Tag: OTAs

No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye starting out as the Patriots 3rd-team QB

No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye starting out as the Patriots 3rd-team QB behind Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe

Drake Maye will eventually be the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots. When the team selected Maye out of North Carolina with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, that starting role was a given.

But Maye won’t just be handed the starting quarterback job. In fact, as Patriots OTAs progress, Maye isn’t even the No. 2 QB in New England.

Per Yahoo Sports, Maye is running with the third-team offense in the Patriots OTAs. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is the current starter, and Bailey Zappe is getting the second-team snaps ahead of Maye. Reviews of the early OTAs show a mixed bag for Maye, which is what should be expected of any QB making the jump from college to the NFL.

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WATCH: Braelon Allen’s age is at the center of another viral moment, this with Jets QB Aaron Rodgers

WATCH: Braelon Allen’s age is at the center of another viral moment, this with Aaron Rodgers

Former Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen’s age is in the news again. For once, it isn’t about him being the Badgers’ leading rusher and best offensive player as a 17-year-old freshman.

This time, it has to do with his New York Jets teammate Aaron Rodgers. Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams was meeting with the media on Wednesday and realized that Rodgers was entering the 20th year of his NFL career (2005-2024).

Related: Which Big Ten football team has the toughest 2024 schedule?

His response: “20 years..Aaron [Rodgers] has done 20 years in the NFL?” Williams remarked. Ain’t our running back, the number 0, 20 years old? So [Rodgers] has been in the NFL longer than he’s been alive? That’s crazy.”

As mentioned, number 0 on the Jets is former Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen.

“I have to joke with him about that,” Williams concluded — likely talking about Rodgers and his veteran age.

Allen was selected by the Jets No. 134 overall in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He makes the leap to the professional level after three exceptional years with the Badgers, seasons which included 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns. Allen’s college career ended with him at No. 9 on Wisconsin’s all-time rushing yards leaderboard.

He joins a Jets backfield led by former Iowa State running back Breece Hall. Allen should find an immediate role in short-yardage situations and as Hall’s primary backup.

And yes, he will be playing with a 40-year-old quarterback who has been in the NFL since the year after Allen was born.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales goes into great detail about his ‘tight end-friendly’ offense

Can Dave Canales’ offense finally get the Panthers some production out of the tight end position?

The Carolina Panthers haven’t gotten real production out of the tight end spot since the days of the great Greg Olsen. So, yeah, we’d have to go back to about 2019.

But will the team’s new offense finally make tight ends matter again?

Head coach Dave Canales, the mastermind of that new offense, spoke with reporters following Wednesday’s session of organized team activities. He was asked about the early impressions of his system being “friendly” to the position.

And, as he often does, Canales went into tremendous detail about his vision.

“I think it’s tight end-friendly,” he replied. “We don’t ask our tight ends to really to be dominant blockers at the point of attack on runs a lot. We will ask them at times.

“Within our system, we use their skill sets and we’re looking for tight ends with versatility. We’re not necessarily looking for that big 275-pound mauler type of tight end, although those guys are awesome and they have a place in this league. But if you have a smaller guy who’s more of a route runner and he’s a little bit crafty—then at the run, you can slide him back and block a defensive end on the backside. You can send him up away from a defensive end, in or out depending on where his alignment is.

“And so that allows him to get better matchups in blocking—linebackers, safeties, sometimes corners. That becomes our advantage. So that part of it is really friendly for the tight ends.

“And then just within the scheme, because we throw a lot of play actions, the tight ends are involved in different ways. Just getting them in the flat, dragging them underneath the linebackers—the ball finds those guys a lot because we ask ’em to block and all of a sudden, they’re bluffing the linebacker and they show up on the other side.”

Over the past three seasons, all Panthers tight ends have combined for 1,530 yards and eight touchdowns on 154 receptions. By comparison, San Francisco’s George Kittle—the leading receiver amongst all tight ends in 2023—recorded 1,020 yards and six touchdowns this past year alone.

As for Canales’ leading tight end during his lone season as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, we look to Cade Otton—who tallied 455 yards and four scores. Tommy Tremble paced Carolina’s group in 2023 with 194 yards and three touchdowns.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales praises rookie CB Chau Smith-Wade

Panthers HC Dave Canales on Chau Smith-Wade: “He’s a worker.”

The Carolina Panthers really seem to have themselves a dawg in Chau Smith-Wade.

Head coach Dave Canales spoke on the rookie cornerback following Wednesday’s outing of organized team activities. When asked about the depth at the position and about Smith-Wade specifically, he lauded the 21-year-old for the job he’s done thus far.

“He’s a worker,” Canales said. “The guys that we drafted, these guys are hard workers and tough football players. And that’s what we tried to do—is profile those type of guys that fit what we’re doing. He fits right in with the group.

“He’s active, he’s always workin’ on stuff, JUGS after practice and I just love his focus. He’s got a great smile, but then you see, like, he’s just locked in. And he’s really interested in what’s happening everywhere.”

Smith-Wade was selected by the Panthers in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He comes into the pros as a standout defender at Washington State University and the National team Most Valuable Player from this year’s Senior Bowl.

Given Carolina’s lack of solidified depth at corner, Smith-Wade could factor in sooner rather than later—especially if he keeps on working.

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Commanders announce 5 Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellows

Kedric Golston named one of the five Bill Walsh coaching fellows for the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders announced five Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellows on Wednesday, including Kedric Golston. Golston played 11 seasons for Washington and was recently named the head coach of Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, minutes from the Commanders’ team headquarters.

The coaching fellows program, designed by the late Walsh, was to help increase the number of full-time minority coaches for all 32 NFL teams. The program uses the offseason, from the OTAs, minicamps and training camp to allow the coaching fellows to observe, participate and gain experience before ultimately landing an NFL full-time position.

Here are Washington’s five coaching fellows:

  • Kedric Golston: Former NFL player, current high school head coach/will work with the defensive line
  • Anthony Davis: Assistant recruiting coordinator and offensive analyst/tight ends coach at Alabama State University/will work with the defensive backs
  • Arthur Ray: Offensive line coach at Howard University/will work with the offensive line
  • Andrew Seumalo: Outside linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator at Lafayette College/will work with special teams
  • Anthony Johnson: Running backs coach/academic coordinator at Lafayette College/will work with the running backs

There will be a second round of fellows announced at a later date for training camp.

 

Patriots QB stats from Wednesday’s OTAs practice

The Patriots quarterbacks had a strong day on Wednesday

The New England Patriots quarterbacks were under the microscope for Wednesday’s OTAs practice with only three being present. Rookie sixth-round draft pick Joe Milton III was absent for the practice, but that clearly didn’t stop others from shining.

Jacoby Brissett went 6-of-7 in 11-on-11 drills and 7-of-8 in 7-on-7 drills, while Bailey Zappe went 4-of-6 in 11-on-11 drills and 4-of-7, including an interception, in 7-on-7s.

Rookie Drake Maye showed efficiency as well. He went 4-of-6 in 11-on-11s, while going 12-of-14 in 7-on-7s, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.

The quarterbacks had a strong day, despite the Zappe interception. It will be interesting to see what comes of the room with the team likely to make a cut at some point. Coach Jerod Mayo has already hinted at a plan to trim down the quarterback room heading into training camp.

Days like Wednesday serve as a building block for a Patriots offense that needs to find its groove once again. So far, it looks like the quarterback room is stronger than it was last year.

Panthers LB Josey Jewell talks about familiarity in Ejiro Evero’s defense

Josey Jewell said his reunion with Panthers DC Ejiro Evero has given him a big advantage this offseason.

Not everything is new for new Carolina Panthers linebacker Josey Jewell.

The seventh-year defender, who joined the Panthers on a three-year, $22.75 million deal this offseason, spoke with reporters following Wednesday’s session of team organized activities. He was asked about how Carolina’s defense, one headed by a familiar face in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, is progressing thus far.

“Coming back to this type of defense with Coach E and Pete [Hansen] and some other guys, it’s been awesome,” he stated. “These last couple of weeks have been great to get to know the guys, feel each other out a little bit, communicate and really just be able to move and understand where people are gonna be. So it’s been very valuable for us.”

Jewell’s most productive NFL campaign came back in 2022, when Evero was the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos. He recorded a career-high 128 tackles with 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

He was then asked about how that familiarity has translated during his transition out east.

“I mean, I’m already coming to a bunch of new things,” Jewell replied. “New players to play with, new people upstairs. So to have the familiarity with some of the coaching staff is amazing for me. And picking up the old lingo we used to have in Denver is big. Gives me a step up from where I’d be with the coaching staff I haven’t been with.”

Jewell is currently projected as one of the unit’s two starting inside linebackers. Shaq Thompson, the second-longest tenured Panther, is the other.

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Panthers OT Ikem Ekwonu: I was ‘riding the coattails’ of my rookie season in 2023

Panthers LT Ikem Ekwonu didn’t have the sophomore season many hoped he would in 2023. He explained why that was the case on Wednesday.

Carolina Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu didn’t seem to take a step forward in his sophomore season. Heck, some may even say he took a step back.

And on Wednesday, he explained why that may have been the case.

Ekwonu spoke to reporters after today’s session of team organized activities. He was asked what he’s done this offseason to move on from a bumpy 2023.

“I think one of the biggest things—I’ve been meeting with my coaching staff a little more closely,” Ekwonu replied. “I feel like last year, I didn’t really take advantage of the resources that I had available to me. I feel I kinda just . . . kinda just, I guess, riding the coattails of that rookie season a little bit. Feel like I was at a place where I just wasn’t. Wasn’t afraid this year to reach out and ask for some help. Go over film with the guys, some of the new guys we have in the building. And I think it’s definitely helped me out.”

Ekwonu put forth a promising rookie campaign in 2022. After a very rough debut against the Cleveland Browns and star Myles Garrett in Week 1, the sixth overall pick went on to allow just four sacks in the team’s remaining 16 games.

This past season wasn’t as solid for the 6-foot-4, 320-pounder, who was charged with 11 sacks and 44 pressures—17 more than his 27 pressures allowed from 2022.

His struggles in pass protection contributed to the constant troubles for rookie quarterback Bryce Young, who was sacked a total of 62 times.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales asked about status of WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

Dave Canales on Terrace Marshall Jr.: “Hopefully, we’ll create an environment where he’s able to get onto our offense and be able to show us something.”

Will the third head coach be the charm for Carolina Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.?

That third head coach, Dave Canales, spoke with reporters following Wednesday’s session of organized team activities. He was asked about what he’s seen thus far from Marshall Jr., who has struggled to find his stride in the NFL.

“He’s been reliable,” Canales replied. “He’s doing what we’re asking him to do. He’s running the right routes. You can see that this is a big man with speed in there. And I think that the more comfortable he’s getting with our system, our concepts—the faster he looks.

“I’m really curious to see where he takes that this year. I know that he’d had a couple of years here, and really hasn’t produced to the potential of what people might think. But hopefully we’ll create an environment where he’s able to get onto our offense and be able to show us something—especially when we get into more competitive settings.”

As Canales stated, Marshall Jr. hasn’t put up the production at the pro level The 2021 second-round pick, under former head coaches Matt Rhule and Frank Reich, amassed just 64 receptions for 767 yards and one touchdown over three seasons.

Marshall Jr., who reportedly requested a trade last year, may still have a tough time fitting in—even with Canales’ optimism. The Panthers have since traded for former Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson and used the 2024 draft’s 32nd overall pick on Xavier Legette.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales speaks on Xavier Legette’s hamstring injury

Panthers HC Dave Canales on Xavier Legette’s hamstring injury: “He just kinda looked a little bit stoved up yesterday.”

No need to worry about your first-round pick, Carolina Panthers fans.

Wide receiver Xavier Legette was held out of Wednesday’s session of organized team activities due to a hamstring injury. Reporters were told that the Panthers were erring on the side of caution with the rookie—something head coach Dave Canales would later confirm.

“Just a precaution,” he stated after the practice. “I think he’s been . . . what happens a lot with rookies—they come out here, it’s a different level of work. And it’s not that they haven’t practiced this long, but everyone’s fast. Everyone’s going. And of course—with their wheels turning, there’s a strain on the brain, there’s also a strain on the body.

“So for him, he just kinda looked a little bit stoved up yesterday. And we just, as a precaution, said we need to pull back a little bit and just make sure we’re smart at this point in our program and what we’re doing with our sights on training camp and all that.”

Canales was then asked about the specific nature of the setback.

“He just looked tight,” he replied. “And so yesterday, he just had a moment in practice where he started to slow down. The trainers start talking to him immediately—was like, alright, let’s not throw him back out there, let’s not just try to rebound. Let’s be smart about it at this point.”

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