Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Andy Reid publicly expressed strong confidence in new backup Justin Fields, calling him a valuable addition to the team.
- The Miami Dolphins made sure not to blindside new quarterback Malik Willis before trading Jaylen Waddle.
- The New York Jets are putting their faith in Geno Smith, for better or for worse.
It’s a “dead period” in the NFL offseason; rather an awkward time with free agency dying down and roughly a month until the NFL Draft. Though there’s not a lot going on in the NFL, there’s still rumors and news swirling around NFL circles. Justin Fields is on a new team and it could be what saves his career. If there’s anybody that gets the most out of Fields as a backup, it’s going to be Andy Reid.
As for the Miami Dolphins, well they didn’t quite betray Malik Willis with the Jaylen Waddle trade. Surely it wasn’t ideal cutting their receiver room the way they did, but it ultimately could be the key to a productive rebuild. Here’s other news and rumors that’s circulating around the NFL that you need to know.
Andy Reid takes confident stance with newly acquired backup QB Justin Fields
Justin Fields is fortunate to continue to get chances to salvage his NFL career. His latest stop with the Kansas City Chiefs could do just that. Not because Fields thinks so, rather because of how highly Andy Reid thinks of Fields. According to a story in Pro Football Talk, he felt landing Fields as Patrick Mahomes’ backup was a steal. That’s one way to put it, though something tells me if Fields has to play in 2026, the rest of the NFL isn’t too worried.
To be fair, the best thing for Fields should be playing on a roster full of future Hall of Famers. Reid knows how to get the most out of all of his backup quarterbacks so it shouldn’t be difficult to rely on Fields if need be. The offense can be simplified to allow Fields to play without feeling like there’s too much going on. That has seemed to be his problem, which is why he’s a better backup than he is a starter.
His mobility is also something that could create ripples in Kansas City’s offense this year. He also has better weapons in Kansas City than he did in New York, which could also lead to more confidence. Either way, Fields is going into a situation where the organization is comfortable building him up and not subliminally taking jabs at him. That goes a long way to rebuilding a fractured career.
Miami kept Malik Willis in the know about the Jaylen Waddle trade
Malik Willis isn’t just a bridge option in this restructured front office in South Florida. The Dolphins aren’t just treating Willis as a rental, they want him to be fully aware of what’s transpiring as this rebuild in Miami commences. That’s the beauty of having built-in chemistry with the head coach — Willis was in Green Bay the same time Jeff Hafley served as defensive coordinator.
The fact that Miami didn’t blindside Willis with such an impactful move shows the Dolphins are invested in him and want him to be the new quarterback that ends their playoff woes. That also means he has an idea of who could be coming in and who they’re considering drafting. I don’t think he’s part of the decision-making, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he has an idea.
This is a sign Miami is ready to rebuild around Willis. Miami’s current receiver depth is depleted and their best receiver is Jalen Tolbert. With the Waddle move, Miami is clearly turning their attention to the draft. This won’t be an easy task for Willis. Miami is giving him a longer leash to figure it out, while they simultaneously rebuild this roster.
Aaron Glenn putting his faith in Geno Smith could cost him his job
Aaron Glenn is doing the good thing by defending his quarterback ahead of his arrival. That said, him putting his faith in Geno Smith, who just had a league-high 17 interceptions, isn’t exactly the route to go after going 3-14 in your first season. Glenn said during the annual league meetings that Smith “is our guy.” That’s not necessarily a good thing.
I know the Jets are desperate to get a competent quarterback after how things ended with Aaron Rodgers and how poorly things went with Fields. But belief in the wrong person is just as being negligent. If the Jets offense doesn’t look twice as better than last year’s, that could be an indictment on Glenn. He’s already on the hot seat after one season. If the Jets are picking in the top five again, he could be scapegoated.
I’m not saying Glenn is believing in Smith as a long-term solution. But doubling down on a quarterback that struggled the last two seasons and has played in just one playoff game in a 13-year career isn’t the best choice. Glenn should certainly want to make his quarterback confident in a new environment; but omitting all other quarterback options for Smith doesn’t feel like the answer.
Cleveland Browns clear smoke on Myles Garrett chatter
The Cleveland Browns once again have to come to Myles Garrett defense and once again, they’re making it clear they want the future Hall of Famer on the sidelines this season. News broke of Garrett’s contract restructure and immediately thoughts of a possible trade materialized. The Browns shut all of that down and plan on keeping their elite defense from a year ago intact, per a story on NFL.com.
There was never any real brevity to this and truthfully, the Browns would be foolish to trade Garrett after the 2025 he had. This defense was the reason they weren’t the NFL’s first 0-17 team. Keeping him around is as important as anything. The offense is the problem and there’s no return for Garrett worth turning into offensive players. The draft would be the most logical step, but it would also take way too much time for the Browns to catch back up.
The Las Vegas Raiders can’t even trade Maxx Crosby, the haul the Browns would need to bring in to make a Garrett trade worth it would sound foolish to the other 31 NFL franchises. The Browns make their stance clear on Garrett: They aren’t trading him. If a contract restructure won’t do that, nothing will.