NFL Player News
-
Joe Flacco QB | CIN
Browns' Joe Flacco: Sits out 11-on-11
Flacco did not participate in the Browns' 11-on-11 session at practice Wednesday, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Flacco was the first quarterback up in the team's first modified 7-on-7 series against the team's No. 1 defensive back seven. He then shifted into being a spectator for the remainder of the day, handing the reins off to Kenny Pickett to begin the team's 11-on-11 session to end practice. Not much can be inferred about the quarterback pecking order in Cleveland after the team's first full-squad workout Wednesday, but it's worth monitoring as the days pass. Flacco and Pickett appear to be the frontrunners of the Browns' four-man quarterback competition, with rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel fighting an uphill battle.
-
Kyle Allen QB | DET
Lions' Kyle Allen: In battle for No. 2 role
Allen has seen work with both the second-team and third-team offensive units at Lions training camp, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Allen worked with the second-team offense to open training camp Sunday before Hendon Hooker replaced him with the second-team unit Monday. Allen signed with the Lions in the offseason, and he'll compete with Hooker for the backup quarterback role behind Jared Goff this season. The 29-year-old hasn't played in any meaningful action since 2022 with the Texans, when he completed 46 of 78 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing four interceptions, in two starts with the team. Hooker spent the majority of the 2024 campaign as Goff's primary backup and likely has the early edge over Allen for the No. 2 role.
-
Hendon Hooker QB | NYJ
Lions' Hendon Hooker: Competing for No. 2 role
Hooker took second-team reps at practice Monday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Hooker was operating with the third-team offense behind Jared Goff and Kyle Allen during Sunday's first practice of training camp. The quarterback stepped it up a notch Monday, but he appears to be in a direct competition with Allen for the backup role ahead of the 2025 campaign. Hooker operated in the No. 2 role for the 2024 regular season but was moved to emergency QB in favor of veteran Teddy Bridgewater for the playoffs. Hooker has reportedly shown a strong early rapport with rookie wideouts Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic, but Hooker will have to get some more work with the starters in order for Detroit to get a full read on him prior to his third year in Detroit.
-
Jared Goff QB | DET
Lions' Jared Goff: Looking to build off career year
Goff is entering his fifth season in Detroit, operating as the team's starting quarterback ahead of Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Goff compiled a career-high 4,629 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns while completing 72 percent of his pass attempts over 17 regular-season games in 2024. The 30-year-old has been the picture of consistency, appearing in all 51 of the Lions' regular-season contests over the last three years. With offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving in the offseason to become the head coach with the Bears, Goff will work with new OC John Morton, who was a senior offensive assistant in Detroit in 2022 before spending two years with the Broncos as the team's passing game coordinator. Morton is considered to be a maestro with wide receivers, and Detroit added third-rounder Isaac TeSlaa to the fold in the 2025 NFL Draft. He'll join an already talented wide receiver room that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond. The wide receivers paired with impressive running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, as well as tight end Sam LaPorta, will provide Jared Goff with a wide array of options to once again have a productive campaign in the Motor City.
-
Tyson Bagent QB | CHI
Bears' Tyson Bagent: Competing for QB2 job
Bagent and Case Keenum will compete for the backup quarterback job behind Caleb Williams during training camp and the preseason, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Bagent worked with the third-string skill players during Wednesday's practice, but Cronin relays that the third-year quarterback will likely swap with Keenum and serve as the QB2 on Thursday. After starting in five games in 2023, Bagent spent the entire 2024 campaign as Chicago's backup behind Williams, with the former playing 13 snaps across four regular-season games.
-
Anthony Richardson QB | IND
Colts' Anthony Richardson: Shares first-team snaps with Jones
Richardson and Daniel Jones shared first-team QB snaps during Wednesday's opening training camp practice, Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star reports.
The report notes that the Colts held four team periods in Wednesday's session, with Jones working with the starters for the first two, while Richardson handled the first-team snaps during the final two, which fits with coach Shane Steichen's plan to alternate the two signal-callers in training camp as they compete for the Week 1 starting assignment. Though there's a chance that Richardson could have some volume restrictions in the coming days (in particular during low-leverage portions of practice) after experiencing soreness in his throwing shoulder this summer, the plan is for the 2023 first-rounder to handle team reps, an approach that will allow him to contend with Jones in a job battle that Steichen noted is "really going to come down to who's the most consistent" this summer, JJ Stankevitz of the Colts' official site previously reported.
-
Daniel Jones QB | IND
Colts' Daniel Jones: Splits reps with Richardson
Jones and Anthony Richardson split first-team QB snaps during Wednesday's opening training camp practice, Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star reports.
Per the report, the Colts held four team periods during Wednesday's session, with Jones working with the starters for the first two, while Richardson took the first-team snaps during the final two. In the process, each quarterback was given 16 team snaps, which aligns with coach Shane Steichen's plan to alternate the two signal-callers in training camp as they compete for the Week 1 starting assignment. While there's a chance that Richardson could have some volume restrictions in the coming days after experiencing soreness in his throwing shoulder this summer, the 2023 first-rounder was cleared to participate in training camp, setting the stage for a job battle that Steichen noted is "really going to come down to who's the most consistent" as the summer progresses, JJ Stankevitz of the Colts' official site previously reported.
-
Cam Ward QB | TEN
Titans' Cameron Ward: Takes first-team reps, as expected
Ward took all of the first-team QB reps during Wednesday's opening training camp practice, Turron Davenport of ESPN reports.
While the Titans haven't officially declared Ward the starter, Davenport indicates that the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is firmly in line to claim the job after the team announced Monday that Will Levis, who is now on IR, will have season-ending surgery on his right shoulder next week. Currently in the mix to back up Ward this coming season are free-agent acquisitions Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle.
-
Will Levis QB | TEN
Titans' Will Levis: Placed on IR by Titans
Levis (shoulder) was placed on IR by the Titans on Wednesday, Jim Wyatt of the team's official site reports.
The move comes as no surprise, following Monday's news that Levis had elected to have season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. In his absence, this year's No. 1 overall pick, Cameron Ward, is poised to handle the bulk first-team QB reps in training camp practices as the Titans prepare him to be their starter in Week 1, per Wyatt.
-
Hendon Hooker QB | NYJ
Lions' Hendon Hooker: Working on details
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Hooker knows that it's time to "take the next step" in his career.
Campbell also mentioned being impressed by Hooker's urgency and footwork at the beginning of training camp. The 27-year-old spent all of last season as Detroit's No. 2 quarterback, ultimately attempting just nine passes with Jared Goff staying healthy throughout the year. Now entering the third year of his rookie contract, Hooker will face competition from Kyle Allen this summer. There was some thought Hooker might eventually replace Goff after the Lions made him a third-round pick in 2023, but Goff has since led offenses that ranked fifth and first in points scored, earning a four-year, $212 million extension in the process. The Lions essentially are tied to Goff through 2027, one year beyond the length of Hooker's rookie contract (2023-26).