Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to draw plenty of interest if he hits free agency later this month, but a report over the weekend claimed the veteran quarterback may be leaning toward retirement. Unless Fitzpatrick confirms that publicly, it would be unwise to count him out.
Citing a person close to the situation, Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated’s AllDolphins channel reported that Fitzpatrick intends to play in the NFL next season.
NFL Network’s Ian Raported later said the same.
The Denver Broncos are one team that is said to have interest in Fitzpatrick. NFL reporter John Clayton said on Friday that Fitzpatrick is “out of the mix” for Denver because he is likely to retire.
It wouldn’t exactly be a shock if Fitzpatrick called it a career, as he is 38. However, he told “The Pat McAfee Show” roughly a month ago that “these last two years have really re-lit that fire under me and I still want to play.”
Fitzpatrick posted a passer rating of 95.6 with the Miami Dolphins last year and earned the truth of head coach Brian Flores. The Dolphins are now committed to Tua Tagovailoa, and Fitzpatrick would likely want a chance to start in 2021 if he does play.
Fitzpatrick has been mentioned as a possible QB solution for multiple teams. He’d be a great bridge option in a handful of situations across the NFL.
NFL teams have until Tuesday afternoon to assign the franchise tag to players, and the Dallas Cowboys are expected to use theirs on Dak Prescott. Unless, of course, they sign the star quarterback to a long-term extension in the next 24 hours or so.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, there is at least a chance of that happening. Rapoport said on Monday that there is a certain “positivity” surrounding contract talks between Prescott and the Cowboys that did not exist a year ago. The belief, as of now, is that the two sides will reach an agreement at some point in the coming weeks.
“Based on the conversations I’ve had, there’s some positivity here regarding the Dak Prescott talks that didn’t seem like it was there last year,” Rapoport said.
That is obviously a good sign, though it should be noted that there were some optimistic reports last year before Prescott and the Cowboys failed to reach an agreement. We also heard roughly two weeks ago that not much progress was being made. Perhaps Tuesday’s deadline has motivated both sides.
If the Cowboys do end up using the franchise tag on Prescott, they would have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal.
There was one major holdup in contract talks between Prescott and the Cowboys last year. Prescott is still recovering from a major leg injury that ended his 2020 season after just five games.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall/Wikimedia via CC-by-SA 4.0
Jalen Hurts has a clear path to earning the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting quarterback job next season now that Carson Wentz has been traded. However, there have been reports that the team plans to bring in competition for the former Alabama star. The question now is whether or not team owner Jeffrey Lurie will allow that.
During Monday’s episode of “Get Up!,” ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said Lurie views Hurts as “the guy” and wants the team to do everything possible to make him the starting quarterback.
“Jeffrey Lurie, the owner of the Eagles, has basically sent the message to his personnel department and his general manager Howie Roseman that he wants to do everything he can to help Jalen Hurts be successful and not bring in somebody to compete for the job,” Mortensen said, via Elliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP SportsRadio. “Now they have a new head coach in Nick Sirianni, he understands what the owner wants, the owner gets.”
Eagles reporter Les Bowen questioned Mortensen’s report, noting that the team must have made that determination very recently if the report is true. Mortensen clarified that there is not consensus within the organization about Hurts being named the starter but that is what the owner wants.
The Eagles have the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and many analysts have predicted they will take a quarterback. If Lurie views Hurts as the starter, that may alter the team’s draft approach.
Hurts has certainly been acting like the Eagles’ starting QB this offseason. It would take a lot for him to lose the job, especially if he has the support of ownership with a new coach in place.
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly in the process of renegotiating the quarterback’s contract, and that could have a lot to do with Brady’s desire to play beyond next season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Monday’s edition of “Get Up!” that Brady and the Bucs have made progress toward an extension. While there has been a lot of talk about Brady lowering his salary cap hit, Schefter noted that the new deal “would tie (Brady) to Tampa for an even longer period of time.”
“Even though he has one year left on his deal, clearly he likes it in Tampa,” Schefter said. “We know he loves playing football. As he once said, he dreams about throwing the football. It looks like those dreams are going to continue a while longer.”
Brady is set to count $28 million against the cap in 2021. The Bucs need to re-sign core players like Chris Godwin and LaVonte David, so lowering that number would help them do that.
There’s a way the Buccaneers could stretch Brady’s money out over a longer period of time even if he planned to retire after next season, but it doesn’t sound like that is all they are looking to do. Brady proved with an awesome video he shared on social media recently that he is still as hungry as ever. We would be surprised if he only played one more year.
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have done it! Treat yourself or a friend with this great Tampa Fiesta shirt. You can buy it here.
There are many reasons why the Seattle Seahawks probably are not going to trade Russell Wilson this offseason, but the two sides could be headed for a tense divorce at some point. At the very least, a Wilson trade now seems far more likely than it did a few months ago.
In his weekly column for The MMQB, Albert Breer compared the situations between Wilson and the Seahawks to Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. He confirmed reports that Seattle is at least willing to entertain trade calls about Wilson, whereas Texans general manager Nick Caserio is telling teams not to ask about his quarterback.
Breer says he would have told people a few weeks ago that he is 95 percent sure Wilson won’t be traded this offseason. Now, he feels that is closer to 60 percent. You can read some of Breer’s rationale below:
I do believe Wilson has likely signed his final contract as a Seahawk, absent something changing, and that if the Seahawks come to that determination, they’d deal him before the end of it. I’m just not sure Seattle will do it now unless a trade brings an easy path to replacing him.
To me, the tell that it might not happen this year (or at least that it wasn’t part of any initial plan) is how the hire of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron went. And it’s not that the highly-thought-of ex-Rams assistant was the pick. He’s well-regarded and worthy of the job regardless. More so, it was that Seattle involved Wilson in the process.
The biggest obstacle standing in the way of a Wilson trade this offseason is the dead salary cap hit, which is nearly $40 million. Seattle is probably willing to listen to offers in case a team completely blows them away, but we still doubt that will happen.
At least one team is said to be focusing on acquiring Wilson, though it’s unclear if an actual offer has been made.
Aaron Rodgers has been openly critical of some coronavirus restrictions since the pandemic was declared last year, and the Green Bay Packers quarterback took another swipe at California Governor Gavin Newsom recently.
Rodgers was interviewed for an Instagram video for Zenith Watches last week when he mentioned how he has been trying to help small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The former NFL MVP recently donated $1 million to businesses in and around his hometown of Chico, Calif. He mentioned the California lockdowns when speaking about that during the Zenith Watches interview.
“You know, we’re just trying to do our part and as we ease back into the training stuff in my professional life, I just want to make sure where I’m from and the area I’ve called home in the past are doing OK. … And California has really been hit hard by COVID and by the rules that the governor has put in place as well,” Rodgers said, as transcribed by Carlos Garcia of Blaze Media.
This isn’t the first time Rodgers has taken aim at Newsom and other government officials. He previously made a sizable donation to “The Barstool Fund,” which was started by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy to help struggling small businesses. Rodgers praised Portnoy during one of his routine appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show” and ripped government officials for their hypocrisy.
“I mean, they put these rules in place … they’re not even following their own rules. How many people have gotten caught?” Rodgers asked. “(They say) don’t travel, don’t leave the state. Oh, here’s so-and-so on a vacation. Oh, here’s so-and-so at a salon. Don’t eat out at a restaurant unless you’re wearing a mask and separate. Oh, here’s a picture of the governor of California violating those rules. Oh, public schools are closed but I can send my kids to a private school in person. It’s like, I mean, for us to count on the government to help us out is becoming a joke at this point.”
Rodgers said early in the pandemic that he is not in favor of stay-at-home orders. Newsom was the first governor last year to order a full lockdown for his state, and many others followed suit.
Rodgers was also critical of the NFL last year for some of the league’s coronavirus protocols.
H/T Outkick
Blake Griffin has cleared waivers after reaching a buyout with the Detroit Pistons. He reportedly is now expected to sign with the Brookly Nets.
Many are wondering how things are working regarding Griffin’s contract now that he’s been bought out. So we will explain that.
Griffin signed a 5-year, $171 million contract with the Clippers in 2017. The team went all-out to re-sign him, only to trade him to Detroit later that season.
Griffin’s career in Detroit did not work out as he was bothered by knee injuries and no longer is the dominant player he used to be.
This season, Detroit is out of the playoff race. Griffin has not played well but is still making $36.8 million. The Pistons aren’t noticeably better off with him, so they decided to waive him after he agreed to a discount.
Griffin gave back $13.3 million to Detroit as part of the buyout agreement.
So instead of paying Griffin the full $36.8 million he was owed this season, they won’t have to pay him around $4.3 million based on the amount he is giving back (via Spotrac). For next season, instead of owing him $38.9 million, the Pistons won’t have to pay Griffin around $8.7 million. This helps them with their salary cap situation.
Griffin will end up making the minimum from the team with whom he signs for the rest of the season.
Detroit was on the hook for $75.7 million owed to Griffin this season and next, no matter what. At least this way, they get a slight amount of savings to eat his contract and let him go sign elsewhere.
A report on Sunday that the Detroit Lions were looking to trade Chase Daniel was met with similar reaction from many.
On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Lions were having trade talks involving their backup quarterback. Schefter said that Daniel is regarded as a perfect mentor for young quarterbacks.
Daniel has gone 178/261 for 1,694 passing yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in his entire NFL career. He will count for $5.3 million against the salary cap in 2021 and $5.75 million in 2022. Those seem like hefty numbers for not much to get out of Daniel, which led to the reactions.
We share the same reaction. The Lions trying to get a return for Daniel is admirable, but it’s probably not a very realistic expectation.
There was a time when Daniel wanted to be a starter, but it’s pretty clear he’s a career-backup quarterback.
The feelings among NBA players regarding the COVID-19 vaccine appear to be mixed. While the league has promoted public service announcement videos of legends like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius Erving getting their COVID-19 vaccine shots, they have not done so with any active players. That is partly due to the current players not being in eligible groups to be vaccinated yet. But it also seems some players are not too enthusiastic about getting their vaccinations.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was asked by the media on Sunday whether he would get vaccinated and urge other players to do the same. James said he was keeping that matter private.
“That’s a conversation that my family and I will have,” James said. “Pretty much keep that to a private thing.”
James Harden said he was still thinking about taking the vaccine. Utah’s Donovan Mitchell says he is still researching things.
Lakers forward Jared Dudley even said on Twitter that nobody is going to rush to take the vaccine without enough research when they are young and healthy. He also shared a false claim about the FDA not approving the vaccines yet.
The opinions from these players should not come as a great shock. A report in mid-February said that many top NBA players were reluctant to promote the vaccine in PSAs.
James Harden is known for making bold fashion choices, and that continued to be the case on Sunday night.
Harden showed up at the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta wearing what appeared to be a clear rain coat over his clothes. And to be clear, no, it was not raining.
Some pointed out that he had the look of notorious fictional serial killer, Patrick Bateman.
Here are more jokes that Harden received for his outfit.
Harden had 21 points in the All-Star Game, playing on Team Durant. He scored all of his points on 3-pointers. He could probably average 30 points per game in any outfit.
