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Steelers reportedly made offer to QB other than Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers
As of Tuesday afternoon, it seemed that New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers would eventually agree to a deal with either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New York Giants after Justin Fields agreed to a two-year, $40M deal to serve as Rodgers' replacement.
According to Josh Carney of Steelers Depot, The Athletic's Chase Daniel, former NFL QB, revealed during Tuesday's edition of FS1's "The Facility" program that Pittsburgh previously made an offer to Sam Darnold. Darnold, the top quarterback of this free-agency class, agreed to a three-year, $100.5M deal to leave the Minnesota Vikings for the Seattle Seahawks.
Daniel added that the money attached to Pittsburgh's proposal "wasn't as much as" what the Seahawks will be paying Darnold. Daniel also said that Darnold preferred to play under Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak rather than under Pittsburgh OC Arthur Smith.
Kubiak was the San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator when Darnold was a backup with that organization during the 2023 season.
"He felt more comfortable with the offense that they run," Daniel said about Darnold picking Seattle over Pittsburgh. Kubiak's offense is similar to what Darnold had playing under Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell this past campaign. According to Pro Football Reference, Darnold ended the 2024 regular season ranked fifth in the league with 4,319 passing yards, fifth with 35 passing touchdowns and sixth among qualified quarterbacks with a 102.5 passer rating.
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic noted on Tuesday that the Steelers "did want Fields to be their quarterback in 2025" but only "at their price." Darnold would always be a more expensive option than Fields, so one could assume that the Steelers even touched base with Darnold's camp during the legal tampering portion of free agency, suggesting re-signing Fields was never Pittsburgh's preference.
ESPN's Rich Cimini and others pointed out that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seemed to say plenty regarding his thoughts of Fields when Tomlin benched the 26-year-old in favor of veteran Russell Wilson this past October after Fields went 4-2 as a starter. It now appears Tomlin and Co. were never all that serious about re-signing Fields unless he gave the Steelers a significant hometown discount.
More must-reads:
- Winners, losers of Monday's NFL free agency: Commanders a big winner with looming trade
- Could replacing Aaron Rodgers with Justin Fields help Jets with Garrett Wilson contract extension?
- The 'NFL QBs drafted in the first round since 2000' quiz
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Who could be the odd man out in Browns QB room?
The Cleveland Browns entered the preseason with four quarterbacks competing for the starting job, but don't expect all of them to be on the 53-man roster. On Sunday, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced he will name a starting QB before the team's final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network. He also indicated they won't keep all of them on the active roster. "I think we'll let it play out as we get closer to the cut down," Stefanski told the media. "Those are all conversations that we are always having, but those are tough decisions. You know, I'd like to keep everybody, but that's not realistic." Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel have been competing for the starting QB job throughout the offseason. Flacco will likely win it. The 40-year-old played for Stefanski in 2023, helping the Browns make the playoffs. That season, he went 4-1 in five starts, winning Comeback Player of the Year. Sanders and Gabriel, meanwhile, have flashed potential in their preseason starts. Sanders — a fifth-round pick out of Colorado — finished 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8. Gabriel —a third-round pick out of Oregon — went 13-of-18 passing for 143 yards and one interception in a 22-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday. With that in mind, Pickett seems like the odd man out. The 27-year-old didn't look like a viable starter in his first three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, tossing 15 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 30 regular-season games. Teams that need another backup QB (Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys) may be interested in Pickett. This past Tuesday, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer told WKRK-FM in Cleveland he could see a team trade for the former Pittsburgh Panthers star. Regardless, figure on the Browns moving on from Pickett before the start of the regular season in September. He lacks a clear advantage over the other QBs.
Did the Dallas Stars just get handed a surprise top-six option on waivers?
The NHL waiver wire is heating up as training camps approach, and the Dallas Stars could be positioned to make a sneaky claim that solves one of their biggest depth concerns. Every year, playoff-caliber teams see useful players slip onto waivers simply because of cap space or roster crunches. Waivers often surface players who can slot higher in the lineup than expected. Last year's examples included Eeli Tolvanen, who went from waiver claim to impact forward in Seattle. That kind of opportunity might now exist again, and the Stars have an opening in their top nine that could benefit from an under-the-radar pickup. In the case, the player in question is Jansen Harkins, who surprisingly hit waivers this week. Known for his speed and ability to drive play when given the right linemates, Harkins is the type of versatile forward who could slide up and down a lineup. He showed flashes of offensive skill in Winnipeg and Pittsburgh, and now at 28 years old, he might be hitting the stage of his career where opportunity and experience finally align. Why the waiver wire could be Dallas's hidden weapon As NHL.com pointed out, training camp always produces bubble players squeezed out of deep rosters. This year, names like former first-round picks and skilled but inconsistent wingers could be exposed. If Dallas wanted to roll the dice, they could target a cost-controlled forward who brings both energy and finishing ability. Adding a cap-friendly waiver piece could also free GM Jim Nill from needing to burn trade capital later in the season. "The waiver wire can be a goldmine if you're patient and know what you need. One man's cut is another team's solution," one NHL scout recently told Sportsnet. The Stars' depth chart shows room for such a gamble. With veterans like Evgenii Dadonov and Mikael Granlund gone, the bottom six has new minutes up for grabs. A waiver claim could be the simplest way to plug that gap without sacrificing draft picks. I think Dallas would be wise to keep an eye on the wire, because sometimes the quietest moves are the ones that swing playoff races.
Sooners HC Brent Venables gave fans the perfect news they needed after having some PTSD from an eerie 2024 situation
Celtics new starting center shows glimpse of what's to come
Earlier this summer, the Boston Celtics parted with the entirety of their center rotation for the 2024-25 season. They traded away Kristaps Porzingis and allowed Luke Kornet to leave via free agency, and while Al Horford is yet to sign with a new team, he isn't expected to return to Boston. With three bigs leaving in the same summer, Neemias Queta appears to have jumped from being the fourth-string big last season into the starting center role for the 2025-26 NBA season. And as the franchise is in a retooling year, it will likely try to develop the 7-foot rim-runner. Fortunately for Celtics fans, they're going to get a solid look at how Queta deals with starter-level minutes against high-level opponents in the coming weeks. The 26-year-old big man is with the Portuguese national team, where he will likely anchor the middle of the floor throughout the FIBA EuroBasket tournament. On Friday, Queta suited up against Iceland as part of Portugal's warmup schedule. He earned 14 minutes of playing time and quickly filled the box score, ending the contest with 12 points, six rebounds, one assist and one block. Queta has shown flashes of his upside since joining the Celtics. He played in 62 games last season despite being fourth on the depth chart. He's already proven that he's capable of making an impact against NBA-level opposition. However, there's a difference between earning some spot starts or making a splash against second units and to being a full-time starter. Queta will undoubtedly find himself working through a new learning experience, especially deep into the season, when games start to come at you fast. Fortunately for Queta and Celtics fans, the EuroBasket tournament will serve as a reliable proving ground. He will face some of the best bigs in the world this summer and could quickly squash any concerns Boston's fanbase may have. And with that in mind, Celtics fans will likely hope that Queta's performance against Iceland was a sign of things to come.
Eagles Aren't Done After Texans-John Metchie Swap
The Philadelphia Eagles have another wide receiver on their hands after completing a trade with the Houston Texans for John Metchie III. On Sunday, the Eagles sent tight end Harrison Bryant and a fifth-round pick to the Texans for Metchie and a sixth-round pick, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "Full trade: Texans receive: TE Harrison Bryant and a 5th-round pick," Schefter said. "Eagles receive: WR John Metchie and a 6th-round pick." Metchie is a former college star who hasn't fully clicked at the NFL level yet. That's more so because of a stacked receiver room. Plus, Metchie had to missh is first season after being diagnosed with cancer. He beat cancer and returned to the field in 2023. Last year, he showed flashes and now will bring that talent over to the Eagles receiver room. Philadelphia acquired Metchie and it sounds like the Eagles may not be done. NFL insider Jordan Schultz shared a text from an anonymous AFC general manager hinting Philadelphia could make another move. "Text from an AFC GM: 'Don’t think Eagles are done with trades. They have so many picks next year and that team is always gonna be aggressive,'" Schultz shared. Right now, the big prize on the trade block is Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday that the Bengals are listening to offers for Hendrickson now. Could Eagles land superstar after John Metchie trade? "With contract talks at an impasse, the Bengals are listening to trade offers for perennial Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, per me and Tom Pelissero," Rapoport and Pelissero said. "It’s unclear if the NFL sack leader will be playing elsewhere in 2025, and a trade will be a real challenge. But time will tell... "The Bengals have always done their due diligence. But timing is now of the essence. This will be expensive, likely with a young player and a future pick if possible. A challenge for sure — especially because the Bengals are a playoff-ready team." This certainly isn't likely for the Eagles. He's going to cost too much financially for what the Eagles have available. But, don't be shocked if the Eagles make another move or two on the trade market before the season. Philadelphia comes out of left field and we probably haven't heard a word about who the team could be targeting.
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