NFL News

[Futureshock]

Van Jefferson “getting back to myself” after 2022 knee surgeries

Posted by Josh Alper on May 6, 2023, 4:43 PM EDT

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One of the negative developments that helped the Rams go 5-12 last season was the limited availability of wide receiver Van Jefferson.

Jefferson had knee surgery during the offseason and then had another one in August that caused him to miss the first six games of the season. He didn’t catch a pass in his first two appearances and ended the year with 24 catches for 369 yards and three touchdowns.

This offseason has been going better for Jefferson. After the “tough, tough process” of last year, Jefferson told reporters this week that he “persevered” and is now “getting back to myself” while working with the rest of the team.

One player that Jefferson’s been working with is quarterback Matthew Stafford, who also missed offseason time last year. Jefferson thinks that’s a significant change as well.

“Oh yeah, I think that makes a huge difference,” Jefferson said, via the team’s website. “I think [it does] for all the guys that are out there throwing with Matt. He’s looking great, he’s always been great, so it’s just great to be out there with him again and see him healthy, and see him slinging it like he does. It’s good to just be out there and get some passes with him.”

The 2023 expectations for the Rams are pretty low at this point and healthy rebounds for Jefferson and Stafford would be helpful to their bid to outperform them come the fall.

[Futureshock]

Ongoing Sunday Ticket antitrust litigation could reveal plenty of NFL secrets

Posted by Mike Florio on May 6, 2023, 1:38 PM EDT

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The NFL strongly prefers to resolve all claims against it secretly, so that the league can keep its secrets. Regarding the Sunday Ticket package, some fairly intriguing secrets could eventually be revealed.

During draft week (that’s my excuse for not getting to this sooner), Daniel Kaplan of TheAthletic.com posted an item regarding some of the information that has come to light during the ongoing Sunday Ticket antitrust litigation. Because the case is proceeding in open court and not through the league’s internal arbitration processes, things the league would rather be quiet are getting out.

First, a ruling from the presiding judge regarding a squabble about documents produced by the NFL disclosed the full list of options for Sunday Ticket, post-DirecTV. Beyond YouTube, the candidates were Apple, Amazon, Roku, and ESPN. The league also considered making the package directly available to consumers.

Second, further disclosures could show that the talks with Apple failed because Apple wanted to make the package significantly cheaper for consumers. The plaintiffs in the Sunday Ticket antitrust litigation essentially are arguing that the league has withheld documents that would show Apple wasn’t selected due to its plan to offer the package for less than consumers have been paying.

It has been suggested that Sunday Ticket can’t be offered at a significantly lower price, due to the NFL’s contracts with CBS and Fox. Beyond the price of the full package, Apple might have wanted to allow consumers to buy Sunday Ticket for all games of only one team, or one week or game at a time.

As it stands, Sunday Ticket continues to be an all-or-nothing proposition. One large, flat fee for everything. If you only want Packers games, you have to take the rest. If you only want certain weeks, you have to take them all.

Regardless of the outcome of the pending case, a potential P.R. disaster is looming for the league, if/when fans realize the lengths to which the “football is family” crowd has gone to make it unreasonably more expensive for families across the country to watch only the out-of-market games they want to see.

If, for example, the NFL could have gotten the same money from Apple for Sunday Ticket and consumers could have gotten the games for less, that’s about as bad of a look as the NFL could have to some of its most rabid and loyal customers.

[Futureshock]

Kevin King comeback attempt derailed by torn Achilles

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 6, 2023, 9:14 AM EDT

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Former Packers cornerback Kevin King took the 2022 season off because he said he needed a break. He wanted to return in 2023, but a torn Achilles tendon has changed those plans.

King released a video saying he tore his Achilles while working out to get himself into shape to be in an NFL training camp.

That’s usually a season-ending injury, which means the 28-year-old King probably can’t play until 2024.

“I miss it out there for sure,” King said. “I spent the last five years with the Packers before the year I took off. Spending that with the Packers was some of the best times in my life.”

King said his decision to take 2022 off was primarily about the mental stress that NFL injuries had taken on him.

“After my fifth year with the Packers I was actually pretty healthy. It was a time when I felt pretty good for the first time in a while. My first four years I had surgery after every year so I didn’t have much of a chance to have an offseason,” King said. “They don’t really talk about the wear and tear on you mentally that it does, dealing with injuries.”

Now King will attempt to recover from this injury, and get back on the field in 2024.

[Futureshock]

Nick Sirianni on Jalen Carter’s conditioning: Zero concerns, no one’s ready to play yet

Posted by Josh Alper on May 5, 2023, 5:31 PM EDT

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Defensive tackle Jalen Carter‘s conditioning was not where it needed to be at his Pro Day workout in March and it was a topic of conversation at Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni’s press conference on Friday.

Carter was one of many players to report to the facility for the start of rookie minicamp on Friday. Sirianni was asked a few questions about Carter’s conditioning and answered one by saying none of the players “are in really good football shape” at this point in the calendar.

“So today was not about finding out what their conditioning level was,” Sirianni said. “Today was about going out there and my coaching points to our coaches were, listen, their bodies are not ready to play yet. This is all about protecting the players while still getting ready to play.”

Sirianni was more specific about Carter in response to other questions. He said that he has “zero” concerns about Carter’s “level of conditioning at this point in time” and that he’s confident Carter will do whatever’s needed in order to remain that way.

“I told them straight up, things that I will — we obviously went over our rules, right, our team rules. And one of those team rules is be on time, and another one of those rules is be the weight you’re supposed to be and those are non-negotiable for me, and they know that and we’ll just keep that standard as we go,” Sirianni said. “But yeah, I sense that he wants to be the best pro he can be, and not every place — again, I don’t know exactly. I have no idea what each program says the person’s supposed to weigh, right, or sometimes, programs, even within the NFL don’t track that or they track it, but they don’t say, you have to weigh this amount; we do. So that’s just new to here. We will get him to what he’s supposed to play at, and I have no doubt in my mind he’ll do whatever he needs to do to be the player he needs to be.”

The Eagles will continue their minicamp through the weekend and then Carter and the rest of the team’s rookies will begin working their way into playing shape alongside the team’s veterans.

[Futureshock]

Colts release Nick Foles

Posted by Myles Simmons on May 5, 2023, 3:51 PM EDT

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For teams in need of a backup quarterback, a veteran has just hit the open market.

The Colts have released Nick Foles, the team announced on Friday.

Foles, the Super Bowl LII MVP, signed a two-year deal with Indianapolis last May. He was one of three quarterbacks to start a game for the Colts in the club’s tumultuous 2022 season, the others being Matt Ryan and Sam Ehlinger. In three total appearances, Foles completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 224 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions.

An Eagles third-round pick in 2012, Foles has appeared in 71 career games with 58 starts. His best years have come with two separate stints with Philadelphia, as he complied a 21-11 record starting record with the franchise. His four postseason wins with the Eagles came under now-Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.

Foles has appeared in 71 career games with 58 starts for the Eagles, Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Bears, and Colts. He’s completed 62.4 percent of his career passes for 14,227 yards with 82 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.

The Colts selected quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick last week. They have Gardner Minshew and Ehlinger on the roster at the position as well.

[jaadam4]

I’d take Bridgewater or Foles over what we have now for a
backup next year

[chemiclord]

Man, I can't believe the Colts cut Big Dick Nick.

[froot loops]

I wouldn't take Bridgewater at his asking price of 10 million. The Lions have made an offer, but ti sounds like he is waiting for a bigger offer to come in.

[edindetroit]

Van Jefferson: Matthew Stafford’s return “makes a huge difference”

Posted by Charean Williams on May 7, 2023, 9:13 PM EDT

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Receiver Van Jefferson is back healthy and so is quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Jefferson had knee surgery during the offseason and had another one in August that kept him out the first six games of the season. He didn’t catch a pass in his first two appearances and ended the year with 24 catches for 369 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.

Stafford missed eight games in 2022, the final seven with concussions and a spinal-cord contusion.

The two played only three games together.

But they both are back on the field at the team’s offseason program.

“Oh yeah, I think that makes a huge difference,” Jefferson said of Stafford, via Stu Jackson of the team website. “I think [it does] for all the guys that are out there throwing with Matt. He’s looking great. He’s always been great, so it’s just great to be out there with him again and see him healthy, and see him slinging it like he does. It’s good to just be out there and get some passes with him.”

I hope for Stafford's sake they improved the line before he gets killed.

[Futureshock]

I hope for Stafford's sake they improved the line before he gets killed.

Me too. They drafted Avilla (TCU - OG) with their second rd pick and another OT later.

Los Angeles Rams Draft Picks Tracker by Round in 2023

• Round 2 | Pick 36
• Steve Avila, G, TCU
• Round 3 | Pick 77 (from MIA)
  Byron Young, EDGE, Tennessee
• Round 3 | Pick 89
  Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest
• Round 4, Pick 128
  Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
• Round 5, Pick 161 (from HOU)
  Nick Hampton, EDGE, Appalachian State
• Round 5, Pick 174 (from LV via HOU)*
  Warren McClendon, OT, Georgia
• Round 5, Pick 175 (from TB)*
  Davis Allen, TE, Clemson
• Round 5, Pick 177*
  Puka Nacua, WR, BYU
• Round 6, Pick 182
  Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
• Round 6, Pick 189 (from GB)
  Ochaun Mathis, EDGE, Nebraska
• Round 7, Pick 215* (from WAS via BUF)
  Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
• Round 7, Pick 223
  Ethan Evans, P, Wingate
• Round 7, Pick 234 (from PIT)
  Jason Taylor II, S, Oklahoma State
• Round 7, Pick 259* (from HOU)
  Desjuan Johnson, EDGE, Toledo

[Futureshock]

Dawson Knox: Teaming me with Dalton Kincaid will “open up a lot of doors” for Bills offense

Posted by Josh Alper on May 9, 2023, 8:39 AM EDT

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The Bills traded up in the first round to take Dalton Kincaid last month and making that kind of move can make other players at the same position feel a bit nervous about their status.

That’s not the case for Buffalo’s top returning tight end, however. Dawson Knox called himself “super excited” about Kincaid joining the team and said he envisions the two players creating matchups that have the offense “drooling before the ball is even snapped” this season.

“’12’ personnel is going to open up a lot of doors for the offense. . . . We want them in nickel if we want to run and if we bring in two tight ends, sometimes they will have to bring in a base linebacker,” Knox said, via Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News. “That will start to expose some mismatches. It’s going to be really fun.”

The Bills struggled to find consistent production in the passing game beyond Stefon Diggs last season. If Knox is correct about the kind of impact Kincaid can have this season, that should be less of an issue in Buffalo.

[Futureshock]

Matt LaFleur: We’ll look at veteran WRs if need be, but just letting young guys compete now

Posted by Josh Alper on May 9, 2023, 7:12 AM EDT

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The Packers offense is going to have a younger starting quarterback this year with Jordan Love taking over for Aaron Rodgers and a youth movement is in place at another offensive position as well.

Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst drafted Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure in 2022 and he drafted three more wideouts this year. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Grant DuBose just completed their rookie minicamp and will now join the rest of the group for the rest of the offseason program.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said expects to “be leaning on” Watson and Doubs, but that everyone will be competing for playing time and to show that the team doesn’t need more experience.

“I think time will tell, but it’s certainly a very talented room,” LaFleur said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “It’s going to be a hell of a competition in terms of who’s getting the snaps, because just at first glimpse at some of these young guys who were in here, there are some talented guys. So they’re going to be exciting to work with. I’m sure it’s going to be a very fluid situation in terms of just how much we throw at them and, if need be, I know Gutey is going to do whatever we can to help us field the best possible team. If need be, I think we would turn that way, but right now I think we’re just going to let those guys compete.”

If all goes according to plan in Green Bay, Love and the receivers will grow together into a potent offense that can put the team back into the playoff mix sooner rather than later. The next few months of work will help determine the likelihood of that outcome.

[Futureshock]

Report of Commanders’ interest in Andrew Luck first surfaced last year

Posted by Mike Florio on May 8, 2023, 10:15 PM EDT

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Much isn’t known about whether the Commanders tampered with retired Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Here’s one thing we now know.

It’s not new.

Nearly 14 months before John Keim of ESPN.com buried a Luck nugget in an article under an unrelated headline, Keim . . . buried a Luck nugget in an article under an unrelated headline.

March 19, 2022. “How Joe Gibbs, film study and analytics led the Washington Commanders to Carson Wentz.” Fifteenth paragraph: “At one point [the Commanders] even wondered: Would Andrew Luck, the retired former Colt, want to play again? That went nowhere.”

It still doesn’t nail down whether the Commanders contacted the Colts or Luck. However, it’s worded in a way that implies they went straight to Luck.

The first time around, Colts owner Jim Irsay didn’t notice — or he didn’t care. This time around, Irsay sees the potential benefit for nailing a team for tampering, given the way the league handled the Jonathan Gannon tampering situation.

This time around, Irsay and the Colts have demanded an investigation. It will be very interesting to see what happens. Or what doesn’t happen.

[Futureshock]

As civil lawsuit proceeds, prosecutors say former Bills punter Matt Araiza wasn’t present for alleged gang rape

Posted by Mike Florio on May 8, 2023, 9:14 PM EDT

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A civil lawsuit filed last summer against Bills punter Matt Araiza resulted in the team abruptly cutting ties with the sixth-round draft pick. While the lawsuit still continues, prosecutors who explored criminal charges concluded that Araiza left a party before an alleged gang rape occurred.

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports has the details.

As Wetzel explains it, authorities investigated the claims for 10 months. No prosecution was pursued. Wetzel obtained and reviewed a 200-plus-page transcript of a 110-minute meeting between prosecutors and the alleged victim and her lawyers. Prosecutors explained during the meeting the determination, based on the available evidence, that Araiza had left the home at which the alleged gang rape occurred an hour before it happened.

That ultimately has no relevance to the civil lawsuit, given that a much lower standard of proof applies. For criminal cases, where the prosecution ultimately must produce proof beyond a reasonable doubt of guilt, discretion often is exercised to avoid taking on a case that would be, if presented to a jury, rife with doubt.

For Araiza’s defense of the civil suit, evidence that persuaded prosecutors not to pursue charges could be used to persuade a jury that he has no liability to the alleged victim. The standard of proof is “preponderance of the evidence” (i.e., more likely than not).

Araiza remains a free agent, able to sign with any team at any time. It remains to be seen whether Wetzel’s reporting breaks the ice, or whether teams will choose to wait for the civil lawsuit to conclude before considering signing Araiza.

[Futureshock]

The 2023 schedule will make a major break from tradition

Posted by Mike Florio on May 8, 2023, 7:05 PM EDT

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This one isn’t really news, because it was announced a long time ago. But with the 2023 schedule release only three days away, it makes sense to focus on the most dramatic shift that will be seen in the official slate of 272 games.

For the first time ever, no network will be tied to any Sunday afternoon games. No network is tied to any of the 1:00 p.m. ET and 4:05 p.m./4:25 p.m. ET games.

For years, CBS was the default network for the NFC, with NBC handling the AFC games. Then, in 1994, Fox stole the NFC package from CBS. Four years later, CBS took the AFC package from NBC.

Now, there is no “package” for either network. What started as periodic cross-flexing will become open season.

That will only intensify the jockeying and politicking that occurs as the networks compete for as many of the best games as possible. Fox, for example, no longer has a stranglehold on the Cowboys, and CBS can no longer lay claim to the Chiefs or the Patriots (or, for at least this year, the Jets).

Under the old rules, CBS had all Sunday afternoon games involving two AFC teams — and any interconference games in which the AFC team was the visitor. Fox had all Sunday afternoon games involving two NFC teams, along with any interconference games with the NFC team on the road.

As noted by Peter King in Monday’s Football Morning in America column, the change is complicating the process of crafting the schedule. With the AFC currently the far more competitive of the conferences, it’s coming at a perfect time for Fox, which gladly will give up its stranglehold on NFC games for a big slice of the AFC pie.

And it will become a fascinating wrinkle when the time comes to examine the schedule and see whether it’s a 50-50 split, or whether there is still evidence in the assignment of games that the NFC skews toward Fox, and the AFC to CBS.