The Honey Badger comes back home
Tyrann Mathieu is making his way back home, as in his hometown of New Orleans, signing a three-year, $33 million contract to play for the Saints. This move helps bolster a defensive backfield that lost Marcus Williams (Ravens) and Malcolm Jenkins’ leadership (retired). The Honey Badger likely saw the perfect opportunity to play for a team that could sneakily compete in the NFC as well as play for the team he grew up watching. The soon-to-be 30-year-old safety is still at the top of his game coming off three seasons with the Chiefs in which he was a Pro-Bowler three times and an All-Pro twice. Mathieu brings a championship pedigree to a team that hasn’t hoisted the Lombardi trophy since 2010. With Tom Brady still dominating at 44, the Saints needed all the help they could get and they struck big by getting the Honey Badger to come back home.
Figure it out kid, Sincerely QB1
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is in the news this week for comments he made regarding newly acquired rookie quarterback Malik Willis. The 10-year veteran said, “It’s not my job to mentor him”. Tannehill caught a lot of heat for those comments from fans, the media, players and former players. Despite those comments, technically Tannehill is not wrong. The tone and delivery in which he said those comments are probably what rubbed people the wrong way. The fact of the matter is, Tannehill will be the Titans’ starting quarterback...for at least the start of the season. The Titans don’t have and “out” on his contract until after 2022 and he’s also had some success since becoming the Titans quarterback. Coming off a playoff performance in which he went 15-of-24, 220 yards, one TD and three INT, you can see why he seems shook. With Robert Woods and Treylon Burks coming into town, Tannehill will get every chance to prove the doubters (including me) wrong. Willis will indeed learn on the job, like all young players do, but don’t expect him to be in the lineup soon, or to be “mentored.”
Nuk popped for PEDs
DeAndre Hopkins will serve a six-game suspension to start the 2022 season. Kyler Murray will miss his star receiver after being caught with PEDs in his system. In four games minus Hopkins in 2022, Murray averaged 251 passing yards per game, had a 5 to 1 TD-INT ratio, and the Cardinals went 1-3 in those games. The Cardinals likely knew of an impending suspension, leading to the trade for Marquise Brown. With Brown now in the fold, Murray and the Cardinals offense should still be able to operate with regular flow. On Hopkins’ end, even when he played in 2021, he left much to be desired outside of touchdown production. In 10 games last season, he averaged 4.2 receptions and 57.2 yards per game, never eclipsing 90 yards. Hopkins was hurt last season and he will now get even more time to “recover” before he starts his age-30 season. From a fantasy perspective, knowing a player is going to miss six games is a lot. Hopkins shouldn’t be drafted anywhere before double-digit rounds in your fantasy drafts. Murray and Brown played one season together in 2018 during their time at Oklahoma. In that season, Murray won the Heisman and Brown went 75/1318/10. If that duo gets going, things could change fast in The Desert. Hopkins said he will get to the bottom of how those drugs got into his system, but fans don’t really care unless it gets him on the field sooner, it won’t.
Did we just become friends? Again?
49ers fans all around the world are rejoicing. Their star wideout, which apparently is the only thing he wants to play, Deebo Samuel re-followed the Niners’ Instagram page, and many see that as a sign that a new contract could be coming soon. Furthermore, Samuel’s liked an IG post from general manager John Lynch. In an offseason where star receivers like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown all found new homes/contracts, it seemed almost inevitable that Deebo would be gone as well. Keeping Deebo in San Fran would be a huge get for them as it would greatly help the development of second-year quarterback Trey Lance (that’s their starting QB right?). Samuel was the engine that made the Niners offense go in 2021 totaling 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. In his first eight games of last season, Samuel averaged less than a carry a game, that number ballooned to 6.6 in his final eight games. As a pass catcher, Samuel caught 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and 6 TD which would have still been good for WR1 numbers in fantasy if that rushing production goes away. Things change fast -- just last week Deebo was at the nightclub letting fans know he will not be back in the red and gold -- but if the two sides can come to an agreement it’ll at least show that some spec of loyalty is alive in the brutal business of professional sports. Nonetheless, any hopes of another playoff run greatly hinge on Samuel being in the building. Just remember we can either thank or blame all of these offseason shenanigans on Christian Kirk and his agent.
