National Football League

[Alpe d'Huez]

Every year 7 teams that made the playoffs don't make them the following year. But I'm nowhere near making such predictions.

I also like teams with dual-threat and highly mobile QBs. As long as the guy can throw okay, and make good passing decisions, any of those teams offense has a chance, and will win some games. Stafford was mobile years ago, now? I don't think so. I'm worried Burrow is going to head that direction, even though he's still fairly young.

I think all new HC's will struggle more than shine: Johnson in Chicago, Coen in Jax, Moore in NO, Schottenheimer in Dallas. The Jets were already horrible, so Glenn may improve them, but they will still struggle.

After watching the Raiders rebuild with Pete Carroll, OC Chip Kelly, and holding onto Patrick Graham as DC, I looked into this theory: Teams that have coaches loaded with experience and former HC's as coordinators, tend to perform well as long as the HC, and players are at least decent. Washington with Quinn and Klingsbury. Philly with Siriani and DC Vic Fangio. Look at Denver where Sean was smart to hire Joseph, and brought in his old OC Pete Carmichael as an offensive assistant. And look at how good KC's defense is with Spagnolo - another former HC with years of coaching experience. The odd team out here may be New England. I don't know what to think of them right now.

I do like the Commanders chances of upending the Eagles. I think it will be ironic to see the Lions defense play better (a heap of guys hurt last year) but their offense take a step back. KC keeps winning, likely division titles, and playoff games, as long as Reid and Mahomes are there, and healthy. And having Spags doesn't hurt at all.

 

[movingtarget]

Jim Irsay, longtime Indianapolis Colts owner and NFL throwback, dies at age of 65

 

[Nomad]

The odd team out here may be New England. I don't know what to think of them right now.

I think they have to show tremendous improvement from last season's embarrassing 4-13 finish because of one name: Drake Maye. Remember he was one of the big 3 drafted in that deep QB class. Elite size, elite arm & excellent athleticism with good speed to threaten defenses as a scrambler & designed runner (was a dual-threat at North Carolina). He has Josh Allen type talent.

Last season he started 12 games (3-9) & threw the ball fairly well (88 passer rating) but needs to cut down on the picks (15/10). His 421 rushing yards on a 7.8 average was impressive.

Vrabel & McDaniels went all offense in the first 3 rounds of the draft selecting the best OT & C, and the 4th best RB. I think Vrabel has to win 9 or 10 games & show that he can get NE back into playoff contention....now. Not 2 or 3 years down the road but now. They can not afford to have another 1st rd QB failure. Vrabel needs immediate success with Maye to keep his job. He's not a rookie HC - he's getting a second chance.

 

[Nomad]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1925214838067745114

View: https://x.com/Eagles/status/1925214838067745114

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Maxx Crosby stops the tush push.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I agree the Patriots need to at least look like a contender this year, and should be expected to seriously content in 2026. Consider this:

• Jerrod Mayo was maybe the worst HC in the NFL last year. He looked lost much of the time.
• They hired an experienced HC, a "homer" in Vrabel who once took Ryan Tannehill to the AFC championship.
• They hired an experienced OC in Josh McDaniels who has a reputation of making QBs better. Rotten HC, but solid OC.
• The Patriots were one of the more injured teams last year. Many will be back. Most are young.
• They spent big in free agency: Diggs, Carlton Davis, Robert Spillane, Milton Williams, others.
• They loaded up their offense in the draft to help Maye.
• They have Maye on a rookie contract.
• They just went through the rebuild phase. Up is the direction.
• Kraft is old. There isn't much "future time" for him to sit around and wait.

I'm just a believe it when I see it guy. There is a lot of change here, a whole lot of moving parts.

 

[Nomad]

You've laid out a case where they've got some talent both with players & the coaching staff as well (they also have Hunter Henry - the team's leading receiver last year & top-10 in TE receiving yards).

Bottom line: Maye has Josh Allen type talent. His play is very similar to Allen. Furthermore, Allen had a similar rookie season starting 11 games (5-6) & struggled in the passing dept (ran the ball very well). Allen's breakout season was the following year where he threw the ball much better & the team went 10-6 and a WC birth. The following year he exploded as a passer leading the team to a 13 win season, division title & AFCCG appearance.

IMO, Maye has got to live up to his #3 OA billing & have a similar progression in his second year to that of Allen's.

Can Diggs help Drake Maye make the Josh Allen leap with Pats?

Stefon Diggs' comparison of Drake Maye to Josh Allen carries a bit more weight considering his impressive history with the Bills quarterback.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

As some teams have all players in camp, and by all, I mean every single player they signed is practicing, the Steelers still have no idea who their QB1 will be this season, and are still waiting around for Aaron Rodgers to make his decision that will affect them. Aaron craves attention, so he gave out ayahuasca tea leaves saying he would never play for Chicago (as if they need a QB), but can see himself playing for a team that plays Chicago this year (which is Pittsburgh). Just unreal that the stern team that is the Steelers are allowing him to yank them around and play games with them like this. Some players saying it is no distraction? Really? What a joke.

I remember when Jeff Fisher was asked if Michael Sam was a distraction. He quickly dismissed it, "just another guy trying to make the team" and he was. He later pointed out that he coached Albert Haynesworth, and despite knowing who he was, and what you were getting when they signed him, that guy was a distraction. Rodgers may not be the nasty person Haynesworth was, nor lazy like Haynesworth became, this whole situation with Rodgers and the Steelers seems like a total distraction, and one you can't control.

Some talk the Steelers may be interested in looking at Michigan Panthers (UFL) quarterback Bryce Perkins. A dual-threat who sat on the Rams practice squad for 2 years. Wasn't the most accurate passer, but he's improved quite a bit since then.

And here's where I post once again I cannot fathom the Steelers let Justin Fields walk to the Jets. Plus the Jets are reportedly very happy with Fields dedication. Zero controversy there as to who their QB is. And of course Fields has been working out with the team every single day. Just unreal how stupid the decision making was from the Steelers this season.

 

[movingtarget]

I wonder about the Steelers decision making of late and also how much longer Tomlin will be coaching there. Sure the record means he's not a bum coach but how long do you keep someone who some people think has been left behind with the new style of offense ? Although Vegas had no trouble taking on Pete after Seattle had moved on while Bill B had little interest from NFL teams when he attempted a comeback. Older successful coaches seem to be viewed a little differently these days especially when the playoff success has dried up. The Steelers waiting on Rodgers is something I would expect from the Browns not the Steelers. Even the train wreck Jets were smart enough to move on from Rodgers and didn't like what they were seeing from him. Another year of failure with Rodgers at the Jets might have been worse for Saleh's career than where he has ended up as a DC..

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I think Belicheck is not in the NFL because he simply does not come off as a very personable individual. He also seems to command being both the HC and GM (if not in title) and VP of player personnel. I'm sure there are a lot of NFL owners who don't want to deal with that.

Carrol on the other hand is very personable, has the energy of someone half his age, welcomed working with the Raiders new GM, and players love him. If I understand correctly he interviewed with the Raiders with a plan on how the team can move forward. So he's definitely not stuck in the past, even if he does hold on to some old school principles and is 73.

The peculiar thing about Tomlin is his defenders have been saying the team doesn't have a QB, and have been saying this since 2020 and Big Ben's last gasp (though really 2017 was the last season he was truly good). But one can't say they didn't try with Haskins, Trubisky, Rudolph, Pickett, Fields, Wilson. Can all those guys (toss in Big Ben's last few years) be the reason they can't win a playoff game? I have respect for Tomlin, but at some point you do have to wonder. Now, if Fields has a terrible year for the Jets, and the Steelers win a playoff game with Rodgers, call me a total idiot.

 

[Potomac]

Steelers have had a total of three head coaches for the last 56 seasons.

 

[Nomad]

And here's where I post once again I cannot fathom the Steelers let Justin Fields walk to the Jets. Plus the Jets are reportedly very happy with Fields dedication. Zero controversy there as to who their QB is. And of course Fields has been working out with the team every single day. Just unreal how stupid the decision making was from the Steelers this season.

I was initially scratching my head on this one too, but I've had a change of perspective. If we look at this realistically, Fields is not a developed passer like the other top dual-threats are. Let's look at his career passer rating compared to the other dual-threats. I also listed Daniels & Nix, who both had very impressive rookie compaigns showing good passing development...especially Daniels! (100 passer rating as a full-time rookie starter...are you kidding me!)

Fields (4 seasons) 7780 yds 83.9

Jackson (7 seasons) 20,080 yds 102.8
Hurts (5 seasons) 14,667 yds 93.5
Allen (7 seasons) 26,434 yds 93.4
Murray (6 seasons) 19,898 yds 92.4

Daniels (1 season) 3568 yds 100.1
Nix (1 season) 3775 yds 93.3

As you can see, even with last season's improvement, he's still way behind these guys. And he's yet to complete a full 17 game season either due to injuries or being benched for performance issues. Though he went 4-2 in those 6 games he started last season, he should have beaten both the Colts & Cowboys. Maybe then at 6-0, Tomlin doesn't change QBs & Fields gets a shot at a full season,

I don't know who the Jets' OC or QB coach is, but maybe they'll have more success than his prior OCs & QB coaches had. IMO, if he doesn't improve on his accuracy, cut down on his picks & turnovers, and get that passer rating way up, he's going to end up like another Trubisky or Winston. He's a #11 OA & has been in the league for four seasons now, he needs to lead the Jets to a winning record & postseason appearance to move in the right direction in establishing himself as a franchise QB.

 

[Nomad]

Carrol on the other hand is very personable, has the energy of someone half his age, welcomed working with the Raiders new GM, and players love him. If I understand correctly he interviewed with the Raiders with a plan on how the team can move forward. So he's definitely not stuck in the past, even if he does hold on to some old school principles and is 73.

Incredible energy & fitness for a 73 yr old! And he appears very motivated & enthusiastic about coaching again:

View: https://youtu.be/wUg8FtTdQvc?si=VqDVXgKthgCgtHGn

 

[Nomad]

'Humble Confidence': Cam Ward Gets High Praise From Calvin Ridley As Titans Rookie QB Impresses

Cam Ward, newly drafted Tennessee Titans quarterback, was recently praised by the team’s wide receiver, Calvin Ridley. Ridley spoke to reporters over the weekend during his youth football camp at the Lipscomb Academy.

www.yardbarker.com

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25198887-titans-cam-ward-reportedly-advertised-rookie-qb-hungry-information

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I don't want to be overly enthusiastic about Fields. He has definitely struggled in passing. Wilson however only went 6-5 and wasn't the answer either.

But I will stand by what I posted before from the Steelers perspective: You keep Fields on the roster giving him a similar 2-year deal to what the Jets gave him. $20m a year. This gives you a chance to see if he can improve on that 4-2 start. At worst, he doesn't, but he becomes your bridge QB until you can find someone in the next couple years. He buys you time. I refuse to believe he (at least on the Steelers) would be worse than Rudolph, or even Rodgers. Or Howard. At least through 2026. And right now, the Steelers have no QB plan at all for 2026. Unless they think Howard is the guy?

Love Pete Carroll. Incredible energy. What impresses me is how many vets are at camp. I think the entire roster has been at the facility, even though it's only mandatory for rookies right now. At the end of that clip you get a look at Jeanty, who isn't very tall but looks like pure muscle with a low center of gravity. Dude is going to be hard to tackle. Presuming the questionable OL can block for him.

 

[Nomad]

Well...they didn't want Fields because Tomlin had his heart set on Rodgers. Now fully into OTAs, there's no Rodgers present & he's talking retirement (again).

As it stands now, Rudolph is the starter. Could he be the bridge QB?

As far as Howard goes; despite being a 6th rounder (5.90 rating = "Average Backup"), Big Ben is endorsing him as the Steeler's future QB (?). I don't know if it's because Howard is similar in size & they both come from Ohio, but with the exception of a few, Day 3 QBs usually don't end up as franchise players.

Big Ben supports Steelers QB pick with elite sixth-round comparisons — like Tom Brady

Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger explained why drafting Will Howard in the sixth round was a great move.

steelerswire.usatoday.com

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well...they didn't want Fields because Tomlin had his heart set on Rodgers. Now fully into OTAs, there's no Rodgers present & he's talking retirement (again).

Not only Tomlin. Rooney seems to be caught in the same spell that Woody Johnson was. Dreaming of getting Aaron Rodgers 2015, not 2025.

As it stands now, Rudolph is the starter. Could he be the bridge QB?

He could, but Fields has a lot more potential upside. If I'm rolling the dice, I'd do it with Fields, thinking maybe he'll develop into a higher tier QB. We don't quite know his ceiling. We know Rudolphs.

 

[movingtarget]

NFL scheduling VP: Joe Burrow’s complaint about latest Bengals prime-time game in Baltimore 'fair'

 

[SHAD0W93]

Kirk Cousins Didn't Show Up To Atlanta Falcons Offseason Workouts Amid Trade Rumors

Kirk Cousins was notable absentee on Tuesday when the Atlanta Falcons kicked off their voluntary organized team actives. Falcons coach Raheem Morris said that he did not see Cousins around the facility Tuesday. The quarterback has been around a bit this spring. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson...

dailysnark.com

Watch the Steelers pick up Cousins among Rodgers Rodgering.

Denver Broncos Will Be Inducting Demaryius Thomas Into Their Ring Of Fame During 2025 Season

The Denver Broncos will be honoring the late Demaryius Thomas. On Tuesday, the Broncos announced that the organization will be inducting Thomas, who was a signature part of the Broncos Super Bowl 50 team into the team’s Ring of Fame during the 2025 season. Thomas was the only former player or...

dailysnark.com

And a very nice gesture by the Broncos.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Watch the Steelers pick up Cousins among Rodgers Rodgering.

While that would be amusing, I don't see it. First, they'd have to pay him the $40m Atlanta owes him, and because of how his contract is, there's a dead cap hit of $75 if it doesn't work out. Is he worth that? A 37 year old, aging, immobile QB with a career record of 83-74-2, and playoff record of 1-3. Younger than Rodgers, but no improvement, and more expensive. Steelers currently have $34m in cap space, so they'd have to find $6m by maybe cutting a few guys. Or restructure the deal, putting them on the hook for Cousins in 2026, 2027, etc. Which seems like a big mistake.

They would also have to trade someone/picks for him. While I am pretty sure Atlanta wouldn't mind jettisoning that ridiculous contract they foolishly gave him, they're not going to give him up for nothing. After all, he is the best back-up QB in the league. What would Pittsburgh be willing to give?

 

[Nomad]

NFL scheduling VP: Joe Burrow’s complaint about latest Bengals prime-time game in Baltimore 'fair'

I wish he would shut up & focus on playing. Here's the 2nd highest paid player in the league (5 yr/$275m, fully guaranteed, $ 40m signing bonus) complaining about having to play too many primetime road games against Baltimore. Lol

Doesn't he understand & appreciate how fortunate he is to play a "sport" for a living making tens of millions of dollars in doing so. He could walk away from the game tomorrow living a life of luxury & prestige never having to work another day.

This irks me when these high-priced crybabies whine about such trivial matters when they're drowning in money & fame. I don't recall Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson whining like this.

 

[movingtarget]

Center David Andrews retiring following decade with Patriots

 

[movingtarget]

Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw calls Pittsburgh's interest in QB Aaron Rodgers 'a joke'

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

While Bradshaw is right about Rodgers, he also talked about how the Steelers used to draft and develop QBs. But that's somewhat of a nostalgic way of thinking. Now QBs who succeed come in three flavors:

• Straight out of college, expected to start and perform very quickly. Develop on the fly. In fact, the Steelers tried this with Kenny Pickett, and that didn't work so well.
• Find a vet with at least a few years left who falls into their lap with a trade or signing. Stafford to the Rams, Brady to Tampa, perhaps Geno now to the Raiders. This was the case even in Bradshaw's day. Craig Morton leading Denver to the Super Bowl (beating his Steelers along the way). The issue is, Rodgers isn't that guy. He's old, immobile, and a distraction more than an asset at this point.
• Find a young guy who struggled elsewhere, but still may have something untapped. The Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold strategy. But they tried, or intended to try that with Dwayne Haskins. They arguably planned to do that with Fields, but botched it.

So they foolishly painted themselves into a corner with Rodgers, allowing him to play games with them. And when that fails, they will go back to playing QB roulette with the draft, or hope someone else falls to them. What they aren't going to do IMO is have Howard sit for two years, then all of a sudden turn into a tier 1 QB who takes them on deep playoff runs. The odds are so high against that. Fans like to point to Jordan Love, but that's an anomaly at this point. It almost never happens anymore.

 

[Nomad]

I doubt you'll ever see a 1st round drafted QB sit the bench for 3 straight yrs before given the reins of the team. Love not only sat the bench his rookie year but was inactive for every single game as the 3rd stringer. He sat the bench the next 2 years as the backup starting only 1 game for the injured Rodgers.

I think the Steelers were planning on sitting Pickett for the year but he unexpectedly won the backup job going into the start of the season (beat out Rudolph). With Trubisky starting off so badly, Tomlin had no choice but to make a change. Pickett threw ball the poorly with a disastrous 76 passer rating throwing more picks than TDs but surprisingly went 7-5 in his 12 starts.

I think that's the problem a team faces with a 1st round drafted QB they intend to sit a year but wins the backup spot. If the starter performs badly & is losing games, inevitably a change is made with the rookie QB thrown into the starting role. We clearly saw this in the meltdown with Cousins where they had no choice but to get him out of there & prematurely play Penix Jr.

I think Howard has to hope that the scouts got it all wrong with him like they did with Purdy. Purdy's prospect rating at 5.57 ("Priority Undrafted FA") was even lower than Howard's. Lol. And Purdy started his rookie season off as the 3rd stringer only working his way up to the starting spot due to injuries to Lance & Jimmy G. Then he shocked the NFL world going 5-0 in his regular season starts leading the team to the NFCCG & becoming the lowest drafted QB to start & win a playoff game. Man, did the scouts completely blow it with Purdy -- a "Mr. Irrelevant" now the franchise guy with the 9ers!