NFL Player News
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Jayden Daniels QB | WAS
Commanders' Jayden Daniels: Wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
Daniels was named the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday, Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports.
Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,568 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns while throwing nine interceptions over 17 regular-season games with Washington this season. He also added a rookie-QB record 891 rushing yards while scoring six touchdowns on the ground. It comes as no surprise that he was able to bring home the hardware as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, edging out fellow quarterback Bo Nix, wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas and tight end Brock Bowers for the award.
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Kirk Cousins QB | ATL
Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Dealt with late-season injuries
Cousins said Tuesday that the right shoulder injury he sustained in Week 10 impacted the quality of his play down the stretch, and contributed to his benching in favor of rookie Michael Penix in Week 16, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Cousins' season looked remarkably different prior to Week 10, as he boasted a 17:7 TD:INT entering the road matchup against New Orleans, compared to a 1:9 TD:INT in his final five appearances. He was listed on the injury report immediately after the contest against the Saints, but was then limited for only one practice before being listed as healthy to conclude the campaign. Coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot also affirmed multiple times that the veteran QB's health wasn't a factor in the decision to bench him for Penix. Still, Cousins' focus to begin the offseason is related to getting healthy. "If we can do that," he said, "[I] feel like I've got a new life ahead of me in pro football." Fontenot has stated that Cousins will work as the backup to Penix during the 2025 season, but if the veteran's struggles were indeed mostly injury-related and he's able to quickly get right, it could make it easier for Atlanta to facilitate a trade.
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Jimmy Garoppolo QB | LAR
Rams' Jimmy Garoppolo: Logs single start in backup role
Garoppolo completed 24 of 41 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and an interception during the 2024 regular season, adding two rushing attempts for five yards.
In his lone appearance of the season Week 18, Garoppolo showcased his abilities to potential suitors and performed well, completing touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and Tyler Johnson with mostly backups on the field for the Rams. Head coach Sean McVay may be inclined to bring the 31-year-old Garoppolo, an unrestricted free agent, back for another round as the primary backup to Matthew Stafford if the price is right, as third-stringer Stetson Bennett has yet to take a snap in a regular-season game and had a miserable preseason with five interceptions and a lost fumble over two starts.
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Daniel Jones QB | IND
Vikings' Daniel Jones: Headed for free agency
Jones didn't play any snaps in the Vikings' 27-9 loss to the Rams on Jan. 13 in the wild-card round Minnesota signed him off its practice squad.
After completing 216 of 341 passes (63.3 percent) for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions through 10 games for the Giants, Jones was released by the team and subsequently signed with the Vikings' practice squad. Though he was added to the roster for the playoffs, he was inactive for the wild-card round as the team's emergency No. 3 quarterback behind Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens. Jones is set to become a free agent this offseason, and while a return to Minnesota may be unlikely, the Vikings could receive a compensatory draft pick if he ends up signing elsewhere.
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Nick Mullens QB | JAC
Vikings' Nick Mullens: Plays seven snaps in 2024
Mullens completed two of two pass attempts for 38 yards and zero touchdowns across four games during the 2024 regular season.
The veteran backup quarterback played a total of seven offensive snaps across the four contests, and he rushed three times for negative two yards on top of the limited pass attempts. Mullens turns 30 years old in March and is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason. The Vikings' quarterback picture is unclear, with both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones also slated to be free agents. J.J. McCarthy (knee) is coming off a serious injury and missed his entire 2024 rookie campaign.
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Shane Buechele QB | KC
Bills' Shane Buechele: Inks future deal with Buffalo
The Bills signed Buechele (neck) to a reserve/future contract Wednesday, Alec White of the team's official site reports.
Buechele spent the entire 2024 season on injured reserve due to a neck injury that he suffered during the preseason in mid-August. By signing a futures deal, Buechele will be eligible to participate in OTAs, minicamp and training camp in the hopes of making the Bills' 53-man roster for the 2025 campaign.
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Malik Willis QB | GB
Packers' Malik Willis: Shines in relief role
Willis recorded 550 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 138 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown over seven appearances in 2024.
The Packers acquired Willis from the Titans less than two weeks before the regular season began, and that proved to be a pivotal move, as he led the Packers to victory in both Weeks 2 and 3 while filling in for an injured Jordan Love. The sample size was small, but Willis posted a sterling 124.8 quarterback rating in 2024, which put him back on the map after a nondescript start to his career. Willis has one year remaining on his rookie contract, so barring a trade to a team that may be interested in him as a starter, he will be back in Green Bay for another go-around.
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Sam Hartman QB | WAS
Commanders' Sam Hartman: Inks future deal with Washington
The Commanders signed Hartman to a reserve/future contract Tuesday.
Hartman signed with the Commanders in late April as an undrafted free agent following six years in college (five with Wake Forest, one with Notre Dame). He spent most of the year on Washington's practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp, but he had a brief stint on the Commanders' active roster due to Marcus Mariota landing on injured reserve in early September with a chest injury. Hartman would have a better chance at making Washington's 53-man roster for the 2025 campaign if Mariota opts to sign elsewhere in free agency.
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Marcus Mariota QB | WAS
Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Does well with limited chances in 2024
Mariota completed 34 of 44 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns during the 2024 regular season, then took two rush attempts for one yard in two playoff games.
Mariota never made a start but got the majority of playing time in two regular-season games and led the Commanders to victory both times. He then got two snaps in short-yardage situations during the playoffs, converting one and getting stuffed on the other. The 31-year-old isn't under contract for 2025, but it won't come as any surprise if he re-signs with the Commanders to back up Jayden Daniels again.
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Justin Fields QB | NYJ
Steelers' Justin Fields: Pittsburgh to bring back one QB?
Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II said Monday that it's his "preference" and will be "a priority" to re-sign one of Fields or Russell Wilson this offseason, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Rooney II said it's "probably unlikely" that both Wilson and Fields will return to Pittsburgh for the 2025 campaign, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, but it sounds like a strong possibility that one of the two signal-callers will get another opportunity to prove themselves as the team's long-term starter during the 2025 campaign. Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 record to kick off the regular season, though upon being replaced by Wilson under center Week 7 he never got another chance to compete for the starting gig, even though the veteran closed out the year with five straight losses. Pittsburgh's choice between re-signing Fields or Wilson figures to be heavily influenced by the relative interest both receive from other teams on the free-agent market.