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We’ve finally reached a quiet point in the 2022 NFL offseason. The draft was nearly a month ago, and training camp is still more than a month away. The news cycle isn’t brimming with developments at this time of year.
However, there’s still plenty going on behind the scenes at organized team activities (OTAs). Teams are evaluating players and installing game plans.
While there’s a lot of offseason left, these early workouts can lay a foundation for what’s to come.
With most teams holding OTAs this week—a full schedule can be found at NFL.com—now is the perfect time to dive into the latest buzz. Here are some of the juiciest reports and rumors from OTAs and what they might mean for the coming season.
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The San Francisco 49ers held their first round of OTAs on Monday and Tuesday and will run offseason workouts into mid-June. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t expected to be a participant as he recovers from shoulder surgery, but his status could have a huge impact for San Francisco this season.
Last year, San Francisco used the No. 3 overall pick on quarterback Trey Lance. Ever since then, it’s felt like the 49ers would eventually trade Garoppolo, and they still might—once the 30-year-old is fully recovered from the shoulder surgery he underwent this offseason.
“Garoppolo’s shoulder is slated to get the all-clear in late June or early July, at which point the Niners will again seek a trade partner,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote.
However, head coach Kyle Shanahan recently admitted that there’s no guarantee San Francisco finds the right buyer for Garoppolo.
“I expect him at some time, most likely, to be traded, but who knows? That’s not a guarantee,” Shanahan told reporters Tuesday. “…When he’s healthy, we’ll see what happens.”
The 49ers might not receive a fair offer for Garoppolo until/unless another starting quarterback suffers a significant injury. They shouldn’t panic-trade him for an underwhelming offer, and based on Shanahan’s comments, they’re at least considering keeping him for the 2022 season if the right offer doesn’t come.
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As of now, the Carolina Panthers are likely to start either Sam Darnold or rookie third-round pick Matt Corral in Week 1. They could still make a play for Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, but Carolina, the Seattle Seahawks (who are also interested in Mayfield) and the Browns are all in a holding pattern.
“The Panthers and Seahawks still haven’t ruled out acquiring Mayfield, but they’ll need the Browns to take on a much greater portion of his contract than they’ve offered so far,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote. ” … With Mayfield still rehabbing his surgically repaired left shoulder, his inability to currently practice has probably tempered the urgency to acquire him to foster a quarterback competition.“
The Panthers won’t make a run at Garoppolo, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Charlotte Observer, but they could bring back Cam Newton and allow him to compete for a role.
“The Panthers want no part of [Garoppolo’s] $26.9 million salary, and the 49ers haven’t shown a willingness to take to carry those payments in a trade,” Alexander wrote. “The Panthers are open to signing quarterback Cam Newton, but he would not enter camp as the starter, and would have to agree to a smaller salary.”
Newton appeared in eight games last season and made five starts, but Carolina didn’t win a game that he started. If Newton does return to the Panthers, he may have to compete for a backup and gadget-player role.
The Panthers kicked off their OTAs on May 23.
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Teams made a flurry of big-time acquisitions and trades—including ones involving wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams—early in the offseason. While the Los Angeles Rams’ signing of wideout Allen Robinson II and trade of Robert Woods didn’t generate as much fanfare, it could wind up being a massive move.
When healthy, Robinson is among the league’s best receivers. He was a Pro Bowler in 2015 and a 1,250-yard receiver in 2020 with a combination of Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky at quarterback.
Now that he’ll be catching passes from Matthew Stafford under the guidance of head coach Sean McVay, Robinson should be in store for a bounce-back season. He’s already impressing teammate and reigning NFL receptions leader Cooper Kupp.
“His football aptitude is incredible. But his willingness to spend the time here and learning this thing, because he doesn’t just want to know the offense, he wants to understand the offense,” Kupp told reporters Monday. “There’s a difference between knowing what to do and knowing how to do it. And he wants to know how to do it and how to do it as efficiently as possible.”
Robinson is grinding at OTAs—L.A. kicked off workouts on May 23—to be 100 percent ready by Week 1. With Robert Woods now with the Tennessee Titans and Odell Beckham Jr. still unsigned, Robinson projects as the No. 2 option opposite Kupp.
His willingness to put in the work now should yield impressive and early results for Los Angeles.
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While Allen Robinson II is getting in plenty of offseason work, he isn’t doing much with Matthew Stafford yet. According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, Stafford received an injection in his elbow and may not throw in workouts until Los Angeles enters training camp:
“Stafford took snaps Monday during the Rams’ first day of organized team activity workouts, but the Super Bowl-champion quarterback might not throw a pass in drills until training camp in July. Stafford, 34, confirmed that after the Super Bowl, he received an injection in his right elbow for an issue he dealt with throughout the season.”
The fact that Stafford isn’t throwing yet shouldn’t be a huge concern. He’s a 13-year veteran who knows how to prepare for the season. As long as he can continue to absorb McVay’s offense without throwing, he’ll be fine for Week 1.
The bigger concern is whether Stafford’s elbow could become an ongoing issue. He was able to play through it in 2021, but we won’t know how healthy he is until camp.
“The goal, and the thought process, was he’ll start to ramp that up when we get closer to training camp,” McVay said, per Klein.
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert might not be one of the NFL’s top signal-callers yet, but he’s knocking on the door. Last year, he threw for 5,014 yards with 38 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 97.7 passer rating in only his second NFL season.
This offseason, Herbert is working to a little more strength and size to his game.
“Just lifting,” Herbert told reporters Monday as the Chargers convened for OTAs. “We’ve just been getting after it. Thankful to [Chargers head strength and conditioning coach] Jonathan Brooks, he’s been leading the charge.”
Herbert said he’s now carrying 245 pounds on his 6’6″ frame. He weighed in at 236 pounds at the 2020 scouting combine.
While the extra mass might not add much to Herbert’s already strong throwing arm, it could serve him well as a runner and in the pocket. The Oregon product rushed for 302 yards and three touchdowns last season, and the ability to scramble remains a part of his skill set.
A bigger, stronger Herbert should be able to better absorb hits as a runner and to shrug off would-be sacks. As long as the added mass doesn’t mess with his mechanics, he should be a more complete quarterback this season.
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While Justin Herbert is working to improve at the Chargers’ OTAs, defensive tackle Jerry Tillery is not. According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, the 2019 first-round pick did not report for the start of voluntary OTAs on Monday.
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said Tillery needs to put in the work to earn a role for the 2022 season.
“He’s going to fit into that competition of guys that are going to have to earn a role,” Staley said, per Smith. “During this springtime and during training camp, all of those guys are going to really have to duke it out to establish themselves.”
Tilley has had an up-and-down career since the Chargers took him 28th overall out of Notre Dame. He had only 17 tackles as a rookie and 30 in 2020 despite playing 72 percent of the Chargers’ defensive snaps that season.
However, the 25-year-old had a breakout of sorts last season. Tillery logged a career-high 51 tackles and 4.5 sacks, though Los Angeles declined his fifth-year option in May, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
After ranking 30th in run defense last season, L.A. shouldn’t be averse to making changes along its defensive front. Skipping OTAs is not a great way for Tillery to kick off his 2022 campaign.
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San Francisco 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel wasn’t among the high-profile receivers who were traded this offseason. However, he reportedly isn’t happy with his situation in San Francisco and did request a trade earlier this offseason.
Unsurprisingly, Samuel didn’t report to the Niners’ OTAs when they began on May 23. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the team will find a way to resolve the situation before the start of the regular season.
“Yeah, of course I do,” Shanahan told reporters (at the 2:52 mark). “I thought that the last time I talked to you guys at draft time. I feel the same if not stronger.”
Samuel is eligible for a contract extension, but he’s due to make only $4.9 million in 2022. That’s a ridiculously low number for a player who amassed 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and 14 combined touchdowns last season.
Samuel is also unhappy with his 2021 workload as a ball-carrier, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He rushed 59 times and became a big piece of the backfield late in the season.
“He’s a top receiver,” Rapoport said in April. “He also takes a lot of hits, used like a running back, put all over the field, and it just does not sound like he is comfortable as of right now with the way he’s being used.”
Whatever the 49ers can do to address the situation, they need to do it soon. Samuel is one of the NFL’s top offensive playmakers and a centerpiece of Shanahan’s offense. Their offense won’t be as potent if Samuel continues to sit out during the regular season.
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With Davante Adams now with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Green Bay Packers have a notable hole to fill in their offense. Adams was targeted on 29.6 percent of the team’s total passing attempts—not including throwaways—last season.
Rookie second-round pick Christian Watson might not replace Adams as Aaron Rodgers’ top target, but the North Dakota State product has impressed at least one veteran teammate during early OTAs.
“He has the total package. Just being around him for the past week and seeing some of the things he can do, he has all the tools,” wideout Randall Cobb said Wednesday, per Wes Hodkiewicz of the team’s official website. “He’s very gifted.”
Cobb knows a thing or two about what tools a good wide receiver possesses, having played for 11 years and with wideouts like Adams and Jordy Nelson. His endorsement for Watson should be music to the ears of Packers fans.
Granted, we may not see the rookie get to work with Rodgers until minicamp, as the reigning MVP has been working out away from voluntary OTAs.
“He’s not here,” head coach Matt LaFleur said, Zach Kruse of Packers Wire. “I wouldn’t anticipate seeing him, at least this week.”
Packers fans should be excited to see Rodgers and Watson together, but for now, the rookie is at least putting forth a positive impression.
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The Denver Broncos haven’t had a true franchise signal-caller since Peyton Manning retired after the 2015 season. They aimed to remedy that by acquiring Russell Wilson in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks back in March.
The Seahawks often used Wilson as a game-manager while they tried to win with their defense and a strong ground game. In Denver, Wilson is set to be the centerpiece of the Broncos offense.
“We want to build this thing completely around him and make sure that he’s comfortable and watch him come alive,” Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters Monday. “I think he did some awesome things today utilizing his athleticism, and at the same time, being just a pure drop-back passer. I think there were a lot of good things. We just have to keep developing that.”
Denver ranked 23rd in scoring last season and went 7-10 despite having the league’s third-ranked scoring defense. If Wilson can supercharge the offense, it will go a long way toward making Denver a complete team and a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Wilson has already made his impact felt at Broncos OTAs, which began on May 23.
“There are times where we’re breaking our shell as a defense a little early, so he’s figuring out pre-snap where he wants to go with the ball,” safety Justin Simmons said, per Eli Nicholson of Mile High Report. “It’s clean, it’s quick, it’s crisp, so it’s fun. I love it. It’s the game within the game.”
Building a new offense around Wilson is the right call for Hackett and the Broncos. The 33-year-old remains one of the game’s top quarterbacks, and he’s going to make Denver a pain for opposing teams in 2022.
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