NEWLY ACQUIRED SAM DARNOLD (SEAHAWKS) AND GENO SMITH (RAIDERS) HEADLINE EPISODE 3 OF CHRIS SIMMS' QUARTERBACK COUNTDOWN, NOW ON 'CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED' AND 'PRO FOOTBALL TALK'
Simms' QB Countdown Continues Today with Next Tier - 'Escaped from New York' - and Culminates with the Top Five QBs on Monday, June 9; In-Depth Breakdowns for Each Ranking Weekly on Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast
'I don't see a ton of issues physically but it's his [lack of] feel and experience, just having more of a backyard sense.' – Simms on Seahawks' Sam Darnold
'His arm is crazy strong, he's versatile, he can throw off his back foot, sidearm, anything you want. That is also one of his problems.' – Simms on Raiders' Geno Smith
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2025 – NBC Sports' Chris Simms continues his list of the top quarterbacks in the NFL on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast and on 'PFT Live' today, featuring 2025 Pro Bowler Sam Darnold of the Seahawks and 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith of the Raiders, who are both entering their first seasons with their respective teams.
This year's countdown features a new format, with Simms focusing on tiers and groups of quarterbacks as opposed to specific numeric rankings until the later rounds. Continuing the countdown, Simms unveiled his quarterbacks ranked in the next tier today, with QBs in the 'Escaped from New York' tier.
Continuing today and culminating Monday, June 9 with his top five quarterbacks, Simms will unveil a group of quarterbacks on each Chris Simms Unbuttoned episode and discuss his rankings on 'PFT Live' with Mike Florio.
Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, will also offer in-depth player breakdowns and rankings explanations throughout each week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
Simms has had success in projecting college quarterbacks – including naming Jayden Daniels, who was named AP's 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year following a season that saw him lead the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, as his No. 2 QB prospect in 2024. Additionally, Simms named C.J. Stroud, who was named AP's 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year, as his top QB prospect in 2023, Patrick Mahomes as his most exciting prospect in 2017, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen as his top-two QBs in 2018, and Justin Herbert as his No. 2 QB in 2020.
The rankings will continue next Monday, June 2, on the next episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
The following are highlights from this week's edition of Chris Simms Unbuttoned:
Escaped from New York
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
'A lot of good here. His season started off on a really high note throwing the ball all over the field and you went, 'Wow!' The good is his incredibly quick release; really gifted short-to-intermediate thrower of the football because he can get it out so quick. He's got more power in his arm than I think he gets credit for. This year, he got better at deep ball throwing. A lot of the things I'm going to talk about negatively with Sam Darnold is experience related. He was so spoiled by (Vikings head coach) Kevin O'Connell and the offense earlier in the year that when he got to the latter part of the year, those first reads weren't always open every time like the first few weeks. His internal clock, because of some of the big moments, was a little thrown off. I don't see a ton of issues physically but it's his [lack of] feel and experience, just having more of a backyard sense.'
Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
'This is a hard one….I don't think it was his best year but let me tell you this, with Geno Smith, the physical ability is real. His arm is crazy strong, he's versatile, he can throw off his back foot, sidearm, anything you want. That is also one of his problems though, because, like Darnold with his first read, Smith is not too different in that way. He has more confidence in his arm and throwing into tight windows than Darnold but that gets him in trouble. He puts the ball where he wants to, but he's taking too many chances. You see that in his worst games and his worst moments. That's what it always came down to. There has to be a better 'get out of jail' plan with Geno Smith. As a quarterback, it's your job to go and attack, but if all fails, you need to know where you're going to get the ball to keep the team in a good position.'
To listen to the full player breakdowns on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, click here.
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Fox Sports
30 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Tour de France: What to know about this year's showcase cycling race
Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Tadej Pogačar will look to add to his place in cycling history with a fourth Tour de France title. The 26-year-old Slovenian rider last year became the first cyclist to secure the Giro d'Italia and Tour double in the same season since the late Marco Pantani in 1998. His main rival will be Jonas Vingegaard, the Dane who has won the Tour de France and wants to challenge for the victory again after coming up short last year. Here's a look at what you need to know about the race: When does it start? Tour riders take to their saddles on July 5 and pedal off in the northern French city of Lille for the first of 21 stages and 3,339 kilometers (2,070 miles) of intense riding. When is the last stage? The final stage is on July 27 and sees a break from the traditional parade-like finish as riders tackle narrow cobbled streets as they climb Montmartre Hill three times. It adds suspense to what is usually a low-key last day but has prompted questions over security with massive crowds expected, just like during last year's Olympics. Who is the favorite? It will be tough to prevent another Pogačar win, even more so after he warmed up for the race with a dominant victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné last month, continuing his excellent form during the spring classics. Pogačar was at his brilliant best in the Tour's grueling mountain climbs last year. But if Vingegaard is back to his best form, the 28-year-old Danish rider remains a major threat, providing his Visma-Lease a Bike team can match Pogačar's supremely-efficient UAE Team Emirates lineup in the toughest mountain stages. Any other contenders? Slovenian veteran Primož Roglič narrowly lost the 2020 tour to Pogačar, but the four-time Spanish Vuelta winner could yet prove to be a dangerous outsider. Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel is one of only three riders who have been able to get on the back of Pogačar's wheel this year when he has launched a trademark uphill attack. He seems to have fully recovered from multiple injuries sustained in a big crash last year, but may not have enough in the tank to hang with Pogačar over three weeks. Pogačar's teammate João Almeida has what it takes to be a leader in any other team and could take the mantle from his Slovenian leader if he has a problem. American cyclist Matteo Jorgenson and Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates are both on Vingegaard's team and could take over as the No. 1 should he falter. The 25-year-old Jorgenson defended his Paris-Nice title this year and is regarded as a future Grand Tour winner. How many riders start and how many finish? A total of 184 riders representing 23 teams will line up for the start on July 5. Withdrawals are commonplace: some due to injury, others due to fatigue or an inability to cope with mountain stages. A total of 141 riders finished last year's race from 176 entrants. What is the format? The race features 21 stages: seven flat, six hilly and six in the mountains — with with five mountain finishes at Hautacam, Luchon-Superbagnères, Mont Ventoux, Courchevel Col de la Loze and La Plagne Tarentaise — and two time trials. At 2,304 meters, the Col de la Loze is the highest point of the Tour. For the first time since 2020, the race won't be visiting any foreign country. Time bonuses will be awarded at the finish of each stage, with 10, 6 and 4 seconds awarded to the first, second and third riders, respectively. Previous champions Before Pogačar and Vingegaard took over as the dominant riders, there were one-off wins for Colombian Egan Bernal in 2019 and British rider Geraint Thomas the year before for once-dominant Team Sky, which also secured wins with British riders Chris Froome — in 2013, '15, '16 and '17 — and Bradely Wiggins in 2012. Italian downhill ace Vincenzo Nibali won in 2014. How to watch on TV — In France: France Télévisions and Eurosport have comprehensive daily coverage of the race. — U.S. viewers can follow the race via NBC and Peacock. Do fans get in the way of riders? Fans can sometimes get perilously close to the riders, occasionally leading to falls. Others jump out in front of riders during mountain climbs or sprint behind them, shouting and often waving flags. While it seems chaotic and dangerous, the unwritten rule never to touch a rider is generally well obeyed. Why are there so many team cars? Each team has its sporting director following behind, passing messages over team radio and occasionally moving up the road to reach a stricken rider. This often causes chaotic congestion, particularly in mountain passes, and can slow down the time it takes to reach a rider. ___ AP sports: in this topic
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL offseason power rankings: No. 22 Jacksonville Jaguars start bold new era with Travis Hunter pick
Other NFL team previews: 32. Titans | 31. Saints | 30. Browns | 29. Panthers | 28. Jets | 27. Giants | 26. Raiders | 25. Patriots | 24. Colts | 23. Dolphins The trade value chart said the Jacksonville Jaguars were crazy. Advertisement Jacksonville traded the fifth pick of the NFL Draft, a second- and fourth-round pick in 2025 and a 2026 first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the second overall pick, a fourth- and sixth-round pick. It was a severe overpay by any chart you can find. However, the Jaguars saw Travis Hunter as a unique, game-changing prospect. So they got him, no matter the cost. Maybe that's a good thing. The Jaguars might benefit from not following the same charts as everyone else. Jacksonville has zero Super Bowl appearances, only two playoff berths since the 2007 season and many years of being practically anonymous in the NFL. It hasn't gotten very far by following the book. The Jaguars shocked the NFL with the trade. New GM James Gladstone, just 34 years old and from the aggressive Los Angeles Rams' front office, boldly told Jaguars fans about the move: "Don't be scared. This is something I'm uniquely positioned to navigate." The move might turn out to be less about Hunter himself and more about a changing mentality in a sad-sack franchise. "It's a statement for how we plan to move, who we are," Gladstone said, via the team's site. Advertisement It has been a hard few years for the Jaguars. In 2020, they had a 1-15 season and fired Doug Marrone. It didn't seem like it could get any worse than that, but then the Jaguars made the laughable decision to hire Urban Meyer, who is now on a short list of the worst coaches in NFL history. Doug Pederson was brought in, and while the Jaguars weren't a complete laughingstock like they were with Meyer, Pederson looked like a tired retread by the end. Then the Jaguars had another embarrassing episode this offseason, keeping around general manager Trent Baalke when everyone said he needed to go, then firing him a few weeks later in the middle of a coaching search. Jaguars owner Shad Khan has been terrible at running the team, but he made two hires that seem inspired. Gladstone is young but he had nine seasons with the Rams before he was hired as Jaguars GM. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen might not be good at a "Duval" chant, but he had an excellent season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and perhaps can get Trevor Lawrence to the level everyone was hoping he'd be at already. Advertisement "I really like it," Lawrence said of the Jaguars' offense, via Jaguars Wire. "It has a lot of answers. It's great. It puts a lot on the players, you have to know your stuff, but it gives you all the answers." The Jaguars have talent. Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off an excellent rookie season and was an egregious Pro Bowl snub. Not many teams have a better pass-rush duo than Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokun are two of the best linebackers in the NFL. Tyson Campbell is a pretty good cornerback and former Cowboys corner Jourdan Lewis was a strong addition to the secondary. Lawrence was one of the best quarterback draft prospects ever, and he has shown a few flashes. And Hunter could end up being a special, historic player. Maybe Gladstone's approach will work, or perhaps he'll flame out fast. But after years of failure, at least the Jaguars are trying something different. Offseason grade The Travis Hunter trade will be debated for a long time. Hunter has a Hall of Fame ceiling in the NFL and he might have to hit that to justify what the Jaguars gave up to get him. But the Jaguars had conviction. While that move was daring, the rest of the offseason wasn't too crazy. Offensive linemen Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, safety Eric Murray and receiver Dyami Brown were the main free agent additions, and none of them cost more than $12.5 million per season. The big loss was tight end Evan Engram, but the team should feel that Brenton Strange can replace most of his production. The rest of the Jaguars draft was solid, and keep an eye on running back Bhayshul Tuten, a fourth-round pick who could be a big factor by season's end. Overall, the Jaguars seemed to get better. Advertisement Grade: B+ The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to draft wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter with the second pick of the NFL Draft. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Quarterback report If Trevor Lawrence wasn't viewed as a chosen one before the draft, and was picked later in the first round or beyond the first round, would he have a five-year, $275 million contract? Would he even be an unquestioned starter in the NFL? Lawrence has a career rating of 85, which isn't far ahead of Daniel Jones' mark of 84.3. Over his last two seasons, Lawrence has 32 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. The Jaguars are 20 games under .500 in Lawrence's starts, and while a team's record isn't a quarterback stat, Lawrence hasn't lifted the Jaguars. The Jaguars are still chasing what they thought Lawrence would be coming out of Clemson. Advertisement The reasons for optimism are Lawrence's draft pedigree, a very good stretch in the second half of the 2022 season, the thought that the Jaguars' utter dysfunction has held Lawrence back and Lawrence being just 25 years old. This season, Lawrence will have Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter to throw to, and a new offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen. If he doesn't have a big season, it's probably never going to happen. BetMGM odds breakdown From Yahoo's Ben Fawkes: 'It's a big year for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars under new head coach Liam Coen. Jacksonville pulled off a stunning draft-day trade, moving up to No. 2 to take Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter. Hunter will bring excitement to a team with a win total of 7.5 at BetMGM, and one that has gone under its total in six of the past seven seasons. The Jaguars are favorites in only six games this season, but I think this team is a bit undervalued. I'd look to play the over 7.5 wins." Stat to remember The Jaguars didn't have much luck in close games last season. They were 3-10 in games decided by seven points or less and 1-4 when they were decided by three points or less. Taking on 10 losses in close games isn't normal. It wasn't all bad luck. Coaching matters in close games and the Jaguars weren't getting much of that. Quarterback play is a big factor too, and Trevor Lawrence missed seven games due to a shoulder injury and a concussion. Lawrence didn't play that well when he was healthy either. The 2024 Jaguars weren't very good, but their season would have looked a lot better with a neutral record in close games instead of having the NFL's most losses in one-score games. It's a reason to believe the Jaguars could rebound in 2025. Burning question What will Travis Hunter's career look like? Not many players have played both ways in the NFL over the last 60 years. It's also fair to note the modern college game hasn't experienced anyone like Hunter, who won a Heisman Trophy by playing nearly full time at receiver and cornerback at Colorado. Maybe he's just different than everyone else, truly the Shohei Ohtani of football. Advertisement What impact will Hunter have in the NFL? It's hard to say because there's practically nobody to compare him to. "There are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said. "Travis, while he has a lot to still earn in our eyes, has the potential to do just that." The Jaguars are starting Hunter off primarily as a receiver, but they have plans to use him on defense too. Given what they paid to move up to draft Hunter, he better be playing both ways. It didn't take long for the Jaguars to see Hunter's exceptional ball skills on offense and defense. The urge to push his limits will be there all season. "'Milo' [secondary coach Ron Milus] came up to me after practice and said, 'Can we have him more?''' Liam Coen said after an OTA practice, via the team's site. "That's a good thing." Hunter will probably play more snaps than any other player this season and if it goes well, he'll lead the league in that category for many years to come. Best-case scenario Half of the last eight NFL Coach of the Year winners were first-year coaches who took their teams to unexpected playoff berths (Sean McVay, Matt Nagy, Kevin Stefanski, Brian Daboll). Why can't that be Liam Coen this year? Coen did a fantastic job with the Buccaneers' offense last season. The previous regime for the Jaguars was going through the motions. There will be a new energy this season, and Travis Hunter has a lot to do with that as well. Baker Mayfield had 41 touchdown passes in Coen's offense last season and while that's a lofty goal, Travis Lawrence can cruise past his career best of 25 touchdowns with improved coaching and strong weapons around him. Coen isn't in Jacksonville solely to fix the passing game; he can do wonders for a rushing offense that was often disjointed last season. The Jaguars can absolutely take a huge leap, like the 2024 Commanders, 2023 Texans or any other out-of-nowhere team to make the playoffs. It's not like the AFC South is that daunting. The Jaguars being one of the NFL's most exciting teams, Trevor Lawrence breaking out, Travis Hunter winning an Offensive Rookie of the Year award and Jacksonville winning the division while Coen is the latest rookie to win Coach of the Year is all on the table. Nightmare scenario If Trevor Lawrence isn't a top 10 quarterback this season, where does that leave the Jaguars? Given that $200 million of Lawrence's contract was guaranteed and he has a no-trade clause, the Jaguars are probably married to Lawrence through at least the 2028 season, for better or worse. Through four seasons, Lawrence has rarely looked like one of the league's best quarterbacks. If a new coach and two exciting receivers can't unlock anything new, it will be hard to buy that it'll happen later on. Maybe the Jaguars will continue to perpetually be a bottom-end franchise. Liam Coen had just one season running a top-end NFL offense and we also don't know if he can handle being a head coach. The Jaguars' 4-13 record last season wasn't just bad luck; there are holes on the roster. It's possible Jacksonville will be stuck in its rut for a lot longer. The crystal ball says The ranking might not reflect it — the Jaguars come into this season with a lot to prove — but this is a team that has a lot of breakout potential. Often, NFL teams that improve suddenly are led by first-time head coaches taking over from a previous staff that wasn't getting much out of its players. Liam Coen might be a massive upgrade for the Jaguars, though he'll have to show he can be an NFL head coach. There's enough talent to have a very productive passing game. The defense has a long way to go, but there are talented players on that side. The AFC South isn't that tough, unless the Texans rebound to what they were in 2023. I'm quite optimistic for this Jaguars team and think they can be a surprise division winner. They might move far up the power rankings very early this season.
USA Today
32 minutes ago
- USA Today
Detroit DT Brodric Martin facing critical training camp to keep his Lions career alive
Brodric Martin was a surprising choice as a third-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. While Martin was a familiar name in the draft analyst community, toiling as a nose tackle at Western Kentucky with 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2022 didn't exactly earn a scouting spotlight. Heck, it didn't even earn him a trip to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine in 2023. Nevertheless, Lions GM Brad Holmes saw high-end potential in Martin. The flashes of brute power and long-armed strength were certainly there. Coach up Martin's deficiencies in pad level and quickness off the snap, and Detroit might have something impressive. Through the first two seasons in Detroit, it hasn't worked. Martin needed time to adjust from life in C-USA to the NFL as a rookie, to get his body and his mind into professional shape. The de facto redshirt year was something the Lions coaching staff expected. Martin appeared in just three games and saw action on 28 snaps, registering three tackles. Martin returned for his second training camp in better physical condition. A better diet and more focused weight room work had him looking more like the prospect Holmes believed in. His work during training camp was inconsistently promising; it became very clear Martin just doesn't have the quickness or speed to ever be a pass rusher, but his ability to anchor when his pads are low and his quick eyes to find the ball were definitely something the Lions could work with. An unfortunate knee injury in the final preseason game wiped out nearly all of Martin's 2024 season. Two games, 25 more nondescript snaps at the end of the season--including a start against the Packers--now have the clock ticking on Martin as his third season approaches. I went back and reviewed Martin's snaps against the Packers in Detroit's Week 14 win. He produced just one play that earned a plus rating, with four that earned minuses--all in run defense. Martin immediately raises up too high and doesn't sink his hips or drive his feet to hold his ground. The way Holmes spoke about Martin earlier this offseason indicates the GM knows it's do-or-die time for his pet draft project. Flashing one day in camp, only to get pushed back to the fourth-team DL the next day because none of the flash points stuck, isn't going to cut it anymore. 'We need to see more of the consistency of the flashes, and he just needs to be a consistent player,' Holmes said. 'And he knows that. We've had transparent conversations, and so he knows that he needs to be a consistent player. He's got all the ability, he's got all the physical tools to be a consistent player.' Holmes and the team took actions to back up those words. The Lions drafted Tyleik Williams in the first round and signed underappreciated Cardinals starter Roy Lopez as a free agent. Lopez is a straight nose tackle and vaults ahead of Martin on the depth chart at the 0/1 tech position, where veteran DJ Reader performed very well in his first year in Detroit, too. Given the more dynamic interior positional flexibility of guys like Levi Onwuzurike and Pat O'Connor, it appears Martin faces a real challenge to stick on the Lions' 53-man roster in 2024.
