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AFC East Rumors: Jones, Jackson, Jets

October 8th, 2023 at 7:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL’s franchise in New England had been spoiled with their consistency at the quarterback position over the 20-year reign of Tom Brady. This season, though, many are wondering if Brady’s eventual successor, Mac Jones, has what it takes to retain his seat atop the depth chart. According to several different sources, his starting job as the Patriots‘ quarterback is safe for now.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report this morning that the Patriots would be sticking with Jones at quarterback for today’s game against the Saints and that “no change was imminent.” He did mention that second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe, who got about a quarter of the team’s offensive snaps is last week’s blowout loss to the Cowboys, got more practice snaps than usual throughout the week.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated detailed that a lot of the struggles seen with Jones last week were things that have been noticed at practice in New England. He asserts that Jones still has a bit of leeway with the coaching staff, but Jones is going to need to remedy those issues in order to keep it that way.

Even after another blowout loss today that saw Jones pulled from the game in the fourth quarter, head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that Jones will remain the team’s starter, according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports. Belichick reportedly said that “the team will be ‘starting over’ as they move toward next Sunday’s game against the Raiders, but the new start won’t include a new” starter.

Here are a few other rumors out of the AFC East, starting with a new familiar face who recently returned to Massachusetts:

  • Recent trade acquisition from the Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson was once a prized free agent addition in Los Angeles after his original stint with the Patriots. But things this year deteriorated to the point that Jackson, who was a healthy scratch for the Chargers in Week 3, was asked to enter the game to fill in for an injured Michael Davis, and he refused to do so, per a joint report from Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Jackson, who had already sustained a serious injury during his time in Los Angeles, knew he had no future with the team and didn’t feel comfortable risking further injury. Additionally, the arrest warrant issued for Jackson in late September for reckless driving has reportedly been lifted, according to David Linton of The Sun Chronicle. Jackson paid the fine and agreed to probation in order to avoid arrest.
  • Along with Aaron Rodgers‘ former Green Bay teammates, wide receiver Mecole Hardman was considered a big addition to the Jets‘ receiving corps in the offseason. And despite his once prominent role on the perennial contender in Kansas City, Hardman has been a non-factor in the first five weeks of the season, including his status as a healthy scratch today. Hardman voiced his frustration to ESPN’s Rich Cimini saying, “I’m probably the best in the league in space. Maybe (the coaches) see something different. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I think when I was in K.C., I proved that I was probably the most dangerous guy on the jet sweep, or whether it be on the end-around or on the screen, I think I proved year-out that I was that guy you had to worry about doing that.”
  • Sticking with the Jets, many expected a change to the composition of the quarterbacks room coming into the week. Cimini relayed head coach Robert Saleh‘s assessment that the room was “status quo” today. Tim Boyle remained as Zach Wilson‘s primary backup, while Trevor Siemian stayed down on the practice squad today.

Patriots Not Adding Matt Corral To Practice Squad; Team Adjusts Trent Brown’s Contract

September 20th, 2023 at 6:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:47pm: Some may notice Corral’s presence on the wire today designating that he was taking a visit with his now former team in New England. According to Kyed, this is solely a formality. Kyed informs that “teams are required to report if a free agent is in the building” and Corral was at the facility this morning. His visit, though, had no bearing on his status with the team. Kyed reports that Corral’s relationship with the team is currently unchanged.

11:27am: After Matt Corral cleared waivers Tuesday, the Patriots were believed to have added the young quarterback to their practice squad. While this would mark yet another roster designation for the 2022 third-round pick, it has not come to fruition.

Corral has not returned to the Pats on a practice squad deal, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes. While the Ole Miss product was on track to come back on a P-squad pact, Kyed adds he is no longer expected to do so.

The Pats claimed Corral off waivers from the Panthers shortly after roster cutdown day, and while the raw QB prospect practiced with the team for more than a week, he left the team without providing notice and ended up on the exempt/left squad list. The Patriots removed Corral from that list Monday, and no team claimed him. As of now, the Matt Rhule-era Panthers pickup’s career is in limbo.

Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe reside as the quarterbacks on New England’s active roster, while rookie UDFA Malik Cunningham is on the team’s P-squad. Teams rarely keep two passers on practice squads, but the Pats had intended to develop Corral, who spent all of last season on the Panthers’ IR due to a Lisfranc injury. While Carolina was interested in bringing Corral back on a P-squad deal, he is unattached as of Wednesday.

The Patriots briefly demoted Zappe, waiving the 2022 fourth-round pick before extending a P-squad opportunity. Zappe quickly moved back to the active roster, returning after the Corral partnership began to fizzle. Upon returning to the active roster, the Western Kentucky product remains signed through 2025, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Zappe’s rookie contract ran through 2025, as all drafted players’ initial NFL deals span four years. Despite Zappe spending a short time on the practice squad after struggling in Bill O’Brien‘s system this summer, he is back on track.

Additionally, the Patriots added $2MM in incentives to Trent Brown‘s contract, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes. Brown is attached to a two-year, $13MM deal he signed during the 2022 offseason. It is unclear what benchmarks Brown must hit to cash in, but the Patriots have dangled incentives for the veteran tackle previously. The team put weight-related clauses in Brown’s Raiders-constructed, Pats-adjusted deal in 2021 and included more in his current pact. Barring an extension, the team’s left tackle starter remains on track to hit free agency again in 2024.

Patriots Place CB Jack Jones On IR, QB Matt Corral On Exempt/Left Squad

September 10th, 2023 at 1:33pm CST by Ely Allen

SEPTEMBER 10: Howe reports that Corral was absent from the Patriots’ facility on Friday and Saturday, meaning he missed out on practice, walkthrough and team meetings in advance of today’s contest. He adds New England is still determining Corral’s future with the organization. Given the left squad designation, the team will have time to sort out its next move. Kyed adds, meanwhile, that the Patriots never seemed to be contemplating waiving Corral, despite the report from earlier on Saturday that they were doing so. This situation will remain worth watching until further clarity emerges.

SEPTEMBER 9: Patriots second-year cornerback Jack Jones suffered a hamstring injury on Wednesday at practice that immediately put his game status in doubt for tomorrow’s season opener, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. After confirming that Jones wouldn’t be available in Week 1, Howe speculated that a multi-week absence could be in the cards for the young defender. Well, Mike Reiss of ESPN was able to confirm today that Jones has been placed on injured reserve, guaranteeing he will miss at least the first four games of the 2023 season.

The loss of Jones certainly hurts the quality of the team’s cornerback depth, but overall, the Patriots still look strong at the position. With rookie first-round pick Christian Gonzalez joining veteran Jonathan Jones in the starting lineup, New England should be set up well for Week 1. The team also has Marcus Jones and Jalen Mills providing depth behind the starters.

The Patriots’ transaction announcement also disclosed that they are placing quarterback Matt Corral on the exempt/left squad list. According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Corral reportedly left the team without notice. This makes Corral’s “not injury related” appearance on the practice injury report this week make a bit more sense. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network explained that going this route immediately clears a roster spot for New England without the need to place Corral on waivers.

The Patriots filled one of the open two roster spots by signing practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe to the active roster. Last year’s fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky will now be the primary backup behind starting quarterback Mac Jones despite being released during final roster cuts back in August.

To fill the other roster spot, the team signed practice squad running back Ty Montgomery to the active roster, as well. Montgomery will provide depth and variety off the bench behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott. While both Stevenson and Elliott have shown an ability to receive out of the backfield at some point in their careers, Montgomery clearly has an edge at that ability after converting from wide receiver after his rookie year.

Finally, the team will reportedly only be using one of their two allowed practice squad promotions for tomorrow. Veteran linebacker/special teamer Calvin Munson will get the call up for the season opener against the Eagles.

Patriots Sign QB Bailey Zappe To Active Roster, Release QB Matt Corral

September 9th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots made one of the more surprising moves on roster deadline day when they cut 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe. The QB eventually landed on New England’s practice squad, and it sounds like he’s now back where he started.

[RELATED: Bill Belichick Addresses Patriots’ Decision To Waive Bailey Zappe]

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have signed Zappe to their active roster. This is not a standard practice squad elevation, which was the route the organization was expected to take with the backup quarterback. Instead, the Patriots are giving Zappe his spot back on the 53-man roster.

In a corresponding move, the team has waived quarterback Matt Corral, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The 2022 third-round pick took Zappe’s spot on the roster following roster deadline day.

After moving on from Zappe and undrafted free agent Malik Cunningham, the Patriots were left with Mac Jones as the only quarterback on the active roster. The Patriots later revealed some of their logic when they claimed Corral, a former Panthers draftee, off waivers.

The Corral acquisition was certainly an indictment on Zappe, but it seemed like the incumbent still had a firm hold on the QB2 role despite sitting on the practice squad. After all, Zappe has a year of familiarity with the organization, even if the team did hire Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator this offseason.

Corral would have only had a week-plus to learn New England’s system, making it unlikely that the 2022 third-round pick would be counted on to immediately serve as Jones’ backup. Further, the Ole Miss product missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, so the QB was also expected to be brought along slowly during the 2023 campaign.

Indeed, the quarterback didn’t have enough time to catch up, leading to him sacrificing his roster spot today. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the first indication of a QB2 change came at practice yesterday when Corral was absent. The Patriots could be counting on Corral passing through waivers and landing back on their practice squad, although that’s just speculation on my part. Joe Person of The Athletic notes that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer previously expressed interest in bringing Corral back to the practice squad.

Zappe added some intrigue to the Patriots’ quarterbacks room last season. With Jones and New England’s offense struggling, Zappe didn’t look completely lost during his two starts. He won both of those appearances, and in four games, he finished with 781 passing yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 70.7 percent of his passes.

However, the Patriots’ hiring of O’Brien seemed to be a vote of confidence for Jones heading into the 2023 campaign. We learned recently that the coordinator’s offense specifically caters to Jones’ strengths, and that system doesn’t necessarily fit Zappe’s playing style. There was also some speculation that former offensive coordinators Matt Patricia and Joe Judge let Zappe run a similar-style offense to what he ran in college, perhaps explaining some of his rookie success.

Bill Belichick Addresses Patriots’ Decision To Waive Bailey Zappe, Claim Matt Corral

September 4th, 2023 at 11:20am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots were busy reshaping their quarterback depth chart last week, including the surprising decision to waive 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe. The risk paid off and Zappe was retained via the practice squad, but he has new competition for the backup QB role.

New England claimed former Panthers draftee Matt Corral off waivers, filling the vacancy at the position on the team’s active roster. Given the lack of time Corral has had to acclimate to the Patriots’ offense, however, questions have been raised about his readiness to dress as the backup for Week 1. When speaking publicly on the matter, head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that no decision has been made yet on that front.

“All roster decisions are based on what we feel like’s best for our football team,” Belichick said, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “There’s a number of things involved there. But glad to have Bailey to continue to work with him. Still think he’s a good, young, developing player, and so we’ll keep working with him.”

Zappe made a pair of starts in place of an injured Mac Jones last season, and his play (along with perceived tension between Belichick and the latter) led to speculation about a potential QB competition in the summer. Instead, Zappe struggled this offseason while adapting to new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien‘s system, one which is catered to Jones’ strengths. Belichick’s remarks confirm Zappe is still in the team’s long-term plans, however.

As for Corral, little can be said with certainty given his lack of playing time. The Ole Miss product missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, and he has yet to make a regular season appearance as a result. Corral was in Carolina’s plans, but they will move forward with first overall pick Bryce Young and veteran Andy Dalton under center.

“We’ll take a look at him and see how it goes,” Belichick added during a WEEI appearance (via Kyed’s colleague Andrew Callahan). “[Corral] had a very good career at Mississippi, and hasn’t really had a lot of chances to do much in the last two years; was injured and missed some time. But [he] had a good preseason, so we’ll see how it goes. Look forward to working with him.”

Belichick added praise for Jones, who is entering a critical third year as the team’s starter. A healthy and productive season as the No. 1 would make much of the Corral-Zappe situation a moot point, but each of the latter two passers will have plenty to prove over the course of the 2023 campaign as well.

Latest On Bailey Zappe, Patriots QB2 Situation

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:54am CST by Ben Levine

When the Patriots’ 2022 season ended unceremoniously, some pundits wondered if 2022 fourth-round quarterback Bailey Zappe could battle 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones for the starting gig. Now, heading into the regular season, it’s uncertain if Zappe is even set to be New England’s QB2.

[RELATED: Patriots Claim QB Matt Corral]

Zappe was a surprise cut by the Patriots on deadline day, but he ended up landing back with the practice squad. The team has since added former third-round pick Matt Corral to the mix, muddying the QB picture behind Jones. As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, Zappe’s preseason struggles and apparent misfit with Bill O’Brien‘s new offense ultimately led to the quarterback’s placement on the practice squad.

For all their warts, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge actually helped Zappe become acclimated to the NFL by having him play in an offense that resembled his collegiate system from Western Kentucky. The rookie won both of his two starts last season, completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 781 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Jones, meanwhile, played to a 6-8 record while completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions.

Zappe seemed prime to push Jones for the starting job in 2023. However, as Breer notes, O’Brien’s new offense better leverages the starter’s strengths, and that system doesn’t necessarily fit Zappe’s play style. The second-year QB proceeded to struggle during the preseason, and with a handful of roster-worthy players eligible for IR, the Patriots succeeded in sneaking him through waivers and signing him to the taxi squad (the team took a similar path with UDFA Malik Cunningham, who impressed during the preseason at both quarterback and wide receiver).

New England’s recent waiver wire claim of Corral doesn’t necessarily mean that Zappe has been demoted to QB3, however. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald believes Zappe will be the QB2 (via practice squad elevation) to begin the season. The incumbent backup already has a head start on understanding the offense (even if it doesn’t fit his strengths), and the organization would only had around two weeks to catch their newcomer up to speed. Both Zappe and Corral will likely battle it out in practice to determine who’d be the replacement in the event of a Jones injury.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC East

August 30th, 2023 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots moves are noted below.

Buffalo Bills

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Placed on IR:

Miami Dolphins

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

New England Patriots

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

New York Jets

Signed: 

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Placed on IR:

Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham To Join Pats’ Practice Squad

August 30th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 30: The Patriots will retain Zappe, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who reports the second-year passer will be part of New England’s practice squad. Ditto Cunningham, who will make this a rare two-quarterback P-squad, Schefter adds. Though, Cunningham could certainly be used in myriad capacities. While the Pats are still on the hunt for a veteran option, they will attempt to continue developing the former record-setting Western Kentucky QB.

AUGUST 29: For the second straight day, the Patriots have parted with a depth quarterback. Bailey Zappe has been waived, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The same is true of rookie UDFA Malik Cunningham, notes colleague Tom Pelissero.

These moves certainly constitute more of a surprise than New England’s decision to cut Trace McSorley yesterday. The latter was in line to sit no higher than third on the QB depth chart, and the Patriots – like many other teams around the league – appeared set to carry only two passers on their active roster. They will do so, but for at least the time being it remains to be seen who their backup will be come Week 1.

With McSorley, Zappe and Cunningham all off the roster, New England’s QB room currently begins and ends with Mac Jones. The latter is in place as the undisputed starter – after head coach Bill Belichick notably declined to confirm that over the course of an offseason in which tension between the two was widely publicized. Any further moves at the position will now be worth watching closely.

Jones regressed in 2022 after New England entrusted Matt Patricia and Joe Judge with leading the team’s offense. That pair has been replaced by Bill O’Brien, whose return to the organization has led to expectations for improvement from Jones individually and the passing game as a whole. Zappe would have been expected to remain a part of that process, though that could still be the case if he goes unclaimed and resorts to the practice squad.

The 2022 fourth-rounder made four appearances (and a pair of starts) during his rookie campaign, drawing praise for his performances and posting a 2-0 record. A controversy briefly appeared to exist between Zappe and Jones, a 2021 first-rounder. The latter finished out the campaign, though, and he will carry on in the starter’s role to begin an important campaign which will go a long way in determining his future in the organization.

Cunningham played quarterback at Louisville, producing sizeable numbers in the run game in particular. He went undrafted, but secured a notable guarantee from the Patriots to head to New England as a developmental prospect. The 24-year-old spent time as a receiver in training camp, and his success in the summer seemed to assure him of a roster spot in some capacity. The decision to move on from McSorley pointed toward Cunningham having a better chance at the QB3 spot, but that is now in question.

The Patriots will likely be aiming to sneak Zappe through waivers, but such a strategy with a recent draftee carries a notable degree of risk. An outside addition could be coming as well – one would become necessary if both Zappe and Cunningham were to be claimed – so New England will remain a team to watch at quarterback position. On that point, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes that the Patriots hope to retain Zappe, while Colt McCoy (who was surprisingly released by the Cardinals yesterday) is a veteran on their radar.

Latest On Patriots, Mac Jones

April 5th, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins picked up their quarterback’s fifth-year option two months in advance, after rumors emerged about the team’s potential to seek an upgrade on Tua Tagovailoa. Committing fully to Justin Fields, the Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick earlier than anyone has during an offseason since the draft moved to April. The Patriots have operated differently with their young quarterback.

Mac Jones is now coming up in trade rumors, and Bill Belichick has not endorsed the 2021 first-round pick — despite Jones receiving praise from Robert Kraft — as his surefire starter yet. That said, the Pats might not exactly be intent on moving Jones.

The teams mentioned in Tuesday’s report — the Buccaneers, Commanders, Raiders and Texans — have not seemed to indicate notable Jones discussions commenced. Staffers from multiple teams mentioned told SI.com’s Albert Breer they had not heard from the Patriots on Jones, though one had discussed the quarterback with the Pats. High-ranking execs from a QB-needy team in the AFC and NFC also mentioned they had also not heard from New England, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

Even if the Patriots are not operating like they want to cut bait on the former national championship-winning passer, his standing in the organization does appear to have taken a hit. Belichick has been upset with how the quarterback conducted himself last season, and the efforts the Alabama alum made to contact coaches at his alma mater did not go over well with the legendary head coach. This certainly raises the stakes for Jones’ 2023, as he took a step back — albeit as he was thrust into one of the stranger offensive experiments in memory — last season. Rival evaluators pointed to the Pats’ dysfunctional offense as giving Jones no chance to succeed in 2022, Howe adds, pointing to potentially reasonable trade value — in the event the third-year QB was legitimately being shopped.

By the end of last season, Breer adds some Patriots coaches did not believe a large gulf existed between Jones and backup Bailey Zappe. The Pats have since released Brian Hoyer, who has rejoined Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas, and are prepared to give Zappe an opportunity to push Jones. Belichick should be expected to make the former No. 15 overall pick earn his job during the summer, Breer notes, adding Zappe — a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky — fell in line with what the Patriots were trying to do last year. That perhaps should be expected of a rookie, but Belichick certainly looks to be sending a message to Jones this offseason.

Both Jones and Zappe, per Breer, have stayed in town and are discussing the offense with the new coaching staff, which includes OC Bill O’Brien, whom Jones helped acclimate to Alabama when the ex-Texans HC took over as Nick Saban’s play-caller. The Pats still expect Jones to win the job, Howe notes. As this quarterback matchup comes at a time in which Kraft has not exactly spoken glowingly of Belichick’s recent efforts, this will be a fascinating offseason in Foxborough.

Patriots Notes: QBs, Mayo, Patricia, JuJu

March 28th, 2023 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Mac Jones struggled mightily during his second season in the NFL. After earning a Pro Bowl nod and guiding the Patriots to a 10-7 record as a rookie, Jones went 6-8 while tossing 14 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions in 2022. Rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe started a pair of games while filling in for an injured Jones last season, winning both of his starts while tossing three touchdowns vs. one pick in those two games.

Jones’ 2022 struggles can easily be attributed to the loss of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (and replacing the OC with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge), and when you consider New England’s first-round investment in Jones, it’s easy to assume that he’ll retain his starting gig heading into the 2023 campaign. However, coach Bill Belichick refused to give Jones a vote of confidence following the 2022 season, leading some to wonder if the Patriots could have a QB competition heading into next year.

In typical Belichick fashion, the head coach didn’t provide too much insight into the QB situation while speaking to reporters today, noting that “everyone will get a chance to play” and the Patriots will opt for “the best player.”

“If they earn an opportunity to play based on what they do in practice and all that, then they’ll get an opportunity to play,” Belichick said (via Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald). “Certainly the veteran players that have been on the team before, if they’re still on the team, they’ll all get an opportunity to play.”

It’s not a huge surprise to see Belichick playing coy, but as Callahan notes, Belichick definitively stated that Tom Brady and Cam Newton were the starting QBs throughout their respective tenures with the Patriots. Now, Jones certainly doesn’t have the resume of either of his predecessors, but it’s certainly interesting that Belichick continues to avoid answering questions about his quarterbacks depth chart.

While Belichick might not want to publicly support Jones, the QB has a fan in Robert Kraft.

“I’m a big fan of Mac,” the Patriots owner said (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter). “We experimented with some things last year that didn’t work. We made changed to put him in position to excel.”

More notes out of New England…

  • When Jerod Mayo rejected head coaching interviews and decided to stick with the Patriots, it was assumed the organization promised him a larger role…with some wondering if Mayo may have the inside track on succeeding Belichick as head coach. Kraft somewhat acknowledged as much during an interview on NFL Network, saying he views Mayo as a potential heir apparent to Belichick (via NFL.com’s Judy Battista on Twitter). Kraft also told NFL Network that he doesn’t see a ceiling on Mayo’s coaching career. Following an eight-year playing career with the Patriots, Mayo joined New England’s coaching staff as linebackers coach in 2019. Recently, he’s served as the unofficial defensive coordinator alongside Steve Belichick.
  • Patricia earned plenty of criticism last season while serving as the team’s de facto offensive coordinator. The Patriots have since brought in Bill O’Brien to guide their offense, but there hasn’t been a reported resolution on Patricia’s status with the organization. Naturally, Belichick didn’t provide many additional details on the situation, telling reporters that he’s unsure if Patricia will be coaching for the Patriots in 2023 (via AtoZSports’ Doug Kyed on Twitter). After serving as the Patriots defensive coordinator for six years, Patricia returned to the organization in 2021 following a three-year stint as the Lions head coach.
  • New Patriots receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has incentives in his contract tied to receiving yards, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter). In 2023, the wideout can earn $750K if he hits 950 yards and he can earn another $750K at 1,100 yards. In 2024 and 2025, Smith-Schuster can earn $1MM for 800 yards, $1MM for 950 yards, and another $1MM for 1,100 yards.
  • James Robinson‘s new contract with the Patriots contains no guaranteed money, per Kyed (on Twitter). He’ll earn a $150K roster bonus if he sticks on the 2023 roster, plus $160K via a workout bonus and up to $680K in per-game roster bonuses.
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