Just a few issues I’m listening to across the NFL throughout the first week of free company …
Large proclamation
Let’s get this out of the way in which: Daniel Jones is anticipated to be the New York Giants’ beginning quarterback as quickly as he’s wholesome sufficient to imagine the position.
The arrival of Drew Lock didn’t change that sentiment, although Seattle Seahawks basic supervisor John Schneider absolutely added some confusion to the scenario Thursday throughout a radio look on Seattle Sports activities 710AM.
“They principally bought him on the chance to compete to be the starter,” Schneider mentioned.
Lock, who spent the previous two seasons because the Seahawks backup, instantly quashed that concept Friday morning throughout his introductory interview with Giants reporters.
“Daniel Jones is the starter of this workforce,” Lock mentioned. “That’s been conveyed to me.”
Drew Lock is having an introductory zoom. Right here’s what he mentioned about his message from the Giants: “Daniel Jones is the starter of this workforce. That is been conveyed to me.” https://t.co/Irz74bfaYw
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) March 15, 2024
Lock signed a one-year deal value as much as $5 million this week to fill the Giants’ want for a backup with veteran expertise. They missed that component final season for a stretch when Jones (torn ACL) and backup Tyrod Taylor had been each out with accidents and the workforce needed to flip to rookie Tommy DeVito for six begins.
Lock, certainly, was not supplied an opportunity to compete for the beginning job, based on a league supply. The Giants did promote him on the thought of working with head coach Brian Daboll, who has a quarterback-friendly system that led to Jones’ greatest season in 2022.
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Moreover, after working with Daboll, Taylor simply earned an even bigger contract with the New York Jets. Earlier than that, former Buffalo Payments backup Mitch Trubisky additionally turned a 2021 stint with Daboll right into a increase with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s a sample right here, too. The Giants had an exploratory assembly final week with Russell Wilson, and the workforce didn’t make any guarantees about taking part in time, based on league sources. That’s been the Giants’ method as they’ve constructed towards the 2024 season with Jones because the anticipated starter.
Getting youthful in Seattle
The Seahawks have been making an attempt to get youthful at quarterback over the previous yr, even after extending starter Geno Smith for 3 years and $75 million. There’s even perception across the league the Seahawks may have been gamers for a quarterback early within the 2023 draft if their man was nonetheless on the board.
At any fee, the Seahawks completed that objective this week by buying Sam Howell from the Washington Commanders.
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The Seahawks have been excessive on Howell for some time, too. The fifth-round choose in 2022 was a full-time starter for the primary time final season and accomplished 63.4 % of his passes for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
There’s loads of room for development with Howell, to make sure, however groups just like the Seahawks have been intrigued by Howell’s skill to step into the beginning lineup with minimal expertise and try probably the most passes within the NFL. After all, that got here with some lumps, as he additionally led the league in interceptions and sacks (65).
However because the Seahawks search for the quarterback who will ultimately substitute Smith — at any time when that occurs to be — they’ll now get an prolonged probability to guage Howell.
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Trades brewing
Groups don’t simply blindly commerce up into arbitrary spots within the draft order with out a plan.
The Vikings clearly have one. We’ll simply have to attend to see the place they hope to land.
On Friday, the Vikings despatched a few second-rounders to the Houston Texans as a part of a package deal for the No. 23 choose in April. Now, the Vikings have Nos. 11 and 23 within the opening spherical.
The Vikings misplaced quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free company, and so they had been outbid partly as a result of they had been cautious about making a long-term dedication to a quarterback who will flip 36 earlier than the season.
To place it one other approach, the Vikings had been already hoping to get youthful at quarterback, and now they haven’t any alternative.
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So now the Vikings have the property to maneuver up even greater, however the place’s the candy spot? Only a guess, however the Commanders (No. 2) and the New England Patriots (No. 3) most likely received’t wish to transfer all the way in which again to No. 11, miss a quarterback and certain be out of the combination for a top-tier broad receiver and left deal with. Or a minimum of, the Vikings are actually, actually going to must persuade a kind of groups with a decisively robust commerce supply.
Nonetheless, there could be a extra apparent spot at No. 4, the place the Arizona Cardinals have been open for enterprise. And bear in mind the 2023 draft, when the Cardinals traded No. 3 to the Texans for a package deal that included No. 12 and a first-rounder in 2024.
The Cardinals’ new regime of basic supervisor Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon has dedicated to quarterback Kyler Murray. And through their yr on the job, they’ve added bodily, good gamers who will make the Cardinals a troublesome out at the same time as they rebuild. It’s much like the way in which Ossenfort’s former Patriots co-worker, Texans basic supervisor Nick Caserio, rounded out that roster earlier than a extra aggressive method in 2023.
Level being, the Cardinals might welcome one other commerce down the board to build up extra first-rounders as they try to assemble difference-makers round Murray.
The fourth choose might not assist the Vikings land USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels. But when they’re excessive sufficient on Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings may need simply taken a needed step towards their long-term resolution at QB.
The Corridor awaits
Los Angeles Rams defensive deal with Aaron Donald began his five-year clock on the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame when he retired Friday. The committee shouldn’t must take too lengthy to rubberstamp the deserves of the three-time Defensive Participant of the Yr.
On a associated notice, I used this as a possibility to mud off and replace some information I compiled after then-Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore’s season in 2019 when he received Defensive Participant of the Yr. The aim of that story was to evaluate Gilmore’s candidacy for Canton.
I realized many classes through the years from Aaron Donald.
I would prefer to share them with you: https://t.co/g9CWCb0SYw
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) March 15, 2024
Of the 33 former Defensive Gamers of the Yr who’re eligible for the Corridor of Fame, 22 have gotten inducted, in order that’s a wholesome 66.7 % probability. The 11 who haven’t been inducted haven’t gained a lot traction, in order that quantity might maintain agency for some time.
9 former Defensive Gamers of the Yr aren’t but eligible, both as a result of they’re nonetheless within the league or haven’t been retired for 5 full seasons. These 9 will proceed to make a dent in Canton, as Donald, Gilmore, J.J. Watt, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, Khalil Mack, T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett could have various levels of robust resumes.
(Picture of Daniel Jones: Jasen Vinlove / USA Right now)