Douglas Fritz Articles - Page 50

Can the New England Patriots get excited about their quarterback? It’s hard to imagine Jacoby Brissett moving that needle, but Drake Maye didn’t seem exasperated at not being anointed yet. However, the Patriots offensive coordinator dropped telling comments about Maye amid the battle for the top spot. Alex Van Pelt said Maye has been looking […]

News has been better for the Cleveland Browns of late. Za’Darius Smith came back from an injury, and they landed offensive line help in a trade. And Thursday they welcomed quarterback Deshaun Watson back to practice. The Browns said Watson got back in the groove, taking his normal amount of reps during the team’s workout, […]

It seems like Tua Tagovailoa is intent on making verbal and on-field news this year. The latest evidence came when the Miami Dolphins made a public admission about the 2023 game plan for Tyreek Hill. And for those who played fantasy football against a team that had Hill, this may be old news. It sounds […]

Lamar Jackson has his critics. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback also has supporters. Apparently Julian Edelman is in the former group as he took a shot at Jackson amid a Chiefs three-peat prediction. Edelman first expressed his loyalty to the Chiefs winning again in 2024, according a Fox NFL broadcast with Charissa Thompson via ravenswire.com. “I’ve […]

Tom Brady had plenty of success in the NFL, and young quarterbacks are following his plans. But while the former New England Patriots’ star set the standard at his position, he didn’t always have the best of things with some of his wide receivers. He got brutally honest about bad wide receivers. Brady had good […]

It has been an interesting preseason for the Dallas Cowboys, including Brandon Aubrey’s incredible field goal and contract talks with CeeDee Lamb. And Monday, the team got a positive update from Mike McCarthy about former first-round pick Mazi Smith. McCarthy said things are looking better for Smith, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Cowboys coach Mike […]

Mike Tomlin hasn’t been pleased with either option, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback battle controversy sails on through the preseason. No worries. Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher revealed his choice between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Cowher said Russell Wilson should get first crack, according to his comments on The Pat McAfee Show. “What […]

Fans of the Washington Commanders are abuzz about the quick development of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. And he’s already taken over the starting role. But this is the NFL, and Daniels needs weapons if he’s going to be a star in this league. And that’s why the Commanders must make one last-minute trade before Week […]

Once considered a proud franchise, the Washington Commanders haven’t been that for decades — leaving new coach Dan Quinn trying to pick up the pieces like all the king’s horses and all the king’s men. And yes, Daniel Snyder is Humpty Dumpty in this story. Former player Champ Bailey got real on how Snyder ruined […]

Entering the season with a head coach on the hot seat and an injury to star running back Alvin Kamara, the Saints don’t need injury woes. But Sunday night’s preseason game brought one anyway with Kool-Aid McKinstry suffering a concerning setback against the 49ers. The rookie cornerback suffered the injury on the opening drive in […]

It has been a rough ride for the New England Patriots in recent seasons, but a new quarterback has created a buzz. However, there’s also been a lot of questions surrounding the trade of Matthew Judon. And Eliot Wolf finally broke his silence on trading Judon to the Falcons. The Patriots’ executive vice president of […]

While the San Francisco 49ers are still trying to iron out a contract extension for Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey is talking about playing for a long time. But two lesser-known 49ers first-stringers are fighting for starting jobs they may be in danger of losing ahead of the 2024 NFL season. Injuries have reared their ugly […]

With the 2024 season getting closer, the Houston Texans are looking for the right fit for their 53-man roster. Also, they’re trying to sort out the guys who aren’t getting enough things done. But two roster hopefuls improved their stock after Saturday’s NFL preseason win over the Giants. Included in the mix was wide receiver […]

Peyton Manning still makes an impact around the NFL, especially in Denver. And, of course, he knows the quarterback position. So people tend to listen when Manning sets the record straight on his top five NFL quarterbacks. It was no surprise Manning put Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes at the top of the list, […]

There are big problems with the New York Giants, including a recent performance by Daniel Jones and an injury scare to rookie receiver sensation Malik Nabers. An injury to a kick returner may pale in comparison, but this former All-Pro could miss the start of the season. Gunner Olszewski will be sidelined for up to […]

It has been a rough preseason for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who seems in danger of not making the 53-man roster. And a recent injury didn’t help matters. But Valdes-Scantling got a positive injury update after his scary neck injury. “X-rays came back negative for #Bills WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck), per source. Status […]

With the Baltimore Ravens getting a positive update on Kyle Hamilton’s injury on the good side, and Lamar Jackson ruled out of the next preseason game on the bad side, the pendulum tilted in the team’s favor during the loss to the Eagles as three roster hopefuls improved their stock. On the happy list are […]

While head coach Mike McCarthy enters the 2024 NFL season on the hot seat, the Dallas Cowboys keep trying to put the pieces together and recently added to the defensive line. Also, they’re showing off their roster depth with two quality first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs. Among the players trying to maintain their […]

While the Atlanta Falcons have players on the rise, and they improved the defense with the addition of a veteran safety, they suffered the bad news of yet another setback for a former All-Pro who was placed on IR. Jakeem Grant, a four-time second-team All-Pro kicker returner who hasn’t played since 2021, suffered an injured […]

Man, the Atlanta Falcons are pretty serious about the 2024 NFL season. They recently traded for Matthew Judon and restructured Chris Lindstrom’s contract. Also, they drafted a quarterback in the first round, even though they signed Kirk Cousins in the offseason. And more good news came with the younger QB improving his stock after the loss […]

Getting good reports on the injury front with Tank Dell’s return and Will Anderson recovering from a tough mental season at Alabama, the Houston Texans got a bit of bad news with CJ Stroud backup Davis Mills getting a concerning injury update. Mills didn’t practice Thursday because of bruised ribs, according to KPRC2 NFL reporter […]

It has been an interesting year for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, especially moving from the Raiders to the Rams. And Garoppolo recently tossed a little shade at the Raiders and 49ers with an eye-opening admission. Garoppolo said playing with the Rams is a refreshing change from other teams, according to nytimes.com. “This place […]

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh likely won’t have Aaron Rodgers for the NFL preseason, and Haason Reddick still hasn’t reported to training camp. So maybe that’s why Saleh got 100% real about pushing players in the Jets’ longest practice of the preseason. Saleh said Tuesday’s workout accomplished important things, according to nypost.com. “That […]

The Las Vegas Raiders are trying to sort out their quarterback situation, which has impacted top receiver Davante Adams. But Adams’ brutally honest stance shows his lack of desire for preseason game reps with the starter. It has been a long time since Adams graced the preseason field, according to a post from ESPN’s Paul […]

OK, San Francisco 49ers: Deal? Or no deal? The saga with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has gone back and forth, and the team even signed a new wideout Tuesday. So the question remains as to why the 49ers have not yet signed off on trading the disgruntled star. It started earlier this summer when rumors […]

Malik Nabers of the New York Giants deals with Jayden Daniels’ taunts and has a childhood connection to Odell Beckham Jr. And he recently issued a confident demand to his quarterback, Daniel Jones. Nabers will take care of Jones when the season begins, the rookie wide receiver said on Kay Adams’ Up & Adams show, via […]

The Carolina Panthers had a rough landing after their preseason game, but their quarterback is primed for a much better season. And three roster hopefuls improved their stock during the loss to the Patriots. On the shortlist are safety Alex Cook, cornerback Lamar Jackson, and outside linebacker Eku Leota. All three players currently hold backup […]

The Miami Dolphins have seen Tyreek Hill get overload publicity recently, but one player not so much in the news made a strong statement about the impact he can make in 2024. Linebacker Jaelan Phillips, a respected edge rusher, sent a scary warning to the NFL ahead of his injury return. Phillips said he’s fired […]

Minnesota had exciting moments in its preseason opener, and quarterback JJ McCarthy put himself in position to possibly unseat presumed starter Sam Darnold. But hold on a minute. McCarthy picked up a sudden knee injury and didn’t practice Monday. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced the injury, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported it by writing […]

The preseason-opener outcome didn’t go in the Washington Commanders’ favor, but good moments included a sleek play from Jayden Daniels and his nice gift to his mom. Also, the Commanders had three roster-hopeful players who improved their stock after the 20-17 loss to the Jets. Tight end Ben Sinnott, wide receiver Dyami Brown, and third-string […]

When contract talks stall, the vultures sometimes come out. Maybe not for the superstars, like Cee Dee Lamb and Dak Prescott in Dallas. But for the New England Patriots, a contract stalemate with Matthew Judon has the team receiving multiple trade calls. Teams have inquired about acquiring the four-time Pro Bowl standout, according to ESPN’s […]

Yes, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh is excited about rookie receiver Keon Coleman. But the 2024 passing game is a work in progress. And Allen’s career resume still needs work — like in the form of a Super Bowl title — even though he had his Michael Jordan-Larry Bird moment with Patrick Mahomes. Allen said he […]

Things are getting exciting in D.C. as the Washington Commanders show off their new quarterback. And young Jayden Daniels showed he respects the greats of the past. Now the Commanders are trying to give Daniels more help by bringing in a former Steelers wide receiver, signing Martavis Bryant while releasing kicker Ramiz Ahmed. NFL insider […]

The Baltimore Ravens have been hit with training camp injuries, and quarterback Lamar Jackson is still watching his weight. But like other NFL teams, the Ravens have three players struggling early during training camp. On the list no players want to be on are guard Ben Cleveland, linebacker Adisa Isaac, and quarterback Josh Johnson. G […]

Sometimes it seems like NFL head coaches don’t follow a logical path, like when a mediocre veteran gets the nod over a flashy rookie — even when the rookie looks good when the lights go on. But after his electric preseason debut, the Minnesota Vikings must start JJ McCarthy over Sam Darnold. The Vikings grabbed […]

There’s no hiding the potential of New York Giants WR Malik Nabers, and maybe that has quarterback Daniel Jones stoked up enough to get into a mini-brawl in camp. But it’s not fun and games for a pair of Giants players struggling during NFL training camp. Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie is fighting to stay off […]

With the NFL preseason finally here, rookie quarterbacks — including top-pick Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears — got a chance to show what they can do in live action. Some got more extensive looks than others. And here are the grades for Williams and all of the 2024 NFL Draft first-round rookie quarterbacks preseason […]

Sean McDermott has a plan for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and other starters for the preseason opener, and Allen says his team is getting overlooked. But the Bills still have three players who are struggling during NFL training camp. Trying to fight their way into a groove are wide receiver Chase Claypool, safety Mike […]

While head coach Brian Callahan worries about the deep-ball connection between Will Levis and Calvin Ridley, and the shocking retirement of a projected starter on the offensive line, there are more concerns in the form of two Titans players struggling early during NFL training camp. At the forefront is newcomer L’Jarius Sneed. The fifth-year veteran […]