The Commanders don’t want to be known as a .500 team, they want to be known as the team to beat the NFC East. Ron has had chances to pick up good players in the draft, particularly a talented young QB. He has failed to do that, instead he has went after free agents such as Alex Smith and Carson Wentz, who weren’t the answer. Then we picked up Sam Howell in the 2022 draft. Sam has showed flashes of hope and then flashes of mediocrity. We do have to remember he is a young quarterback with only four starts.

As of right now the Commanders are 2-1, but don’t be deceived by that winning record. They could of easily lost the first game, and then had to storm back from 21-3 to beat a bad Denver Broncos team. This team has the makeup of being another .500 team this year. They could surprise us this week and beat the Eagles, just like they did last year. But if we were to lose by another blowout, I think we should consider firing both coaches. They have too much talent on both sides of the ball to consistently be mediocre.

Why not fire Rivera and put Eric Bieniemy in charge to see what he can do? If you do that, Jack Del Rio, who has four 1st round draft picks on the defensive line, needs to go too. There’s no reason their defense should not be dominant, and one of the best in the league. In addition, now would be a good time because they have a new owner and they can have that fresh start and build for the future. Typically, coaches are fired based on there record for the year. In this case, depending on how the Commanders do against the Eagles, I believe now is the time.

The post Is it Time for Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio to be Fired? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

The NFC East was a much-maligned division last year, with Washington winning it despite just seven wins. This is a far cry for the only division where all four teams have won at least one Super Bowl. Both the Giants and Eagles lifted the Lombardi Trophy during the 2010s.

Often called the ”˜NFC Least’ last season, it led to some questioning the playoff system and whether it should just be the teams with the seven best records rather than the division winners and three wildcard teams.

All four teams will want to prove the division is competitive. Here is a preview of the NFC East.

Dallas Cowboys (2020 Record: 6-10. Missed out on playoffs)

The Cowboys were massively disappointed after much hype going into the 2020 season, in a similar vein to the Cleveland Browns the prior season.

Quarterback Dak Prescott put up some good numbers before suffering a season-ending injury against the Giants in week 5. However, when the Cowboys went into the Giants game, they were still 1-3. This is despite Prescott’s statistics.  At the end of the 2020 season, they may have been 11th in passing yards allowed but finished 31st in rushing yards allowed and 28th in total points allowed. Have they done enough to address their defensive issues from last season?

Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is back as a defensive coordinator. Quinn, who was a coordinator for the Seahawks ‘Legion of Boom’, has been hired this summer by the Cowboys. Their draft has implied that they are looking to address this. 8 of their 11 picks were defensive players. Twelfth overall pick Micah Parsons is one of the best rookie prospects in the entire league and will be a brilliant replacement for the retiring Sean Lee, who struggled with injuries during his career. During the two seasons he played with Penn State, Parsons recorded 191 total tackles, 6 fumbles, 6.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.

Dallas may have their issues defensively, but Dak has some excellent offensive weapons to work with. This includes wide receivers Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and second-year wideout CeeDee Lamb. Both Cooper and Gallup have combined for 32 touchdowns and 5,485 yards since they arrived in Dallas and Lamb had an encouraging rookie season. He was reportedly impressive in training camp this offseason.  Running back Ezekiel Elliot and Dak had excellent debut seasons in the NFL, with the latter winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2016. Elliot has slowly regressed. He will hope for a bounce-back year in 2021 and doing so would be a huge bonus for Prescott and this offense.

The Cowboys were the featured team on the 2021 edition of ”˜Hard Knocks’ and play in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. Other games against the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense, Baltimore Ravens, and the San Francisco 49ers will challenge the Cowboys’ defense.

Their offense will perform but not as well as people think they will. The defense has made improvements this offseason but the unit is still a long way off.

Prediction: 2nd in NFC East

New York Giants (2020 Record: 6-10. Missed out on playoffs)

It has been a tough few years for the Giants, who last had a winning season when they went 11-5 in 2016.  Eli Manning’s form went downhill and he has since retired. Odell Beckham left for the Cleveland Browns. Daniel Jones was the replacement for Manning at quarterback but the 2019 sixth overall pick has flattered to deceive, with 35 touchdowns, 5,970 yards and 22 interceptions.

He has been backed this offseason, with the addition of wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who scored 21 touchdowns and caught for 3,068 yards during his four seasons with the Detroit Lions. Fellow receiver John Ross was added in Free Agency, with Kadarius Toney taken in the first round of the draft. Toney is reported to be set to have a “significant role” in the week one game against the Broncos. Tight end Kyle Rudolph joins the Giants after 48 touchdowns and 4,488 yards during ten seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.  Running back Saquon Barkley had an impressive rookie season in 2018 but had an injury-hit 2020, where he played just two games.

On the other side of the ball, Leonard Williams will hope to build on an impressive 2020. After moving from the New York Jets last year, he recorded 11 sacks, 57 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 30 quarterback hits. However, despite these impressive numbers, the Giants still ranked 17th in passing yards allowed and 10th in rushing yards allowed. Head coach Joe Judge and general manager Dave Gettleman have attempted to address their defensive issues in the draft and free agency, with linebacker Azeez Ojulari (below) taken in the second round. He is a player that I feel is one of the biggest sleeper picks in the 2021 draft. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and nose tackle Danny Shelton were also added in Free Agency.

Their schedule isn’t too bad, with the Saints, Chiefs and Buccaneers presenting the biggest challenges, as well as their division games. They also get to face the Eagles, Denver Broncos and Falcons.

This is Jones’ time to shine. He needs to perform this year and has now been given everything he needs in terms of offensive weapons. He will see his performances improve but this won’t be enough for Joe Judge’s men to make the playoffs.

Prediction: 3rd in NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (2020 Record: 4-11-1. Missed out on playoffs)

The Eagles had a very dysfunctional season in 2020, with the controversy surrounding their quarterback Carson Wentz and head coach Doug Pederson. Both are no longer with the organization as the franchise look to rebuild.

Jalen Hurts was the man to replace Wentz last season and be will look to improve on the 1,061 yards, 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions he recorded in four games. He was sacked 13 times in those games, with 113 passes attempted. This amounts to be sacked every 11.4 passing attempts. With Wentz being the most sacked QB last season, this shows a problem with the Eagles offensive line, one that was around for most of Wentz’s Philly career. Free Agency signing Ryan Kerrigan will hope to improve the line between the trenches. Nick Sirianni has taken over from Pederson and will want to make an impression. However, he may find things tough for a team that ranked 24th for total offensive yards and 18th for total defensive yards allowed.

Heismann Trophy winner DeVonta Smith was taken twelfth round after the Eagles traded down via the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2020 with Alabama. His size has led to concerns over his durability at the NFL level. Becoming the first wide receiver for thirty years to win the award, he is not shy of breaking the trend. Running back Miles Sanders is another weapon for Hurts to hand the ball off to, with 867 yards and 6 touchdowns despite his the injury he suffered midseason. The Eagles are likely to be affected by the offseason departures of receivers DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey. Tight end Zach Ertz is still around, despite most feeling he would leave this summer.

The Eagles may face the Giants twice as well as the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos but also face the NFC South teams. The Saints, Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers present difficult tasks, as does the game against the Chiefs. Philadelphia has a tough season ahead and these games do not help matters.

Prediction: 4th in NFC East

Washington Football Team (2020 Record: 7-9. lost in Wildcard Round)

Washington went from worst to first in 2020, losing to the eventual champions in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the postseason. This is despite the valiant effort from Washington.

This is a credit to Ron Rivera, who did an excellent job during his first year in charge. He was fired by the Carolina Panthers in the 2019 season but it didn’t take him long to find work. Rivera came into a franchise with a lot going on during the offseason. They retired the ”˜Redskins’ part of their team name and for now, are called the Washington Football Team until they decide on their team name for the future. There were also plenty of issues surrounding behaviour in the front office.  Rivera also battled through some personal battles, overcoming cancer whilst on the job. He has installed good values back into this organization and is the perfect man to take Washington to the next step.

Dwayne Haskins failed to deliver and the 2019 fifteenth overall pick was cut by the franchise midseason in 2020. Alex Smith was the fairytale story, coming back from the career-ending injury he suffered. He came onto the field against the Los Angeles Rams in week 5 to a chorus of cheers. He would retire at the end of the season after winning Comeback Player of the Year. Both he and Kyle Allen suffered injuries, which meant Taylor Heinicke came in. He had the game of his life during the Buccaneers playoff loss, leading to some feeling he should have been given a chance to start this season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is his replacement, arriving in Free Agency after two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 13 touchdowns and  8 interceptions in 2020 despite spending the second half of the season mostly as a backup. He did come in midgame against the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, the latter where he threw a heroic pass to Mack Hollins despite a facemask that put the Dolphins in field goal range. Jason Sanders converted the game-winning field goal that followed that pass. He threw for 8 touchdowns and 1 interception after the opening two games of the 2018 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and became the first quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards in three straight games.  He is one of the most loved players in the entire league thanks to his infectious personality. Washington fans will take to him, especially if he plays as he did in 2020.

Fitzpatrick has plenty of weapons around him to throw the ball to and also hand the ball off to. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin recorded 1,118 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 and will want to continue the upward trajectory that his career has gone so far. Free Agency signing Curtis Samuel offers flexibility in the receiver position whether this is out wide, in the slot or the ground game. He had 851 receiving yards, three touchdown receptions and two rushing touchdowns. Adam Humphries arrives from the Tennessee Titans to add depth, most likely as a third or fourth choice wideout. Running back Antonio Gibson had 795 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in his 2020 rookie season, with J.D. McKissic a capable backup. Tackle Sam Cosmi was taken 51st overall and his biggest strength is said to be run blocking. If he is to fulfil his potential, then this could open things up for Gibson and McKissic.

Washington’s prize asset is their defensive line. Predominately using a 4-3 scheme, they have the threat of both Montez Sweat and Chase Young on the edge, who recorded 16 sacks between them in 2020. With Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen on the interior, there is no mercy for any offensive lines or quarterbacks that face this front four. It doesn’t get any easier for Washington’s opponents this season, with linebacker Jonathan Bostic having 118 total tackles, 3 sacks and 6 quarterback hits in 2020. Washington added to the linebacker room in the draft, with Jamin Davis being selected nineteenth overall. During his time in college with Kentucky, he had excellent numbers. This was especially the case in his 2020 season. He posted 102 total tackles and 3 interceptions combined for 90 yards, with one resulting in a defensive touchdown. Sweat also had 45 total tackles, one defensive touchdown, 20 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss, with Young tallying up 44 total tackles, 12 quarterback hits and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Jonathan Allen had 63 total tackles and Daron Payne had one interception, 3 forced fumbles, 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and 8 sacks.

Washington faces the Buffalo Bills, Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Buccaneers and Seahawks in 2021. This appears a hard schedule but as it will for any team in the NFC East,  the two games against their division rivals will offer plenty of chances for wins.

Due to head coaching and a more complete roster than Dallas, Washington will take home a second consecutive division crown.

Prediction: 1st in NFC East

The post Latest NFC East Preview: Will Washington win the NFC East again? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. Only the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers (both 6) have more Super Bowl wins than the 49ers (5). The 49ers’ five Super Bowls all came between the years of 1981 and 1994. They have lost two since, in the 2012 and 2019 seasons. The quarterbacks that led the 49ers to the Lombardi Trophy were Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. Three of those five wins saw Montana as the starter and Young as the backup.

Young is seen by many as the best backup quarterback in history, considering the gold jacket that he earned despite many years as the backup to Montana. He would win a Super Bowl as the starter after the franchise moved on from Montana. Ever since Young decided to hang up his cleats, the 49ers have struggled to find his replacement. Have they found the guy in Trey Lance?

Perhaps, but here is why the quarterback situation involving Lance and current starter Jimmy Garoppolo could prevent the 49ers from winning the NFC West during the 2021 season.

Struggles Since Young

Jeff Garcia was the man to come in for Young. During his five seasons in the Bay, he threw for 113 touchdowns and 56 interceptions as well as 16,408 passing yards. He had a 35-36 record as a starter for the 49ers in the regular season and a 1-2 record in the postseason, meaning he never hit the heights of his predecessor.

Alex Smith was the number one overall pick in 2005, shattering Aaron Rodgers’ dreams. However, he was a good quarterback, not a great quarterback. Colin Kaepernick replaced Smith and took the 49ers to the Super Bowl. They ended up losing to the Baltimore Ravens in a game often called the ”˜Blackout Bowl’. Kaepernick failed to live up to the standards he set that season.

He would be kicked out of the league for taking the knee in a protest against police brutality in 2016. He has not played a snap in the NFL since. Jimmy Garoppolo was traded from the Patriots to the 49ers midway through the 2017 season. He gave hope to the organization after winning all five of the games he started in 2017. The fanbase had hope going into the 2018 season.

Many non-49ers fans had San Francisco down as their dark horse for the season. A season-ending injury to Garoppolo in Week 3 saw the starting role shared between Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard. However, the 49ers finished 4-12 as they went into 2019 with the second overall pick. Nick Bosa was selected and transformed the defense of San Francisco and Jimmy G had the best season of his career. He threw for 3,978 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Despite these stats, Garoppolo saw his production limited in the NFC Championship game as the coaching staff decided to use more of their running game. This led to many questions leading to the Super Bowl. The 49ers threw away a ten-point lead in the fourth quarter as they would end up losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 54.

Garoppolo was criticized heavily for an overthrown pass to Emmanuel Sanders that would have given San Francisco back the lead. His 2020 season saw a mixture of poor form and injury. During the 2021 offseason, the 49ers traded up with the Miami Dolphins to gain the number three overall pick. They took Lance with the pick, showcasing their intentions to eventually move off from Garoppolo. There is now talk of whether San Francisco and head coach Kyle Shanahan will start Lance in week one. The other scenarios discussed are either Lance coming in mid-season or sitting out the whole campaign as the backup to Garoppolo. The uncertainty will have a significant impact on the 49ers’ season.

The Strength of the NFC West

This is a problem that will affect all four teams in the best division in the NFL. There is a chance that all four teams can make the playoffs. Los Angeles has an exciting new quarterback in 2009 first overall pick Matthew Stafford. Both the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray that they would never dream of trading away. Meanwhile, the 49ers’ starting quarterback is largely unpopular by fans, due to a mixture of the overthrown pass in the Super Bowl, his poor 2020 campaign and his injury record.

San Francisco has the least trusted quarterback in the division. With the position being one of the most crucial in all sports, it does not bode well for a team when there is uncertainty in the position. Garoppolo may be benched at some point during the season for Lance. However, the 49ers would be putting a rookie that will still be learning the system into the toughest division in the NFL.

Learning From Mahomes, Jackson, Tua and Burrow

If San Francisco are to help Lance succeed, they will need to take some lessons from recent draft classes. Patrick Mahomes, widely seen as the best quarterback in the league, spent all but one game of his 2017 rookie season as a backup to Alex Smith. The Chiefs then traded Smith the following offseason and Mahomes has never looked back. In his first three full seasons as a starter in the NFL, he has reached two Super Bowls, winning one. He has also been crowned MVP and Super Bowl MVP and reached three successive AFC Championship games. All three have been at home. On the flip side, 2020 first overall pick Joe Burrow started in week one of his rookie year. He wouldn’t last the season, only playing ten games before injury curtailed his first NFL campaign. He was impressive before his injury but there are no guarantees he will be the same player when he returns.

Lamar Jackson was a backup to Joe Flacco during his 2018 rookie year but won the starting role midseason. He has since gone on to win an MVP award and is the future of the franchise. Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins brought Tua Tagovailoa in mid-season but he struggled in his rookie season. He is seen to already be on the hot seat, with many feeling the Dolphins rushed him in. These examples all show there are reasons for the 49ers to be hasty when it comes to choosing when to bring Lance into the starting role.

Lance Or Garoppolo In 2021?

The 49ers will have to decide soon who their starter will be in 2021. Considering Lance has only played one full season (2019), he is likely to start the season as the backup. He only threw for a combined total of 31 passing attempts, two touchdowns and 1 interception across the 2018 and 2020 seasons, albeit the latter campaign being disrupted by the pandemic. He is likely to be a work in progress but his 28 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in 2019 mean that he is one for the future.

Garoppolo will likely start in week one but it was clear from the NFC Championship game that Shanahan doesn’t completely trust him.

Jimmy G is a capable quarterback but his health is a concern. Expect Garoppolo to remain as the starter provided the 49ers are winning games but for Lance to come in should Garoppolo either be injured or start the season poorly.

Should this happen, this will be the end of Garoppolo’s time in San Francisco. Depending on timing, he will then be traded either before the deadline or in the 2022 offseason.

Can The 49ers Returning Players Avoid A Repeat Of 2020?

This is key if the 49ers are to challenge for both the NFC West and the NFC. After earning the number one seed and reaching Super Bowl 54 during the 2019 campaign, San Francisco finished 6-10 in 2020 and bottom of the division. A ”˜Super Bowl Hangover’ played its part but the main cause of such a decline was down to a colossal amount of injuries the team suffered. Along with the aforementioned Garoppolo, the 49ers also saw Bosa, Dee Ford, George Kittle, Raheem Mostert, Deebo Samuel and Solomon Thomas miss large chunks of the 2020 season due to injury.

San Francisco had 33 players reported questionable and there were 186 occasions when the 49ers reported a player on injured reserve. They had the second-most injuries of any team in the NFL over the past twenty years. Should all these players come back, then this 49ers roster will be one of the best in the league. This will make life much easier for whoever the San Francisco starting quarterback is.

However, from the strength of the division to the uncertainty at quarterback, San Francisco will find it tough to win the NFC West.

The post Why the QB situation may prevent the 49ers from winning the NFC West appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

The Jacksonville Jaguars will go into the 2021 season with a new head coach. Urban Meyer is the new man to take charge, hoping to be the guy to change the fortunes of a franchise that has struggled for many years. After drafting the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck in Trevor Lawrence this year with the number one overall pick, the Jags fans have rarely gone into a season this excited. The Jags have twice gone into a season on the back of reaching an AFC Championship game but with the addition of Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence, there is a real buzz around the organization and in the city of Jacksonville. However, Urban Meyer has never coached in the NFL. He is one of the most successful college head coaches of his generation. Can he translate this to the pros?

His Journey As A Player

Meyer was a walk-on in college as a defensive back for the University of Cincinnati, despite initially being drafted by Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves in 1982. Injury would deny Meyer the chance to make it as a professional player, but he showed signs of his coaching credentials whilst in college. He would go back to college, heading to Ohio State University where he studied sports administration. He would get a degree at both colleges, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Cincinnati and sports administration at Ohio State, which will have no doubt helped him massively during his time as a football coach.

He may not have made it to the NFL as a player but he showed signs of his credentials as a coach during his time in college. Meyer would often spend additional time in practice, learning how to run them and handle substitutions. These all prepared him for life as a coach. As a player, he was part of a Cincinnati team that finished 2-9, with Meyer saying that it “wasn’t a great experience. We weren’t very good”. This will help him be prepared for a Jaguars team that won just one game in 2020. His former coach in Cincinnati David Currey spoke of his coaching abilities.

“He was not a great player but you could tell he would coach for a living. He was a student of the game, always trying to learn about things”.

The Start Of Meyer’s Coaching Career

He started his coaching career in 1985 as a defensive backs coach for St Xavier High School in Ohio before becoming a graduate assistant for two seasons with Ohio State. He spent two years with Illinois State as an outside linebackers coach in 1988 and a quarterback and wide receivers coach in 1989. He would then spend eleven years as a wide receivers coach, spending six with Colorado State and then five with Notre Dame before getting his first head coaching job in 2001 with Bowling Green.

The Early Stages Of His Time As A Head Coach In College

Meyer only spent two seasons with Bowling Green but would leave the team with a 17-6 record in charge. Highlights of his time there was the 56-21 win over rivals, the University of Toledo Rockets. Whilst with Bowling Green, he transformer their fortunes. He joined with the team having gone 2-9 in 2000 to then go 8-3 in 2001 and 9-3 in 2002, before leaving for the University of Utah.

Utah hired Meyer and was an instant success, going 10-2 and winning the Liberty Bowl in 2003. They would go 12-0 and win the Fiesta Bowl in 2004. Whilst with the university, he coached safety Eric Weddle and quarterback Alex Smith, who went on to be the number one overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Smith would become an inspiration to everyone when he went on to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year during the 2020 season, returning the field after a life threatening injury in 2018.

Meyer openly claimed that he “made Utah competitive” during his time there. Morgan Scalley played as a defensive back under Meyer at Utah before going on to become a defensive coordinator with the college. He spoke of how Meyer changed everything.

“You could tell it would be different from the first session at the weight room. I never had butterflies going into a weight room and that had me going”.

Success With Florida and Ohio State

The Florida Gators then came calling in 2005, where Meyer would spend the next six seasons. He would coach notable players such as Cam Newton, Carlos Dunlap, Janoris Jenkins, Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, Tim Tebow and Trey Burton during his time in Florida as head coach. With an overall record 65-15 with the Gators, Meyer won Florida the Outback Bowl and the Sugar Bowl as well as winning two National Championships. He had a 5-1 record with Florida in Bowl games. Following a health scare, Meyer decided to leave the Gators after the 2010 seasons as he wanted to put focus on his family and “life away from the field”.

He soon returned to college football, becoming Ohio State head coach two seasons later. During his time with the team, he had an 83-9 record. He won one National Championship as well as a Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. His time there sadly ended in controversy, before leaving in 2018 due to health reasons. He spent time as a television analyst before accepting the Jacksonville head coaching position in January 2021.

His Coaching Style & The Spread Offense

Meyer is seen as someone who is competitive, fiery and resolute. His “juice” is said to fire his teams up, with his infectious personality an integral part of his head coaching success. During his time as an analyst, he often went through a breakdown of offensive systems, with one component of his style of coaching being his Spread Offense.

This is a scheme which features four receivers, resulting in the opposition defense attempting to cover these players. This system allows the run game to excel, with RPO and read option plays often used under this style of offense. In a modern day NFL, we are seeing plenty of college schemes being brought into the league. Meyer will look to bring this style of coaching into the NFL that worked so well for him in college.

Can He Transform The Jaguars?

This is not going to be an easy task for Meyer but as he showed in Utah, he is capable of turning a team around. Jacksonville has the talent on their roster but have never seemed to fulfil their potential. One of their aforementioned trips to the AFC Championship was in the 2017 season. Their defense named ‘Sacksonville” played a big part in their journey, where they had a ten point lead and were nine minutes away from reaching the Super Bowl. They would end up losing 24-20 in agonizing fashion.

The components of Sacksonville would slowly fall apart. Jalen Ramsey, Malik Jackson and Yannick Ngakoue all left in 2019, with both A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell leaving in 2020. Quarterback Blake Bortles was seen as the player holding back the team, being released in March 2019 as the Jaguars looked to Nick Foles, who won Super Bowl 52 MVP just a year earlier. He was seen as the missing piece in the jigsaw but only lasted one season in a disappointing spell with the franchise.

Head coach Doug Marrone guided Jacksonville to the AFC Championship and a 10-6 record in his first full season as head coach of the franchise. Despite this, he couldn’t guide them to more than six wins in any of the three seasons that followed before being fired in January 2021. Issues off the field started to develop, with the players arrested on their annual trip to London in 2018 after an unpaid £50,000 drinks bill. Meyer won’t stand for any negative behaviour with his aforementioned fiery, competitive and infectious personality is likely to keep the players in check.

And then of course, there is Lawrence. One of the best college prospects in many years, he brings a lot of expectation with Jags fans pinning their hopes on him being the man to bring the good times to this franchise. He had not lost a regular season game since high school and reached the National Championship in two of his three seasons with the Clemson Tigers, winning one of those two.

He played 40 games in college and threw for 758 out of his 1,138 throws, giving him a 66.6 completion percentage. Across his time with Clemson, he threw for 90 touchdowns and 10,098 yards. Jacksonville have a real talent on their hands and they need to do everything they can to ensure he fulfils his tremendous potential.

Along with Lawrence, they have reunited their number one overall pick with his Clemson team-mate in running back Travis Etienne, who recorded 70 rushing touchdowns and 4,952 rushing yards during his four seasons in the ACC. He will join a running back room alongside James Robinson, who impressed highly in 2020 during his rookie year with 1,070 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Etienne is said to also be working out as a receiver, which gives variety to the offensive side of the ball. Former Detroit Lions wideout Marvin Jones has joined the team via Free Agency to add depth to a wide receiver room already including DJ Chark Jr and Laviska Shenault Jr. Second-round pick Tyson Campbell gives depth to the Jaguars secondary, as will 65th overall pick Andre Cisco. 45th overall selection Walker Little will add protection to the Jags offensive line. Myles Jack is a survivor from the Sacksonville era and alongside fellow linebacker Josh Allen, they have the potential to cause problems for the opposition.

Jacksonville have a long rebuild ahead and fans should not expect an immediate transformation. Doubts remain over new Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz and whether he can get back to his 2017 form. The Tennessee Titans’ defense is seen as their Achilles heels and the Houston Texans are a mess. They will likely see their quarterback Deshaun Watson leave, which will result in years of struggles and mediocrity. This is not the toughest division in the NFL and the Jags will want to capitalise on this, but the improvement will likely be in either year 2, 3 or 4 of the Urban Meyer Jacksonville era.

The post Urban Meyer’s career so far: can he transform the Jaguars? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Martinez

After being released by the Washington Football Team last month, quarterback Alex Smith is now on the move in search of a new home, turning the latest page in his miraculous return to football.  

Smith, despite leading Washington to a 5-1 record in six starts last season, was deemed a cap casualty for the team. Prior to his injury in 2018, Alex Smith had signed a monster four-year, $94 million contract extension. The move to part ways cleared $14.9 million in cap space and, most importantly, gave a fresh start to both parties. Following his release, Smith went on to speak about the severed relationship with his team in an exclusive interview with GQ.

“They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance,” Smith told GQ. “Mind you, it was a whole new regime, they came in; I’m like the leftovers and I’m hurt and I’m this liability.

Alex Smith’s future in the league is still up in the air. But after months of rehabilitation, it isn’t likely we will see Smith walk away from the game just yet.

With that being said, here are three teams that could use Alex Smith’s services this coming season:

Jacksonville Jaguars

With the NFL Draft looming closer, it won’t be a surprise who the Jaguars take with the first overall pick. Trevor Lawrence is undoubtedly the future of Jacksonville football. With that, it seems likely that the team will move on from Gardner Minshew, who is currently drawing in serious trade interest this offseason. If the team does decide to trade Minshew, the tradeoff could be a useful one in their rebuilding process for years to come.

Enter Alex Smith.

The strongest link to Jacksonville is none other than their new head coach, Urban Meyer. Smith played under Meyer at Utah University back in 2004. The duo led their team to an unbelievable 12-0 season, which they finished as the No. 4 ranked team in the nation.

A potential reunion with Meyer could be beneficial for both parties. Smith could serve as a great mentor and ease Lawrence into his transition to the NFL. The move to sign with Jacksonville also has the upside of potential playing time if things don’t go as smoothly for Lawrence early in the season. Not to mention, Smith could have himself a nice payday as Jacksonville currently holds about $39 million in cap space available, the most in the NFL.

Houston Texans

It feels safe to say we have seen the last of Deshaun Watson in a Texans uniform. The team has already signed Tyrod Taylor earlier this offseason, but his contract only guarantees a mere $2.5 million, a salary that seems average for a backup quarterback around the league.

So now does that make Houston a landing spot for Smith?

Just ask new head coach David Culley. When asked what he could do to turn his team around in one offseason he replied:

“Competition; You go out and get players because the team changes every year. You go out and look for people to bring in for competition and try to make your team better. With Free Agency and the Draft coming up, you go out and bring in competition and that’s the quickest way to get things going in the right direction”

Well, that competition will likely be where Alex Smith could come into play for the Texans. Houston does not have a single draft pick in the first two rounds of the draft, leaving them officially out of the QB sweepstakes that will take place in the first round.

For what it is worth, Alex Smith has some familiarity with Culley from his days with the Kansas City Chiefs. Alex Smith is a serviceable veteran quarterback who is looking for a second chance in this league. He just might be what the Texans are looking for.

Indianapolis Colts

Yes, even with after the trade acquisition of Carson Wentz, the Colts should still be active bidders for Alex Smith this season. Wentz has been a giant question mark at quarterback as of late, and there is still a chance that even a change of scenery won’t get him to turn things around. If that does end up being the case, it would be wise for the Colts to sign a quarterback behind Wentz who can lead the team down the stretch.

Indianapolis could very be the most ideal situation for Smith this season. There is real potential for some playing time and if the opportunity ever presented itself, he’d be doing it behind one of the best offensive line units in the league.

 The Colts are a team that is ready to win now. Smith could very easily put himself in a position to compete for a spot in the playoffs. As far as getting paid goes, money shouldn’t be an issue. Just ask Jacoby Brissett who made more than $20 million last season as Phillip Rivers’ backup.

The post Three Potential Landing Spots for QB Alex Smith appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Written by Benedetto Vitale: Twitter (@TalksVitale)

After coming back from one of the more serious injuries in NFL history, Alex Smith aims to continue playing next year. He played in eight games, taking over as the starter after Dwayne Haskins failed to meet expectations. Smith finished with 1,582 passing yards, six touchdowns, and a 66.7% completion percentage. 

Smith just okay in the games he played in. It wasn’t anything spectacular to behold. However, he played well enough to where he could still play at least one more season in the NFL. With the Washington Football Team moving on with Taylor Heinicke and possibly another young quarterback, Smith will be searching for a new home next year. 

In an article written by Zach Koons, the author states, “According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Smith isn’t ready to retire just yet and ”˜does want to play somewhere’ next season. He’ll be 37 by the time offseason workouts ramp up this summer, but still hopes to find a role in 2021.”

Although Smith isn’t the QB he used to be, he can still provide excellent veteran leadership for any franchise. There seems to be only one team Smith may earn starting time for, however, everywhere else would use him more as a high-end backup. Here are three top destinations for Alex Smith.

A Potential Starter for the New England Patriots?

The only team who could potentially use Alex Smith as a starter, the New England Patriots are at the top of the list of top destinations for the 16-year vet. The Patriots had one of the worst offenses in the league this season. They finished 30th in passing yards (3,124), 32nd in passing touchdowns (12), and were in the bottom five in interceptions thrown (14). 

They’re not one of the most desirable destinations in the league anymore after Tom Brady’s departure. It’ll be difficult for the front office to acquire top talent through the free-agent market. For that reason, this franchise will have to nail the NFL draft before returning to relevancy. 

The Patriots may select a rookie in the draft this year, and according to Zack Cox at NESN, finding QB talent in the draft is typically found in the early first round. He states, “Recent history suggests the safest place to find a franchise QB is in the top 12 picks of the draft.”

With that said, it may be a smart move to sign Alex Smith either way. He’s good enough to play competitively and would be a great player to learn behind for any rookie quarterback. However, if Alex Smith is truly searching for playing time, signing a deal with the Patriots is his best bet. 

Could the Denver Broncos Sign Alex Smith?

It was a rough year for Drew Lock, as he dealt with injuries throughout the season. Furthermore, while he was on the field, he struggled through most of his games for the Denver Broncos. The team only finished with 3,673 passing yards, and 21 touchdowns, ranking them at the bottom of the league in both categories. 

There have been numerous reports of Denver’s front office showing interest in trading for Deshaun Watson. The Houston Texans haven’t made any claims they’re selling their superstar quarterback, but it seems the Broncos are favored to get a deal done this offseason. 

It may take quite a bit for the Broncos to pull off that feat. Sayre Bedinger, a writer at Fansided, seems to agree. The author explains, “”¦ Matthew Stafford being traded from the Detroit Lions to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff and three picks, as well as Carson Wentz going from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Indianapolis Colts for two picks”¦”

The Broncos are clearly interested in trading for Watson, but at what cost? If the front office doesn’t want to give up a ton of draft capital, they may be searching for a veteran leader to take over in case Lock goes south again. 

For Alex Smith, this would be a similar situation he was in during 2020. He’d come in as the backup behind a young quarterback but have a fair chance of earning legitimate playing time. I like this potential destination for Smith, as he could provide better QB play to help the Broncos improve next year. 

Alex Smith Lands in Philadelphia?

It was a horrendous year for the Philadelphia Eagles as they struggled in nearly every game in 2020. Carson Wentz was recently traded away to the Indianapolis Colts, giving the starting job to Jalen Hurts. The Eagles aim to improve their passing game after finishing with just 3,728 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, making them one of the worst offenses through the air. 

The consensus is that Jalen Hurts jumps in as the starting quarterback of the Eagles. However, there are reports the front office plans to bring in some competition for their young quarterback. In Michael David Smith’s article for Yahoo Sports, he claims, “But the job isn’t being handed to Hurts. Instead, the Eagles plan to bring in competition for Hurts, according to ESPN.”

For that reason, this could be a fantastic landing spot for Alex Smith. It’s not likely he plays in Philadelphia, but this could be a great signing for Jalen Hurts’ development. Smith played a similar style throughout his career but stayed in the pocket more often than not. With Hurts a running QB, Smith can be a great mentor for the young prospect. 

The post Top 3 Fits for Alex Smith in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Tayyib Abu (@tayyibabu1)

The quarterback carousel began in earnest over the weekend. Late on Saturday, news broke that Matthew Stafford was heading west to become a Los Angeles Ram. The first significant domino fell over the weekend. The Rams got their man at quarterback, Stafford and Sean Mcvay could form a devastating tag-team. The Rams fought off stiff competition from Carolina, Denver and Washington. Those teams are still searching for the answer; Washington, in particular, is looking for a franchise quarterback.

After winning the NFC Least in 2020, Washington is desperate to ram home their advantage. A ferocious defense is the platform that led Ron Rivera’s team to a division title. Several members of the defensive roster are on rookie deals; that means they are all under cap-control. This fierce group finished as the third-ranked passing defense in the NFL. That is a robust platform to build a winning team. After missing out on Stafford, it is more important than ever that Washington explores the quarterback position options.

Dak Prescott

With Stafford off the market, and Deshaun Watson’s status uncertain: Dak Prescott is the big prize on offer in the free-agent store’s quarterback section. Prescott was enjoying a superb season for the Cowboys before an injury ended his year. At 27-years-old Prescott is not an old quarterback, his 2020 form demonstrated that he was getting better. His QBR for the season was a career-high 78.6, Prescott also displayed an ability to air the ball out. The Cowboys could not run the ball; therefore, Prescott threw the ball over 40 times in several games; the fact that he kept them in those games is a testament to his talent.

Prescott ended the narrative that he is a safe passer or a better runner than passer. His next-gen passing chart shows that he was brilliant at throwing outside the numbers as well as deep downfield. Prescott will come with concerns; How is the rehab going? Will he be the same player? Those are legitimate questions; however, Washington is in no position to judge Prescott on that. Comeback Player of The Year-elect Alex Smith led Washington with a winning record in the games he started. With Antonio Gibson and Scary Terry Mcluarin; Washington possesses two, star offensive weapons that Prescott can lean on. A move like this is incredibly ambitious, bordering on audacious. Nonetheless, if the Football Team wants to upgrade their quarterback room, as well as weaken a division rival; it is a move they must consider.

Cam Newton

Once upon a time, Cam Newton won an MVP under Ron Rivera’s stewardship. Now Newton needs a team, and Rivera needs a quarterback. Newton was on a base salary of $1.5 million at New England in 2020; he will be an inexpensive pickup for Washington. Newton is incredibly difficult to judge based off one year in New England with no receivers. The New England offense is bereft of good talent at the skill positions. Newton’s career passing yards gained per attempt is 7.3; in 2020 for New England, it was 7.2. The arm is still performing at the same level. Newton will never be Aaron Rodgers; conversely, a player like Aaron Rodgers will never hit free agency.

Newton is still a competent passer if not an explosive passer. The beauty of Newton is that he offers such a unique proposition under center. While his rushing totals will never match what he did in his rookie year, Newton displayed solid rushing skill in New England. A man of his size is difficult to stop. Newton with Antonio Gibson in the backfield creates a dynamic duo that could run all over teams. If Washington committed to a run-game using play-action, they could get away with it as the defense is exceptional. A ball-control offense married to a rampant defense could be the key. Moreover, Ron Rivera and coordinator Scott Turner could revitalize Newton.

Andy Dalton

If Dak Prescott stays at Dallas, Andy Dalton could be in play for Washington. Dalton is not a backup quarterback; he can be a solid starter for most NFL teams. With his quick-fire release, accurate passing and veteran experience; Dalton can be a steady hand. Similar to Newton, the Red Rifle will be reasonably inexpensive for Washington to acquire. Dalton is an excellent short to intermediate route thrower; that is good news for Terry Mclaurin and Cam Sims. Both of those players excel after the catch. Washington could use plenty of in-breaking routes to get their wideouts into space.

Dalton is good working out of short dropbacks, that can be useful in Landover. With a top running-back in Antonio Gibson and that tremendous defensive unit; Dalton doesn’t need to be Superman, he just would need to look after the ball, make smart decisions and let the talent around him succeed. In his lengthy career, Dalton did all of that in Cincinnati. He owns that experience.

Alex Smith

The Comeback Player of The Year award should get renamed the Alex Smith award. The former San Francisco 49er went through hell after he suffered a horrific broken leg injury. After 17 surgeries, Smith finally stepped out onto a football field in 2020. With Dwayne Haskins causing himself more bother, and Kyle Allen getting hurt; Rivera called upon Smith to be Washington’s signal-caller. With Smith under center, Washington went 5-3 which catapulted them into contention in the NFC East. At pick 19, Washington is probably out of range to draft one of the top four quarterbacks. The next best available could be Mac Jones who could still be on the board when Washington is on the clock.

Jones is not a viable day one starter. Therefore, Washington can draft their future quarterback, while using Smith as the starter. His QBR of 78.5 confirms that his play was of a high level. Smith is not a deep-ball passer; he will dink and dunk his way to methodical drives. Washington can build around Gibson and Mclaurin on offense; while letting their defense go to work. Smith can be the veteran voice guiding a young quarterback in his development. Smith can do all of that while ensuring the on-field results stay consistent. In a division with three bad teams, that might be all Washington needs for 2021.

Taylor Heinicke

In one playoff game, Taylor Heinicke thrilled the NFL world. The Old Dominion Alum shone one wildcard weekend as he took it to Tampa Bay. Heinicke is a practice squad veteran; he’s been on four different teams’ practice squad. Critically, Heinicke crossed paths with Ron Rivera in Carolina. The Panthers claimed him off waivers in light of Cam Newton’s injury in 2018. After a lost stint in the XFL due to Covid, Heinicke went back to school to finish his engineering degree.

That was until Ron Rivera sounded the bat-signal for Heinicke. The engineering student came into play for Washington after Smith’s calf injury. Heinicke played like a wild man; he ran, threw good passes, some bad passes and provided unpredictability to Washington’s offense against Tampa. Heinicke demonstrated enough raw tools for Washington to bring him back and evaluate him during the off-season programme. It would be the wildcard move from Washington; however, he is called Riverboat Ron for a reason.

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