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NFL Draft 2023: Why drafting the first quarterback does not necessarily ensure a team will get the best

March 20, 2023 by www.cbssports.com Leave a Comment

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In fewer than 50 days, the 2023 NFL Draft is to commence, with multiple quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round. Carolina recently traded up to the No. 1 overall selection for the right to select their quarterback of choice. Selecting the first quarterback does not necessarily mean that team will walk away with the draft’s best quarterback, however.

Situation matters; coaching and a strong supporting cast are vital for a young quarterback, as they lay a foundation for the rest of his career. Few are truly unable to carry the team out of the mud.

Here is a look at the first five quarterbacks selected in each draft class since 2010:

2022

1. Kenny Pickett , Pittsburgh (No. 20 overall) Desmond Ridder , Cincinnati (No. 74 overall) Malik Willis , Liberty (No. 86 overall) Matt Corral , Ole Miss (No. 94 overall) Bailey Zappe , Western Kentucky (No. 137 overall)

Other notable : Sam Howell , North Carolina (No. 144 overall), Brock Purdy , Iowa State (No. 262 overall)

It is early in the career of these young quarterbacks. Pickett started 12 games and showed some promise. Howell, Ridder, Zappe and Willis combined for 10 starts; Zappe played well enough to stir a micro quarterback controversy in Foxboro. Purdy started eight games, including three in a postseason run for the 49ers .

2021

1. Trevor Lawrence , Clemson (No. 1 overall) Zach Wilson , BYU (No. 2 overall) Trey Lance , North Dakota State (No. 3 overall) Justin Fields , Ohio State (No. 11 overall) Mac Jones , Alabama (No. 15 overall)

Other notable : Davis Mills , Stanford (No. 67 overall)

It has been a tale of two seasons for Lawrence. There were the pre- and post-Urban Meyer eras. Lawrence performed closer to the expectations of a franchise quarterback this season under the direction of head coach Doug Pederson. The season extended beyond the wild-card round with a victory over the Chargers .

Wilson has been more frustrating than exciting to this point in his career. There is too much hero ball and poor decision-making. His on-field performance likely led to the team’s pursuit of veteran Aaron Rodgers . Lance was finally handed the keys to a starting role this season but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the second game.

Fields has been a predominant runner in his fledgling career. The Bears catered the offense towards his skillset during the second half of the 2022 season and Fields showed progress. Jones was in the hunt for Offensive Rookie of the Year last season but, as noted above, found himself in more headlines than stat sheets this season trying to fend off rookie Bailey Zappe. Mills has started 26 games, which is the third-most among this quarterback class behind Lawrence (34) and Jones (31).

Lawrence is the only quarterback from this group to inspire confidence, while Fields has done enough to bring hope to the Windy City. It is still early in their respective careers, though.

2020

1. Joe Burrow , LSU (No. 1 overall) Tua Tagovailoa , Alabama (No. 5 overall) Justin Herbert , Oregon (No. 6 overall) Jordan Love , Utah State (No. 26 overall) Jalen Hurts , Oklahoma (No. 53 overall)

Outside of Burrow’s injury, he has been the best among this quarterback class. He has led Cincinnati to consecutive AFC Championship game appearances despite unstable offensive line play. Tagovailoa has been a solid quarterback when healthy, but that is obviously going to be the predominant narrative moving forward.

Herbert is a luxury car with all of the bells and whistles that has done more residential driving than exploring the ocean shores that are the postseason. He has all the necessary tools to be the best quarterback of this group, but does not have the postseason success to stack up favorably to Burrow.

Fans may finally get an extended look at Love this coming season , as it appears Aaron Rodgers will transition from the dark green pastures of Green Bay to the hunter green pastures of New York. Hurts began his career backing up Carson Wentz but is now charging up the ranks with a runner-up finish in the Super Bowl .

For more draft content, check out our latest prospect rankings and mock drafts, as well as our new weekly podcast, “With the First Pick,” featuring former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. (Check out the latest episode b elow .)

2019

1. Kyler Murray , Oklahoma (No. 1 overall) Daniel Jones , Duke (No. 6 overall) Drew Lock , Missouri (No. 42 overall) Will Grier , West Virginia (No. 100 overall)

Other notable : Jarrett Stidham , Auburn (No. 133 overall), Gardner Minshew , Washington State (No. 178 overall)

It is not a particularly stellar quarterback class in hindsight. The first two taken have had the most productive, lucrative careers. It goes to show how situation and coaching can alter one’s perspective of a player. In 2021, New York declined Jones’ fifth-year option worth $22.3 million. Prior to the season, Giants head coach Brian Daboll himself admitted that he did not envision Daniel Jones playing himself into a position to receive the contract (4 years, $160 million) that he recently received. Daboll had Jones looking like a quality NFL quarterback and a player who the franchise felt was indispensable.

Murray has looked like a game-changer when available. When defenses feel like they have him cornered, he scampers for a first down. The issue has been consistency and off-field murmurings about Murray’s commitment to the game. The Oklahoma product signed a five-year extension worth $230.5 million last offseason. Time will tell if he is the type of quarterback who can lead his team deep into the postseason.

2018

1. Baker Mayfield , Oklahoma (No. 1 overall) Sam Darnold , USC (No. 3 overall) Josh Allen , Wyoming (No. 7 overall) Josh Rosen , UCLA (No. 10 overall) Lamar Jackson , Louisville (No. 32 overall)

Other notable : Mason Rudolph , Oklahoma State (No. 76 overall), Mike White , Western Kentucky (No. 171 overall)

Insiders felt as though Cleveland’s choice at No. 1 overall was likely boiling down to Allen or Darnold the week before the draft. In the final 48 hours, the decision leaked, and it became clear that Mayfield would be the choice. Mayfield nearly won NFL Rookie of the Year. He was efficient and effective despite the dysfunction within the organization. Head coach Hue Jackson was fired and Freddie Kitchens was named head coach the following season. Mayfield has thrown for more than 16,000 yards in his career but has never been named to a Pro Bowl.

Darnold’s career has been worse to this point. His career began with Adam Gase, and now he is on his third team in five years. Rosen’s career has been the worst of the quarterbacks taken in the first round. He was traded after one season in Arizona and has bounced around the league ever since.

Allen is the most successful quarterback from this class thus far, despite being taken third. He has nearly 21,500 all-purpose yards for his career and 176 total touchdowns. The jury was out on Allen even two years into his career, but he blew up shortly thereafter, which is a credit to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and the two-time Pro Bowl selection. Patrick Mahomes and Burrow have been blocking his path to the Super Bowl, but Allen is annually one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Jackson is an MVP winner. He holds multiple NFL rushing records by a quarterback but also led the league in passing touchdowns in 2019. The biggest difference between Jackson and Allen has been availability and postseason success. The former has missed 12 games in his career to Allen’s five. Allen also has twice as many postseason appearances. There is no question Jackson is one of the most unique challenges for defensive coordinators when available, however.

2017

1. Mitch Trubisky , North Carolina (No. 2 overall) Deshaun Watson , Clemson (No. 12 overall) DeShone Kizer , Notre Dame (No. 52 overall) Davis Webb , California (No. 87 overall)

Chicago traded up to select Trubisky, who is now on his third team. Mahomes has an argument as the most talented quarterback to ever play in the NFL and is the first real threat to Tom Brady’s claim as the best quarterback ever. Mahomes has led Kansas City to the Super Bowl in three of the past four seasons, winning two. The Texas Tech product showed this past season that he does not need elite pass-catching talent to achieve the ultimate team goal.

Watson is easily the second-best quarterback from this class, but a lot of work has to be done to repair his public image following allegations of sexual misconduct. Watson has thrown for nearly 16,000 yards despite playing what amounts to four seasons in six years. The quarterback was nowhere near as productive over the past five games as he had been earlier in his career.

2016

1. Jared Goff , California (No. 1 overall) Paxton Lynch , Memphis (No. 26 overall) Christian Hackenberg , Penn State (No. 51 overall) Jacoby Brissett , NC State (No. 91 overall)

Other notable : Dak Prescott , Mississippi State (No. 135 overall)

Goff and Wentz have had years of success but have never been confused for the league’s best quarterback. Each has been to a Super Bowl, and Wentz nearly won MVP. One other commonality between the two is that they have been traded from the respective organizations that picked them in 2016.

Lynch started two games in his NFL career. Brissett has started at least one game for four different franchises, including 11 for the Browns last season. Brissett is a classic example of the quarterback capable of stepping in as a starter, but has been better served as a backup throughout his career.

It looked as though Prescott was going to be the best quarterback from this class by a wide margin. After not missing a game during his first four seasons, the Mississippi State product has now missed 16 games over the past three years. While many have the memory of the Dallas quarterback throwing back-breaking interceptions at the forefront of their minds, Prescott has been efficient throughout his career. The 29-year-old has completed 66.4% of his passes for 166 touchdowns and 65 interceptions. His career will ultimately be judged on postseason success, and he currently has just two postseason victories.

2015

1. Jameis Winston , Florida State (No. 1 overall) Marcus Mariota , Oregon (No. 2 overall) Garrett Grayson , Colorado State (No. 75 overall) Sean Mannion , Oregon State (No. 89 overall) Bryce Petty , Baylor (No. 103 overall)

Other notable : Trevor Siemian , Northwestern (No. 250 overall)

Winston was a volatile quarterback in Tampa Bay. The range of outcomes swung too drastically on a play-by-play basis, so the Buccaneers elected not to hitch their wagon to him long-term. Winston re-signed in New Orleans this offseason as he embarks on his third season. He led the NFL in passing yards in 2019.

Mariota recently signed with his fourth NFL franchise after beginning his journey with Tennessee. Situation called for Siemian to start several games in Denver, but it did not earn him an extended look elsewhere.

2014

1. Blake Bortles , UCF (No. 3 overall) Johnny Manziel , Texas A&M (No. 22 overall) Teddy Bridgewater , Louisville (No. 32 overall) Derek Carr , Fresno State (No. 36 overall) Jimmy Garoppolo , Eastern Illinois (No. 62 overall)

Bortles was never the reason for victory, but he did play well enough for Jacksonville to advance to the Super Bowl had it not been for a blown call. He played for five franchises over the course of eight seasons. Bridgewater was off to a promising start in his career until injuries sent him on a detour. He was never able to fully regain his abilities and has since jumped around as a spot starter and backup.

Carr is similar to Kirk Cousins in that he plays well enough for his teams to have a shot at victory but is often not the reason for victory. The four-time Pro Bowl selection has thrown for more than 35,000 yards in his career, but Las Vegas deemed it not good enough this offseason when it granted his release. He has since signed in New Orleans.

Garoppolo, ironically, just replaced Carr in Las Vegas. He was also drafted with the intent of one day replacing the ultimate draft steal: Tom Brady. Garoppolo was traded to San Francisco when Brady outlasted his contract, but he was not able to do enough to prevent the 49ers’ eyes from wandering. They selected the shiny, new rookie quarterback in 2021 (Lance) with the hope of that player eventually taking over. Garoppolo now has an opportunity to re-kindle his career with old flame Josh McDaniels.

2013

1. EJ Manuel , Florida State (No. 16 overall) Geno Smith , West Virginia (No. 39 overall) Mike Glennon , NC State (No. 73 overall) Matt Barkley , USC (No. 98 overall) Ryan Nassib , Syracuse (No. 110 overall)

Glennon has latched on as a traveled backup quarterback, but few others have amounted to much from this class. Smith is amidst a resurgence in the pacific northwest. He signed a three-year contract with Seattle this off-season but now has to fend off the idea of taking a rookie quarterback in April’s draft.

2012

1. Andrew Luck, Stanford, (No. 1 overall) Ryan Tannehill , Texas A&M (No. 8 overall) Brandon Weeden , Oklahoma State (No. 22 overall) Brock Osweiler , Arizona State (No. 57 overall)

Other notable : Russell Wilson , Wisconsin (No. 75 overall), Nick Foles , Arizona (No. 88 overall), Kirk Cousins, Michigan State (No. 102 overall)

Luck was viewed as one of the safest quarterback prospects to enter the draft since John Elway. He went to four Pro Bowls in seven seasons before abruptly announcing his retirement, which is certainly not something that Indianapolis could have seen forthcoming in its pre-draft evaluation, in 2018. Luck holds the NFL record for passing yards by a rookie quarterback (4,374).

Washington surrendered a massive pile of resources for the right to trade up and select Griffin. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012, but injuries began to pile up. The Baylor product played nine seasons in the league with three franchises. Miami essentially gave up on Tannehill and traded him to Tennessee. The Titans were able to resuscitate his career, and he is now going into his fifth season with the franchise. He has thrown for more than 33,000 yards in his career.

Weeden played seven seasons with four franchises. He had some memorable interceptions during his career. Osweiler received a rather large contract from Houston after serving as Peyton Manning’s backup in Denver. Before that contract had come to an end, the Texans shipped him and a second-round pick to Cleveland for the Browns to absorb the remainder of the contract.

The two best quarterbacks to come from this draft class were taken outside of Round 1. Wilson is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a Super Bowl champion. Despite his lack of traditionally ideal size, the third-round choice rose to prominence. He is now going into his 12th NFL season and second with the Broncos since being traded for a package that included multiple first-round picks. Wilson has thrown for 40,583 yards in his career.

Cousins spent the first six seasons of his career attempting to pry the starting role from Griffin. He eventually would, but it was not enough for Washington to pay him the contract he felt he deserved. The Michigan State quarterback is now entering his sixth season in Minneapolis since signing the NFL’s first fully guaranteed contract.

Foles is the other quarterback in this class to win a Super Bowl as a starter.

2011

1. Cam Newton , Auburn (No. 1 overall) Jake Locker , Washington (No. 8 overall) Blaine Gabbert , Missouri (No. 10 overall) Christian Ponder , Florida State (No. 12 overall) Andy Dalton , TCU (No. 35 overall)

Other notable : Colin Kaepernick , Nevada (No. 36 overall), Tyrod Taylor , Virginia Tech (No. 180 overall)

Newton has been an MVP and went to three Pro Bowls. He holds an NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (75). On the field, he was one of the most challenging matchups for opposing defensive coordinators. Injuries derailed his career and prevented him from being effective late into his career.

Dalton led Cincinnati to the playoffs multiple times before becoming a well-traveled veteran quarterback. Kaepernick had some big seasons in San Francisco. Taylor has played replacement level football serving as a starter in certain situations before settling into his role as a mentor and backup.

2010

1. Sam Bradford , Oklahoma (No. 1 overall) Tim Tebow , Florida (No. 25 overall) Jimmy Clausen , Notre Dame (No. 48 overall) Colt McCoy , Texas (No. 85 overall) Mike Kafka , Northwestern (No. 122 overall)

Bradford was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year but missed 15 games over the following three seasons. He battled injuries most of his career, but teams were always willing to take a chance on his potential when available. As a result, Bradford was traded twice during his career.

Tebow had fewer passing yards (2,422) than Clausen (2,520) but did produce a playoff victory for the city of Denver when he found wide receiver Demariyus Thomas for an 80-yard touchdown in overtime. McCoy has had the longest career in the NFL, fulfilling a role as a valuable backup and competent spot starter. He is entering his 14th season in the NFL but has thrown for less than half the yardage (7,975) of Bradford (19,449) in nine seasons.

The 2023 NFL Draft will take place April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri. Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Kentucky’s Will Levis, Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are all expected to be taken in the first round.

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Lakers’ Austin Reaves is making a leap, but Gilbert Arenas rule may make it hard for L.A. to pay him for it

March 20, 2023 by www.cbssports.com Leave a Comment

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Take a deep breath, Lakers fans. I know all of this feels familiar. An undrafted guard has emerged as a key rotation player. He is thriving as the Lakers deal with major injuries elsewhere on the roster. His presence is keeping a potentially doomed season afloat. He’s setting himself up for a major payday in the process. The Lakers lost Alex Caruso when this happened two years ago. Here’s the good news: the Lakers can legally match any offer another team makes Austin Reaves as a restricted free agent this offseason. If they want to keep him, it will be well within their power to do so.

Until a few weeks ago, doing so seemed like it would be a relatively affordable endeavor. While the Lakers could’ve locked Reaves up for two more years at close to a minimum salary had they managed their cap sheet a bit more effectively in 2021, the advantage of letting him reach restricted free agency in 2023 was that it effectively capped what the Lakers could offer him at the maximum amount allowable by the Early Bird Rights they’ve gained by having him on the team for two years. As Spotrac’s Keith Smith laid out in his excellent piece on Reaves’ new contract, that worked out to roughly $51 million over four years. He would make roughly $14.1 million in the final year of such a contract, a figure that’s probably lower than what he is worth now .

In other words, this would’ve been a bargain: a four-year commitment to an established 24-year-old with no significant history of injuries in a salary environment expected to see significant cap growth. No team is foolish enough to turn down that sort of opportunity. Not even the one that lost Caruso.

Of course, that relied on the idea that, from a value standpoint, Reaves was relatively similar to Caruso. They are very different players, but they represented similar things to the Lakers. For the most part, neither were particularly impressive box score players. Their impact was felt in advanced metrics and on-off numbers. Good things happened when Caruso and Reaves were on the floor. The progression felt somewhat similar: undrafted youngster grows into solid role player and earns solid role player money.

The last few weeks have created an enviable problem for the Lakers. Reaves is becoming something more than just a solid role player. While it’s far too early start speculating about stardom, Reaves is quietly growing into one of the most efficient offensive guards in the NBA .

He might have just saved the Lakers’ season on Sunday when his 35 points held off an Orlando Magic comeback and preserved a desperately needed victory. He’s averaging 15.4 points per game since the Lakers traded Russell Westbrook on a preposterous 58-43-81 shooting line that has never been matched by a 15-point scorer over a full season. In the month of March, he has attempted 77 total free throws. That is more than DeMar DeRozan (67), James Harden (58) and Trae Young (53).

And these aren’t role player passes. These are high-end starting point guard passes… and they all come from a single half of a single game.

“Wow, Sam, are these Austin Reaves’ passing highlights for the entire season?” pic.twitter.com/ZWXSiJIeFN

— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) March 20, 2023

It’s too early to say where this is going, but it hardly matters because Reaves scales up or down so seamlessly. He’s spent the first two years of his career playing with Westbrook and LeBron James . He’s perfectly comfortable functioning in a catch-and-shoot capacity when necessary. But stick him Dennis Schroder and D’Angelo Russell instead and he turns into this higher-usage free-throw merchant and floor general. Virtually every metric praises his defense, and the eye test supports him there. Reaves was far more advanced than most rookies in terms of footwork and floor-navigation a year ago, but lacked the physical strength to hold his own in the post or fight through screens. He’s bulked up this season, and at 24, he still has room for both literal and figurative growth. Every team in the NBA wants an Austin Reaves.

And this is where things get complicated for the Lakers, because while they can offer Reaves only the Early Bird max (which starts at 105 percent of the average player’s salary), other teams have no such constraint. So long as they have the cap space to do so, they can offer Reaves an extra $29 million on top of the $51 million the Lakers are free to give him for a total of $80 million over four years.

Once again, Lakers fans, take a deep breath. This does not mean the Lakers will be unable to retain Reaves. The NBA offers a workaround, but it’s a risky one. In 2002, the Washington Wizards used their cap space to offer then-restricted free agent Gilbert Arenas a six-year, $60 million contract that exceeded Golden State’s Early Bird Rights. This meant that they legally could not match the offer, and were forced to watch Arenas grow into an All-Star with the Wizards. Soon after, the NBA changed the rules to ensure that never happened again. This is the infamous Gilbert Arenas Provision.

Players limited by the Arenas provision, like Reaves, cannot make more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception in the first year of a new deal. Their second-year salary on such a contract would see only a 5% increase in salary. But years three and four? They can go all the way up to the max. The signing team can use its cap space to structure the cap hits as the average annual salary in each of the four years. But the Lakers don’t have cap space, and would therefore be stuck with that backloaded structure.  Here’s what a maximum-salary Arenas Provision deal would look like to the Lakers, as projected by Smith.

2023-24

$11,368,000

2024-25

$11,936,400

2025-26

$27,724,010

2026-27

$28,971,590

Total

$80,000,000

You could argue that this salary structure actually benefits the Lakers financially, at least compared to paying Reaves a flat $20 million per year. Their roster is currently constructed to operate above the cap, which will mean re-signing their own players and paying the luxury tax for the fourth consecutive season. That would subject them to the repeater tax, which will make limiting next year’s team salary paramount.

By backloading the deal, the Lakers would give themselves two years to sort out their finances ahead of Reaves’ jump. There are two other factors worth watching here: the new CBA (which is being negotiated as we speak) and the new media rights deal (which is expected to kick in for the 2025-26 season). The former could change the luxury-tax rules in ways that either help or hurt the Lakers. The latter could increase the cap by so much that an enormous salary jump for Reaves just isn’t that bothersome.

But remember, the Lakers are not the Warriors or the Clippers . Even though they outspend most of their competition, they operate within a budget, and that’s what makes this situation so tricky for the Lakers: they literally can’t set a budget for the 2025-26 campaign right now because they don’t currently have a single player under contract for that season. In fact, only three Lakers have fully guaranteed contracts for next season: James, Anthony Davis and Max Christie .

The Lakers will have a better idea of their outlook by this summer, when, at the very least, they will have to make long-term decisions on D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura . But between the summer of 2023 and the 2024 offseason, they’ll also need to make decisions on Christie and whoever they retain among the non-guaranteed group of Malik Beasley , Mo Bamba and Jarred Vanderbilt . And, of course, James and Davis.

Are James and Davis still earning max money in 2026? Does Russell expect to remain a $30 million player in his next deal, and does he want a long-term pact or short-term flexibility? How much does the idea of a possible cap spike windfall factor into negotiations for players like Hachimura, Vanderbilt and Bamba, who have thus far earned limited salaries in their careers and may want to see if 2025 free agency looks anything like 2016 once did? The Lakers still have draft picks to dangle in trade discussions this summer.  There might be another meaningful player or two to consider here. For all we know, the Lakers will be entering the 2025-26 season having paid the luxury tax in the previous five seasons and the repeater tax in the last two of them.

A team with the revenue the Lakers have at their disposal probably shouldn’t fret over that… but… well… that was true in 2021 as well and we all saw how that went for Caruso. The market is going to be a bit more limited this time around. Any team hoping to throw this sort of offer at Reaves would need at least $20 million in cap space, and according to Smith’s most recent projections , only eight teams fit the bill right now: Houston, Utah, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Detroit, Indiana, Sacramento and Orlando. The Rockets , Kings , Pacers and Pistons probably have too much invested in guards to justify this sort of expense.

But the Magic have only specialists in their backcourt and would absolutely love a player as balanced as Reaves. The Jazz have only two guards under guaranteed contracts for next season in Collin Sexton and Ochai Agbaji . The Thunder aren’t positionally picky and will gladly take a bit more ball-handling and defensive help. Gregg Popovich has no love for the Lakers, and could really use an upgrade on Tre Jones at point guard even if he did. More cap space teams could emerge in the coming months. There are going to be suitors here.

Reaves may not quite reach his $80 million max, but he’s playing himself out of the $51 million deal the Lakers surely hoped to give him this offseason. No matter where the final number falls, it’s almost certainly going to force the Lakers into a backloaded contract, which will, in turn, enforce upon them an uneasy degree of financial uncertainty. Whatever the price winds up being, the Lakers should pay it. But after what happened to Caruso, their front office has lost the benefit of the doubt on such matters. Fans will be uneasy until the ink dries on his next contract.

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Cowboys legend rips team for Ezekiel Elliott release: ‘They have no love for you’

March 20, 2023 by www.foxnews.com Leave a Comment

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Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith appeared to be upset with the franchise for releasing running back Ezekiel Elliott last week.

Smith made a comment on the Cowboys’ Instagram post bidding farewell to Elliott after seven seasons.

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Emmitt Smith, #22 of the Dallas Cowboys, carries the ball against the Buffalo Bills during Super Bowl XXVIII on Jan. 30, 1994 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Emmitt Smith, #22 of the Dallas Cowboys, carries the ball against the Buffalo Bills during Super Bowl XXVIII on Jan. 30, 1994 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

“Wow, this is amazing to me—no disrespect to Malik Davis. Our starting running back is gone, and his backup has a broken leg? the NFL stands for not for long,” Smith wrote. “Everyone else, go get your money because they have no love for you. It don’t make sense and this is one of those things that make you (shake) your head. Thank you Z for giving everything you have including (playing) injured all of last year. This is why, the NFL stands for (not for long). Everybody else go get your money because they have no love for you.”

Smith knows the business of football better as much as anyone. He was released by the Cowboys before the 2003 season as new head coach Bill Parcells wanted to go with a younger running back corps.

Ezekiel Elliott, #21 of the Dallas Cowboys, warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas.

Ezekiel Elliott, #21 of the Dallas Cowboys, warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

COWBOYS ACQUIRE BRANDIN COOKS FROM TEXANS, ADDING MORE FIREPOWER TO POTENT OFFENSE

Smith signed with the Arizona Cardinals and rushed for more than 1,100 yards in two seasons. He retired as the NFL’s leader in rushing yards.

Elliott was the No. 4 pick of the 2016 draft after starring at Ohio State. He finished second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and third in NFL MVP voting in his first season. He topped 1,000 yards rushing four times in his career with Dallas.

Emmitt Smith, former Dallas Cowboys running back, left shakes hands with Ezekiel Elliott, #21 of the Dallas Cowboys, before a game against the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium on Oct. 30, 2022 in Arlington, Texas.

Emmitt Smith, former Dallas Cowboys running back, left shakes hands with Ezekiel Elliott, #21 of the Dallas Cowboys, before a game against the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium on Oct. 30, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

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In 2022, Elliott rushed for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns in 15 games for Dallas.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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Wanted pop star signs up to Celebrity MasterChef

March 14, 2023 by www.thesun.co.uk Leave a Comment

HE has spent the past month or so following his girlfriend Maisie Smith around the country on her Strictly Ballroom dance tour.

And now The Wanted pop star Max George , 34, has finally found himself a job to keep him occupied.

The singer has signed up to Celebrity MasterChef and is preparing to be grilled by Gregg Wallace and John Torode over his cooking skills.

A source said: “Max is the latest famous face to sign up to Celebrity MasterChef.

“He is joining Sam Fox and Emmerdale actress Amy Walsh on the show.

“Max’s Wanted bandmate Tom Parker , who died last year, took part in the cookery series back in 2015 – so taking part is bound to bring back memories for Max.

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“He is better at singing than he is at cooking, but he has told people he will throw the kitchen sink at the show in a bid to win it.”

A MasterChef spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation over the Celebrity MasterChef line-up.”

The Sun revealed the first batch of stars heading into the MasterChef kitchen last month.

Alongside Page 3 star Sam Fox and Amy, Go Compare star Wynne Evans, Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell and singer Jamelia have all signed up.

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Andrew Buchan’s lover Leila Farzad seen with her wedding ring on after his split

A source said: “There is a strong line up on Celebrity MasterChef this series.

“DJ Locksmith, who is part of Rudimental, and RuPaul drag race star Cheryl Hole, are also taking part.

“There is somebody for all fan bases, from Love Island and Drag Race stars to pull in younger audiences to Eighties legends that will please viewers.”

Max and soap actress Maisie , 21, started dating at the end of last year and have been inseparable ever since.

Last month Max revealed he had asked the former EastEnders star to move in with him.

The pair hit back at criticism over the age gap between them in the New Year.

Max said on Loose People: “The people we allow in our lives are so happy. My mum has never seen me so happy. That’s all that really matters to me.

“It’s a shame when it tries to make it look like we have done something wrong.”

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Maisie added: “We’ve known each other for two years he’s always been a good friend. I always get nervous for interviews.

“I remember I was pacing, thinking “what if I could go blank?” He was the only person who could zen me. We’ve always had a nice bond and trust.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Max George, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity relationships and break ups, EastEnders, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, ITV, MasterChef, Strictly Come..., league of legends kda - pop/stars, gay k pop stars, r star wars celebration, star wars celebration x, celebrity masterchef 2 concorrenti, celebrity masterchef 2019, celebrity masterchef paralympic, paralympic celebrity masterchef 2018, winner celebrity masterchef 2018, contestants celebrity masterchef

Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Receivers, a stocked depth chart for a change – Inside the Irish | NBC Sports

March 20, 2023 by irish.nbcsports.com Leave a Comment

Notre Dame’s next generation of receivers is already on campus. The trio of four-star recruits of Jayden Greathouse, Braylon James and Rico Flores all enrolled early, though Greathouse and Flores arrived with nicks that are expected to no longer be issues when spring practices begin Wednesday, but a touch of caution could still slow them all the same.

Along with them, the Irish welcome Virginia Tech graduate transfer Kaleb Smith . When an incoming freshman by the same name arrives in the summer, Notre Dame will suddenly have 10 receivers on hand.

That may seem an odd way to begin an article previewing a position before spring practices, but it is the biggest difference between where the Irish were and where they are. Notre Dame simply having receivers on hand is a drastic change. Last preseason, it was working with just six receivers, including a former walk-on and an incoming freshman. The sole veteran in the group, Braden Lenzy , would lament that there were not enough receivers on hand for he and an underclassman to both stand by during a rep so Lenzy could coach up the youngster.

Building the depth chart back out to nine or 10 receivers will give position coach Chansi Stuckey time to work with players individually, players like Greathouse, James and Flores. That said, there may be no established veteran like Lenzy to pass along insights. Only the former Hokie would qualify, and he openly acknowledges he is facing his own learning curve.

“I’ve had four or five different receiver coaches at this point,” Smith said earlier this month. “It’s been a rotating door. We’re teaching an old dog new tricks here at Notre Dame is what I can sum it up as.”

WHERE NOTRE DAME WAS Injuries decimated this group in 2022, and in turn, they compromised the Irish offense. Joe Wilkins suffered a foot injury in the preseason that effectively cost him his season. Avery Davis tore his ACL for a second time, ending his career. Then-sophomore Deion Colzie injured his knee, slowing his start to what was expected to be a breakout season.

A November concussion would cut short then-freshman Tobias Merriweather ’s progress, eventually leaving Notre Dame with just four receivers it could rely on toward the end of the year. More than anything else — more than former Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees ’s preferences, more than Notre Dame’s deep backfield — that lack of receivers limited the Irish offense.

The more wide-open the Irish offense ran, the more those few receivers would wear out. Notre Dame could not operate as such.

2022 STATS Lorenzo Styles: 13 games; 30 catches for 340 yards and one touchdown. Jayden Thomas : 13 games; 25 catches for 362 yards and three touchdowns. Braden Lenzy: 13 games; 24 catches for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Deion Colzie: 12 games; 9 catches for 192 yards and one touchdown. Matt Salerno: 13 games; 5 catches for 62 yards and one touchdown. Tobias Merriweather: 7 games; 1 catch for a 41-yard touchdown.

WHERE NOTRE DAME IS Styles may return more catches than any other Irish receiver, but he also returns more drops than the rest combined, with six just last season. The headlines may focus on Notre Dame’s new receivers — alternately the three freshmen and the veteran transfer with size for new Irish quarterback Sam Hartman to throw to — but Styles rediscovering his focus and/or his confidence would be the biggest step forward for Hartman’s pass catchers.

Smith will battle rising junior Jayden Thomas to be Hartman’s primary big-bodied target. Thomas’s run-blocking abilities could even turn him into a pseudo-slot receiver, allowing them both to conceivably start.

There are options, unlike a year ago. Further development from Merriweather would only add to them, as would any of Greathouse, James or flores quickly progressing.

“We know what the offense has looked like, and the coaches have talked to me since I started being recruited about what it could look like in the future with me a part of it,” Greathouse said to Inside ND Sports earlier in the winter , before Rees left for Alabama. “I definitely think that they want to start airing the ball out.

“That’s what the coaches have been telling me, is that they want to be throwing the ball all over the field. And I think once our recruiting class starts making an impact, we’ll definitely be able to start doing that.”

That would have been the case regardless who the offensive coordinator was in 2023. Gerad Parker will have more receiving options at his disposal than Rees did in 2022, adding layers of possibilities to the Irish offense.

RELATED READING: Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Defensive line, suddenly inexperienced and unproven Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Tight ends, moving on from an all-time great Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Running backs, led by a familiar ‘three-headed monster’ Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Linebackers, led by a trio of veterans and little change Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Defensive backs, with a star sophomore and an Oklahoma State transfer Where Notre Dame Was & Is: Offensive line, returning bookend tackles and a three-year starter at center

FUTURE DEPTH The younger Smith’s arrival will almost certainly be a non-item for 2023, sparing us all any extensive confusion between one Kaleb Smith beginning his career and one Kaleb Smith ending his career in the same season.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Depth Chart, kozy notre dame, kozy paris notre dame, lattner notre dame, graham peaslee university of notre dame

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