Tag: start

Packers OL Zach Tom to compete to start at right guard, right tackle or possibly center

The Packers are going to give Zach Tom a chance to win a starting job at right guard, right tackle or possibly even center in 2023.

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Second-year offensive lineman Zach Tom will get an opportunity to compete to start at three different spots for the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 2023 season.

Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said jobs along the entire right side of the offensive line and possibly even center are up for grabs at this point of the offseason.

“We’ve got a lot of competition on the right side. Right guard, right tackle or even center,” Stenavich said Tuesday. “Zach is going to compete a lot at right guard and right tackle and possibly some at center, see how that goes.”

Tom, a fourth-round pick, played snaps at four of the five positions as a rookie last season: 295 at left tackle, 96 at left guard, 14 at right guard and 86 at right tackle.

While the right side is up for grabs, left tackle David Bakhtiari and left guard Elgton Jenkins are locked in the on the left side.

Jon Runyan Jr. (33 career starts) and Yosh Nijman (21 career starts) are the assumed starters at right guard and right tackle, respectively, and Josh Myers started all 17 games at center last season. But Tom played at a high level as a rookie and has earned a chance to beat out one of the three for a starting spot in 2023.

Stenavich said the Packers will use guys at “different spots” in an attempt to find the best starting five.

“The best five out there that gel the best and are the most physical, that’s what I’m looking for,” Stenavich said.

The Packers need a strong offensive line in front of first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love in 2023. Tom’s versatility, athleticism and ability as a pass-blocker give him a chance to be a solid starter at one of the five offensive line spots this season. The next few months and into training camp will determine how Tom, a true five-position player, fits in the offensive line puzzle to open the regular season.

Report: Andy Dalton expected to start vs. Cardinals, Jameis Winston still QB3

Report: Andy Dalton expected to start vs. Cardinals, Jameis Winston still QB3

There you go: ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that the New Orleans Saints expect to start Andy Dalton at quarterback on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals, with injured starter Jameis Winston continuing to round out the game-day depth chart as their third option — he’ll only play in an emergency should both Dalton and Taysom Hill be unavailable. The Saints recently re-signed backup quarterback Jake Luton to their practice squad but it’s unlikely he’ll be activated for this game.

Dalton was able to practice fully on Wednesday while dealing with a back injury suffered last week versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Winston is dealing with back and ankle issues and has been a limited participant in practice for a few weeks now, so he’s on the road to recovery. But the Saints plan to keep Dalton under center until Winston’s body is right and he can practice and play fully. We’ll see how the situation develops in the days and weeks ahead.

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Sean Payton confirms Jameis Winston will start preseason game vs. Jaguars

Sean Payton confirms Jameis Winston will start at QB for Saints’ Week 2 preseason game vs. Jaguars

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As anticipated based off his prior allusions, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton confirmed Friday evening that Jameis Winston will start at quarterback against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the team’s second preseason game. It’s good to have that confirmation from Payton, but it’s something he previously suggested would happen based off his approach at quarterback throughout the summer — giving Taysom Hill the first shot before rotating Winston in with the starting lineup.

It’s a trend we’ve seen from the very first training camp practices, when Hill got the first two days to run the first-string offense and Winston followed up with his own two days of work. The strategy led to Hill starting the first few drives against the Baltimore Ravens a week ago until Winston stepped in with the second-team offense. Now Winston gets to show what he can do with the starters around him.

And he’ll have a big stage to debut from. The Saints-Jaguars game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN on Monday night (kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT), and Winston has an opportunity to finally separate himself in the quarterback competition. Hill is already convinced it’s his job to lose, and while Winston may have had the higher moments he hasn’t strung together for more than a few days at a time before plummeting back to earth.

It says a lot about both passers that we’re all still uncertain who will win, speaking both to Hill’s legitimate growth as a passer and to Winston’s frustrating inconsistency from one snap to the other. It really is anyone’s guess right now. Maybe Winston steps up in a big spot.

Just don’t ask Alvin Kamara if he should throw his hat in the ring for a chance to start under center. “They don’t want me to hurt Jameis and Taysom’s feelings,” he laughed after practice to the Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Rod Walker.

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Chiefs QB Chad Henne will try to recapture his youth in first start since 2014

Chiefs backup QB Chad Henne discussed his upcoming start against the Chargers on Wednesday.

The Kansas City Chiefs made it official on Wednesday, announcing that backup QB Chad Henne would be the starter against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17.

While many suspected this was a strong possibility, it was officially announced at the start of the practice week. Henne first received word that he could get the start after the conclusion of the Week 16 game against the Atlanta Falcons. He has been preparing as such ever since.

“Well, kind of through the grapevine, kind of after the game,” Henne said of how he learned he would be starting. “Mike Kafka said, ‘Hey just be ready’ and then he gave me the phone call early yesterday and kind of just got the game plan going and so excited about the opportunity.”

This upcoming game will mark Henne’s first start since joining Kansas City back in 2018. It’ll actually be his first start since an abysmal 2014 campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That year, the Jaguars had drafted Blake Bortles and Henne even admitted that he was on a “short leash” that season.

“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s been a while,” Henne said. “It’s crazy to think my last game was 2014. I mean I got all my games in when I was young and then I had like a five or six-year span where I didn’t get any playing time or just like some playing time just when we were up or down, but I’m really excited.”

The Chiefs, however, don’t want Henne to focus on his last start. Andy Reid wants the 35-year-old quarterback to go out there and recapture his youth on Sunday.

“Yeah, well listen, I think he’s excited,” Reid said. “I always tell him, ‘Act like you’re 20. Try to remember those days and feel it.’ So, he’s all in. He’s excited, so a great opportunity for him. I mean, these guys love to play the game. That’s the neat part about it. It’s not like guys are ducking out of playing, they all want to get in there and go, but that’s a decision that I had to make there. But Chad’s very excited.”

Henne isn’t taking this opportunity lightly, either. There are only 32 starting quarterbacks each week and he knows the type of responsibility that comes with it. He knows that he has a chance to help his team achieve a 15-1 record for the first time in franchise history.

“I mean, it’s cool,” Henne said. “Anytime you get an opportunity to go out there and be the starter in the NFL, you don’t take it for granted and play like you’re 20.”

Henne has made spot appearances twice for the Chiefs so far this season. He won’t be worried about rust, especially when he’s already scored a touchdown this year.

The coaching staff has shown confidence in not only Henne’s ability as a passer but also his athleticism at the ripe old age of 35. They called a zone-read play in the red zone against the Broncos in Week 7 and Henne scored on the play.

“I was like ‘Are they serious right now? We’re going to run some zone right here,'” Henne quipped. “But hey, whatever they call as a quarterback, you try to make the best of it and make it work.”

Don’t expect an unfamiliar looking offense from Henne and the Chiefs on Sunday. The team won’t do much differently with Henne involved. He might not air the ball out as much as Mahomes does and they might lean on the run game a bit more, but this will virtually be the same offense that Mahomes has run all season.

“Yeah, I mean, there are definitely some different nuances, but for the most part it’s just what we’ve been running all year,” Henne said. “So, I have to be prepared if Patrick were to go down in a game and be able to run the offense, Coach Reid is not going to change anything in-game, so we kind of kept very similar offense to what we’re going to prepare for, for the Chargers, and go out there and execute.”

Another thing that Henne is also looking forward to in his opportunity to start —  the role reversal with QB Patrick Mahomes.

“It’ll be great,” Henne said. “I mean, he’ll be in the game plan, he’ll study the film, he’ll give me some tips, but he’ll be in it, very involved and he’ll help me out just like Matt (Moore) and I helped him out.”

Alongside Henne, a number of young players in the Chiefs’ building will likely get the opportunity to start for the first time. That fact has the building buzzing with excitement and no one is more excited to help lead those players than Henne.

“I’m excited about the group that we’re going to have out there,” Henne said. “You know, should be fun on Sunday.”

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Chiefs DE Mike Danna excited to potentially make first NFL start in Week 17

Kansas City Chiefs rookie defensive end Mike Danna could make his first NFL start against the Los Angeles Chargers.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are in the enviable position of being the AFC’s top overall seed with a first-round bye in this year’s playoffs. The team clinching the No. 1 seed early has lessened the significance of the Chiefs’ Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers allowing for multiple key starters to rest for the finale.

Chiefs rookie defensive end Mike Danna has made an immediate impact during games when given the opportunity. With many starters expected to rest in Week 17, Danna will is expected to hear his name in the starting lineup on Sunday for the first time. The former Michigan Wolverine shared his thoughts on starting his first NFL game during Wednesday’s Zoom call with reporters.

“It’s a dream come true to be able to represent the name on my back and the Chiefs organization. It’s a blessing,” Danna said. “Like I always say, not too many people get to do this thing. To be able to come in and possibly start, it’s a great feeling. I just know that when the door is knocking, I’ve got to answer, show up on time, do what I got to do, make sure my teammates and my coaches trust me when I’m out on that field.”

The Chiefs seek a 15-1 finish and they’ll rely on Danna along with several other reserves to get them there on Sunday. The lack of pressure heading into the game hasn’t deterred Danna’s preparation and remaining locked in weekly.

“Every week you’ve got to be locked in,” Danna said. “This is an important week; it’s the last game of the season, so I’m going to come in and prepare like it’s the first game of the season. This is a big game for us going into the playoffs. We’ve got to have the right mindset going into this game and handle business.”

The game won’t mean anything in the standings or playoff picture, but it will mean everything for the many reserves and young players expected to see more time on the field. Sunday’s contest will serve as a live proving ground that practice can never replicate, and the coaching staff will evaluate it heading into the 2021 NFL season.

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Report: Saints to lose 2021 draft pick in Kwon Alexander trade

The New Orleans Saints are projected to forfeit their fifth-round 2021 draft pick after trading for San Francisco 49ers LB Kwon Alexander.

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It’s awful that the New Orleans Saints lost linebacker Kwon Alexander for the rest of the year with an Achilles injury, both for what it means for his career and the absence the team must now fill in his place on the eve of the playoffs. And it appears that the Saints are also losing a conditional fifth-round draft pick they swapped with the San Francisco 49ers to acquire Alexander sooner rather than later.

The draft pick’s conditions were reliant on play time, though it was never specified which exact benchmarks were in mind once New Orleans and San Francisco reached an agreement. But Alexander started for the Saints almost immediately after the trade, making it likely he met those goals.

Additionally, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports reported that “it’s a virtual certainty” Alexander met those play time incentives for New Orleans, which will trigger the pick’s loss in 2021 as opposed to 2022. Alexander appeared in seven games, totaling 350 snaps on defense (73.8% of 474 possible snaps) with the Saints in that span.

So let’s assume the Saints will be without their fifth-round pick in 2021. Here’s a status update on each of their upcoming selections in the upcoming draft:

  • Round 1
  • Round 2
  • Round 3 (projected compensatory for Teddy Bridgewater)
  • Round 4
  • Round 6 (projected compensatory for A.J. Klein)

The Saints also traded their initial third- and sixth-round picks in 2021 to help acquire 2020 rookies Zack Baun and Tommy Stevens, but the NFL rescinded their seventh rounder for COVID-19 protocol violations. Reports earlier this year suggested New Orleans could also lose their projected sixth-round compensatory pick for purposefully signing Jameis Winston after the cutoff date, but that’s far from certain.

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Fantasy football: 5 sleepers to start, 5 starters to sit in Week 13

Week 13 fantasy football starters, sits, sleepers.

We’ve hit double-digits in the NFL season as Week 13 is here. We’re also closing in on the playoffs, too.

Now more than ever, especially if you’re still alive in the playoff push, setting your lineup correctly for the weekend is a major key in fantasy football. Nothing worse than having a guy on the bench going off or someone in your starting lineup that has laid a dud.

Let us help you right here. Our five sleepers to start and five starters to sit in fantasy football Week 13:

Starters to sit

Steelers quarterback Ben Roetlisberger, Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

vs. Football Team

As a team the Steelers should have their way with Washington. Having said that, it might not come via Ben Roethlisberger. The Football Team has the second-best pass defense in 2020, only trailing… the Steelers.

RB Todd Gurley, Falcons

vs. Saints

Todd Gurley has been a limited participant in practice since Wednesday and missed Week 12. He’s banged up and is facing the Saints defense, which has allowed the fewest points vs. opposing running backs in fantasy this year.

RB Gio Bernard, Bengals

at Dolphins

The Dolphins are the seventh-best defense against the run this season and Gio Bernard just hasn’t had the successes one might’ve thought with both Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon out of the lineup.

WR Christian Kirk, Cardinals

vs. Rams

The Rams are the best defense in fantasy football against opposing wide receivers. DeAndre Hopkins would be the very bold choice to put here… but we’re playing it safe and putting the Cards’ No. 2 wide receiver instead.

WR Darius Slayton, Giants

at Seahawks

The Seahawks are a bad secondary and defense, but Darius Slayton had a horrible start with Colt McCoy under center last week. Two targets and no catches. That will probably change, but don’t expect a big game like you could with someone else on your roster.

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If Taysom Hill is starting, the Falcons’ 32nd-ranked defense is a great matchup

The Atlanta Falcons are already fielding the NFL’s worst defense, and now they must prepare for New Orleans Saints starting QB Taysom Hill.

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The news of the day for the New Orleans Saints is the decision to start Taysom Hill, not Jameis Winston, in place of Drew Brees (out several weeks with rib and lung injuries) for this week’s game with the Atlanta Falcons. And while many NFL fans were taken aback by the move, on at least one level it makes blatant sense: the Falcons are very, very bad on defense.

In fact, they rank dead-last in the league in yards allowed per play (6.5). For context, the Saints are tied for fourth-best (5.1). Of New Orleans’ next four opponents, two games are against the Falcons, with road trips to face the Denver Broncos (5.3) and Philadelphia Eagles (5.1).

Sure, the Falcons have played better under interim coach Raheem Morris. They’ve won 3 of their last 4 games, but they’re still allowed 7.3, 6.5, 5.8, and 5.7 yards per play in those contests. It’s a favorable matchup for Hill before you even get into his supporting cast.

And that looks solid, too. The latest Saints injury report listed Alvin Kamara, the NFL’s second-ranked scrimmage yards leader (1,134), as limited with a foot injury out of an abundance of caution. All five starting offensive linemen are practicing (though right tackle Ryan Ramczyk has been limited with a knee injury). Wide receiver Michael Thomas was finally taken off the injury report after missing months with ankle and hamstring issues. His co-starter Emmanuel Sanders is healthy and recovered from a COVID-19 infection.

Whatever offense the Saints are cooking up to support Hill will be working with most of its key contributors; blocking specialists Tre’Quan Smith and Jared Cook are recovering from concussions, but New Orleans has had time to coach up their replacements. And, again, the Falcons are fielding the worst defense in the league. If Hill is going to shine under the spotlights as the Saints hope, this is the best situation for that happen.

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Sean Payton excited after ‘outstanding’ first game from Kwon Alexander

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton waxed poetic about his new linebacker, Kwon Alexander, who impressed him in their win over the 49ers.

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The New Orleans Saints made a splash at the NFL trade deadline by acquiring San Francisco 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander, who debuted with his new squad against his old team on Sunday.

Naturally, his head coach’s thoughts on his performance were a popular topic of conversation. Sean Payton reflected on Alexander’s debut Wednesday on WWL Radio with Zach Strief and Bobby Hebert, and he was full of positive takeaways.

“He did an outstanding job,” Payton replied. “He’s coming off an injury and he’s healthy for the first time in a few weeks. It’s great to have an addition like that.” While Alexander collected a respectable but unspectacular 4 tackles in his first game in black and gold, his coaches found plenty to like in reviewing the tape.

“He too can rush the passer,” Payton added in an afterthought. But that’s an interesting parting shot; per Pro Football Focus, Alexander logged just 3 pass-rush reps against the 49ers on 23 plays on passing downs (43 total snaps in the game), a rate of just 13%. His predecessor, Alex Anzalone, rushed quarterbacks on 32 of 235 passing snaps played this season (13.6%). It’s a small sample size, but maybe Alexander has shown more potential in that area than the Saints have seen from their previous starting linebacker.

If Alexander can make a bigger splash on passing downs, it takes even more off the workload Demario Davis has shouldered all season. The all-star linebacker has been asked to go get the quarterback on 80 of his 379 snaps passing-down snaps (21.1%).

And while Davis has been highly effective in that role, he’s also notched more blitzes than every other off-ball linebacker in the NFL except for Kyle Van Noy (144), Reggie Ragland (111), and Alexander Johnson (88), tying with Jerome Baker (80). Mixing in more rushes for Alexander and dropping Davis into coverage more often could help the Saints better disguise their blitzes.

We’ll see where things go from here. But it’s clear the Saints were encouraged by the tape their new pickup posted on Sunday, and he’ll get another opportunity to shine in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons — who he played 7 times with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, totaling more solo tackles (62) than he logged in 12 career games against the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints (59 combined).

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