Tag: Position Battles

Saints make their choice at backup quarterback, with Spencer Rattler at QB3

The Saints have made their decision at backup quarterback, moving Spencer Rattler to the QB3 spot and Jake Haener to QB2:

The New Orleans Saints had a litany of position battles throughout the offseason, the majority of which were clearly resolved prior to Week 1’s kickoff against the Carolina Panthers.

One such battle had not been solved, however, that being the backup quarterback. It was still listed as “or” on the depth chart between Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler. Ultimately, the choice was made pregame, with Haener taking the number two spot and Rattler initially being inactive. He’ll still dress out in his uniform as the emergency third quarterback.

Rattler being the emergency QB means he will have to be part of the 53-man roster come gamedays (which was the expectation regardless). Dennis Allen has said the position will remain fluid this season, and the two split practice reps throughout the week. This decision comes as somewhat of a surprise as many fans believed Rattler outperformed Haener over the summer. However, Haener does have an extra season’s worth of practice reps on the team so that could have played into the decision.

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Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener still competing for backup role

All eyes were on Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler through Saints training camp and preseason. According to Dennis Allen, the battle is not over yet:

The biggest battle of New Orleans Saints training camp is extending into the regular season. Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler were battling for who will be the backup quarterback behind Derek Carr all throughout training camp and the preseason.

Through three games, each player had their ups and downs. It was a consistently close battle that Dennis Allen says still isn’t over. He surprisingly chose not to say who won this battle.

This competition going into the regular season isn’t a huge surprise, though. Of all the battles in training camp, this was the one with the least amount of urgency. This is a battle for the 2024 backup and, most importantly, for the lead in the race to be the heir apparent.

This is why Allen is comfortable getting both reps and focusing on development. That being said, it will be interesting come Week 1 who suits up. Allen can choose to not make a declaration now, but it will be revealed very soon.

The Saints aren’t keeping three quarterbacks active on a weekly basis. Either Haener or Rattler will be active and the other will be the Saints’ emergency quarterback. The player who is active should be looked at as the leader in the competition, but it’s too soon to say who that will be.

The beginning of the regular season will force New Orleans to slightly tip their hand. Haener vs. Rattler may not be concluded, but someone is in the lead.

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Saints’ Jake Haener vs. Spencer Rattler battle takes center stage vs. Titans

Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler will take all the snaps on Sunday as their battle comes to a close. The backup quarterbacks are taking center stage:

Jake Haener versus Spencer Rattler was the biggest battle heading into New Orleans Saints training camp, and it has remained closely contested the entire time.

With Derek Carr sitting out the preseason finale, the stage is set for Haener and Rattler to decide who will start the season second on the depth chart. For the first time this preseason, both quarterback will get an equal amount of time.

Who comes out with the starting unit will tell a story of who is ahead at the beginning of the game. The Saints could play both quarterbacks early, but each guy getting their own half is the most likely strategy the Saints will deploy.

With this strategy, the first quarterback on the field gets reps with other players higher on the depth chart. One could equate this to being higher in the pecking order. That’s just a sign of the order going into the game. This battle is still up in the air.

One thing that isn’t typically discussed is this preseason isn’t the end of the battle between Haener and Rattler. In 2024, this battle is for Carr’s understudy. However, this battle long-term is for who has the best chance to be the Saints future franchise quarterback.

Winning the battle puts you closer to starting this year. This time next year we very well could see Haener and Rattler going at it again.

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Most important position battles for Packers to open preseason

The most important position battles to watch for the Packers when they open the preseason on Saturday against the Browns.

The Green Bay Packers are headed to Cleveland for the preseason opener against the Browns on Saturday afternoon. Matt LaFleur’s team looks young, deep and talented entering 2024, but the depth chart is far from settled, especially at a few key positions. While all the work on the practice field and in meetings is important to determining winners and losers of various competitions, performances during live preseason games might be the most important evaluation point overall.

Here are the most important position battles to watch when the Packers open the preseason schedule on Saturday in Cleveland:

Kicker

It’s certainly possible the Packers would have been playing in the NFC title game this past January had team’s kicking situation been in a more stable and reliable place. Since that night in San Francisco, the Packers have put on a legitimate kicker competition featuring five different kickers. Now it’s time to see which kicker can rise to the occasion in a game setting. The Packers would probably love for Anders Carlson to take a big developmental step and finally become more consistent and reliable, but he’s been up and down this summer. Greg Joseph, the veteran with his own consistency issues, has been the better on-field kicker entering the preseason. Rookie Alex Hale, who arrived Wednesday, is the wildcard. — Zach Kruse

Safety

Things we know: Xavier McKinney is going to start and lead, and both Javon Bullard and Evan Williams are going to play a lot of snaps. The competition here is centered around how the snaps will get distributed next to McKinney. Both Bullard and Williams can move around and wear different hats. Will the Packers give Bullard chances in the slot? And can Williams continue to make plays? Anthony Johnson Jr., who started games for the Packers as a rookie, may also factor into this competition. –– Zach Kruse

Backup quarterback

The preseason will be a proving ground for multiple position battles, but I’m especially interested in how the backup quarterback job shakes out. Sean Clifford appears to have the edge at the moment, as he’s still leading the second-team offense in practice. He also had a solid performance on Family Night, highlighted by an impressive drive during a two-minute drill. However, you can’t overlook how often Clifford has put the ball in harm’s way this training camp or the times when Michael Pratt has showcased his impressive arm talent. Clifford will likely take most of the snaps during Saturday’s preseason opener, but that could change week to week, depending on how each QB performs. The Packers want someone who can run the offense and also give them a shot at winning behind Jordan Love. Ideally, Green Bay would probably like to stash whoever doesn’t win the job on the practice squad, but there’s risk in that player signing with another team if he shows consistent flashes during the preseason. Unless they decide to roster three quarterbacks, the team may have to be ok with losing with either Clifford or Pratt. — Brandon Carwile

Right guard

Jordan Morgan’s shoulder injury is likely to keep him out of action on Saturday, but right guard is still a position to watch. Sean Rhyan is likely the next man up, and he must show he’s ready for a bigger role. At Thursday’s practice, Rhyan had a false start early in 11-on-11 and was pulled from the first-team offensive line. Rookie Jacob Monk, who replaced Rhyan at Thursday’s practice, will likely get an opportunity to show he can handle snaps at right guard. — Zach Kruse

Offensive tackle

What happens if Rasheed Walker or Zach Tom gets nipped by the injury bug? As it stands right now there is a black hole at offensive tackle behind Walker and Tom. In a perfect world, Jordan Morgan would kick outside from right guard and fill in. All eyes will be on Andre Dillard, Caleb Jones and Kadeem Telfort as they battle for positioning for the right to step in if something were to happen to Walker or Tom. It’s not out of the question that Sean Rhyan, who started 31 games at left tackle during his time at UCLA could also throw his hat in the ring if the Packers think he could be the team’s long-term swing tackle. — Brennen Rupp

No. 2 running back

Who will backup Josh Jacobs? Veteran A.J. Dillon appears to be the favorite, but MarShawn Lloyd, a third-round pick, and Emanuel Wilson, last preseason’s rushing leader, will get plenty of opportunities to showcase their abilities. Dillon looks more explosive this summer, but he must show it in a live-game setting. Lloyd and Wilson are both big backs who can get moving and break tackles. Pass protection and pass-catching will both be important factors for the young backs this preseason. — Zach Kruse

Are 49ers repeating last year’s mistake on the offensive line?

So far there’s no competition at right guard for the 49ers which is … interesting.

It appears through the first two days of training camp that the 49ers might be repeating a mistake they made last season.

San Francisco in training camp last year handed starting jobs to right guard Spencer Burford and right tackle Colton McKivitz. They both had to play well enough too keep the starting spots, but they were never really pushed with other players rotating in and getting chances with the first team.

In the first two days of camp this year they’ve apparently exercised the same strategy. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner noted on Twitter that Burford has been the lone RG with the first team for both sessions:

If the Niners intend to rotate Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano at RG, they haven’t yet shown it. It’s been Burford with the starters so far at RG. Feliciano has worked at center (even a few snaps with the 1s) and RG, which tracks because he is the backup center.

As Wagoner notes, the team may have confidence in Feliciano since he finished the year last year as the starting RG. They could be giving Burford extra reps as his initial chance to try and win that spot. Rookie Dominick Puni should also be a factor at RG and they may still be acclimating him to the NFL before launching into first-team reps. That would make sense since offensive line play in camp is hard to judge until pads are on anyway.

What wouldn’t make sense if for the second year in a row they didn’t offer any real competition for Burford. Perhaps he steps in this year and takes a leap. That’s on the table. He’s not a bad player, but his inability to hold a starting job each of his first two years is certainly a concern. The 49ers have to exhaust all options when finding their five best offensive linemen, and rolling into 2024 without at least testing out the right guard competition would be a mistake.

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Which Commanders position is named as one of NFL’s top position battles?

What is Washington’s most intriguing position battle this summer?

Who will start at left tackle for the Washington Commanders in 2024? Whoever Washington chooses is tasked with protecting the blind side of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The Commanders open training camp on Wednesday, and observers will be watching the left tackle battle. Veterans Cornelius Lucas and Trent Scott will compete with rookie third-round pick Brandon Coleman to be Washington’s starter.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com looked at the 24 most intriguing position battles across the league in 2024. Patra ranks the Commanders’ battle at No. 5.

The biggest question entering the season is the blocking in front of Jayden Daniels, particularly on his blind side. Lucas, an 11th-year pro, figures to have a leg up, having started 31 games in four years in D.C. He also started just four games last season on one of the worst lines in the league and appears to be a stop-gap at best. Scott could win the gig. The big question is whether Coleman, a third-round pick in April’s draft, can step in from the jump and play such a key role. All three players received starting reps in 11-on-11 drills during the offseason program, a clear indicator that this job is up in the air. Ideally, Coleman proves the best option. But is riding with youth at LT ideal when there is a rookie under center?

The Commanders have high hopes for Coleman. They believe he’s a tackle, not a guard. We’ve written multiple times that it’s more likely that Lucas opens the season at left tackle, regardless of how Coleman performs this summer. Does Washington really want to burden a rookie offensive tackle with protecting a rookie quarterback right out of the gate? Could you imagine the backlash if Coleman allows a sack in Week 1 and Daniels is injured?

This is an intriguing battle and certainly Washington’s most interesting competition. However, unless he’s hurt in camp, don’t be surprised if Lucas opens the year at left tackle.

6 Colts position battles to watch in preseason Week 2

Keep an eye on these position battles during the Colts’ preseason game against the Bears.

The Indianapolis Colts are set to host the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium for a preseason Week 2 matchup on Saturday night.

The nationally-televised bout will air on NFL Network, giving us a close look at the intense position battles taking place since the start of training camp.

With training camp officially over, the preseason games will give players the best chance to either win the battle for a significant role or earn themselves a roster spot.

Here are six position battles to watch as the Colts host the Bears for the preseason Week 2 matchup:

Dan Campbell names Jeff Okudah the starting CB opposite Amani Oruwariye

Campbell effectively gave the job to Okudah while praising Will Harris’ versatility in a reserve role.

The Dan Campbell postgame press conference following his Detroit Lions’ preseason-ending loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t have the bombastic soundbite many were looking for. But it did bequeath the answer to one of the most critical questions that has surrounded the Lions all summer.

Campbell would not bite on repeated efforts to get him to say anything definitive on the backup quarterback front, but he did effectively anoint Jeff Okudah as the winner of the starting CB battle with Will Harris.

“I thought he did some good things,” Campbell responded when asked about Okudah’s performance. “I feel like he’s been trending in the right direction now for two weeks. So I would say he finished up strong and he’s going in the right direction.”

Okudah did play well in the first half, a stanza where the Lions defense performed pretty impressively despite the wildly ineffective offense repeatedly making things difficult for them. Okudah finished with two tackles and did not allow a completion.

Campbell then turned the follow-up question on Okudah into a declaration of a position battle won.

The coach was asked directly if it was fair to say Okudah is the starting cornerback.

“Yeah I would say that,” Campbell quickly affirmed. “I would say it’s looking like that. There’s nothing after these two weeks that would tell me that’s not his job right now.”

Later in the extended answer, Campbell concluded by saying of Okudah, “He earned the spot.”

Okudah’s competition, Will Harris, was guilty of a bad pass interference penalty in Pittsburgh. He also earned some praise from Campbell, who said,” Now Will’s done a good job out there as well.”

Campbell then laid out Harris’ value as a utility back, one capable of playing outside, in the slot and on special teams.

“His versatility is something we really value as well,” Campbell said of Harris, which definitely came across as further admission that Okudah will be the starting outside CB across from vet Amani Oruwariye.

It’s a positive validation for Okudah, who missed all but the first half of Week 1 in 2021 before tearing his Achilles in the loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft struggled as a rookie, between a sports hernia and poor personality fit with then-coach Matt Patricia.

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5 Raiders position battles to watch in final preseason game vs Patriots

Raiders vs Patriots is coming up shortly. Here are 5 position battles to watch.

Tonight will be the last game action for many Raiders players. The roster currently sits at 80 players and will be trimmed to 53 in a few days. This final preseason matchup will be for a roster spot for some and to try and earn playing time for others.

Here are the five position battles you should be watching tonight:

Guard: Dylan Parham vs John Simpson

Simpson is the incumbent starter at left guard. But even last season when he got the job, it was due to the injury to Richie Incognito. Then this offseason, the Raiders made Parham their top pick in the third round with the hopes that he could contribute early at guard as well as be depth at center.

Lately, Parham has seen first team action at left guard ahead of Simpson, including starting last week’s preseason game in Miami. Keep an eye on who takes the field first and how each performs. Parham seems to be moving in on the job, but it may not be a sure thing just yet.

Defensive tackle: Kyle Peko vs Andrew Billings

With the starters figuring to be Bilal Nichols and Johnathan Hankins and two drafted rookies in Neil Farrell Jr and Matthew Butler, either Peko or Billings could end up getting the short end of the stick, because they aren’t keeping six defensive tackles on the active roster.

Again, keep an eye on who takes the field first and then how they perform. Neither has separated himself and become the obvious favorite. Today could go a long way to making that decision.

Defensive end: Clelin Ferrell vs Kendal Vickers

The former top pick vs the former undrafted free agent. They both have some position versatility, with the ability to play at 5-tech DE and 3-tech DT. Ferrell would hurt the most financially to cut, but there’s no sense in keeping him for that reason alone. If he’s not getting it done, he needs to go.

Up to this point, Ferrell has been injured. He returned this week, giving him this last game to show what he’s got. He will go against mostly second and third team guys, and based on his former draft status, he *should* dominate those matchups. Then again, the fact that we are even talking about him potentially losing his job to Vickers tells you all you need to know.

Cornerback: Darius Phillips vs Amik Robertson

Unless the Raiders keep six cornerbacks, one of these guys has to go. Phillips was signed this offseason while Robertson is a former fourth round pick. Both carry hopes of having the ability to play a reserve role both at slot and outside cornerback.

Phillips has looked better in the slot than Robertson thus far. While Robertson was originally drafted with the hopes he could transition to slot but have looked at him more as being better suited for the boundary. That lack of versatility could be his undoing. We shall see.

Wide receiver: Keelan Cole vs Tyron Johnson

Both of these guys figure to make the roster. This will simply be their last significant snaps to try and prove they deserve to be bigger parts of the offense come the season.

Initially Cole and Johnson were in a four-way battle for a starting job opposite Davante Adams, but that job was won by Mack Hollins. Alternatively, the team cut Demarcus Robinson, which allowed them to breathe a bit more easily figuring they are not playing for their roster spot.

Bonus: WR DJ Turner

Turner is not battling with anyone but himself. This will be a big stage for him to give the Raiders a lot to think about. If he balls out, then the Raiders will have to think long and hard whether they would want to risk losing him to another team should he be waived. Especially considering his abilities in the slot and in the return game.

David Blough, Tim Boyle are ‘neck and neck’ for Lions backup QB job, per Dan Campbell

Lions coach Dan Campbell declared the backup QB battle between David Blough and Tim Boyle “neck and neck” entering the final week of preseason

One of the more heated Detroit Lions roster battles entering the final week of preseason is at a spot where the Lions hope the winner never sees the field. The backup quarterback position is up for grabs behind starter Jared Goff, with David Blough and Tim Boyle dueling for the job.

Both were on the roster behind Goff a year ago, with Boyle serving as the primary backup. The team re-signed both this offseason with hopes that continuity and coaching would help. Neither player has stepped up to seize the job, but each has done just enough to be considered the better option.

Even head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t know who will win the job just yet.

“No, I think it’s neck-and-neck,” Campbell said on Monday when asked if anyone was leading the backup QB competition. Campbell added that he expects Boyle to get the start in Sunday’s preseason finale in Pittsburgh.

Blough started in the Week 2 preseason victory over the Colts, but he did not do much. He completed 16 of his 22 pass attempts but netted just 76 yards and threw a bad interception to offset a touchdown. Boyle played the second half and totaled 99 yards and a touchdown on 12-for-15 passing. Tom Kennedy caught both TD passes.

Boyle’s underwhelming play in the 2021 regular season (3 TDs, 6 INTs, 5.6 YPA in three starts) opened the door for Blough, who has been in Detroit since 2019. While Blough has proved to be more accurate and consistent, he also has not shaken his propensity to make critical mistakes. His fumble in the preseason opener directly led to the Falcons’ comeback win.

What makes the stakes even higher is the possibility that the Lions will only keep two QBs on the active roster instead of three. Campbell has hinted Detroit will keep just two, which means the loser of the backup QB derby could be out of a job.

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