NFL News

[jaadam4]

F the pack. Jordan Love is going to get wrecked when we play them. We spent too much time in their shadow.

[Topweasel]

F the pack. Jordan Love is going to get wrecked when we play them. We spent too much time in their shadow.

I almost wish we were playing them in GB his first game as starter. The way our Dline is set up, regardless if we are as good a looking team as we think we are, there is a real oppoturnity to shell shock the guy before he has any chance to gain any confidence in the league. But I guess we can leave that to Chicago.

[jaadam4]

I almost wish we were playing them in GB his first game as starter. The way our Dline is set up, regardless if we are as good a looking team as we think we are, there is a real oppoturnity to shell shock the guy before he has any chance to gain any confidence in the league. But I guess we can leave that to Chicago.

Chicago is terrible. I don’t care what they did in the off season, they still suck

[jaadam4]

still my favorite

[jaadam4]

Minny is releasing D Cook! Oh man the division foes just keep getting weaker. I love this

[Futureshock]

He looked like he would be good

Wink Martindale: Getting Deonte Banks “like winning a scratch-off ticket”

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2023, 10:01 AM EDT

Getty Images

Giants first-round pick Deonte Banks has made a good early impression on defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

Martindale said on Thursday that adding the cornerback to the defense is “like winning a scratch-off ticket” and believes that any coach in his position would share that feeling if they saw the package of skills that Banks brings to the secondary.

“I think it’s important to have a cornerback like that in anybody’s defense,” Martindale said, via Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com. “He’s very instinctive. What’s Ted Lasso say? He lives life like a goldfish. He’s got a short memory when things don’t go right. He’s tough-minded, he’s physical, he can tackle and on top of that he can run.”

There’s little standing in the way of Banks earning a starting job for the Giants right off the bat, so there should be ample opportunity to see all of those traits on the field this fall.

[Futureshock]

The Giants are sneaky. They add good players and are tough.

[jaadam4]

The Giants are sneaky. They add good players and are tough.

And they have a terrible QB

[Futureshock]

Good for our early season meeting with them...

Jaycee Horn in walking boot, out for rest of offseason

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2023, 8:42 AM EDT

Getty Images

Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn pushed back at suggestions that he’s injury prone recently by saying that he had “bad luck” to miss time with a broken foot and broken wrist in his first two seasons, but admitted he has to “be available” to the team more often in 2023.

Horn’s experienced a little more bad luck on the injury front, however. The Panthers announced on Thursday that he will not practice again this offseason due to an injury to his left ankle and foot.

According to the team, Horn was hurt last week and will be in a walking boot for the next few weeks. He was examined by specialist Dr. Robert Anderson this week and does not need to have surgery to repair the injury.

The expectation is that Horn will be ready to go for training camp and both he and the Panthers will be hoping that this is the last time he misses time due to injury this year.

[Futureshock]

Nick Chubb: I’m definitely playing for Jim Brown from here on out

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2023, 7:43 AM EDT

Getty Images

After Jim Brown died, Browns running back Nick Chubb reflected on how “special” it was that the Hall of Famer called his name during the second round of the 2018 draft and called it “an honor” to follow in Brown’s footsteps in the backfield in Cleveland.

Chubb did more reminiscing about Brown on Wednesday. He said he was told that Brown watched film of him before that draft and gave the Browns a thumbs up when it came to whether they should consider adding Chubb to the lineup, which Chubb called “a blessing” that kicked off a meaningful relationship that Chubb plans to honor in 2023 and beyond.

“The most impactful thing is probably just stand for what you believe in. He was a strong man. He stood for a lot of things, and he was himself. I think that’s the biggest thing I take from him. Just always be true to yourself. . . . I’m definitely playing for him from here on out,” Chubb said, via the team’s website.

Chubb is currently fourth in team history in rushing yards with 6,341 and he can move into the No. 2 spot behind Brown with 934 yards this season. Chubb, who is in his sixth season, said “anything can happen” when asked about the possibility of challenging for the top spot while noting that it’s “unbelievable” that Brown ran for 12,312 yards in just nine seasons.

[Futureshock]

Mike McDaniel on Dalvin Cook: I wasn’t born yesterday so I’m not commenting

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2023, 3:56 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Vikings are set to release running back Dalvin Cook on Friday and the Dolphins have been rumored to be interested in bidding for his services, so it was no surprise that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was asked about him at a Thursday press conference.

Cook remains a member of the Vikings, however, and that would make it tampering if McDaniel were to answer a question about the team’s reported interest. McDaniel’s reply made it clear that he is aware of that rule.

“March 6, 1983, the day I was born, right? Now we take a closer look at that date and that in fact was not yesterday,” McDaniel said. “Okay, so people that are rumored to be tall, short, people that are rumored to be, you’re not going to get this guy. I’m Year Two. Okay? What I am excited about is talking about the most important thing which is the third day of veteran minicamp and we’ve got a lot of guys that are good players that have an opportunity to get better. Answer your question?”

McDaniel did discuss the team’s current running backs and called Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed, Myles Gaskin, and third-round pick De’Von Achane “a really cool group.” We’ll have to wait until at least Friday to hear anything from the Dolphins about whether they’re looking to add Cook to it.

[Futureshock]

Tua Tagovailoa testing out new helmet designed specifically to protect quarterbacks

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 8, 2023, 1:40 PM EDT

Getty Images

The NFL and NFL Players Association approved a new helmet this offseason that helmet maker Vicis designed specifically to protect quarterbacks from the kinds of injuries they suffer when their heads hit the ground. Unsurprisingly, Tua Tagovailoa is interested.

Tagovailoa, who suffered multiple concussions on exactly those kinds of hits last season, said he is wearing he newly designed helmet at Organized Team Activities to see how comfortable he is in it.

“I’m still trying to feel it out, so what better time to feel it out than OTAs? I heard it’s supposedly better than the helmet I was wearing last year,” Tagovailoa said. “If it could be that much more safe, then why not give it a shot?”

Tagovailoa said he’s not sure if he’ll wear the helmet during the season, but he wants to give himself plenty of time to try it out on the practice field. Of course, quarterbacks don’t get hit in practice, and Tagovailoa won’t really know how much extra protection the helmet gives him until he needs it. But it’s something he’s considering, and other quarterbacks may follow suit.



We have an early look at the newly designed helmet...

[Futureshock]

Patrick Peterson: Joey Porter Jr. has the intangibles to be better than me

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2023, 1:03 PM EDT

Getty Images

Earlier this month, Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said that his veteran teammate Patrick Peterson has taken him “under his wing and showed me the ropes” since he joined the team as a second-round pick and Peterson shared some of his approach to being a mentor this week.

Peterson told Amanda Godsey of the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat that he wants to do “whatever I can do to help him accelerate the game as fast as I can” because he believes the quicker Porter finds success “the longer he’ll be able to last into this game.” The three-time All-Pro went on to say that he’s taking particular care to help guide the rookie because he thinks Porter has a very high ceiling.

“I just want to continue helping in as many ways as I can because he has all the intangibles to be better than me,” Peterson said. “I know most greats, or most guys, won’t say that, but that’s just the type of guy I am. I want to pass on the game and leave it in good hands.”

The Steelers signed Peterson to help them on the field this season and the move will look even better if it continues paying dividends through Porter well after Peterson has moved on.

[Futureshock]

D.K. Metcalf: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s treated it like he’s a vet already

Posted by Myles Simmons on June 8, 2023, 12:32 PM EDT

Getty Images

The Seahawks added to their group of receivers by selecting Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 20th overall pick of this year’s draft.

After veteran Tyler Lockett said he thinks the rookie is “going to be phenomenal” earlier this week, D.K. Metcalf had some praise of his own for the Ohio State product.

“I mean, he’s come in and he’s treated it like he’s a vet already,” Metcalf said in his Wednesday press conference. “He knows how to run routes. He knows his body. He knows how to catch. So, it’s really just teaching him the playbook — and he’s already ahead of the curve of learning the technique that [receivers coach] Sanjay [Lal is] teaching.

“So, he’s just fitting right in with the drills and with the plays that we’re calling.”

Last year, both Metcalf and Lockett finished with over 1,000 yards receiving. Tight end Noah Fant was third on the team with 50 receptions and 486 yards.

If Metcalf and Lockett are right about Smith-Njigba, the rookie receiver should be in that mix toward the top in 2023.

[Futureshock]

Sean Payton: Broncos have worked to make NFL gambling policy more clear

Posted by Mike Florio on June 8, 2023, 7:29 PM EDT

Getty Images

As recently mentioned, the NFL gambling policy was seemingly written by lawyers for lawyers. The document is not particularly easy for a non-lawyer to understand.

At least one team has taken the information and tried to re-work it into something the players (and the rest of the organization) can better comprehend. That was the message from Broncos coach Sean Payton‘s Thursday comments on the situation.

“We got a packet from the league,” Payton told reporters. “Obviously, when policies change, it’s our job to educate [the players]. [Vice President of football operations & compliance] Mark Thewes was awesome. We’re professional teachers. The packet we received, we looked at, studied [it] closely and then we presented it in our own PowerPoint. I probably had 20 minutes on it to really make sure everyone has it.”

Payton then said something we’ve mentioned a time or two, especially in relation to the cluster of Lions suspensions.

“If you’re a teacher and half your class get a D, you better look at yourself,” Payton said. “It’s not the policy, but it’s the implementation, the understanding, and the educating of the policy. I presented a week and a half ago, and now someone officially will present [it]. Hopefully, it won’t be from that eight-page handout we received because that was more confusing after I read it than it was before I looked at it.”

It’s very simple. The coaches need to tell the players to not bet on sports. While the policy allows betting on other sports away from work, the better approach is to not gamble on sports, period.

That should be the rule for all players, frankly. Why let them bet on any sports at all? It’s the accumulation of debt that can cause desperate people to do things that would undermine the integrity of the game.

If it’s a problem for players to bet on other sports in the team facility, why let them do it anywhere? And if that’s one of the ground rules for playing in the NFL, how many players would say to an NFL career, “No thanks. I’d rather be able to bet on baseball.”

The message to the league from Payton’s comments is also clear. Take a look at the policy and ask yourself whether it does enough to make the do’s and don’ts sufficiently obvious to the average player.

Too many workplace policies are crafted by lawyers who aren’t capable of writing a message that an audience of non-lawyers can understand. That’s definitely the case with the NFL’s gambling policy.