Category: LSU in NFL

Joe Burrow says injuries have made him ponder his ‘football mortality’

Joe Burrow said his injury recovery process has made him think quite a bit about his career.

Former LSU Heisman-winning quarterback [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] entered the NFL with high expectations when he was drafted first overall by Cincinnati, and he has lived up to that hype.

Burrow ended a futile playoff victory drought for the Bengals and brought them to the brink of a Super Bowl in 2021. When healthy, he’s among the league’s best quarterbacks.

But staying healthy has been a problem for Burrow so far. He missed most of his rookie season with a torn ACL, and he’s coming off another injury-plagued season. After dealing with a calf injury in fall camp, Burrow’s season ended with a torn ligament in his wrist.

That recovery process seems to have caused Burrow to reflect on his career and what he called his “football mortality.”

“Whenever the injuries start to stack up, your football mortality kind of comes into the back of your mind,” Burrow said following mandatory minicamp practice, per NFL.com. “So that’s definitely something I’ve thought about and something I have had to fight through.”

Burrow declined to go into detail on what percentage of health he’s currently practicing at, but he expects to be ready to go by the season. He said he’s not pushing the timeline of his recovery.

“That’s something we’re being more proactive about this year,” Burrow said. “We don’t have to be ready to go in the middle of June. We have to be ready to go early September through February. That’s how we’re attacking this offseason and this rehab plan and these practices and training camp. We’re attacking it like I want to be out there playing in February.”

Burrow will hope to stay on the field and get back to the NFL’s elite class of quarterbacks in 2024.

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Watch Malik Nabers show off for New York Giants in OTAs

The No. 6 pick in the 2024 NFL draft is showing off at Giants OTAs.

The New York Giants entered the offseason desperate for receiver help, and they certainly addressed that need.

The team took former star LSU receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] with the sixth overall pick, making him the second receiver off the board in the 2024 NFL draft. Nabers is expected to shoulder a heavy load in this offense immediately, and he’s certainly impressing early.

At team OTAs while catching passes from Drew Lock as Daniel Jones continues to recover from a torn ACL, Nabers showed off some of the talent that made him such a highly desired prospect, high-pointing a deep ball in the end zone.

Nabers was the runner-up for the Biletnikoff Award in 2023 and finished second in receiving yards nationally after leading the way at the end of the regular season. He also became the Tigers’ all-time leading receiver in their bowl win over Wisconsin.

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Vikings hand former LSU WR Justin Jefferson massive extension

Former LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson became the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history on Monday morning.

It comes as no surprise, but current Minnesota Vikings and former LSU wide receiver [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] became the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history on Monday morning.

Tom Pelissero and Ian Rappaport first reported the news. It was shortly confirmed by Jefferson on social media and the Vikings’ team site.

According to Pelissero, the deal is worth $140 million over four years, and $110 million is guaranteed.

Jefferson was always expected to reset the marker for wide receivers. It was only a matter of when. In just four years, Jefferson’s racked up 5,899 yards, 392 catches and 30 touchdowns. In 2022, he led the NFL with 128 catches and 1,809 yards.

It’s one of the best career starts we’ve ever seen from a wide receiver.

The deal comes after Jefferson’s former LSU teammate [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] became the highest-paid player in NFL history last September. With a massive extension on the horizon for [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag], LSU’s former big three will be set.

“To be given a gift, to play football at the highest level, it’s a blessing, it’s an honor,” Jefferson said in his social media video.

He went on to thank his parents along with his brothers Rickey and Jordan Jefferson, who both played at LSU.

“I always dreamt of this moment,” Jefferson said.

With Jefferson locked in long-term, the Vikings can now focus on taking advantage of JJ McCarthy’s rookie deal.

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Jayden Daniels says Commanders fans are ‘eager’ to win

Jayden Daniels joins a Washington team looking for its first playoff win since 2005.

When the Washington Commanders selected [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] with the second pick in the 2024 NFL draft last month, they did so hoping to end the league’s third-longest playoff win drought, which dates back to 2005.

Daniels isn’t a lock to be the team’s Day 1 starter, as he’s competing with veteran Marcus Mariota for the job. But he’s expected to take over sooner rather than later, and now paired with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, it’s certainly an exciting combination.

He was recently discussing the fans in the nation’s capital, who he said are eager to win.

“It’s just a franchise that’s eager,” Daniels said, per On3. “To be able to go out there and try to help the team win football games. And obviously, it’s new, everything here. The DMV fan base, everybody, they want to see wins, they want to see excitement, want to see joy.

“Hopefully, we can go out there and we can do it as a Commanders franchise, as a team. But you know that’s way down the road. We worried about rookie minicamp and practice tomorrow.”

Daniels is looking to turn around a Washington franchise that hasn’t finished above .500 since 2016 and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020.

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Commanders’ Marcus Mariota impressed with rookie Jayden Daniels so far

Jayden Daniels is making a strong impression on his competitor for the starting job.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] hasn’t been a member of the Washington Commanders long, but it seems he’s already making a strong impression on those around him.

The second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and former Heisman winner at LSU has joined the team for offseason organized team activities, and his main competitor for the starting quarterback job — veteran Marcus Mariota — offered pretty high praise after seeing Daniels in action.

“He looks good,” Mariota said after OTAs on Wednesday, per On3. “I think he really moves well, throws the ball well, and for a young guy that’s coming in (he) seems to really command the offense and I think that’s important.”

Mariota further explained that Daniels’ poise and knowledge has helped endear him to older players on the team.

“I think that’s very important in the quarterback position to be able to stand in front of these guys, especially older players, and kind of nail and say I got this, I got it figured out,” Mariota said. “So I think he’s done a great job of that and we’ve just got to continue to help him grow and develop. And I think at the end of the day when we’re all competing in that room it makes every one of us better.”

This competition isn’t likely to be decided soon, but it seems that Daniels has earned the admiration of even his top contender for the job.

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Malik Nabers had a hilarious response to Giants’ controversial throwback jerseys

“It’s gonna be hard to swag it out,” Nabers said. “That’s all I got to say about it.”

Everyone loves a good throwback uniform in the NFL.

But when the New York Giants released their new throwback uniforms to be worn during the 2024 season, which are a composite of several different uniform elements from the 1930s, there was certainly a polarizing response.

Many fans thought the uniforms were flat-out ugly, and it seems that’s an opinion that may be shared by rookie receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft out of LSU.

Nabers was asked for his thoughts on the jerseys, and his response was priceless.

“It’s gonna be hard to swag it out,” Nabers said. “That’s all I got to say about it.”

Nabers enters his rookie season with high expectations after becoming LSU’s all-time leading receiver in 2023. He joins a Giants roster that desperately needed skill-position talent, and the team will hope he can elevate the play of quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Drew Lock.

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Former LSU safety Jamal Adams visiting with Baltimore Ravens

Jamal Adams remains unsigned, but that could be set to change in the coming days.

There was once a time when [autotag]Jamal Adams[/autotag] was considered among the best young safeties in the NFL. But with the draft being almost a month in the rearview, the former LSU safety remains a free agent entering what will be his eighth season.

That could be set to change in the coming days, however, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Adams is visiting with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. It would certainly be an intriguing fit for the 28-year-old on one of the league’s better defenses.

Adams was the sixth overall pick in 2017 by the Jets, and he was named an All-Pro in three of his first four seasons, including First-Team honors in 2019. He was sent to Seattle in a blockbuster trade in 2020, though his level of play didn’t exactly keep up.

Adams has also battled injuries in recent seasons and has appeared in just 10 games over the past two years.

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Jayden Daniels impressing in OTAs with Washington Commanders

“He’s intentional in everything he does,” Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said of Jayden Daniels.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]’ NFL career is just getting underway, but he’s making a strong impression at OTAs.

“He’s intentional in everything he does,” Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said.

The Commanders spent the No. 2 overall pick on Daniels last month. After years of offensive struggles, the franchise is hoping Kingsbury and Daniels can turn it around.

“He has a plan for studying. He has a plan for practice. He has a plan for watching film,” Kingsbury added. 

At LSU, Daniels was praised for his “first one in, last one out” mentality. Daniels always had the talent, but his development reached a new level at LSU with Daniels taking advantage of VR along with other resources to take a mental leap.

We’re seeing Daniels apply the same approach in Washington.

“Just going through the lumps of being a rookie and trying to learn how to be a pro, I’m just trying to learn as much as possible,” Daniels said.

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Former LSU quarterbacks Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels to face off in Monday Night Football

LSU’s two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks will face off under the lights in Week 3 on national television.

The long-awaited NFL schedule reveal finally arrived on Thursday night, and it has set up quite an intriguing early season matchup between former LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks.

We already knew that Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals would take on the Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]. Now, we know that matchup is coming in Week 3 on Sept. 23, and it’s going to be drawing a lot of attention.

The teams will face off under the lights in Cincinnati on Monday Night Football in a key early season test for the Commanders and Daniels, who is expected to start as a rookie after he was drafted with the second overall pick last month.

Burrow, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2023 season. He was never fully healthy and ultimately only played in 10 games before he was sidelined for the rest of the season and the Bengals missed the postseason.

Expectations are high this season for Burrow and Cincinnati, and the matchup is sure to draw quite a bit of interest from LSU fans.

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Giants, former LSU WR Malik Nabers says football ‘saved (his) life’

Malik Nabers opened up about the impact football has had on his life after his first professional practice.

Rookie minicamp has kicked off for every NFL team and the organizations and their fans are getting their first up close and personal look at the players who could be the future of their franchise.

One of those players is former LSU wide receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], who was taken with the sixth pick of the first round in the 2024 NFL draft. He was the second wide receiver taken off the board and he is going to one of the biggest markets in the world, New York City, with the Giants.

After his first practice, Nabers was asked what football means to him and how it has affected his life.

“I’m a funny person to be around, good person to be around,” Nabers said, per On3. “As a person that plays football, it’s the kind of thing that saved my life. So I take it serious. I’m happy to be here, I’m finally here. So just to get out there running with the guys, it’s a dream come true.”

Nabers will soon be the favorite target of his new quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants needed a playmaker and that is who Nabers will be for them.

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