FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Explaining the biggest trade of his two-year tenure, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas said the decision to deal quarterback Sam Darnold was based largely on two factors — draft position and finances.
“I think it’s safe to say, if our pick were a little later, we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now,” Douglas told reporters Tuesday on a Zoom call. “We’d fully be comfortable with moving forward with Sam.”
The Jets, picking second in the April 29 NFL draft, traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers for three draft picks — a 2021 sixth-round choice, plus 2022 second- and fourth-rounders.
At No. 2, the Jets are expected to select BYU quarterback Zach Wilson.
Douglas downplayed the possibility of trading the pick. He acknowledged the obvious, saying they’re locked into a quarterback. But he wouldn’t say which one, insisting the final decision has yet to be made.
“We feel really good about the draft class as a whole and the quarterback class, specifically,” Douglas said. “This was an opportunity to hit the reset button financially, so to speak.”
That was a big factor, sources said.
The second pick in the draft will land a four-year contract worth $35 million, fully guaranteed — a fixed cost that will allow financial flexibility in the coming years. Meanwhile, Darnold was scheduled to count $9.8 million in the final year of his rookie contract. The Jets could’ve exercised his fifth-year option for 2022, but the cost would’ve been $18.9 million.
It would’ve been $28.7 million for two years compared with $35 million for four. There’s also a $5 million cap hit for trading Darnold.
Even though Douglas was complimentary of Darnold, the organization believes it will find an upgrade with the second pick. Darnold, drafted third overall in 2018, didn’t live up to expectations and was the league’s lowest-rated passer over the past three seasons.
Douglas admitted that the Jets didn’t do enough to help Darnold, saying they have to do a better job of surrounding the next quarterback with talent.
The team toyed with the idea of keeping Darnold and pairing him with a rookie, Douglas confirmed. Ultimately, the Jets decided it would’ve been a distraction for all parties.
“Ultimately, that wouldn’t be the best situation for Sam, for the rookie quarterback, for coach [Robert] Saleh and his staff, and the locker room,” Douglas said. “We felt like this was the best decision for the entire organization moving forward, hitting the reset button.”
Douglas said that he has conducted “conversations with a lot of teams,” including the Panthers, regarding the second pick but that he wouldn’t characterize any of those discussions as meaningful.
The plan is to stay at No. 2 and pick a quarterback. Barring an upset, it will be Wilson. If they had been picking in the 12-to-14 range, they would’ve rolled with Darnold, the GM said.
“Based on the decision we made [Monday],” Douglas said, “you can kind of see the direction we’re heading.”
After rising up NFL draft boards throughout the fall, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson seemed to only help himself a little more on Friday at his pro day. As the Jets weigh whether to select the gunslinger with the No. 2 pick and move on from former No. 3 pick Sam Darnold, here are six things you might not know about Wilson:
1. If Wilson does end up in New York, his family shouldn’t have a problem getting from Utah to MetLife Stadium. His uncle, David Neeleman, is the founder of JetBlue, among other airlines.
2. Wilson was originally committed to Boise State, but ultimately flipped to BYU because he wanted to play closer to home. The Cougars play roughly 30 miles from where Wilson grew up, in Draper, Utah, and Wilson is part of a big family — his grandparents have seven children, 36 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, according to the Deseret News.
3. Wilson is of Hawaiian ancestry and his middle name is Kapono — which means “righteous.”
4. Before his breakout junior year, Wilson made 10-hour drives to southern California to work with his quarterback tutor, John Beck, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King. When COVID-19 canceled BYU’s spring workouts, Wilson stayed in California for a stretch and worked for DoorDash on Saturday nights to help pay for gas and expenses, King reported.
Zach Wilson makes a throw at his BYU pro day.BYU PHOTO 2020
5. Wilson may be BYU’s biggest star since … Jimmer Fredette? And the former college basketball sensation has some admiration for Wilson. “When I grow up I want to be [Wilson],” Fredette tweeted in November, after Wilson led No. 9 BYU to a 51-17 win over No. 21 Boise State.
6. How’s this for hand-eye coordination? Wilson recently took up juggling “and he mastered it,” Wilson’s brother, Josh, told the Deseret News.
The Giants and the Jets both made free-agent splashes at wide receiver over the last week. Now, we get to watch for the next few years to see who made the better decision.
The Giants signed Kenny Golladay to a four-year, $72 million contract with $40 million guaranteed on Saturday. They grabbed the receiver most observers rated as the best available in free agency. At $18 million per year, there are questions about whether they overpaid, but if it helps quarterback Daniel Jones develop, no one will be worrying about the money in three years.
The Jets struck quickly last Monday when the negotiating window opened, locking up Corey Davis with a three-year, $37.5 million contract that includes $27 million guaranteed.
Both teams sorely needed an upgrade at wide receiver to aid their young quarterbacks. This market set up perfectly for them since there were more good receivers available than usual thanks to the decreasing salary cap. Even after Allen Robinson (Bears) and Chris Godwin (Buccaneers) were given the franchise tag, the Giants and Jets had good options.
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman decided to shop at Tiffany’s and sign the most expensive receiver on the market to give Jones a new No. 1 target. The move comes with some risk because Golladay only played five games last season for the Lions and now has the pressure of living up to his contract.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas considered Golladay too expensive and instead targeted Davis. The Jets like his fit with their offense and think he is entering his prime. Davis was the No. 5-overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Titans, so he has lived with pressure for his entire NFL career. The new contract won’t add to that. The Jets have not had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2015 and need someone to help whoever their quarterback is in 2021 whether it is Sam Darnold or Zach Wilson or someone else.
Kenny Golladay and Corey Davis’ deals will be judged against each other for the next several years.Getty Images
Comparing the two receivers, Golladay has had more production but his 2020 season raises some questions. Golladay has had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has 21 career touchdowns. His best season was 2019 when he had 65 catches for 1,190 yards and 11 touchdowns. A hip injury kept Golladay sidelined for all but five games last year and there were some questions about how hard he tried to return to the field. Clearly, the Giants got satisfactory answers on those issues during his visit.
Davis was considered a disappointment in Tennessee after being selected so high in the draft and then struggling early. Davis only has 11 career touchdowns. Golladay did that in one season. But Davis had his best season last year. He caught 65 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns. The main question about Davis is how he will do outside of the talented Tennessee offense. He was getting passes from Ryan Tannehill, who has become one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. The Titans also had A.J. Brown on the opposite side of Davis and Derrick Henry in the backfield to give them a strong running game and help set up play-action passes.
If you look at Pro Football Focus grades from the past three seasons, Davis had the best season of the two. His 2020 grade of 85.3 ranked 10th out of 127 wide receivers. Golladay had an 81.0 grade in 2018, which was 21st out of 118 receivers. Golladay had a 79.9 grade in 2019 and did not qualify in 2020. Davis had a 70.4 grade in 2019 and 76.4 in 2018.
We will probably have a good answer in two years about which signing was better. Davis’ contract has no guaranteed money beyond 2022, so the Jets can move on if he disappoints. Golladay’s contract is more of a three-year commitment in terms of when the Giants could comfortably move on.
The Giants made a much bigger financial commitment than the Jets. Not just in terms of guaranteed money — $40 million versus $27 million — but also in annual average value. Golladay’s $18 million per year AAV is tied for sixth among receivers. Davis’ $12.5 million is 20th.
Both teams believe they got better at receiver in the last week. Now, we’ll get to see if they are right and who made the best decision.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Hoping to improve their 32nd-ranked offense, the New York Jets have agreed to terms with former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Corey Davis, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.
Davis, the fifth overall pick in 2017, will receive a three-year, $37.5 million contract that includes $27 million in guarantees, sources said.
The Jets, who haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2015, will use Davis with second-year wideout Denzel Mims and slot receiver Jamison Crowder. They see the 6-foot-3 Davis as an ideal fit in their new West Coast offense, which is predicated on yards after the catch.
Davis, 26, failed to post a 1,000-yard season in his first four seasons as a starter for the Titans. The team decided not to pick up Davis’ fifth-year option, allowing him to become a free agent this year.
He emerged as a legitimate threat opposite of A.J. Brown last season. Davis posted career highs in receiving yards (984), 100-yard receiving games (5), average yards per reception (15.1) and touchdown receptions (5). His 11-catch, 182-yard breakout against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 last season was the best single-game performance of his career.
While everything came together for Davis on the field last season, he dealt with a tremendous loss off it. Davis’ older brother, Titus, died due to a rare form of kidney cancer in November.
In four seasons with the Titans, Davis has posted 207 receptions, 2,851 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Information from ESPN’s Turron Davenport was used in this report.
Joe Douglas can borrow the title for this Jets offseason from NBA superstar LeBron James. This is The Decision for Douglas.
The 44-year-old general manager won’t be making his announcement on a prime-time TV special, but he must figure out who is going to be his quarterback for 2021, and possibly beyond, over the coming weeks. Will Douglas stick with Sam Darnold for a fourth season, hoping a new coaching staff and a better supporting cast helps him improve? Will he draft a quarterback No. 2 overall and trade Darnold? The decision comes with so many layers and can be viewed so many ways that it sets up the most fascinating call for an executive and franchise in recent New York sports history.
“It’s the biggest decision in his career,” former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said. “It’s probably the biggest Jets decision in, I don’t know, 40 years. It’s enormous.”
Get this wrong and the Jets will be looking for a new GM in a few years. Get this right and Douglas will be on his way to bringing the Jets back from the wilderness in which they have been wandering for the past decade.
The decision has multiple layers to examine. For our purposes, let’s put aside the possibility of trading for Texans star Deshaun Watson, which at the moment still appears unlikely. Let’s focus on Darnold versus the college quarterbacks, led by BYU’s Zach Wilson.
The Darnold Debate
The Jets drafted Darnold No. 3 overall in 2018 with the hope they had found their franchise quarterback. Instead, he has been a confounding player. There are moments of brilliance interspersed with more plays that make you scratch your head. Injuries and illnesses have cost him 10 games and prevented him from playing a full season.
Sam DarnoldN.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg
The debate that is now raging on talk radio and Jets Twitter about Darnold is also occurring inside the organization. There are some who see untapped potential that has been held back by a poor surrounding cast. Others are ready to move on.
It is impossible to make a case for Darnold by using statistics. Since 2018, there have been 42 quarterbacks who have thrown at least 500 passes. Darnold’s QB rating of 78.6 is 41st out of those 42. Only Josh Rosen’s 63.5 is lower. Darnold has been intercepted 39 times, the fifth-most picks over the past three years.
On the other side of the debate, people point to the fact Darnold will not turn 24 until June and has not been given much help in his career. Robert Saleh would be his third head coach in four years. Mike LaFleur would be his third offensive coordinator. The franchise has been unstable since Darnold arrived. The GM who drafted him, Mike Maccagnan, was fired after Darnold’s first season.
Then, there is the talent around him — or lack of it. Darnold has played with an ever-changing cast of players. This is how many different starters he has played with at each offensive position: 15 wide receivers, nine tight ends, seven running backs, seven left guards, five right guards, five right tackles, four centers and four left tackles. Of those 56 players, none has made a Pro Bowl as a Jet.
Darnold’s coaching is also in question. Former head coach Adam Gase’s offense finished dead last in the NFL in total yards in each of the last two years. Gase, who was hired to bring out the best in Darnold, admitted he failed the quarterback. Darnold has had a passer rating of 100 or above in seven games in his career. Four of those came in his rookie season, three in 2019 and none last year, as he seemed to regress.
That leads to the question of how much better Darnold can be in LaFleur’s offense and whether Douglas can improve the offense through free agency and the draft this year, something that would give pro-Darnold people hope.
“I think he was put in situations that are tough to develop in at times,” said Matt Bowen, who played seven seasons in the NFL and is now an ESPN analyst. “When you have multiple head coaches, multiple play-callers, when you have a talent-deficient roster around you, it’s tough to evaluate at times. You have to go back to the traits. I think Sam Darnold does have high-level traits at the position. The question for the Jets is: Will those traits fit in LaFleur’s offense? Which I think is one of the best offenses today in the NFL.”
Saleh and LaFleur bring the Kyle Shanahan offense with them from San Francisco. It is an offense viewed as quarterback friendly because of the heavy emphasis on motion, play-action and rollouts. Darnold has always been good on the move, and the LaFleur offense could maximize that. There are many coaches and executives around the NFL who privately agree with Bowen and still see superstar potential in Darnold and believe that, in the right offense, he can realize his potential.
Another factor in the Darnold decision, though, is finances. Darnold has one year left on his rookie contract at $4.6 million. There is also a fifth-year option for 2022 that is $18.9 million. The Jets are unlikely to pick up that option. If they stick with Darnold, that means they would either have to move on after this year or commit to him with an extension. If they draft a quarterback, however, they would start over with a quarterback on his rookie deal and at least five years of team control.
Many around the league believe the Jets could get a second-round pick for Darnold in addition to a mid-round pick this year or next.
“If you’re going to sit here and tell me we’re going to take a quarterback because we think he’s going to be as good as Sam Darnold, if not better, in the next three years and it resets our financial timetable, I can’t sit here and be like, ‘No, that’s stupid,’ especially with the financial flexibility,” Orlovsky said. “But I also know this: If you take a quarterback and he just becomes OK and Sam Darnold goes somewhere else and plays good, woo, good luck.”
The College Option
This would have been simple if the 2020 Jets had not won two games in December. We’d be talking about Trevor Lawrence, the can’t-miss kid, going No. 1 overall. Instead, the quarterback picture at No. 2 is cloudier.
BYU’s Zach WilsonGetty Images
There is no consensus No. 2 quarterback in this draft. BYU’s Zach Wilson has gained the most momentum since the season ended, but he also played a cupcake schedule. Ohio State’s Justin Fields might have the most impressive traits. North Dakota State’s Trey Lance is a bit of a mystery after just one game last season and 17 total in college. Alabama’s Mac Jones won a lot of games with the Crimson Tide, but had an All-Star team around him.
The Jets’ draft board will stack up with those four quarterbacks … and one other.
“I would put Sam Darnold on the draft board,” Bowen said. “I would say where do we grade him based on his college and pro tape? If you grade him higher than Wilson and Fields, you stay with him. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t, then you move him.”
The Jets also need to evaluate what else they can do with the No. 2 pick if they keep Darnold. They could trade it for a package of draft picks to a team that has fallen in love with one of the quarterbacks. They could take the best non-quarterback in the draft to help Darnold. That could be a wide receiver like Ja’Marr Chase of LSU or DeVonta Smith from Alabama, or it could be Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell to pair up with last year’s first-round pick, Mekhi Becton.
“I’ve never been a big Darnold fan. He’s a turnover machine. That’s what he is,” said Dan Shonka, a longtime NFL scout who now is the general manager of OurLads scouting services. “But that being said, I think if I was Joe Douglas, I would draft Penei Sewell at that tackle spot. Now, you’ve got a couple of bookend tackles as long as Becton can hold up.”
Shonka is not as high on Wilson as others. Wilson has skyrocketed up the media’s draft boards over the past two months. Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms even rated him over Lawrence last week. Shonka has reservations about the BYU quarterback, who beat up on a weak schedule in 2020. He has him rated as the No. 5 quarterback behind Lawrence, Jones, Fields and Lance. Shonka also questions Wilson’s durability because of his slight 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and the fact he already has had a shoulder surgery.
“You’re hearing the herd mentality out there with Zach Wilson,” Shonka said. “I want to tell you Zach Wilson may not hold up in the National Football League. He’s a narrow shoulder guy. He is very accurate, smart guy, good anticipation and all that. But he’s not a real big guy.”
Orlovsky is a bigger fan of Wilson, who he said has traits that he thinks will transfer to the NFL.
“Wilson plays a FOMO style of football — fear of missing out,” Orlovsky said. “He’s made me say, ‘Holy fudge’ more than any quarterback on tape this year. There’s a lot to like in his game. He has quick hands. He reminds me of [former MLB star] Omar Vizquel. He’s crazy fast with his hands.”
Fields’ trajectory has been the opposite of Wilson’s. His popularity peaked in the College Football Playoff semifinals with his performance against Clemson. If the draft had been the next day, he would have been the No. 2 pick. But his game has been picked apart since then.
“I think Fields is incredibly talented. He’s deliberate,” Orlovsky said. “You’ve got to figure out if he is going to develop from that because being deliberate in the NFL is not good right now. For a guy who is incredibly athletic, he doesn’t play super-fast. Are you confident that he will?”
Bowen believes some of the deliberate nature of Fields game is due to the Ohio State offense that featured deep, longer-developing routes. He argues Fields was often waiting on the receiver, rather than processing slowly.
Ohio State QB Justin FieldsGetty Images
Bowen said Fields has skills that can’t be taught.
“The traits matter,” Bowen said. “They have to matter because you cannot create those.”
Lance and Jones both have supporters, too, but seem less likely to be candidates for the Jets at No. 2.
The Final Decision
Douglas must make his call now in one of the trickiest offseasons ever for evaluating prospects. He won’t be able to have private workouts or even eat dinner with the college players. He will attend Pro Days, beginning with Lance’s on Friday, and debate with the scouts and coaches on his way to making the call that will define the Jets’ near — and possibly long-term — future.
Douglas has been on the job for 21 months. The next month-plus leading up to and into the first round on April 29 could be what defines his legacy with the Jets.
“I always think general managers put a stamp on their football team,” Bowen said. “Joe Douglas hasn’t done that yet. So, what is it going to be? I think this is it. This is what the decision is going to mean.”
LOS ANGELES — Speculation swirls every day about what’s going to happen with Sam Darnold. Will he still be playing with the Jets in 2021? Will he be traded? Everyone wants to know.
Meanwhile, the subject of that endless sports-radio discussion quietly is going about his offseason business around home in Southern California.
According to close confidants, Darnold, who’s three years into a Jets career that’s been anything but a success since he was drafted No. 3-overall in 2018, has been handling his career uncertainty with the same level-headed maturity that he’s handled the on-field adversity.
Jordan Palmer is a long-time friend of Darnold’s and he’s also his offseason quarterback coach, the founder of the QB Summit, a widely heralded training program that has helped develop the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Josh Allen.
Palmer, in an exclusive interview with The Post during a break from one of his beach training sessions this past weekend in Dana Point, Calif., remains highly bullish on the career of Darnold.
“I’m as biased as it gets, but I’m going to keep it [bleeping] real here: I have more confidence in Sam at this point in his career that he’s going to reach his potential than I did three years ago,’’ Palmer said. “He’s been hardened by how difficult his first three years have been and some of the challenges that’s he’s had. I’ve seen him grow a ton with that with the way he’s handled it.
“These are new situations for him. He hadn’t been on a team that’s not winning. He’s always been a really good player on a really good team. And that’s not how the first three years with the Jets have shaken out.
Sam DarnoldUPI
“I believe that Sam’s one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league, and like all good, talented quarterbacks he’s got to have a big offseason and got to improve.’’
Palmer praised how Darnold has finished the past two seasons, going 6-2 in the final eight games of 2019 after the team started 1-7 and going 2-1 last season after the 0-13 start.
“My logo is a summit, a mountain range,’’ Palmer said. “That’s your journey. I haven’t seen one quarterback that goes right from bottom to the top — perfect, awesome, at the end you get the championship and all the money and the congrats. What guys have to do is navigate their journey.’’
Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is another close confidante of Darnold’s who also has been trained by Palmer and still works with him on occasion. Sanchez said his interest in the Jets remains keen “because of Sam.’’
“He’s my neighbor, I love the kid and I want him to do well … and he’s in the thick of it,’’ Sanchez told The Post. “I’ve literally been where he’s at — banged-up shoulder, trying to fight through injuries, is he playing, is he not playing? We kind of have some eerily-similar situations — two kids that grew up right down the street from each other.’’
The arc of Sanchez’s career was quite the opposite of Darnold’s to date in that Sanchez had his best success early and struggled later. Sanchez’s hope is that Darnold’s career is an inverted version of his.
“We came into the league to two very different teams,’’ Sanchez said. “Sam was drafted high because the team was not good the year before. I was drafted high because they traded up for me and they were 9-7 the year before I got there. So, I got to go to a team that had a lot of talent and a great offensive line.’’
Sanchez said he’s constantly “offering some of my advice’’ to Darnold, reminding him, “Dude, I’m here for you.’’
Sanchez, like Palmer, is convinced Darnold’s best football is ahead of him, but he believes that may best come with a change of scenery. Sanchez has lived in a Jets world where perceptions among the fans become cemented and cannot be outlived.
Sanchez, however, believes Darnold wants to remain with the Jets, get his new start with the new coaching regime, head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
Palmer is torn on that topic.
“Part of me wants Sam to finish what he started and get it right, and part of me would love to see him get a change of scenery, because I’ve seen that work so well for others,’’ Palmer said. “This league is a right-place-right-time league and a wrong-place-wrong-time league. The right guy in the right situation has got a chance to be in the mix at the end.
“With Sam, it just hasn’t happened yet, and it will. And I can honestly say that right-place-right-time could be this year with the Jets. Or it could be somewhere else.’’
Add veteran NFL reporter Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com to the list of writers who have heard that Texans QB Deshaun Watson is not budging on his desire to be traded, and that he continues to ignore every call from Houston brass. Of course, Watson has a no-trade clause that he could use to help dictate where he goes — assuming the Texans give in and deal him, which they have insisted they are not going to do — and we recently heard that the 49ers and Broncos are on his destination list.
Dunne’s source indicates that the Dolphins — who have been considered one of the frontrunners for Watson since trade speculation started to swirl — and the Niners are Watson’s top two preferred clubs. In Dunne’s view, a trade to Miami makes too much sense to not happen, and he believes the ‘Fins and Texans could line up on a deal that sends Watson to South Beach in exchange for the No. 3 and No. 18 overall picks in this year’s draft along with Miami’s 2022 first-rounder.
Now for more rumors from the AFC East:
Recent reports have indicated that Raiders QB Marcus Mariota is generating legitimate trade interest, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes the Patriots could be in the mix. New England obviously needs a quarterback, and Mariota is attached to a reasonable $10.6MM salary for 2021 and would not cost much to acquire in terms of draft capital. Although he could demand a raise if he is being acquired to serve as a starter, his current salary would not preclude the team from continuing to explore other options, like Jimmy Garoppolo — if the the 49ers land a different QB and release Garoppolo — or a collegiate passer.
Reiss does not expect the Patriots to make a deal with the division-rival Jets for Gang Green QB Sam Darnold, though what the Jets do with Darnold could certainly have a major impact on New England (for instance, if New York trades Darnold to San Francisco, Garoppolo could become available).
The Jets have among the most cap space in the league at just shy of $70MM, and they can easily create even more flexibility, thereby giving them a huge advantage in what could be a buyer’s market given the decreased salary cap. Connor Hughes of The Athletic believes New York will release DE Henry Anderson, which jibes with a report from December. That move will save the club $8.2MM in cap space, and Hughes suggests that guards Greg Van Roten and Alex Lewis might be goners as well (their releases would save $3.4MM and $5.1MM, respectively).
Meanwhile the Jets don’t have too many of their own free agents that must be retained. Hughes expects safety Marcus Maye to be re-signed, and he also says OL Pat Elflein — who played well in 2020 after being claimed off waivers from the Vikings — is a logical candidate to return, especially if the team moves on from Van Roten and/or Lewis.
Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News does not foresee the Bills laying out major free agent dollars this offseason. Instead, he expects the club to use the majority of its cash on an extension for QB Josh Allen, which means that the Bills will likely allow LB Matt Milano to test the open market — contrary to GM Brandon Beane‘s assertion that a franchise tag could be in play — and will not be in the running for a top pass rusher like Shaquil Barrett or Bud Dupree.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Former Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan, who caught 216 passes over nine NFL seasons, is returning to his other favorite sport — lacrosse.
Hogan, 33, has entered his name in the Premier Lacrosse League entry draft on March 25, he confirmed Saturday.
“As many of you know, my roots are in lacrosse, and I’m excited to fight for a roster spot with the best in the world!” he posted on Twitter on Saturday.
Hogan was a four-time letter winner and captain at Penn State, where he played lacrosse from 2007 to 2010 after a highly decorated career at Ramapo High School in northern New Jersey. He was a midfielder for the Nittany Lions, scoring 29 goals as a junior and earning all-ECAC recognition. His coach once said he “could be the best middie in Division I.”
In his intro video before prime-time games as a member of the New England Patriots, Hogan announced his alma mater as “Penn State lacrosse.” He used his final year of eligibility to play football at Monmouth (N.J.) University.
Hogan didn’t say whether he’s retiring from the NFL.
He played last season for the New York Jets, catching 14 passes for 118 yards in five games. The Jets were so depleted at wide receiver that Hogan, who signed in training camp, became an immediate starter. He landed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain and was waived from IR in December.
His best years came with the Patriots, from 2016 to 2018. He became a sure-handed target for Tom Brady and won two Super Bowl rings in New England before moving on to the Carolina Panthers and Jets. He began his career with the Buffalo Bills.
In a 2019 interview with US Lacrosse Magazine, Hogan said he would “absolutely” be interested in playing lacrosse again. He still owned a stick, he said, but hadn’t worn gloves in eight years.
In 2018, Hogan reportedly became an investor in the Premier Lacrosse League, which consists of eight teams after a recent merger with Major League Lacrosse. The entry draft is for players who never have played in the PLL.
A day after news broke of Deshaun Watson requesting a trade, new Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio made it clear he hasn’t given up on keeping him in the fold, setting up a standoff with the franchise QB.
“Organizationally, we want to reiterate our commitment to Deshaun Watson” he said at Friday’s press conference to introduce head coach David Culley. “We have zero interest in trading the player.”
While Watson’s frustration with the franchise has little to do with Caserio and Culley personally, there has been no indication they will be able to change his mind.
The 25-year-old Clemson alum had expected to have a say in the team’s new leadership after a dismal 4-12 season. That didn’t appear to happen with the team hiring Ceserio without notifying Watson.
Culley, on his first official day with the team, tried to throw some optimism at the looming ugliness.
“He is a Houston Texan,” the 65-year-old first-time head coach said. “I want him to be a Houston Texan. The reason I’m in this position today is because I know he’s going to be a Houston Texan.”
That positivity may be misplaced. Watson, whose four-year, $156 million contract runs through 2025 with a no-trade clause, has most of the leverage in this case, and is reportedly “dug-in” on being dealt. The Texans can do little more than fine him if he refuses to show up, though NFL Network reported that he’s willing to “sit and lose money.”
Numerous teams are expected to be in the trade market for Watson, who led the NFL with a career-high 4,823 passing yards and threw for a personal best 33 touchdowns in 2020. The Jets could put together an intriguing package spearheaded by the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but they’ll have to compete with AFC East foes from New England and Miami, as well as the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.