Tag: NFL

The Vikings signed Murray to a one-year deal this offseason to push McCarthy for the starting gig. All indications are that the veteran signal-caller is ahead in the early stages. KOC added that McCarthy has handled the reworked quarterback room “really well.”

The coach doesn’t care if the players grow particularly close, only that they both have the same goal: to improve each day and help the club win.

“What actually matters is what I care about,” O’Connell said. “Did we take the right footwork on a play? Did we have our eyes in the right spot? Did we make a protection call against one of [defensive coordinator Brian Flores’] blitz looks? Did we do our jobs to manufacture the starting point and potential path to success for the offense? And there’s enough that goes into that that I don’t have a ton of space left over for who says what and how they say it.

“I mean, it’s all a reflection of how people handle competitive situations and we’re all going to handle them differently. What I care about is when they step between the white lines, that there’s growth and development and that it really is a competition.”

Eventually, one of the QBs will be named the Week 1 starter. For now, O’Connell will keep praising the entire room.

The Tennessee Titans added two former No. 17s this offseason, Wan’Dale Robinson, who sported the number in New York, and first-round pick Carnell Tate, who donned it at Ohio State. With All-Pro returner Chimere Dike already holding 17, there were questions about how things would sort out.

Neither newcomer swiped Dike’s number. Robinson wound up wearing No. 4, and Tate, No. 14.

In an interview with Kay Adams on FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams” show, Robinson said Thursday he never had his eye on No. 17, instead preferring No. 4 to honor his late friend, Rondale Moore, who died in February from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Robinson and Moore, both Kentucky natives, had been friends for years.

“I didn’t want it,” Robinson said of No. 17. “I was going in wanting a single digit, and then also my late friend, Rondale Moore, he wore No. 4. So that was kind of the reasoning behind me getting that number. Just kind of to honor him and the time that he was here. That’s where I was going in, I wanted No. 4. I don’t know about Carnell and exactly what went on with him and Chim. But, yeah, I was good with leaving 17 in the past.”

After the Detroit Lions broke up their “Sonic and Knuckles” franchise, the club is moving to a one-star show.

The Lions traded hammer David Montgomery this offseason, planning to let speedster Jahmyr Gibbs play the lead role.

“He’s going to be our bell cow now,” coach Dan Campbell said via MLive. “We’re going to hang our hat on him quite a bit. We’re going to do a lot of things we feel like he does well. I’ve mentioned this before, he can run everything that we’ve got. He can run every scheme that anybody’s ever run.”

In his first three seasons, Gibbs dispelled the notion that he’s merely a speed-option, Sonic running around the edge to gobble up coins. The back is an inside-outside nightmare, able to withstand the beating between the tackles while boasting the speed to beat defenses to the edges. His dual-threat ability and the fear his home-run talent instills in a defense make it hard to take him off the field.

Gibbs generated 3,580 rushing yards and 39 TDs in 675 carries over his first three seasons, including back-to-back 1,200-plus-yard campaigns.

The Lions began the transition last year, siphoning off would-be Montgomery carries in favor of Gibbs. The run-game struggles of 2025 compared to 2024 were more due to offensive line issues than the distribution of backfield duties. With Detroit poised to put more on Gibbs’ shoulders, Montgomery requested and received a trade to Houston, where he can get more touches.

Gibbs said not having Montgomery around and being the clear lead-back isn’t odd.

“It’s not weird anymore,” Gibbs said. “It was weird, like when we first got back. But now I’m pretty much used to it.”

He’ll get used to being on the field almost every snap. The Lions added Isiah Pacheco as a sub who can run angry, but his contract — 1-year, $1.81 million — underscores how little Detroit expects to use their backup.

Gibbs will see a huge number of touches, the overwhelming bulk of the carries and is the best receiving option out of the backfield. The Lions should give him the Christian McCaffrey treatment in 2026.

The 24-year-old is on the verge of a payday, one that could reset the running back market. However, Gibbs said he isn’t worried about reaching an extension ahead of the season.

“I’m worried about the team. I’m just tryna hoop right now,” he said. “I let my agent and (GM) Brad (Holmes) do all that — or whoever does it up there, I don’t know. But I just let him do that and I just be out here.”

After his first three years as a duo, Sonic is now the singular title character in Detroit.

The Tennessee Titans added two former No. 17s this offseason, Wan’Dale Robinson, who sported the number in New York, and first-round pick Carnell Tate, who donned it at Ohio State. With All-Pro returner Chimere Dike already holding 17, there were questions about how things would sort out.

Neither newcomer swiped Dike’s number. Robinson wound up wearing No. 4, and Tate, No. 14.

In an interview with Kay Adams on Fan Duel TV’s “Up & Adams” show, Robinson said he never had his eye on No. 17, instead preferring No. 4 to honor his late friend, Rondale Moore, who died in February from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Robinson and Moore, both Kentucky natives, had been friends for years.

“I didn’t want it,” Robinson said of No. 17. “I was going in wanting a single digit, and then also my late friend, Rondale Moore, he wore No. 4. So that was kind of the reasoning behind me getting that number. Just kind of to honor him and the time that he was here. That’s where I was going in, I wanted No. 4. I don’t know about Carnell and exactly what went on with him and Chim (Dike). But, yeah, I was good with leaving 17 in the past.”

Robinson and Moore, Louisville-area natives who once trained at a facility together, shared a long bond, including both being undersized receivers who propelled their careers to the NFL.

In four seasons donning No. 17 in New York, Robinson worked his way up the ladder, from injury-riddled rookie struggles to top target, and enjoyed his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2025. He moved to Tennessee, rejoining offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, to provide a playmaking slot weapon for Cam Ward. He’ll do so wearing No. 4 to honor his friend.

After missing the first six games of 2025 while rehabbing, Watson returned with smashing results, generating 611 yards and six TDs in 10 games. He earned a career-high 61.1 yards per game, splashing big plays, with his speed helping open up the offense. In 10 regular-season tilts, he generated 80-plus yards four times.

Last year’s extension provided a cushion for Watson to recover without the pressure of rushing back onto the field. When his return went well, Green Bay was comfortable securing him long-term. The 27-year-old has been a dynamic weapon when he’s been on the field over his four seasons. The key is keeping the speedster healthy.

Watson’s $27.62 million per year places him 15th among receivers, but below the $30-million plateau.

It marks the second receiver deal the Packers have handed out this offseason, after inking slot Jayden Reed to a three-year, $50.25 million extension. With Matthew Golden still entering Year 2 of his rookie deal, Green Bay now sports a WR trio that can grow together around Jordan Love.

Next up for a new deal in Green Bay: tight end Tucker Kraft.

Kamara’s situation has hovered over the club this offseason as he enters the final year of his contract, which was restructured by the Saints earlier this offseason. New Orleans also inked Travis Etienne in free agency, putting Kamara’s future in question. The team has consistently rebuffed discussing its plans with the RB this offseason, while rumors of a potential trade or release have swirled.

Despite the uncertainty with his status, Kamara said he harbors no ill will toward the team with which he’s spent his entire nine-year career.

“On my side, I feel no pressure,” Kamara said. “There’s no beef or bad blood, I don’t think. I’m just doing what I do every year, working. Whatever decisions have got to be made, they’ll be made.”

Karama was asked if he’d be open to taking a pay cut to remain in New Orleans after he’d said in previous seasons he’d rather retire than play in another city.

“I haven’t had any conversations in regard to that, so I don’t know,” Kamara said. “I think there’s a time and a place for everything. If that conversation comes up, then I’ll have an answer for you when it comes up.”

Kamara reporting for voluntary workouts puts the situation on the front burner. The question remains whether the Saints will keep him around, paired with Etienne, or move on from the five-time Pro Bowler.

“He’s always been a number one receiver,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “Nothing has changed for Smitty.

“Smitty’s always led from the front. So that narrative, we can shut that down now because Smitty’s always led from the front. And just because he never wore that captain’s patch the last two years didn’t mean that he wasn’t a captain in the locker room. But he always led from the front.

“And that’s why I’m calling it now. When he wears that captain’s patch this year, there’s no surprise. He’s always been a captain in my eyes, just from the way he’s led, the way he’s always gone about his business on and off the field.”

The Eagles prepared for the Brown trade by adding first-round pick Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown. While none is a direct replacement for A.J. Brown, the collective, along with Smith, gives Philly a deeper WR crew than it sported a year ago. Even with additional weapons, Smith still projects to earn a significant uptick in targets. His career-high of 136 targets came in 2022, and he earned 113 a year ago. Brown averaged 130.3 targets over his four seasons in Philly.

Smith noted that there might be weeks when teammates are targeted more, and that’s fine with him.

“I’m just going out there to do my job, whatever that may be for the week that we’re playing,” he said. “Whoever we’re playing, whatever the job may be for that week. I’m just trying to go out there and do that.”

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams recently inked a two-year, $50 million contract through the 2027 season. The star blocker was asked whether he sees the next two years as the final ones of his illustrious career.

“Yeah, probably,” he responded.

Entering his 17th NFL season, Williams stopped short of officially planning his retirement after 2027.

“Obviously, I can’t tell the future,” Williams said via ESPN. “I don’t know. I’m still a competitor. It’s hard not to compete when you can. So, we’ll see.”

The 37-year-old noted that the idea of closing his career is a “scary” thought.

“It’s scary,” Williams said. “I’m toying between the idea of going until I can’t no more and just leaving while I’ve still got some good product left and not getting ran out the league.

“It’s been a long time, and I have a daughter who was born a few months before I got drafted. I’m going on year 17. She’s turning 17. As a father, you feel like, ‘Dang, I kind of missed her whole life until adulthood.’ … She [will] go off to college in a couple years. I want to be there and be accessible, and I don’t want to be that father that shadows the kid. I want to be close. You know what I mean? I want to be close. I don’t want to be somewhere at a joint practice.”

Williams remains the premier left tackle when healthy. However, the injuries are becoming a concern as he creeps toward 40. Even a diminished Trent is better than most fully healthy left tackles, but it becomes a factor for the Super Bowl-or-bust 49ers.

During Williams’ standoff with the club, the Niners’ lack of a viable replacement gave the veteran some leverage. After the draft passed, they still lack a clear long-term solution. San Francisco has two years to figure out a transition plan.

One great unknown heading into the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl title defense is how new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s scheme will operate.

Since his introduction, the former San Francisco 49ers assistant has said he plans to keep as much of Klint Kubiak’s scheme in place as possible. Thus far, he’s accomplished that.

“Thankfully, it hasn’t been too much of a transition,” quarterback Sam Darnold said Wednesday, via ESPN.

In hiring Fleury, who had spent the past seven seasons with the Niners in various roles, coach Mike Macdonald sought cohesion after Kubiak left for the Las Vegas Raiders’ top job. Darnold spent the 2023 season with Fleury in San Francisco, where he was the tight end’s coach at the time under Kyle Shanahan – Kubiak was also on the staff. The sister relationship between the Kubiak and Shanahan systems makes the transition easy.

“It’s a lot of the same stuff [with] Fleury obviously coming from San Francisco, but a couple different wrinkles here and there,” Darnold said. “So it’s been good that way to be able to get some of that same verbiage but just a couple of different wrinkles.”

Breaking in a new offensive coordinator is nothing new for Darnold. The 28-year-old hasn’t started the season with the same play-caller since his final two years with the New York Jets in 2019-2020 – even then, Adam Gase relinquished the role midway through the season.

“Going all the way back … to Carolina with McAdoo, a little bit of a transition to Shanahan’s system in San Francisco, and then we did a lot of the same things in San Francisco to Minnesota,” Darnold said. “Minnesota [then] coming here was back to the Shanahan kind of verbiage with Klint. And then this year it’s more of the same. So it’s been really good to have that kind of familiarity, not only for myself but for the other guys as well.”

Bouncing around the past handful of years has given Darnold experience picking things up quickly. Fortunately, this will not be his hardest changeover. The QB even likened Fleury’s personality to that of Kubiak, noting the stoic confidence of the new playcaller.

“Fleury has been great,” Darnold said. “His command, his presence, the way that he installs it with the run game, pass game, his command over the entire system has been incredible. [To] be able to learn each other, kind of what he’s thinking in calling it and just continuing to get a feel for each other, it’s been really good so far.”

Installing a similar offense and principles is a good plan following last year’s success. The scheme isn’t the main concern. The major question comes with Fleury never having called plays. We’ve seen some new OCs pick up the keys, fly out of the driveway and cruise with ease. Others instantly crash under the pressure of the gig. We won’t know how Fleury will handle it until September arrives.