The Cincinnati Bengals have invested heavily in replacing Trey Hendrickson through the Draft and failed pretty miserably. Still, the search must go on to give some stability to the pass rush. ESPN recently put out an offseason guide for all the teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs, and analyst Aaron Schatz wrote that […] The Cincinnati Bengals have invested heavily in replacing Trey Hendrickson through the Draft and failed pretty miserably. Still, the search must go on to give some stability to the pass rush. ESPN recently put out an offseason guide for all the teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs, and analyst Aaron Schatz wrote that the Bengals’ top offseason priority is to “Add juice to the pass rush”. He noted that, while the young pass rushers on the roster gave a glimpse of hope, Cincinnati still finished last in pass rush win rate for the year. So how does Schatz see the Bengals addressing their biggest problem? He thinks they need to target edge rushers in the first round “That matches the strength of this class, where David Bailey (Texas Tech) and Keldric Faulk (Auburn) could be realistic options,” Schatz wrote. Alternatively, Schatz explained, if Cincinnati really believes that Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy are long-term answers, they could instead target a “space-eating defensive tackle like Caleb Banks (Florida) [who] would improve the line in a hurry.”‘ Schatz’s big prediction for the Bengals, though, was in free agency. “The Bengals will sign more than one veteran edge rusher, such as Joey Bosa, Yetur Gross-Matos, D.J. Wonnum or Charles Omenihu.” Of course, the question, as always, is whether those players will be willing to sign for less guaranteed money in Cincinnati than they would get elsewhere. See More: Cincinnati Bengals Analysis
Bengals will sign Joey Bosa or other veteran pass rusher, predicts ESPN’s Aaron Schatz
AFC playoffs are proof that the Colts got it all wrong
Quick. What’s the most important position in football? Yep, you got it if you answered quarterback, and if you answered anything other than that, you’re just a contrarian. They make the most money because they are so vital to a team’s success. The straw that stirs the drink touches the ball almost every offensive snap […] Quick. What’s the most important position in football? Yep, you got it if you answered quarterback, and if you answered anything other than that, you’re just a contrarian. They make the most money because they are so vital to a team’s success. The straw that stirs the drink touches the ball almost every offensive snap and controls so much. Looking at the AFC playoffs this year shows just how wrong the Indianapolis Colts have gotten it. Take a look at the field. Only one team had a quarterback that wasn’t drafted by their team. Of the two remaining, the Broncos and Patriots both drafted their guy two years ago. Understanding Bo Nix is out, these quarterbacks lead the charge for a turnaround in short order. From Stroud and Lawrence, to Allen and Herbert, they are all homegrown. The Colts under Chris Ballard have opted for the retread; the veteran who has been around awhile. Sometimes that works. Look at Philip Rivers’ first go. He was very good. Aaron Rodgers is the sole exception to the rule this year, but they didn’t get very far. When the Colts did have an opportunity to draft their guy, they missed. Drafting Anthony Richardson fourth overall appears to be an incredible whiff. After a season’s worth of snaps, the Colts traded him in for someone else. The rest of the league understands the importance of getting that spot right because it is the true driver of success. The Colts understand that too. One has to wonder at this point, however, if the group in charge is capable of getting it done. The Colts enter another season of questions at the one position you can’t have question marks at if you are going to be successful. If Daniel Jones can’t start the season, the Colts might have to turn back to one of their bigger draft mistakes, if he can even play due to the eye injury he sustained. If not, Riley Leonard might be the guy. Whomever they choose, they have to start getting it right. When the time comes, they cannot miss in the draft again because the rest of the AFC isn’t sitting around, waiting for them to get it right. See More: Indianapolis Colts Analysis
Maxx Crosby takes home multiple awards in Silver and Black Pride’s 2025 Las Vegas Raiders awards
With the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2025 season in the books, it’s time for Silver and Black Pride’s annual awards, where each writer gives their take on who should be the Raiders’ MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. While Tristen Kuhn […] With the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2025 season in the books, it’s time for Silver and Black Pride’s annual awards, where each writer gives their take on who should be the Raiders’ MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. While Tristen Kuhn has already handed out his awards, we’ll come to a consensus for the entire site with everyone’s input in this column. MVP: Maxx Crosby LAS VEGAS , NV – DECEMBER 7: Maxx Crosby (98) of the Las Vegas Raiders hangs his head after a first down by RJ Harvey (12) of the Denver Broncos during the third quarter of the Broncos’ 24-17 win at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, December 7, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Denver Post via Getty Images Ray Aspuria: Ashton Jeanty Producing 975 yards rushing with 346 yards receiving and 10 total touchdowns in his rookie season, Jeanty was productive despite having Brennan Carroll orchestrating one of the worst offensive lines in all of the NFL this past season. Jeanty started all 17 games as Las Vegas’ bell cow back in a year where getting met and hit either at the line of scrimmage or behind it would break many a running back. At just 22 years old, the sky remains the limit for the Boise State product and a new offensive line boss who not only is keen to attention to details but will actually impart that onto his linemen can prove fruitful going forward. Matt Holder: Maxx Crosby There really shouldn’t be much debate here. In addition to Crosby recording his third double-digit sack campaign in the last four years and racking up a career-high 28 TFLs while making the Pro Bowl, he provided leadership and was the team’s heart and soul. He was invaluable for the Silver and Black this year. Marcus Johnson: Ashton Jeanty With the offense struggling, the only player who had a decent season was Jeanty. Even with the struggles from the offensive line, Jeanty was able to help in the receiving game, having 1,321 yards from scrimmage. Jeanty displayed that with an improved offensive line, he could become a top-five running back in the NFL Tristen Kuhn: Maxx Croby Crosby played 15 games, posting 53 pressures, 10 sacks, 20 QB Hits, 28 TFL, 6 PBU, 2 FF, and an interception while being named to the Pro Bowl. Crosby has been instrumental in the Raiders’ defensive performances, consistently logging production, effort, and notable game-wrecking plays versus the run, including this season, with opposing teams only rushing to his side of the field on just 8.7% of plays. Prior to his injury, Crosby was on pace to be one of just four players in NFL history to record 30+ TFL and 10+ sacks in a single season. Bill Williamson: Maxx Crosby Maxx Crosby never stopped trying. The Raiders were awful, and he kept coming. 28 tackles for loss in 15 games is stupid. OPOY: Brock Bowers INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: Brock Bowers #89 of the Las Vegas Raiders catches a touchdown against Cam Hart #20 of the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter of a game at SoFi Stadium on November 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Getty Images RA: Brock Bowers Despite a season cut short by a knee ailment, the second-year tight end provided marvelous moments this past season. Hauling in 64 passes for 680 yards, Bowers topped his rookie touchdown mark of 5 with 7 in 2025. His route running at his size and strong hands were ever present in the 12 games he played (eight starts). At just 23 years old, Bowers remains a centerpiece weapon for the Silver & Black. Like Jeanty, a new coaching staff can make the upward trend even more fantastic for the 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end. MH: Ashton Jeanty Bowers is getting plenty of love here, and that makes sense because there was a clear difference in the passing game when he was on the field and 100 percent versus when he wasn’t. However, Jeanty played in all 17 games and led the team in yards from scrimmage (1,321) and touchdowns (10) by significant margins; 574 and three, respectively. Couple that with falling just 25 yards short of 1,000 yards on the ground while playing behind a terrible offensive line, and that’s OPOY-worthy. MJ: Brock Bowers Brock Bowers dealt with injuries all season but was able to have a career high in touchdown catches and make his second Pro-Bowl. Bowers was effective on the field, consistently a threat, and delivered a monster game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He will remain a staple for the Raiders going forward. TK: Brock Bowers Bowers, like Crosby, is the face of the Raiders franchise on offense and possibly the face of the franchise overall going forward. He played in just 12 games this season with a knee injury, where he posted 64 receptions, 680 yards, and a team-leading seven touchdowns. Additionally, Bowers went 14/22 on contested catches, ranking 4th among TEs in opportunities and seventh in success rate. Bowers also hauled in 296 of his 680 yards after the catch while forcing 11 forced missed tackles (sixth among tight ends) and having an average depth of target the highest of all NFL tight ends at 7.9 yards. Bowers has planted himself as an elite receiving tight end, hauling in 176 receptions, 1,874 yards, and 12 touchdowns in two seasons, with an impressive 34 contested catches on just 52 opportunities. BW: Brock Bowers It was too bad he got hurt so early in the year, and
A Look at the Vikings’ 2026 Opponents
With the 2025 season in the rearview, let us take a premature and (likely) abysmal early look at the Minnesota Vikings’ 2026 opponents and how I feel about them – i.e., how difficult I expect them to be. What else are we going to talk about? Sam Darnold in the NFC Championship Game? No thanks. […] With the 2025 season in the rearview, let us take a premature and (likely) abysmal early look at the Minnesota Vikings’ 2026 opponents and how I feel about them – i.e., how difficult I expect them to be. What else are we going to talk about? Sam Darnold in the NFC Championship Game? No thanks. It was the right choice for the long term, by the way. I believed it then; I believe it now. THE HISTORY OF COMPETITIVE BALANCE Of course, I’m hedging my bets because I’m often wrong (duh), and the turnover among playoff teams year-to-year is consistently unpredictable. Over the past 25 years, about 48% of playoff teams failed to qualify the previous season. Since the playoff expansion to 14 teams in 2020, that number has dropped to around 44%. In all, about six new teams make it every season. Some of this has to do with luck (e.g., key injuries and turnovers that can’t be replicated year-to-year), but it mostly has to do with the parity that comes with a hard salary cap. There are no L.A. Dodgers in the NFL, and that’s a good thing. Teams can go from seven wins to 11 in no time at all. Of course, the reverse can happen, too. You don’t have to tell a Vikings fan how difficult it is, considering we haven’t made the playoffs in back-to-back years since 2008 and 2009. Every time I write that, I get nauseous. Here are the Vikings’ 2026 opponents (it will be the NFC’s turn to play nine home games): Home: Bears, Lions, Packers, Falcons, Bills, Panthers, Dolphins, Colts, Commanders Away: Bears, Lions, Packers, Patriots, Saints, Jets, Buccaneers, 49ers A lot was made of the Vikings losing out on the “last-place” schedule after beating the Lions on Christmas Day. A reminder: that affects only three of the 17 games; the NFL’s rotating schedule already has the other 14 locked in. So instead of facing the Titans, Giants, and Cardinals, the Vikings will draw the Colts, Commanders, and 49ers. The glaring difference is the 49ers rather than the Cardinals. Then again, the Giants just hired John Harbaugh and have talent, so it would shock no one if they were better than the Commanders next year. Likewise, who will be the Colts’ QB next season? I can’t say with certainty that they’ll be considerably better than a Titans team with an improving young QB who could likely be paired with the #1 wide receiver in April’s draft. See what I mean? LOOKING AT THE 2026 SLATE We all know what they say about assumptions. Still, for this exercise, I believe we’ll have an improved J.J. McCarthy at QB1, with a proven, reliable backup with considerable starting experience. Let’s say a Mac Jones, Geno Smith, or Marcus Mariota type. Let’s really get nuts and suggest maybe even Kirk Cousins is back here. We’ll also embrace the doom that comes so naturally to Vikings fans and say Brian Flores moves on (and it better be for a head coaching position). Games that will be very difficult (<50% chance of victory): Bills, @49ers, @Bears, @Pats The Bills are the Bills, and Josh Allen is Josh Allen. This won’t be easy. And with yet another season without a Super Bowl appearance, 2026 will be a season of desperation for Sean McDermott’s bunch. The window could be closing. (UPDATE: McDermott was just fired. Wow. Didn’t expect that. Yet another potential opening for Brian Flores.) Anytime you face Kyle Shanahan, especially on the road, it’s going to be tough sledding. Under Mike Vrabel and with Drake Maye, the Pats could very well be positioned to be the new Chiefs or, well, the old Pats. They aren’t going anywhere. I firmly believe the Bears will regress next year as turnovers and lucky bounces dry up. That said, Ben Johnson should finally put them on a sustainable, positive trajectory. Precedent is in play here, too, as nothing is ever easy at Soldier Field, no matter how bad the Bears are. Games that will be toss-ups: Commanders, Falcons, Lions, @Lions, Packers, @Packers, Bears The Commanders had one of those seasons where nothing went right. We know how that feels, of course. While they may not be back to the NFC Championship Game level, I’d be shocked if they weren’t squarely back in the playoff mix next season. Our old pal Kevin Stefanski is now the Falcons’ head coach. I do think this improves the odds that Cousins is back as insurance, despite having to fork over the GDP of a small country for someone who will (on paper) be the backup. But as this season showed us, it matters…a lot. They whooped us back in Week 2, so hopefully, we get a McCarthy revenge angle for this one. Still, it won’t be easy. The Lions’ Super Bowl window may be closing fast. While it initially looked like the loss of both coordinators wouldn’t have much impact, the team faltered considerably in the second half of the season. Jared Goff’s cap hit balloons to $70 million next year, further limiting their ability to do much in free agency. They’ll still be good, however, as the talent level remains. It looks like both Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst will be back with the Packers, and with them, the usual 8 to 11 wins that have defined the post-prime Aaron Rodgers/Jordan Love era. Both games could go either way. As noted, I expect the Bears to regress as their insane turnover differential reverts to the mean. A familiar divisional opponent, Ben Johnson, an improved Caleb Williams, and significant roster talent still point to a dogfight.
Anthony Weaver to get second interview with Ravens for head coaching job
That wildest offseason for the National Football League in recent memory continues to rage on with multiple head coaching vacancies — including the latest opening in Buffalo — left to be filled. With Miami hiring a new head coach, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has been a hot candidate for multiple openings around the league. One […] That wildest offseason for the National Football League in recent memory continues to rage on with multiple head coaching vacancies — including the latest opening in Buffalo — left to be filled. With Miami hiring a new head coach, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has been a hot candidate for multiple openings around the league. One of those teams will interview Weaver for a second time tomorrow — and it’s a team he has strong ties to. According to multiple media reports on Monday, the Baltimore Ravens plan on interviewing Weaver for their head coaching job for a second time this Tuesday. Weaver coached in Baltimore from 2021 through 2023 — becoming the team’s assistant head coach in 2022 after one season as the Ravens’ defensive line coach and run game coordinator. In addition to coaching in Baltimore, Weaver was drafted by the Ravens in the second-round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons playing for the organization. For the past two seasons, the 45-year old coach has been in Miami, so if a team were to hire Weaver to be their head coach, the Dolphins would be in line for two compensatory third-round selections — one in 2026 and one in 2027. For a team that could use the help in the form of young, cheap talent, fans of the Dolphins should absolutely be rooting for Weaver to get the head coaching gig in Baltimore — or any other city for that matter. See More: Miami Dolphins News
Dolphins’ head coaching hire is Packers’ pain, Lions’ gain
According to several sources, the Miami Dolphins are finalizing plans to make Jeff Hafley their next head coach. Hafley earned the gig after just two seasons with the Green Bay Packers as their defensive coordinator. There, he turned around a unit that struggled under Joe Barry and produced a defense that ranked sixth in scoring […] According to several sources, the Miami Dolphins are finalizing plans to make Jeff Hafley their next head coach. Hafley earned the gig after just two seasons with the Green Bay Packers as their defensive coordinator. There, he turned around a unit that struggled under Joe Barry and produced a defense that ranked sixth in scoring in 2024 and 11th in 2025. Obviously, that’s tough news for the Packers, who had made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons with the help of Hafley, although both of those seasons were cut short by losses in the Wild Card. Hafley was well-regarded by both analysts and fans alike. The Packers’ pain is the Lions’ gain, but this news has an even further benefit to the Detroit Lions organization. Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard also interviewed for this Dolphins head coaching gig earlier on Monday. This means Sheppard is in line to return to Detroit for his second season as the defensive coordinator—although with so many head coaching vacancies still out there, nothing is certain. At the time of this writing, there are no reports that Sheppard has interviewed for any of the remaining head coaching jobs. While some of the opinion of Sheppard may be different, it’s clear he’s valued within the Lions organization and they’d prefer to have him back for 2026, despite some defensive struggles last season. Toward the end of the season, Lions coach Dan Campbell had this to say about Sheppard’s first season as defensive play-caller. “I like Shep. Shep has really grown this year,” Campbell said. “I think with any first-time coordinator, first-time coach, you go through a lot. You learn along the way. You make adjustments. You find things that you believe in. You throw other things to the side that don’t fit you. You find ways to adjust, and it’s just part of the process. I think Shep’s done a damn good job. There’s always going to be things that you learn from this job, but I like Shep.” Catch all of the Lions coaching news and rumors over on our 2026 Lions staff tracker. See More:
What experts are saying about Detroit Lions’ hiring of OC Drew Petzing
The Detroit Lions’ hiring of former Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing as their next OC—while not official yet—caught many fans and analysts off guard when news broke on Monday afternoon. Although he reportedly interviewed with the team last week, per Dave Birkett, that news didn’t leak to the public, so his name was not on […] The Detroit Lions’ hiring of former Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing as their next OC—while not official yet—caught many fans and analysts off guard when news broke on Monday afternoon. Although he reportedly interviewed with the team last week, per Dave Birkett, that news didn’t leak to the public, so his name was not on most fans’ radar. Therefore, he wasn’t the subject of much research done regarding the Lions’ vacancy. Given that he also has no direct ties to coach Dan Campbell, he didn’t come across in many lists of potential candidates for the job. So if you’re looking to cram as much knowledge about Petzing as possible, you’ve come to the right place. Below is a smattering of reactions from NFL analysts, reporters, former players, and coaches who have worked under him, and other analysts of the Lions’ hiring to get to know the newest Lions coach. Former co-workers Petzing worked closely with now-Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski. They worked together for six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Then, when Stefanski head-managed the Browns, he hired Petzing as their new tight ends coach in 2020. Here’s what he had to say at the time: “I think he’s one of the smartest coaches I’ve been around. I say that because he coached defense in college, he’s moved to the offensive side of the ball, been in the running backs room, the wide receivers room, the quarterbacks room. I think that type of breadth of experience is really important as you’re developing as a young coach. I think anybody who has been around him sees somebody that has a great knowledge of the game.” And here’s former Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright—who was coached directly by Petzing—talking about the coach in a great profile from The Athletic in 2023: “He’s very, very intelligent. If you give him a school book, he would make all A’s. You would think that wouldn’t translate so much to football. But if you gave him any test to know any play, any position on offense, he would know it, every single thing about it. And that was as an assistant. We knew at some point he was going to make it and be an OC.” Expert, analysts reaction to Lions hiring of Drew Petzing Here’s a bunch of scattered thoughts from various experts on Twitter: And one more for the Mike McDaniel fans out there: See More: Detroit Lions Analysis
Detroit Lions to hire Drew Petzing as new offensive coordinator
According to several reports, the Detroit Lions are finalizing a deal to hire Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator. For the past three seasons, Petzing has served as the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive coordinator. During that time, the Cardinals ranked 24th (2023), 12th (2024), and 23rd (2025) in points scored. But he did manage to […] According to several reports, the Detroit Lions are finalizing a deal to hire Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator. For the past three seasons, Petzing has served as the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive coordinator. During that time, the Cardinals ranked 24th (2023), 12th (2024), and 23rd (2025) in points scored. But he did manage to build out a very strong run game in his first two years with the Cardinals. In 2023, the Cardinals ranked fourth in rushing yards. The following year, they ranked seventh. Both years, they ranked second in yards per rush—finishing with 5.0 yards per carry in 2023 and 5.3 in 2024. However, the run game fell apart in 2025—both due to injuries and the team heavily relying on the passing game (first in passing attempts, last in rushing attempts). The Cardinals ranked 31st in rushing yards, but 16th in yards per carry. Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Petzing served as the tight ends coach for two years with the Cleveland Browns before jumping to the quarterbacks coach. And prior to that, he spent six years with the Vikings under Mike Zimmer, serving various roles, including wide receivers coach, assistant quarterbacks coach, and offensive assistant. While Petzing does not have a direct connection to coach Dan Campbell, he interestingly has ties with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. In short, the Lions are getting an experienced play-caller with varied success over the past three years with the Cardinals. Prior to that, he’s worked with several different position groups and worked his way up for the past dozen years among the NFL coaching ranks. This is a developing story, and we’ll have more information as it comes in. See More:
Detroit Lions staffer to coach Senior Bowl quarterbacks
On Monday, the 2026 Senior Bowl announced the coaching staffs for the two all-star college teams, and an interesting Detroit Lions name is on the roster. Lions offensive assistant Marques Tuiasosopo will coach the American team’s quarterbacks during the week of practices and the game. Tuiasosopo joined the Lions’ staff just this past year, but […] On Monday, the 2026 Senior Bowl announced the coaching staffs for the two all-star college teams, and an interesting Detroit Lions name is on the roster. Lions offensive assistant Marques Tuiasosopo will coach the American team’s quarterbacks during the week of practices and the game. Tuiasosopo joined the Lions’ staff just this past year, but he previously worked with the Rice Owls as their quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator from 2021-24. After hiring him last year, coach Dan Campbell indicated that Tuiasosopo would work with the quarterbacks while fellow former quarterback Bruce Gradkowski would work with the receivers. “That’s how I felt with those interviews with Tuiasosopo and then Gradkowski both. It was like, man, these guys, they belong here, man,” Campbell said. “They ought to be with us because I can just see that they’re going to take off. I think they’re going to be really good coaches for us.” Working with the American team quarterbacks next week during the Senior Bowl, Tuiasosopo will work directly with the following quarterbacks who were announced to be on the team’s roster: LSU QB Grant Nussmeier Arkansas QB Taylen Green Illinois QB Luke Altmyer Obviously, Tuiasosopo will get some inside knowledge on these three quarterbacks, so here’s a quick look at what they offer: Nussmeier is probably the most well-known quarterback at the Senior Bowl, as he entered the 2025 season considered one of the top signal callers in the country. Unfortunately, Nussmeier’s senior season didn’t go as he would have hoped, as lingering upper-body injuries led to inconsistent play, and he was eventually benched near the end of the season. When healthy, Nussmeier has “pro-ready” skills but no real “elite” traits. Instead, he is most productive as a rhythm passer who wins with confidence, anticipation, and the patience to let plays develop. He’s a strong leader who understands the nuances of football (his dad is Saints’ offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier) and has the potential to be drafted on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Green originally started for two years at Boise State before transferring to Arkansas for his final two years of college ball. In those two combined seasons with the Razorbacks, Green completed 428-of-707 passes (60.5%) for 5,868 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. He was also a huge rushing threat, amassing a total of 1,379 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on the ground over two seasons. The duality of his play has led to some lofty comparisons from Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who coached Lamar Jackson himself: Despite some serious production and flashy athleticism, Green is still projected to be a Day 3. He’s listed as Mel Kiper’s No. 8 quarterback this class Altmyer’s career started at Ole Miss, but after failing to win the starting job, he transferred to Illinois, where he played for three seasons, including two very successful seasons the past two years, where the team finished 10-3 and 9-4 in 2024 and 2025. This past year, he’s completed 246-of-365 yards for 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Here’s what our friends at The Champaign Room had to say about Altmyer’s scouting profile: Among the attributes they like about him are his performance in clutch situations, his release and touch, his ability to throw high-velocity, accurate passes, his read progression in passing situations, his ability to navigate the pocket, his toughness, his preparedness, and his mental approach to the game. Like Green, Altmyer is expected to be a Day 3 pick. He’s 10th on Kiper’s quarterback big board. Senior Bowl practices begin next week on Jan. 27-29 before the game on Jan. 31. See More:
Let’s try to have a nuanced conversation about Jalen Hurts
Let’s get this out of the way right at the top. Jalen Hurts did not have a great 2025 season. Objectively, it’s a fact. In terms of the traditional numbers, his 98.5 QB rating was 12th out 41 players with at least 150 attempts, he was 16th in passing yards (3,224), tied for 9th in […] Let’s get this out of the way right at the top. Jalen Hurts did not have a great 2025 season. Objectively, it’s a fact. In terms of the traditional numbers, his 98.5 QB rating was 12th out 41 players with at least 150 attempts, he was 16th in passing yards (3,224), tied for 9th in touchdowns (25), his 64.8% completion percentage was 21st, and he tied for 19th in yards per attempt. The nerd statistics had him at 21st in EPA/Play, 18th in Pass EPA, and a whopping 33rd in success rate. Folks, those numbers are straight-up garbage. Perhaps most surprising for a player whose legs have always been a key aspect to his dynamism, he was 20th in scramble percentage, and his 421 yards on the ground were 6th among QBs. As Ruben Frank noted in an excellent NBC Sports article last week, the offense stumbled in large part because Hurts stopped running with the football this season. When Hurts ran five times this year, the Eagles were 8-2. When he didn’t, they were 3-4. Throughout his career, they’re 57-24 when he runs five times and 9-12-1 when he doesn’t… …Hurts was asked numerous times this year why he hasn’t run as much, and he always answered the same way, saying he’s doing what he’s told to do. And the RPO numbers were way down – just 81 RPOs all year compared to 128 last year. And he only ran on 10 of them, compared to 41 last year. Hurts’ 421 yards rushing were the lowest of his career as a starter, a full 209 yards less than a season ago in which he played one fewer game. He was still successful when he did run (a 53.3% success rate was just a tick under his 55.3% a year ago), but he attempted just 6.6 rushes per game, down from 10.0, 9.2, 11.0 and 9.3 in his first four seasons as a starter. Jalen Hurts is, without question, a championship-caliber quarterback. Even his harshest critics have to cede that much. He was the best player on the field in Super Bowl 57, a lock to win MVP if the defense hadn’t allowed Kansas City to kick the game-winning field goal at the end of regulation, and he played flawlessly in Super Bowl 59, taking home MVP honors in New Orleans. He has traditionally played his best at the end of seasons and upped his game in the postseason. Just not this year. Like every quarterback, Jalen Hurts has strengths and weakness, both on the field and off. No one outside the Nova Care Complex knows exactly what Hurts truly wants to do on offense. You hear reports about Hurts’ unhappiness with the conservative nature of Nick Sirianni and, this year, fired OC Kevin Patullo, but then you also see a reluctance to throw intermediate routes over the middle and in tighter windows. Former Eagles insider Derrick Gunn reported Hurts didn’t throw the ball in-game the way he did in practice, often refusing to follow the play design in the heat of the moment. “Those things that [get] dissected on film [and] during practice, those things that are talked about among the quarterback coach, the offensive coordinator, the head coach, it has been constantly discussed all season long. Yet, when they transition to the field on a football game, [Hurts] plays his game. Not the game the coaches want him to play. He plays his game. I don’t think you can get out of that mode at this particular point. I think it’s what we’re going to have to watch all season long, is him playing his game.” “You look at a lot of quarterbacks, they’re going to sling it,” Gunn said. “They’re going to trying to throw it through the eye of the needle. Sometimes you just have to take that chance. That’s not his game. That’s why he stands back there, a lot of the time he’s patting the ball, patting the ball, and it throws the timing of the offense off. The rhythm is thrown off. . . . They can’t get him out of it. “It’s frustrating in a lot of ways, to the coaching staff. And to the players. Extremely frustrating to the players. Because when they look at the film, the next day or a few days later, they see what’s available out there and what should’ve happened, and it didn’t happen, it’s frustrating to them as well. . . . I’m just basically telling you there’s a lot of people in that organization that are frustrated with the quarterback situation right now. But the quarterback understands he has them over a barrel. This is almost Carson Wentz part two. They’re not going to eat this kind of money yet.” Hurts clearly doesn’t want to turn the ball over and, as we saw in the divisional round of the playoffs, turnovers were a huge factor. CJ Stroud wasted an incredible defense with four abominable first half interceptions in the Texans’ loss to the Patriots. Josh Allen, the reigning NFL MVP and de facto best quarterback in football, turned it over five times. He lost in overtime, failing once again to get to the game Hurts has already been to twice, and won once, in convincing fashion. Caleb Williams, author of the Windy City Heave, threw three interceptions, the third of them in overtime with his team 15 yards away from a game-winning field goal attempt mere moments after authoring one of the greatest throws in playoff history. Both Allen and Williams were largely given a pass for their teams’ losses, despite the turnovers. Hurts has four career
