Page 21 - aruba-today-20180209

A21
SPORTS Friday 9 February 2018

Quarterbacks will dominate the 2018 NFL offseason

By ARNIE STAPLETON Jimmy Garoppolo lead an
AP Pro Football Writer exceptionally large group
Quarterbacks will rule the of veteran quarterbacks
NFL's offseason. lined up for big paydays
Beginning with Alex Smith and new opportunities that
going to Washington when includes the Minnesota Vi-
the league's new year kings' trio of Teddy Bridge-
starts next month, several water, Case Keenum and
quarterbacks will find new Sam Bradford.
riches and many teams will Teams that miss out on one
land new quarterbacks in of the prized free agents
2018. can look to promising pros-
Tom Brady may have been pects in the draft that fea-
denied another champion- tures Baker Mayfield, Josh
ship but not his coordinator, Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh
and some believe Josh Mc- Rosen, Lamar Jackson and
Daniels' sudden change of Mason Rudolph.
heart this week in spurning The quarterback carrousel
the Indianapolis Colts was began in the days before
related to doubts about the Super Bowl when Kan-
Andrew Luck's health. sas City agreed to trade
Either way, McDaniels is Smith to the Redskins.
staying in New England to The deal, which cannot
help Brady bounce back be finalized until March 14, In this Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, right, hands
the Vincent Lombardi trophy to Nick Foles after winning the NFL Super Bowl 52 football game
from the Patriots' 41-33 loss spells the end of Cousins' against the New England Patriots in Minneapolis.
to Philadelphia in Super time in Washington and Associated Press
Bowl 52 . hands the Chiefs' job to
The Eagles aren't just cel- Patrick Mahomes III, the Rodgers, 34, has two years manager John Elway to fix is probably not ideal for any-
ebrating their first champi- 10th pick in last year's draft left on his contract and if that in the next few weeks: one — ever," Eagles tight
onship since 1960, but also out of Texas Tech. he stays healthy in 2018, "We have a Hall of Fame end Zach Ertz said. "The guy
an abundance of talent at So, Smith, the No. 1 over- he'll be in for a mega pay- quarterback running the is the best quarterback to
the position in franchise QB all pick in the 2005 draft, day that could obliterate show who's going to get ever play the game. That
Carson Wentz and Super moves on to his third team any of the deals that will be the right guy," Miller said. team is phenomenal. They
Bowl MVP Nick Foles. just as he's coming off the signed. Miller has a tip for his GM, are coached amazingly."
Should Wentz's recovery go best season of his 13-year Rodgers told The AP last too. Yet, the Patriots were beat-
well, the Eagles will have a career. week that he wants to play "No disrespect to Trevor Sie- en by a journeyman QB
huge bargaining chip to re- "I think Washington is get- well into his 40s and might mian or Paxton Lynch, but I who contemplated retire-
stock their roster. ting a phenomenal player, have to finish his career in would love to play with Kirk ment not long ago after he
Wentz's recovery from a great leader," Rodgers another team's uniform as Cousins," Miller said. "When kept losing his starting job
knee surgery will be close- said last week while discuss- Brett Favre did. Peyton came to Denver, with his employers in per-
ly watched this offseason ing the league's current "I think you have to be we just took off. Kirk's an petual search of a better
just like Aaron Rodgers ' re- quarterback commotion. humble enough to realize if elite starter, too. I could roll option.
paired collarbone in Green "Now you've got Kirk Cous- it could happen to Brett, it with that." Foles proved the flawless
Bay and DeShaun Watson ins, what's going to happen can happen to you," Rodg- With eight trips to the Super fill-in after Wentz got hurt in
's torn ACL in Houston. with him? You've got prob- ers said. Bowl and five rings, Brady is December, stepping in to
Both those teams figure to ably five guys that are go- Among the teams look- the gold standard of quar- deliver Philadelphia its first
be contenders for Super ing to get drafted in the first ing for an upgrade are terbacks. Super Bowl title.
Bowl 53 in Atlanta if their round, Jimmy Garoppolo the Denver Broncos, who Yet, this time he was outdu- Foles has one year left on
quarterbacks are healthy. and his situation. haven't been back to the eled by Foles, who showed his two-year deal in Phila-
A dozen other teams will "There's a lot of moving playoffs since Peyton Man- just how important it is for delphia, and his Super Bowl
either jockey for their next pieces." ning retired a champion teams to also have depth heroics bumped his name
star or dole out big bucks In the not-too-distant fu- two years ago. at the position. up on the long list of cov-
to keep the one they have. ture, Rodgers could find Super Bowl 50 MVP Von "To get in a shootout with eted quarterbacks.
Cousins, Drew Brees and himself one of them. Miller said he trusts general that guy on the other team “He’s amazing,” Ertz said.q