Team news: New York Jets | Page 21

Texans coach David Culley tells reporters that Tyrod Taylor will start at QB, which confirms what appeared clear: Deshaun Watson will sit on the roster but not play.

Related players: Davis Mills

As expected Taylor gets the nod for the Texans. Recent reports have indicated Watson would just be inactive every week and that appears to be the direction we're heading toward. Between the baggage that comes with Watson right now, and what is said to be the Texans' high asking price, other teams don't want to make the commitment. It's probably likely that at some point this season, Mills will take over for Taylor, but it's not an ideal fantasy situation for either QB.

Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. is out 4-5 months after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Related Players: Tyler Conklin, Chris Herndon

The Chris Herndon acquisition by Minnesota confirms the rumors of an extended absence for Smith. Sadly, this surgery and its recovery timeline likely mean Smith will miss the 2021 season.

The Texans are not expected to trade QB Deshaun Watson before today’s 4 pm cut down day deadline, sources tell me and Tom Pelissero.

Related players: Tyrod Taylor, Davis Mills

Rapoport said barring a dramatic turn, Houston is now positioned to keep him into the regular season — at least. A story we had here at 4for4 yesterday said the team is planning to make Watson inactive every week of the season. Other suggested they could try to place him on IR, and save a roster spot. Taylor is expected to start the season at QB, but no one would be surprised to see the team turns things over to Mills at some point this year.

Vikings TE Tyler Conklin has the wrapping off his injured hamstring.

Related players: Irv Smith Jr.

Thomasson added all indications are Conklin could be doing some practicing this week. He also added that's good news with Smith Jr. hurt and potentially missing some time. We have Conklin next up on the depth chart behind Smith Jr.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers continued to praise Randall Cobb as a football player and suggested that he will be staring in the slot.

Rodgers personally lobbied for Cobb, so he likely knew first hand that the former Packer still had gas left in the tank. Rodgers suggested that Cobb is ticketed for the slot role while noting that he is happy with the top four receivers in Davante Adams, Cobb, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Allen Lazard. With Adams locked into a near every snap role, the Packers could rotate Lazard and MVS on the outside, with MVS stepping into the slot when Cobb needs a breather. Rodgers also noted that while Amari Rodgers has had his moments, he has also had his rookie hiccups. This suggests that he may be brought along slowly and that the top four he mentioned should all play meaningful roles this season. 64th in our wide receiver rankings, Randall Cobb, could provide a strong return on his current ADP if he can carry this momentum into the season.

After practice Wednesday, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers told reporters that being in year three of Matt LaFleur's system has really made a difference in his preseason performance, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Rodgers said he is more efficient and not grinding through changes over the offseason like he had in previous years.

Improved performance is always positive and the last things the remaining NFL teams need to know is how set Rodgers is for 2021. Despite the loss of GIF-able Rodgers moments when he is frustrated, comfort with the offensive scheme could help prevent Rodgers's efficiency from 2020 crater.

Rob Demovsky of ESPN noted on Twitter Wednesday that Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is easily having his best camp as a Packer. Demovsky later tweeted that QB Aaron Rodgers hit MVS for a 33-yard touchdown during their two-minute drill in a joint practice against the New York Jets.

For all his faults, MVS has remained within arm's reach of Aaron Rodgers's trust circle and appears to have cemented a coveted spot inside it. The Packers have a gaping hole at WR2 behind Davante Adams, and the field-stretching wideout looks to be the favorite to secure a large portion of receiver snaps.

Peter King told Fox's Colin Cowherd if Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to play for the Packers after this season, he can request a trade, but can't demand where he wants to be traded. Rodgers can also play out the contract for the next two years for Green Bay and become a free agent in 2023 at the age of 39. King said Rodgers would be what Tom Brady was at the age of 42.

At that point, Rodgers can play wherever he wants. King said it's possible Rodgers could then sign a free agent contract with the Packers, and play out his career. King said Rodgers isn't "kicking and screaming" right now, even off the record. Rodgers seems to be playing in the moment and hasn't made a decision about 2022, mostly because he can't according to King, because Rodgers doesn't know what the 2021 season will bring.

Packers QB Jordan Love, who had a clean MRI on his shoulder this weekend, is not expected to practice today, source said.

Related players: Aaron Rodgers

Rapoport said Tuesday is a walk-through for the Packers, so it will be a few days off for Love.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, wide receiver: Do with this observation what you wish, but Valdes-Scantling’s hands have been noticeably better so far in camp. Not just on blatantly catchable balls, some of which he has dropped in the past, but on passes he has no business catching, too. If he keeps this up, he’s the clear-cut No. 2 wideout behind Davante Adams.

Related players: Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard

The story said Valdes-Scantling isn’t just a deep-ball threat anymore, and that’s scary for defenses that have largely been able to game plan for a one-dimensional receiver in the past. Perhaps the biggest thing to take away is "if he keeps this up." We currently rank MVS as the team's WR4 behind Cobb and Lazard.