Category: NFL News

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LATROBE, Pennsylvania — Steelers fans who crammed into Chuck Noll Field on Sunday were treated to the best of the four practices during Pittsburgh’s first week of training camp. It was also the best practice so far for Kenny Pickett, who is expected to take a significant jump during his first full season as the team’s starting quarterback. 

Pickett was on the money early. After not being able to connect with Pat Freiermuth on the first play of Seven Shots (a seven-play drill between the offense and defense from the two-yard-line), Pickett hit George Pickens for a wide open touchdown (there appeared to be a miscommunication on the play between Joey Porter Jr. and Chandon Sullivan) to tie things up. The offense took the lead one play later when Pickett hit tight end Zach Gentry on the far side. 

Pickett continued to look for his tight ends on the following play. He and Freiermuth hooked up for a score — against the second-team defense — as the offense took a commanding 3-1 lead. The defense, though, came back to win the drill after Pickett exited following his touchdown pass to Freiermuth. 

The sun — which beat down on the field throughout practice — continued to shine on Pickett and the starting offense during the next phase of practice. Pickett evaded pressure before hitting Diontae Johnson, who then displayed some nifty running after the catch. Moments later, Pickett unleashed a wicked pump that was bought hook, line and sinker by rookie cornerback Cory Trice Jr., who was guarding Pickens on the near side. The pump fake led to an easy completion. 

Pickett wasn’t done testing Trice, who one day earlier came up with two big plays to…

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Training camp is officially underway for the Philadelphia Eagles, as rookies and veterans reported to the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday.

The season’s first practice took place on Wednesday, and the Birds won’t have back-to-back training days in the first two weeks.

As the Eagles kick off camp, we’ve gathered some top talking points ahead of Week 2.

Stephen A. Smith

The ESPN NBA analyst, host of First Take and network workhorse called Hurts the best quarterback in the entire NFC.

Sal Paolantonio

The veteran NFL reporter echoed the sentiment that Brian Johnson’s stint as offensive coordinator could be a one shot deal to his rising status in the NFL coaching ranks.

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Sal Paolantonio

Sal Pal believes the Eagles have the best of everything and can win the Super Bowl.

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Sports Illustrated

The star on defense was second-team All-Pro James Bradberry

The Athletic

Eagles using confetti, disappointment from Super Bowl as motivation as camp begins.

NJ.com

Jalen Hurts is ‘embracing his uniqueness’ as a quarterback.

Darius Slay and Matt Patricia

After having beef during their time in Detroit, Slay and Patricia have put the negativity behind them for the betterment of the team.
“Me and him talked man to man,” Slay told reporters on Friday. “We’ve got a great understanding. We both want to win. He’s here to help me get better. He wants to get better as a coach, so we’re in good hands right now.”

Story originally appeared on Eagles Wire

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If Zack Martin was hoping the Dallas Cowboys would alter his contract, Jerry Jones may have put those dreams into despair. Speaking to reporters at training camp in Oxnard, Calif., on Saturday, Jones admitted he can’t pay everyone on the roster. 

Jones hinted Martin likely won’t get his contract altered because there are younger stars who Dallas has to pay — namely Micah Parsons. 

“It’s not about precedent. It’s about facts,” Jones said Saturday, via ESPN. “We need the money to pay (Micah) Parsons. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. It’s a fact. It’s not even a philosophy. It’s just a fact. 

“Those dollars are there and we have this at this level, and if you redid all the contracts, then you never could put a roster together.”

As for what Martin can do about the situation moving forward, Jones seems to be holding all the cards. “Nothing. He’ll come to camp when he comes to camp,” Jones said, via The Athletic. “There’s no resolution. There are a lot of consequences if he doesn’t. … He’s been at the top of the money all the way through, drafted high and got a lot of money, got a lot of money over the years. It’s just hard to get it all. The bottom line is, nothing needs to happen.”  

Martin has two years left on his current deal and has a cap number of $11.04 million this year, which increases to $23.34 million in 2024. The deal isn’t exactly cap friendly for the Cowboys, while Martin continues to hold out of camp hoping for a reworked deal. Martin has missed five days of practice and owes the Cowboys $250,000 in fines ($50,000 per day).

With an average annual salary of $14 million per year, Martin is the fourth-highest-paid right guard in the NFL. He has outperformed his deal. 

Martin earned another First Team All-Pro selection in 2022, the sixth of his career and eighth All-Pro selection in nine seasons (made All-Pro every season…

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Vikings rookies will report to training camp on Sunday, July 23rd bringing with them the anticipation that the six-player class will make contributions as rookies.

It’s more likely that coach Kevin O’Connell’s focus will be on the 2022 class, which was criticized by many who said general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first draft fell flat.

In a one-year sample size that assessment is correct.

Safety Lewis Cine only played in three games, and was on the field for two defensive snaps, before suffering a gruesome season-ending leg injury against the Saints. Second-round right guard Ed Ingram was the only of the Vikings’ 10 picks to play and start all 17 games. Ingram’s struggles were well documented but at least he saw significant time.

Second-round cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., and fourth-round corner Akayleb Evans were limited to six and 10 games, respectively, in large part because of injuries, and third-round linebacker Brian Asamoah II made no starts in 16 games and played only 119 defensive snaps.

The rest of the class included defensive tackle Esezi Otomewo and running back Ty Chandler (fifth round); offensive lineman Vederian Lowe and wide receiver Jalen Nailor (sixth round); and tight end Nick Muse (seventh round). Otomewo got 89 defensive snaps, while Nailor led the final four picks on offense with 57.

The lack of playing time and production caused many to question Adofo-Mensah, but all 10 picks remain on the roster and all will have an opportunity to change the opinion about the 2022 draft in the coming weeks.

Ingram will be expected to have taken a significant step, while Booth and Evans are both going to get a chance to see significant playing time in a secondary that has only one sure starting cornerback (free agent addition Byron Murphy Jr.). Evans suffered multiple concussions last season and Booth has battled injury issues since college — the reason he dropped in the draft.

Asamoah spent last season behind veterans Eric Kendricks and Jordan…

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In case you haven’t noticed, veteran NFL running backs have seen better days.

Perhaps the most alarming news pertains to the three franchise-tagged running backs, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard. None received a long-term extension by Monday’s deadline as the market is still feeling the effects of three bad deals handed out to Ezekiel Elliott, Todd Gurley and Le’Veon Bell in recent years. 

There’s no denying it may not be wise to pay a running back. They are uber-talented, but expendable, coupled with a short shelf life. However, with the recent uproar around the state of the running back it’s also worth noting how recent backs are turning the tide on an ugly history of veteran contracts at the position.

Here I grade the last seven veteran running backs to sign a contract worth at least $10 million annually since the Elliott deal in 2019. The grades are from the perspective of the team to give out the contract.

2021: Nick Chubb (Browns)

3 years$36.6 million$20 million guaranteed

Grade: A-

Chubb has shown no signs of slowing down in two seasons since signing his deal. He finished third in…

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The Kansas City Chiefs opened training camp on Tuesday, welcoming back staff members, quarterbacks, injured players, and their rookie class. They won’t begin public practices until Sunday, but the Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph, Missouri was bustling with media, who were anxious to hear from team captain and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes said he would be at camp before the veteran’s date during his ESPY Awards speech last week, so it wasn’t a surprise. The eagerness to return to work in preparation for the new season includes growing chemistry with his new rookie teammates.

Mahomes spoke with reporters on Tuesday about his advice for the new talent class ready to start their NFL journey.

 “I told those guys ‘make sure you’re ready for it.’ I mean, obviously, St. Joe’s is an amazing spot to have camp, and we come out here and have a lot of fun, but you have to be ready to work,” Mahomes said. I told them, ‘If you can get through Andy Reid’s training camp, then you’re going to be able to get through an NFL season.’ I think they must have that mindset, and they got a taste of it during OTA’s and minicamp. But they’re really going to see what it’s like during training camp and they know that if they do it the right way, they have as good of a chance as anybody to win the Super Bowl.”

Mahomes will have some new blood with him on the offensive side of the ball, including wide receiver Rashee Rice and offensive tackle Wanya Morris, who were selected in the 2023 NFL draft. There is also undrafted running back Deneric Prince, who will be looking to raise his stock and make the 53-man roster after impressing in OTAs.

More News!

Chiefs Check-in: Rookies, quarterbacks have reported to training camp

Chiefs HC Andy Reid unsure if DT Chris Jones will report to training camp

LOOK: Chiefs rookies, QBs arrive in St. Joseph for training camp

Story originally appeared on Chiefs Wire

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After a protracted courtship, the Tennessee Titans are expected to sign All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones confirmed. The two-year contract will pay him $26 million in 2023 and 2024, including as much as $15 million during the first season, according to NFL Media.

Hopkins can earn up to $3 million in incentives each season, with up to $1 million in bonuses available based on his total number of receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

SportsLine’s Stephen Oh projected the impact of the signing, and it significantly raised Tennessee’s chances of winning the AFC South and making the playoffs.

Before7.946.5%20.9%31.2%1.2%0.4%w/ DeAndre Hopkins8.348.8%25.8%37.7%1.9%0.7%Difference0.42.4%4.9%6.5%0.7%0.3%

It’s easy to see why. Prior to this signing, Tennessee had one of the league’s least-threatening pass-catching corps. The Titans’ expected starting wide receivers were 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks and fourth-year former undrafted free agent Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on the outside, and 2022 fifth-rounder Kyle Philips in the slot. Now, Hopkins will likely slot in across from Burks while Westbrook-Ikhine goes back to playing a role as a situational deep threat. 

Hopkins has primarily been an outside receiver for the majority of his career, but it’s worth noting that last year marked one of his highest rates of slot usage, so it is possible that the Titans use him that way as well. (Alignment stats below via Pro Football Focus.)

2013 Texans52812281.0%18.7%2014 Texans39917469.3%30.2%2015 Texans62611184.7%15.0%2016 Texans57016177.9%22.0%2017 Texans5309984.0%15.7%2018 Texans58814480.3%19.7%2019 Texans45227262.3%37.5%2020 Cardinals5956889.6%10.2%2021 Cardinals2925185.1%14.9%2022 Cardinals28210672.7%27.3%

As he’s gotten older, Hopkins has played more of a role as a short- and medium-depth…

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Conversations between the Carolina Panthers and Brian Buns have been had and, apparently, an offer has been made.

In Friday’s edition of his “Ask The Old Guy” mailbag column, Darin Gantt of Panthers.com was asked about the latest update regarding a possible contract extension for the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher. Here was Gantt’s response:

Not a lot to update, but that might not be the case for long. The Panthers have made an offer, but the entire market at the position seems to be on hold since there are a couple of big deals on the horizon.

The holdup likely comes courtesy of San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa. Bosa, who’s fresh off laying claim to the AP Defensive Player of the Year honors, will reset the market once he agrees to his inevitable mega deal.

As for his fellow 2019 first-rounder, Gantt added that an agreement for Burns could be reached soon:

Things could start shaking in the coming days as teams get ready to go to camp. Ideally, something would get done before they report and take the practice field. The Jets just did a deal with fellow 2019 first-rounder Quinnen Williams on Thursday, so maybe that breaks the seal.

Regardless, Burns is under contract for this season, and they can franchise tag him next year if they can’t get a deal done, though that’s something both sides would rather avoid.

Carolina’s veterans are set to report to Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. on Tuesday, July 25. So the new No. 0 could be welcoming in plenty of other new numbers in less than two weeks.

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Story originally appeared on Panthers Wire

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