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It makes one wonder about Will Levis all the same.

He's got to go. You can't have a QB backing up your franchise guy who says his situation "sucks" & that he got a raw deal. That's only going to create a distraction on the team.
 
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The 49ers were really impressed with Leonard according to insiders reports but decided to wait till later in the draft to get a rookie QB. They probably had too many other needs after the free agency they just had.
What was reasoning for drafting Kurtis Rourke? (7th/227). Does Shanahan see him as the future QB especially if Purdy doesn't live up to expectations? This one doesn't make sense since the 9ers have Mac Jones firmly in place as the backup & Tanner Mordecai as QB3 (I thought Shanahan was excited about him? Decent arm, elite speed & athleticism, bonafide dual-threat, etc). And factor in that Rouke had ACL surgery in January & may not even be ready for preseason camp.
 
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What was reasoning for drafting Kurtis Rourke? (7th/227). Does Shanahan see him as the future QB especially if Purdy doesn't live up to expectations? This one doesn't make sense since the 9ers have Mac Jones firmly in place as the backup & Tanner Mordecai as QB3 (I thought Shanahan was excited about him? Decent arm, elite speed & athleticism, bonafide dual-threat, etc). And factor in that Rouke had ACL surgery in January & may not even be ready for preseason camp.
Yeah it raised a few eyebrows. Not really sure. A lot of teams no longer carry four QB's, Of course the Browns have five but that won't last long.
 
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I think his heart was set on playing for the Vikings & returning to the NFC North. But O'Connell didn't want him messing up things with McCarthy. Lol.
Oh absolutely it was. Rodgers was trying to finish off his Favre journey while also wanting to try and get back at the Packers. Not only would he have messed up the McCarthy situation but destroyed the good things they’ve built up in Minnesota. I don’t even think he’d listen to Vrabel or Campbell. One of the reasons I think he wanted the Steelers was they play the Jets and Packers. Now it’s reported Rodgers was the Steelers third choice, wouldn’t be surprised to see him try and bounce ship to the Browns after losing to the Jets and Packers to try and beat the Steelers.

View: https://youtu.be/N4OlrU3o6UE?si=U0JUE2l0HxOpCG_b
 
Interesting article. Sounds like he's aware of the "sophomore slump" & is doing everything to avoid it.

Nix definitely exceeded expectations but there really wasn't anything that special about winning 10 games. They had an easy schedule & other than the early win against TB, they lost to the good teams & beat the bad teams. In the division, they split with KC (*note though the season ending win was against most of KC's reserves), lost to LAC twice & beat the Raiders both times.

The playoffs really exposed the Broncos' weaknesse & showed they're a long way off from SB contention with that 31-7 drubbing by Buffalo. In that game, Nix couldn't generate any offense with 3 & out after 3 & out. They had no running game with a team total of only 79 yds with Nix the leading rusher at 43 (vs Buffalo's 210 yds rushing). He didn't throw the ball well & their time of possession was only 18 mins vs 42 for Buffalo. And Allen torched supposedly one of the top defenses for 279 & 2 scores.

But they do have the foundation in the making of a franchise QB not seen since Elway. Nix's athleticism as a dual-threat & his above-average arm are his attributes that he can hopefully improve uopn.

So, the big question is: Under the tutelage of Payton, will he continue to improve & can the Broncos close the gap against the AFC's elite teams? Only time will tell.
 
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Although I'm not as optimistic on Denver this year as you are, I think what you just wrote says more about Buffalo than it does anything. They have a stacked team, an elite QB (now MVP) and there is no reason they shouldn't win a SB in the next couple years. I think they partially lost to KC due to psychological reasons, then toss in two bad calls, and they couldn't get past them. I have a hunch their offense this year could be a juggernaut, as they were able to keep Joe Brady as OC. They were already good, but added Curtis Samuel, and Kendrick Green, two solid players, which is all they really needed. They also patched holes on their D in both FA and the draft, Bosa won't be expected to play every down, and has to be an improvement over the washed Von Miller who was never the same after tearing his ACL. If the Bills can simply stay reasonably healthy on D, that could be the key to putting them over the top.
 
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Batimore with Lamar & OC Todd Monken are just as every bit as good as Allen/Brady & they haven't been able to get to the SB either. And what Lamar did last year was mind-boggling; career highs in passing yardage & passer rating, 41 TDs to 4 picks, and despite having Henry, he still rushed for 915 yds! What else does he have to do?

The problem is no one can dethrone the Chiefs in the conference. They're one of the most playoff efficient teams in the history of the NFL. Remember a couple of years ago when they finished 11-6 & the pundits were saying the Chiefs won't get back to the SB. Not only did they get back to SB, but won it! Lol. The Chiefs are a dynasty with Mahomes. As long as he stays healthy, the Chiefs are never out of it & remain the team to beat (and look who Reid took with their 1st rd pick - one of the top pass blocking OT from Ohio St, and later on another speed burner WR - providing Mahomes with more weapons).
 
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Big addition to the RB room. The fallout from a lack of a running game against Buffalo has prompted a shakeup: Javonte Williams was released (signed by the Cowboys) & Payton took RJ Harvey in the 2nd rd - the 5th back taken in this draft.

Dobbs, despite missing 4 games last season due to injury, still rushed for 905 yds (4.6 avg) & 9 scores (no fumbles) plus an additional 32 catches. And he's only 26. Add McLaughlin, a speed burner scatback & big Audric Estime, and this is looking like a pretty good RB corp.
 
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That's it. He told the cops that guys tried to rob him, and he was unarmed when they questioned him, but security footage and bystander phone footage later showed a different story. Brown is currently on the lam, so to speak, riding a bike somewhere in the Middle East. Here's what I could find from the AP:
Brown, 36, is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier. The victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators one of the bullets grazed his neck.

The second-degree attempted murder charge carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence and up to a $10,000 fine.
News clip here:

As to JK Dobbins to Denver, he has to stay healthy. In fact, last season seemed like the first year he was mostly healthy.
 
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UFL championship game really wasn't close after the 2Q, with DC beating Michigan (first appearance since winning the 1983 USFL Championship! :oops:) 58-34. But it was still fairly entertaining with the two teams combining for over 1000 yards of offense.

DC QB Jordan Ta'amu is a modern day, highly mobile QB who has been on practice squads for something like 8 NFL teams over 5 or so years. But that doesn't mean he'll be invited to camp, let alone make a team. Numerous position players from the UFL (and XFL and USFL) made NFL teams in recent years, but few QBs stick around. Alex McGough made it just over 1 year in GB on their practice squad and emergency QB. Adrien Martinez is likely still the Jets 3rd string QB or on the practice squad. Luis Perez has played in pre-seasons for the Rams and Chargers and been on practice squads. Bryce Perkins (losing QB in this game) played some for the Rams a couple years back. Matt Corrall too played in pre-seasons, practice squads. Chase Garbers is another. But none seem to really stick to teams, showing just how competitive the QB position is.

dc-defenders-are-your-2025-ufl-champions-v0-zjsbwb50h07f1.jpeg
 
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