Team news: Seattle Seahawks | Page 11

Looks like Puka Nakua, Cooper Kupp and a bunch of other Rams players reported to camp last night, but QB1 (Matthew Stafford) wasn't one of them...

All eyes on No. 9 today.

Today is the actual day Ram players are required to show up for camp, so Stafford could still arrive today. Stafford, of course, would like a contract extension and both sides have been silent. Another beat writer, Jourdan Rodrigue, pointed out that Stafford did take part in camps all spring, so there is little reason to believe he won't show up for the start of training camp.

QB Sam Darnold will take the majority of first-team snaps when camp opens, Kevin O'Connell reiterated.

Related players: J.J. McCarthy

Darnold was expected to be the bridge quarterback when the team signed him and also drafted McCarthy in the first round. McCarthy should also see first-team reps, but it seems like the Vikings are sticking with Darnold as the QB1 plan, at least early on in the season.

The Texans signed veteran running back Cam Akers Sunday.

Akers was in for a tryout Sunday and came away with a contract. The former Viking and Ram now joins a Houston backfield that added former Bengal Joe Mixon in free agency and still has Dameon Pierce. Devin Singletary signed with the Giants. Akers is recovering from his second torn Achilles suffered last November against the Falcons.

Bucs have said they’ll use Chris Godwin in the slot, after shifting him outside last year with an eye on avoiding injuries. It’s the role Cooper Kupp had with the Rams when Coen was there.

Related Players: Mike Evans, Trey Palmer, Jalen McMillan

Godwin had been around the 70% slot range over the previous three seasons before logging only 37% of his snaps from inside last year. If he returns to that role in 2024, we might not see a ton from rookie Jalen McMillan to begin the season. Through four years at Washington, McMillan lined up in the slot nearly two-thirds of the time, including a 92% rate in '22.

Godwin's explosive games have lessened recently, but he still makes an intriguing low-end WR3 in fantasy.

Sam Darnold will continue as the Minnesota Vikings' lead quarterback when training camp opens next month, coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its final OTA of the spring.

O'Connell stopped short of projecting anything beyond that, saying he plans for a "competitive" training camp at many positions. The Vikings have three other quarterbacks on their roster: Rookie J.J. McCarthy and veterans Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall.

Even if Darnold begins Week 1 as the starting quarterback, we shouldn't assume that continues deep into the season. McCarthy can still be targeted (very) late in best ball drafts, while neither option should be in consideration for typical 1QB redraft leagues.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is already back on the field practicing during OTAs and has no doubt he will be ready for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, despite tearing the ACL in his right knee late last year.

Jones showed no ill effects while participating in individual and 7-on-7 drills Thursday, just six months after injuring that knee in a November loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Related Players: Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito

Jones -and the entire Giants offense- had an incredibly disappointing 2023. Of five complete games in which he attempted at least 20 pass attempts, he threw a touchdown in only one. Though he did show his ceiling in Week 2 when he threw his two '23 touchdowns and scored 30+ fantasy points. He is an interesting deep SuperFlex option with a bona fide WR1 (Malik Nabers) on the roster.

Chargers are trading WR Keenan Allen to the Bears for a fourth-round pick.

Related Players: Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer, D.J. Moore, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones

The Chargers pass-catching group now looks very dire. There is no doubt that they will be loading up wherever they can through the draft but the offense looks questionable heading into 2024.

Velus Jones is all but guaranteed to lose the slot role he was pegged for in Chicago, as their WR room is starting to look pretty great. Caleb Williams could be in for an exciting rookie season, were the Bears to go that route.

Brock Purdy aggravated the stinger injury he initially suffered against the Cardinals in Week 15. But Purdy said after the game that he’s expecting to be fine for the Week 17 game against Washington and head coach Kyle Shanahan reiterated the same on Tuesday.

“Just watching him, how he was that week [after the Cardinals game], and then just being able to hear how he was today and talk to him last night after the game, I think he’s going to be fine,” Shanahan said, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “I don’t think it’s going to bother him too [much].

Related players: Sam Darnold

Purdy completed 18-of-32 passes for 255 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions, working out to a career-worst 42.6 passer rating. In his most extended playing time of the season, Darnold finished the game 8-of-14 for 81 yards with a touchdown and a pick, the story said. The Niners travel to Washington in Week 17.

According to ESPN's Lisa Salters, Brock Purdy has a shoulder stinger and was cleared to return with the 49ers trailing 33-19. The injury against Baltimore is an aggravation of a stinger he suffered in San Francisco's Week 15 win over Arizona.

Related players: Sam Darnold

Darnold took over in the game, but it sounds like entering the game was more about Purdy's performance. One would assume Purdy will get the call in Week 17 as long as he's healthy. The Niners travel to take on the Commanders and it seems like it could be a "get-right" game for Purdy and the 49ers, but be sure to follow the injury reports this week.

Geno Smith doesn’t have a game status designation, suggesting that he’s good to go. Jamal, Frank and Dee have been ruled out tho. Everyone else is questionable.

Related Players: Drew Lock

Smith returns to a pretty nice Week 16 matchup against the Titans, and should be considered a borderline QB1.