49ers’ Brock Purdy reacts to ‘game manager’ controversy

49ers’ Brock Purdy reacts to ‘game manager’ controversy

49ers' Brock Purdy reacts to 'game manager' controversy

Retired quarterback Cam Newton generated headlines and attracted controversy when he said earlier this week he believes that San Francisco 49ers signal-caller Brock Purdy and other current MVP candidates are simply “game managers.”

Purdy declined to strike back at Newton during a Thursday news conference.

“I don’t know, man,” Purdy responded when asked if he agreed with Newton’s assessment, per David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. “I don’t want to comment on that. I’m playing quarterback, trying to win games, and we’ll see at the end of all of it.”

Teammates such as dual-threat offensive weapon Deebo Samuel, offensive tackle Trent Williams and fullback Kyle Juszczyk recently campaigned for Purdy to earn MVP votes and also blasted takes about the 23-year-old being little more than a “system quarterback.”

According to ESPN stats, Purdy enters the weekend leading the NFL among qualified players with a 74.6 adjusted QBR (tied with Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys), a 116.9 passer rating, an average of 9.9 yards per pass attempt and a 70.2% completion percentage on the season. The final pick of the 2022 draft is third with 3,553 total passing yards and tied for second with 25 touchdowns through the air.

Purdy spoke on Thursday about how head coach Kyle Shanahan highlighting negative plays during film sessions helps players remain focused on the team’s ultimate goal of winning Super Bowl LVIII.

“At the end of the day, you have a standard for yourself,” Purdy explained. “You want to be consistent as best as possible. As a quarterback in the NFL, there’s little room to mess up. And so I think, if you’re in the NFL and you’re a quarterback, you gotta be somewhat of a perfectionist. You want those two plays back. You want to learn from them and grow from them.”

As of late Friday morning, oddschecker listed Prescott as the betting favorite at +170 odds over Purdy at +185 to win the MVP Award. Purdy’s next opportunity to close that gap will come when the 10-3 Niners play at the 3-10 Arizona Cardinals this Sunday.

NFL

Lions’ Jared Goff explains Amon-Ra St. Brown issue

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff spoke with reporters this week about why star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is seeing a decline in his production. St. Brown was held to three catches for 21 yards in this past Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears after St. Brown recorded only two receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown in the Week 13 win over the New Orleans Saints. “Well, the Saints game, they doubled him,” Goff explained, as shared by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “[The Bears] paid a little bit more attention to him…I don’t believe they quite doubled him. But yeah, it’s what good players get. Good players get doubles often and he’s gotten that at times this year and sometimes he’s able to beat the double and it doesn’t really matter, but yeah, trying to get him the ball in different ways.” Detroit lost two of its past three games to fall to 9-4, and the Lions enter Week 15 holding the No. 3 seed for the NFC portion of the playoffs. Meanwhile, ESPN stats show that St. Brown began Thursday ranked eighth in the NFL with 1,063 receiving yards, tied for seventh with 87 receptions and 11th with 123 total targets on the season. He’s also contributed six touchdown catches. Goff suggested St. Brown will see plenty of looks during the home game against the 7-6 Denver Broncos this Saturday night. “He’s been very accountable of things that he feels like he can do better and then for me as well, I’m very much just talking to him about ways that I want to try to do better for him and get him the ball in certain ways a little bit better than we have in the last couple weeks,” Goff added about St. Brown. “But he’s one of the best guys I’ve ever been around and have no doubts that he’s going to be just fine, and we’ll finish this season off pretty well.” As of Thursday afternoon, oddschecker listed the Lions as 4.5-point favorites against the Broncos.

Jazz open to trade offers for ‘frustrating’ forward

NHL

Potential asking price revealed for top Maple Leafs trade target

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to have their sights set on defenseman Chris Tanev, who fortunately escaped a serious injury and is now listed as day-to-day. Despite the potential risk of another injury, the Calgary Flames appear in no hurry to trade him, presenting the Maple Leafs with a strategic dilemma. Pierre LeBrun, an NHL insider, has delved into the dilemma surrounding Tanev’s trade value and what the Maple Leafs might need to offer up in order to change Calgary’s mind about an imminent trade. LeBrun explains: “I think if the Leafs were willing to move their June first-rounder, they could potentially entice the Flames into getting this done sooner rather than later. Too rich a price? Maybe. But Ben Chiarot , a similar type of defenseman who was also a pending UFA, went for a first-round pick two seasons ago from Montreal to Florida. David Savard , another rugged, physical, shot-blocking defenseman, also went for a first-rounder from Columbus (via Detroit) to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline in 2020-21, so I don’t think it’s completely greedy for the Flames to be thinking first, even if they end up settling for a second and/or a prospect instead.” It’s a high cost the Leafs would have to pay and one they really don’t want to. Previous reports from Elliotte Friedman note that this might not be the year Toronto moves first-round picks or goes all-in on rentals. For now, that’s what Tanev represents, unless he signs an extension. Can the Maple Leafs afford not to make the offer? Thanks to Calgary’s desire to be patient, the Maple Leafs may need to offer a substantial package to convince the Flames to part with their defenseman. LeBrun notes the Flames would ideally like to re-sign Tanev in the summer, something that the Leafs need to be cautious of. Tanev is poised to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Giving up important assets just to lose the player would be counterproductive for Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving. But, it might be worth the risk. Should Tanev join the Maple Leafs, he could easily slot into the team’s top three defensemen, particularly given his ability to log around 20 minutes of ice time per night. He’s exactly what the Leafs are looking for and as the season rolls along, the trade price only figures to increase if Tanev can stay healthy.

Former Colorado QB commit follows Sean Lewis to San Diego State

MLB

Starting pitcher market is robust with potential Braves trade targets

The Braves came into the offseason with three areas that needed to be addressed and have done just that with the trade of Jarred Kelenic along with the acquisitions to the bullpen — Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer, and Reynaldo Lopez. However, the rotation has gone somewhat untouched. Alex Anthopoulos did bring back Charlie Morton, who mulled over retirement, but many expected there to be an outside addition, hopefully of the frontline variety. That hasn’t come to fruition yet, and it might not. It’s not for a lack of trying, though. Anthopoulos confirmed the club has been in on multiple free agents and trade targets. Things just haven’t worked out for one reason or another. Still, that doesn’t mean one can’t come forth because the Braves have plenty of open spots on the 40-man roster. With not many inspiring options on the free agent market, AA could turn to the trade market, which is robust with potential targets for Atlanta. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently examined the state of the starting pitcher trade market, and several names should interest the Braves. The top of the market has current and former Cy Young talent — Dylan Cease, Corbin Burnes, and Shane Bieber. Rosenthal notes that the Braves are among clubs that are monitoring the situation surrounding the White Sox ace, but Chicago seems inclined to wait until the top free agents sign deals. He seems like the most likely of the three to seriously interest Atlanta’s GM because of his two years of team control at a cost-effective rate. The same goes for Burnes, according to Rosenthal. The Brewers want to see how the rest of the market shakes out before pulling the trigger on a trade, but he also seems likely to be moved if an extension cannot be worked out. Rosenthal notes that there is less demand for Bieber, which is understandable, given his recent elbow issue and dip in fastball velocity. For several reasons, he doesn’t seem like a probable target. The Braves also might not have to look very far for other possible trade targets. As Rosenthal notes, Marlins starters Jesus Luzardo and Edward Cabrera continue to draw interest. Both have multiple years of control. The former has three and the latter has five. Miami and Atlanta have made deals in the past, the most notable being Adam Duvall at the 2021 trade deadline. Some might not believe it’s not plausible, but Rosenthal added new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix is more open to trading a starter than Kim Ng. A familiar face in Houston could also potentially help his former club. Dana Brown and Alex Anthopoulos are close, and Rosenthal reports executives are monitoring the possibility of the Astros trading left-hander Framber Valdez. Rosenthal also brought up some less attractive targets like Tristan Beck and Keaton Winn, who made their major-league debuts last season for the Giants. Another pair of righties that teams are inquiring about are Ben Brown and Hayden Wesneski of the Cubs. With a surplus of bats, the Braves could potentially dangle the likes of Vaughn Grissom, Marcell Ozuna, or Travis d’Arnaud in front of some of these offense-needy clubs for a starting pitcher.

Vikings make surprising decision with QB Joshua Dobbs

NFL

Giants legend wants to ‘pump the brakes’ on QB Tommy DeVito

New York Giants icon, CBS Sports NFL analyst and Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist Tiki Barber wants everybody to remain realistic about the future of Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito amid his rise as a rookie sensation. “Let’s pump the brakes on Tommy DeVito challenging and being a starting quarterback in the NFL,” Barber said during Tuesday’s edition of the WFAN “Evan and Tiki” program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “I’m not saying he’s not great and this story right now isn’t fantastic, but it’s not like he threw for 350 yards and put it on his back.” Barber spoke less than 24 hours after DeVito completed 17 of 21 pass attempts for 158 yards with one touchdown in Monday’s 24-22 home win over the Green Bay Packers. The undrafted 25-year-old who also rushed for 71 yards on 10 carries versus Green Bay improved to 3-1 as a starter and has now guided the Giants to three straight victories. However, Barber didn’t forget that DeVito failed to impress in the Week 10 49-17 loss at the Dallas Cowboys. DeVito connected on 14 of 27 passes for 86 yards with two scores and one pick against Dallas on Nov. 12. “He’s proven it for three weeks,” Barber said about DeVito’s unexpected run. “Three weeks. Against Dallas, he didn’t really prove it. He looked terrible against the Cowboys … he hasn’t made it yet.” Like Barber, Hall of Famer Kurt Warner tried to silence talk about DeVito possibly becoming a long-term replacement for injured starter Daniel Jones. Warner noted that “anything short of a full season” isn’t enough to fully evaluate such a young signal-caller, while Barber suggested that DeVito could come back down to earth as soon as the Christmas Day game at the Philadelphia Eagles (10-3). “I give him credit … but let me see it against the Eagles,” Barber added about DeVito. “Let me see it against a team that’s better than [the Packers].” DeVito and company can’t yet look ahead to the first of two showdowns with the Eagles across three weeks, as the Giants next play at the 6-7 New Orleans Saints this Sunday. Barber challenged DeVito on Tuesday to “do something profound” such as keep Big Blue in the playoff hunt through the morning of Dec. 25, but the New Jersey native already deserves praise for giving fans some positive memories from what seemed like a completely lost season when the Giants were 2-8.

George Pickens Drops Bombshell on Frustrations with Steelers Offense

NBA

NBA decides on punishment for Warriors forward Draymond Green

The NBA plans to suspend Warriors forward/center Draymond Green “indefinitely,” reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (X link). The league confirmed the news in a press release. The suspension will begin immediately and Green “will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play,” per the NBA. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (X link), it sounds like part of those conditions will consist of Green receiving counseling for his latest incident, which involved striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head on Tuesday (video link). He received a flagrant 2 foul and was ejected from the game. While Green has been unapologetic about previous incidents, he claimed hitting Nurkic was unintentional. “I am not one to apologize for things I mean to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf because I didn’t intend to hit him,” Green said after the game, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I sell calls with my arms … so I was selling the call … and I swung and unfortunately I hit him. “… You guys have known me long enough, if I intended to do something, I am not apologizing. But I did make contact with him, so I do apologize. … It’s a hard hit.” As was the case when he was suspended for one game during last season’s playoffs for stomping on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis, and once again after he received a five-game ban for putting Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock last month, the NBA cited Green’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” as a factor in his indefinite suspension. Sources tell Wojnarowski (X link) that Green, his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports and GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. are expected to meet on Thursday to discuss “a path of counseling and help for Green to move forward.” According to Wojnarowski, the NBA “didn’t want to put a specific number” on Green’s suspension, as the league wants him to “take the time he might need to deal with challenges he’s facing.” It’s unclear what specific “challenges” Wojnarowski is referring to, but obviously Green’s behavior has become increasingly unhinged over the past year-plus. He wasn’t suspended for it, but he also punched former teammate Jordan Poole in the face during last season’s training camp, essentially torpedoing Golden State’s odds of defending its title before the 2022/23 season even began. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT hears Green will be able to practice with the Warriors during the suspension, which is an odd wrinkle in an unusual situation (X link). A former Defensive Player of the Year who has anchored the Warriors’ defense during four championships over the past nine years, Green re-signed with Golden State as a free agent over the summer, inking a four-year, $100M contract. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes, Green will be docked $153,931 per game if he’s suspended fewer than 20 games. That figure will increase to $202,922 per contest if Green’s suspension exceeds 20 games. The Warriors, meanwhile, will save a minimum of $519,555 toward this season’s luxury tax for each game Green is suspended, according to Marks (X link). There isn’t an obvious replacement for Green’s role on the Warriors, but it could result in more playing time for young players like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and perhaps Trayce Jackson-Davis, as well as veterans Dario Saric and Kevon Looney.

Deion Sanders and Colorado land big-time receiver transfer Will Sheppard

NFL

Raiders owner provides update on head-coaching search

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis recently signaled he’s still unsure whether or not he will promote interim head coach Antonio Pierce. “It’s wide-open,” Davis said of the head-coaching search, per The Athletic’s Tashan Reed. “I just don’t know. I’m not making a commitment right now. So, in the process, I’m getting a lot of calls from people who have clients who they feel would be great for the job. I’m banking those names, and we’ll see what happens once the season is over.” Since Pierce took over for Josh McDaniels, the Raiders (5-8) have a 2-3 record. They also suffered an embarrassing 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14. Not all problems fall on Pierce, however, as Las Vegas clearly lacks a franchise QB. Rookie Aidan O’Connell has started all five games under Pierce. During this stretch, he’s thrown more interceptions (five) than TDs (three) and posted a below-average 75.7 passer rating. Still, it’s unclear if Pierce has what it takes to become a successful coach at the NFL level. Davis can’t take another risk after firing five HCs since January 2012. “I look in the mirror, and the buck stops with me,” Davis told Reed. “But we’re coming up to bat. Let’s see if we can get it right this time. I would love for the guys that are in this job right now to be able to keep it, but we’ll see how that goes.” If Pierce doesn’t become the head coach, don’t be surprised if Las Vegas tries to convince Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh to return to the NFL. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted Davis wanted to hire him in 2015 and could try again. Regardless, the Raiders must get their next hire right. They’ve made only two postseason appearances since 2013.

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