NFL Player News

Smith is expected to compete with Drew Lock and Jacob Eason for the starting quarterback job after the Seahawks didn't select a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

The Seahawks decided to use all nine of their draft picks to reinforce other positions, signaling that they're content with letting Smith, Lock and, to a lesser extent, Eason battle for the starting job this summer. Smith, 32, played four games (three starts) while Russell Wilson was rehabbing a finger injury last season. He won just one game and completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 702 yards (7.4 YPA), five touchdowns and an interception while adding another 42 yards and a score on the ground.

Lock is expected to compete with Geno Smith and Jacob Eason for the starting quarterback job after the Seahawks didn't select a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

There was only one quarterback drafted in the first 73 picks, and despite having four picks in that stretch, the Seahawks opted to upgrade their offensive line and add a high-end running back and edge rusher. That's good news for Lock, who was part of the trade package that the Seahawks received for Russell Wilson. Lock has a big arm but was mediocre over 24 games (21 starts) with the Broncos over the last three years, completing 59.3 percent of his passes for 4,740 yards (6.7 YPA), 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He also ran for 285 yards and five scores. Unless the Seahawks bring in Baker Mayfield via trade or a veteran in free agency, the main competition in training camp will be between Lock and Smith while Eason makes a longshot bid.

Wilson will be getting a prominent new target, as the Jets selected wide receiver Garrett Wilson 10th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Rich Cimini of ESPN reports.

GM Joe Douglas has completely revamped New York's offense in just two offseasons. He signed Corey Davis before drafting Zach Wilson and Elijah Moore in 2021, then added Garrett Wilson (no relation) in the 2022 Draft. The Jets also added veteran tight ends C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin as well as rookie Jeremy Ruckert (third round) this offseason, plus second-round running back Breece Hall to complement 2021 fourth-rounder Michael Carter. Even if the Wilson-to-Wilson connection takes awhile to take off, the recent influx of playmakers has put the 2021 second overall pick in position to succeed under center.

The 49ers selected Purdy in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 262nd overall.

And so Purdy becomes Mr. Irrelevant in this draft class as the former Iowa State quarterback heads to the Bay Area. Purdy had some hype as a potential early round selection after a strong start to his career with the Cyclones, highlighted by him throwing 27 touchdowns as a sophomore. Purdy didn't improve as an upperclassman, however, and his stock slid as a result. While he lacks starter-level traits for an NFL quarterback, Purdy could become a solid backup down the line.

The Dolphins selected Thompson in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 247th overall.

Thompson is a fringe prospect at best, but he was a very good collegiate quarterback at Kansas State and an accomplished four-year starter. None of his four seasons featured high-volume passing, and even the rushing production dried up in the final two seasons, but Thompson has modest dual-threat abilities. The Dolphins will hope to turn him into a quality backup.

The Steelers selected Oladokun in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 241st overall.

The Steelers found their quarterback of the future in the first round with Kenny Pickett, but they're hoping to develop Oladokun -- who spent time at South Florida and Samford before settling in at South Dakota State as a sixth-year senior -- into a suitable backup. Oladokun maneuvers well in and out of the pocket, and he possesses a quick release that helps when he's throwing off base or in the face of pressure. He finished with 3,164 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions at SDSU, adding 73 carries for 166 yards and two scores on the ground. Oladokun will be 25 years old when the season starts and will likely battle Mason Rudolph for the No. 3 role behind Pickett and Mitch Trubisky.

The Commanders selected Howell in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 144th overall.

Howell, like many of the 2022 rookie quarterbacks, slid further than many assumed, but he lands in an intriguing spot with the Commanders. A three-year starter at North Carolina, Howell is hardly a dynamic athlete out of the pocket, but he's mobile enough to extend plays at times and can make every throw at the NFL level. Given that the uninspiring duo of Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke sits above Howell on the depth chart, the 21-year-old could be in position to compete for a starting job in the near future provided he's able to develop and clean up his mechanics in Washington.

The Patriots selected Zappe in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 137th overall.

Zappe spent four years at Houston Baptist of the FCS before transferring to Western Kentucky for 2021. He put together a historic season for as a senior, as he threw for 5,967 yards and an FBS-record 62 touchdowns, a record that was previously held by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (60). Of course, Zappe did it against Conference USA competition while Burrow did it in the SEC, but the production is convincing nonetheless. Zappe probably lacks the arm strength and athleticism to be a difference-maker under center. However, he has the intelligence and touch to potentially be a steady game manager if he's ever thrust into NFL action. He'll first need to beat out Brian Hoyer and/or Jarrett Stidham to be 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones' backup.

Fields now has two receivers that run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash after the Bears added Velus Jones in the third round of the NFL Draft, Adam Jahns of The Athletic reports.

Jones, who ran a 4.31 40-yard dash, joins Darnell Mooney as the second receiver on the Bears with elite speed. During the offseason, the Bears made it a point to add weapons to complement Fields' arm strength when signing Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown, but Jones adds another level of speed to the mix. If the team can put together an offense that combines Fields' running ability with a downfield-passing element, he could emerge as a strong fantasy starter with elite upside this season.

Tannehill will remain the Titans' starting quarterback even after the team drafted Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Turron Davenport of ESPN reports.

Tannehill helped lead the Titans to the top seed in the AFC in 2021, yet there was some concern about his level of play throughout the season. That stemmed primarily from turnovers, as he threw 14 interceptions and lost four fumbles across 17 games. He also threw three interceptions in the team's playoff defeat to Cincinnati, ending his campaign on a particularly sour note. However, Tannehill isn't likely to be immediately pushed for his starting job by Willis, who is regarded as an extremely talented -- but raw -- prospect. On the other hand, the selection of Willis could be the first sign that Tannehill's reign is nearing its end in Tennessee, as he is entering his age-34 season and his current contract expires at the conclusion of the 2023 season.