Tag: start

Categories
NFL News

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is expected to start the season opener against the Buccaneers despite his ailment.

Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, is expected to return to the field for the team’s season opener on September 1.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Buccaneers are favored by nine points.
Prescott, 28, had a right latissimus strain during training camp and is still rehabbing from an ankle issue from last season.
According to Pelissero, the two-time Pro Bowler has had no “setbacks” in his rehabilitation and might have participated in Saturday’s preseason game against the Texans.
Prescott, on the other hand, will not take any chances and will only toss before the game.
Prescott’s recent update debunks ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s claim that the quarterback might not play at 100% this season.
“He’s not entirely recovered yet.”
“He might not be back all season,” Schefter remarked during halftime of the Chiefs-Cardinals game on ESPN.
Bishop: Dak Prescott’s Heal Turn During the offseason, Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million deal.
Prior to his ankle injury in October,
Prescott started five games versus the Giants and threw for 1,856 yards and nine touchdowns.
Before the injury, he was averaging roughly 372 passing yards per game.
In 2019, he threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in his final complete season.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy stated this week that there’s a significant chance Prescott won’t play in the preseason as Dallas prepares for the regular season.
McCarthy added, “He’ll undoubtedly be involved in some type of practice more than this week.”
“But to stand here and say you he’d be full-go and take all the reps, I’m not there yet.” Prescott told NFL Network last week that he wanted to participate in the Cowboys’ joint practice with the Rams and that he expects to play during the regular season.
“I felt like I could go out here,” Prescott said. “Especially when you’ve got the crowd going and the excitement, your adrenaline’s pumping, and you don’t want to miss a day like this.”
“But I’m in terrific shape, and I’ll be ready when it counts.” More NFL coverage:

Categories
NFL News

Jackson Carman’s displeasure, the defensive ceiling, and guessing starters are among the topics discussed in Dehner Jr.’s Bengals mailbag.

When the starters pass through these group interviews, you start to run out of questions to ask.Thankfully, you have questions.
As the Bengals prepare to go to Washington for the second of three preseason games, there are plenty of questions on your minds, and I’ll try my best to address them.The most frequently requested question concerned Jessie Bates III and the status of his contract extension in the aftermath of the Jamal Adams deal.
I had a lot to say about it, so I published a second column about it.
Let’s get started on the remainder of your questions.Note: Submitted questions have been changed for clarity.From J.R.G: I understand Jackson Carman is having a rough start to his NFL career, but when is it time to panic?
Several of us liked the JaMarr Chase pick at five because we were promised we may get a starting-caliber offensive lineman in round two, so if he doesn’t turn out, it appears to be a misfire.

Categories
NFL News

The NFL community responds to Cam Newton’s hot start for the Patriots in Week 2 of preseason.

Aug 19, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) makes a call against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the absence of key defensive line starters, the Eagles continued to put pressure on Newton, forcing him to step up in the pocket and slither around to make consistent throws.
In the past, the former NFL MVP has had a reputation for taking off running.
Newton stood in the pocket, easily moved around when the pressure was on, and confidently threw strikes all over the field, whether it was to defend himself during a low-stakes exhibition match or as a sign of actual improvement.
Although signing with the Patriots late in the offseason, Newton still managed a 7-8 record as a starter despite having a scarcity of skill-position personnel at his disposal.
Plus, he was sick with COVID-19 during the season and wasn’t himself afterwards.
Thus, if Newton is the great teammate and leader the Patriots have praised since he arrived, it stands to reason that he’ll be even better in 2021.
To be clear, there’s no reason to overreact to what happens in the preseason, but the specific circumstances of Newton’s situation last year, the harsh criticism he received, and Jones’ presence all play a role here.
It was a high-pressure situation, and Newton rose to the occasion.
Cam Newton has been lauded by the NFL community for his excellent preseason performance against the Panthers.

Categories
NFL News

Carson Wentz, who is allegedly ahead of schedule due to Quenton Nelson’s injury, might start for the Colts in Week 1.

Jul 29, 2021; Westfield, IN, United States; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz (2) at Grand Park. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

While Nelson has established himself as an exceptional talent at his position and is capable of overcoming any bumps and bruises accrued over the course of a 17-game season, the same cannot be said for Wentz.
During his stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, Wentz’s lengthy injury history cost him a lot of playing time.
After a catastrophic 2020 campaign in which he forced his way out of Philadelphia, Wentz will be eager to shed his injury-prone reputation and show he can thrive in a reunion with Reich.
The Colts have one of the best-built organizations in the league, so Wentz’s return is unlikely to be a disaster.
They must, however, be patient and keep in mind the long-term vision, not only for the coming years, but also for the 2021 season as a whole.
With an extra game on the schedule, Wentz will have his work cut out for him if he wants to play the entire season.
If Ehlinger or Eason can step in for a week or two and help the club play winning football while relying on Jonathan Taylor’s rushing assault and a strong Colts defense, it may buy Wentz some time to recover.
It’s also worth noting that Wentz’s injury is tied to a preexisting sickness, whereas Nelson’s isn’t.
All the more reason to be extra cautious if at all possible.
Additionally, the AFC South is one of the poorest divisions in the league, so as long as Wentz doesn’t miss more than two games and continues to perform at the level he did under Reich’s tutelage with the Eagles, Indy may still be in contention for the playoffs and the division title.

Categories
NFL News

Sam Ehlinger, the Colts’ rookie quarterback, is taking first-team reps.

Jul 28, 2021; Westfield, IN, United States; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger (4) at Grand Park. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Soon after starting quarterback Carson Wentz of the Indianapolis Colts underwent “very successful” surgery to heal a foot injury that could keep him out until the start of the regular season, Colts coach Frank Reich stated that 2020 fourth-round draft pick Jacob Eason would be the team’s starting quarterback until Wentz recovers.
It appears like a lot can happen in a week.
Sam Ehlinger, a rookie and sixth-round draft pick, had reps with the Indy first-team offense on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Mike Wells and NFL Media.
“Jacob (Eason) didn’t do anything illegal,” Reich clarified.
“We decided to split it up because this is a meritocracy and Sam (Ehlinger) has looked good.”
The good news is that they both appeared to be in top form today.
“We’ll continue to divide those reps,” Reich said, adding that Eason “will probably start” against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, while Ehlinger “will probably come in whenever” later in the game.
While Wentz is out, Wells believes Eason has held on to the football in the pocket for too long in some circumstances and hasn’t done enough to solidify his status atop the depth chart.
If neither Eason nor Ehlinger appear capable of guiding the Colts to regular-season victories by the end of the month, the team may pursue a trade for a proven commodity like current Chicago Bears quarterback and former Wentz backup Nick Foles.

Categories
NFL News

The most important takeaways from the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” about the Dallas Cowboys

“Hard Knocks” premiered its new season with a bang, and the first episode did not disappoint.
The first of five episodes in the NFL Films and HBO series 1 featured multiple highlights from the Cowboys’ first two weeks of training camp in Oxnard, Calif., to their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Canton, Ohio, last Thursday night.Here are the five biggest takeaways from the first of five episodes in the NFL Films and HBO series 1.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the first camp practice that Dak Prescott was given too much work.

Categories
NFL News

The most important takeaways from the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” about the Dallas Cowboys

“Hard Knocks” premiered its new season with a bang, and the first episode did not disappoint.
The first of five episodes in the NFL Films and HBO series 1 featured multiple highlights from the Cowboys’ first two weeks of training camp in Oxnard, Calif., to their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Canton, Ohio, last Thursday night.Here are the five biggest takeaways from the first of five episodes in the NFL Films and HBO series 1.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the first camp practice that Dak Prescott was given too much work.

Categories
NFL News

Jimmy Garoppolo will start for the 49ers instead of Trey Lance.

May 25, 2021; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks Trey Lance (5) and Jimmy Garoppolo (10) throw the football during Organized Team Activities at San Francisco 49ers Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers have made it obvious that they want Garoppolo ahead of Lance on the depth chart for the foreseeable future, similar to how Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy has stated Andy Dalton will start over rookie Justin Fields come September.
Lance may not start until his third NFL season, according to 49ers CEO Jed York, while general manager John Lynch stated in May that he wanted to keep Jimmy G as a starter and mentor throughout the process that led to the 49ers selecting Lance.
Lance gushed about working with Garoppolo earlier last month, and it appears that their friendship will continue until Shanahan says otherwise.

Categories
NFL News

According to a source, Chris Hogan has reached an agreement with the New Orleans Saints.

METAIRIE, LA METAIRIE, LA METAIRIE, LA
— Veteran wide receiver Chris Hogan will return to the NFL after moonlighting as a lacrosse player this summer, hoping to help the New Orleans Saints make up for the loss of injured star Michael Thomas.
A source told ESPN’s Mike Reiss that Hogan, 33, agreed to a deal with the Saints on Monday, confirming an NFL Network report.
Thomas was officially placed on the physically unable to play list on Monday, as expected, to begin training camp.
Following ankle surgery in June, he is anticipated to lose time at the start of the regular season.
After the Saints dismissed veteran Emmanuel Sanders this offseason, Hogan (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) will compete for a roster spot among Saints receivers Tre’Quan Smith, Deonte Harris, Marquez Callaway, and others in a position group that is light on proven quality.
Throughout a nine-year career that included stops with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and New York Jets, Hogan won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
But, after appearing in just 12 games with the Panthers and Jets in 2019 and 2020 due to injuries, he briefly considered switching jobs and playing in the Premier Lacrosse League this offseason before being enticed back by the Saints.
Hogan was a standout lacrosse player at Penn State before transferring to Monmouth to play football for a year before joining the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2012.
During his tenure in the PLL, he was relatively inactive, starting with the Cannons before being traded to the Whipsnakes.
Hogan, now back in the NFL, provides variety to the table in addition to his experience.
During the regular season, he lined up roughly equally in the slot and out wide, catching 216 catches for 2,795 yards and 18 touchdowns.
In the playoffs, he has 34 catches for 542 yards and four touchdowns.

Categories
NFL News

Deshaun Watson is with the Texans, but he wants to be traded.

Deshaun Watson, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, has reported to training camp, but he is reportedly still looking for a trade.
Deshaun Watson will be in attendance when the Houston Texans begin their training camp.
Watson will not be there to end it if he, and maybe the team, get their way.
Watson is expected to report for the start of the season on Sunday morning, but he remains adamant about his desire to be dealt.
Houston, which has insisted for months that it does not want to move Watson, is now said to be contemplating its options without him.
Watson will not be fined $50,000 each day if he reports, allowing him to escape a significant financial loss this summer.
Watson faces 22 sexual misconduct cases, so it’s surprising the NFL didn’t place him on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.
Watson would be excluded from the team’s facilities if he was on the list, but he would still be paid in full.
In fact, it’s a paid suspension for an infinite period of time.
Commissioner Roger Goodell, on the other hand, has chosen not to take that way, allowing Watson to be there for the opening of Houston’s season.
Will Deshaun Watson be traded by the Texans?
The Texans must now decide whether or not to reprimand Watson for his looming legal problems, and whether or not to move him in the coming weeks.
If a team acquires Watson before the lawsuits against him are resolved, it will be a public relations nightmare, to say nothing of the potential ramifications for the community.
In addition, depending on how things go, the squad may be without Watson for an extended period of time.
The NFL’s ugliest offseason story is now morphing into an in-season development, with plenty more to come.