NFL News

[CGVT]

They signed Mayfield to get Stafford some competition and light a fire under his ass…

Haha! Nice!

[Futureshock]

Trent Williams on Brock Purdy’s leadership: You’d think he’s Peyton Manning or something

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 8, 2022, 4:21 AM EST

USA Today

If the 49ers are going to make a playoff run this season, they’re going to do it with rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. That may seem like a long shot, but 49ers left tackle Trent Williams says Purdy is no ordinary rookie.

Williams told NFL Media that Purdy has already established himself as a locker room leader, and that the rest of the team is on board behind him.

“You would think he’s been in the league 15 years,” Williams said. “If you’re talking, he’ll say, ‘Shut your ass up.’ He ain’t no timid rookie feeling his way around. He will get on your ass. You would think he’s like Peyton Manning or something. Wide receivers not running, you’ll hear him cussing a wide receiver out.”

Williams said Purdy instantly commanded the huddle when Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt and had to leave in Sunday’s win over the Dolphins.

“You come into a game versus one of the best teams in the league and everybody is looking at you to feed off of you,” Williams said. “If you come in and you don’t seem confident and you seem very hesitant, then everybody else starts to worry and play hesitant. When you come in and you act like you know what you’re doing and you look like you know what you’re doing, everybody is going to assume you know what you’re doing.”

Up next for the 49ers is Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Purdy vs. Brady is not quite on the same level as Manning vs. Brady, but Williams thinks the 49ers have a savvy quarterback leading them in a big game between NFC division leaders.

[Futureshock]

Micah Parsons: Odell Beckham expects to play in five weeks

Posted by Charean Williams on December 7, 2022, 10:30 PM EST

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Odell Beckham’s visit to Dallas was followed by reports the Cowboys have concerns the receiver’s ACL recovery has not progressed enough to ensure he would play before mid-January. Beckham, though, told Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons he expects to play in five weeks.

The regular season ends Jan. 8, which is a little over five weeks, with the postseason beginning the following week.

“He told me five weeks. Five weeks,” Parsons said, via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. “No trainer, no doctor, no anybody can tell a player who he feels. It’s your body. That’s for anything. Any part of your body [that’s] hurt. No one can tell you how your body is going to feel except for you. If that’s what he says, I always believe it. If they say no, my body hurts, I can’t go. You have to respect that.”

The Cowboys have recruited Beckham like no other team. Players publicly have campaigned for him, and Dallas Mavericks fans showed him the love Monday night by chanting his name with Beckham sitting courtside alongside Parsons and Trevon Diggs.

“Obviously, he knew we wanted him,” Parsons said. “We just wanted to make him feel at home. There’s only so much you can say to a guy that he doesn’t know. This ain’t college. I’m not going to feed him, ‘You’re going to get the best education.’ I’m pretty sure he knows who he’s got here. It’s more we wanted to make him feel at home. The Dallas fans made him do that.”

Parsons said he got the impression that Beckham wants to play in Dallas after the free agent tour first took Beckham to the Giants and Bills. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones curbed the enthusiasm for Beckham in Dallas, allowing that he’s “not confident at all” with signing Beckham without seeing him workout.

[Futureshock]

Kyler Murray answers Patrick Peterson’s criticism: It doesn’t affect me

Posted by Charean Williams on December 7, 2022, 9:51 PM EST

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Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was “super shocked” by former teammate Patrick Peterson‘s claim that “Kyler Murray don’t care about nobody but Kyler Murray.” After his criticism of Murray caused a stir, the Vikings cornerback said he got Murray’s phone number from a teammate and texted him but Murray didn’t respond.

Murray acknowledged he received the text but noted it was only after Peterson made his public comments.

“Hell,” Murray said about not responding to the text “what is that gonna do?”

The Cardinals are 4-8, and Murray ranks 23rd in the NFL with an 87.1 passer rating. He has 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. It has made Murray a lightning rod for criticism this season.

“Our season hasn’t gone the way we’ve wanted it to, so it comes a little heavier,” Murray said, via Darren Urban of the team website.

But Murray said it’s nothing new, with his size making him a target his entire career, and his contract situation during the offseason opened a different debate. Was he worth the five-year, $230.5 million contract?

Murray insists he doesn’t hear the noise.

“You understand the position that you are in, what comes with it, what you have to face,” Murray said. “I’m not really new to it. Something I’ve been dealing with, not my whole life but for the most part of my life having to deal with stuff like that. It doesn’t affect me.”

[Futureshock]

Packers say they don’t need to see more from Jordan Love to decide on fifth-year option

Posted by Mike Florio on December 7, 2022, 7:54 PM EST

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Even if Aaron Rodgers returns to the Packers for 2023, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be back for 2024. And there’s one specific way the Packers need to plan for that. The team believes it already has everything it needs to make that decision.

By May 3, the Packers have to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option for quarterback Jordan Love. Meeting with reporters earlier this week, G.M. Brian Gutekunst said the organization already has what it needs to make that decision.

“We’re really pleased with his progression, and what he’s been able to do,” Gutekunst told reporters regarding Love. “I think it would be really good for him, the growth that you need to go through. Seeing things for the first time. Making the mistakes that you need to make. But I think from our end of it, we’ve seen what we need to see.”

How have they seen it, given his limited regular-season playing time?

“We’ve seen him for three years in practice, and doing the things that he’s doing,” Gutekunst said. “There’s a stretch here where Aaron’s been banged up, where he’s had a lot of reps with the ones. I think it was great for him. It was great for us to see. But it was also just really, really good for him to experience game-planning each week.

“I think quarterback’s got to get in this league, play a bunch of games before they learn how to win. But I do think we feel very confident that Jordan can move the ball, score points, and do the things that we ask of our quarterbacks.”

Gutekunst was asked whether he believes Love is ready to be a starter in the NFL.

“I do,” Gutekunst said, with a caveat. “You’ve got to go out and do it in real games, and all that. And I think that’s important. But all young quarterbacks go through a period of time where no matter what individual success, I think it takes them a little bit of time to win in this league. And that’s going to be important for Jordan whenever he gets his opportunity. But that’s a big part of it. I mean, it’s — learning within the game is very important for that development.”

The question becomes when Love will get that chance in Green Bay. At some point, “when” will become “if.”

Either way, the next big “if” relates to whether the team will pick up Love’s option, when the deadline rolls around in less than five months. If they pick up the option, Love will be under contract at least for two more years.

[Futureshock]

Frank Reich hopes to be coaching next season

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 7, 2022, 6:24 PM EST

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A month after he was fired by the Colts, Frank Reich said today that he wants to coach again next season.

“I really want to continue,” Reich told WISH-TV. “I love the game, I love being around it, I love being around the players. I’m not presuming anything at this point. I’m optimistic. I know this: I love the game, I feel like I’m prepared to keep giving to the game, and giving to players and coaches, and we’ll see what that looks like.”

Reich said he’s been taking notes and trying to think through what he’s learned from his tenure as the Colts’ head coach, and that he continues to root for his old players.

“Still pulling hard for the guys, love the guys, love the team, want all the best and wish nothing but the best,” Reich said.

Given how his time in Indianapolis ended, it seems like a long shot that Reich would get a head-coaching job in 2023. But Reich was a well-regarded offensive coordinator before he became a head coach and will likely have offers to work as an offensive coordinator in 2023. It sounds like he’ll be interested.

[Futureshock]

Five Vikings miss practice with illness

Posted by Mike Florio on December 7, 2022, 5:01 PM EST

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Plenty of bugs are currently going around. Plenty of Vikings currently have one of them.

Five Vikings players didn’t practice on Wednesday due to illness. Out were defensive end Danielle Hunter, cornerback Patrick Peterson, safety Harrison Smith, safety Theo Jackson, and fullback C.J. Ham.

As the week unfolds, more players and coaches could end up being sick, too. The Vikings visit the Lions on Sunday.

Elsewhere on the first injury report of the week for Minnesota, defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard missed practice with a biceps injury. Limited in practice were left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who is healing from a concussion. Center Garrett Bradbury also was limited, with a back injury.

Linebacker Eric Kendericks fully participated, despite a shoulder injury.

One bit of good news is that quarterback Kirk Cousins didn’t appear on the report at all. He was hit hard and seemed to be in significant pain during the first half of Sunday’s win over the Jets.

[Futureshock]

Tua Tagovailoa leads all players in Pro Bowl voting

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 7, 2022, 4:49 PM EST

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In another indication of how much Tua Tagovailoa has taken off as an NFL superstar this season, he is the No. 1 player in the league in fan voting for the Pro Bowl.

Tagovailoa, the third-year Dolphins quarterback, has 138,390 fan votes, the most of any player in the NFL.

In addition to Tagovailoa, the Top 5 players in fan voting are Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (137,826), Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (133,607), Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (132,100) and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (131,378).

Although the NFL is choosing two Pro Bowl teams, this year’s Pro Bowl will not be a full football game. Instead, it will be a seven-on-seven flag football game, as well as a skills competition, taking place a week before the Super Bowl.

[Futureshock]

No criminal charges will be filed against Matt Araiza

Posted by Mike Florio on December 7, 2022, 4:27 PM EST

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Former Bills punter Matt Araiza, who was cut by the team once accusations of rape came to light, will not face criminal charges for the October 2021 incident.

Via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office decided not to pursue criminal charges against Araiza or the other San Diego State players involved in the alleged gang rape.

Said the D.A.: “Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction. Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”

That’s a high-minded way of saying prosecutors hate to lose. And they do. The bar for a conviction is very high. If they don’t believe they can surpass it, they exercise their discretion to not pursue criminal charges.

Attorney Dan Gilleon, who represents the alleged victim, seemed to expect the outcome.

“I’m not surprised,” Gilleon said, via Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com. “The police rarely pay much attention to cases where the victim is intoxicated. Here, the police made it clear in January 2022 that they weren’t interested in the case. They made that clear by ghosting my client and keeping her in the dark. It was only the media attention that caused the police to commence a dog and pony show long enough for them to say they conducted a thorough investigation.”

The civil case against Araiza continues. The standard of proof in that setting is much, much lower. Basically, it’s a 51-49 evidentiary balance.

Because the incident allegedly happened before he was drafted by the Bills in April 2022, Araiza would be subject to no discipline, regardless of the outcome of the civil case. He could be signed by any other team at any time — and maybe a team will give him an opportunity now that the cloud of potential criminal liability has evaporated.

The question is whether the talent justifies the P.R. hit, especially in light of the position Araiza plays. And, yes, teams will definitely engage in that analysis when deciding whether to sign him.

[Cody_Russell]

If Caleb Farley was perfectly healthy, he would have been a top 5 draft pick coming out of college. Back injuries in college… back injuries in the NFL. Rough.

[jaadam4]

I don’t see it with Love. He’s terrible

[Futureshock]

Six teams that missed postseason last year are in playoff position heading into Week 14

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 9, 2022, 10:24 AM EST

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Significant turnover is coming in this year’s playoffs.

Heading into Week 14, six teams that missed the playoffs last year are in playoff position this year: The Ravens, Dolphins, Jets, Vikings, Giants and Seahawks.

Meanwhile, six teams that made last year’s postseason are poised to miss it this year: The Patriots, Steelers, Raiders, Packers, Rams and Cardinals.

Since 1990, every year at least four teams have made the playoffs that were not in the playoffs the year before.

A full look at how the postseason is shaping up is in our AFC Playoff Picture and NFC Playoff Picture.

[Futureshock]

Jerry Jones is “a big proponent” of an 18-game regular season

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 9, 2022, 4:00 PM EST

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Just two years after the NFL lengthened its regular season to 17 games, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says it’s time to add another game.

Jones said on K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan that he would like to add one more game to the regular season, and reduce the preseason by one game.

“One more I see, and I’m a big proponent of it,” Jones said. “I think that’s the right level. That allows us to, as we go into the early games of the season, that allows us to have those games. You will get better if you play those games because you will play less preseason games. You know at one time they played six preseason games in the NFL for you history buffs. But still I like to play two or three preseason games and 18 regular season games and have been a proponent of that.”

The simple calculus for the NFL is that more games means more money: More TV commercials, more ticket sales. It’s easy to see why Jones wants to make the season longer. It won’t be surprising if soon a majority of his fellow owners are supporting the same proposal, and if the players go along because more money for the owners means more money for the players, too.

[Futureshock]

Jaguars waive Darrell Henderson

Posted by Josh Alper on December 9, 2022, 3:34 PM EST

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Running back Darrell Henderson‘s time in Jacksonville has come to an end.

The Jaguars announced that they waived Henderson on Friday. He was claimed off of waivers from the Rams on November 23.

No corresponding roster move was announced, so the Jaguars have an open spot on their 53-man roster heading into Sunday’s game against the Titans.

Henderson did not appear in a game for the Jaguars. He ran 70 times for 283 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games for the Rams and also caught 17 passes for 102 yards.

Travis Etienne, JaMycal Hasty, and Snoop Conner are the remaining running backs on the Jaguars roster.

[edindetroit]

And no one seems in a hurry to sign him up.