NFL Player News

Coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged Tuesday that there is not yet a precise timeline for Purdy's return following the quarterback's March 10 procedure to repair his right elbow, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.

With that in mind, Shanahan indicated that the 49ers should have a better idea of where Purdy stands in his recovery once he's about 12 weeks removed from surgery, noting Tuesday "we'll see at three months if he'll be ready for camp, or if not, then perhaps we say it's gonna go slow. It might be Week 1 and, at the latest, Week 4. It's just all estimations, and we'll see what happens." As long as Purdy is sidelined or limited, 2021 first-rounder Trey Lance (ankle) and free-agent addition Sam Darnold will have an opportunity to log added practice reps, but Nick Wagoner of ESPN relayed Monday that Purdy is viewed as the current front-runner to be the team's starting signal-caller when healthy -- at least according to GM John Lynch.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday he expects Lance (ankle) to split first-team reps with Sam Darnold during early offseason workouts as Brock Purdy (elbow) recovers from surgery, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.comg reports.

Lance is expected to be 100 percent for the start of OTAs, but Shanahan noted that it's still possible he has to be eased into action, which wouldn't be the case for Darnold. It appears that the 49ers are heading for a legitimate quarterback competition this offseason, though GM John Lynch said Monday that Purdy is "probably the leader in the clubhouse" to start once he's healthy, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. As Purdy's recovery timetable remains cloudy, Lance and/or Darnold could make the most of their upcoming opportunities and win over San Francisco's coaching staff. By virtue of his unique rushing abilities, Lance could potentially be the most interesting fantasy option of the trio if he were to get another chance to start.

Coach Sean McVay said Tuesday at the Annual League Meeting that Stafford (neck) is healthy and "there will be no limitations" when he resumes football activities, Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network reports.

Stafford is recovering from a spinal cord contusion that caused him to miss the last seven games of the 2022 season, but it appears that he's on track to participate in offseason workouts without any significant limitations. The 35-year-old play-caller's health will be one of the more pivotal factors in determining the Rams' success during the upcoming campaign, though the same can be said for star wide receiver Cooper Kupp (ankle), who is working his way back from tightrope surgery. Stafford didn't throw in offseason workouts last spring due to elbow tendinitis, so it will be notable if he's indeed able to participate in April's OTAs without any restrictions.

GM John Lynch said Monday that Purdy (elbow) is "probably the leader in the clubhouse" to start at quarterback for the 49ers, if healthy, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.

Purdy, who is recovering from right elbow surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament, has earned some sway "with the way he's played," but Lombardi reports that Lynch made it clear that he'll be competing with both Trey Lance (ankle) and Sam Darnold for the starting gig this offseason. Darnold currently is healthy, and Lance should be by the start of OTAs, while Purdy may resume throwing in June. It's possible the results of San Francisco's quarterback competition won't be fully solidified until closer to the start of the 2023 regular season.

Jackson announced Monday via his personal Twitter account that he requested a trade from the Ravens on March 2.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said, "We love [Jackson]," in his press conference Monday at the NFL's annual meeting, when asked for a response to Jackson's trade announcement. However, after a lengthy contract dispute, the star quarterback has made it known that he prefers to move on from Baltimore. The Ravens placed the $32.4 million non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson earlier this offseason, but he has yet to sign the tender. Other teams can negotiate a contract with Jackson due to the non-exclusive tag, which Baltimore could match or alternatively gain two first-round draft picks as compensation, but Jackson's now-public announcement of a trade request could motivate teams around the league to more heavily pursue direct dialogue with the Ravens instead. Additionally, Harbaugh said Monday that Jackson has now fully healed from the sprained PCL in his left knee that caused him to miss Baltimore's final six contests of the 2022 campaign, per Jonas Shaffer of TheBaltimoreBanner.com.

Sudfeld and the Lions agreed to a contract Friday.

Sudfeld will be back in Detroit next season after spending the 2022 campaign with the team. He'll likely operate as the top backup behind starting quarterback Jared Goff once again in 2023. Sudfeld has not thrown a pass in an NFL regular-season contest since 2020 and is unlikely to have much of an impact unless Goff goes down with an injury.

Wilson, who is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee that he underwent after the end of the 2022 season, is expected to be healthy for OTAs, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Wilson is reportedly already working out and throwing following his knee procedure, so he doesn't seem to be carrying any lingering health concerns heading into the offseason program. The Broncos are hoping that new head coach Sean Payton will be able to facilitate a bounce-back season from Wilson in 2023, after the nine-time Pro Bowler finished with just 3,524 passing yards and a 16:11 TD:INT over 15 games during his first year in Denver.

The Cardinals and Blough (head) agreed to terms on a one-year contract Monday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.

Blough started the final two games of the 2023 campaign with Kyler Murray (ACL) and Colt McCoy (undisclosed) unavailable, combining for 402 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 65.5 percent passing. However, Blough departed early Week 18 to be checked for a concussion and was unable to return. Presumably past the injury, he'll rejoin a QB room that still employs a rehabbing Murray and McCoy, meaning Blough may be in line for significant reps during the offseason program.

The Browns and Dobbs agreed to terms on a one-year contract Monday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Dobbs served as Cleveland's backup quarterback to Jacoby Brissett during Deshaun Watson's 11-game suspension to begin last season. But the team cut Dobbs to make room on the roster for Watson in late November, and he eventually followed a stint on the Lions' practice squad with another on the Titans' active roster. With the latter, Dobbs started over rookie Malik Willis in Weeks 17 and 18, completing 40 of 68 passes (58.8 percent) for 411 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing eight times for 44 yards. Now that he's back with the Browns, he'll serve as the No. 2 QB behind Watson with Brissett having moved on to the Commanders in free agency.

The Dolphins officially picked up Tagovailoa's fifth-year option Monday.

Miami's decision to exercise Tagovailoa's fifth-year option, giving him a guaranteed $23.2 million salary for the 2024 season, is a sign of confidence in the young signal-caller. The 25-year-old excelled in coach Mike McDaniel's system with top receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle before concussions derailed his 2022 campaign, as he led the NFL in passer rating for much of the early part of the season. Tagovailoa has since cleared the concussion protocol, and as Mike Gavin of NBC New York reports, his offseason training thus far has prioritized techniques for avoiding future head injuries. Even with Mike Gesicki having moved to the Patriots in free agency, Tagovailoa looks primed to again lead an explosive offense in 2023.