The NFL offseason is in full swing with rumors flying about potential trades and free agent signings. This article explores the latest buzz surrounding Mike Tomlin's possible move from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dallas Cowboys, while also taking a look at the upcoming divisional round matchups in the playoffs. It delves into the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback situation and the potential return of Sam Darnold, comparing his potential signing to Brock Purdy's performance and the impact of competition on their development.
NFL rumors of possible trades and potential free-agent signings are swirling fast now that 24 teams are officially in their offseason. The Dallas Cowboys waited until the last minute to move on from coach Mike McCarthy, giving them a late start to the hiring process.We’ll take a look at the rumors connecting Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to Dallas. But we haven’t forgotten about the NFL playoffs. There are four intriguing matchups in store for the divisional round .
Manzano’s view: Fact Two weeks ago, Sam Darnold probably wasn’t even an option for the San Francisco 49ers. But now Darnold could be in play to return to his former team after back-to-back brutal performances on the biggest stage, possibly costing himself a lot of money ahead of free agency. It wouldn’t make much sense for the Minnesota Vikings to re-sign Darnold to a lucrative contract extension or slap the franchise tag on him, which could be worth around $41 million. Minnesota already has 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings. So, if the going rate for Darnold is now, let’s say, around $30 million per year, the 49ers should definitely be interested in bringing him back on a short-term deal. Obviously, that’s too much for a backup quarterback, meaning this would turn into a QB battle between Darnold and Brock Purdy, who might be seeking a contract extension around $60 million per year or around what the top quarterbacks are making, which ranges north of $40 million per year. Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 draft, had a rough ending to the ’24 season and may not be worth that much money, but he does have some leverage. Purdy didn’t fold in the biggest moments, taking the 49ers to the Super Bowl last year and pushing the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime. But, competition could be good for Purdy, and the 49ers could structure Darnold’s contract with the option of moving on after a year if Purdy has a bounce-back season. Purdy did have his best season when he battled Darnold and Trey Lance in the summer of 2023. Perhaps it’s not wise to spend money on Darnold to scare Purdy into playing well. But it’s another QB option in case the 49ers don’t like Purdy’s asking price for his next contract. There’s also the option of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan adding Kirk Cousins, possibly on an affordable deal if the Atlanta Falcons trade or cut him. Creating options and letting Purdy earn it in a contract year could be the best path for San Francisco.My initial response to this was, “Yeah. You know what, hell yeah.” (Some of you might knowBut then I remembered the Cowboys are no longer Super Bowl contenders. Dallas won only seven games in McCarthy’s final season, plagued not only by injuries, but also by holes throughout the roster. Even in McCarthy’s 12-win seasons, the Cowboys had a top-heavy roster with a handful of stars. There was solid depth among the pass rushers, but Dallas lost that after Dorance Armstrong left to join the Washington Commanders, and it appears DeMarcus Lawrence’s best days are now behind him. In a way, the Cowboys’ roster appears similar to what Tomlin already has with the Steelers, who lost the final five games of the season. Micah Parsons is doing the heavy lifting for Dallas, although T.J. Watt does have more help with Pittsburgh’s defense. And fellow receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens don’t have much help on offense—and, yes, I understand the Cowboys’ star wideout is better than the one in Pittsburgh.The Cowboys’ signal-caller would be a drastic upgrade from what Tomlin has had since Ben Roethlisberger’s prime years. I just don’t think Prescott can be trusted in the playoffs—unless he has a better roster. First, the Cowboys would need to relinquish a first-round pick. (You don’t trade one of the best head coaches in the NFL without at least getting a first-rounder.) Then, the Jones family would need to spend to address the lack of depth at wide receiver and the various holes on the defensive front. Splurging in free agency might not even be an option with the team currently $285,056 over the salary cap according to OvertheCap.com. There’s always the draft, but you would already be behind if the first-rounder goes to Pittsburgh. And let’s not forget that this team is also missing a bellcow running back. Tomlin wants his teams to be physical and you can’t have that without a consistently productive rushing attack.Tomlin and the Steelers ended the season with five consecutive losses. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn ImagesIt’s wild to think about how good the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive front became during theirDepth is what sets this defensive front apart from the three other teams heading into the divisional round. There’s no all-time great anymore, but Los Angeles has two stud defensive tackles in Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, a star-in-the-making edge rusher in Jared Verse, a standout No. 2 edge rusher in Byron Young and a reliable rotational pass rusher in Michael Hoech
NFL Offseason Rumors Trades Free Agents Mike Tomlin Dallas Cowboys Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49Ers Sam Darnold Brock Purdy Playoffs Divisional Round Los Angeles Rams Defensive Front Kobie Turner Braden Fiske Jared Verse Byron Young Michael Hoecht
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