Cowboys' Jerry Jones on Odell Beckham Jr.: 'Every Day Diminishes Our Chances' of Deal
Dec 20, 2022
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 07: NFL athlete Odell Beckham Jr. and Lauren Wood attend the NBA game between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on December 07, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
It's looking increasingly like Odell Beckham Jr. will not be a Dallas Cowboy.
Owner Jerry Jones made his weekly appearance Tuesday on Shan & RJ on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan, saying the chances of Beckham signing in Dallas diminish every day.
"I don't have an assessment of that, but as of this morning we don't have anything," Jones said. "I don't have an assessment. The reality is, though, that time is moving down the road relative to playing in the playoffs, and so every day diminishes our chances of going forward."
Beckham met with the Cowboys, New York Giants and Buffalo Bills this month as he explored his options for a return from a torn ACL. The three-time Pro Bowler said he does not plan to play during the regular season.
"I haven't made a decision, and for me, I would like to be in a stable environment, get up at 6 a.m., leave at 6 p.m. for four weeks, and then let's talk about it," Beckham said this month on TNF in the Shop. "I've played football for a long time. I'm not saying that I couldn't step in and play regular season, but I don't see the point. I really don't. I would rather play when the pressure is on."
The longer the situation plays out, the more likely it is Beckham sits out the entire 2022 season and reenters the free-agency pool this offseason. Sitting out would allow Beckham to be fully recovered from the ACL tear suffered in Super Bowl LVI—his second in as many seasons—while increasing the suitor pool and driving up his potential asking price.
Still, Beckham is a 30-year-old who has not made a Pro Bowl since 2016 and has a questionable knee. His name value is much higher than his expected production value.
With the Cowboys signing T.Y. Hilton last week as well, there's no real reason for urgency in Dallas.
Rams' Matthew Stafford Says He's Not Retiring from NFL amid Recovery from Neck Injury
Dec 20, 2022
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 6: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams drops back to pass during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 6, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said on his wife Kelly Stafford's podcast The Morning After that he is not retiring from the NFL.
The Rams placed Stafford on injured reserve Dec. 3 because of a neck injury, and his status going forward was uncertain.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Nov. 27 that the Rams didn't know if Stafford would play again in 2022, noting he'd been in concussion protocol twice, had a strained neck and also experienced numbness in his legs.
The injuries have contributed to a lost year for Stafford, who has just 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in nine starts. His 87.4 passer rating is his lowest since 2014, while his 231.9 passing yards per game only beats his first two years in the NFL.
The numbers are a dramatic change from 2021 when he totaled 4,886 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, leading the Rams to a Super Bowl title in his first season in L.A.
Stafford underwent a procedure on his right elbow in the offseason and was limited in training camp as he recovered. Though he was back on the field in Week 1, he seemingly never returned to 100 percent.
The Rams have struggled with and without their starting quarterback, and they fell to 4-10 and were eliminated from playoff contention with Monday's loss to the Green Bay Packers. That makes it unnecessary for Stafford to return this season, but he wants to get back on the field in 2023.
The 34-year-old signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March, featuring $130 million in guaranteed money. If Los Angeles wanted to trade or release Stafford, it would cost the team at least $48 million in dead cap, per Spotrac.
Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, John Wolford and Bryce Perkins give the team options to finish out the year, although all three are set to enter free agency this offseason.
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Andre Carter II to Be Eligible for 2023 NFL Draft; Army LB Is No. 29 on B/R Big Board
Dec 20, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 10: Army Black Knights linebacker Andre Carter II (34) warms up prior to the 123rd Army Navy game on December 10, 2022 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Army linebacker Andre Carter II is expected to be eligible for the 2023 NFL draft thanks to a provision in the Omnibus Appropriations Measure.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported amended language was added to the Congressional bill and filed Tuesday. The changes will provide Carter and any other current academy upperclassmen at Army, Navy and Air Force the ability to defer their military service for the chance to play professional sports.
Thamel noted the bill is "expected to pass this week."
Carter is a potential first-round draft pick who is the No. 29 overall player and No. 6 edge-rusher on B/R NFL Scouting Department's big board.
Thamel previously noted athletes have been able to delay service requirements since 2019 if they had the opportunity to play professionally, but that seemed to be changing before the new language that permits a legacy exception.
The language said the inability to apply for such an exception "shall only apply with respect to a cadet or midshipman who first enrolls in the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Air Force Academy on or after June 1, 2021."
Carter had the opportunity to transfer to powerhouse college football programs in the past and perhaps cash in on his name, image and likeness, but Thamel reported his family never even gave such a path "serious consideration."
That was one reason they were so upset before Tuesday's amended language. His mother, Melissa Carter, said:
"Here's the thing that's so painful. You guide your son to do the right things because it's right. And it's really disappointing that it's not reciprocated. This has been his goal since childhood, to go into the NFL. Every step of the way, that was on track, until we saw this article. That's the part that's disappointing. It's not surprising to see so many people transfer, opt out or switch teams. When loyalty is not reciprocated, that stings."
Army coach Jeff Monken echoed those sentiments.
"It's just kind of pulling the rug out from under him," he said. "It's not fair. It's not fair to him. He was loyal to this team and institution. He could have left and he didn't. He still wants to serve. It's not that he doesn't want to serve. He wants to pursue the NFL and play, and then serve."
Yet Thamel reported Carter's situation "rippled quickly through Washington, D.C.," which led to the expedited process that resulted in the amended language.
Members of Congress such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell were all involved.
Carter's parents, Melissa and Andre, told ESPN:
"Thank you to the members of congress who stepped up, spoke out and worked expeditiously in support of Andre and other service academy cadets and midshipmen who made decisions in reliance on the 2019 policy allowing deferral of service. The goodness we saw in people this past week will forever be imprinted upon us."
Attention turns to the NFL draft process as the 6'7" pass-rusher attempts to make an impression on teams through the scouting combine, Senior Bowl and interviews.
His breakthrough season came in 2021 when he tallied 41 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two passes defended, one interception and one fumble recovery. He helped lead Army to an Armed Forces Bowl win over the SEC's Missouri with a sack to end that season.
That put Carter firmly under the spotlight in 2022, and he responded with 41 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two passes defended in 10 games. He also posted four tackles in a double-overtime win over Navy.
The B/R NFL Scouting Department listed him as the best speed-rusher in the draft, and he has the chance to become Army's third player drafted since 1969. It has not had a first-round pick since 1947, but Carter could change that.
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Aaron Rodgers Doesn't Have to Be Great for the Packers to Be Good
Dec 20, 2022
Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers were healthier coming out of their bye, and they got a big win over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. The Packers team we saw—led by an aggressive defense and a strong running game—was the squad we expected to see in 2022.
For 6-8 Green Bay, though, the emergence of good, complementary football likely came too late to make a difference this year. It can, however, give the Packers a blueprint for how they can rebound in 2023.
That potential turnaround doesn't have to rely on quarterback Aaron Rodgers' return to MVP form either.
Green Bay does still have Rodgers, and the two-time reigning MVP—who has dealt with thumb and rib injuries this season—looked crisper and healthier after the extra rest. He also made a handful of brilliant throws. Yet this game was dominated by the defense and running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.
Jones and Dillon combined for 126 rushing yards, 71 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The defense logged five sacks and an interception and held L.A. to just 156 yards. Green Bay dominated time of possession, holding the ball for more than 37 minutes of game clock.
Rodgers, meanwhile, spent much of the contest playing the game-manager role.
This is how the Packers were supposed to win games. The defense is loaded with talented playmakers in Preston Smith, Kenny Clark and Jaire Alexander. Jones and Dillon are one of the top running back duos in the NFL.
Rodgers shouldn't have to carry this offense the way he has in years past. With top wideout Davante Adams having been traded in the offseason, asking him to do so was always going to be a challenge.
The Packers do have promising rookie receivers in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs plus proven complementary receivers in Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. However, Watson and Doubs have had injuries and have rarely played together.
According to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman, they had played just 70 snaps together before Monday night.
With that and their lack of experience, and with a new offensive coordinator in Adam Stenavich, the offense hadn't showcased much chemistry. Even on Monday—arguably Green Bay's most complete game of the season—miscommunication was prevalent.
On Rodgers' first-quarter interception, he and Lazard appeared to be on different pages.
Aaron Rodgers threw his 10th interception of the season 🫣
Late in the game, when the Packers were trying to close it out, Watson was out of position for what might have been an easy touchdown—something Rodgers joked about after the game.
"You wanna catch touchdowns, you run the right routes," Rodgers said on ESPN during the postgame segment.
Rodgers was able to laugh because this game didn't end in disaster due to a picked pass or missed opportunity. The defense and the running game took care of business and made his job relatively easy.
The 10-time Pro Bowler finished 22-of-30 for 229 yards with a touchdown and an interception. That's not what fans are used to seeing from the Rodgers of years past, but it was good enough. If the rushing attack and defense control games as they did, good enough will be all Green Bay needs from Rodgers to be successful.
It's a formula the Packers have finally figured out over the past few weeks. But even after Monday's win, their playoff chances are incredibly slim.
Alright, a little housekeeping. In addition to winning their final four games, the Packers need…
— SEA to lose one of three. — WAS to lose two of three OR NYG to lose all three.
The Packers have to beat the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions to even have a shot. Getting the Seattle Seahawks to lose another game is doable, as they finish with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Rams.
That the Washington Commanders will lose two of three (against the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys) is probably more likely than the New York Giants' losing all three (Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles), but both are possible.
Still, a lot has to happen, and the reality is that Green Bay's season will probably end early next month.
However, Rodgers' time in Green Bay isn't likely to end in January. He signed a three-year, $150.8 million extension in the offseason and will have $99.8 million in dead money remaining on his contract in 2023.
Unless Rodgers retires, he will be Green Bay's starter next year. The franchise's focus in 2023 should be on helping Rodgers to continue transitioning to that game-manager role.
General manager Brian Gutekunst will have his work cut out for him in that regard. Green Bay is projected to have just $3.5 million in cap space and has several impending free agents to address.
That includes key players such as Lazard, Cobb, offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, tight end Robert Tonyan, safety Adrian Amos and safety Rudy Ford.
It wouldn't hurt to add another veteran to the receiving corps either, though the free-agent receiver class—headlined by JuJu Smith-Schuster, Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers—isn't exactly impressive.
Perhaps Green Bay can land a new No. 1 receiver in the draft by targeting a top prospect such as USC's Jordan Addison or Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Really, though, it should worry more about reloading the offensive line and the defense. The draft should provide an excellent opportunity to do just that.
According to the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's early rankings, 20 of the top 32 prospects are offensive linemen or defenders.
The Packers should put extra focus on shoring up a run defense that came into Week 15 ranked 30th in yards per carry allowed (5.0). Building in the trenches would allow Green Bay to try winning by controlling the clock and tempo and leaning much less on Rodgers' throwing shoulder.
That's the right formula, especially in the NFC North. The Vikings and Lions have shown they can win shootouts, but no team in the division is particularly great against the run.
The Vikings, Lions and Chicago Bears rank 18th, 26th and 27th in rushing yards allowed this season. Rodgers may no longer be equipped to out-quarterback the rest of the division. He can win by playing smart, managing the offense and making the occasional big throw.
And those big throws may come more frequently as he, Watson and Doubs continue to grow together in Stenavich's offense.
Per @ESPNStatsInfo: Aaron Rodgers went 7-of-7 for 91 yards with both Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs on field Monday, and is now 20-of-24 with both on field this season.
Of course, Rodgers may never dominate defenses as he did just a year ago. That's OK, because Green Bay's path to redemption next season isn't all about the quarterback. It's about building around the backfield, fielding an aggressive and opportunistic defense and cleaning up the mistakes that have cost the Packers this season.
Rodgers doesn't have to be great if the team around him is—and Green Bay can be great if it can execute the same game plan it did against Los Angeles.
Monday's game was the closest to a complete one the Packers have played this season.
Green Bay did notch an overtime victory against playoff-bound Dallas in Week 10, but that was far from a complete performance. The Packers turned the ball over twice and allowed 159 rushing yards, but they did run the ball well (207 yards), force mistakes (two interceptions, two sacks) and get late-game greatness from Rodgers in the comeback (two fourth-quarter touchdown passes).
Against the Rams—who at 4-10 are admittedly a lower-tier team than the Cowboys—the Packers imposed their will from start to finish. They didn't need late-game heroics from Rodgers because their backfield and defense set the tone.
Now it's time to build on that win, look ahead to 2023 and maybe—just maybe—get enough breaks to sneak into the postseason this year.
Packers Defense Impresses NFL Twitter as Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Beat Rams
Dec 20, 2022
Green Bay Packers linebacker Preston Smith (91) celebrates a sack in the first half of an NFL football game against the Los angles Rams in Green Bay, Wis. Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
It's rarely been pretty for the Green Bay Packers this season. Monday night was no exception. But for once, the defense stepped up in a major way.
Green Bay stifled the beat-up Los Angeles Rams offense, holding it to 156 yards in a 24-12 victory.
The Packers defense has not earned plaudits often this season. But on Monday night, NFL Twitter tipped its cap to that unit, namely edge-rusher Preston Smith:
Packers defense has 9 QB hits, 6 TFLs, 5 sacks, 5 pass breakups and a takeaway tonight. Front has been disruptive against a bad OL.
The Packers have five sacks tonight, two by Preston Smith, and it's their most in a game since Christmas Day last year against Baker Mayfield with the Browns.
This was always how it was supposed to be for the #Packers.
The defense plays super well to limit points on the board. The offense would utilize their running backs in many situations, figure it out to put up points, and be serviceable.
You could make the argument that the Rams offense was more dreadful than the Packers defense was superb. Fair enough. Baker Mayfield, in his second game as the team's quarterback, finished just 12-of-21 for 111 yards and a touchdown with an interception and took five sacks.
The Rams were just 4-of-11 on third down. They held the ball for only 22 minutes, 41 seconds and managed 72 rushing yards. It was ugly.
The Packers didn't exactly light it up. The running back duo of Aaron Jones (126 yards from scrimmage, one touchdown, one fumble lost) and AJ Dillon (71 yards from scrimmage, two scores) carried the load. Aaron Rodgers threw for 229 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
But the defense kept Mayfield uncomfortable and ensured the Packers offense didn't need to go wild. Because of that, the 6-8 Packers still have playoff hopes.
Aaron Rodgers said "there's still a lot to play for" on the postgame broadcast. #Packers QB smiling after Green Bay moves to 6-8.
It's still a long shot. For Packers fans, the immortal words of Lloyd Christmas come to mind: "So you're telling me there's a chance."
There's a chance, Green Bay. If the defense can repeat this performance, those odds will improve.
Baker Mayfield, Rams Offense Called Out by Twitter for Struggles in Loss to Packers
Dec 20, 2022
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay talks with quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) in the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis. Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
It was fun while it lasted, but the magic of Baker Mayfield ran out after just over a week for the Los Angeles Rams.
Mayfield and the rest of the offense put forth a lackluster effort in a 24-12 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football. The 27-year-old finished with 111 yards and a touchdown against one interception. He was sacked five times.
Just last week in another primetime matchup on Thursday Night Football, Mayfield powered Los Angeles to a comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders two days after being claimed off waivers.
That feel-good moment feels like months ago, as Monday's performance was a reminder as to why he was waived by the Carolina Panthers.
Third sack for the #Packers tonight. this one from Quay Walker, who forces a fumble the Rams recover. This defense is eating Rams offensive line for a holiday dinner.
The Rams will not have a chance to defend their Super Bowl title in the playoffs after falling to 4-10. Los Angeles has had multiple key players suffer injuries, including Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald.
While Mayfield is behind center, Los Angeles has to accept that there will be more performances like he had Monday. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick has not proved he can produce consistently.
The Rams will look to bounce back at home against the Denver Broncos (4-10) on Christmas Day.
