Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said he would still be leading the team if Tom Brady did not decide to come out of retirement.

Not long after Tampa Bay’s playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Brady retired and the Buccaneers were left without a proven quarterback on their roster.

Less than six weeks later, the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback opted to return and two weeks later, Arians announced that he would be stepping down as head coach and moving into a role in the Bucs' front office, with Todd Bowles becoming the new head coach.

The new Senior Football Consultant explained he was unwilling to leave Bowles with uncertainty at the quarterback position, with Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask on the roster.

"I was going the other way. I was thinking he wasn’t going to play," Arians said. "I was thinking about who are we going to get? Who wants to trade? There wasn’t anybody in the draft.

"That was obvious. Me, to the public, I was fine with the two we had: Blaine and Kyle. Because I’ve seen Blaine win with a good team behind him. Had Tom not come back, I probably would still be coaching. I couldn’t give Todd that situation.”

Because of the timing, rumours circulated that a rift existed between Brady and Arians, but Arians stuck to his line that he had already been thinking about quitting and did not want to leave Bowles with an unsettled quarterback situation.

Arians, who turns 70 in October, also said that he was “upset” with the hiring cycle and expected both Bowles and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to get head coaching jobs. He also admitted that the upcoming season would have been his last anyway.

“I had a bunch of people lined up to take their jobs,” Arians said. “When they were both here and Tom came back, I thought it was the perfect time.”

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has heard plenty of criticism from NFL pundits and fans about his arm strength and his deep throws.

One person not questioning his arm is new team-mate Tyreek Hill.

Speaking on his new podcast, 'It Needed To Be Said', Hill was asked by co-host Julius Collins who has the stronger arm, Tagovailoa or Hill's former quarterback with the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes.

"Obviously, I'm going to go with 15 as the strongest arm, but as far as accuracy-wise, I'm going with Tua all day," Hill said.

Acquired in a trade with the Chiefs in March, Hill defended his new quarterback, saying he has plenty of arm strength and is adept at running an offense.

"I've had a chance to see Tua throw the ball, to myself, but he's that dude, bro," Hill said.

"What a lot of people don't know – I'm not just sitting just saying this because he's my quarterback now, I'm not trying to get more targets right now – what I'm trying to say is Tua is that deal, bro.

"Bro, he has a heck of an arm. He's accurate. He can throw the deep ball, and he actually goes through his reads, where people are on Twitter saying, 'Oh, he doesn't go through his reads'. Man, this dude is that dude."

Tagovailoa has come under fire for having nominal success on deep balls despite this being considered the golden age of passing with all the rules that give offenses an edge in the wide-open NFL.

Among the 30 quarterbacks with at least 300 attempts last season, only the New York Giants' Daniel Jones had fewer pass plays of 25-plus yards than Tagovailoa's 16, with 15.

Tagovailoa attempted just 11 passes of more than 20 yards in 2021, completing three of them for 112 yards with an interception. Meanwhile, Mahomes went 27 for 63 (42.9 per cent) for 1,098 yards with seven TD passes and two picks on throws of at least 20 yards.

However, Tagovailoa did throw more catchable balls on all throws last season, ranking fifth in well-thrown percentage at 81.0 per cent, while Mahomes ranked 12th at 79.5 per cent.

Hill threw more shade in Mahomes' direction, saying he did not need the 2018 NFL MVP to excel, pointing to a game against the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, when Matt Moore started for an injured Mahomes and the three-time All-Pro wide receiver finished with six catches for 140 yards.

"I just want people to understand I went for 150 with Matt Moore as my quarterback," Hill said. "I love you, Matt Moore.

"Versus the Minnesota Vikings. If you don't remember that game, 150 and one touchdown with Matt Moore as my quarterback. And Tua T is 10 Matt Moores. I love Matt Moore, but Tua T is 10 Matt Moores."

It is not surprising for a player to throw so much support behind a new team-mate the way Hill is embracing Tagovailoa, but it is still quite startling to see Hill give so much love to Moore while spurning Mahomes.

This will be Mahomes' first season without the six-time Pro Bowler Hill, so time will tell how the Kansas City offense operates without the dynamic playmaker.

Hunter Renfrow became the latest wide receiver to get a new contract, agreeing to a two-year, $32million extension with the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Renfrow’s new deal includes $21m in guarantees, a source confirmed to ESPN, and comes after the Pro Bowl slot receiver caught 103 passes in a breakthrough season, the third-highest single-season total in franchise history.  

Current teammate Darren Waller had 107 receptions in 2020 and Hall of Famer Tim Brown had 104 in 1997. 

Speaking to the media after the announcement, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels shared why he values the Clemson product so highly.

"We are thrilled to have reached an agreement with Hunter Renfrow, and look forward to seeing him in Silver and Black for years to come," he said.

"Hunter is one of the true leaders on this team and he exemplifies the values of this organisation in how he comes to work every day. He is a tremendous teammate on and off the field and the entire Raider Nation is excited to see what the future holds for Hunter." 

Renfrow, Waller and offseason acquisition Davante Adams should give the Raiders one of the most productive trios of pass catchers in the league. 

Adams was acquired from the Green Bay Packers in March and the Raiders wasted no time in singing the star receiver to a five-year, $141.25m contract that includes a reported $67.5m in fully guaranteed money.  

Adams’ deal is the largest ever for a wide receiver and was the largest for any non-quarterback in NFL history in terms of annual value and total value, before the Los Angeles Rams signed defensive tackle Aaron Donald to a new $95m contract restructure earlier this week.  

Renfrow is the third key Raiders player to get an extension in the offseason under the new regime led by McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. Quarterback Derek Carr signed a three-year, $120.5 million extension in April after edge rusher Maxx Crosby got a four-year, $94 million deal in March. 

Renfrow has 208 catches for 2,299 yards and 15 TDs in his three seasons in the NFL.  

The Washington Commanders have fined defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio $100,000 for his dismissive comments about the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol building and for comparing the insurrection to protests against police brutality.  

Head coach Ron Rivera announced the fine with a statement on Friday, while public hearings are ongoing with the House of Representatives Jan. 6 investigative committee.  

On Wednesday, Del Rio referred to the attack on the Capitol building as a "dust-up" compared to the protests that took place in the summer of 2020 after George Floyd was killed in police custody.  

"I can look at images on the TV [of the Floyd protests] — people's livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being burned down. No problem," he said on Wednesday. "And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we're going to make that a major deal. I just think it’s kind of two standards, and if we apply the same standard and we're going to be reasonable with each other, let's have a discussion.” 

Later on Wednesday, Del Rio issued an apology for his comment.  

"Referencing that situation as a dust-up was irresponsible and negligent and I am sorry," he said in a statement.

"I stand by my comments condemning violence in communities across the country. I say that while also expressing my support as an American citizen for peaceful protest in our country."

The NAACP has called for Del Rio to resign or to be fired.  

Rivera's statement said Del Rio's fine will be donated to the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund.  

"As we saw last night in the hearings, what happened on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was an act of domestic terrorism," Rivera said. "A group of citizens attempted to overturn the results of a free and fair election, and as a result lives were lost, and the Capitol building was damaged. 

"I want to make it clear that our organisation will not tolerate any equivalency between those who demanded justice in the wake of George Floyd's murder and the actions of those on January 6 who sought to topple our government."

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed wide receiver Hunter Renfrow to a two-year extension.

Renfrow has emerged as a critical part of the Raiders' offense since being drafted in the fifth round in 2019.

And he has been rewarded with a $32million extension that includes $21m in guaranteed money, according to multiple reports from NFL Network.

He becomes the third high-profile Raider to receive a lucrative extension this offseason, following quarterback Derek Carr and edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

With his future now secured, Renfrow will hope to form a prolific pass-catching triumvirate with tight end Darren Waller and Davante Adams, for whom the Raiders traded in a blockbuster deal in March.

Renfrow has caught 208 passes for 2,299 yards and 15 touchdowns across his three seasons in the NFL.

Renowned as one of the NFL's best route runners from the slot, Renfrow enjoyed a career year as the Raiders made the playoffs in 2021.

He finished last season with 103 catches for 1,038 yards – his first 1,000-yard campaign – and nine touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll didn’t seem overly concerned that star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf did not attend this week’s mandatory minicamp – subjecting himself to a $93,000 fine in the process – and said he expects a new contract to get finished this offseason. 

Metcalf, who is in line for a huge extension as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, stayed away from camp this week in a somewhat surprising decision. He did attend the voluntary portion of team’s workout program earlier this spring amid his unsettled contract situation and his recovery from foot surgery. 

Because his absence to the mandatory portion of camp was unexcused, he accumulated fines worth over $93,000 for missing all three days, but when Carroll was asked if the team plans to impose those fines, he declined to answer, citing his policy on not publicly discussing such matters. 

Carroll did, however, express the desire to have Metcalf back with the team, and said he had faith in general manager John Schneider's abilities to get a deal done.

"A decision had to be made," Carroll said. "We missed him. He had done a nice job of contributing, being part of everything we had done and then he is just not here.

"So I can’t say much about for what he hasn’t done here, but we’d love to have him with us. We've been through this for years, you know [with other star players] – and it's a challenging time. 

"We've had so many high-profile guys that have gone through this process – and how's that worked out for us? We figured it out in time.

"[Schneider] is on it, and he's as experienced as you can get at handling this stuff, and D.K.'s got great representation, and D.K. is a heck of a kid.'' 

Metcalf is due to earn about $3.99million for the upcoming season, and he figures to be in line for an extension similar to those awarded to new Philadelphia Eagle A.J. Brown, and reigning Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams, in excess of $20m per year. 

The 24-year-old has not missed a game since Seattle selected him with the 64th overall pick in the 2019 Draft, and has accumulated 216 receptions for 3,170 yards with 29 touchdowns.  

In the end, All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams chose the Las Vegas Raiders over staying with the Green Bay Packers.  

The five-time Pro Bowl selection confirmed to reporters that the Packers offered him more money this offseason than the Raiders, with whom Adams signed a five-year, $141.25million contract extension after being traded.  

After the Packers traded Adams in March for a first-round draft pick and a second-round draft pick, reports surfaced that Green Bay was willing to pay the star receiver just as much – and maybe more – than Las Vegas.  

Adams confirmed those reports in a press conference Thursday.  

"You guys have heard Green Bay offered this, which is higher than what I was [going to make with the Raiders] and all of that. And, yeah, I’ll say it, it was true. OK, it was true," Adams said.

"But there’s much more that goes into it. And family is a big part of it for me. So, geographically being here, it makes it a lot easier for me to stay connected to my family year-round. 

"And this isn’t year two, or I’m not trying to necessarily fight for a job or anything like that to where you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do – you’ve got to stay out there. I had the choice, and the choice was for me to come here and raise my family on the West Coast and come out here and have some fun in the sun." 

Adams, who ranks second all-time in Packers history with 73 receiving touchdowns, leaves four-time MVP and 38-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers to reunite with Derek Carr, who was Adams' quarterback at Fresno State.  

"[Rodgers and I] talked throughout the whole process," Adams said in his press conference.  "Just like what he said the other day, we had talks about his future and what he thinks his duration in Green Bay or just football in general would look like. 

"And that played into my decision as well because where I am in my career – and this isn’t a shot at any other quarterbacks in Green Bay. I love Jordan Love especially, he’s a great guy. But I’ve got aspirations of doing really, really big things and being remembered.  

"And it just wasn’t really a point in my career that I was willing to sacrifice Aaron not being there after a year or two. So my decision was to be here and he respected that, he understood that."

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams likely will not be cleared to practice when the team begins training camp in July, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Thursday.

Williams, the number 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is still recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee the former Alabama All-American suffered in the College Football Playoff national championship game in January.

"I don't see him being ready for training camp, I don't see that," Campbell said following the Lions' mini-camp practice.

"We're going to do this thing the right way, and when he's ready, he'll be ready. But no, I don't feel like you're going to see him out there day one."

The Lions remain optimistic that Williams will be ready for the team's season opener on September 11, although offensive coordinator Ben Johnson recently acknowledged the possibility of scaling back the young speedster's role early on as he gets acclimated.

Johnson told the Detroit Free Press last week Williams' situation differs from that of fellow wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who joined the Lions midway through last season and immediately was installed into the team's receiver rotation.

Reynolds was a veteran player who had a familiarity with quarterback Jared Goff, as the two were team-mates with the Los Angeles Rams for four seasons.

"It's going to be a challenge because you can't really compare it to the Josh Reynolds situation from last year," Johnson said. "We didn't really know him and what he necessarily did best, but at least there was a comfort level between him and the quarterback, and we don't have that [with Williams].

"That's a real struggle for us. [The aim] is to get him back, to get him healthy, and then as many reps as possible with the quarterbacks so that we know exactly where he's going to be, we can anticipate the throw."

ACL injuries typically require eight-to-nine months to completely recover from, which would have Williams at full strength right around the start of the season.

The Lions were not deterred by the injury, as they traded up 20 spots with NFC North rival the Minnesota Vikings to choose Williams with the number 12 pick. The 21-year-old was one of six wide receivers taken in the first 18 selections.

Williams established himself as an elite prospect during his lone season at Alabama, becoming one of college football's most explosive receivers after transferring from Ohio State. His 15 touchdown receptions in 2021 tied for third in the FBS and he led the Crimson Tide with 1,572 receiving yards on 79 catches.

Nine of Williams' 15 touchdown catches were from 40 or more yards, leading the FBS last season, while his 11 receptions of 40 or more yards tied for second among major college players.

"He's a special talent," Goff said. "I know they're going to make sure he's as healthy as possible, but selfishly, I want him back as soon as possible."

Less than three weeks after Tom Brady announced he was unretiring and returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in mid-March, coach Bruce Arians decided to retire.

Despite the timing of Arians' decision to step away, Brady denies having any problems with his former boss.

"Zero whatsoever," Brady said of Arians on Thursday. "He and I have a great relationship. Part of the reason I chose here was because of Bruce.

"I have great respect for him. He knows how I feel about him – that's the most important thing. And I know how he feels about me."

Brady and Arians won the Super Bowl in their first season together with Tampa Bay in 2020.

Shortly after the 69-year-old coach announced his decision to retire on March 30, future Hall of Fame quarterback Brady took to Instagram to say Arians was a major reason he decided to join the Bucs and that he'll be "forever grateful".

Todd Bowles is taking over from Arians as Brady is returning for his third season with Tampa Bay and 23rd in pro football after leading the league with a career-high 5,316 passing yards in 2021, while also ranking first in passing touchdowns with 43.

The soon-to-be 45-year-old led the Buccaneers to a 13-4 regular-season record and NFC South crown last year, but their season ended with a 27-20 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Brady's long-time companion, Rob Gronkowski, was targeted 11 times in the loss to the Rams, but it's uncertain if he'll be suiting up again this season.

Though many expected Gronkowski to announce he would return after Brady unretired, the 33-year-old tight end has not revealed any decision, and Brady, who has already lured Gronkowski out of retirement once, said he is unaware of his plans.

"I think it's just obviously totally up to him," Brady said. "We'd all love to play with him, but he's got to make the best decision for himself, and he knows that.

"Anyone who cares about him knows that he's doing what's right for him, which is trying to figure it out. We don't have training camp for about six weeks, so whatever he's got to do to figure it out.

"We'll be hopeful if he does, and if he doesn't, then we still gotta go out there and figure out what to do."

The oft-injured Gronkowski is a free agent so does not have to return to the Bucs, though he has implied that if he does play, it will be with Brady.

Brady was reportedly courted by the Miami Dolphins in the last few months while still under contract with Tampa Bay, and he did not refute the rumours that they wanted him as their quarterback or in a front office role.

"I had a lot of conversations with a lot of people," Brady said. "I've had for the last three or four years of my career about different opportunities when I'm done playing football so, I kind of made a decision of what I'd like to do, and I'll get to be in the game of football.

"I think for me, the most important thing is where I'm at now and what I hope to do for this team. That's been my commitment to this team and this organisation.

"It's been so much fun for me to come here two years ago. It's been almost two and a half now and it's been an incredible part of my football journey. And it's not over."

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have found their long-term answer at quarterback in this year's draft, but the future may not be now just yet for rookie Kenny Pickett.

Mitch Trubisky has taken the majority of reps with the first-team offense during the Steelers' offseason training activities and the mandatory mini-camp that began Tuesday, and the five-year veteran told reporters he is operating with the mindset he will be the starting quarterback when Pittsburgh open the season at the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals on September 11. 

"I'm preparing to be the starter," Trubisky said. "I feel like no matter what position you're in, you should prepare [that way].

"I wouldn't read too much into [the first-team snaps], but I'm getting a lot of good reps and I'm feeling really comfortable in the offense.

"I like where we're at right now and I feel very confident."

With 50 career starts under his belt, Trubisky is the most experienced of the three quarterbacks vying to be the successor to the now retired Ben Roethlisberger, a group that includes Pickett – the former University of Pittsburgh standout taken with the 20th overall pick – and holdover Mason Rudolph.

And with the Steelers having no immediate plans to rebuild following a second consecutive playoff appearance in 2021, the 27-year-old seems to have the inside track at opening the post-Roethlisberger era under center.

The opportunity to start again played a large role in Trubisky's decision to join the Steelers on a two-year, $14million contract in March.

He went 29-21 over four seasons with the Chicago Bears from 2017 to 2020 and helped the team to two playoff appearances during that period, but he did not have his fifth-year option picked up and spent last season as a backup to Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills.

Trubisky said the transition to a new offense and new team-mates has so far gone smoothly.

"I thought we've gotten better every day," he said. "I feel like I'm throwing the ball really well. We've put a lot in and I think the guys have handled it well. We're executing at a pretty high level right now."

While Trubisky saw Pittsburgh as a spot to potentially reestablish himself as a viable NFL starter, the Steelers are hoping the 2017 number two overall pick's arm strength is a good fit for an offense that often struggled generating big passing plays with the ageing Roethlisberger.

Pittsburgh's 6.05 yards per pass attempt in 2021 ranked 30th in the league, trailing only the also-ran Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants.

"He's been one of the quarterbacks to release it, for sure," rookie wide receiver George Pickens said. "Yeah, he's been launching it."

Cooper Kupp is undoubtedly among the best wide receivers in the NFL – and now he’ll be paid like one. 

The Los Angeles Rams and Kupp have agreed on a three-year, $80million contract extension Wednesday that ties him to the franchise for the next five years at $110m, according to multiple reports.  

Kupp put together one of the best seasons in league history in 2021, leading the NFL with 145 receptions for 1,945 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning Offensive Player of the Year honours in the process. 

He capped the memorable season with eight catches for 92 yards and two scores, including the late game-winner, and was named MVP in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in February.  

Even with the new extension, Kupp will still trail the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams, Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins, Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs in yearly value on receiver contracts.  

Kupp was asked in April if he felt he needed to be the league’s highest-paid receiver after his stellar season.  

''I don't think that's really kind of the approach that I take,'' he said. ''I think there's definitely a place where you want to be.

"There's a place that I think you feel is fair, and a place both for me and this organization. I want to be there. I'm not trying to beat anybody. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone else. It's more of just being in a place that's just right for both sides.'' 

Kupp becomes the second star player the champion Rams have extended this week. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had his contract re-worked on Monday, making him the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL.  

Lamar Jackson may not be attending the Baltimore Ravens’ organised team activities, but that isn’t a concern for head coach John Harbaugh.

It’s not uncommon for established players to skip their team’s OTAs, and although Jackson won the league’s MVP Award in 2019, he is coming off an injury-marred 2021 season and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The fact that he hasn’t engaged in discussions with the Ravens over a contract extension is also somewhat concerning.

But Harbaugh is certain his star quarterback is training hard on his own, and will be present when the Ravens open mandatory minicamp on June 14.

"I expect him to be here at mandatory minicamp," Harbaugh said Wednesday. "I know he's working hard. Lamar Jackson's a hard worker, so I'm not worried about how hard he's working.

"I fully expect him to come back in great shape, that's what he talks about. I'm sure he's throwing, I'm sure he's doing a good job, and when he gets back here, we’ll roll with Lamar."

Jackson was criticized by Chris Simms on Pro Football Talk Live on May 27, with the former NFL QB saying: "(Tom) Brady wouldn't be missing OTAs in year four of his career... Brady didn't miss an OTA until he had played in four Super Bowls."

Responding to those comments quoting a tweet featuring a clip of Simms' remarks, Jackson wrote: "Lamar wants to be Lamar Chris.

"This part of OTAs is voluntary my guy I will be there, just not on your watch. It's probably other QBs not attending voluntary OTAs either but since it's Lamar it's a huge deal. Find something else to talk about."

Jackson, who is set to make just over $23 million guaranteed on his fifth-year option in 2022, averaged 240.2 passing yards and 63.9 yards rushing in 12 games last season. He finished with 16 passing touchdowns, a career-high 13 interceptions and an 87.0 QB rating – eighth lowest among the 30 quarterbacks with at least 350 passing attempts last season.

The Ravens lost four of the five games Jackson missed last season and finished 8-9 to miss the playoffs for the first time in his career.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has announced the team have excused quarterback Baker Mayfield from attending their mandatory minicamp set to begin next week.

The move prevents the unhappy former number one overall pick from being subjected to financial penalties by missing the three-day session. 

Mayfield could have been fined upwards of $90,000 by not attending the entire portion of minicamp.

Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday that the decision was mutual and in the best interests of both parties.

"Obviously that was a decision made between our organisation, Baker and Baker’s team. We felt that was the best decision between both sides," he said.

Mayfield’s four-year run as the Browns' starting quarterback essentially came to an end when the team acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in March and promptly signed the three-time Pro Bowler to a four-year, $160million extension. 

The fiery quarterback reacted strongly and negatively to the move, saying he felt "disrespected" and blindsided during an interview in April.

"I was told one thing and they completely did another," he told the Ya Neva Know podcast. "I’m ready for the next chapter, the next opportunity."

Mayfield previously skipped Cleveland’s recent voluntary organised training activities program and has requested a trade, though he remains on the roster for now. 

The former Heisman Trophy winner is due a guaranteed $18.9m this season in the final year of his rookie contract.

Finding a trade partner has so far proven to be difficult due to Mayfield's fifth-year option price-tag, pending free agency and year-to-year inconsistency. 

The 27-year-old’s 21 interceptions in his first full season as a starter in 2019 ranked second in the NFL, but he bounced back to throw for 26 touchdowns and only eight picks the following season while leading Cleveland to an 11-5 record and the franchise's first playoff appearance in 18 years.

Mayfield struggled to repeat that success last season while plagued by a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder that eventually required surgery.

His passer rating dipped from 95.9 in 2020 to 83.1 last season and he finished with a 17-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Watson's status for the start of the season is also undetermined as he faces a potential league suspension due to civil lawsuits filed by 24 female massage therapists alleging him of sexual assault and impropriety.

Stefanski was non-committal when asked if Mayfield would remain an option if he is still on the roster and Watson begins the season under suspension. 

The Browns do have another experienced backup after signing six-year veteran Jacoby Brissett in March.

"We're just going to deal with it day by day," Stefanski said of the Mayfield situation.

Cam Newton remains unsigned as NFL teams begin ramping up preparations for the upcoming season, though the 2015 league MVP still feels confident he can be an impact player despite two straight difficult campaigns.

Speaking as a guest on ESPN’s ‘The Pivot Podcast,’ the quarterback attributed his struggles in 2020 and 2021 to putting himself in tough situations during his short stint with the New England Patriots as well as last year’s return to his original team, the Carolina Panthers.

"Before I sit up here and allow the narrative to be made that Cam ain't got it no more, Cam is taking full responsibility and saying Cam put himself in a [messed] up situation, which then had a ricochet effect to how people think of me," Newton said.

"There’s not 32 [quarterbacks] better than me. If you think I couldn't be on somebody's team right now, you're a damn fool."

Newton's career has experienced a downturn since shoulder and foot injuries led to the Panthers releasing their then-franchise face following a 2019 season in which he was limited to just two games.

He signed with the Patriots shortly before training camp opened in 2020 and started 15 games in New England’s first year of the post-Tom Brady era, with mostly mixed results.

The three-time Pro Bowler finished 2020 with eight touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, the first time in Newton’s career he had more picks than TD throws when starting three or more games, and the Patriots went 7-8 in his starts to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Newton said he was never fully able to grasp a new offense on account of joining New England just two months before that season’s start.

"The New England experience was a [messed up] situation," he remarked. "I was still learning the offense seven to eight weeks into the season.

"It was just brain overload. It was times I was going to the line and I'm still thinking, 'Did I know it?’ Yes. To the degree that I needed to know it to show the world that I'm still Cam Newton? No. But I put myself in that situation."

The Patriots released Newton just prior to the start of last season after turning the offense over to rookie quarterback Mac Jones, and he spent nine weeks as a free agent before rejoining the Panthers in November.

Following a dazzling return in which he rushed for two touchdowns off the bench in Carolina’s Week 10 victory over Arizona, Newton was named the starter the following week but was never able to recapture his early-career form. The 33-year-old lost all five of his starts while completing just 54.1 per cent of his passes and recording a 61.4 passer rating.

"I signed on Thursday. I played on Sunday," Newton said of his Carolina comeback. "At what point did you think you was going to be successful? The next week, I started. That's still under 10 days of you being on the team. And you’re still trying to learn the offense."

Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said last month that the team has kept in contact with Newton and has not ruled out bringing him back. It’s unclear if the veteran quarterback would agree to another reunion, as he stated h'’s looking for a scenario where he would have sufficient time to learn an offense while surrounded by a strong support system.

“If you’re asking to run this show without your supporting cast upholding their end of the bargain, then you’re always going to be left alone." Newton said.

Aaron Rodgers has confirmed he intends to finish his storied career as a Green Bay Packer, though he was less definitive on exactly how long he plans to keep playing.

Speaking to reporters following Tuesday's first practice of mandatory minicamp, the two-time reigning NFL MVP revealed he was taking it year by year as he enters his 18th season.

That is despite Rodgers signing a three-year contract extension in March that runs through 2026.

"The conversations I've had with [general manager] Brian [Gutekunst] have been very honest and direct, and that's not going to change," Rodgers said. 

"We'll sit down after the season, hopefully after a championship, and figure out what the next step is."

Rodgers left no doubt, however, when asked if he wants his final game to come with the only team he has played for since entering the NFL in 2005.

"Yes, definitely," he said. "Unless they trade me. When I made the decision [to return], that's 100 per cent in. 

"But it doesn’t mean you don’t think about the other side. This is my 18th season. Of course you think about the next chapter and what is next in your life all the time. 

"It doesn't mean you’re not fully invested."

Rodgers' stance is in stark contrast to that of a year ago, when a public rift between him and Gutekunst prompted the star quarterback to skip minicamp and reportedly request a trade. 

The two ultimately patched things up, and Rodgers went on to produce one of his best statistical seasons in 2021 to earn the fourth MVP award of his brilliant career.

The 38-year-old’s future was again somewhat in limbo this offseason, with Rodgers saying in March he was not sure if he wanted to play the upcoming season with the Packers or another team. 

He later agreed to a three-year, $150million extension that made him the league's highest-paid player in terms of annual salary.

While Rodgers will be back for at least one more season, the Packers did undergo one major change since their loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional playoffs back in January after trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders at the All-Pro receiver's request.

The offense will also have a new play-caller for 2022 after offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was named the Denver Broncos’ head coach, and quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy also departed to become the Chicago Bears' OC.

"The offense has to change," Rodgers remarked. "Last year, when you have a guy who is that talented, it's probably not an exaggeration to say that 80 per cent of the plays in the passing game were designed specifically for [Adams]. 

"So we're obviously going to do some things a little different."

Rodgers is using this week's practices as a chance to get acclimated with a new group of receivers that includes veteran Sammy Watkins and a pair of 2022 draft picks, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who could play key roles as rookies.

"I like production over potential," Rodgers admitted. 

"We have some production. We have a lot of potential, so we need to temper expectations and heighten the accountability."