HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Ravens Exploring New Deal With CB Marcus Peters

March 1st, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have plenty to focus on this offseason in free agency, with quarterback Lamar Jackson obviously taking up most of their attention, but the team has been working to keep another key player off the open market, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. General manager Eric DeCosta told the media that he’s been in talks with cornerback Marcus Peters and his representation about remaining in Baltimore.

Peters has been a sparkplug defender ever since winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and leading the league in interceptions in 2015. He made key plays for the Chiefs and Rams before finding his way to Baltimore to form one of the league’s top cornerback duos with Marlon Humphrey. He’s been named a first-team All-Pro twice in his career and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

Peters has long been a playmaker in the league, recording at least three interceptions in every season of his career except one. Over his eight years in the league, only seven of which saw him on the field, Peters has reeled in 32 picks with an astounding 822 return yards and six return touchdowns. He has plenty of accolades throughout his career, but with free agency looming, the focus will be on the past two seasons, in which Peters has missed 20 of a possible 33 games.

There’s no denying the talent and passion that Peters possesses, but after a torn ACL sidelined him five days before the 2021 season, Peters’s return to the league in 2022 was perhaps the worst statistical year of his career. In his first season back from injury, Peters only nabbed one interception and recorded a career-low six passes defensed. He still made a number of plays for the Ravens, but on a Baltimore defense that saw a few double-digit leads disappear late in games, Peters sometimes found himself liable for big plays.

Now facing free agency, Peters enters an interesting scenario. If the two most recent years were not taken into consideration, Peters would easily be a top candidate to earn the highest new contract for a free agent cornerback this offseason. He will be competing for that honor with Giants cornerback James Bradberry and Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones. All are around the same age, but Bradberry and Jones both had much stronger seasons than Peters in 2022.

It will be interesting to see how the situation plays out between Baltimore and Peters before he even gets to free agency. The Ravens enjoyed success in the secondary when Peters, Humphrey, and safeties Chuck Clark and Marcus Williams were on the field this season. When Peters missed all of 2021, though, the Ravens allowed the most passing yards in the NFL. Their depth behind Peters and Humphrey didn’t improve much in 2022, and if Peters departs in free agency, cornerback immediately becomes a top priority for Baltimore.

The struggles the Ravens have had at cornerback behind Peters makes a new deal crucial. The team has had no issue in the past with shelling out dough on defense, much to the detriment of the offense, and at cornerback in particular. They can certainly take a chance on one of the top cornerback prospects in this year’s draft, but why take the risk if you believe Peters can return to form in 2023? The Ravens may also throw the kitchen sink at Los Angeles if Jalen Ramsey becomes available via trade, as has been rumored. Those two options provide the Ravens with the best chance to field a competent secondary, and extending Peters is likely cheaper than trading for and extending Ramsey.

There should be a mutual interest in the two parties reaching new agreement. For Peters, the Ravens will likely offer him a respectable contract due to his known chemistry and familiarity with the team, while other teams may low-ball the veteran cornerback because of his recent struggles. For the Ravens, they may get a discount, as opposed to if they went out and tried to sign Bradberry or Jones, and, in return, give Peters another chance to regain his All-Pro, ball-hawking status.

Regardless, it will be an interesting situation on which to keep an eye. Despite all the focus in Baltimore falling on the offensive side of the ball, Peters is yet another piece that the Ravens have found they struggle to win without. The team needs a top cornerback across from Humphrey, but how much are they willing to pay for one.

Jets Optimistic On Extension For DT Quinnen WIlliams

March 1st, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Ely Allen

When talking with the media yesterday, Jets general manager Joe Douglas expressed some optimism towards the prospect of extending star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. The 25-year-old is headed towards a contract year in the fifth season of his rookie contract and doesn’t expect to play through it without a new deal.

Williams made it known early after the season ended that he had desires for a new contract. The four-year defender in New York has certainly made a case to become one of the highest paid players at his position, and it sounds like the Jets are more than willing to accommodate. Costello reports that Jets ownership “gave Douglas the green light” for negotiations, and Douglas feels good about it so far.

“We’ve had several good discussions with (Williams’s agent Nicole Lynn) and Quinnen since the season,” Douglas said of the situation. “We feel really good about where we’re at. We feel good that this process is going to play out in the right way.”

It’s important that the process does “play out in the right way” as Williams has reportedly claimed that, barring an extension, he plans to “stay away from the voluntary portion of the offseason program.” With the voluntary offseason program just over a month away, Douglas and company will likely be focused on getting a deal done fairly quickly, with April as a deadline.

The thought that this is a priority for the New York front office should put a smile on Williams’s face. Williams put together some pretty good seasons over the first three years of his NFL career, but he saved his best play for the season just prior to when he wanted a new contract. In his most recent year of play, Williams put up career highs in sacks (12.0), tackles for loss (12), quarterback hits (28), and passes defensed (4), while matching career highs in total tackles (55) and forced fumbles (2). Williams’s career year was good enough to qualify him as the fourth-best interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), behind only stars of the game Chris Jones and Aaron Donald and fellow fourth-year standout Dexter Lawrence.

When looking at a new contract, we should have a good idea of what Williams could receive. For interior defensive lineman, we often see contracts of three or four years. The current highest annual earner at the position is, of course, Donald with the Rams, who makes $31.67MM per year on a three-year deal. Unfortunately, as Donald is a generational talent who is largely untouched by his colleagues, Williams likely won’t sniff Donald’s numbers. Besides Donald, though, Williams has an opportunity to set a new bar for defensive tackles.

Currently, Colts defender DeForest Buckner and Giants versatile lineman Leonard Williams lead the position in annual average value with $21MM. The Chiefs’ star, Jones, is just behind at $20MM and also headed towards a contract year. Williams will benefit from negotiating a new deal at a later date than Buckner and the Giants’ Williams, as contracts tend to continually rise as time goes on. Williams, of the Jets, should expect his new contract to surmount both players’ contracts on the way to an AAV of $22-24MM.

The Jets are hoping to avoid a hold out of their best defensive player. With April drawing ever nearer, New York will likely be putting forth an extension offer of four years worth around $88-92MM. If Donald gets more serious than just flirting with retirement, Williams stands a chance at becoming the highest paid defensive tackle in the league.

Cardinals Finalize Gannon’s New Staff

March 1st, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals announced today that they have finalized their coaching staff under new head coach Jonathan Gannon, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. We’ve tracked many new hires, firings, and retainings as they’ve occurred, but today’s finalization fills in any holes that remained between last year’s staff and what we’ve reported on so far.

On the offensive side of the ball, we’ve got the confirmations and official titles for two new hires. Drew Terrell, who was expected to leave Washington and rumored to be in the running for Arizona’s pass-game coordinator role after missing out on the offensive coordinator job, has officially been hired as the Cardinals’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Additionally, Israel Woolfork, who was rumored to become the new quarterbacks coach after being informed by the Browns that he was granted leave from his diversity coaching fellow position, has officially been made the quarterbacks coach in Arizona.

Two other new hires were announced today on the offensive staff. Former Charleston Southern head coach Autry Denson has joined the staff as a running backs coach. Denson has extensive experience coaching the position at the college level for Notre Dame, Miami (OH), and Bethune-Cookman, but this will be his first job in the NFL. Also joining the staff, Chris Cook will be under offensive line coach Klayton Adams as the team’s assistant offensive line coach. Additionally, two members of the offensive staff from former head coach Kliff Kingsbury‘s tenure have been retained with slightly new titles. Formerly the co-pass game coordinator, Spencer Whipple will be retained in the role of pass game specialist. Similarly, former Bill Bidwill Fellowship and quarterbacks assistant Connor Senger has been retained in the position of offensive quality control coach.

On the defensive side of the ball, Patrick Toney and William Peagler, who were announced to be joining the Cardinals’ staff after working together at the University of Florida, had their titles officially announced today. Toney, who was originally expected to be the safeties coach, will be the Cardinals’ defensive backs coach. Peagler, after coaching tight ends in Gainesville, will serve as assistant defensive line coach. Additionally, a holdover from last year, former defensive assistant Ronald Booker has been retained to serve as defensive quality control.

On special teams, after the departure of assistant special teams coach Devin Fitzsimmons to Carolina, Sam Sewell will be filling the same role in 2023 for the Cardinals. Additionally, away from either side of the ball, the Cardinals hired two more new staffers and retained two others. Brandon Schwab has been hired as assistant to the head coach, and Shea Thompson has been hired as director of football performance. Coaching assistant Jay Razzano was retained from last year’s staff, and Kenny Bell, who served last season in Arizona as chief of staff and offensive assistant, will be retained as the team’s director of football strategy.

With the coaching staff finalized, Gannon and the Cardinals can turn their attention to the NFL Combine, the draft, and the rest of the offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/1/23

March 1st, 2023 at 5:34pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Washington Commanders

After taking some time away from football, Hubert, who retired before the start of his sophomore season in August, tweeted that he is coming out of retirement. Taking time away from the game helped Hubert to heal, and he’s reportedly missed the game a lot in his time off the field. The Bengals, though, have terminated Hubert through the waiver system, so he’ll have to find another squad willing to put him back on the field.

Steelers Interested In Re-Signing CB Cameron Sutton

March 1st, 2023 at 4:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers have traditionally linked up for extension talks with key players ahead of their contract years. They did not do so with Cameron Sutton, but the team is not giving up on retaining its top cornerback.

At his first Combine as Steelers GM, Omar Khan confirmed he has begun negotiations with Sutton, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic notes. Sutton played out a two-year, $9MM deal. The veteran defender also proved an exception to the organization’s traditional policy with homegrown free agents, having signed his second contract just before free agency kicked off in 2021.

Sutton now resides in a better position compared to his free agency two years ago. Despite being set for a third contract ahead of his seventh season, Sutton upped his profile during his 2022 platform year. The former third-round pick allowed just a 65.3 passer rating as the closest defender; that number placed him in the top 15 among corners. Sutton intercepted a career-high three passes and smashed his career-best total for passes defensed (15).

The Tennessee product has experience on the outside and in the slot and resides as one of the top corners available. Tampa Bay’s Jamel Dean may be the premier option on the market, and James Bradberry has a longer track record of success. Bradberry, however, will turn 30 this year. Sutton is going into his age-28 season. The Steelers will need to venture into eight-figure AAV territory to retain him this time, and that might be difficult now that free agency is near. Sutton said ahead last summer he expected to test the 2023 market. Even though no talks are believed to have taken place before last season, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac notes Sutton has remained a priority for Khan’s regime.

Pittsburgh rolled out an interesting corner corps last season. Sutton, Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon were each attached to contracts between $4MM and $5MM per year. Sutton proved to be the only reliable piece at the position. Witherspoon, who missed much of last season due to injury, and Wallace remain under contract. When Sutton last re-signed with Pittsburgh, the team still had Ben Roethlisberger‘s contract on its payroll. Kenny Pickett‘s rookie deal can now work as an advantage for the Steelers. It will be interesting to see if they devote a chunk of their free agency funds to retain the ascending cover man. As of Wednesday, Pittsburgh sits less than $100K over the cap. But the team has been big on restructures over the past several years.

The Steelers will retain exclusive negotiating rights with Sutton until March 13, when the legal tampering period begins. Official free agency starts two days later. Khan took care of two big-ticket extensions during his first offseason as GM — deals for Minkah Fitzpatrick and Diontae Johnson. Keeping Sutton off the market will be a challenge at this juncture, but the Steelers will try.

Jaguars Optimistic On Evan Engram Deal, Want To Retain Jawaan Taylor

March 1st, 2023 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Jaguars transition from spending wildly in 2022 to a 2023 free agency period featuring little action in terms of outside hires, they are going down to the wire with two priority players.

The Jags’ interest in re-signing Evan Engram has been on the radar for a while, but Jawaan Taylor is also a keeper candidate for the resurgent team. GM Trent Baalke confirmed Engram and Taylor talks are ongoing, as the Combine annually ignites discussions between teams and key free agents.

Engram has joined Taylor in indicating he would like to stay in Jacksonville, and NFL.com’s James Palmer points to optimism a deal will be reached (Twitter link). Particularly with Engram, this will be a time-sensitive matter. The Jags have not ruled out tagging either Engram or Taylor, but with the tight end tag checking in at barely $11MM, Engram profiles as the likelier candidate to be cuffed. It would cost the Jags $18.2MM to tag Taylor.

“I think with Jawaan and Evan, I don’t want to speak for them, they know how we feel about them, and I think we know how they feel about us, and there’s a win-win in there somewhere. We’ve just got to get to that,” Baalke said, via the Florida Times-Union’s Demetrius Harvey. “We’ve got a nice window here before free agency starts, and our goal is to try to close those deals within that window.”

Given Engram’s interest in coming back, it should not be considered a lock the Jaguars will lose the seventh-year veteran if they pass on tagging him by the March 7 deadline. But that is the failsafe point for the Jags, who gave the ex-Giants first-rounder a one-year deal worth $9MM in 2022 and saw him produce a single-season franchise record for tight end receiving yards (766). Engram, 28, staying would further strengthen Jacksonville’s receiving corps, which has Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Calvin Ridley under contract.

Taylor’s path is a bit more complicated. The Jags already tagged left tackle Cam Robinson twice, eventually extending him last year. The tackle landscape reveals the either/or decisions teams have made recently regarding payments; clubs with big-ticket left tackle deals on their respective payrolls have not doled out much money to right tackles. Robinson’s $17.9MM-per-year pact ranks seventh at left tackle. The Jags have Walker Little as a possible option to succeed Taylor, who would be poised to do well on the market, with dependable O-linemen being coveted commodities annually.

Robinson’s meniscus tear, however, clouds the Jags’ plans here. Robinson would tentatively be on track to return by Week 1, but Doug Pederson confirmed his potential unavailability factors into the Taylor talks. Taylor, 25, has never missed a game as a pro.

The Jags do have more money to work with as they navigate these negotiations now. They recently restructured the contracts of Kirk, Jones, Brandon Scherff and Foye Oluokun, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter links). Altogether, this created $36MM-plus in cap space. Jacksonville has boosted its total to $16.1MM, as of Wednesday afternoon.

The team has re-signed Roy Robertson-Harris to a three-year, $30MM deal, keeping the D-line starter off the market. That contract is already factored into the team’s updated payroll. Engram and/or Taylor may follow suit; each would be free to negotiate with other teams beginning March 13.

Broncos Seeking O-Line Upgrades; DL Dre’Mont Jones Plans To Test Market

March 1st, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Coming off a wildly disappointing season, the Broncos carry a few needs. Multiple such spots come along Denver’s offensive line, which struggled to both establish a steady ground attack or protect Russell Wilson.

The Broncos are keeping Garett Bolles in place at left tackle, GM George Paton said, and Quinn Meinerz will be back at right guard. Despite the Broncos’ dreadful season on offense, Pro Football Focus ranked Meinerz as a top-10 guard. The rest of the line is in flux going into Sean Payton‘s first season.

“We need to upgrade at the offensive line,’’ Paton said, via 9News’ Mike Klis. “There’s a lot of different ways to acquire any position—free agency, the draft. It just kind of depends on what’s stronger. Is free agency stronger or the draft stronger? Obviously, we need to upgrade there on the offensive line.”

Right tackle has created annual issues up front for the Broncos. The team is near certain to go into an 11th straight season with a different Week 1 starter at that position. Aside from that streak set to drag into a second decade, the team has four-year guard starter Dalton Risner headed to free agency and center Lloyd Cushenberry coming off an injury-plagued season.

PFF has viewed Cushenberry as a bottom-tier center during his three-year run with the Broncos; Paton was not yet in place when the former third-round pick arrived. While the Broncos struggled up front for much of 2022, they were without three starters for most of it. Bolles went down in Week 5, while right tackle Billy Turner missed nine games. Potential right-side starter Tom Compton missed 16.

This will be a year for right tackle-needy teams to strike in free agency. Mike McGlinchey, Kaleb McGary and Jawaan Taylor are, barring franchise tags for the Falcons or Jaguars right-siders, poised to hit the market. These would be costly investments, but the Broncos’ repeated failures to staff this position could point to such a move. The team has generally tried stopgap types here, though its one big swing at the position during this carousel produced a resounding whiff. Big-ticket 2019 signing Ja’Wuan James failed to play 100 snaps for the team before being released in 2021.

One season remains on Cushenberry’s rookie deal, and Graham Glasgow has played both guard and center for the team. While the Broncos brought Glasgow back on a pay cut in 2022, the John Elway-era free agent signing is set to carry a $14MM cap number this season. He joins Ronald Darby as prime cut candidates for the Broncos, who have just $9MM in cap space.

Denver is not expected to need to create room for a franchise tag. The team is not planning to cuff defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones, but that will probably mean a bidding war. Although the Broncos are trying to re-sign the former third-round pick, Jones is eager to see what is out there for him. The three-year starter is planning to test free agency, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets.

With Washington tagging Daron Payne, Jones will enter free agency as one of the best D-linemen available. He has expressed interest in staying with the Broncos, but it will be expensive for the team to retain the Ohio State alum. Denver only has one defender attached to a top-10 contract at his respective position (Justin Simmons), but the team could need to add Jones to that list were a second contract agreement to be reached.

49ers To Consider Veteran QB Addition

March 1st, 2023 at 1:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Shanahan said last month the 49ers were unlikely to add a veteran quarterback to pair with their injured young passers. The organizational thinking may have changed in the weeks since.

Brock Purdy has not yet undergone his UCL surgery, which had been scheduled for last week before swelling led to its delay. Trey Lance underwent two procedures on his broken ankle. Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent who is, despite the team circling back to its previous starter at the 11th hour last year, almost definitely departing in free agency.

This setup stands to both give Lance extensive offseason reps, which will be useful for a uniquely unseasoned prospect, and thin out the QB depth for a team that saw both its active-roster passers go down during the NFC championship game. John Lynch said (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman, on Twitter) the 49ers “may have to look into the veteran quarterback market” as a protection measure.

Lynch was more diplomatic than Shanahan regarding another Garoppolo deal. After the seventh-year 49ers HC said he could not foresee any scenario in which the veteran QB returned, Lynch said the relationship has “probably run its course.” Garoppolo will be expected to price himself out of San Francisco’s range. The team had planned to carry the Purdy and Lance rookie deals into the offseason, allowing for big spending elsewhere. That still looks to be the blueprint here, but a host of midlevel or backup-type veterans will be available for the contending team. It depends on what role the 49ers want to fill.

If the 49ers merely will seek a practice-level passer to spell Lance at points this offseason, system arms Nick Mullens and Josh Johnson are available. The team wanting a true backup option would open the door to the likes of Case Keenum, Mason Rudolph, Blaine Gabbert, Chase Daniel, Cooper Rush or Taylor Heinicke. A host of bridge-type starter options are also available. It should not be ruled out the 49ers would consider the Baker Mayfield–Andy Dalton–Sam Darnold–Jacoby Brissett tier, given Purdy’s uncertain timetable and Lance’s inconsistency and injury past.

Lance is expected to be ready for OTAs. While Purdy is viewed as the likely starter, he is facing a lengthy rehab — one that could still include Tommy John surgery. That reconstructive procedure would sideline him to start the season. As of now, the 49ers’ goal remains for Purdy to be back in time for Week 1. Lance said during a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show he just wants a chance to compete (video link). The North Dakota State alum will have an interesting opportunity ahead, as the 49ers were preparing to go with him last year before his ankle setback. It will be interesting to see if the unpolished prospect can mount a serious challenge to Purdy thanks to a spring an summer of first-team reps.

Lynch responded to question pertaining to interest in Tom Brady by indicating the retired passer sent him a thumbs-up emoji when the GM texted him congrats on his legendary career. Unlike last year, Brady will be a free agent. The 49ers have been linked to the Bay Area native during a few offseasons under Lynch. Considering Brady was connected to wanting to play for his hometown team during his short retirement last year — a scenario the Buccaneers did not entertain — a free agency pact figures to come up. But Brady would not qualify as a Lance mentor; he would be stepping in to start. That would represent a strange scenario for Purdy.

But the 49ers still have one of the NFL’s best rosters. If Purdy is viewed as needing regular-season time to recover, Lance will need to be readier compared to what he showed in 2021 or ’22. If the 49ers do not view the former No. 3 overall pick as progressing this offseason, rumblings of a second Brady unretirement would be difficult to suppress.

RB Rumors: Mixon, Cook, Dolphins, Jaguars

March 1st, 2023 at 12:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Emphatically announcing that Tee Higgins was not available for a trade, Bengals VP of player personnel Duke Tobin was less declarative regarding Joe Mixon‘s future. The seventh-year running back, one of a few 2017 backfield draftees who entered the offseason with an uncertain place on his team’s roster, has a fairly manageable 2023 cap hit ($12.8MM). Mixon, 26, is still unlikely to be with the team too much longer, considering the payments that will need to be made to the offense’s other high-profile players. His deal runs through 2024.

“I’m not gonna predict the offseason because I don’t have the answers. In the words of the great Kevin Malone, ‘I don’t know,’” Tobin said, borrowing a line from one of The Office‘s accounting staffers, when asked about Mixon. “We’ll all see as the offseason goes what we’re able to get done and how the resources are spread around, but Joe’s been a vital part of our team, a successful part, a contributing part. My job is to try to keep as many of those pieces around as I can.”

The Bengals could save more than $7MM by releasing Mixon and just more than $10MM if he is designated as a post-June 1 cut. The team also has the likes of Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell and Germaine Pratt set to hit the market. The Bengals are near the top of the league in cap space, at over $35MM, and after being aggressive in adding outside talent from 2020-22, they plan to restore their offseason focus on attempting to retain their own players. Releasing Mixon would be a way to create more space, but the Bengals would then need help at running back. Backup Samaje Perine is set for free agency, though he could be retained cheaply if the Bengals decided to cut the cord on their longtime starter.

Here is the latest from the running back scene:

  • Both Mixon and Dalvin Cook signed extensions just before the 2020 season; Cook’s Vikings pact was for five years, however. Entering Year 3 of that contract, the Vikings are not certain to move forward with their Pro Bowl ball-carrier. While calling Cook a “great player, great leader,” Minnesota GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert) joined Tobin in stopping short of guaranteeing the former second-round pick would be back. “In the NFL you have a lot of constraints, salary cap, different things, and we’re trying to figure out how we can operate in those things,” Adofo-Mensah said. The Vikings could save $9MM by designating Cook a post-June 1 cut; the team is currently $24MM over the cap. Cutting the four-time 1,100-yard rusher would obviously come with risk. Going into his age-28 season, Cook has been one of the NFL’s best backs in recent years. Though, he has battled injuries and recently underwent shoulder surgery. Longtime backup Alexander Mattison is also on the cusp of free agency.
  • The Dolphins want to keep at least one of their free agent backs — Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson — and NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes the team has discussed the prospect of re-signing both (Twitter links). The ex-49ers cogs fared well in Miami last season, and each should be affordable thanks to a flood of starter-level backs being set for free agency. Mostert, who will turn 31 next month, signed a one-year, $2.1MM Dolphins deal in 2022. Wilson, 27, re-signed with the 49ers on a one-year, $1.1MM accord — one the 49ers traded at the deadline.
  • Fellow former 49ers back JaMycal Hasty is staying in Florida, having re-signed with the Jaguars. The Jags gave their backup running back a two-year deal that can max out at $3.2MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. Hasty will return to spell starter Travis Etienne, who has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

Panthers, Sam Darnold Begin Talks

March 1st, 2023 at 10:41am CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers are meeting with Derek Carr at the Combine, joining the Jets and Saints in doing so. While Carolina is entertaining the prospect of signing the longtime Raiders starter, the team’s price range is believed to check in lower than what Carr will command.

As a result, the Panthers are circling back to one of their own quarterbacks. The team has begun talks with Sam Darnold about returning, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. These can be classified as preliminary discussions, but Darnold would make sense for a team that uses its first-round pick on a quarterback.

Darnold is only 25 but has been given plenty of chances to show he is a franchise-caliber passer. The former No. 3 overall pick has already made 55 starts. Seventeen of those came with Carolina over the past two seasons. Matt Rhule pushed for the 2021 Darnold trade. Despite Rhule now camping in Nebraska, the Panthers are interested in keeping him. Darnold would represent a bridge option for a Panthers team that has been steadily connected to using its No. 9 overall pick on a QB or trading up for one.

Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo reside as the top available free agents — at least, among those actually expected to hit the market. Geno Smith would join them near the top of the QB market, but the Seahawks are not expected to let the reigning Comeback Player of the Year walk. The Giants are not letting Daniel Jones walk. Both he and Lamar Jackson will be franchise-tagged absent extensions surfacing before Monday’s tag deadline. Aaron Rodgers‘ status looms over all of this, but this year’s QB trade market does not appear as rich as 2022’s.

The market for bridge options will give the Panthers some choices. Baker Mayfield resides on this tier but should not be viewed as a candidate to come back to Charlotte. But Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota, Jacoby Brissett, Teddy Bridgewater, Gardner Minshew and Carson Wentz are free agents or will be soon. This array of lower-tier starter options should make the players here fairly affordable, despite the QB demand that exists almost every year.

Darnold closed last season with a career-high 48.3 QBR, a mark much higher than his Panthers debut season (33.2), and a career-best passer rating (92.6). The Panthers fell short in their quest to rebound from a rocky start and make the playoffs, but Darnold showed some degree of promise after replacing Mayfield. Carolina’s offensive line restocking effort aided Darnold, as did the team’s D’Onta Foreman-led ground attack. Darnold still completed just 58.6% of his passes and should not be considered a multiyear option. But a team preparing to retool around a first-round pick could certainly do worse than adding the sixth-year vet as a stopgap.

After entering last season with Darnold, Mayfield and P.J. Walker on their roster, the Panthers have only Matt Corral and Jacob Eason under contract for 2023. Neither can be considered a viable starting option, pointing to Carolina exploring vets.

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