Summer time is all the time a great time to return to final 12 months’s rookies and overview how they carried out — I simply did so for the 2024 extensive receiver class. For the 2024 quarterback class, although, I wanted no excuse. 5 of the six first-rounders noticed sport motion final season, and all of them carry fascinating storylines into 12 months 2. Can Jayden Daniels repeat — and even enhance — upon his stellar season? What’s going to Caleb Williams appear to be unshackled from the doomed Matt Eberflus period? What can three begins inform us about Michael Penix Jr.’s sudden rise to QB1 in Atlanta?
It isn’t an exaggeration to contemplate this class, which additionally consists of Drake Maye and Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy within the prime 12 picks, on par with the 2018 class that delivered Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Baker Mayfield (and Sam Darnold, if we’re to imagine his profession resurgence). Williams, Daniels, Maye and Nix all confirmed loads of proof that they’re going to be long-term starters within the league, and Penix and McCarthy every have causes to share in such perception.
I requested one urgent query about every of the rising sophomore quarterbacks, then tried my finest to reply it.
Leap to a query about:
Daniels | Maye | McCarthy
Nix | Penix | Rattler | Williams
With Williams, it is very important start with a reminder. Watch this third-and-14 late within the season towards the Lions.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 9, 2025
That is an impossibly troublesome throw. I am not even certain the way you train this throw. Many right-handed quarterbacks make acrobatic, momentum-defining throws shifting to their proper, which is intuitive — the throwing arm continues to be again, and the rotation of the hips and trunk are nonetheless concerned in producing energy for the throw. To entry this a lot velocity, whereas throwing an correct ball away from protection, on the run to the left? That’s eye-popping stuff.
You will need to start right here as a result of there have been many poor rookie seasons from early-drafted quarterbacks previously a number of years, and a variety of profession outcomes to observe.
Jared Goff in 2016. Mitchell Trubisky (oh look — a Bear!) in 2017. Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Justin Fields (one other Bear!) in 2021. Kenny Pickett in 2022 and Bryce Younger in 2023. And now Caleb Williams in 2024.
Amongst 40 quarterbacks with a minimum of 200 dropbacks final season, Williams ranked thirty third in success charge, thirtieth in EPA per dropback and thirty second in adjusted internet yards per try — fairly tough. Maybe most regarding? His off-target charge of 21% — solely Anthony Richardson Sr. missed a better share of his throws — and his sack charge is 10%, which was higher than solely Will Levis and Deshaun Watson.
However towards a few of these actually harrowing debut seasons, Williams truly holds up OK. Forty-six rookie first-round quarterbacks have taken a minimum of 200 dropbacks previously 20 years. Amongst these 46 seasons, Williams ranked twenty ninth in success charge, twenty fifth in EPA per dropback and twenty sixth in adjusted internet yards per try — slightly below common. His sack charge was nonetheless perilously excessive (forty third), however his off-target charge was a lot nearer to common (twenty ninth).
It’s simple to really feel just like the sky is falling after Williams’ rookie 12 months, as he failed to succeed in such excessive expectations, whereas the participant drafted immediately after him (Jayden Daniels) had among the finest rookie seasons in historical past. However the sky isn’t falling. It is OK. There are actually issues, but it surely’s OK.
Let’s evaluate Williams’ 2024 to Younger’s 2023 season, which was so regarding that I believed his profession was over earlier than it started — in truth, I wrote that the door was shut on his profession when he was benched in Week 2 of final season. (He would proceed to instantly make me look very silly, however that could be a frequent sufficient incidence it’s hardly value remarking upon right here.)
Younger makes a very good comparability for Williams as a result of there are related stylistic elements to their rookie years. Each took a variety of sacks (partially due to excessive strain charges behind unhealthy offensive traces, and partially as a result of they panicked below strain). Neither threw the ball very far downfield and averted interceptions of their warning. Each held the soccer for too lengthy within the pocket and relied on scrambles, more and more in order the season went on, to account for his or her deficiencies elsewhere.
Then again, 2023 Younger isn’t notably useful to understanding 2024 Williams. Younger isn’t bodily able to making that throw towards the Lions. Put merely, few quarterbacks are.
You must type by means of a variety of trash — poorly designed screens, undecipherable move safety selections, disinterested routes, horrendous sport administration — in your dumpster diving, but it surely’s not laborious to search out extra performs like the primary from Williams. There’s the absurd D’Andre Swift teardrop up the sideline towards the Vikings. The across-his-body laser to Rome Odunze within the two-minute drill towards the Packers. The opening shot towards the Commanders on what ought to have been the go-ahead drive.
The identical preternatural, unteachable stuff that obtained Williams drafted No. 1 continues to be there. It isn’t even that far beneath the floor.
As such, predicting an enormous sophomore leap for Williams isn’t troublesome. If Younger can see such fast development in his sport behind an improved offensive line and within the arms of a reliable offensive teaching workers, so can Williams with related adjustments. The primary goal for brand spanking new coach Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and the remainder of that offensive mind belief would be the set up of simple buttons right into a Bears offense weirdly devoid of them in 2024. The most effective coaching wheels you’ll be able to connect to an NFL offense as of late are play-action fakes and pre-snap movement. Final season’s Bears ranked thirtieth in play-action charge and twenty first in movement charge. (Not for nothing: Johnson’s Lions ranked first and fifth final 12 months, respectively.)
Their enhancements will hit a ceiling if Williams would not personally handle the largest wart in his present sport: the sack charge. He led the league in strain dropbacks final season with 227, and that uncooked quantity issues. The extra a quarterback will get hit, the tougher it’s to belief his offensive line, and unhealthy pocket habits blossom or worsen. However his 33.5% strain charge was simply above league common, and he was sacked on 30% of his pressures, which once more was higher than solely Levis and Watson final season. That is on him.
Williams’ administration of strain was a predictably rookie error. He was accustomed to his play energy and quickness getting him out of bother unfailingly on the faculty stage, and he shortly found the chasm between NFL athletes and faculty ones. However habits die laborious, and it is unlikely he out of the blue turns into a dink-and-dunk distributor on the first signal of strain. You do not get the unimaginable throws above with out risking a number of sacks, simply as you do not get an omelet with out breaking a number of eggs. The sack charge ought to enhance, although Williams will stay a high-sack participant. As long as the interception charge stays low (perhaps not 0.9%, a ridiculously robust quantity), he’ll collectively produce a workable variety of adverse performs. No have to panic.
What extra is there to say about Daniels? Amongst rookie quarterback seasons over the previous 20 years (min. 200 dropbacks), he ranked third in success charge and sixth in EPA per play. He set the file for rookie dashing yards with 891 on the again of maybe the very best scrambling season of any QB. He scrambled 70 instances, which is probably the most in a single season this century and possibly ever (we do not have the information to differentiate between scrambles and designed runs earlier than 2006). His 40.76 complete EPA collected on scrambles is ranked third to 2022 Justin Fields and 2022 Josh Allen, each of whom simply beat him in first downs (34 and 32 to Daniels’ 31) however actually outdistanced him in touchdowns (three apiece, to Daniels’ one).
The most effective trait Daniels carried with him from faculty is his twitch within the pocket. Paradoxically, when he is standing nonetheless within the pocket, he is one of the crucial harmful athletes within the league as a result of he hasn’t moved but. Unblocked blitzers or profitable move rushers come barreling down, and Daniels is out of the blue gone by means of certainly one of a number of nooks or crannies.
His quickness isn’t just astonishing — it is distinctive. A lot of the league’s finest athletes and escape artists at quarterback — Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts — win with explosiveness and bulk, surviving glancing contact earlier than sprinting to house. Even Lamar Jackson, maybe the very best modern comparability to Daniels (although it is nonetheless not that good), has bulked up over his time within the league to raised endure contact. Daniels’ stringy construct and receiver-like twitch makes him slippery, main not simply to unattainable escapes but additionally productive runs after.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
Watch this play carefully. It seems simple solely as a result of Daniels makes it so. Not solely is there a collapsing pocket with strain off the best aspect, however there’s additionally a quarterback spy meant to shut on him after the preliminary strain condenses his house. The complete intention behind this rush plan is to make sure there is not room to flee. Daniels nonetheless flows like water by means of the smallest crack and is not even touched till he is 20 yards downfield.
Maybe as spectacular because the bodily sport on his scrambles is the psychological acuity with which he selects them. Daniels scrambled on 11.8% of his dropbacks — the seventh-highest charge since 2000. He scrambled on 24.7% of his pressured dropbacks — the best charge since a minimum of 2000.
A excessive scramble charge can element a passer with poor pocket administration and strain response, in addition to unrewarding outcomes on precise throws (taking a look at you, 2022 Fields and 2018 Allen). In Daniels, no one may make the case his scramble-first nature is to poor ends. Sure, he leaves performs on the sphere — it is inevitable. However the discernment with which he chooses when to tuck and run or when to flee, prolong and throw is, frankly, stunning for a rookie. Instincts are alleged to develop over time, however Daniels’ knack for in-play administration was paying homage to Allen and Jackson — the scramblers who’ve been doing this for the higher a part of a decade.
On pressured dropbacks on which Daniels truly tried a move — eradicating sacks and scrambles from the equation — he rocked. He ranked fourth in air yards per try, sixth in off-target charge, seventh in yards per dropback and fifth in adjusted internet yards per try. The man who was the very best scrambler within the league was additionally a top-10 passer when he elected to hold in there towards strain.
This does not simply take toughness — it additionally takes soccer IQ. I liked this third-and-6 towards the Buccaneers within the wild-card spherical.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
Watch Daniels change the safety on the line of scrimmage pre-snap. Realizing he has Terry McLaurin on a vertical path to his left, he absolutely slides the safety proper. Within the occasion that the blitz comes from the left, Daniels will likely be sizzling — however he’ll nearly actually have a one-on-one with McLaurin, and his belief and chemistry with McLaurin was unimpeachable final season on deep throws. If the blitz comes from the best, Daniels will likely be protected — and whereas the Buccaneers protection will doubtless have assist over McLaurin now, he can work by means of his progressions or break the pocket to increase.
Daniels retains the protection in the midst of the sphere simply lengthy sufficient, hits the again foot of his drop and makes an correct, on-time throw with no hitch. That is veteran quarterbacking in a primary playoff begin. They do not make ’em like that yearly.
There may be little doubt in my thoughts Daniels’ rookie season was the true stuff, but it surely’s value remarking that almost all the pieces broke nicely for Washington. Take the deep balls to McLaurin: His 40% catch charge on downfield throws was his finest since his rookie season in 2019, and his 27.6 complete EPA on downfield targets greater than doubled his next-best. Deep passes are high-risk, high-reward performs on small samples, which suggests regression is probably going.
Additionally large for regression was the fourth-down success, even for as clutch as Daniels is. The Commanders transformed 87% of their fourth-down makes an attempt within the common season (20-for-23), which is the very best fourth-down season since a minimum of 2000. Washington added 44.3 EPA on fourth-down makes an attempt, the best quantity since 2000 and a quantity that just about actually is not going to be repeated subsequent season.
I do not carry these up to remove from Daniels, however quite to insulate us from a C.J. Stroud-esque sophomore tumble within the nationwide eye. Stroud was all that and a bag of chips after his rookie season, and he began his second season below the identical offensive coordinator, behind the identical line and throwing to the identical ability gamers (with a few thrilling additions in Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon).
Issues fell aside, as they typically do within the league. Shaky offensive line expertise snowballed with coordinator errors, and offensive accidents threw Stroud proper right into a sophomore hunch, regardless of the movie exhibiting the identical aggressive, proficient passer who starred as a rookie. There are a variety of worlds the place the 2025 Commanders get the identical stupendous play from Daniels however look worse on offense regardless of the keystone items they return and the additions they made this offseason.
The ultimate be aware for Daniels was well-covered final season: A rib damage, suffered towards the Panthers in Week 7, clearly lingered and affected his play. The one factor that may actually derail this steam practice of a profession is that which all the time looms over athletic quarterbacks: damage. Persevering with to slip and keep away from hits ought to stay the primary precedence in his sport.
May Drake Maye get some assist?
I had nicely and actually forgotten simply how unhealthy the Patriots offense was round Maye final season. He had with out query the worst offensive line of the rookie quarterbacks, and I might wager the worst offensive line of any quarterback. From Week 6 on, he had extra fast pressures (below 2.5 seconds) than any passer save for Joe Burrow — and Burrow had 124 extra dropbacks. Maye’s total strain charge of 37.3% was exceeded solely by Deshaun Watson — but it surely was not the product of prolonged dropbacks, as Maye obtained the ball out quicker than the league common passer.
Maybe much more debilitating to the offense was the road’s efficiency within the run sport. On operating again carries, the Patriots averaged 4.0 yards per rush (solely 5 groups have been worse), however solely had an anticipated yards per carry of three.7 yards per rush (no groups have been worse). The Patriots backs have been creating yardage simply to get to 4.0 yards per carry! That is how poorly this line operated within the operating sport.
That qualifier is essential, nevertheless: operating again carries. As a result of the QB carries have been glorious. Maye scrambled on 10.8% of his dropbacks, second solely to Daniels amongst quarterbacks. Maye’s 9.0 yards per scramble exceeded Daniels’ 8.1, as did his explosive run charge (37.8% to 27.1%). I am not taking Maye earlier than Daniels have been I operating a triple-option offense, neither is anybody else — however Maye’s important scrambling achievements have gotten misplaced in Daniels’ historic shadow. Good coaches would begin together with him within the choice operating sport as a big-bodied, vertical runner à la Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts.
In contrast to Allen and Hurts (and nearly any actually harmful quarterback within the trendy NFL), Maye struggled to generate explosives by means of the air. He was extremely environment friendly — eighth in success charge amongst all rookie quarterbacks since 2000 — however twenty second in EPA per dropback and forty seventh in explosive play charge. His longest completion was a 40-yarder. Paradoxically, it was his first NFL landing move in his first profession begin, and by no means a portent of issues to return.
Not solely may the Patriots not defend Maye lengthy sufficient to let routes develop downfield, however in addition they lacked a receiver who may make a play there. Of his 32 downfield targets final season, 14 went to Kayshon Boutte, a 2023 sixth-round decide who hauled in precisely three of these targets. The following two most often focused have been a pair of tight ends: Hunter Henry with 5, and Austin Hooper with 4. Neither Henry nor Hooper of their prime have been the form of tight ends who stretched the sphere on vertical routes. Final season? It was difficult to look at.
So Maye lived working fast sport ideas, choosing a aspect and going by means of reads. Practically three-quarters of Maye’s targets (73.4%) have been inside 10 yards of the road of scrimmage, behind solely Tua Tagovailoa, Russell Wilson and Gardner Minshew — not nice firm. That is particularly worrisome due to the yards-after-catch athletes out there to Tagovailoa (De’Von Achane, Tyreek Hill and Jonnu Smith) and Minshew (Brock Bowers, Brock Bowers and Brock Bowers). The Patriots have been doing this with Henry, DeMario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne.
As such, many Maye dropbacks regarded like this second-and-5 towards Houston. This needs to be mirrored stick ideas, however rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk will get his route improper to the underside of the display. Irrespective of — Maye is wanting within the different course. However the Texans are trapping the out route from the tight finish, snug with sitting a security on Boutte’s vertical route — he would not fear them a lot.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
Maye separates to throw, however he sees the squatting nook and thinks higher of it. There’s strain off his proper deal with, so he climbs, races the defensive deal with to the nook, wins and turns a play lifeless on arrival right into a 15-yard achieve.
Maye makes quick selections and has a fantastic really feel for improvisation. He made certainly one of my favourite performs from any QB this season on an out-of-structure throw towards heavy strain from Buffalo. Watch Maye abort the play-action pretend to Antonio Gibson as he sees the linebacker blitz with excellent timing proper down the pipe. He abandons his drop however retains each arms on the ball and retains a way of timing, too. He holds the ball lengthy sufficient to throw the receiver open on the break, and makes a high-difficulty move towards his momentum and within the face of strain. Cannot train it.
Drake Maye and Antonio Gibson each see the blitz (nice timing from Dorian Williams) and abort the play-action pretend.
Then Maye makes an off-platform, out-of-rhythm, towards his momentum throw to the center of the sphere for a piece achieve.
Younger man’s obtained it. pic.twitter.com/1jn0XI9uiL
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) December 23, 2024
I’m each bit as sure Maye has obtained it as I’m that Daniels has obtained it or that Stroud had it as a rookie (and nonetheless does). Some guys instantly clear the requisite bar of poise, arm expertise, soccer processing and athletic skill. There isn’t any doubt in my thoughts Maye’s going to be a great starter on this league.
Simply how good, and simply when it produces good offense, is determined by the opposite guys. Maye has a brand new offensive coordinator (Josh McDaniels) and a few much-needed offensive line assist, however I would not name the Patriots’ roster inspiring. Practically all the eggs within the field-stretching search are within the basket of third-round rookie receiver Kyle Williams. Stefon Diggs, off an ACL tear and coming into his age-32 season, is the very best wager to steer the crew in targets. Two new tackles and a middle ought to enhance the road, however free company and the draft are by no means certain issues.
Do we actually know something about Michael Penix Jr.?
Lotta up, lotta down in Penix’s three begins to finish the 2024 season. About what you’d anticipate from a rookie, particularly since these have been his first profession begins. Had you paused Bo Nix’s rookie season after three begins, he would have been 1-2 as a starter with zero landing passes and 4 interceptions. Younger gamers drastically enhance throughout their first 10 or 15 begins.
The most effective of Penix confirmed a quarterback with the timing, arm expertise and fearlessness crucial to hold out and elevate coordinator Zac Robinson’s Sean McVay-inspired offense. Penix is keen to throw routes with anticipation to the sideline and over the center of the sphere, and he has the speed to money these checks.
Penix additionally will get it. You possibly can see him establish an advantageous matchup for Bijan Robinson pre-snap, then get him the ball quick out of the flat; open his head a method in his dropback, manipulate a protection defender, then throw into that void. There may be clear proof of understanding and really feel.
This is a great instance on third-and-6 towards the Giants — his first begin. Penix all the time needs Darnell Mooney on the slant, however he should fear about linebackers dropping off the road of scrimmage and occupying the window. He initially opens proper, will get the linebacker to take one lateral step after which snaps his physique left earlier than throwing with sufficient velocity to beat the very ‘backer he had simply relocated.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
It is a notably vital play as a result of Penix was barely requested to course of and execute the fast sport. The ball got here out quick, do not get me improper: His 2.73-second time to throw was one of many quickest releases of any quarterback in 2024. However with 10.1 air yards per try, these fast throws weren’t going into the beneath areas — they have been going to one-on-one alternatives downfield.
Shot choice is a giant factor to look at for Penix over his sophomore season. Of all of the quarterbacks who tried 100 passes — once more: Penix tried solely 105, so it needs to be taken with a big grain of salt — no passer threw go balls or hitches extra often (14.3% and 23.8% of all makes an attempt, respectively). The Falcons largely ran their base offense, however Penix most well-liked to dwell in isolation, throwing to bottom receivers in man protection as an alternative of studying out the entrance aspect of ideas. And in that pursuit, he was extremely aggressive: 28.6% of his throws have been to vertical routes (go, put up, nook, wheel, and many others.), which cleared second place (Anthony Richardson Sr. at 24.6%) by an honest margin.
Working all of those isolation photographs is a extremely defensible method when Penix’s No. 1 goal is Drake London, who is solely among the finest ball-winners in soccer. However dwelling and dying by the one-on-one matchup will restrict any offense, leaving meat on the bone by tunneling on one reply.
On this second-and-14 towards the Commanders, Penix clearly needs London on the dig from the underside of the display. On the final second, he realizes the weak security is driving down, and the massive put up to Mooney ought to open up on the prime of the display for a good larger achieve, and he flips to it.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
Penix separates his arms to throw, however he is behind and Mooney is definitely properly coated by the nook. Penix tries to return again to London late, however he has to relocate with the pocket breaking. He pumps, eager about throwing both the dig or the put up (I can not inform) late, however realizes it is not definitely worth the danger and scrambles for 3 yards.
Caught within the center between bird-dogging London and studying the play out, Penix will get frozen. It is a rookie error, and simple to scrub up. However as a lot as London’s dominance is a crutch in good methods (see: game-tying drive towards the Commanders), it may be a crutch in unhealthy methods, too. I love Penix’s willingness to throw nearly any deep route in any window, however I fear about an offense’s consistency when the quarterback frequently forgoes beneath choices on early downs.
Progress for Penix this season seems like a quarterback in higher command of himself. With the beginning job nicely in hand, a great line and a fantastic operating sport, he doesn’t have to put on the superhero cape to win video games. Maintaining the offense on schedule and avoiding massively adverse performs that power third-and-longs is an integral a part of complementary soccer.
As all the time, it is higher to have a man with gumption that it is advisable to reel in than it’s to have a man with out ambition and try to attract it out of him. As a result of his rookie season was so brief, I do not need to draw any large profession arc conclusions apart from the apparent: Penix clearly has all of the instruments within the toolbox, and there is some sharpening nonetheless to do.
OK, can we actually know something about J.J. McCarthy?
Not a lot! Nineteen preseason snaps value, to be precise.
On these performs, McCarthy threw a pleasant bottom dig to Jalen Nailor, took a giant shot to purchase time for Trishton Jackson on a crosser, threw off-platform right into a decide and lofted a good looking deep ball right into a bucket for a landing. I stay wholly unconvinced there’s something significant in these dropbacks towards the Raiders’ backups final August, but it surely’s all I’ve needed to watch.
We all know McCarthy tore a meniscus, which is usually a tough restoration — he wanted a second process in November to handle swelling from his first surgical procedure. We additionally know the Vikings poked across the veteran quarterback market this offseason, although their want for a QB2 justifies that search greater than any lack of religion in McCarthy as QB1. And we additionally know they’d no actual curiosity in extending Sam Darnold at market worth, which additional implies they like McCarthy. Then once more, we all know they traded as much as take him with the No. 11 decide, so we did not really want a lot proof that they favored him.
1:44
McAfee: Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s extension is a giant deal
Pat McAfee reacts to the Vikings signing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to a multiyear extension.
What else do we all know? We all know that though there is no such factor as a QB-proof offense, the Vikings are about as shut because it will get. Their pair of simple separating receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are identified for his or her route operating and quickness, but it surely’s their ball monitoring and catch radius that basically make them QB-friendly — they erase inaccuracy, particularly down the sphere. The Vikings have been one of many heaviest pre-snap movement groups final season, in addition to one of many heaviest play-action groups, and coach Kevin O’Connell pulls each levers to create simple reads for his quarterback. Minnesota’s retooling of its inside offensive line (drafted Donovan Jackson, signed Will Fries and Ryan Kelly) ought to result in an enchancment within the operating sport as nicely, shortening third-down distances and lowering the variety of dropbacks for McCarthy as he ramps as much as NFL velocity.
It is vital to see how McCarthy seems, particularly on the hoof after his main knee damage. However so long as he is athletically again, there are many causes for optimism.
How a lot is Sean Payton keen to placed on Bo Nix’s plate?
In a category characterised by big-play hunters and prolific scramblers, Nix is a zag. Daniels, Williams and Maye invited pressures and risked taking sacks final season. Nix was pressured on solely 28% of his dropbacks, and simply 13.4% of these pressures turned sacks — these numbers have been beneath and method beneath league common, respectively. And it is not like he was getting the ball out at lightning velocity — 37.7% of his throws have been out in lower than 2.5 seconds, which was the bottom charge of the 4 rookies.
So what was happening? For one, the Broncos have an elite offensive line — they may make a robust case for having the league’s finest. Nix was not snug as a pocket supervisor early within the season, and he is nonetheless vulnerable to breaking out of fresh pockets to attempt to disrupt defensive geometry. However as he gained religion behind his line, he obtained higher at settling in. It is simple to neglect that the begin to his profession was extraordinarily tough — in three of his first 4 video games, his dropback success charge was beneath 40% — and it took some offensive tinkering from his coach to get him into a greater spot.
Time to throw was one of many large adjustments, as Payton started shifting targets nearer to the road of scrimmage. From the primary half of the season to the second half, Nix’s time to throw dropped from 3.1 to 2.9 seconds, and his air yards per try fell from 7.9 to six.6. As an alternative of 1 out of each 4 move makes an attempt going behind the road of scrimmage, one out of each three did. Within the again half of the season, no quarterback threw behind the road extra often.
To make an offense like this — one constructed on swings, screens and checkdowns — work, a quarterback has to make quick selections and belief the playmakers. Payton drafted Nix largely for his on-field decision-making and his success as a fast, correct distributor beneath in faculty. He instantly delivered on that analysis.
This is a third-and-11 on which the Broncos convert with a 12-yard achieve from operating again Javonte Williams, who releases late after serving to in move safety. The Chargers’ protection is constructed to make opposing quarterbacks examine it down — they play their zones with loads of depth, as you see right here — then rally and deal with. To beat such a protection, passers have to be keen to examine down shortly. Get the ball into the arms of a receiver earlier than the protection is able to drive on him and deal with.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
I am assured certainly one of these different younger passers would have seen the thin put up from Marvin Mims Jr. and mentioned, “You understand what … I can in all probability hit that.” And perhaps they may have! Nix may too, however he made the safer alternative shortly to get his crew at worst to a makeable fourth down. Higher but, a conversion.
It is true that Payton made Nix extra of a sport supervisor because the season went on, beating opponents on the chalkboard earlier than the ball was even snapped. However Nix deserves his flowers for filling the purpose guard position properly. And as his confidence grew, so did his effectiveness when his quantity was known as. The landing up the seam to Mims towards the Browns. The opposite moon-ball landing to Mims towards the Broncos. Nix will uncork it when Payton dials up a shot play, and that is a essential trait.
There may be an apparent ground on what the Broncos did offensively to complete the season. A lot of their cheesing with swings and screens was additionally a product of a poor operating sport, which rookie second-round decide RJ Harvey is supposed to unravel. An improved handoff sport will give Nix simpler play-action alternatives and take away among the strain on him to all the time take the average achieve.
However the passing sport will all the time hit a ceiling if Nix would not enhance throwing to the layered areas of the sphere — between 5 and 20 yards. He threw 12 interceptions on the season — not precisely game-manager numbers — largely as a result of he drives intermediate-breaking throws into powerful home windows. He can throw on to defenders in moments of panic; he can expertise accuracy drain when he places his complete physique into producing velocity; the ball can die on him when he tries to goal it rigorously.
Good instance right here. A wayward snap and fast strain from Myles Garrett power Nix to speed up his course of. He throws to Troy Franklin on the dig, however the ball would not have ultimate zip and is behind him. Franklin slows down, which creates time and house for the nook to shut on the catch level and deflect it up for a decide.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) June 6, 2025
Nix is just about as billed popping out of faculty. He is greater than able to operating an offense, but it surely’s nonetheless unsure if he can actually elevate one. I like the way in which the Broncos are bringing him alongside, although. You can see his confidence rising over time. As they proceed to enhance their pass-catching corps, they may give him extra alternatives to work downfield. The developmental arc is there, so long as Payton can keep forward of defenses lengthy sufficient to maintain strain off Nix’s shoulders.
Is Spencer Rattler actually an element within the Saints’ QB competitors?
It could appear odd to the touch on the highest six quarterbacks however not the seventh. Particularly as a result of Rattler began extra video games than Penix and McCarthy. So, this is a phrase on Rattler.
I stay extraordinarily doubtful that the quarterback “battle” in New Orleans is a real competitors. A brand new teaching workers helped choose rookie Tyler Shough with the No. 40 decide, far sooner than Rattler was chosen (a hundred and fiftieth) a 12 months in the past. And though Rattler flexed his arm expertise at moments, he largely struggled to keep away from turnovers and sacks, throwing extra interceptions (5) than landing passes (4). It is value noting that Rattler’s begins got here with each Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed absent from the lineup — his main targets have been tight finish Juwan Johnson, operating again Alvin Kamara after which extensive receiver Dante Pettis. However Rattler’s play learn extra to me as “profession journeyman backup” than “viable starter.” I wager we see him begin this 12 months provided that Shough struggles mightily or misses time with damage.
