HEADLINES

Philadelphia Eagles News & Rumors

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.

The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Davis, Giants

May 26th, 2023 at 10:56am CST by Sam Robinson

Once again positioned as a Super Bowl frontrunner, the Eagles did lose both their starting safeties (Marcus Epps, C.J. Gardner-Johnson) and three-down linebackers (T.J. Edwards, Kyzir White) in free agency. The team has retooled at those spots, placing outside additions (Terrell Edmunds, Nicholas Morrow, third-rounder Sydney Brown) and holdovers (Reed Blankenship, Nakobe Dean) in the starter picture. Dean, a former Georgia standout who unexpectedly dropped into the 2022 third round, will be expected to start, Tim McManus of ESPN.com notes, adding Edmunds and Blankenship are the early expected starters at safety. But more help will probably be on the way. The spring additions aside, McManus expects the defending NFC champions to add both at safety and linebacker before the season. The Howie Roseman-era Eagles have a history of late-offseason supplementation on defense, having acquired Gardner-Johnson barely a week before last season and having traded for Ronald Darby in August 2017.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • The Cardinals’ tampering violation involving Jonathan Gannon may have impacted Vic Fangio‘s decision-making this offseason. Fangio likely would have become the Eagles’ defensive coordinator had the Cardinals and Gannon been upfront about the process that led to the two-year Eagles DC leaving for Arizona, Adam Schefter of ESPN said during a recent appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic’s John Kincade Show. Cards GM Monti Ossenfort confessed to inappropriate contact with Gannon after the NFC championship game. The Cardinals officially requested a Gannon HC interview on Super Bowl Sunday, but discussions occurred before that point. The Eagles had previously eyed Fangio, who had served as a consultant for the team last season, as a Gannon replacement. Ex-Fangio lieutenant Sean Desai is now running Philly’s defense, and the team would have needed to pay up to keep Fangio, who is earning upwards of $4MM per year with the Dolphins.
  • Lane Johnson played in all three Eagles playoff games, coming back in limited form after suffering a late-season adductor injury that required offseason surgery. With that operation successful, Johnson alerted fans this week (via Twitter) he is good to go. This injury was not expected to threaten Johnson’s training camp availability, and the Eagles are on track to have their right tackle back — and on a new deal — well in time for the season.
  • Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis will miss offseason time after undergoing a cleanup procedure on his knee, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post tweets. This procedure occurred earlier this year and should be considered unlikely to threaten the third-year defender’s chances of starting the season on time. A 2021 first-round pick, Davis worked as a full-time starter in Washington last season, making 104 tackles (nine for loss) and tallying three sacks.
  • The Giants are making some changes to their scouting department. D.J. Boisture, a second-generation Giants staffer who had been with the team for a decade, is no longer in place as its West Coast area scout, Neil Stratton of InsidetheLeague.com tweets. Pro scout Steven Price is also out, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, who notes this may be a case of neither’s contract being renewed. Price spent the past three years with the Giants. GM Joe Schoen did not make many changes to Big Blue’s scouting staff last year, but the post-draft period often sees shuffling in these departments. The Giants are also promoting Marcus Cooper — an ex-Bills exec — to a national scout role. Cooper has been with the Giants for five years. Blaise Bell, who has been in the organization since 2019, will also rise to an area scout role.
  • Oshane Ximines‘ deal to stay with the Giants will be worth the league minimum. The fifth-year outside linebacker will be tied to a one-year, $1.1MM deal, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who notes the Giants are guaranteeing the former third-round pick $200K (Twitter link).

Eagles Worked Out OL D.J. Fluker

May 25th, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite not having played since 2020, D.J. Fluker is considering a comeback. The veteran offensive lineman worked out for the Eagles yesterday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

While the former first-round pick didn’t necessarily live up to his draft stock, he still put together a solid eight-year stretch. He started all 59 of his appearances for the Chargers to begin his career, and he later had stints with the Giants, Seahawks (two years), and Ravens.

After starting eight of his 16 appearances for Baltimore in 2020, Fluker signed with the Dolphins, but a torn meniscus ultimately led to his release. He was later slapped with a six-game suspension, and he had brief stints with the Raiders and Jaguars to end the 2021 campaign. The veteran remained unsigned for the 2022 season.

When we last saw him in 2020, Pro Football Focus pegged Fluker as an average offensive tackle, favoring his run-blocking ability over his pass-blocking ability. The site was never particularly fond of the lineman’s performance, and they most recently graded him as an above-average player at his position in 2016.

Still, Fluker could make some sense for the Eagles. The Eagles mostly have inexperienced depth behind their starters, so Fluker would provide some reinforcement in that regard. Plus, it wouldn’t take long to catch him up to speed; he played for OL Jeff Stoutland when the two were at Alabama, and he played for head coach Nick Sirianni when the two were in San Diego. Plus, for what it’s worth, reports out of Fluker’s camp indicate that he’s been working nonstop and has lost nearly 40 pounds.

Eagles Sign First-Round LB Nolan Smith

May 22nd, 2023 at 10:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Both of the Eagles’ first-round picks in the 2023 draft are now officially on the books. The team announced on Monday that they have signed edge rusher Nolan Smith to his four-year rookie deal.

Smith was one of multiple former Georgia defenders to be selected by the Eagles this year, joining fellow first-rounder Jalen Carter and fourth-round corner Kelee Ringo in that regard. With Smith now signed, only the latter has yet to ink his first NFL deal out of Philadelphia’s seven-man class.

Smith was a consistent contributor on the Bulldogs’ vaunted defense, a unit which was key in leading the team to consecutive national championships. The 6-3, 235-pounder’s best season came in 2021, when he totaled 4.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. Those figures fell slightly to three and seven, respectively, last year. Smith still found himself squarely on the first-round radar given his skillset against the pass and run.

A very strong performance at the Combine led many to believe he would be one of the top edge rushers to hear his name called on draft night. Instead, Smith fell to the No. 30 slot before the Eagles added him to a draft class which already included Carter, the class’ top defensive tackle. The latter was the draft’s most polarizing figure, but Smith will join the Eagles with one of the safest floors in the class given the praise he has received on and off the field.

Size was raised as a potential concern for Smith, though his frame has yielded Haason Reddick comparisons. The veteran enjoyed a highly successful first campaign in Philadelphia last season, recording 16 sacks and a league-leading five forced fumbles. Reddick will once again be a key member of the Eagles’ pass rush, though they had several contributors in 2022 en route to registering 69 regular season sacks.

Smith will look to carve out a role alongside Reddick and the likes of Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat in his rookie season. With Graham likely nearing the end of his career, an increased role could emerge for Smith down the road, but in the immediate future he will join a deep edge rushing group aiming to repeat the Eagles’ success from last year.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Bills, Titans, Steelers

May 21st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Last year, the Raiders offensive line was viewed as a major weakness, forcing Las Vegas to shuffle the depth chart until they found a workable solution. Oddly enough, though, by the end of the season, the team found a reliable starting five and some dependable reserves that didn’t blow anybody away but routinely got the job done. With the position no longer a weakness, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal posits that the Raiders may not have much urgency in addressing the position before next season.

Returning a likely starting five of Kolton Miller at left tackle, Dylan Parham at left guard, Andre James at center, Alex Bars at right guard, and Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, the Raiders don’t necessarily have any holes in the offensive line. Bonsignore asserts that the team still may look for potential upgrades from younger reserve linemen pushing for playing time or potential outside additions, if they present themselves, but right now, the team’s roster may be set after the recent additions of free agent Greg Van Roten and undrafted rookies McClendon Curtis and Dalton Wagner.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC:

  • The Bills made a number of moves within their scouting department this offseason. Formerly the team’s pro personnel director, Malik Boyd has been named senior personnel advisor in Buffalo. The former Vikings defensive back and veteran scout with personnel experience for the Colts and Cardinals will work as an executive scout in both pro and college mediums. Additionally, Chris Marrow and Curtis Rukavina have both been named co-directors of pro scouting. The two remain entwined after joining the team as pro scouts in 2017 and both working as assistant directors of pro scouting until their recent promotions.
  • With a new general manager in Ran Carthon, the Titans, too, have begun to make some front office adjustments, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Max Curtis has been named as the team’s new player personnel coordinator, being from promoted from dual roles last year as coordinator of football administration and executive assistant to the executive vice president and general manager. Bryce Wasserman will now be the Titans’ director of team strategy after serving last year as staff counsel. Lastly, a football development coordinator last year, John Streicher will now be in the role of director of football administration.
  • Finally, the Steelers have poached a scout from the in-state Eagles, according to Colin Dunlap of 93.7 The Fan, Pittsburgh. After five years as an area scout for Philadelphia, Jim Ward will cross the state to serve a similar role in Pittsburgh.

Eagles Open To Extension With RB D’Andre Swift

May 20th, 2023 at 6:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles came away from the 2023 draft with another collection of Georgia defenders, but those weren’t the only former Bulldogs which they acquired. Trade addition D’Andre Swift is entering the final year of his rookie contract, making his financial future a situation to monitor.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that the Eagles could look into an extension with the ex-Lions running back. Philadelphia acquired Swift as part of a draft-day pick swap which saw them exchange seventh-rounders and send a 2025 fourth-round selection to Detroit. That move was an expected one after the Lions surprisingly used their top pick on running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who is in line to hold a sizeable role in their backfield.

The same can be said of Swift in his new home. The Eagles lost Miles Sanders in free agency, creating an opening at the top of their RB depth chart. They signed Rashaad Penny, but the former Seahawks’ career has been marred by injury troubles. That could leave the door open to Swift taking on lead back duties, especially given his strength as a pass-catcher; the 24-year-old has racked up 1,198 yards and seven touchdowns in the air during his first three seasons.

Of his 40 career games, only 16 have been starts, however. Swift saw his snap share fall from 67% to 42% in 2022, leading to him lamenting his lack of opportunities. By the time he was dealt to his hometown NFL team, it came as little surprise that the Lions allowed him an opportunity to rebuild his value ahead of free agency. While the former second-rounder could sign a deal at any time, that should not be expected at this point.

Fowler adds that a Swift extension in 2023 is unlikely, given his inability to remain healthy for a full season to date. Doing so would no doubt boost his value, though the market did not yield much for running backs who were allowed to test free agency this offseason. Playing a key role in what should once again be an elite Philadelphia offense should, in any event, provide clarity on Swift’s likelihood of remaining with the Eagles beyond 2023.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/23

May 18th, 2023 at 5:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Non-first-round picks continue to sign their four-year contracts. We’ve collected today’s signings below:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Williams was one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft considering his status heading into the 2022 campaign. The Syracuse cornerback is still recovering from a torn ACL that limited him to only seven games last season. As the rookie told Darren Urban of the team’s website, he’s already progressed to running.

“You feel like football season is around the corner, but you’ve got to stay patient,” Williams said. “I can’t rush it. But obviously I can’t wait to put the cleats and pads back on … The hard part’s done. Now it’s the fun part, strengthening things, I’m able to run. I feel like a football player again.”

The defensive back also made it clear that he’s aiming to be back on the field for training camp, but he understands that the organization may want to bring him along more slowly.

“I am seeing it as, I can come back from this and make my story,” Williams said. “I see my life as a movie [and] make my movie that much cooler, that much better at the end.”

Poll: Which Team Has Improved Most This Offseason?

May 17th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although several starter-caliber veterans remain unsigned, NFL teams have largely taken their big swings this offseason. Be it through free agency, the trade market or the draft, franchises have updated their rosters in hopes of improving in 2023.

Any conversation of 2023 improvement efforts probably needs to start with the Jets. Thanks to the Sacramento Kings’ playoff advancement, the Jets hold major North American sports’ longest postseason drought — at 12 years. After missing on a few rookie-contract QBs in the time since their last playoff run, the Jets now have Aaron Rodgers. The six nationally televised games on Gang Green’s docket illustrate Rodgers’ impact on the team’s perception, and although the four-time MVP will turn 40 before year’s end, he has made the Jets a free agency destination of sorts. The team added ex-Rodgers Packer wideouts Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, with those moves coming after the addition of safety Chuck Clark via trade.

As the Jets stands to be a factor in the one of the deepest conferences in recent memory, the Dolphins added Jalen Ramsey via trade and will pay Vic Fangio upwards of $4.5MM to run their defense. Miami will bank on Tua Tagovailoa health and showed faith in the oft-scrutinized passer by picking up his fifth-year option two months early.

The Ravens took their biggest steps yet — in the Lamar Jackson era, at least — to strengthen their receiving corps, keeping Odell Beckham Jr. from a Big Apple return (via a $15MM guarantee) and drafting Zay Flowers in the first round. The Browns bolstered their receiving corps as well, trading for Elijah Moore and drafting Cedric Tillman in Round 3. Cleveland also has now added two edge rushers — with Jadeveon Clowney not expected back — in Za’Darius Smith and Obo Okoronkwo to complement Myles Garrett. Cincinnati may have made the biggest outside addition in the AFC North, signing Orlando Brown Jr., though the team did lose both starting safeties (Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell) in free agency. The Steelers added two likely O-line starters, in Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, and made changes at cornerback by signing Patrick Peterson and drafting Joey Porter Jr.

The returns from this year’s top AFC South headlines likely will not emerge until the mid-2020s, but the Texans, Colts and Titans drafted hopeful long-term QBs (C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis). Houston also gave up a bounty to move back into the top three for Will Anderson Jr.

Making Nathaniel Hackett just the third HC since the 1970 merger to be fired before his first season ended, the Broncos paid up — both in terms of draft capital and salary — to add Sean Payton. They also spent heavily to better protect Russell Wilson, signing Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey. The latter will be Denver’s 11th Week 1 right tackle in 11 years. The Raiders added Tyree Wilson in Round 1, but the team’s Derek Carr-to-Jimmy Garoppolo transition injects considerably more injury risk into their equation.

Darren Waller going from Las Vegas to New York provided the centerpiece of the Giants’ hopeful pass-game upgrade, which includes a few midlevel wide receiver investments. The team added likely starters in cornerback Deonte Banks and center John Michael Schmitz. Dallas brought in Pro Bowlers Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore via trade, and Mike McCarthy will dust off his play-calling chops after Moore’s Chargers exit. The Eagles drafted two more Georgia defenders (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith) in Round 1 but lost Javon Hargrave and both coordinators.

Few position groups received more attention than the Lions’ secondary. The rising team added Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley and second-rounder Brian Branch. This came after Jameson Williams‘ six-game gambling ban and after two first-round picks (Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell) receiving positional value-based criticism. While the Bears collected future assets from the Panthers in the Bryce Young swap, they pried D.J. Moore from Carolina and added two likely O-line starters in Nate Davis and Darnell Wright.

Carolina stopped its QB carousel with the Young move, and Frank Reich will be tasked with developing the atypical prospect. The Panthers also lured Ejiro Evero from the Broncos, despite Denver’s interest in retaining its DC. Though, the team’s receiving situation — now featuring Adam Thielen and DJ Chark — may take multiple years to fix post-Moore. The rest of the NFC South will also include new Week 1 starting QBs. The Saints made the second-most notable veteran quarterback addition this year — in giving Carr what amounts to a three-year, $100MM deal — and will hope this brings the QB stability Drew Brees‘ retirement stripped away two years ago.

While the 49ers lost another coordinator (DeMeco Ryans) to a head coaching job, they gave new DC Steve Wilks superior D-line talent via Hargrave’s $20MM-AAV deal. With the Colts taking Richardson at No. 4, the Seahawks doubled down on the recently re-signed Geno Smith by beginning this year’s receiver run with Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20. Seattle also zagged from its Pete Carroll–John Schneider M.O. by taking cornerback Devon Witherspoon at 5. This and the Dre’Mont Jones contract headlined a big year for Seahawks defensive investments.

What other teams deserve mention here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Which team has improved most this offseason?
Chicago Bears 12.20% (563 votes)
New York Jets 10.27% (474 votes)
Detroit Lions 9.06% (418 votes)
Philadelphia Eagles 6.67% (308 votes)
Seattle Seahawks 6.35% (293 votes)
Pittsburgh Steelers 5.76% (266 votes)
Houston Texans 4.61% (213 votes)
Cleveland Browns 3.60% (166 votes)
Green Bay Packers 3.42% (158 votes)
Atlanta Falcons 3.38% (156 votes)
New York Giants 3.21% (148 votes)
Dallas Cowboys 2.82% (130 votes)
Baltimore Ravens 2.60% (120 votes)
Miami Dolphins 2.56% (118 votes)
Minnesota Vikings 2.53% (117 votes)
New England Patriots 2.34% (108 votes)
Denver Broncos 2.23% (103 votes)
San Francisco 49ers 2.08% (96 votes)
Carolina Panthers 1.99% (92 votes)
Kansas City Chiefs 1.82% (84 votes)
Indianapolis Colts 1.71% (79 votes)
New Orleans Saints 1.60% (74 votes)
Las Vegas Raiders 1.23% (57 votes)
Washington Commanders 1.10% (51 votes)
Cincinnati Bengals 1.06% (49 votes)
Los Angeles Rams 0.84% (39 votes)
Buffalo Bills 0.76% (35 votes)
Tennessee Titans 0.52% (24 votes)
Jacksonville Jaguars 0.48% (22 votes)
Los Angeles Chargers 0.43% (20 votes)
Arizona Cardinals 0.41% (19 votes)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0.35% (16 votes)
Total Votes: 4,616

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/16/23

May 16th, 2023 at 6:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

XFL additions and other post-rookie minicamp moves led to some action on the waiver wire Tuesday. As other teams add talent from the latest XFL effort, here are the latest NFL moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: FB Zach Ojile, OL Sam Schlueter

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

A former 60-meter dash finalist at the U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships, Guidry has bounced around the league. But the Jets are bringing back the young cornerback. Guidry played 28 games for the team from 2020-21. A fellow DB, Westry started two games for the Ravens in 2021; he will relocate to Cleveland.

Jackson, Jennings and Thomas all played in the XFL this season and auditioned for the Panthers at their recent rookie minicamp. The Panthers tried Thomas at both tight end and linebacker over the weekend. Although Thomas played in the most recent XFL effort, he was in Colts camp — under current Panthers HC Frank Reich — in 2021. This is Jennings’ seventh NFL stop. The former Seahawks fourth-round pick has not played in the NFL since his 2019 rookie year in Seattle.

Romo joins a Lions team carrying Michael Badgley as its incumbent kicker. The younger specialist has not yet kicked in an NFL game, but the former Virginia Tech kicker played in the XFL this season, making 17 of 19 field goal tries. This included a 57-yarder.

QB Notes: Ravens, Levis, Colts, Richardson, Rams, Bennett, Hurts, 49ers

May 16th, 2023 at 2:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens hosted Anthony Richardson on a pre-draft visit, and GM Eric DeCosta did not shoot down the idea of taking a first-round quarterback. Of course, the Ravens squashed any such contingency plan by agreeing to terms with Lamar Jackson on his record-setting extension. Had that not happened, the team is believed to have been intrigued by Will Levis. The Ravens would have considered Levis with their first-round pick had Jackson not signed, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. Baltimore had pursued Baker Mayfield as well and entered draft week with neither of its top QBs signed beyond 2023. Tyler Huntley is on an RFA tender.

Selecting a quarterback at No. 22 would have both been a leverage play and certainly would have cost the team its best opportunity to add weaponry around Jackson, thus weakening the 2023 Ravens edition. A number of teams were connected to Levis coming into the draft, and trade rumors — centered around teams eyeing a move up for the falling Kentucky prospect — emerged in the late first round and early second. The Ravens now loom as a Levis “what if?” Though, they will probably not be the first team mentioned as a near-miss regarding the strong-armed prospect. Considering Jackson’s contract, Levis may barely be a footnote for the team.

Here is the latest news from the quarterback position:

  • Seeing as the Colts and Titans are in the same division, Indianapolis will probably be the top Levis “what if?” team. The Colts were tied to Levis for weeks ahead of the draft, but they successfully masked their Richardson interest. Even though Richardson’s ceiling enamored Colts brass, Fowler adds Levis had a few fans in Indy’s building. The Penn State transfer might be readier to play compared to Richardson, a one-year Florida starter, though Ryan Tannehill‘s presence in Tennessee may ensure Richardson begins his QB1 run first. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds was a Richardson skeptic at first, but fellow seventh-year Indy front office staffer Morocco Brown — who primarily scouted the Gators talent for the Colts — made near-weekly trips to Gainesville to chart the athletic prospect’s progress. Ex-Shane Steichen Eagles coworker Brian Johnson, Florida’s OC during Richardson’s freshman year (2020), also vouched for Richardson, per Fowler.
  • The Rams did not consider Levis, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, who notes they came into the draft with a goal of landing a Day 3 passer (subscription required). Despite Levis having played for 2022 Rams OC Liam Coen in 2021, team brass was split on the prospect. Los Angeles ended up with Stetson Bennett via the No. 128 overall pick. This came after the Rams hired one of their former QBs, Kellen Clemens, as a consultant to evaluate Bennett and other arms, Rodrigue adds. Clemens met with Bennett in Georgia before the draft, but even though Bennett is a 26-year-old rookie, ex-Broncos backup Brett Rypien may begin as Matthew Stafford‘s backup.
  • The Eagles‘ Jalen Hurts extension (five years, $255MM) laid the groundwork for Jackson’s, and the Ravens QB scored more fully guaranteed money ($135MM to $110MM). But Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes the Hurts deal jumps to $157.3MM fully guaranteed by 2025. This is because Hurts’ 2026 option bonus ($49.8MM) becomes guaranteed in stages. Hurts will see $16.5MM of that bonus become guaranteed in 2024, and $30MM of that payout locks in by 2025. These guarantees vest in March 2024 and ’25, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. The Eagles ditched Carson Wentz‘s contract less than two years after authorizing it, but they moved back into the QB-paying business with this megadeal.
  • Former Detroit and Washington practice squad QB Steven Montez spent the weekend in San Francisco auditioning at the 49ers‘ rookie minicamp, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. The Colorado alum served as the Seattle Sea Dragons’ backup, behind Ben DiNucci, who has since signed with the Broncos. The 49ers have four QBs rostered and have not signed Montez.
Load More Posts