The NFL’s young quarterbacks aren’t so young anymore.
Baker Mayfield, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, turns 30 today. (Happy birthday.) Others aren’t far behind.
Within the next 21 months, the top four quarterbacks in the NFL will exit their twenties. First up is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, on September 17. Next will be Bills quarterback Josh Allen, on May 21 of next year.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow gets there next, on December 10, 1996. Less than a month later, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson arrives in Club 30.
All five are in their prime. All five will keep achieving at a high level. Four of them are chasing their first Super Bowl win.
And while Mayfield isn’t in the same category as the other four, he’s closer than most realize. And the Buccaneers are quietly loaded for another potential division title — and maybe plenty more.
Florida State kicker Ryan Fitzgerald is drawing serious interest from NFL teams ahead of draft weekend.
Fitzgerald told Justin Melo of TheDraftNetwork that he has had a private workout with the Patriots and has kicking sessions planned with the Commanders and Ravens.
“I’ve been excited to show these teams what I can do,” Fitzgerald told Melo. “We’ll see what comes of it.”
The Ravens’ interest in Fitzgerald is interesting if not unexpected. Baltimore has uncertainty at the position with Justin Tucker coming off a career-worst season and under NFL investigation after 16 massage therapists from eight Baltimore spas accused Tucker of sexual misconduct.
Fitzgerald is one of the best players at his position, having been a Lou Groza Award finalist and first-team All-American in 2024. He went 13-for-13 on field goals last season and 14-for-14 on extra points.
In 2023, Fitzgerald was 58-of-58 on extra points and 19-of-21 on field goals.
Washington is bringing back a familiar face.
According to multiple reports, the Commanders are signing quarterback Josh Johnson to a one-year deal.
Johnson, 38, was previously with Washington in 2018 making three starts for the team that season.
Johnson spent last season with the Ravens backing up Lamar Jackson. He appeared in six games for the club, playing 36 offensive snaps.
Since entering the league in 2008 as a fifth-round pick, Johnson has spent time with nearly half of the league. He’s also had stints in the AAF and XFL.
He presumably slots in as Washington’s third quarterback behind 2024 AP offensive rookie of the year Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota — who agreed to return to Washington on a one-year deal last month.
Johnson has appeared in 45 career games with nine starts, completing 58 percent of his passes for 2,297 yards with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Last week, a dispute emerged — and then disappeared — regarding the No. 8.
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. made an application for trademark protection as to a specific version of the number. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson filed an objection. Earnhardt promptly abandoned the effort.
Earnhardt explained the situation during the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download.
He said that his company, JR Motorsports, recently secured trademark rights to the version of the No. 8 from his Budweiser car. He said that the company attempted to secure trademark protection for a different version of the number, which JR Motorsports had been using since 2019.
“I learned on social media about the same time as everybody else did that Lamar was contesting our trademark application,” Earnhardt said. “He wasn’t suing me. He’s just contesting it. . . .
“When I learned about it, I thought for sure it was over the Bud 8. But when I dug into it, I learned that it was that JR Motorsports font. And we weren’t ever gonna use that again. Ever. . . . So yeah it’s not an issue. It’s a non-issue. . . . I didn’t wanna see this get nasty for no reason.”
So there’s the story. Earnhardt tried to get trademark protection for one specific version of the number. Jackson objected. And that was enough to get Earnhardt to back off — due in large part (as he says) to the fact that he never intended to use that version of the number.
Some might wonder why Earnhardt would even try to secure trademark protection for a number he’s not going to use. Regardless, it’s over and it’s done. Thanks to Earnhardt deciding the Bud 8 is enough.
Veteran offensive tackle George Fant had a hand in former college basketball player Colin Granger signing with the Panthers this week and he’s still looking for a spot of his own for the 2025 season.
Fant transitioned from playing basketball at Western Kentucky to playing in the NFL and he spoke to Joseph Person of TheAthletic.com about contacting Granger to tell him he thought he could do the same thing. Granger worked out with Fant for a few weeks before working out for the Panthers and other clubs.
Fant hopes to help other players make the same switch, but also told Person that he is set to visit the Ravens and Titans as he tries to continue his own playing career.
“There’s a couple other teams that I’ve been talking to, but those two are really intriguing to me,” Fant said. “Obviously, Baltimore being a contender and Nashville being where I live at. So I’m definitely interested.”
Fant was limited to two games for the Seahawks last season due to injury. He has played 101 games and made 75 starts since entering the league in 2016.
