Tag: Trevor Sikkema

PFF analyst highlights the difference between Spencer Rattler and Derek Carr

Spencer Rattler has one trait that Derek Carr lacked which could benefit the Saints offense. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema broke it down:

It wasn’t intentional, but in Pro Football Focus analyst Trevor Sikkema’s analysis of Spencer Rattler, he landed on one trait Rattler possesses that Derek Carr lacks. Rattler remains calm in the face of pressure and that should benefit the New Orleans Saints.

Sikkema joined ESPN’s Mina Kimes on her podcast, “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny.” Both analysts looked at how poor South Carolina’s offensive line was during Rattler’s last two seasons. As PFF’s lead draft analyst, Sikkema discussed Rattler through the lens of a prospect. This is still fair as Rattler hasn’t taken a snap yet.

“That’s something I don’t think he got enough credit for. He stayed calm under a ton of pressure,” Sikkema said. The Saints offensive line is dealing with a lot of injuries, and that will naturally lead to some breakdowns during the game.

When those breakdowns occur, there’s trust Rattler won’t panic. That is a weakness of Carr’s. The interception on the first drive against the Chiefs is just one example of this.

To be crystal clear, Rattler possessing the trait doesn’t mean he’s a better quarterback than Carr. It’s a straightforward statement. Based on his experiences in college, Rattler may handle poor blocking better than Derek Carr has.

That could be by either still stepping into throws when possible, or escaping the pocket with his legs. Regardless of the method, poise under pressure will benefit Rattler and the Saints offense.

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PFF calls Sam Darnold signing the Vikings best offseason decision

The flexibility that signing Sam Darnold gives the Vikings in handling rookie QB J.J. McCarthy makes his signing their best decision per PFF

The Minnesota Vikings, like every team, were faced with a lot of difficult and pivotal decisions to make this offseason. Were they going to re-sign aging and injured quarterback Kirk Cousins? Could they re-sign star pass rusher Danielle Hunter? What would they do if both of those players left?

Ultimately, it was that last scenario the Vikings had to plot out this offseason, as both Cousins and Hunter left for Atlanta and Houston, respectively. Trevor Sikkema of PFF has praised how the Vikings recovered from the loss of Cousins, but maybe not in the way you would think.

In his article for PFF looking at the best offseason decisions of each NFC team, Sikkema singled out the decision to sign former Jets, Panthers, and 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold as the team’s best decision — not the decision to draft former Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

However, that’s not to say the two decisions weren’t related. It’s the flexibility that signing Darnold gives to the Vikings in their handling of McCarthy that makes the decision worth it for Sikkema:

Darnold will not be the franchise quarterback, but signing him for 2024 gives the Vikings flexibility to not rush McCarthy into action while the team remains competitive. For the flexibility and patience he allows Minnesota to have with McCarthy, Darnold was worth the $10 million this year.

It’s been well publicized that Darnold is entering training camp as the QB1 for the Vikings, and much of the focus this offseason has been on just when McCarthy will inevitably take the reins and earn the starting job. Props to the Vikings for giving themselves the flexibility to make that decision- at least according to PFF.

PFF predicts J.J. McCarthy’s debut in Week 7 vs. Lions

The Minnesota Vikings won’t have to wait long to see their new rookie quarterback, but it won’t be to start the season according to PFF.

Now that the 2024 NFL draft is behind us and rookie minicamps have begun, the anticipation is beginning to build for the 2024 season. There’s a large crop of high-profile rookies coming into the league, and fan bases all across the country are waiting with anticipation at their first chances to see their new talent.

The writers at PFF have examined the situations surrounding each of the first-round quarterbacks, along with their teams’ schedules, to determine the most anticipated game for each new quarterback. They’ve tabbed the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions as the one to watch for former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Though the Vikings took McCarthy with the 10th pick in the first round to be the team’s future franchise quarterback, that future isn’t likely to start right away, writes PFF’s Trevor Sikkema. Sikkema believes the Vikings signed former 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold “in good faith” and plan to start the season with him at the helm while McCarthy sits and learns.

But he’s not going to sit and learn forever. The Vikings have their bye week in Week 6, and the following week, they are at home against the Lions. According to Sikkema, those are optimal conditions to introduce your rookie quarterback to the starting lineup. An extra week of practice and a home crowd at his backing should provide good conditions for success.

The Lions were one of the best teams in the NFC last season and figure to be just as good—if not better—this season. So that “success” may be relative, but either way, it should be a matchup to look forward to.

Draft analyst weighs in on LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels

Daniels’ fundamentals are great, but his arm talent isn’t the same as Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.

What does one draft analyst think of Jayden Daniels?

Pro Football Focus NFL draft analyst Trevor Sikkema spent some time with Al Galdi on his podcast, discussing Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. Today, what Sikkema said about Daniels. Tomorrow what Sikkema had to say regarding Maye.

“I just don’t think that Daniels’ arm talent is as good as the guys at the very top. He has the best fundamentals of anyone in this class. His throw is so repeatable and consistent that I totally understand why NFL teams go, ‘Give me that kind of consistency every single time.'”

“But I think that in the process of recognizing those fundamentals, recognizing how consistent that ball is every time it comes out of his hand, we have been romanticizing his arm talent a little bit.”

“He has a good arm, an adequate arm for the NFL level. But, it is not ripping through the wind like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are able to show you on different platforms, off balance, scrambling, off balance, those type of things.”

You don’t have to make him be what he is not and say, ‘His arm talent is as good as Caleb Williams. It’s not. You don’t have to say he is this great scrambler, this great thrower outside of the pocket.”

“When you go back and look at his entire college football career trajectory, think about what he was at Arizona State. One read, I am going to throw a deep vertical, or I am going to take off and run.”

“When you get to LSU, you can tell in his first year he said to himself, ‘I am going to take care of the football.’ If I am going to be in the SEC and be a SEC quarterback, I cannot turn over the football.”

“He really honed in on lowering his turnovers and turnover-worthy plays. And he had one of the lowest turnover worthy plays in the country. The touchdowns went down, the big time throws went down. He was simply more conservative; he did not want to turn over the ball.”

“He really does not know how to protect his body. He is rail thin. And that is not a good combination at the NFL level. These hits are too hard; they are too fast. He is going to get hurt…”

Texas A&M WR Moose Muhammad III listed as a Top 10 wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft

According to PFF’s Trevor Sikkema, Texas A&M WR Moose Muhammad III is among the Top 10 receivers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Texas A&M’s 2023 wide receiver depth chart is borderline elite and by far the best group in the SEC, headlined by the four-man starting rotation consisting of senior Ainias Smith, sophomore Evan Stewart, sophomore Noah Thomas, and perhaps the most NFL-ready prospect aside from Smith, junior Moose Muhammad III.

Last week, PFF writer Trevor Sikkema released his preliminary Top 10 rankings for what he considers to be the best wide receiver prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. While Ohio State’s No.1 receiving option Marvin Harrison Jr. (son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison), took the top spot, another second generation, or in this case, third, was placed at No. 10, as Moose Muhammad III looks to represent the Maroon and White as one of the first Aggies taken off the board in 2024.

Muhammad III, whose father, Muhsin Muhammad, spent 13 seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers (1996-2004, 2008-2009), and Chicago Bears (2005-2007), what essentially a hidden gem on Texas A&M’s roster until the 2022 season, where due some early season injuries/suspensions gave way to what I would coin the Moose Muhammad coming out party, recording 38 receptions, 610 receiving yards, four touchdowns, and 16.1-yard average in ten games and six starts on the year.

Standing at 6-1 and 205 pounds, Muhammad’s size, speed, route running, ball skills, and ability to expose zone coverage at a consistent clip are just some of the many reasons his profile will continue to rise. At the same time, the 2023 season among a revamped Aggie offense behind new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino should only increase his productivity.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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