Wednesday's NFL: More 'Hard Knocks' for Aaron Rodgers behind struggling O-line

During their first joint practice against the Panthers in South Carolina last week, the Jets offensive line performance was not up to par.

So much so that Jets coach Robert Saleh (Dearborn) blasted the unit as seen during Tuesday’s episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”

“Offense, it was our first f––– opportunity to change the stink that’s been in this organization for a very long time on the offensive side of the ball,” Saleh said to the Jets during a film session.

“You can have a Hall of Fame quarterback. You can have two $10 million-plus receivers, you can have a reigning offensive rookie of the year Garrett Wilson. You can have all kinds of skills in the running back room. None of it f––– matters until the big boys up front change who the f–- we are.”

On Wednesday, the Jets had another opportunity to change the narrative about their offensive line as they hosted the Buccaneers for a joint practice in Florham Park. Without three starters on the O-line, it was another rough day for Gang Green’s offense.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked six times during 11-on-11 drills against Tampa Bay. This was without former Lions guard Laken Tomlinson (leg) and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) out due to injuries. Gang Green also continues to be without left tackle Duane Brown (shoulder), who has not practiced during training camp as he remains on the PUP list.

“It’s August 16, so we got some time,” Rodgers said after Wednesday’s practice. “I don’t get concerned heavily about things I don’t have a huge role in.

“That might change at some point. I might say, ‘Hey, I need the five that are going to be in there to be in there with me for a solid week.’ But I don’t think we are at that point yet because I don’t think those five guys have earned those spots.

“Also, AVT Vera-Tucker hasn’t practiced, Laken missed today and DB Brown is not back yet. I’m going to have some patience with that and also trying to encourage and inspire those guys who are fighting for jobs to keep showing out every day because every day, someone notches up, and somebody goes down and that’s the beauty of training camp and position battles.”

When Rodgers did get time, he completed more than a few passes to Wilson and the other receivers, as he was 14 for 22 on the day. But not having enough time inside the pocket has been a constant theme whether the Jets have practiced against themselves or another team this summer.

One player Gang Green fans on social media believe should receive an opportunity to start on the offensive line is tackle Mekhi Becton, who has been working his way back this summer from back-to-back knee injuries. During the Hall of Fame game, Becton played in only seven snaps against the Browns. However, the former first-round pick received 27 snaps in the 27-0 victory over the Panthers last weekend.

Up to this point, Becton has played left tackle on the offensive unit featuring Zach Wilson at quarterback. However, Saleh said he has rotated him between left and right tackle during walk-throughs and he should begin getting some live reps at right tackle starting on Thursday.

Max Mitchell and Billy Turner have rotated between left and right tackle during training camp practices with Rodgers behind center, with neither guy having a firm grip at either position. The Jets have continuously said they want to get the best five offensive linemen on the field. If that is true, then Becton should undoubtedly get a look.

But Saleh said they will be patient with Becton as he has only played in one regular season game during the last two years.

“The biggest thing for Mekhi to show he can play a game,” Saleh said. “Without having to be spelled out and take a break and all of that stuff.

“It’s unfair to the team to prepare a guy to start if you’re not sure if he can make it through a game. He’s moving in the right direction, I thought he had a big step against Carolina in that game and he’s doing a really nice job competing as every day he’s pushing himself to do a bit more to prove that he can be put there for a full game.

“As soon as as a staff, training staff, everyone feels comfortable that he’s able to show and stack days up, we will definitely start rotating him in there to compete.”

Titans-Vikings practices ideal fit

Eagan, Minn. – Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell made a priority call to his Tennessee Titans counterpart Mike Vrabel even before the preseason game schedule was released, desiring a hard-nosed opponent with a stout front seven to test his team against in training camp.

Vrabel sought a challenge for his young defensive backs against the NFL's reigning receiving leader, Justin Jefferson, after a season in which the Titans allowed the most passing yards in the league.

Interconference joint practice sessions were the right fit for these two former teammates from 2008 with the New England Patriots.

“This is going to be some hands-on experience,” Vrabel said, “just learning different guys' route crafts, releases and different players at the line of scrimmage. So that can help us to say, ‘OK, let’s make some corrections,’ or ‘What do we need to adjust?’”

Vrabel spoke to reporters before the two-hour session on a sun-soaked and wind-swept Wednesday at Vikings headquarters, and there's a reason he offered that from a defensive back's perspective. The Titans badly need a spike in performance from their secondary this season.

Sean Murphy-Bunting was signed as a free agent to take one cornerback spot opposite fourth-year player Kristian Fulton and flanking the formidable safety duo of two-time All-Pro Kevin Byard and Minnesota native Amani Hooker. Roger McCreary, the team's second-round draft pick in 2022, will be pushing for cornerback playing time too. He had an interception of Kirk Cousins during a two-minute drill.

“Trying to squeeze one in there into the wind,” O'Connell said. “No excuses. We have to find a way to move the ball and get points right there, but that’s why I love this work.”

There’s another session on Thursday. Then the teams play their second exhibition game on Saturday night at U.S. Bank Stadium. Both teams also have another round of dual workouts next week, when the Titans host the Patriots ahead of their final preseason contest and the Vikings stay home to practice and play against the Arizona Cardinals.

“It's definitely good to go up against a different defense,” Jefferson said.

The benefit, of course, is mutual.

“Anytime Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting can go up against a competitor like him, it gives us confidence,” Byard said. “You feel like, ‘Hey, if I can cover this guy or if I make a good play on him, I can do it against anybody.’ It’s important. It’s key to go up against top-notch talent like that.”

The visit from the Titans also gave Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah the chance to catch up with his counterpart Ran Carthon, who’s in his first season in his role. Adofo-Mensah has begun his second year. They worked together from 2017-19 with the San Francisco 49ers.

The biggest downside of the day for the Titans was a concerning injury to wide receiver Treylon Burks, who got up limping badly after catching a deep pass in a one-on-one drill and needed help to get off the field.

Fortunately for both sides, no players had to be pulled out of a drill for initiating a fight or committing some form of unnecessary roughness, as is a not-uncommon occurrence across the league during these dual practices when players are not only cranky from the grind of camp but fired up to compete against an opponent with a different color jersey on.

The most obviously intense moments came during a one-on-one special teams coverage drill. The defenses on both sides had the upper hand.

“Just from the eye test, I thought it was really, really good,” Byard said. “We didn’t allow any big plays downfield as a defense. They made some plays, but at the end of the day I feel like we competed our behinds off.”

Another Rams-Raiders fight

Los Angeles – The Rams and Las Vegas Raiders held a joint practice Wednesday in Thousand Oaks and, predictably, a fight broke out.

It did not escalate into an all-out brawl, but hey, there’s always Thursday.

Observations from the workout:

– Rams running back Cam Akers and Raiders defensive lineman Maxx Crosby exchanged punches: Akers is 5 feet 10 and 215 pounds, Crosby 6-5 and 255. That did not stop them from going at it after Crosby chased Akers about 25 yards down the field in an apparent attempt to strip the ball.

Both players spent the remainder of practice on the sideline, with Akers in street clothes. The Rams did not make him available to reporters.

“I didn’t see exactly what happened when there was a little bit of a skirmish but, got it separated, it wasn’t an issue and we were able to get everything that we wanted accomplished and that’s the important thing,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.

The fracas between Akers and Crosby was not unexpected. The Rams and Raiders brawled during joint practices in 2019 in Napa and 2021 in Thousand Oaks.

Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who swung a helmet during a joint-practice brawl last year in Cincinnati, did not practice Wednesday because he was given a rest day, McVay said. Donald will practice Thursday.

As always, stay tuned.

– Ex-Lion Matthew Stafford looks ready to start the season: Stafford, preparing for his 15th season, began the workout against the Raiders’ first-team defense by completing eight passes – 10 if you count two that came after apparent sacks – in three series. The only ball that hit the ground was one dropped by reserve tight end Brycen Hopkins.

“The juices are definitely higher when you’re playing against another team,” Stafford said.

Crosby pressured Stafford several times. The two-time Pro Bowl end is a “a heck of a player” and fun to practice against, Stafford said.

“Any time he gets within five feet of me, he’s yelling, ‘Sack!’ in my face,” Stafford said, chuckling. “So I have no idea if those 1/8 pressures3/8  are real.

“I mean, I’m not just an absolute statue back there. I can move a little bit.”

Backup quarterback Stetson Bennett struggled at the outset. His first two passes were broken up and his next three fell incomplete. He completed a pass to receiver Demarcus Robinson, but then had a ball slip out of his hand, and had a pass intercepted when deflected off tight end Davis Allen’s hands.

Bennett recovered and made several good throws during red-zone drills.

– Receiver Tutu Atwell will be more than a gadget player this season: The diminutive Atwell, a second-round draft pick in 2020, might be the biggest beneficiary of Cooper Kupp’s absence because of a hamstring injury.

Atwell made plays on short, medium and long routes and appears to have earned Stafford’s trust.

“Tutu did a really nice job,” Stafford said. “Had some big plays for us.”

It remains to be seen how much McVay utilizes Atwell … and if Atwell seizes the opportunity. But through offseason workouts and training camp, he qualifies as the Rams’ most-improved player.

“He’s got a lot of confidence that he’s earned,” McVay said.

– Offensive line remains in flux: In March 2022, the Rams gave Joe Noteboom a contract that included $25 million in guarantees, and then six games into last season lost him because of an Achilles injury.

Noteboom is back and has worked at left tackle and right guard but does not appear to have a hold on either spot. He did individual drills Wednesday but will not practice the rest of the week because of an unspecified issue, McVay said.

“We’ll hopefully get him out here sooner than later,” McVay said, “but we don’t want to waste our emotional energy on stuff that we can’t control.”

– Young defensive players are coming along: Edge rusher Byron Young and cornerback Tre Tomlinson are among the rookies aiming to make leaps after their preseason debuts against the Chargers. Young and Tomlinson both showed improvement in the workout against the Raiders.

McVay said he encourages players to take chances in the joint-practice setting.

“Let’s go try some stuff, with no ramifications,” McVay said. “That’s how you really give yourself a chance to get better.”

Going against unguardable Raiders receiver Davante Adams helps.

Adams’ resume – he’s a three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection – speaks for itself. But to watch him rep after rep, even from afar, is a sight to behold.

“What a great opportunity to go against one of the best,” McVay said. “If you’re in the growth mindset, and you’re in the mentality that the work pays off and you continue to get opportunities to challenge yourself, that’s what you love.”

Patriots sign running back Elliott

Green Bay, Wis. – Running back Ezekiel Elliott is officially heading to the AFC after a free agent deal with the New England Patriots.

The team announced the addition of the three-time Pro Bowler on Wednesday. A person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press that the seven-year veteran with the Dallas Cowboys is joining the Patriots on a one-year deal worth $4 million and incentives could boost his compensation to $6 million.

Elliott was in a No. 15 jersey – the number he wore at Ohio State – while working out with his new teammates Wednesday as the Patriots conducted the first of two joint practices with the Green Bay Packers.

“I’ve never coached Zeke, but I’m glad we have him,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said before Wednesday's practice. “I spent time with him last night and on the trip, on terminology and plays and protections, things like that. We’ll work him in there when he’s ready and we’ll see how that goes.”

The 28-year-old Elliott ran for 68 touchdowns and more than 8,000 yards with the Cowboys. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2016, when he was the runner-up for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and again in 2018. He also has more than 2,300 receiving yards, and 12 touchdown catches.

Elliott’s yards per game have decreased every season of his career, a trend that partly reflects the decreased usage of running backs in the NFL since the Cowboys used the No. 4 overall draft pick to select him in 2016.

Elliott is expected to serve as a complement to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who is projected to be New England's lead option out of the backfield.

"That's my guy,” said Stevenson, who said he met Elliott in 2021 and that they’ve been pretty close ever since.

Stevenson said the addition of Elliott would help the Patriots “tremendously.”

The Patriots suffered in short-yardage situations last season, an area where Elliott excels despite showing diminished overall output at the end of his Dallas tenure.

“Zeke's awesome so far," Patriots quarterback Mac Jones said. “Already was jumping in there and getting some reps, so that was pretty cool to see, fresh off a plane, trying to come out here and compete. He seems like a great fit.”

49ers' Shanahan plans QB rotation

Santa Clara, Calif. – Coach Kyle Shanahan plans to shake up his quarterback rotation in the second exhibition game for the San Francisco 49ers.

Shanahan said Wednesday that the Niners are planning to give Sam Darnold most of the first half snaps on Saturday night at home against Denver and let Trey Lance come in after that in a reversal of the rotation from last week's exhibition game at Las Vegas.

Shanahan said he wouldn't make the final decision on the rotation until after the end of the practice week, when he will also decide whether Brock Purdy and the other starters will get any time.

Purdy is working his way back from offseason elbow surgery and is set to practice three straight days this week for the first time since the operation in March.

Purdy's arm strength has looked back to normal in training camp but he has struggled with interceptions in practice, including throwing two more during team drills Wednesday.

Purdy threw just two interceptions in eight starts last season.

“One thing Brock does is he lets it rip," Shanahan said. “He’s not worried about anything else. Especially not worried about people counting his interceptions at practice and stuff. That doesn’t mean they’re all right, but I do like him letting it rip and I like him learning from things that he can’t get away with. I think our defense got their hands on a lot of balls, not just Brock’s. But I definitely want our quarterbacks to cut down on them, but I also want them to make real throws and when they make mistakes to learn from them.”

Purdy is entrenched as the starter after leading the Niners to seven straight wins and a trip to the NFC title game in his first eight starts before getting injured against Philadelphia.

Shanahan said the battle for the No. 2 job is still a competition between Lance and Darnold.

Lance struggled in his first preseason game against the Raiders, taking four sacks and throwing two near interceptions – including one that bounced into teammate Ross Dwelley's hands for a fortuitous touchdown.

That has led to increased criticism from outside the organization about whether Lance is a bust after San Francisco traded three first-round picks to draft him third overall in 2021.

Lance started two games in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie and then two games last season before going down with a season-ending ankle injury.

Now he's competing for a backup job but Shanahan said he's done a good job tuning out the outside noise.

“Trey is extremely smart, very socially aware,” he said. “He knows how the world works. He does his best, which I think he does a damn good job of trying to block all that out and just focus on getting better. I think that’s what he has done so far.”