Arrowheadlines: Carson Wentz is the best backup quarterback in the NFL

The latest

Top 10 backup QB situations ahead of the 2024 season: Chiefs, Eagles and Vikings among the best-prepared teams | CBS Sports

1. Chiefs

Carson Wentz

It’s been years since Wentz was a regular difference-maker, let alone a surefire starter. But his big-bodied dual-threat ability has been undersold since he left a dysfunctional Washington Commanders group; he was legitimately solid in limited work as Matthew Stafford’s No. 2 in 2023. Couple that, plus his extensive experience (93 career starts), with Kansas City’s championship-caliber weaponry and coaching staff, and the Chiefs could probably remain scary even if the matchless Patrick Mahomes misses a start or three.

What NFL teams can glean from conference championship participants | ESPN

LAST SEASON, NFL teams ran roughly 19% of their plays out of 12 personnel — an increase from 16% in 2016.

With four of the top tight ends in the NFL anchoring their offenses, the Chiefs, 49ers, Ravens and Lions found myriad ways to get them involved. As the tight end position grows more prominent in the league, so do the matchup issues they pose for opposing defenses.

“You see it all across the NFL. The tight end position is growing and growing,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said. “These are guys that are some of the best athletes on the field, being big, tall, strong [and] able to go get passes.”

Since 2018, Kelce, Andrews and 49ers tight end George Kittle each have more receiving yards and touchdowns than any other tight end in the NFL.

Sam LaPorta, the Lions’ 2023 second-round pick, could soon be keeping them company. Last season, the Iowa product set the all-time rookie receptions record for tight ends with 86, and his 10 receiving touchdowns — tied for fourth in the NFL — equaled Rob Gronkowski’s mark for a rookie tight end in the Super Bowl era.

The worst NFL teams from the 2010s | Yardbarker

4. 2012 Kansas City Chiefs

Despite plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, the 2012 Chiefs won only two games under head coach Romeo Crennel. Quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn each started eight games, as KC was last in offense in the league, though star running back Jamaal Charles did rush for over 1,500 yards. Unfortunately, the season is also remembered by linebacker Jovan Belcher’s murder-süicide in December, killing his girlfriend. Following the season, the Chiefs hired Andy Reid and a new front office.

Mecole Hardman on why he chose to re-sign with NFL KC Chiefs | Kansas City Star

Mecole Hardman is likely to have a new — but familiar — look with the Kansas City Chiefs after re-signing with the team last week. Hardman, a sixth-year receiver, was spotted at his first practice last week wearing 17, the same number he wore with KC from 2019-22.

Last season, after a midseason trade sent him from the Jets back to the Chiefs, Hardman had to go with No. 12 because teammate Richie James had already claimed 17.

“I’ve got to go back to the old me: 1-7,” Hardman said with a smile after working at Pat Clarke’s “Dream Big” youth football camp on Saturday at Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri.

“That’s what we’re looking at right now, and hopefully, it works out that way up at training camp.”

Around the NFL

Patriots OLB Matthew Judon not looking to throw ‘tantrums’ upon arrival to mandatory minicamp | NFL.com

Matt Judon has shown up to the New England Patriots’ offseason program, and he apparently isn’t going anywhere.

Entering the final year of his contract and coming off a major injury, with the Patriots amid a full rebuild in the post-Bill Belichick era, Judon’s future in Foxborough is ripe for speculation. But Judon told WZLX radio in Boston that he’s not planning to stage a holdout — or a “hold-in,” as he did last year — as a way of trying to get more money.

“Uh, right now, I’m just gonna get ready to play,” Judon said Tuesday morning. “And you know, you kind of don’t — you kind of keep throwing tantrums, tantrums, tantrums, and then you don’t come out there and do what you’re supposed to do? It kind of gets old real fast, you know.”

Madden NFL 25 Reveals 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey Cover and Release Date | Bleacher Report

First, the San Francisco 49ers star running back received a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $19 million. Now, he is the latest cover star of the iconic Madden NFL video game series.

EA Sports announced Tuesday that McCaffrey will be on the cover of Madden 25.

The reigning Offensive Player of the Year is the first running back to be on the cover since Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders were on different covers in 2014. He is also the first 49ers player to be featured on the worldwide cover of the game, although Garrison Hearst was on the international edition’s cover in 1999.

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers, DE Haason Reddick not at minicamp | ESPN

Reddick’s no-show, not entirely unexpected, escalates a contract dispute between the Jets and their biggest offseason addition. Rodgers took the required physical and participated in the team’s media day, both on Monday, before leaving town.

“Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started,” coach Robert Saleh said. “He’s very good in communication. He’s been here the entire time. It’s unexcused, but he had an event that was very important to him, which he communicated.”

Rodgers has been a regular at voluntary workouts for the past two offseasons, preaching the importance of building team chemistry and eliminating distractions — which makes his absence even more conspicuous. The four-time MVP, nine months removed from Achilles surgery, had been a full participant in practice during three weeks of OTA practices.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs OTAs: 3 winners and 3 losers

Winners

Running back Louis Rees-Zammit: Don’t get us wrong: since he’s learning a new sport on the fly, he’s still a long shot to make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster. But his path to get there is absolutely through special teams. Under the brand-new kickoff rules, he’s already got the coaches’ attention as a returner — but the former rugby star could also handle kickoffs.

“Louis has done above and beyond what I expected,” said special teams coordinator Dave Toub. “He can kick field goals. He can be a kickoff guy for us. He’s every bit as good as Justin [Reid] is [at] moving the football on kickoffs. He’s really working hard at the returner job. I’ve got him in there as a starter now, so he gets as many reps as he can.”

When Toub says something like that about a player, we pay attention. The news on Rees-Zammit is as positive as we could reasonably expect.

Defensive back Kelvin Joseph: We all know that Kansas City general manager Brett Veach loves an early-round reclamation project. Could this year’s success story be the Dallas Cowboys’ 44th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft? Still only 24 years old, Joseph has reportedly been turning heads during OTAs. Following the departures of key players like L’Jarius Sneed and Mike Edwards, Joseph will be someone to watch.

Social media to make you think

Follow Arrowhead Pride on Social Media