Tag: Matt Stafford

Rams were ‘adamant’ about not trading Matt Stafford amid offseason fire sale

While Bobby Wagner, Jalen Ramsey and several other key players left Los Angeles, the team reportedly remained adamant about not trading Matt Stafford.

The Rams had little choice but to blow up their roster this past offseason as the bill came due from their all-in 2021 Super Bowl season. While Bobby Wagner, Jalen Ramsey and several other key players left Los Angeles, the team reportedly remained adamant about not trading Matt Stafford.

This comes via a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL.com, who says the Jets reached out about Stafford before they acquired Aaron Rodgers from the Packers. Apparently it was a short conversation.

“Talks between New York and Los Angeles were brief, simple and to the point. As two sources explained, the Rams were adamant Stafford wasn’t going anywhere. The talks between the two teams were more exploratory than anything else with L.A. showing no willingness to do a deal, but the Jets didn’t want to leave a stone unturned in their quest for a franchise QB.”

The Jets weren’t the only team to call about Stafford, though. It made some sense for the Rams to try to trade Stafford based on his age (he’s 35 years old heading into the 2023 season) and what’s now a pretty extensive history of minor injuries. He missed half of last year with several different issues and wasn’t himself when he was on the field. However, Stafford still represents their best chance to remain relatively competitive in a division with two teams that are clearly superior.

If Stafford does get injured again, the Rams will likely look to former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett. He’s unavailable for today’s game against the Seahawks, though due to a shoulder injury.

More Seahawks Wire stories

8 things to know going into Week 1

4 best prop bets for the Seahawks

Raiders slow start to joint practices with Rams ‘unacceptable’ by their standards

Raiders first day of joint practices with Rams was ‘unacceptable’ by their standards (and pretty much any standard)

If the Raiders are to have a joint practice session with the Rams that looks anywhere near as good as the ones they had against the 49ers, they’re really going to have to pick it up. Because the first day was considerably disappointing by that standard.

Teams sessions were lacking on both sides of the ball for the Raiders.

Last week in joint practices, the story was interceptions. The Raiders had four in team sessions and another four in seven-on-sevens. Today the only turnover was an interception by Sam Webb off a deflection of a bad Stetson Bennett pass. A very similar play to the one Webb had in the game against the 49ers last Sunday from Brandon Allen.

But whenever Matt Stafford stepped on the field, he was carving up the Raiders secondary. It was pretty if you were the Rams offense. Not so much if you were the Raiders defense.

“As practice goes on, everybody’s watching the same thing that’s going on on the field. We can all feel it,” said safety Roderic Teamer. “We know as a team that we can perform better. And we always expect to dominate no matter what, so if we don’t do that then after practice we know we got more work to do.”

The Raiders’ battery is Maxx Crosby. He was not happy with what he saw at all.

“The standard is you show up and get better. For me as a leader it’s unacceptable,” said Crosby.

“Some days you’re going to feel like shit, some days you’re going to feel great. It is what it is. You got to get better and find ways to improve. Those are the days you get better; when you don’t feel like you want to go. When you’re feeling bad for yourself. That’s when you really got to go to that dark place. So, for me, no matter what it is, I’m trying to get to that place. No matter what and just bring my teammates with me.”

Late in practice, Maxx’s aggressive practice tendencies weren’t well received by Cam Akers. Akers lowered his helmet into him on a run, then Crosby chased Akers down and swatted the ball out of his hands. This led to a mad fury of Akers swinging on Crosby and the fight was on.

Said Crosby of the altercation “I was just doing what I do and he didn’t like that, so he got what he got. It is what it is.”

What Akers got was in a fight with a much bigger dude and then thrown out of practice for throwing the first punch, not to mention full on coming to blows.

For Maxx, it meant being relegated to the sideline for the rest of team sessions. He was replaced in the lineup by Jordan Willis.

And that was just the defense. The offense wasn’t exactly on point either.

It was good to see Davante Adams out there looking like 100% for the first time since he left practice with a right leg injury a week ago. And he did catch a few passes in team sessions.

But the drives rarely ended in a score and at the end of one session, several attempts at touchdowns fades — including to Adams — all ended with incompletions. Some were not on target, and some were knocked down by the DB. These same fades were successful against the 49ers last week.

“We have a lot to learn from the tape and that’s kind of the point of these,” said guard Greg Van Roten.

“You’re seeing a different front, different personnel, we’re running different plays than we have against a different team, so it’s kind of like this is what training camp is and this is what joint practice is for, it’s to get a different look and work on new techniques.”

Sunday’s hero in the preseason opener struggled as well. Aidan O’Connell came in at QB to close out practice with a drive in which he completed just one pass. All others were either dropped, defended, or off target.

Clearly, the Raiders will have to regroup, study the tape from today, and put in the work to try and put together a better practice tomorrow. It’s their final joint practice, and if last preseason is any indication, many starters’ last chance to go against an opponent prior to the start of the regular season.

Watch: Matt Stafford working out, throwing no-look passes with Rams

Stafford’s back at it

Former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford did not participate in organized team activities last year with the Los Angeles Rams due to pain his elbow. Though the Rams are three weeks away from the start of OTAs this year, players, including Stafford, are working out together on the field.

After winning the Super Bowl during the 2021 season, the Rams took a major step back in 2022, including Stafford, who was dealing with injury.

So it should make fans of the former No. 1 overall pick excited to see him throwing no-look passes once again, as shared by the Rams Twitter account.

Head coach Sean McVay said last month that Stafford will not have any limitations this offseason, meaning his elbow and back injuries are behind him.

The Rams recently added another former Georgia Bulldog to their quarterback room in two-time national title-winning quarterback Stetson Bennett. Bennett was taken in the fourth round by L.A. to serve as backup to Stafford.

Pete Carroll: Rams remain dangerous despite injuries to starters

The Seattle Seahawks need to be wary in Week 13 of the Los Angeles Rams, who remain dangerous despite battling numerous injuries.

The Seattle Seahawks head down to Los Angeles this weekend to square off against the division-rival Rams. And even though the Rams are battling a number of injuries, coach Pete Carroll knows just how dangerous Los Angeles can be.

“They are because they are so well coached,” Carroll said Wednesday. “Schematically, since Sean (McVay) went there, they have done so many good things. That’s what I am talking about to the team today and introducing the team to them, how well coached they are, how smart they are, and how they look the same as they always look.”

Most notably, the Rams will be without superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald (ankle injury) and likely quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is still battling a concussion. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson are also out for LA.

“They have adjusted some things as everybody does, but they do it well,” Carroll continued. “When they are in those uniforms coming out of the locker room, those guys play good football.”

Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. PT in Los Angeles on Sunday. Find everything you need to know here.

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Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

We got past Thanksgiving with no upsets but closer than expected games.  The Lions are better than in recent seasons – no argument. And the Bills are no longer paving over every opponent. The Vikings got back on the Winning Wagon but not before the Patriots made them work for it. The Cowboys pulled away in the second half over the Giants, but it was close for a while.

Now we move into Week 12 weekend with fantasy playoffs looming and every game, and every fantasy point could be the difference in reaching the league playoffs or looking for something to worry about in December.

Six items for this weekend:

1.) Playoff Defenses – Unless you are in an 8-team league with rosters of just ten players, your waiver has to be little more than players that are either on injured reserve, the “not happenings”, or the hot starters that are back under a rock. But – defenses are still likely there since most fantasy teams will stick with one for the season. Do not do that for the playoffs, you always need options. Yes, entire defenses do not get injured, but enough of  their key players can make a difference, or their offense falls apart and the defense plays in less advantageous situations. Or maybe, you may have a really bad matchup in Weeks 15 to 17 worth covering.

This table shows the average of the strength of schedule (SOS) tool output for projected fantasy points using what opponents allow on average to opposing defenses for Weeks 15 to 17 and three-week sum of what defenses have been scoring. In essence, how good they are and how good their schedule is combined.

Check individual weekly matchups if you want to mix and match defenses, but the above shows which defenses are best situated to perform well in the playoff weeks.

2.)  Playoff kickers – Same deal as the defenses above, these are the kickers with the most favorable output combining their weekly average and what the strength of schedule (SOS) took says about what Weeks 15 to 17 average out to be for their unique schedule.

You should always carry two kickers into the playoffs, even if you never use the second kicker. The above kickers have the best outlook.

3.)  QB Mike White (NYJ) – The Jets opened the season with Joe Flacco for three weeks, and he never passed for fewer than 285 yards, totaled five touchdowns, used Elijah Moore for a dozen catches and let Garrett Wilson start his career with a bang. But when they finally decided that they had enough of Zach Wilson and the Yips, they opted to start former 2018 fifth-round pick Mike White instead of Flacco.

White has four career starts – all last year. He famously threw for 405 yards and three scores in an upset of the Bengals. His final start had him pass for 251 yards and four interceptions. Garrett Wilson impressed regardless of the quarterback, but he was far more consistently productive with Flacco than Wilson. And Elijah Moore started the year with some fantasy value that disappeared once Wilson took over this year. White isn’t guaranteed anything more than a chance to start this week. He realizes just how important this opportunity is.

4.) QB Kyle Allen (HOU) – The Texans have switched from the once-promising Davis Mills to Kyle Allen who will debut on Sunday at the Dolphins. Allen has appeared in 21 games and the bulk of his career work was in 2019, when he started 12 games for the Panthers and threw 17 touchdowns against 16 interceptions. That was the breakout year for Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore,  who broke 100 yards in four games and finished with 87 catches for 1,175 yards. He was much better with D.J. Moore than Mills has been with Brandin Cooks.

He’ll face the Dolphins, so chances are high that the Texans will fall behind and need to pass. And there could be plenty of trash time at the end of the game. Both Cooks and Nico Collins disappointed after much better production last season. Allen gets a chance to renew his career.

5.) QB Matt Stafford (LAR) –  He won a Super Bowl last year. Nine months later, Stafford is on his second concussion in three weeks and there is speculation that he may retire early. He’s 35 years old and may be at that point where future health outweighs everything. The Rams have lost Cooper Kupp, which guts the receivers. Bryce Perkins was expected to start this week against the Chiefs but Wolford  was estimated to have a full practice on Thursday and may be over his neck injury.

Wolford started in Week 10 covering for Stafford after his first concussion and his only notable connection was with Tyler Higbee (8-73). Regardless of  which quarterback starts, the Rams will need to throw the ball more  and more as the game progresses. There is still some fantasy value left behind after Cooper Kupp left. And with Stafford looking very questionable for the rest of the season, Wolford is the only most likely to direct the Rams offense. The rest of their season starts this week.

6.)  RB Rachaad White (TB) – The fantasy world (or, more appropriately, the Rachaad White fantasy owners) wants to see White get a chance to take away at least most of the work  from Leonard Fournette as he’s been more productive lately. Fournette injured his hip during the game in Munich, Germany after running for 57 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries by the middle of the third quarter. White went on to gain 105 yards on 22 carries but never had a target.

HC Todd Bowles said this week that the team would ride the hot hand between Fournette and White. If Fournette remains bothered by his hip, this could look great for White playing at the No. 31 defense versus running backs (Cleveland). It is worth tracking this week, and White could buy more use in later games with this soft matchup. But the Buccaneers have a lot of money invested in Fournette who has an inescapable cap hit of $8.5 million next year. “Riding the hot hand” this week alone likely won’t create any lasting effects if White excels, regardless of what Twitter fires it may start.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Joe Burrow 355-2 4
 Daniel Jones 341-50 2
 Jacoby Brissett 324-29 3
 Jalen Hurts 190-86 2
Patrick Mahomes 329-23 3
Running Backs Rush-Catch TD
Tony Pollard 15-80
6-109		 2
Samaje Perine 11-30
4-52		 3
Najee Harris 20-90
4-26		 2
Derrick Henry 28-87
2-45		 2
Jamaal Williams  17-64 3
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Davante Adams 7-141 2
Amari Cooper 8-113 2
Tee Higgins 9-148 0
Demarcus Robinson 9-128 0
Josh Palmer 8-106 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Austin Hooper 4-36 2
Pat Freiermuth 8-79 0
Dawson Knox 7-70 0
Juwan Johnson 3-47 1
Travis Kelce 6-115 3
Placekickers XP FG
Brett Maher 4 4
Tyler Bass 1 6
Evan McPherson 4 3
Daniel Carlson 1 3
Brandon McManus 1 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Patriots 4-0 1
Ravens 4-3 0
Cowboys 7-1 0
Commanders 5-2 1
Falcons 4-1 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Matt Stafford (LAR) – Concussion
QB Justin Fields (CHI) – Shoulder
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC) – Ankle
RB Jaylen Warren (PIT) – Hamstring
RB Chase Edmonds (DEN) – Ankle
RB Joe Mixon (CIN) – Concussion
WR Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) – Knee
WR Kadarius Toney (KC) – Hamstring
WR Mike Williams (LAC) – Ankle
TE Kyle Pitts (ATL) – Knee|

Chasing Ambulances

QB Matt Stafford – Was pulled from the game to test for a concussion and did not return. Bryce Perkins replaced him because John Wolford was out with a neck injury. This is the second concussion this season, so the Rams may be very cautious with their star quarterback. This downgrades the Rams fantasy starters even more.

QB Justin Fields – Injured his shoulder on the final drive and was carted to the locker room. He spoke to reporters after the game but was in obvious pain and admitted as much. He is initially considered day-to-day until more is known.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Suffered a high-ankle sprain, the second of his young career. He could  miss several weeks and strengthen the hold that Isiah Pacheco has on the starting job.

WR Kadarius Toney – Was limited to just one catch because his hamstring tightened up on him and they held him out. It wasn’t initially described as serious but is bothersome since his hamstrings have been an issue for the two years that he’s been in the NFL.

RB Jaylen Warren – Left the loss to the Bengals with a right hamstring strain.  Warren had worked his way into the lineup but could miss time. More should be known by Wednesday but any time he misses helps Najee Harris reassert his role in the backfield.

RB Joe Mixon – Left the win over the Steelers with a head injury and was ruled out, while Samaje Perine had a career day. The severity of the concussion will be determined on Monday.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson – Had a breakout game with nine catches for 100 yards but injured his knee and was ruled out.  He was in much pain after his leg twisted during his final catch. There is concern that it was a serious knee injury which would mean missing time and potentially many weeks. More will be known no later than the injury report on Wednesday.

WR Mike Williams – Missed four weeks with an ankle injury and had a beautiful 15-yard toe-tapper against the Chiefs in his first game back. And he hobbled back to the sideline with a reaggravation of the injury. An MRI on Monday should yield more information.

TE Kyle Pitts – Left the win over the Bears after taking a nasty low-helmet hit to his knee. Initial reports are that he did not tear any ligaments and just sprained the knee. He’s due to get an MRI on Monday to confirm the prognosis and recovery expectations.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Ronald Jones (KC) –  The high-ankle sprain to Clyde Edwards-Helaire means that the Chiefs will likely move Ronald Jones to being active for game day. That’s no guarantee he even has a touch, but it gets him closer to the field and of interest if Isiah Pacheco or Jerick McKinnon are injured.

QB Zach Wilson (NYJ) – Ended the loss to the Patriots with 9-of-22 completions for 77 yards, and the offense combined for only two yards in the second half. HC Robert Saleh said after the game that Wilson is their quarterback and that they need “to make him better.” Whatever that process is does not work, and Wilson is killing their chance to win when defense and running the ball are not enough. No receiver caught more than two passes or gained more than 35 yards. Garrett Wilson’s rookie season is being wasted while waiting on a second-year quarterback to show that he belongs in the NFL.

RB Damien Harris (NE) – He started the win over the Jets and while Rhamondre Stevenson ended with 15 carries for 26 yards, Harris used his eight runs to gain 65 yards with several impressive chunk plays. Stevenson was also the lead receiver with six catches for 56 yards but Harris ended with 28 yards on two receptions for 93 total yards. It was Harris’ first playing time since Week 8.

WR TuTu Atwell (LAR) – First game without Cooper Kupp and Atwell netted his first NFL touchdown on a 62-yard bomb. That gives him two catches on the year including the 54-yard catch in Week 5. His 58-yard average catch is the highest in the NFL though his volume certainly lacks.

WR Allen Robinson (LAR) – His first game as the No. 1 wideout for the Rams resulted in four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. It was in line with all his other games, and the chance that Matt Stafford could miss time with his second concussion would reset any expectations.

WR DJ Chark, Jameson Williams (DET) – Chark was activated from injured reserve and was active on Sunday though he failed to catch his lone target in the low-volume passing game at the Giants. Williams is looking at coming off injured reserve after this week and could be available for Week 13 against the Jaguars or Week 14 versus the Vikings. It’s all an indicator that the passing game should be changing in Detroit with two players being added.

RB Samaje Perine (CIN) – Joe Mixon was injured in the middle of the second quarter and Perine took over as the primary back. He ended with 11 runs for 30 yards at the Steelers but caught four passes for 52 yards and three touchdowns, second to only Tee Higgins. He’s a needed backup for the Mixon owner and could be the starter this week at the Titans if Mixon doesn’t pass the concussion protocol.

RB Najee Harris (PIT) – Jaylen Warren was making inroads to a bigger share of the backfield but Najee Harris ran for 99 yards on 20 carries in Week 10 against the Saints while Warren gained 37 yards on nine carries. On Sunday, Warren injured his hamstring and was forced from the game. Harris turned in 20 rushes for 90 yards and two scores against the Bengals and added four catches for 26 yards. He’s finally looked more in 2021 form for the last two weeks.

RB Isiah Pacheco (KC) – Was given the start in Week 10 when he rushed for 82 yards on 15 carries and again on Sunday when he gained 107 yards on 15 carries. Pacheco is the clear primary back and could see even more work with Clyde  Edwards-Helaire out with a hamstring issue.

WR Joshua Palmer (LAC) –  Mike Williams missed four weeks with an ankle injury and returned Sunday to catch a pass and re-injure himself. Palmer stepped up with a season-best eight catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. He’s in line to start again at the Cardinals next week if Williams remains out.

Huddle player of the week

Tony Pollard  –  The Cowboys “No. 2” back turned in a career-best performance at the win in Minnesota over the Vikings. He rushed for 80 yards on 15 carries and added a team-high six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns. There was plenty left over for Ezekiel Elliott who also scored twice, but Pollard’s speed and talent now have him with the bigger share of the Dallas workload.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Jacoby Brissett 353 3 QB Kirk Cousins 105 0
RB Samaje Perine 82 3 RB Saquon Barkley 35 0
RB Matt Breida 29 1 RB Dameon Pierce 17 0
WR D. Robinson 128 0 WR Adam Thielen 25 0
WR TuTu Atwell 62 1 WR Justin Jefferson 33 0
WR Richie James 48 1 WR CeeDee Lamb 45 0
TE Austin Hooper 36 2 TE Dalton Schultz 22 0
PK Tyler Bass  1 XP   5 FG PK Greg Joseph  1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 135 Huddle Fantasy Points = 23

Now get back to work…

Instant analysis: Bills notch statement win in Week 1 win vs. Rams

Instant analysis: #Bills notch statement win in Week 1 win vs. # (@jdiloro):

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The 2022 Buffalo Bills showed confirmed what many believed leading into this season: they are serious Super Bowl contenders. Buffalo knocked off the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams 31-10 in the opening game of the 2022 NFL season.

Buffalo executed a strong offensive game plan. Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey had an impressive debut as the Bills play caller. The Bills neutralized the Rams defensive front by quick passing attack throughout the evening. Josh Allen was stellar, making swift and accurate decisions all game long. Allen ended the game 26 of 31 for 297 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Allen led Buffalo with 57 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

When Allen was forced to extend the play, he did so with ease. Allen, one of the top MVP candidates entering the season, helped put a stranglehold on Buffalo’s lead in the fourth quarter, finding Stefon Diggs running free behind Jalen Ramsey to give Buffalo a three-score lead early in the fourth quarter.

Diggs, whose 122 receiving yards led the Bills in the game, was just one of several offensive players who had a strong opening game. Gabriel Davis showed that he is completely comfortable starting opposite Diggs, as he caught four passes for 88 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. Davis caught a 47-yard bomb from Allen, crushing the Rams defense.

Running backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss got into the action in multiple ways. Singletary rushed eight times for 48 yards and added two receptions for 14 yards. Moss stepped in after James Cook’s fumble. Moss caught six passes for 21 receiving yards. Moss rumbled six times for 15 yards on the ground.

The Bills defense was just as impressive, allowing only 243 total yards. The Bills forced three turnovers, thwarting any meaningful progress by the Los Angeles offense. Jordan Poyer, Dane Jackson, and Boogie Basham all recorded interceptions at the hands of Matt Stafford.

The money Buffalo poured into their defensive line paid dividends, as the unit had Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford on his heels all evening. Von Miller recorded his first two sacks in a Buffalo uniform. Meanwhile, Jordan Phillips and AJ Epeense each added a sack-and-a-half, Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham each added a sack. The seven total sacks was impressive for an opening outing for the Bills defense. The Buffalo defense was credited with 15 total quarterback hits.

The opening drive of the game dictated that the Bills offense would have the upper hand on the Rams defense, as Buffalo moved easily down the field on a nine-play drive culminating with a Gabriel Davis touchdown reception.

The Bills could have made this game a ridiculous blowout, but mistakes cost Buffalo an opportunity at putting more points on the board. James Cook and Zack Moss each fumbled during the game, while Allen ended up with two interceptions. However, neither was blatantly Allen’s fault, as the defender wrestled the ball away Buffalo’s receivers.

Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp had a big numbers game, but the All-Pro could only find the end zone once on the night. Kupp had 13 catches for 128 receiving yards and the aforementioned touchdown. It was far from a dominant performance, though. The remainder of the Los Angeles offense was held under wraps by the Bills defense.

Impressively, the Bills defense put on this performance with No. 1 cornerback Tre’Davious White inactive. Rookies Christan Benford and Kaiir Elam held their own. Benford earned the starting nod for the game, showing an impressive ascent as a sixth-round draft pick.

The game reinforced Buffalo’s Super Bowl ambition. The Bills dominated the Super Bowl champions and blew out the Rams by three scores in a game that wasn’t a perfect performance. It’s scary to think what an ideal performance will look like for this team this year.

Buffalo returns to action on Monday, September 19 against the Tennesee Titans at Highmark Stadium.

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Jameson Williams gets Matt Stafford’s approval to wear No. 9 for Detroit Lions

Jameson Williams awesome gesture to Matthew Stafford

Despite suffering through a number of coaches, inconsistent rosters, injuries and more, Matthew Stafford showed up to work every day for the city of Detroit. Stafford left a lasting legacy through different charities and foundations that he and his family established in the community.

Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams prior to the 2021 season, but the love for Stafford has never wavered in Detroit as Lions fans rejoiced when he won the Super Bowl this past February.

Former Crimson Tide wide receiver, [autotag]Jameson Williams[/autotag], was selected No. 12 overall in the 2022 NFL by the Detroit Lions, and he hopes to leave the same impact on Detroit that Stafford did. Williams has generational speed and elite play-making talent that already makes fans fawn over him, but this classy move to the Detroit legend is what may truly win the city over.

Williams initially intended on wearing No. 18 for the Lions, however, No. 9 caught his eye and he was ready to make the switch. However, before officially doing that, Williams reached out to Stafford on his own to get his permission to wear the number. Stafford happily obliged, but the move by Williams is one that will definitely set a precedent moving forward.

Hopefully, Williams can continue his speedy recovery from a torn ACL and make his NFL debut as soon as possible.

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Ranking each QB the Falcons will play against in 2022

Falcons 2022 Schedule: Ranking each QB that Atlanta will play against this season.

After spending the past 14 seasons as the starting quarterback for the Falcons, former No. 3 overall pick Matt Ryan was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick in March, starting a whole new era of football in Atlanta.

The team signed free agent Marcus Mariota and drafted Desmond Ridder as potential short-term and long-term replacements for Ryan. Whoever starts at QB for the Falcons this season is going to have to put up points in order to keep pace with some of the opposing signal-callers on the schedule.

We’ve ranked all 14 quarterbacks the team will play against this season.

Where Eagles’ Jalen Hurts landed in a ranking of all 16 NFC quarterbacks

Where Philadelphia Eagles’ third-year star Jalen Hurts landed in a CBS Sports ranking of all 16 NFC quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts entered the 2022 offseason looking to improve his accuracy and decision-making as a passer, and with Philadelphia on a break until the start of training camp, most observers believe the third-year signal-caller did just that.

Whether it was quicker decisions with the ball or an improved throwing motion, Hurts is making all the necessary improvements to ensure that the Eagles are his team for years to come. Hurts is now one of the top young quarterbacks in all of football, but he’s still trying to earn the proper respect in his conference.

In a recent quarterback ranking from CBS Sports, Hurts landed at No. 7 in a ranking of all 16 NFC signal-callers.

in a league where you’re more likely to go the distance with an elite passer, can he be more than just a dangerous runner, his primary role during a 2021 playoff run? He’s taken some steps in that area, but 2022 should be the ultimate test. At least theoretically, he’s now got all the tools to emerge as a legit weapon, pairing his poise and high-motor legs with an offense now featuring A.J. Brown opposite DeVonta Smith out wide.

Hurts has the weapons and scheme to take full advantage of his opportunity and if he can improve on the Eagles’ 9-8 record and win a playoff game in 2022, the sky truly is the limit for QB1 in Philadelphia.

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