Vikings Hope To Retain Sam Darnold; Browns Interested In QB?
Recent reporting on Sam Darnold’s future with the Vikings suggested that the team has resigned itself to the fact that Darnold’s play in 2024 has priced him out of Minnesota, and that the club has not engaged in extension talks with the resurgent quarterback. However, the Vikes may not be willing to give up on a Darnold return just yet.
Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Minnesota indeed hopes that it will be able to retain Darnold, who has piloted the Vikings to a 12-2 record and a shot at the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Jones’ sources confirm prior reports that the 27-year-old passer has set himself up for a contract that would pay him at least $25MM per season, which is of course a considerable raise on the one-year, $10MM deal he signed with the Vikings this year.
That said, Minnesota is projected to have upwards of $70MM in cap space in 2025, so a “middle-class” QB deal would be feasible. It may even be a bargain if Darnold, under the tutelage of head coach Kevin O’Connell, has truly blossomed into the player the Jets believed he would be when they made him the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft.
Darnold’s 104.9 QB rating is the fourth-highest mark in the league, he has led four game-winning drives, and the Vikings are eighth in the league in scoring as of the time of this writing. That performance, combined with Minnesota’s win-loss record, make it no surprise that the team wants him back.
Of course, the Vikes signed Darnold this offseason with the intention of making him a bridge passer, not a long-term fixture under center. As such, the team selected J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick of this year’s draft, and McCarthy was the player deemed to be the quarterback of the future.
According to Jones, that has not changed. The Vikings’ level of faith in McCarthy is as high as it was when he was drafted, and the season-ending knee injury he suffered in August has not altered the club’s view of his career trajectory. However, Darnold’s efforts this season cannot be ignored, and one AFC executive told Jones that McCarthy could become Minnesota’s version of Green Bay’s Jordan Love (a first-round pick who sat behind Aaron Rodgers for several seasons before finally getting a chance to run the show).
Since Darnold’s combination of youth and ability could make him the most desirable QB in this year’s free agent class, it is still possible that his asking price goes beyond the Vikings’ comfort level. But his 2024 showing has afforded him the ability to be selective about his future home, and Jones says the USC product will naturally exercise caution to avoid undesirable situations, like those he found himself in as a member of the Jets and Panthers. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the Browns would have interest if Darnold hits the open market, though it is unclear whether Cleveland — despite the presumptive presence of a well-respected offensive mind in HC Kevin Stefanski — would qualify as a desirable situation.
Obviously, Minnesota has proven to be a perfect fit, and if the Vikings are willing to spend, it appears that the door to a multiyear pact between Darnold and the club remains open.
Lions OC Ben Johnson “Intrigued” By Bears’ HC Post
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has rebuffed the opportunity to be a head coach in each of the last two hiring cycles, and he has done nothing to hurt his stock in 2024. He is again expected to be one of the hottest HC candidates in the upcoming cycle, though he will remain highly selective about his destination.
Given the Bears’ abundance of salary cap space, skill position talent, and the presence of talented rookie-contract QB Caleb Williams, it is easy to see why they believe their HC post is the most desirable among those that are expected to be available in 2025. Bill Belichick, before he made the surprising decision to join the college ranks, reportedly shared that view.
The attractiveness of the job in a vacuum is one thing, but a November report suggested that Johnson may steer clear of the Bears due to perceived organizational dysfunction. However, subsequent reports noted that Johnson may indeed consider the Chicago gig, and today, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network said that the 38-year-old offensive guru is “intrigued” by the position and is willing to listen to the Bears’ pitch (video link). As we had previously heard that Johnson is not going to interview simply for the sake of interviewing, any summit he conducts with Bears brass would seemingly indicate that he is prepared to accept the job if offered.
While the Bears have been said to be prioritizing a “leader of men” type of head coach over a candidate with a specific background, Johnson’s reputation as an offensive mastermind is not only in keeping with the trend in today’s HC searches, but it would be especially beneficial to a team looking to unlock the potential of a blue chip prospect like Williams.
And, despite turning down what was generally regarded as a similarly appealing post with the Commanders in the 2024 hiring period, Johnson reiterated that he wants to take a team’s top job at some point.
“I think there’s a burning desire in every man to find what he’s made out of and push the limits and see if he’s got what it takes,” Johnson said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “And so yeah, there’s a fire there. Now, when that time is? I don’t know, when that’ll be, but there’s certainly a fire there.”
When asked specifically about Williams, Johnson was complimentary but conceded that he had not really studied the rookie’s tape.
“Listen, it’s been difficult to sit down and just study every throw but plenty of crossover tape over the course of the year and there’s no question this guy’s talented,” Johnson said. “I remember standing on the sideline last game and just you can hear the ball whistle by you. He’s got quite a fastball and has some creativity to him, can extend plays and is accurate down the field as well. Like I said, I haven’t really dove in and can tell you much more beyond that, but he’s been impressive from afar.”
Whether Johnson finally decides to move on from Detroit will be perhaps the top question when it comes to the 2025 HC carousel. If he does, it sounds as if the Bears will be firmly in the mix.
Interestingly, Johnson – a UNC alum – was not contacted by the school to discuss its head coaching vacancy, as Birkett notes in a separate piece. Of course, that job went to Belichick, who will continue his legendary career as the Tar Heels’ skipper.
Falcons Believed Michael Penix Jr. Could Start In Week 1; Kirk Cousins To Ponder Retirement?
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. will make the first start of his professional career today following Atlanta’s momentous (but obvious) decision to bench veteran Kirk Cousins in favor of the rookie passer. While Cousins — who had signed a four-year, $180MM deal this offseason to help lead the club on a championship run — was obviously given a long leash, the Falcons believed Penix was ready to take the reins from the jump.
As SI.com’s Albert Breer said during an interview on last week’s TNF Tonight program, Atlanta would have been comfortable starting Penix in Week 1 if necessary (video link). The Washington standout played collegiately for six years, and even when Cousins was at the top of the depth chart, Penix was getting about 10 first-team reps per week while seeing plenty of action with the scout team.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds further context, writing that Penix had the same listening device in his helmet as Cousins during practice and would watch film of what Cousins did and then go through it mentally himself before running the same plays with the club’s young receivers. Rapoport also noted that, each practice, there was a competitive period in which Penix would have the opportunity to run the Falcons’ plays instead of scout-team plays. Those opportunities could be the same first-team reps that Breer referenced, but in any event, Atlanta has long believed that Penix is physically and mentally prepared to assume QB1 duties.
Of course, his arm strength and running ability should also open up the playbook. Breer observes that Cousins hurt his shoulder and elbow during a Week 10 loss to the Saints, and that the veteran signal-caller had not been the same since. Indeed, prior to that New Orleans contest, Cousins was coming off a two-game stretch in which he threw for seven TDs and no interceptions while posting QB ratings of 145.9 and 144.8. But in the next five games, he threw just one touchdown against nine interceptions, and his physical ailments limited the Falcons from a play-calling standpoint.
There will be no such limitation with Penix at the controls, and the expectation is that Cousins will be released in the offseason. Rapoport acknowledges that a release is generally viewed as the most likely outcome, but he does leave open the possibility that the Falcons could retain Cousins as a high-end backup/insurance policy since they are obligated to pay his fully-guaranteed $27.5MM 2025 salary anyway (and since Penix will still be on his affordable rookie deal).
The bigger issue, at least from a financial perspective, would be the $10MM roster bonus for 2026 that locks in if Cousins is still on the roster on the fifth day of the 2025 league year in March. Still, a Cousins return remains on the table and is more plausible than a trade. The four-time Pro Bowler has a full no-trade clause, and since he is much more valuable to another team as a free agent who could be had for a veteran minimum deal than a trade candidate, he is not expected to waive the NTC (his situation is similar to Russell Wilson’s, who was able to sign with the Steelers for the veteran minimum following his Broncos release this offseason since Denver was on the hook for his 2024 pay).
Cousins may, however, contemplate retirement. He will turn 37 before the 2025 season begins, and Rapoport says Cousins is expected to take a month or so after the current campaign is over to consider his playing future. He would be walking away from a large sum of money if he were to call it a career, but the master of negotiation has already earned just shy of $300MM from his NFL contracts.
Steve Belichick To Join Father At UNC After Bowl Game
We’ve already written a bit on the topic of new University of North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick securing a job for his son, Steve Belichick, as part of his negotiations. An updated report discloses that the younger Belichick will head to Chapel Hill and join his father when his season concludes with bowl season, per Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports. 
Steve, 37, is currently concluding his first season as defensive coordinator at the University of Washington. Despite coming off a loss in the College Football Playoff final last year, the Huskies had plenty of room for improvement on defense. Belichick took a team that finished 99th in total defense and 56th in scoring defense in 2023, to 26th and 44th in those respective stats this year.
Before calling the defense in Seattle, Belichick worked a number of position coaching gigs under his father in New England. He joined the Patriots coaching staff in 2012, shortly after graduating from Rutgers as a lacrosse defenseman and football long snapper. He started as a defensive assistant, a role he held for four years, before getting his first position coaching gig over safeties. After three years in that role, he was given a more extensive role over all defensive backs for a season before moving to coach outside linebackers from 2020-23.
Steve will have his work cut out for him once again at North Carolina. He will inherit a defense that is 78th in total defense and 91st in scoring defense. With a change of coaching staffs, they can also expect a number of players to hit the transfer portal, though the portal may be more beneficial to them as kids may be intrigued with the idea of being coached by Bill Belichick.
Steve may not be the only former Belichick staffer to land his second college job in the last two years. Per NFL beat reporter Josina Anderson, Ole Miss senior analyst Joe Judge could be another name headed to Chapel Hill. Judge’s experience in coaching for most of his career was concerning special teams, but he did try his hand at some offensive position coaching here and there near the end of his tenures in New England. Anderson reports that Judge may be looking for an increased offensive role at North Carolina if he joins and if Belichick is willing.
Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor Declares For Draft
As we make our way through the NCAA’s bowl season, we continue to see a number of college players make their intentions for the future known. One such player is Stanford redshirt sophomore receiver Elic Ayomanor. After three years in school, the Canada-native announced on X that he would forgo his remaining eligibility and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. 
Despite being born in Alberta, CAN, Ayomanor attended high school at The Peddie School (NJ) and Deerfield Academy (MA), ranking as the fourth-best recruit in Massachusetts, according to 247 Sports. He fielded a number of offers from several Ivy League schools and other schools from different conferences such as Tennessee, Arizona, Ole Miss, and Kentucky, but ultimately, he chose to cross the country in order to attend Stanford, a school with a mix of strong academics and athletics.
Not the most exciting recruit coming out of high school, Ayomanor redshirted with no appearances in 2022. He established himself as a contributor on the offense as a redshirt freshman, having his first strong performance against Sacramento State. Ayomanor exploded onto the scene four weeks later, when the Cardinal traveled to Boulder.
Against the 4-1 Buffaloes, Ayomanor embarrassed Travis Hunter and Co. (pictured above) to the tune of 13 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns. He had a couple other big performances last year in losses against Washington and Oregon State, and he ended the year as the team’s leading receiver with 62 catches for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns. In 2024, Ayomanor renewed his role as the Cardinal’s leading receiver with 63 receptions for 831 yards and six touchdowns, delivering big performances against TCU, Syracuse, Wake Forest, NC State, and San Jose State.
Ayomanor has shown that he can deliver in an underwhelming offense against some impressively tough competition. He’s clearly intelligent and has tools that will be desirable at the next level. That being said, he’s not likely to hear his name called on Day 1 of the draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Ayomanor ranked as the eighth-best wide receiver in the class, and Kiper’s colleagues tend to agree, excluding him from all of their top-five lists. Dane Brugler’s mid-November ranking seems to project him the highest as the third-best receiver (fourth if considering Hunter), but even Brugler has Ayomanor treading the line between the first and second round as the 28th-best overall prospect.
It’s curious to see Ayomanor declare for the draft following his redshirt sophomore season, especially with most draft rankings listing him as a Day 2 or 3 option. In these days of the ever-popular transfer portal, there are so many examples of such players transferring to greener pastures and having seasons that establish them as clear first-round options. Instead, Ayomanor will be satisfied with his current body of work and will hope that his combination of size, speed, and ball skills will shine in the leadup to the draft and help his draft stock peak.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Suffers Concussion
The Eagles suffered their first loss since September today, falling for just the third time this season at the hands of the division-rival Commanders. While Washington finally earned a win over a team with a current winning record, many will likely put an asterisk on the result because Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts only played for one and a half drives. 
Hurts exited the game early in the first quarter after Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner brought him down following a 13-yard run. As Hurts was taken to the ground, his helmet made solid contact with the turf, triggering the officials to pull him off the field before the next play. This forced Philadelphia to send in backup passer Kenny Pickett, and shortly after, Hurts was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion.
Concussions aren’t usually reported on too heavily. This is partially due to the fact that the range of recovery times for concussions is a wide span. We’ve seen plenty of players go through the NFL’s concussion protocol in days and not miss any time. This year, though, we’ve frequently seen examples of concussions landing player on injured reserve. If the severity of Hurts’ injury is anywhere near the latter situation, that could prove detrimental for the Eagles.
This is just speculation, as we won’t know the full situation until further tests are run. Should the injury affect Hurts’ availability in the coming weeks, it could cost Philadelphia a chance at a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs. And if he’s forced to miss more than two weeks, he could miss time in the playoffs, as well. The team is one win (or one Commanders loss) away from securing a home playoff game, so they may not be able to afford to rest Hurts, despite their remaining two games being against the banged-up Cowboys and the lowly Giants.
A little rest could do Hurts some good, though, as a recent report from John Clark of NBC Philadelphia discloses that a broken finger on Hurts’ left hand has been affecting his play, mostly his ball security. The division-winners that currently hold the 3- and 4-seeds in the NFC won’t be able to catch up to the Eagles’ 12 wins, so if Philadelphia is willing to accept the 2-seed behind Detroit (the Lions only need one win in their final two games to secure home-field advantage for the playoffs) they may be able to allow Hurts some time for rest and recovery.
Budda Baker Agrees To Cardinals Extension
DECEMBER 22: Further details on the Baker extension are in, courtesy of PHNX’s Howard Balzer. Of the nearly $30MM in guarantees, $17.45MM is locked in at signing (including a $12.25MM signing bonus). Baker’s base salaries for 2025 and ’26 contain injury guarantees which will shift to full guarantees this March; no salary is locked in for the final year of the deal.
Baker is in line to collect a $1MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year for 2026 and ’27. The pact also includes offseason and per-game roster bonuses which could reach a combined total of $755K. Baker’s cap hit increased slightly for this year, but it will drop to $10.82MM next season before rising again ($19.23MM and $20.89MM) at the end of the pact.
DECEMBER 17: A year after asking for a trade, Budda Baker has remained a cornerstone Cardinal. This will lead to the perennial Pro Bowler passing on a trip to free agency.
The Cardinals have reached an agreement with Baker on a three-year, $54MM contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is Baker’s third Arizona contract, and it places the All-Pro near the top of the market at safety. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports had reported earlier this week that Baker and the Cards were discussing a deal.
Baker’s extension includes $30MM in guaranteed money and will keep him in Arizona through the 2027 season, per Schefter. The deal’s 18MM average annual value ranks fourth among active safeties and represents the largest third contract at the position in NFL history. The three players ahead of him in terms of AAV — Antoine Winfield Jr., Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick — are on second contracts. Baker, 28, has done well to maintain top form at the end of his second.
Baker requested a trade away from the Cardinals in April 2023 due to frustration with his contract. The two sides came to a short-term resolution last July with additional guarantees and incentives on his existing contract, but his status as a pending free agent reignited trade speculation ahead of this year’s deadline.
The Cardinals never seemed to entertain the idea of moving Baker and have now solidified their commitment to their 2017 second-round pick. If he plays out his full extension, he will turn 32 years old at the end of his 11th season in Arizona, setting him up to retire as a Cardinal. While plenty of time remains between now and then, Baker has now excelled in three different defensive systems. He has done well to help the Jonathan Gannon regime produce some improvement this season.
The locker room leader, a 2017 second-round pick, has received Pro Bowl nods in each of the past five seasons. He is on pace for a career high in tackles, having racked up 142 in 14 games this season. He of five 100-plus-tackle seasons, Baker resides as a veteran presence on a team that has seen several quality defenders — J.J. Watt, Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, Byron Murphy and Zach Allen among them — either leave in free agency or retire over the past three years. Rather than let Baker follow that pack out the door, the Gannon-Monti Ossenfort regime will bet on the veteran to keep playing at a high level into his 30s.
Baker’s new contract reflects the NFL’s recent trend of rising safety contracts. Winfield’s offseason extension with the Buccaneers set new league records for total value, per-year average, total guarantees, and full guarantees, and the Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton could earn even more once he reaches extension eligibility in 2025.
The deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First, who recently lost wide receiver Tee Higgins as a client as he approaches extension talks with the Bengals.
Tank Dell Returns To Houston; Texans Undecided On WR Addition
Tank Dell remained in hospital overnight on Saturday, but he has rejoined his team. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Sunday Dell was set to return to Houston, a positive development in the wake of the frightening knee injury he suffered in Week 16. He has now arrived, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. 
Dell’s knee was hit by teammate Jared Wayne as he made a touchdown catch during the Texans’ loss to the Chiefs. The 25-year-old was taken directly to hospital and diagnosed with a dislocated kneecap. Ryans acknowledged the injury is “signficant,” and surgery could be an option. On that note, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports a procedure has not yet taken place, and it remains to be seen if one will be scheduled.
Given the severity of the situation, Dell is not expected to return to the Texans’ lineup any time soon. His absence will create another notable vacancy at the receiver position given his importance to the team’s passing game. Houston lost Stefon Diggs to a torn ACL in October, creating an increased reliance on Dell and No. 1 wideout Nico Collins over the remainder of the season. The latter is still in place atop the depth chart, but losing Dell for a lengthy stretch would leave quarterback C.J. Stroud without an important target down the stretch.
The Texans did not pursue wideout depth in advance of the trade deadline, relying on their incumbent options to compensate for Diggs’ injury. With Dell now out of the picture for an undetermined period, though, the team’s depth at that position will be tested further. Odell Beckham Jr. had his request to be let go by the Dolphins granted, and he is a free agent after passing through waivers unclaimed. Diontae Johnson‘s time with the Ravens has proven to be short-lived, meanwhile, and interest is expected to be high enough in his case that he will not reach free agency. Houston could look into one or both veterans, but it remains to be seen if that will take place.
“A little early right now for me when it comes to that,” Ryans said (via Florio) when asked whether or not the Texans are interested in making a receiver addition for the stretch run. “But we’re always exploring everything we have to do to improve our team.”
Houston has clinched the AFC South, but the team’s offense has regressed in a number of categories compared to Stroud’s impressive rookie season. Improving in time for the playoffs will be key if the Texans are to advance to at least the divisional round like they did in 2023. Their next game will come against the Ravens on Christmas Day, and it will be interesting to see if any WR-related moves will have been made by that point.
Saints Will Turn Back To Derek Carr If QB Is Healthy
DECEMBER 24: Rizzi said on Tuesday (via Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football) both Carr and running back Alvin Kamara are attempting to play in Week 17. The latter’s status for the rest of the season is in doubt, but having him in place alongside Carr (and, potentially, wideout Chris Olave) would give New Orleans’ offense a major boost compared to its current state. That, in turn, could help Rizzi’s candidacy to land the Saints’ full-time head coaching gig this offseason.
DECEMBER 19: With the Saints basically out of the playoff picture and rookie Spencer Rattler nearly engineering a comeback attempt on Sunday, it seemed likely that Derek Carr wouldn’t play again this season. However, both head coach Darren Rizzi and GM Mickey Loomis have rejected that notion over the past couple of days.
Earlier today, the Saints announced that Rattler would step back into the starting lineup for Monday’s game against the Packers. Shortly thereafter, Rizzi clarified that the rookie would garner his fourth career start only if Carr wasn’t healthy enough to play (per Ross Jackson of Locked On Saints). The veteran continues to recover from a concussion and fractured hand he suffered back in Week 14.
The Saints sit with a less than one percent chance of making the postseason, and the team will surely be preparing for 2025 over the next few weeks. Still, Carr could work his way back to the field, with Loomis declaring that his squad was going to “try to win every game.”
“He’s gonna be day-to-day, really, and he’s got an issue in his hand and there’s … a reason to be optimistic, but it’s a day-to-day thing,” Loomis explained during an appearance on WWL Radio (via Jeff Nowak of the station’s website). “We’re just gonna have to go along and when he gets to the point where he can function well enough to play in the game, I know … he wants to play and when he can, he will.”
While the Saints’ desire to compete down the stretch is admirable, there are some good reasons to shut down Carr for the year. For starters, only $10MM of the QB’s $40MM earnings in 2025 are guaranteed, but there’s another $30MM guaranteed for injury. By shutting Carr down now, the team can avoid the risk of re-injury and assure that Carr is fully healthy in March (when the injury guarantee would be locked in). As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes, the Raiders benched Carr during his final season with the organization, mostly so they could assure the QB was healthy before the injury guarantee kicked in.
Of course, Carr’s return would signify full health, but the organization may not want to take the risk of the veteran suffering a severe injury that leaves no doubt about the impending guarantees. For what it’s worth, Rizzi shut down the idea that the team would bench Carr to avoid another injury (and the injury guarantee), with the head coach noting that the QB would already be on IR if the Saints wanted to follow that path (via Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune).
There’s still a chance that Carr is back in New Orleans next season; he’s under contract, after all. Still, if the Saints could avoid the injury guarantee, the front office would have a lot more financial flexibility as they navigate the offseason. Plus, any concern about another injury wouldn’t be completely unfounded, as Carr has dealt with a handful of injuries during the 2024 campaign.
The team could also justify benching Carr thanks to the presence of Rattler. When Carr missed three games back in October, the fifth-round rookie got three starts. The Saints went winless in those games, with Rattler completing 59 percent of his passes for 571 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. When Carr went down a few weeks ago, the team opted to start Jake Haener in Week 15, but the former fourth-round pick didn’t make it to the end of the game. Rattler took over at halftime with the Saints down by 17, and he almost helped guide the team to a comeback victory.
The Saints could be armed with a top-10 pick after the season and would be in prime position to add another young quarterback. Still, with nothing left to play for, it would make sense to see how Rattler (or even Haener) progress over the next few weeks. Based on the recent rumblings out of New Orleans, it sounds like the Saints will end up opting for the veteran if the opportunity presents itself.
Woody Johnson Vetoed Jets’ Trade For Jerry Jeudy Due To Madden Rating
DECEMBER 22: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports negotiations between the Jets and Broncos on a Jeudy trade never actually reached the point where a deal was imminent. Talks stopped once the previously-known offer including Lazard and a draft pick was made (one which, Florio adds, Denver was not interested in), with Jeudy ultimately being dealt to the Browns. Johnson’s involvement in trade talks ending is unclear based on this update, but an increased offer from Douglas would have been required for Jeudy to have wound up in New York.
DECEMBER 19: Most leaders use information and data from a wide variety of sources to drive their decision-making process. For Jets owner Woody Johnson, that apparently includes his video games and his teenage sons.
It came out after the firing of general manager Joe Douglas that Johnson vetoed the Jets’ acquisition of Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in exchange for Allen Lazard and a Day 2 pick. A month later, the reason for Johnson’s resistance was revealed (via The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver): Jeudy’s rating in EA Sports’ popular Madden video game series.
Jeudy started the 2023 season with an 83 rating in Madden 24 and dropped to an 81 by the offseason, when the trade was being negotiated. (Lazard, meanwhile, began the season at 78 and finished at 76.) This being a method of Jets operation this season would not exactly make working for Johnson especially appealing for HC and GM candidates moving forward, but the owner has made his voice known on several occasions this year. And he is not expected to leave for a role in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration in 2025.
In terms of real-life football, Jeudy was clearly the more productive receiver last year with 54 receptions on 87 targets for 758 yards (3.4 receptions and 47.4 yards per game). Lazard reeled in just 23 of his 49 targets for 311 yards (1.6 receptions and 22.2 yards per game). Lazard has been more effective this year, catching 31 of his 49 targets for 430 yards and five touchdowns, but Jeudy has been even better after being traded to the Browns with career-highs of 70 receptions and 1,052 yards.
The Broncos were believed to have been stunned why the trade talks broke down, as the teams were believed to have been deep in negotiations. Douglas is believed to have told Broncos brass of Johnson’s Madden-based reason for bailing on the trade, per Russini, Rosenblatt and Silver. Denver ended up flipping Jeudy for a lesser return — fifth- and sixth-round picks. The Jets ended up signing Mike Williams to a one-year, $10MM deal — months before unloading him at the deadline.
This is not the only time that a video game has influenced Johnson’s personnel desires. He also “pushed back on signing free-agent guard John Simpson due to a lackluster ‘awareness’ rating in Madden,” per The Athletic. Douglas signed Simpson to a two-year, $18MM deal anyway, and the veteran lineman has quietly earned the eighth-highest grade among NFL guards from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) with a $12MM valuation from OverTheCap for his play this year.
Jets executives have pointed to Johnson’s Madden obsession as evidence of disproportionate influence from his sons, Brick and Jack. They began sitting in on team meetings last year and frequently share posts and articles from social media with their father that are weighed against the advice of the Jets’ decision-makers. “I answer to teenagers,” said Douglas before the season, according to The Athletic.
Johnson’s sons have even violated the traditional sanctity of the Jets’ locker room, bringing friends and openly airing their criticism of the team. Brick Johnson even pre-empted Aaron Rodgers after the Jets’ Halloween win, their first after firing Robert Saleh four weeks prior. Rodgers intended to give a customary game ball to Jeff Ulbrich for his first victory as a head coach. Instead, Brick Johnson jumped into give a game ball to Garrett Wilson – complete with a profanity-laden exclamation for social media – and Woody Johnson took Rodgers’ ball to give to Ulbrich himself. One player called it “the most awkward, cringe-worthy, brutal experience.”
Even for a Jets team that has received a torrent of criticism, this would be new territory. Woody Johnson fired Saleh without going to Douglas and effectively stripped power from his GM this year, predictably preceding Douglas’ ouster weeks later. The owner has entrusted ex-GMs Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman to run the team’s HC search, though the owner obviously has the final call. Today’s revelations add a bizarre chapter to what has been one of the more eventful Jets years; this report coming as the team is conducting searches only adds to the strangeness surrounding this organization.