Storylines from the NFL teams gathering for organized team activities (OTAs) are all over the place, with coaches and players meeting with media again. Of course, this is going to set off a chain reaction of takes as people get their first real taste of the return of football since the Super Bowl, but not everything deserves an explosive reaction.
There were four big storylines this week in the NFL eliciting a swarm of reactions from fans and media. Let's take a temperature check on what people are following around the league.
Rookie quarterbacks are going to cause a lot of intrigue naturally and this year, Shedeur Sanders is the hot button topic that ensnares everyone in its wake. Sanders, as everyone knows by now, shockingly fell to the fifth round where the Browns traded up to take him -- a day after taking Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Since Shedeur has hoisted the crown jewel of attention, every action he takes is going to be heavily followed. Including passes during OTAs. And who got reps first between him and Gabriel during rookie minicamp.
Look, people who do not follow the Cleveland Browns or cover the Cleveland Browns ... it's time to slow down a bit. Quarterback progression is a marathon, not a sprint. Sanders faces an uphill battle toward reps given the fact that he was not the highest drafted quarterback by the Browns this year. The team also signed Joe Flacco, who isn't exactly interested in being a mentor, and traded for Kenny Pickett, so this is a crowded room right now.
Just wait and let it play out. Don't overanalyze anything until the pads come on. These are May practices for a rookie fifth-round quarterback. Everyone just relax. Save the energy for August, because there's still a ways to go before Sanders takes snaps in September.
Aaron Rodgers hasn't signed with the Steelers yet, for whatever reason, which is causing people to ask questions as training camp approaches in mid-July. At 41 years old, Rodgers probably wants to save himself for the season and he wouldn't be the first veteran player to take that approach at the tail end of their career. However, with the recent reports that Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is keeping an eye on the Steelers' quarterback situation, there have been some rumblings that Pittsburgh will be willing to pivot if Rodgers opts not to sign.
Still, pencil in Rodgers as the starter for this season, but the closer it gets to July people will obviously get a little concerned. (Which Rodgers clearly loves.)
In Seth Wickersham's new book "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback," he revealed that current Bears quarterback Caleb Williams wanted to play for the Vikings before the draft, and that his father, Carl, called Chicago "the place quarterbacks go to die." That is a great piece of information for Wickersham to get, especially considering the pre-draft intrigue surrounding how Williams and his father were potentially trying to game his landing spot.
Sure, it might not be what Bears fans want to hear, and it's good fodder for trolling for Vikings fans, but guess what -- this is why the draft exists! There is no real choice! The Bears picked Williams, he signed his contract and now he's going to try his hardest to return the team to winning ways.
"I wanted to be here," Williams told the media on Wednesday, saying things changed regarding the Vikings after his visit with the Bears. "I love being here."
That's all, time to chill out about desire and focus on what's actually tangible. And Williams has a great opportunity to improve upon his first season.
Man, you watch that video and tell me if Stefon Diggs cares about being caught partying on the boat with Cardi B and the girls. As a player who is on the back nine of his career, with a signing bonus that already hit his bank account, there's only so much scolding here that actually matters. His legacy is set, he's had a great career and now has a chance to get one more run together as the top dog in the Patriots' wide receiver room.
Perhaps it's not the best example to set for a room of young wide receivers, but it's hard to care about something Diggs obviously did not care about himself. A little more discretion next time, Stefon.