Latest news with #TreyLance
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys' 'Bazooka Joe' Milton 3 Steps Away From Winning Dak Backup Job
Cowboys' 'Bazooka Joe' Milton 3 Steps Away From Winning Dak Backup Job originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In recent years, the Dallas Cowboys have developed a reputation for being relatively quiet during the offseason, a frustrating trend for fans. Advertisement However, in a move that surprised many in the NFL world, the Cowboys broke that trend by acquiring quarterback Joe Milton III, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, in exchange for their 2025 fifth-round pick. It's a solid all-upside move with promise in terms of depth for the quarterback room. But can it be something more? Longtime backup Cooper Rush, who spent the past few seasons as Dak Prescott's primary No. 2, signed with the Baltimore Ravens to back up 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, former third-string QB Trey Lance - a failed experiment here - also made a move, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers to back up Justin Herbert. Advertisement With both gone, the No. 2 job in Dallas is now wide open between Joe Milton and Will Grier. ... and as our Mike Fisher reported here at weeks ago, second-year man Milton seemed to make his move toward second-string on the depth chart. The suggestion that Milton is emerging as the frontrunner for the role is the stuff dreams are made of. His rare blend of size at 6-5 and 240 pounds, with mobility, doing-backflips athleticism and an 85-yard-bomb rocket for an arm has left coaches and scouts thoroughly impressed with his physical traits. Some even argue Milton has one of the strongest arms in the entire league. Advertisement But with that arm strength and the rest come his three biggest flaws. 1 - Accuracy. Milton has developed a reputation for throwing what some may call 'the prettiest incompletions you'll ever see.' As pretty as his deep throws may look, the key question is whether he can consistently put them in the hands of his receivers. 2 - Inexperience. He was a late-round Patriots pick a year ago and got to play in one game. Watch Dallas feed him snaps in this summer's preseason games; he needs 'em all. 3 - Consistency. "Bazooka Joe'' is "exciting.'' But he's a long way from mastering the "boring'' ... That is to say, all of the same footwork and all of the same reads and all of the same motions ... over and over and over again until he knows it all by rote. Advertisement Even without those three things? Milton could be a helpful option to sit behind a veteran like Dak Prescott. But with those three things? Not only will he benefit from learning under Dak, but given Prescott's recent injury history, Milton could realistically be called upon for meaningful snaps in 2025. ... and he could succeed as something more than "upside promise.'' Get more from Hayden Pustejovsky here. Related: Dallas QB Prescott Earns 'Controversial' Low Ranking in NFC East Related: Cowboys' Aubrey Details 'No Guarantees' Contract Reality With Jerry Jones This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
05-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Mac Jones embraces fresh start with 49ers after getting passed over in 2021 NFL Draft
Mac Jones is happy finally to be with coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers even if it came four years after many expected. Jones was linked to San Francisco leading into the 2021 draft but was passed over and ended up in New England. Now after an up and down first four years in the NFL, Jones is trying to revive his career as a backup to Brock Purdy in Shanahan's offense. "Obviously the world works in mysterious ways," Jones said Wednesday. "I'm glad to be back here and learning from a great group of guys, and that's players and coaches. You go where you go in the draft, right? You don't get a lot of choice over that, but I'm definitely excited to be here now." Jones and San Francisco were closely linked leading up to the 2021 draft after the Niners traded three first-round picks to get the No. 3 overall selection. Shanahan was looking to draft a franchise quarterback and was debating between Jones and Trey Lance before San Francisco finally opted for Lance. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws the ball during San Francisco 49ers OTA on June 4, 2025 at SAP Performance Facility in Santa Clara. Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The move backfired as Lance struggled to stay healthy and adjust to Shanahan's system. He made only four starts in two seasons before being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in August 2023, having lost the starting job to Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft. Jones had a fast start to his career, helping New England make the playoffs in his rookie season. But Jones regressed the next year after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas, and he was replaced as the starter in 2023. Jones was traded to Jacksonville last March and started seven games for the Jaguars, throwing eight TD passes and eight interceptions. Jones has made 49 career starts, posting an 84.9 passer rating with 54 TD passes, 44 interceptions and averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He said he didn't hesitate to pick San Francisco in his first shot at free agency and has hopes a stint as a backup here can spark his career in a similar fashion to what happened to Sam Darnold after he spent the 2023 season with the Niners. "I always love watching their tape," Jones said. "When you look at stats around the league, they're always in the top five, you see the little San Francisco logo. So I always love watching what Kyle did throughout the years and to finally get in and learn it, it's been a little bit challenging, but also a great challenge because it's things, some things I've done and some things I haven't done at all." Jones has had a different play caller every season in the NFL and said learning another new offense is like "drinking from a water hose." Quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi said that experience pays dividends this spring. "He's not new to this," Lombardi said. "He's not new to kind of new terminology new footwork and how to be coached differently. The one thing I love about Mac is he's always here. He's always willing to try new try new things. He's not stuck in his ways, and he really wants to try and do it our way." Lombardi and Jones have familiarity with Lombardi serving as receivers coach in New England when Jones was a rookie in 2021. Jones and Purdy have a relationship that goes even further, with Jones hosting Purdy on a recruiting visit to Alabama in 2018 and the two have thrown together in the offseason near Jacksonville before Jones signed with San Francisco. "We talked about that and joked around with it a little bit, just him being at Alabama and really before he took off too with his career and the amazing, obviously the National Championship run he had and then getting drafted and everything," Purdy said. "It's pretty cool. We were both just young kids both heading into college and then now here we are on the same team. It's pretty cool."
Associated Press
05-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Mac Jones embraces fresh start with the 49ers after getting passed over by team in 2021 draft
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mac Jones is happy finally to be with coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers even if it came four years after many expected. Jones was linked to San Francisco leading into the 2021 draft but was passed over and ended up in New England. Now after an up and down first four years in the NFL, Jones is trying to revive his career as a backup to Brock Purdy in Shanahan's offense. 'Obviously the world works in mysterious ways,' Jones said Wednesday. 'I'm glad to be back here and learning from a great group of guys, and that's players and coaches. You go where you go in the draft, right? You don't get a lot of choice over that, but I'm definitely excited to be here now.' Jones and San Francisco were closely linked leading up to the 2021 draft after the Niners traded three first-round picks to get the No. 3 overall selection. Shanahan was looking to draft a franchise quarterback and was debating between Jones and Trey Lance before San Francisco finally opted for Lance. The move backfired as Lance struggled to stay healthy and adjust to Shanahan's system. He made only four starts in two seasons before being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in August 2023, having lost the starting job to Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft. Jones had a fast start to his career, helping New England make the playoffs in his rookie season. But Jones regressed the next year after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas, and he was replaced as the starter in 2023. Jones was traded to Jacksonville last March and started seven games for the Jaguars, throwing eight TD passes and eight interceptions. Jones has made 49 career starts, posting an 84.9 passer rating with 54 TD passes, 44 interceptions and averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He said he didn't hesitate to pick San Francisco in his first shot at free agency and has hopes a stint as a backup here can spark his career in a similar fashion to what happened to Sam Darnold after he spent the 2023 season with the Niners. 'I always love watching their tape,' Jones said. 'When you look at stats around the league, they're always in the top five, you see the little San Francisco logo. So I always love watching what Kyle did throughout the years and to finally get in and learn it, it's been a little bit challenging, but also a great challenge because it's things, some things I've done and some things I haven't done at all.' Jones has had a different play caller every season in the NFL and said learning another new offense is like 'drinking from a water hose.' Quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi said that experience pays dividends this spring. 'He's not new to this,' Lombardi said. 'He's not new to kind of new terminology new footwork and how to be coached differently. The one thing I love about Mac is he's always here. He's always willing to try new try new things. He's not stuck in his ways, and he really wants to try and do it our way.' Lombardi and Jones have familiarity with Lombardi serving as receivers coach in New England when Jones was a rookie in 2021. Jones and Purdy have a relationship that goes even further, with Jones hosting Purdy on a recruiting visit to Alabama in 2018 and the two have thrown together in the offseason near Jacksonville before Jones signed with San Francisco. 'We talked about that and joked around with it a little bit, just him being at Alabama and really before he took off too with his career and the amazing, obviously the National Championship run he had and then getting drafted and everything,' Purdy said. 'It's pretty cool. We were both just young kids both heading into college and then now here we are on the same team. It's pretty cool.' ___ AP NFL:
Boston Globe
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Brock Purdy, 49ers agree to five-year, $265 million contract
Purdy has made less than $1 million a year for his first three seasons and was set to get a small raise in 2025 to about $5.2 million under the league's proven performance escalator for making the Pro Bowl last season before reaching this new deal that puts Purdy in the top 10 in quarterback contracts. Advertisement After several lengthy contract disputes in recent years, the Niners got this deal done with Purdy with no drama. He reported to the start of the offseason program and now has his new contract before on-field practices start later this month. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Purdy's journey from the final pick of the 2022 draft to agreeing to this new contract has been a remarkable one that saw him take over as the starter late in his rookie season, become an MVP finalist on the way to leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2023 and then solidifying his position last season. Purdy's success helped rescue the Niners from a potentially catastrophic mistake after they traded three first-round picks to draft Trey Lance third overall in 2021 only to watch him struggle before getting traded in 2023. Advertisement The Niners took Purdy 262nd overall in the 2022 draft — Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick — and even before his first exhibition game as a rookie, coach Kyle Shanahan had told owner Jed York that Purdy was the team's best quarterback. He got the chance to prove that late in his rookie season in 2022 after Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo had gone down with season-ending injuries. Purdy won the final five starts of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs before suffering a serious injury to his throwing elbow early in an NFC title game loss to Philadelphia that season. But the 108 passer rating, 16 TDs and only four interceptions he had that season proved he was capable as long as he was healthy and he backed that up with a sensational 2023 season. Purdy had one of the most prolific passing seasons in team history when he finished fourth in the NFL in MVP voting. He set a franchise record for yards passing (4,280) and became the first Niners QB in more than two decades to throw at least 30 TD passes (31). Purdy led the NFL with a 113 passer rating and his 9.6 yards per attempt were the most in the NFL for a qualifying QB since Kurt Warner had 9.9 in 2000. He helped lead comeback wins over Green Bay and Detroit in the playoffs before falling short against Kansas City in overtime in the Super Bowl. That success was harder to come by in 2024 as Purdy was hampered by injuries to key offensive players like Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and Brandon Aiyuk. His passer rating dropped nearly 17 points to 96.1, he had only 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions on the season, and also came up short in several late-game scenarios when the 49ers had a chance for a comeback win. Advertisement Purdy's play was part of a team-wide downturn that led to a 6-11 record and the first missed playoff appearance for San Francisco since 2020. But he didn't lose the support of Shanahan, York or general manager John Lynch, who all expressed a strong desire to make sure Purdy remained the team's long-term answer at quarterback.
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Brock Purdy agrees to 5-year, $265 million extension with the 49ers, AP source says
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $265 million with the San Francisco 49ers, going from the NFL's biggest bargain to one of the league's highest-paid players. A person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that the sides reached agreement Friday on the contract that includes $181 million in total guarantees. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the deal yet. NFL Network first reported the deal. Purdy has made less than $1 million a year for his first three seasons and was set to get a small raise in 2025 to about $5.2 million under the league's proven performance escalator for making the Pro Bowl last season before reaching this new deal that puts Purdy in the top 10 in quarterback contracts. After several lengthy contract disputes in recent years, the Niners got this deal done with Purdy with no drama. He reported to the start of the offseason program and now has his new contract before on-field practices start later this month. Purdy's journey from the final pick of the 2022 draft to agreeing to this new contract has been a remarkable one that saw him take over as starter late in his rookie season, become an MVP finalist on the way to leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2023 and then solidifying his position last season. Purdy's success helped rescue the Niners from a potentially catastrophic mistake after they traded three first-round picks to draft Trey Lance third overall in 2021 only to watch him struggle before getting traded away in 2023. The Niners took Purdy 262nd overall in the 2022 draft — Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick — and even before his first exhibition game as a rookie, coach Kyle Shanahan had told owner Jed York that Purdy was the team's best quarterback. He got the chance to prove that late in his rookie season in 2022 after Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo had gone down with season-ending injuries. Purdy won the final five starts of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs before suffering a serious injury to his throwing elbow early in an NFC title game loss to Philadelphia that season. But the 108 passer rating, 16 TDs and only four interceptions he had that season proved he was capable as long as he was healthy and he backed that up with a sensational 2023 season. Purdy had one of the most prolific passing seasons in team history when he finished fourth in the NFL in MVP voting. He set a franchise record for yards passing (4,280) and became the first Niners QB in more than two decades to throw at least 30 TD passes (31). Purdy led the NFL with a 113 passer rating and his 9.6 yards per attempt were the most in the NFL for a qualifying QB since Kurt Warner had 9.9 in 2000. He helped lead comeback wins over Green Bay and Detroit in the playoffs before falling short against Kansas City in overtime in the Super Bowl. That success was harder to come by in 2024 as Purdy was hampered by injuries to key offensive players like Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk. His passer rating dropped nearly 17 points to 96.1, he had only 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions on the season, and also came up short in several late-game scenarios when the 49ers had a chance for a comeback win. Purdy's play was part of a team-wide downturn that led to a 6-11 record and the first missed playoff appearance for San Francisco since 2020. But he didn't lose the support of Shanahan, York or general manager John Lynch, who all expressed a strong desire to make sure Purdy remained the team's long-term answer at quarterback. ___ AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report ___ AP NFL:
