Dolphins GM Grier: Tua Tagovailoa Is Our Starting Quarterback

Tuesday, Jan. 10

Ryan Poles Comments on No. 1 Pick

The Bears would have to be “absolutely blown away” by a quarterback prospect to select one with the No. 1 overall pick, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters.

The Bears secured the No. 1 overall pick after their Week 18 loss to the Vikings and the Texans' improbable win against the Colts. The debate quickly began on whether the Bears should build around Justin Fields or draft his replacement.

Joe Banner, a former front office executive for the Eagles and Browns and The 33rd Team analyst, believes the Bears should draft Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and trade Justin Fields.

"If I were the Bears, I wouldn’t budge. I’d draft a quarterback," Banner wrote in a column on Monday. "It could be Bryce Young. It could be C.J. Stroud. It could be someone else at the top of my board. But it would be a prospect I believe can be – no, will be — a difference-making quarterback. And that’s the key. It must be a quarterback I believe has the ability to get me where I want to go, which is the Super Bowl."

However, The 33rd Team Scouting Department, led by former NFL scout T.J. McCreight, had the Bears select Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson in its latest mock draft. Young was picked No. 2 overall by the Texans.

Monday, Jan. 9

Rodgers Will Take Time Before Decision

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers take time away from the team to decide whether he wants to return in 2023, NFL Media reported. Rodgers has done this the past two seasons, but the Packers had more successful seasons than the previous times.

This time, the team is coming off a 20-16 home loss to the Detroit Lions, which eliminated it from playoff contention and ended a four-game winning streak.

“I need to get away and contemplate those things,” Rodgers said in his post-game press conference. “Those are real to me. I have a lot of pride in what I’ve accomplished in this league, but I’m also a realist, and I understand where we are as a team. We’re a young team, and there could be some change with some of the older guys. It could be time to step away. But, I could take some time and say, ‘Hell, no. I need to get back out there and go on another run.'”

Greg Jennings, of The 33rd Team and Rodgers’ former teammate, talked about some of the offseason possibilities for the Packers and Rodgers following their loss to the Lions.

Tua Still Not Cleared

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is still in concussion protocol and hasn’t been cleared for football activity, coach Mike McDaniel told reporters. Tagovailoa suffered his concussion in Week 16 against the Packers and missed Miami’s final two games of the season.

McDaniel said the team hopes to know more on Wednesday. If Tagovailoa can’t start in Miami’s playoff game against the Bills on Sunday, the team will turn to either Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson, who started in Week 18 against the Jets.

Mostert Suffered Broken Thumb

Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert suffered a broken thumb during Miami’s playoff-clinching win over the New York Jets, NFL Media reported. The Dolphins will be taking on the Bills Sunday at 1 PM ET in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. Mostert’s status for that game is up in the air.