HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Broncos Name Bo Nix Starting QB

August 21st, 2024 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean Payton has closed the book on his quarterback competition. As expected, Bo Nix will take the reins in Week 1 against the Seahawks. After solid efforts in back-to-back preseason games, the first-round pick can begin preparing with the starters.

Nix will become the first Broncos rookie QB to start in Week 1 since John Elway in 1983. The conversation will soon shift to a Jarrett Stidham-or-Zach Wilson decision, though the prospect of Denver keeping all three on its 53-man roster has come up as well.

[RELATED: Assessing Broncos’ 2024 Offseason]

This situation has trended toward Nix for a while. A midsummer report pointed to this being the Oregon product’s job to lose, and considering the Broncos drafted a player who set a Division I-FBS record for QB starts (61), it would have surprised if the prospect was not ready to go immediately. Nix impressed in preseason outings against the Colts and Packers, moving the offense toward points on almost every drive he led.

Regularly connecting with Tim Patrick against Green Bay, Nix went 8-for-9 for 80 yards against the Packers’ collection of second-stringers Sunday. Nix led two scoring drives, capping the second with a TD toss to Patrick. In Indianapolis, Nix was 15-for-21 for 125 yards and a touchdown. The rookie, who rushed for 14 touchdowns in 2022 at Oregon, displayed some skills on the ground as well. Payton started Stidham in Indianapolis but gave Nix far more time. Wilson entered third in each game and had not been viewed as a serious contender, even as Payton has praised the former No. 2 overall pick.

Nix joins Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams among this year’s first-round QB sextet to be named a Week 1 starter. The Patriots have not determined if Drake Maye or Jacoby Brissett will receive the call, though the veteran has long been viewed as the frontrunner. The other two passers chosen in Round 1 will not start to open seasons, with Michael Penix Jr. set to wait behind Kirk Cousins and J.J. McCarthy undergoing knee surgery that will knock him out for the season.

Payton raved about Nix’s readiness and fit in his offense this offseason, and the rookie consistently made good decisions during his preseason outings. The Broncos were 6-for-7 in scoring drives with Nix taking snaps, and the 6-foot-2 passer threw two short TD passes. Payton informed his trio of QBs after practice Wednesday. Nix is coming off a dominant season at Oregon, having thrown 45 TD passes and three INTs. Though Nix set a Division I-FBS completion percentage record (77.8%), the Broncos attempt to filter out his shorter throws to determine a better prospect value. Payton was satisfied with the result.

This will set up an interesting decision for the Broncos, as Stidham is in his second year in Payton’s system while Wilson offers more upside. With that upside, of course, comes a history of erratic play with the Jets — to the point the team benched him three times and traded him for a low-end return.

The Broncos would save $5MM by releasing Stidham, who is tied to a two-year, $10MM contract. That deal includes just $1MM in remaining guarantees; a Wilson cut would not create any cap savings. Waiving Wilson would cost Denver $2.7MM, thanks to the salary split the Broncos and Jets agreed to in April. The Broncos chose Zach Wilson as somewhat of a contingency plan, with the trade finalized days before the draft. Following the Russell Wilson debacle, the Broncos were always expected to draft a QB. And Nix-to-Denver rumblings began in February, with Payton guiding a smokescreen effort.

Six-plus months later, Nix is in position to stake his claim to being a long-term Denver starter. The Broncos have endured a maddening run of missteps trying to replace Peyton Manning. This has included some trade misses (Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater) and draft shortcomings (Paxton Lynch, Drew Lock).

Payton will be staking his post-New Orleans reputation on Nix, which would have made it borderline shocking if he went with one of the vets early. This will also be new territory for the Super Bowl-winning HC, who has only coached veteran starters (save for a COVID-19-induced Ian Book outing). The Broncos, who are dealing with Russell Wilson’s record-smashing dead money hit for two years, will need Nix to come through as a cost-controlled solution.

Latest On Cowboys’ Contract Holdups

August 21st, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones is starting to tip his hand. All offseason, we have watched the market for quarterbacks and wide receivers be reset as other teams across the NFL pay their players, some of whom were not free agents and still had time left on their contracts. All the while, Dallas has been negotiating, leaving quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and outside linebacker Micah Parsons as some of the few players with unresolved contract issues.

In an interview today, Jones clued us in as to why the Cowboys seem to be resting on their laurels while the rest of the league signs their players. DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Harris provided the full quote.

“Well, again, we’re just continuing to talk,” Jones started before getting to the point at hand. “The thing is there, since we’re really (nearing) in-season, practicing, doing all those things, we’re operating under the existing contract really good.

“One of the things that the fans should really understand is that, nine times out of ten, these are existing contracts that you have in place. You should be able to operate under those, but we’ve gotten it now in the NFL — other teams are dealing with it — with some time on the contract, you still might have a contract discussion. And that’s what we’re doing. None of us — player or team — want to hurt the preparation or likelihood of playing at your best.”

There it is. It’s seemed as if the Cowboys are sitting on their hands in terms of extending their three stars because Jones seemingly wants the players to honor the remainder of their contracts before taking extension conversations seriously. On its surface, this seems like a reasonable expectation, until the flipside shows teams cutting veterans with multiple years left on their contracts because they don’t want to be beholden to the cap figures they agreed to.

It’s strange to see Jones play ignorant to the concept that there is value in keeping your star players happy by offering them security and a raise above what they are already owed. One of the league’s most-talented defenders, Parsons is set to be paid as the 76th highest-paid edge rusher (in terms of annual average contract value) in the NFL in 2024. He’ll receive $2.99MM in cash this year. Lamb is set up a little better with his fifth-year option paying him $17.99MM this year, though that amount would qualify as the 25th-highest annual average for receivers in the league.

Prescott is rightfully content to play out the 2024 season on his current deal, as he’ll receive $34MM in cash this year, but one might think that his $55.13MM cap hit in 2024 might encourage Jones to work out a new deal to reduce his cap impact. The team has already shoveled $54.14MM of Prescott’s cap numbers into future void seasons, so perhaps Jones is hesitant to dig the future hole even deeper.

Jones already voiced a lack of urgency in extending Lamb. The holdout receiver could do nothing but laugh on social media as a response. Jones’ comments today concerning Prescott’s situation indicate more of the same. While other teams are attempting to stay ahead of the ever-inflating contract numbers around the NFL, Jones is keeping his wallet closed for now. Jones even blamed some of his tight-purse tendencies on the NFL’s DirecTV case that could involve a large payout from the league.

Regardless, it seems evident that, at the very least, an extension for Prescott will not likely occur before the start of the regular season. Parsons seemed to be on a lower priority level than Prescott, so he will likely have to wait, as well. As for Lamb? He continues to hold out as offers are proffered and rejected. While media pundits seem to think that Lamb will be out there for Week 1, Jones’ continued nonchalance in negotiating could end up forcing Lamb to continue his holdout into the regular season.

Patriots Release DT Mike Purcell

August 21st, 2024 at 9:22pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran defensive tackle Mike Purcell‘s stay in New England was a short one. After signing with the Patriots only three weeks ago, Purcell’s tenure with the team came to an end today as New England announced his release.

Purcell began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming, signing with the 49ers. While not appearing as a rookie and only playing two games in his sophomore campaign, Purcell earned a role in San Francisco, starting eight games over his final two years with the team.

Over the next two years he would shuffle around on different practice squads, eventually landing in the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019. Following his performance in the AAF, Purcell signed on with the Broncos. Originally a veteran, depth addition, Purcell ended up starting 37 games while appearing in 65 of a potential 67 contests.

His short reunion with the Patriots, who were one of the several teams who hosted him on their practice squad, was only slightly long than his first stint with the team. He was signed to help make up for the lost production of Christian Barmore as he dealt with his blood clots diagnosis. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Purcell was running behind Davon Godchaux, Jeremiah Pharms, Daniel Ekuale, and Trysten Hill this preseason.

With Purcell off the roster, New England is more likely to test some of the youthful depth pieces on the roster like Armon Watts or Josiah Bronson. Purcell, on the other hand, will be back on the free agent market. At 32 years old, he may be running out of opportunities to remain in the NFL.

49ers Getting Close On Trent Williams Extension?

August 21st, 2024 at 8:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Another day, another update concerning the contract situations in San Francisco. According to Cam Inman of The Mercury News, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave updates on the team’s ongoing negotiations today. While one update lacked an abundance of new information, Shanahan seemed to hint that the other could be on its way to a resolution.

Star offensive tackle Trent Williams has been committed to his holdout as the 36-year-old pushes for a new deal that improves upon the figures he’s currently stuck with until 2027. Our most recent update showed that Williams’ camp had been contacted by the team as they attempted to appease his dissatisfaction.

In an interview on KNBR, Shanahan told his interviewers, “I’ve had some contact with (Williams). It’s been good to talk to him. I know we’re negotiating hard. Nothing new to add, but hopefully it’s getting close.”

Williams’ presence on the field is far too impactful for the 49ers to risk not starting the season with him in uniform, especially with star running back Christian McCaffrey coming off an injury. With the team’s lack of experienced depth on the offensive line, especially at tackle, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll allow Williams to sit out for much longer.

Now, to the other situation: the hold-in of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Unfortunately, Shanahan’s update on the Aiyuk-negotiations were far less informative. “Oh, so much has changed,” Shanahan joked to open his most recent explanation of the situation. “No, no new updates. I’m sorry to keep being boring with that, but I wish I was saying something different, but nothing’s changed yet.”

We’ve gotten so many conflicting reports concerning the slow-but-seemingly-sure progress of an extension for the young wide receiver. Whether they’re still far apart or getting close, the situation seems to be improving. The 49ers continue to work to hold on to Aiyuk, while Pittsburgh waits patiently across the table, tapping the offer sheet that the Steelers submitted so long ago.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/24

August 21st, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s mid-week minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaaron Hayek

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Released (with injury settlement): CB Tyler Hall

Washington Commanders

Interesting move up in Green Bay, where the Packers are essentially swapping out which player will qualify as the 17th member of their practice squad through the International Player Pathway program. They’ll waive the Nigerian, Odumegwu, who joined through the league’s IPP program last year, and assign the international exemption to the Australian kicker, Hale.

It’s unfortunate news for Keene, who doubled in his offensive duties as fullback at times for the Texans. Keene reportedly tore his ACL in Houston’s second preseason game last weekend, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. His placement on injured reserve today will end his 2024 season.

Cowboys To Sign DT Linval Joseph

August 21st, 2024 at 5:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones recently hinted at more defensive line additions coming; the Cowboys appear to be following through on that. They are preparing to give Linval Joseph a shot to play a 15th NFL season.

The experienced D-lineman is signing with the Cowboys, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. Joseph spent last season with the Bills, playing in seven games. This is earlier than Joseph caught on with teams over the past two years. He signed with Buffalo in November 2023 and joined Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LVII team in November 2022.

[RELATED: Cowboys Acquire DT Jordan Phillips From Giants]

Joseph will do better than he did with Buffalo or Philly, though that should perhaps be understandable since Dallas is giving him a full-season deal rather than a prorated arrangement. According to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, the Cowboys are signing Joseph to a one-year deal with $2.5MM guaranteed. Joseph can earn up to $4MM on the contract.

This will reunite Joseph with former Vikings HC Mike Zimmer. The Vikings added Joseph in free agency during Zimmer’s first offseason as HC and employed him for six seasons. Joseph started 88 games under Zimmer. While the former second-round pick was part of the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI-winning team back in 2011, his most notable NFL period came in Minnesota under Zimmer. With the Vikes featuring little QB continuity, Joseph was part of three Zimmer-led playoff teams during that span.

More of a rotational DT-for-hire at this point in his career, Joseph is now on team No. 6. While he worked exclusively as a Bills backup, the former Giants and Vikings regular was a full-time starter during his Eagles stint. Philly’s NFC championship team turned to the big man for eight regular-season starts and three in the playoffs that season, doing so despite not adding him until Nov. 16.

Last season, Joseph played 35% of the Bills’ defensive snaps (during his time with the team). Prior to his two rental years in the northeast, Joseph was attached to notable Chargers and Vikings contracts. The veteran run stuffer inked two Vikings deals — the second a four-year, $50.35MM pact — and landed a two-year, $17MM Chargers accord ahead of his age-32 season. Joseph will turn 36 in October, but the Cowboys will see if he can help their effort.

The Cowboys had been adding defensive ends as of late, with Carl Lawson the latest in the team’s effort to cover for Sam Williams‘ season-ending injury. The team traded for 2023 Joseph-teammate Phillips last week. The 30-somethings join 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith and contract-year DT Osa Odighizuwa among Dallas’ interior stoppers. The team has certainly prioritized bulk as of late, with Zimmer presumably concerned about his run defense ahead of his first NFL season since being fired as Minnesota’s HC.

NFC South Notes: Tepper, Pace, Bucs, Saints

August 21st, 2024 at 5:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

David Tepper‘s Panthers tenure has plunged the team to its lowest point. Carolina is 0-for-6 in playoff berths under the current owner, bottoming out at 2-15 last season. Panthers fans have observed their owner play perhaps the lead role during this period. Beyond Tepper throwing a drink at a fan last season, the primary concerns about the owner have been overreach-based. Frank Reich confirmed Tepper carried considerable input into football operations last year, and Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline notes a number of league insiders indicate the Carolina czar has not cooled down on this front. Tepper, who has been tabbed as difficult to work for in the past, said at Dave Canales‘ introductory presser he would step back regarding personnel matters. This latest report suggests he has not done so.

From steering the Bryce Young trade to authorizing the monster Matt Rhule contract to firing Reich after 11 games, Tepper has made a mark in his early ownership years. Given how chaotic last year’s coaching setup was believed to be — due in no small part to Tepper’s role — the owner’s involvement will continue to be a central issue as the Panthers attempt to climb out of the NFL’s basement.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Ryan Pace will continue to move up in the Falcons‘ front office. Fired from his Bears GM post following the 2021 season, Pace received a second promotion from the Falcons recently. The team moved him from director of pro personnel to VP of football operations/personnel. Pace last promotion took place during the 2023 offseason. Pace, 47, began his Atlanta stint as a senior personnel executive in 2022. No GM interviews have come his way since the Chicago ouster. The Falcons also promoted Hakeem Smith from assistant pro scout to pro scout and hired Cami Pasqualoni and Kevin Weisman as scouting assistants. Cami is the daughter of former Lions DC and Syracuse HC Paul Pasqualoni; she had previously worked in the Orange’s recruiting department.
  • The Buccaneers are not planning to bring in a kicker to push Chase McLaughlin. Todd Bowles said (via ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine) it is “a little late for competition.” McLaughlin has missed two kicks during the preseason. Any type of competition might be a bit rash as well, seeing as the sixth-year specialist made 93.5% of his field goal tries (29 of 31) and all 33 of his extra points last season. This included 7-for-8 from 50-plus yards. The Bucs also re-signed McLaughlin on a three-year, $12.3MM deal in March. The kicker’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries are guaranteed.
  • Justin Simmons‘ New Orleans visit effectively alerted the football world the Saints were not satisfied with the safety position alongside Tyrann Mathieu. Dennis Allen confirmed that recently, indicating no one has seized the job yet. Jordan Howden started in place of the since-cut Marcus Maye during the latter’s injury- and suspension-driven absences last season, but the Saints also re-signed former first-rounder-turned-nomad Johnathan Abram. The team has given Abram and recently added DB Will Harris starting nods, respectively, in its two preseason games. Simmons signed a one-year, $7.5MM deal with the Falcons following a multi-day visit.

Bills Shift La’el Collins To Guard; Latest On Team’s CB Situation

August 21st, 2024 at 4:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

La’el Collins has worked exclusively at tackle since 2017. The Cowboys’ position change at the time stuck, with the former first-round guard prospect quickly establishing himself as a right tackle starter. Eight years after he last played guard in a game, the former Dallas and Cincinnati starter’s last shot with Buffalo appears to hinge on a move back.

The Bills are now viewing Collins as a guard-only option, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia (subscription required). This has been an interesting transition for the veteran blocker, as the Bills had hoped he would become a swing backup. But Collins has struggled, putting his roster spot in jeopardy.

A pre-camp assessment of Collins’ likelihood for the 53-man roster pointed to a bubble scenario forming, but the Bills guaranteed the 86-game starter $1.5MM upon signing him in April. Collins had visited late last season but did not sign. The Bengals cut Collins from their reserve/PUP list last September, leading to a missed season. Collins had sustained ACL and MCL tears in Week 16 of the 2022 campaign, and the Bengals were generally unhappy with their three-year, $21MM free agency investment in the veteran tackle.

Cincinnati had shut the door on Collins potentially moving to guard to accommodate Orlando Brown Jr.‘s arrival last year, but it appears the Bills view him differently. Collins started 14 games at guard from 2015-16, but a foot injury ended his run as an inside presence. Dallas shifted the LSU product to tackle before the 2017 season and used him as its RT starter in four of the next five seasons. This transition scored Collins two Cowboys extensions. Now 31, he faces a challenge to reacclimate to guard.

Collins and Will Clapp have struggled during the run-up to cutdown day, Buscaglia adds, noting the Bills subbed out the veterans for younger players while the second-team offense was in the game against the Steelers. Clapp started 11 Chargers games last season, filling in for Corey Linsley after the latter’s move to the NFI list, and has made 21 career starts. Clapp, 28, and Collins represent the only veteran backup options for Buffalo up front, but the team is trying UDFA Richard Gouraige at both tackle and guard.

Gouraige, a 2023 signee, spent last season on Buffalo’s practice squad. The team has 2023 swing tackle Ryan Van Demark and rookie fifth-rounder Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, an All-American center at Georgia, locked into roster spots. Ditto Alec Anderson, a 2022 UDFA, Buscaglia adds. Anderson has yet to play a regular-season snap, but it appears the Bills trust him more than the newly acquired vets.

Collins and Clapp would provide experience, and while there might be room on the Bills’ roster for one of the two, the team may not want to carry both. Clapp signed a one-year, $1.29MM deal with $288K guaranteed.

Elsewhere on the Bills’ roster, it does not look like Kaiir Elam is expected to unseat Christian Benford at cornerback. The latter, a former sixth-round pick who quickly usurped the ex-first-rounder back in 2022, has a “vise grip” on the team’s boundary CB job opposite Rasul Douglas, the Buffalo News’ Mark Gaughan writes.

Elam has only started eight games since being the No. 23 overall pick in 2022. Benford, conversely, has made 19 starts — including 14 last season. Elam tore an ankle ligament before last season and landed on IR after attempting to play through the malady. While Gaughan indicates Elam has not accounted himself poorly, Benford has been better and appears in no danger of losing his starting job. Pro Football Focus ranked Benford as last year’s eighth-best corner.

The Bills benched Elam in November 2022 and have not relied on him as a regular starter since. Even with Tre’Davious White now in Los Angeles, Elam appears on track to enter the season as a backup.

Steelers Place LB Markus Golden On Reserve/Retired List

August 21st, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 21: The nine-year veteran made it official Wednesday, turning to Instagram to announce he is indeed done playing. The Steelers have not yet made a notable move to replace Golden, making next week’s waiver frenzy worth monitoring.

AUGUST 9: Markus Golden did not make it too far into his second Steelers contract. Eight days after re-signing, the veteran pass rusher has shifted course. The Steelers placed him on the reserve/retired list Friday.

Producing three seasons of double-digit sacks, Golden operated as a Steelers rotational rusher last season. The former Cardinals and Giants edge player racked up four sacks and 10 QB hits as a Steeler in 2023, but the team will need a different plan behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith now.

The Steelers gave Golden a one-year, $1.32MM deal to play behind their standout OLBs, and he suited up for 16 games. Now, Golden follows Titans guard Saahdiq Charles by reversing course into retirement during camp. Though, Golden logged nine NFL seasons; Charles was going into Year 5. Golden is also 33, having entered the league at 24 out of Missouri.

The 2015 second-round pick will be best remembered for his two Cardinals stints. Two of Golden’s three 10-plus-sack seasons occurred in Arizona — each coming as a Chandler Jones sidekick. Golden produced a 12.5-sack season in 2016, and after an October 2017 ACL tear threw off his career trajectory, he totaled 10 sacks (and a career-high 27 QB hits) as a Giant in 2019. Following a midseason trade back to Arizona in 2020, Golden accumulated 11 sacks for a ’21 Cardinals team that — despite losing J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins to injuries — snapped a lengthy playoff drought.

Golden did not fare too well — at least, given his production — financially, never signing a deal worth more than $10MM. The Giants gave him a one-year, $3.75MM accord in 2019 and slapped a UFA tender on him a year later. He signed a two-year, $9MM deal to stay in Arizona in 2021 and agreed to a short-term extension in 2022. A retooling Cards regime cut him a year later, leading to the Pittsburgh agreement. For his career, Golden registered 51 career sacks and did run his string of short-term contracts past $22MM in career earnings.

The Steelers did not draft any outside linebackers and again have a question regarding production behind Highsmith and Watt. Nick Herbig does remain on the roster after a three-sack season, and the team will expect a bounce-back effort from stalwart D-lineman Cameron Heyward — after an injury-plagued 2023. Still, it would not necessarily surprise to see the Steelers keep looking. They made a late-summer trade for Malik Reed two Augusts ago; a similar move to replace Golden may be necessary for this defense-oriented squad.

Lions Likely To Keep Three QBs; Nate Sudfeld In Lead For QB2 Job

August 21st, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jared Goff‘s career turnaround led to the former No. 1 overall pick joining the $50MM-per-year club, officially ending any speculation regarding his long-term future in Detroit. The Lions still have questions to answer behind their high-priced starter, however.

At this time last year, Detroit had signed Teddy Bridgewater to back up Goff. After playing out a one-year contract, the former first-rounder retired at 31 and is coaching high school football. This leaves Hendon Hooker and veteran Nate Sudfeld behind Goff. The reserves’ hierarchy seems out of step with where the Lions wanted it to be.

Sudfeld is leading the way to be Goff’s backup come Week 1, Dan Campbell said. Though, the Lions do not appear to be considering exposing Hooker to waivers. Campbell added, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett, the team will likely keep all three of its QBs on the active roster. The team also recently added Jake Fromm, who would seem a practice squad candidate (at best).

“You have to have conviction that whoever that (No. 2) guy is, is going to be able to keep this ship afloat and what we know about Hooker is, Hooker is a young, developing quarterback and he needs reps and he needs time,” Campbell said. “I do know that. And Nate right now has the upper hand because he’s played more.”

The Lions viewed Sudfeld as a shaky backup option last year, bringing in Bridgewater during training camp. The former Day 3 draftee did not factor into the team’s QB plans during the regular season, being ineligible after the Lions moved him to IR before the season. The team kept two QBs on its active roster last year, stashing Hooker on its reserve/NFI list, and carried only two passers on its 53-man team to start the 2021 and ’22 seasons as well.

Sudfeld, 30, still re-signed with the team this offseason. The Lions gave their third-year reserve QB a one-year, $1.21MM deal that included $300K guaranteed. Best known for being the player Doug Pederson threw into action to replace Jalen Hurts in a winnable Week 17 game in 2020, Sudfeld has managed to stick around for eight seasons. This will be Year 9 for the former Washington sixth-rounder. Sudfeld is 25-for-37 as a pro; he has not thrown a pass in a game since that much-discussed Philly-Washington matchup.

Several teams met with Hooker before the 2023 draft. Rumors about the Tennessee prospect being a second-round pick surfaced, but the ACL tear he sustained late in the 2022 season led to a value loss and a near-full-season rehab effort. The Lions stopped Hooker’s contract from tolling late last season, removing him from the NFI list in mid-December. Bridgewater remained Goff’s backup throughout last season, but the durable starter started all 20 Detroit games.

Campbell wants to continue Hooker’s development, even if that means the second-year QB not winning the backup job immediately. Sudfeld would not seem a tremendous impediment to Hooker, should he show improvement in the coming months. But for now, the second-year passer is on track to open the season as a third-stringer. Hooker not being ready also leaves the Lions a bit vulnerable, despite Sudfeld having been in Ben Johnson‘s system since 2022.

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