Buying Or Selling NFL's Latest Training Camp Buzz Entering Preseason
After months of roster turnover, coaching changes and the drama that comes with the NFL offseason, we are finally ready for the preseason.
Sure, the Hall of Fame Game is technically the beginning of the preseason, but this week kicks off the first full slate of preseason action. With it, another round of the latest buzz to come out of the 32 training camps that are in full swing.
From players who are standing out to those who could be on the trade block, there's a little bit of everything in the news cycle this time of year.
Of course, things can be a little overblown right now as well. Without actual games going on every story gets a little more attention and it can be hard to decipher what should be taken seriously and what is likely under the microscope because it's that time of year.
Here's a look at the latest buzz and whether we should be buying or selling the larger implications.
Carolina Panthers Undecided on Quarterback Until Second Preseason Game
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Don't expect Matt Rhule to make a decision on his starting quarterback anytime soon. The head coach didn't commit to naming a starting quarterback but said it will at least be into the second week of the preseason schedule before he makes a decision.
"I'm not putting a timetable on the quarterback position until after we get back from the Patriots week," he said, per David Newton of ESPN.
The ESPN scribe also noted that neither quarterback held a distinctive advantage over the other in the scrimmage.
But even that observation should tell you all you need to know. Baker Mayfield has been with the Panthers for a little over a month. Darnold has been playing for the franchise for more than a year.
Mayfield might be a polarizing quarterback with his unsteady play but even his worst season would be considered Darnold's best. Last season Mayfield threw for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a passer rating of 83.1.
Darnold's career-high passer rating came in 2019 when he posted a 84.3 mark including 19 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.
Rhule can wait as long as he wants but it's clear who the choice should be. There are four years of film out there that point to Mayfield being the better quarterback.
Verdict: Selling
Garrett Bradbury in Danger of Losing Minnesota Vikings Center Job
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Anytime a new head coach takes over there's a question of job security for existing personnel. So it's not a surprise when a player like Garrett Bradbury is reportedly fighting for his job despite being a three-year starter for the Minnesota Vikings.
Mark Craig of The Star Tribune reported the center is battling to keep his starting job after struggling in pass protection throughout camp thus far.
Bradbury has been the man in the middle of the offensive line for the Vikings since they drafted him in the first round of the 2019 draft, but it hasn't always been pretty. According to Sports Info Solutions, Bradbury gave up five sacks in his rookie season and followed it up by giving up four.
Last season he cut his sacks conceded down to two, but he was also flagged for holding six times.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell acknowledged Bradbury's struggle, pointing to his need to be consistent with his technique.
"That's where we're challenging him each and every time; technique, technique," O'Connell said, per Craig. "He's got a good anchor when he's got his feet underneath him."
While Bradbury has been frustrating at center it's hard to believe he's truly in danger of losing his job. Craig wrote that Bradbury has taken all of the first-team reps in camp thus far.
He also noted that Chris Reed—one of the candidates to take the job—has never played center in a game before. Austin Schlottman—another option—only has seven career starts in three seasons.
This feels more like a public motivation tactic than an actual position battle.
Verdict: Selling
Kareem Hunt Asks for Trade; Cleveland Browns Say No
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Kareem Hunt is asking the Cleveland Browns to show him the money or send him to a team that will. The Browns have a simple answer: No.
Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported the running back has requested the trade and the team's response was a defiant refusal. Her reporting comes on the tail of a report from Josina Anderson of CBS Sports that Hunt was conducting a "hold in" in which he only participates in individual drills.
Hunt returned to team drills on Sunday, per Jake Trotter of ESPN.
Hunt is in the final year of the contract extension that he signed in 2020. He is set to make $6.25 million this season and would be an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
However, after missing multiple games with ankle and calf injuries it would make sense the back wants to secure more money now before risking further injury this season.
Using recent history as precedent Hunt could wind up losing if this turns into a staring contest. The same basic situation played out with tight end David Njoku in 2020. The tight end ended up sticking it out with Cleveland and was rewarded this offseason with a four-year, $54.75 million contract.
Hunt doesn't have a ton of leverage. Even if Hunt were to decide to sit out the Browns would still have Nick Chubb and D'Ernest Johnson flashed the ability to be a solid second running back last season when Hunt was injured.
The buzz makes sense from both sides. It makes complete sense for Hunt to try and maximize his value but it also doesn't make sense for the Browns to capitulate if they want to retain the back.
Verdict: Buying
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Las Vegas Raiders Not Trying to Trade Josh Jacobs
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The Josh McDaniels era with the Las Vegas Raiders kicked off by sparking some trade speculation with their usage of Josh Jacobs in the Hall of Fame Game.
While the annual exhibition usually features fringe starters and training camp hopefuls, the Raiders gave Jacobs a surprising workload. He played multiple series and gained 30 yards on five carries while Derek Carr and Davante Adams sat out.
The decision lead Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk to speculate the team could have been showcasing him for a potential trade.
There's some smoke to the fire that Jacobs isn't part of the team's long-term plans. They declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract and McDaniels is coming from a system in New England that embraced a running back by committee approach.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network poured some water on the trade buzz, reporting the Raiders are not looking to trade their starting running back. The insider did note there would be suitors if they were selling him, but that would run counter to their belief they are a playoff contender.
Rapoport's reporting checks out here. It remains to be seen how much value the Raiders put on Jacobs moving forward. However, they are going to look to retain as much firepower as possible this season after breaking the bank for Adams.
Jacobs' 2023 status with the Raiders is something to keep an eye on, but it would be shocking if the Raiders hurt their chances to contend in 2022 by trading him away.
Verdict: Buying
No Clear Trade Partner for Jimmy Garoppolo
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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport gave an update on the Jimmy Garoppolo situation in San Francisco and it sounds like the quarterback could be waiting a while to find a home.
The NFL insider reported the 49ers are still planning on trading the quarterback but could wait for all the way until August 30 when teams have to cut their rosters from 80 players to 53.
The timing aspect of his report makes sense. The 49ers will likely want to wait out any possible situations where a quarterback gets hurt or give extra time for certain times to see how bad their options at the most important position are.
The most interesting bit in his report is that there is "no clear trade partner" for the quarterback right now.
That's where things get hard to believe.
This is a good time to remember that the Carolina Panthers were reportedly not interested in trading for Baker Mayfield—until they did.
There may not be a team that has put together the kind of compensation that San Francisco is hoping for, but Garoppolo would be a quarterback upgrade for many teams. Garropolo was ranked 16th in Mike Sando's poll for The Athletic which surveyed coaches, general managers and executives on where they rank the quarterbacks in the league.
Garoppolo comes with a $27 million price tag, but only $1.4 million is guaranteed so he's a prime candidate for a restructure or an extension.
The idea that no one is willing to put together an offer for a quarterback who was 13th in total QBR and took his team to the NFC Championship Game is hard to believe.
Verdict: Selling
Trey Lance's Training Camp Struggles
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As the San Francisco 49ers transition from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trey Lance, there are going to be bumps in the road. That's the case with any young quarterback starting for the first time.
Sunday was an example of the sort of learning curve that can be expected.
The Athletic's David Lombardi reported that Lance struggled with his accuracy all day, completing just 4-of-12 passes with an interception. Lombardi has kept a detailed log of completion percentage throughout camp and Lance's rough day dropped him down to 50 percent for the first 10 days of training camp.
It's important to note that Lombardi's log expanded on Lance's rough day saying the quarterback repeatedly missed high. That's a sign there is something wrong with his mechanics that can be corrected once Lance gets a chance to review the film and get coaching.
That's exactly what the quarterback will do according to his teammate and receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
"He was still talking to us, trying to figure it out. Level, even-keeled dude. We don’t worry about him at all, really. We’ll look at it. He came in and said, ‘Let’s take a look at it later on today.’ Then we move on," the receiver said, per Lombardi.
It's not realistic to expect Lance to come in and be as polished as his fellow class of 2021 quarterbacks might be. He only started two games last season.
Even so, it's early enough in training camp that any concerns could wind up looking like the worries that Ja'Marr Chase was going to struggle with drops in 2021.
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