NFL Player News

The Browns believe Thompson-Robinson can be the top backup to Deshaun Watson this season and potentially a long time, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Cleveland wasn't necessarily looking to draft a quarterback, but the organization felt Thompson-Robinson is an ideal fit for the offense being built ahead of Watson's first full season with the team. Thompson-Robinson initially will compete with Kellen Mond but could eventually usurp the No. 2 job from Joshua Dobbs. The Browns play in the Hall of Fame Game this August, which gives them an extra week of training camp and preseason game with which to develop and evaluate Thompson-Robinson.

Coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch said after the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday that Lance (ankle) is 100 percent healthy ahead of OTAs, David Lombardi and Matt Barrows of The Athletic report.

Lance was lost for the 2022 season in Week 2, when he sustained a fibula fracture and ligament disruption in his right ankle. Prior to the injury, he was set to lead the 49ers offense as a 2021 first-round pick, but first Jimmy Garoppolo and then Brock Purdy righted the ship, with the latter leading the team to the NFC Championship Game. Purdy himself was hurt in that contest and required surgery on his right throwing elbow in March. While Purdy has an indefinite recovery timeline, San Francisco's brass has mentioned that he's the "leader in the clubhouse," when healthy. In the meantime, though, Lance and free-agent addition Sam Darnold will handle all the QB reps this offseason, which will be key for Lance potentially reclaiming his status as the team's signal-caller of the future.

Bagent is expected to sign with the Bears as an undrafted free agent, Alan Saunders of PittsburghSportsNow.com reports.

Bagent played 15 games in his senior year at Shepherd, completing 69.9 percent of his passes for 4,580 yards, 41 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Bagent had a 43-10 record as the starter for Shepherd, including back-to-back 13-win seasons in his final two seasons. He has a steeper learning curve than Division I quarterbacks when it comes to NFL-level defensive speed, but his mindset and physical profile should help him adjust to the stiffer competition.

Cunningham is expected to sign with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Cunningham played 10 games for Louisville last season, completing 62.4 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 565 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 114 carries. His 120 total touchdowns over five seasons with Louisville broke the school record previously owned by Lamar Jackson. While undersized and inconsistent with his throwing mechanics, he is an instinctive athlete with natural running ability that will help him compete at the NFL level.

Morgan is slated to sign with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.

Morgan played nine games with Minnesota last season, completing 62.2 percent of his passes for 1,382 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Morgan has shown improvement each season with his pocket movement and ball placement but has struggled with his pre-snap reads. The Steelers will give him a look because of his competitiveness and year-to-year improvement.

The Chargers selected Duggan in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 239th overall.

Duggan (6-foot-2, 207 pounds) was a good collegiate quarterback at TCU, but in the NFL there is extensive reason to believe he just doesn't have what it takes as a passer to see the field at quarterback. Duggan does have standout athleticism to work with, however, and could leverage his rushing ability enough to get by as needed in a backup role. The Chargers might even want to give him a look at receiver after Duggan ran a 4.52-second 40 at the combine.

The Eagles selected McKee in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, 188th overall.

McKee is a tall (6-foot-6), lanky signal-caller who lacks maneuverability in the pocket, essentially the exact opposite of star QB Jalen Hurts. The Eagles have always prioritized value at the QB position as opposed to scheme fits, so it's clear McKee's NFL arm enticed general manager Howie Roseman, but it's unlikely the Stanford product will push Marcus Mariota for the team's backup role.

The Vikings selected Hall in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 164th overall.

Hall's an undersized signal caller (6-foot, 206 pounds), but he was a capable two-year starter at BYU with a 51:11 TD:INT ratio and nearly 700 rushing yards in 22 starts. In a draft full of older quarterback prospects, Hall turned 25 back in March, so it's tough to assume the passer will have enough runway at the NFL level to contend for a top spot. However, Hall may push Nick Mullens for the Vikings' No. 2 QB slot behind Kirk Cousins.

The Packers selected Clifford in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 149th overall.

Clifford started 46 games at Penn State and kept Will Levis -- a second-round selection in the 2023 draft -- on the bench before Levis ultimately transferred to Kentucky. He is fearless in the pocket and has decent mobility, but he lacks arm strength, a factor that will likely limit him to a backup role throughout his NFL career. In the short term, he'll battle with Danny Etling for the second quarterback job in Green Bay.

The Browns selected Thompson-Robinson in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 140th overall.

A five-year starter at UCLA, Thompson-Robinson had plenty of experience running an NFL-style offense with Chip Kelly at the helm. The 23-year-old set career highs in passing touchdowns (27), rushing touchdowns (12) and rushing yards (646) in his final season at UCLA, but the growth as a playmaker was offset by a rise in turnovers. Thompson-Robinson makes for an intriguing backup behind Deshaun Watson, though he'll have to battle Joshua Dobbs and Kellen Mond for slotting on the depth chart.