rounder unlocking upside that did not materialize in Denver. Jeudy flashed crafty route-running chops and delivered a strong finish to the 2022 season but ended his Broncos tenure 0-for-4 in 1,000-yard seasons. In the Alabama alum’s defense, the Broncos featured five play-callers (three in 2022) and mostly below-average quarterback play during the inconsistent wideout’s career.
The Browns will pair Jeudy with Amari Cooper, and the AFC North club went as far as to extend Jeudy (three years, $52.5MM; $41MM guaranteed) and provide only incentives for Cooper, whose contract issue ended similarly to Sutton’s. Marvin Mims, who made some noise as a deep threat as a rookie but could not earn a steady role, will be given a good chance to replace Jeudy as a starter.
As the Jets attempted to clear salary to make room for Haason Reddick‘s contract, they dealt the Broncos a quality starter for next to nothing during the draft. Acquired in a salary-dump deal, Franklin-Myers became a more favorable Broncos asset after redoing his contract (now at two years and $15MM; $8MM guaranteed) post-trade. The Jets offered Franklin-Myers — a three-year starter for the team — a pay cut, but the seventh-year vet confirmed it was at a lower rate compared to his new Broncos salary.
The Jets had given Franklin-Myers a four-year, $55MM extension early during the 2021 season, and he started 52 games with the team. The former Rams draftee saw time both inside and outside in Robert Saleh‘s 4-3 scheme; in Vance Joseph‘s 3-4 setup, Franklin-Myers will line up as a D-end. Producing six- and five-sack seasons in 2021 and ’22, respectively, Franklin-Myers registered 48 QB hits over the past three years. He profiles as a low-risk upgrade up front and will form a veteran-laden D-line with Allen and D.J. Jones.
Paton had said the Broncos planned to acquire a veteran to join Jarrett Stidham, and weeks after the team looked into Sam Darnold, the trade for Wilson was finalized. Conflicting reports about a Broncos Darnold offer emerged, but the former Jets starter preferred the Vikings. After Minnesota gave Darnold a one-year, $10MM deal, Denver reached a salary-split trade agreement for Wilson.
Wilson fared worse than Darnold did in New York — to the point the Jets benched the former No. 2 overall pick three times from 2022-23 — and exited the offseason program as a long-shot candidate to land even the Broncos’ backup job. The Broncos would eat $2.73MM in dead money by cutting Wilson; they would take on $2MM by releasing Stidham. A Stidham cut would, however, save the team $5MM.
After a year and change in Payton’s system, Stidham looks to have a leg up on the erratic BYU product. A No. 2 overall pick being waived before his fourth season would represent an ignominious start to a career and place Wilson on the short list of biggest QB busts in NFL history.
Free agency additions:
- Brandon Jones, S. Three years, $20MM ($11MM guaranteed)
- Josh Reynolds, WR. Two years, $9MM ($4.25MM guaranteed)
- Malcolm Roach, DL. Two years, $7MM ($3MM guaranteed)
- Cody Barton, LB. One year, $2.5MM ($2.33MM guaranteed)
- Levi Wallace, CB. One year, $1.29MM ($668K guaranteed)
- Matt Peart, T. One year, $1.29MM ($368K guaranteed)
- Angelo Blackson, DL. One year, $1.38MM ($168K guaranteed)
- Sam Mustipher, C. One year, $1.13MM
- Andre Smith, LB. One year, $1.13MM
- Calvin Throckmorton, OL. One year, $1.1MM
- Trenton Gill, P. One year, $1MM
A year after big-ticket deals for McGlinchey, Powers and Allen, Denver — navigating historic cap consequences — operated conservatively in free agency. Its most notable 2024 expense was a safety that will be expected to replace Justin Simmons (or try). The Dolphins took Jones in the 2020 second round and used him as a full-time starter in 2021 and ’22, but the Jevon Holland back-line tandem partner lost a competition to DeShon Elliott last summer.
Elliott started over Jones under Vic Fangio, though the former Broncos HC used Jones in three-safety looks. Elliott outsnapped Jones 967-542 last year, but the latter graded as a top-20 safety in PFF’s view. Also showing a blitz acumen under Brian Flores with five sacks in 2021, Jones will team with two ex-Texas Longhorn teammates — Caden Sterns and P.J. Locke — in Denver.
Spending nearly his entire career as an auxiliary Jared Goff target, Reynolds looks to be both insurance against Patrick not resembling his pre-injury version and Mims and fourth-rounder Troy Franklin not developing as the team hoped. Reynolds’ $4.5MM guarantee suggests a clear role. Not as explosive as Jeudy, Reynolds ranked 85th among wideouts in ESPN’s open score metric last season. The ex-Rams regular is known more for his long-range skills and run-blocking chops than being a pure separator, but he did tally 608 yards and a career-high five touchdowns last season. Though, Reynolds’ campaign ended with two drops during Detroit’s NFC championship game collapse.
Patriots To Extend DT Davon Godchaux
The Patriots’ extension binge continues. One of the two disgruntled defenders who had not been participating fully at practice, Davon Godchaux has agreed to terms on a second Pats extension.
Godchaux, who had previously signed a New England re-up in 2022, will now be tied to a two-year, $16.5MM deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Joining Matt Judon in recently angling for a new contract, Godchaux can earn up to $21MM on his third Patriots agreement. This contract ties the veteran defensive tackle to the team through the 2026 season.
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Although Godchaux did not participate in Patriots minicamp, he was not a full-on hold-in at training camp. The former Dolphins starter had participated in some drills since camp opened, creating a far less contentious contract situation compared to Judon’s. The latter has gone from practicing to holding in to missing a practice due to contract frustration. It will be worth wondering how yet another Patriots payment will affect Judon, a free agent after this season.
For those keeping track, the Patriots have now either re-signed or extended Christian Barmore ($21MM per year), Michael Onwenu ($19MM AAV), Kyle Dugger ($14.5MM), Rhamondre Stevenson ($9MM), Hunter Henry ($9MM) and Jabrill Peppers ($8.3MM). They also re-upped Kendrick Bourne in free agency, giving the veteran wide receiver a $6.5MM-per-year accord. This is a remarkable turn of events — not only due to the Pats’ Bill Belichick-era past but after a 4-13 season.
While Judon is coming off a season-ending injury sustained early in Belichick’s finale, Godchaux has been a durable component of strong defenses. He has not missed a game as a Patriot, operating as a steady nose tackle in three years since relocating from Miami. Known for his work against the run, Godchaux now has security going into his age-30 season. He made 56 tackles (two for loss) last season.
Godchaux’s presence suddenly became more important after new about Barmore’s blood clot issue surfacing. The former has operated more as a run stuffer, with the latter leading the 2023 Pats in sacks (8.5). Jerod Mayo referred to Godchaux as one of the team’s best players. Although Pro Football Focus was not high on Godchaux’s 2023 work, rating him 102nd among interior D-linemen, the Patriots disagree and will pay him once again. This follows Godchaux’s two-year, $20.8MM agreement that came to pass two Julys ago.
It will be interesting to see how the Judon impasse ends, but the Pats have displayed tremendous commitment to the core Belichick formed. They are betting Mayo’s leadership — and improved quarterback play — will result in a turnaround.
Vikings Wanted Kirk Cousins To Stay As Bridge; Veteran Viewed Minnesota First-Round QB Pick As Unlikely
After two long-term contracts came during Rick Spielman‘s final years as Vikings GM, Kirk Cousins received bridge treatment under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The new Falcons QB had sought a team more committed to him, though he has since said the Vikings were more likely than not to put off their long-term need for another year had he stayed.
Minnesota did not go near Atlanta’s four-year, $180MM offer ($100MM in practical guarantees), and Cousins said during an appearance on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel had he agreed to stay it would have been through one-year contracts while the team aimed to determine his successor (subscription required).
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Cousins said Kevin O’Connell told him if he were to re-sign it would be unlikely the Vikings would draft his heir apparent this year. While Cousins stopped short of confirming O’Connell slammed the door on such a move, it is rather interesting he still ended up in a situation where a successor arrived in Round 1. The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick stands to put a clock on Cousins’ Atlanta stay, while the Vikings have Sam Darnold in place as the bridge to J.J. McCarthy, chosen two picks after Penix.
“I don’t think they were ready to go there yet in March,” Cousins said on the Vikings’ interest in drafting a first-round QB. “I think the reality is just that they wanted to give themselves that flexibility. And I remember Kevin’s words, which I’m not going to hold them to, were, ‘Hey, if we sign you back, I would think it’s very unlikely that we would draft somebody.’ It was something to that effect. But I also know in the league things change.”
Cousins’ comments contradict a recent report from ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, who indicates O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah and ownership wanted the soon-to-be 36-year-old passer to stay — but as a bridge to a rookie who would be drafted in 2024. Neither Adofo-Mensah nor O’Connell wanted the to-be-determined rookie to play immediately, Seifert adds, though convincing Cousins — given the value he carried as a free agent — to stay on a short-term arrangement would have been quite difficult. The Falcons bringing big money to the table made it nearly impossible, as the sides battled over guarantees during the 2023 offseason.
The 13th-year veteran said he would have been more open to a bridge plan in Minnesota if that were his only option; the Falcons ensured that would not be the case. The Vikings did memorably join the Patriots in checking in on Justin Herbert, being quickly turned down by the Chargers’ new regime. The team zeroed in on a rookie soon after, obtaining a second first-round pick from the Texans; though, that became used to trade up for Dallas Turner at No. 17. O’Connell, per Seifert, informed Cousins the team would explore this deep QB class with an aim to use its highest draft slot in a decade (11th) to find its next starter.
Adofo-Mensah said before the draft the team would be comfortable with multiple options in this year’s class, but McCarthy — viewed as a Minnesota target pre-draft — impressed O’Connell at the Michigan product’s private workout. Although it seemed like the Vikings traded up from No. 11 to No. 10 to prevent the Broncos from doing the same, Seifert adds Minnesota was confident Denver would draft Bo Nix.
As for who will end up starting in Week 1, Seifert indicates the Vikings informed Darnold before the draft he would likely get the call. It should be expected McCarthy will take the reins at some point this season, but O’Connell was also in Washington when the team rushed Dwayne Haskins
“Those things [O’Connell] talked about are the reason why I have so much faith in him,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Seifert. “To take a mold-and-play like [McCarthy] with talent and traits that are as high-end as anybody, and mold him into that player we want him to be. A lot of times when we go back over history and we say, ‘These quarterbacks have missed.’ There’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard, and we’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give him the best opportunity he can to be the best player he can be in this offense.”
Darnold will receive the bulk of the first-team reps during training camp, O’Connell said, though McCarthy will also receive select reps with the starters. The seventh-year vet is still the more likely Week 1 QB, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. As could be expected, O’Connell does not have a range for when McCarthy will replace Darnold — assuming the veteran is indeed the Week 1 starter. The Vikings do have a Week 6 bye, however, representing a potential transition point. Though, Darnold impressing with Minnesota’s talented skill-position corps could lead to a more extended McCarthy apprenticeship.
Commanders Claim K Riley Patterson
Following their short-lived partnership with Brandon McManus, the Commanders are turning to another recent Jaguars kicker. Washington submitted a successful waiver claim for Riley Patterson on Wednesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.
Patterson, who has enjoyed multiple stints with Jacksonville, will head to a Washington team that features kicker uncertainty after McManus’ release. Patterson has kicked in 39 career games; 15 of those came last season — with the Lions and Browns.
Entering Wednesday, Ramiz Ahmed resided as the only kicker on the Commanders’ 90-man roster. Ahmed has kicked in one career game — as a Packers Mason Crosby fill-in in 2022. Patterson, who turned 29 last week, landed with the Jags via reserve/futures contract but lost an early camp competition to sixth-round rookie Cam Little.
The Commanders released McManus after a lawsuit alleging sexual assault surfaced after the team signed him. The allegations stemmed from a flight during the 2023 Jaguars season. Washington had given the longtime Denver specialist a one-year, $3.6MM deal in March. Ahmed joined the team in June, shortly after the McManus cut. The inexperienced option now has competition.
Patterson has yo-yoed between Jacksonville and Detroit during his career, being both traded and waived. After seven games with the 2021 Lions, Patterson was the Jags’ 2022 kicker. The Jaguars claimed Patterson just before that season; he made 30 of 35 field goals during the regular season and kicked the game-winner that sealed a 27-point wild-card comeback over the Chargers. Last season, after the Jags traded Patterson back to the Lions, the Memphis alum made 88.2% of his tries but lost an ongoing practice competition to Michael Badgley. The Lions ended up going with Badgley and cutting Patterson in December, leading him to a short role filling in for Dustin Hopkins.
Joey Slye served as the Commanders’ kicker last season, but the ex-Ron Rivera Panthers charge made only 79.2% of his kicks. The team will see if Patterson or Ahmed can prove an adequate replacement.
The Commanders, who also signed Byron Pringle earlier today, released wideout Damiere Byrd and waived wideout Dax Milne. Byrd had played for Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona previously, while Milne has been in Washington since being drafted in the 2021 seventh round.