NFL Player News

The Patriots selected Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, 15th overall.

Jones' draft day slide comes to an end as the Alabama product ends up in New England. Rumored to go as high as No.3 overall to the 49ers, Jones wound up being the fifth quarterback selected in the first round. Jones lacks the physical traits of Trey Lance or Justin Fields, but he is a polished and accurate passer who executed at a high level as the leader of the Crimson Tide. He torched the opposition in 2020, throwing for 4,500 yards on 11.2 YPA while tossing 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Having a star-studded supporting cast helped, but Jones showed an ability to operate an offense and read defenses. The Patriots have Cam Newton back on a one-year deal, so this is a move for the future in all likelihood with Jones likely set to take over in 2022 after a year of learning the system.

The Bears selected Fields in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, 11th overall.

With Fields sliding past the Top 10, the Bears jumped at the opportunity to find their next quarterback by trading multiple picks and moving up from No. 20. Fields is widely viewed as one of the best quarterback prospects in this class, possessing an impressive track record built on elite ability. The Ohio State quarterback lit it up in his two years in Columbus, completing 68.4 percent of his passes with a 9.3 YPA. He tossed 63 touchdowns against just nine interceptions and added 867 rushing yards and 15 scores. Fields twice led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff and performed at a high level on the biggest stage. His performance against Clemson in the 2021 Playoff underlines what he can be at the next level when he threw for 385 yards and six touchdowns on just 28 attempts, showing poise and toughness throughout. Fields (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) has an NFL-ready frame to go with top-end arm strength and impressive athleticism (4.46 in the 40-yard dash). Chicago has veteran Andy Dalton in place, but make no mistake, Fields is the future of the franchise and the future could start as soon as 2021.

The 49ers selected Lance in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, third overall.

This pick has been one of the great unknowns since the 49ers used multiple future first-round picks to move up from No.12 overall. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones had been rumored to be the pick since the trade, but the Lance to San Francisco connection proved to be the ultimate result. Lance, at age 20, comes to San Francisco with just one full year of starting experience at North Dakota State in 2019, when he completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding 1,100 yards and 14 scores on the ground. He possesses all the traits, combining elite arm strength with game-breaking mobility when plays break down. There is some projection with Lance given his lack of experience and the level of competition he faced, as well as spotty ball placement at times. However, his fit in Kyle Shanahan's offense in San Francisco makes him a fascinating prospect both in real life and for fantasy. The question now resides with how San Francisco handles his development alongside Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Jets selected Wilson in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, second overall.

Wilson (6-foot-2, 214) was a standout three-year starter at BYU, where he showed dual-threat ability and intriguing arm talent that eventually made him the sole draft target of new head coach Robert Saleh. The Jets were locked onto Wilson all offseason, and this pick was one of the few that were all but settled going into the draft. Wilson's dual-threat abilities should prove interesting in an offensive scheme that means to emulate the structure built by Kyle Shanahan, who offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur served under with the 49ers previously. Wilson completed 73.5 percent of his pass attempts in his dominant 2020 season, averaging 11.0 yards per attempt while producing 3,692 yards with 33 touchdowns versus three interceptions. With the Jets he has a few interesting targets already lined up, especially Corey Davis and Denzel Mims on the outside.

The Jaguars selected Lawrence (shoulder) in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, first overall.

The long-anticipated first overall pick is officially a Jacksonville Jaguar. Lawrence heads to the NFL as the best prospect at his position in at least a decade after a decorated career at Clemson in which he showed all the traits of a future franchise quarterback. Lawrence (6-foot-6, 213 pounds) took over the starting job for the Tigers as a true freshman and delivered a National Championship victory over Alabama. He finished his collegiate career with a 66.6 percent completion rate on 758 attempts, compiling 10,098 yards, 90 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions while adding nearly 1,000 yards on the ground. Lawrence brings elite arm strength and accuracy, as well as a rare feel for the game. He projects to be the Day 1 starter for the Jaguars as they begin a new chapter under head coach Urban Meyer. Lawrence has already begun throwing after undergoing surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in February.

Rudolph and the Steelers have agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The agreement, which Rudolph and the Steelers agreed upon on the eve of the 2021 NFL Draft, keeps the 2018 third-round pick under contract through 2022. Rudolph is currently slated to serve as the top backup to Ben Roethlisberger during the 2021 season, and he could be in the mix as the team considers its plans at quarterback long-term.

Rodgers is so disgruntled with the Packers that he's told some people he doesn't want to return to the team, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Schefter also reports that the Rams (in February) and the 49ers (on Wednesday) have inquired about trading for Rodgers but were turned away by the Packers, who seemingly hope to mend the relationship with their future Hall of Fame QB. Thursday's report stops short of saying Rodgers will demand a trade, but it sounds like he's considering options to hasten his departure from Green Bay. While recent reports have suggested that won't happen any earlier than the 2022 offseason, the latest info from Schefter suggests Rodgers could try to play hardball and force his way out this spring/summer.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman were both noncommittal on Hurts entering 2021 as the team's starting quarterback, CBS 3 Philadelphia reports. "To name any starters at this particular time...we've been working with these guys for two days," Sirianni said during an April 21 press conference. "My biggest thing is competition. We're going to have competition at every position."

With a new coaching staff in the fold for 2021, all of the Eagles' returning players will have to earn their keep, and Hurts is no exception. As the roster currently stands, Hurts' main competition for the starting job is 36-year-old Joe Flacco. After trading down from the No. 6 overall pick in this week's NFL draft to the No. 12 spot, the Eagles seemingly aren't in position to select any of the top signal-callers on the board, though it won't necessary preclude them from investing an early selection into the position. Hurts started the Eagles' final four games of the 2020 campaign, completing 51.9 percent of his throws for 6.9 yards per attempt and a 5:3 TD:INT while adding 272 yards and three scores on the ground.

Lock will likely have to compete for the Broncos' starting quarterback job in training camp after Denver acquired Teddy Bridgewater from Carolina on Wednesday, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.

After demonstrating limited progress in his sophomore season in 2021, Lock never appeared all that likely to make it through the offseason without the Broncos adding some competition, be it in the form of a rookie or veteran. He could still end up having to compete with both, though it might be argued that Wednesday's trade for Bridgewater decreases the odds of Denver picking a quarterback in the early rounds of this weekend's NFL draft. Either way, Lock will need to fight for his job this summer.

The Broncos acquired Bridgewater from the Panthers on Wednesday in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

With $10 million of his $17 million base salary for 2021 being guaranteed, Bridgewater didn't have much value on the open market. In fact, Troy Renck of Denver 7 News reports the Panthers will pay some of the quarterback's salary to facilitate the trade. Bridgewater is now in line to compete with Drew Lock for a starting job, while Sam Darnold is left as the only quarterback in Carolina with significant NFL experience. This trade seemingly increases the odds of the Panthers drafting a signal-caller and decreases the odds of the Broncos taking one, but it could still go either way in both cases, considering none of Bridgewater, Lock or Darnold looks especially likely to become a true franchise quarterback.