National Football League

[movingtarget]

The next Sam Darnold? Five NFL QBs who are ready to reinvent their careers

 

[Nomad]

Denver is a huge metro area. Do you think fans would go see a UFL game? I honestly don't know. I do think UFL would be successful in Portland. But it may be a few years before the league comes back out west.

The only reason to do that is if they are certain Pittsburgh will take him at 21. No team after that would take him until the Jets pick again at 33. After that however, there's the risk AZ takes him at 34. After that, the Jets pick again at 44, and I don't see a team between there that will take him (Titans, Saints, Browns, Giants, Raiders, Dolphins). This is the latest I see Simpson being picked, as after that you have several teams that would likely take him. Falcons, Steelers, Rams, Colts. Any of of them could grab him.

Raiders have likely one of the hardest schedules in the NFL this coming season. They play the Broncos, Chargers and Chiefs twice. They play every team in the NFC West (maybe beat AZ? The other three? No way), they also play the Colts, Bills and Saints. The only other teams they might beat are the Browns, Titans, and Jets. I am predicting 5-12, after maybe a 1-6 start But we'll know more when the schedule is official, and after the draft, then camp, preseason, etc.

Denver is a huge metro-area; over 3 million people and growing (I've seen Denver go from a small cow town in the 1960s to a booming metropolis). I think the UFL would do good here. We had spring football here before back with the Denver Gold of the USFL in the mid-1980s. The team played at the old Bronco Mile High stadium where they averaged a league-leading 40,000 per game! (I went to a few games to see a teammate of mine from HS football that made the roster). Right now this city is Bronco crazy followed by the Nuggets & Aves. The Rockies baseball team has low interest, poor attendance & nobody really cares. Lol. That would leave interest in a UFL franchise with the Denver sports fans. There's no question I would go to the games.

On the Raiders, I'm optimistic more than a 5-12 season. IMO, they could have a winning season & make some noise in the conference. You have Bowers - IMO, the best pass catching TE in the league. And what if Kubes can get Jeanty going? He's a workhouse back capable of 100 + yds per game (and he can catch the ball as well). Those are two big offensive weapons for Mendoza.

I wonder what kind of offensive scheme Kubes is going to run with Mendoza? Under Cignetti, Mendoza played in pro-spread heavy shotgun orientated offense that emphasized pocket passing (very little RPO stuff). Charlie Whitmer was his QB coach/co-offensive cord. Whitmer specializes in passing in the pocket from shotgun formation (he was just hired by TB as a their QB coach to work with Mayfield). Take a look at some of the film of Mendoza. Man...he was a throwing monster from the pocket (at 6'5" he's got the height). But he's also very mobile & can run. Look at this impressive run (shades of Josh Allen!)

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/bPNt9ZpQ5ao?si=vZwp0DCl6o5D9dw2

Get Mendoza a decent offensive line & let him fly with what he does best.

 

[Nomad]

Jalen Hurts blamed for Eagles’ problems as drama explodes

The Eagles find themselves in a much different spot this offseason compared to last, with as much uncertainty surrounding the organization this year compared to any other season in the Hurts era.

nypost.com

I thought this was an April fools joke or something. Lol. FFS, picking on Hurts like he's some kind of a chump.? The guy has taken the team to two SBs winning one as SB MVP. Excluding his rookie year where he only started 4 games, he's led the team to the playoffs every year with 3 division titles. He has a 57-25 regular season record & 6-4 postseason record. He was MVP runnerup in 2021 & is currently ranked as a Tier 2.

What else do they want? So, they had a bad year last season being one & done in the playoffs. Big deal...KC didn't even make the playoffs. There's no question Hurts was off on his run game & throws outside the pocket. That's because they tried turning him into an under center pocket passer (they cut his designed runs by half!). Hurts is not a pocket passer. Hurts is not an under center QB. He's a dual-threat shotgun-centric RPO QB that can beat you with his arm or legs outside the pocket.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I would gladly have Hurts as my QB on almost any team. Tier 2 or whatever tier, he's very good, and wins big games.

If you can't find a Stabler jersey you could wear #24. They had Marshawn there for soul in the first place; it couldn't hurt.

Charles Woodson also wore 24. I owned a Stabler jersey at some point, I just can't find it. Too many moves. A Gannon 12 jersey would be cool too.

On the Raiders, I'm optimistic more than a 5-12 season.

Look again at the schedule. Too many good teams to play. 8-9 is really optimistic, unless you think some of those teams will fade? It does happen, every year. Who thought KC would finish where they did? Or Baltimore?

I think one can look at the offense Kubiak ran in Seattle and see where he's going. A lot of running, and a lot of quick reads, get rid of the ball passes. Mendoza is pretty mobile though, so as things progress I can see him creating plays with a moving or shifting pocket where Mendoza is allowed to find his space, or take off and run. He needs a good 10lbs of muscle to really run some in the NFL, but he's not little.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

The next Sam Darnold? Five NFL QBs who are ready to reinvent their careers

The have:

1. Daniel Jones - We've already seen him play quite well, so he really doesn't belong in this conversation IMO.
2. Kyler Murray - This will be his last chance. He has to beat out JJ, and should have 5+ games to show he's got it if he gets anointed the starter. They have a solid OL, and solid receivers. Now is his chance.
3. Mac Jones - I all but wrote him off (as did many others) but he absolutely looks like he could start for several teams in the league. I also think he has matured as a person. I'm surprised a team didn't trade for him, yet (Steelers?).
4. Tua Tugaviola - First, I think he's done. He's not the same player he was a couple years ago. I just don't see him having a very good year in Atlanta, then another 2, 3, 5 years in the league improving, the way Sam did.
5. Malik Willis - People have said for 2 years this guy could be a starter. The article says he's a long shot. But I don't think so. Solid arm. Highly mobile QB, and aggressive player who has done well when given an opportunity. Going to a poor team, where every direction is up. Even if the lose games.

Notice Zach Wilson didn't make the list, nor did Tre Lance or Anthony Richardson.

One name everyone has forgotten, even though his numbers were actually better than Cam Ward, is Will Levis. I wonder if he will make this list next year?

Two names who once had incredible promise in college, but now seem headed to practice squad level maybe are Hendon Hooker and Spencer Rattler.

 

[movingtarget]

Attorney says Rams WR Puka Nacua in rehab

 

[movingtarget]

The have:

1. Daniel Jones - We've already seen him play quite well, so he really doesn't belong in this conversation IMO.
2. Kyler Murray - This will be his last chance. He has to beat out JJ, and should have 5+ games to show he's got it if he gets anointed the starter. They have a solid OL, and solid receivers. Now is his chance.
3. Mac Jones - I all but wrote him off (as did many others) but he absolutely looks like he could start for several teams in the league. I also think he has matured as a person. I'm surprised a team didn't trade for him, yet (Steelers?).
4. Tua Tugaviola - First, I think he's done. He's not the same player he was a couple years ago. I just don't see him having a very good year in Atlanta, then another 2, 3, 5 years in the league improving, the way Sam did.
5. Malik Willis - People have said for 2 years this guy could be a starter. The article says he's a long shot. But I don't think so. Solid arm. Highly mobile QB, and aggressive player who has done well when given an opportunity. Going to a poor team, where every direction is up. Even if the lose games.

Notice Zach Wilson didn't make the list, nor did Tre Lance or Anthony Richardson.

One name everyone has forgotten, even though his numbers were actually better than Cam Ward, is Will Levis. I wonder if he will make this list next year?

Two names who once had incredible promise in college, but now seem headed to practice squad level maybe are Hendon Hooker and Spencer Rattler.

Yeah I thought it was a bit silly having Daniel Jones on the list I wouldn't have Lance or Wilson on the list either. Think Darnold was always better than those two. Have my doubts about Tua and one more concussion will probably cut his career short anyway. I think Mac Jones landed at the right team for some QB rehab. Shanahan got more out of Jimmy G than many expected but Lance was the one who proved too hard for him to sort out it seems. Those two first round picks wasted on Lance might have cost them a SB if they had used them better, who knows ? Wonder if Murray rues not going with Baseball instead. He was going to be drafted and many thought he had a future in a sport that would have been better suited to his physique. Richardson just can't overcome the injury bug it seems. Plenty of physical gifts but if he barely plays, it's not going to matter. I still think players like Lane could have used a full season in the UFL instead of bench warming and putting the breaks on their development. But money talks of course. Mac Jones played 8 games so he had plenty of time to work on his game plus all of the practice snaps for those games as well.