Douglas Fritz Articles - Page 54

Crossing one major hurdle recently, the Atlanta Falcons learned quarterback Kirk Cousins would be medically cleared for training camp. And they have a plan to get running back Bijan Robinson more involved. Now they are getting down to the business of watching training camp battles ahead of the 2024 NFL season. And two of the […]

Patrick Queen made a big decision in the offseason, leaving the Ravens and joining the Pittsburgh Steelers. And his role could lift an already good defense to a new level. But Queen made an awkward T.J. Watt admission to Dan Graziano of espn.com. Queen, who signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the Steelers, said […]

For football fans tired of hearing about Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, guess what? They’re back. Joy. Kelce brought it back full steam when he admitted their relationship could have an impact on the upcoming season. Part of the reason for Kelce’s concerns is his advancing age. He will turn […]

Although the Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback battle to settle, and running back Najee Harris wants a new contract, a bigger issue may be needing to improve the wide receiver room. The Steelers are expected to make a trade. But there’s a catch, according to espn.com. Dan Graziano agrees the Steelers want to make a […]

Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love have gotten a chance to go back and forth with each other even though they aren’t Green Bay Packers teammates anymore. First, Rodgers told Love not to spend his $220 million contract all in one place. Love came back with a good response to Rodgers. Rodgers’ comment came with the […]

When you have a guy like Micah Parsons, the defensive line should be a strength for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. That’s true even with a new defensive coordinator. But the Cowboys may have taken a depth hit when 2022 second-round pick Sam Williams exited the practice field on a cart. Jon Machota of The […]

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett holds an unenviable position as the starting quarterback for a team whose future is looking elsewhere. That future is No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. But the young Maye reacted positively to Brissett’s successful pre-training camp plan. Maye told bostonglobe.com that Brissett did a nice job helping the quarterbacks […]

Things didn’t get off to a great start for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Mixed reviews came along with the 49ers picking him at No. 31 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. And he suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to miss training camp days. But things may be turning around. According […]

A lot of fans of the Green Bay Packers are probably pointing to quarterback Jordan Love as the player who could make or break the 2024 NFL season. Or maybe they look at running back Josh Jacobs. But the surprising player who could take this role in receiver Jayden Reed. Yes, it’s a lot of […]

Saquon Barkley left the New York Giants with a little unfriendly fire. But he hasn’t had any problems getting rave reviews from his new Philadelphia Eagles’ teammates, including quarterback Jalen Hurts. Talking to the NFL Network, Hurts said Barkley brings multiple important things to the Eagles. “Just how explosive he is,” Hurts said. “He’s a […]

The things people say. Brandon Aiyuk has been in the news recently for not practicing and for requesting a trade from the San Francisco 49ers. But he found himself in a different spotlight when former Super Bowl champion Aqib Talib gave Aiyuk a top-three wide receiver label. Speaking on the Up & Adams Show with […]

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t had the best of worlds at the quarterback position in recent years. But once again they were in the playoff mix last season. Heading into 2024, Tomlin made a statement about the quarterback competition with two guys fighting for reps. When asked by ESPN NFL reporter Brooke Pryor […]

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has his work cut out for him in his first season in the nation’s capital. His chores include determining when to start his prized rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. But Daniels will surely love Quinn’s review of new tight end Zach Ertz. ESPN Commanders’ reporter John Keim posted a quote […]

Things didn’t go the way the Las Vegas Raiders wanted last season. However, head coach Antonio Pierce took over in the middle of the year and impressed owner Mark Davis. Even though the honeymoon is over and Pierce will have to produce results in 2024, he said he’s comfortable with the task ahead. “I honestly […]

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has something Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins would like to have: a Super Bowl title. But Cousins has something Jones would like to have: an impressive business acumen after signing a second big NFL free-agent contract. In a video posted on X by the NFL, Jones described why […]

Draft strategy for the Philadelphia Eagles centered on strengthening a secondary that had problems in 2023, contributing to a disappointing season. The Eagles first two picks came from the cornerback position. Unfortunately, one of those new weapons has been declared out for multiple weeks amid training camp. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the injury of Cooper […]

The Carolina Panthers struggled to move the football in 2023, and the outlook for this year isn’t a whole lot more rosy. But their defense is considered a strong point. And on that side of the ball is a cornerback who could surprisingly make or break the 2024 season. Entering his fourth season, Jaycee Horn […]

Tennessee committed money to improving its receiving group in the offseason. The Titans added Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd with DeAndre Hopkins still in the house. But the surprising player who could make or break the Titans 2024 NFL season is a third-year tight end. Chigoziem Okonkwo came to the Titans in the fourth round […]

When the defense is abysmal but the first pick in the draft is a quarterback, the team plans to ride the offensive wave and hope the defense gets a surfboard. That’s where the Washington Commanders landed, and why one surprising player who could make or break the Commanders’ 2024 NFL season comes from the offensive […]

Aaron Rogers made his NFL name during 18 years with the Packers before a drawn-out trade process brought him to the New York Jets. Then his first season in 2023 ended because of injury, but recently said positive things about his recovery. During an appearance on Pardon My Take, Rodgers said it would take a […]

Every top-end NFL wide receiver faces the chance to become elite, or somewhat fade into the crowd of “pretty good.” Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase reached elite status quickly. CeeDee Lamb of the Cowboys and Tyreek Hill of the Dolphins did it in year No. 3. For wideout Chris Olave, he’s under the most pressure […]

Last season, the Detroit Lions got so close to the Super Bowl they could taste it. But they remained on the unwanted list of teams that have never made it. So can defensive end Aidan Hutchinson be blamed for treading lightly when discussing the Lions’ hopes for the 2024 NFL season? Appearing on the Rich […]

Baker Mayfield surprised NFL observers last year, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is headed for another good season, according to his offensive coordinator. Mayfield said he’s hyped over one of his weapons reverting to an old role. Mayfield told bucswire.com he thinks Chris Godwin’s return to the slot will increase the effectiveness of the […]

After three years in the NFL, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf appeared to be on the fast track to superstar land despite his share of critics when he entered the league in 2019. And his big contract extension pointed to great things ahead. However, Metcalf enters the 2024 season as the Seahawks’ player under […]

When the Tennessee Titans signed Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract, they took a larger gamble than NFL teams often take in these deals. Yes, keyword: gamble. The deal not only put pressure on the front office, but also landed it directly on the shoulders of the star wideout as the Titans’ player […]

With Joe Mixon set to lead the Houston Texans’ backfield, it appeared Dameon Pierce would be the top backup. However, the Texans announced Sunday the signing of former Vikings running back Cam Akers, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Akers enjoyed modest success with […]

Things are looking good for the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 season. They have Super Bowl hopes, and a quarterback who seems to be elevating to an elite level. But, as usual for teams in the NFL, the Packers hit a sticking point in the contract of Jordan Love. It’s simple stuff for the […]

Some NFL folks might view Jonathan Taylor as the Indianapolis Colts player under the most pressure for the 2024 season. Michael Pittman Jr. possibly resides in that conversation as well. However, the correct answer to this question is quarterback Anthony Richardson. Wait. Slow your roll. Let’s fact-check this assessment. Richardson enters only his second season […]

One thing that helped push former head coach Ron Rivera out the door with the Washington Commanders came in the form of drafting Emmanuel Forbes in last year’s first round. Rivera tried to hang on to the idea of Forbes becoming a standout, even late in the 2023 season. But Forbes turned into a bust, […]

The Miami Dolphins enter the 2024 NFL season with high hopes but need the defense to keep pace with a high-profile offense. However, a pair of outside linebackers won’t be ready from the starting blocks as they landed on the physically-unable-to-perform list, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Both Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are […]

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has been known for the amount of key injuries his team experiences in the course of a season — or postseason. So having a deep roster helps. But having a loaded roster at the top raises the 49ers as an elite team for 2024, and ESPN hammered home […]

According to the Minnesota Vikings’ depth chart and the team’s approach, Sam Darnold will be the starting quarterback in Week 1. But an interesting development came across the web Tuesday when rookie J.J. McCarthy received an impressive endorsement from new teammate T.J. Hockenson. Speaking on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, Hockenson detailed what the […]

It looks like other Tampa Bay Buccaneers seasons in recent years, minus the Tom Brady ones. Maybe the team could win more games than it loses. This year it probably depends on whether Baker Mayfield is decent. Ho-hum. But why not spice it up? Here are three potential trade candidates as the Buccaneers enter the […]

It figures to be an interesting season for the Arizona Cardinals. What if quarterback Kyler Murray stays healthy and forms an immediate star-level bond with new wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., and the Cardinals score a ton of points? Ah, the fun. But while dreams are still allowed, the Cardinals have three trade candidates as the […]

In a nice position heading into the 2024 NFL season, the Houston Texans are loaded at wide receiver and have a rising star quarterback in C.J. Stroud. The stacked wideout room gives the Texans a chance to consider trade candidates heading into training camp. At the head of the list is veteran Robert Woods. Entering […]

It seems like the Buffalo Bills have lived as a team on the edge for several seasons. Just one more step and they will reach the Super Bowl. Another chance rolls around in 2024, and roster tweaks may lead the Bills to look for possible trade candidates entering the 2024 training camp season. Keeping in […]

Almost any NFL team can find a spot for a player like Braxton Berrios. And the Super Bowl-minded Miami Dolphins — if they can get the job done at the right time — already have him. But Berrios value as a versatile player makes him one of the Dolphins’ potential trade candidates ahead of the […]

Patrick Mahomes has done pretty well the last two seasons despite working with marginal wide receivers. But in 2024, Mahomes may get back closer to what he had when Tyreek Hill wore Kansas City Chiefs red. And the position improvements mean a pair of wideouts could be trade candidates entering the 2024 training camp. With […]

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt has always been a hybrid, as much a defensive end as a linebacker, and gets plenty of praise for it. But nobody applied the hybrid tag to his secondary prowess, until now. Watt, who could lead the Steelers to another playoff berth in 2024, drew an eye-opening DB take from […]