NFL Insider Jason La Canfora’s Week 3 Diary: QBs on the Move, Arch Manning Staying at Texas, Plus LaFleur, Herbert, Maye Latest

That former Vikings first-round pick J.J. McCarthy became the first quarterback traded in the NFL this season came as no surprise—nor did his destination, with the Giants in urgent need of depth after Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury.

We told you in early August this was quite likely if/when Dart got hurt (Giants head coach John Harbaugh got favorable reports on McCarthy from his brother, Jim, who won a national title with him at Michigan).

It wouldn’t take much to land him from Minnesota, despite where he was selected, because he needed out and they wanted him out (despite what you hear publicly) with Kyler Murray the starter and abundant depth at the position.

Alas, more QBs will get hurt – Baker Mayfield (Tampa) is banged up now, and given the state of many offensive lines in this league, more attrition is inevitable.

NFL personnel execs are always keeping a close eye on potential options. Not all will have the upside (I guess?) that McCarthy brings, and there will be more deals to come.

Quarterbacks Under The Microscope; Cousins Surprise Trade Beckons?

A host of teams are sitting on more QBs than they will likely need to use, and some of the dynamics in these QB rooms aren’t great. Here are the QBs most likely to still be dealt:

Mac Jones (49ers)

Kyle Shanahan develops QBs like few others and if a real contender lost one, San Francisco will get calls.

“That won’t be an easy trade to make,” as another GM explained before the season.

“They value him like a starter.” Still, this is an older roster, and recent drafts have not been great, and they need to replenish.

Kirk Cousins (Raiders):

Playing stellar football and a perfect fit in this system and a perfect mentor to first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

They’re 3-0 for the first time in forever, but Mendoza is going to play, a team could get pretty desperate right around the deadline, and they could always bring him back again next year.

I’m just sayin’, this is a week-to-week league and if he keeps this up someone might make an offer they can’t refuse.

Tua Tagovailoa (Falcons)

Okay, they probably can’t get anything for him but I also don’t think he is long for Atlanta with Michael Penix Jr. finally healthy and in need of a long runway there.

Tua is a veteran minimum guy, the Falcons have already, gulp, played some with Cooper Rush, and this looks like an addition by subtraction situation.

He thought this was going to be his job until he got hurt again, and he seems to not understand where he is in the NFL QB pecking order at this point.

“That’s a really weird (QB) room,” one personnel exec commented to me.

“Why have him and Rush?” Indeed.

Gardner Minshew (Cardinals)

He can give you some energy and run around and make some things happen for a few weeks until he hits the wall.  There will be turnovers, but he is game and will move the pocket and try to compete.

Jacoby Brissett is fully solidified as the starter and rookie Carson Beck is still healing up from a rib injury but would make sense moving into the QB 2 role.

“Gone by the deadline,” one GM told me.

Mason Rudolph (Steelers):

They have four, which is a lot, even with Aaron Rodgers at the end.

With this likely the final run for Rodgers, the Steelers are going to have an eye on future draft picks, even if they remain competitive, as they always are.

Green Bay Woes Continue; LaFleur Under Pressure

The walls may be closing in on Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Fast.

This team is miserable, Lambeau Field is turning on them in a way not often seen there and something is going to have to give.

The offensive line is a mess and it doesn’t look like he can fix it. Defense has major issues, too, and their special teams always stink. GMs don’t get whacked in-season often and Green Bay is a personnel hub – they have they jam.

When talk turns to hot seats, this one seems quite warm.

“He looks overwhelmed to me,” one GM said of the Packers sideline issues.

“I think calling plays and trying to manage at the team at the same time is too much for him right now. There are too many fires for him to put out. I think he’s in a lot of trouble.”

LaFleur is going to be judged in conjunction with QB Jordan Love, and he looks out of sorts, too.

“He’s the type of guy who needs everything to be pretty quiet around him and he can deliver,” the GM said of Love. “But that’s not how this team’s built anymore.”

Chargers Continue to Disappoint Despite Pre-Season Hope

The Chargers offense remains stagnant and the pressure is bringing out the worst in Justin Herbert.

For all the talk of the arranged marriage between head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, the real problem is a bad offensive line and QB who also does not appear like he can rise above.

“I think Herbert has a leadership issue,” one longtime personnel executive who did a lot of Herbert entering the draft told me.

“He’s a pretty quiet guy, not very naturally vocal, and it seems like he gets swallowed up sometimes.

“Leading up to that draft, he reminded me of Carson Palmer in some ways, and you kind of heard some of that stuff about him, too. He has to elevate that thing and take ownership of it, and that’s not who he is.”

Manning, Maye and General Round-Up

It’s very early in the college season, but Arch Manning (Texas) is not exactly blowing scouts away and the buzz I hear continues to point to him staying in school.

He doesn’t have to come out, the Manning’s haven’t been quick to jump to the NFL, there are millions to be made in college, and, well, Herbert is just one example of someone who was a projected top pick who waited to enter the draft.

“What’s the rush?” said a GM who will be very likely drafting a QB next year, but doesn’t think it’ll be Manning for a multitude of reasons.

Patriots QB Drake Maye is definitely regressing, which advance scouts we are close to expected. The game script has flipped, they have had to chase games instead of play with a lead and he is trying to do too much with not enough around him.

“He’s (screwed) in the head right now,” as one scout put it. Some are wondering if his decline will impact what has been a stout and possibly over-achieving defense. Jacksonville mustered scoring drives of 9, 10 and 15 plays Sunday.

The Lions and Ravens are both 2-1, but their offensive line woes are drawing plenty of attention and defenses are going to keep attacking their vulnerabilities.

Both are struggling to overcome injuries and serious decline, and we have a lot of football still to play.

In a league very short on quality linemen to begin with, good luck plugging big holes in season. Baltimore has rookie guard Vega Ioane potentially starting at center Sunday against the Titans – which means defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Ravens game plan best act accordingly.