Bird’s Nest 3.0

A former high draft pick for the Philadelphia Eagles has been given another chance to revive his NFL career.

The Atlanta Falcons announced they signed wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.

'Cause I'm Mr. Arcega-Whiteside!

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 22, 2023

The 2019 second-round pick out of Stanford joins Atlanta following a tryout during the team’s rookie minicamp.

Arcega-Whiteside’s time in the league has yet to get off the ground, only recording 16 receptions in three disappointing seasons with the Eagles.

A position switch to tight end in the 2022 offseason could not secure the 26-year-old a roster spot, being traded to and subsequently released by the Seattle Seahawks, where he spent a majority of the season on the team’s practice squad. 

At 6’2 and 225 pounds, Arcega-Whiteside could look to establish a role as a blocker in Atlanta’s run-heavy offense, now headlined by eighth overall pick Bijan Robinson. 

Journeyman Johnson

The NFL’s ultimate journeyman Josh Johnson has signed with another team. 

This time, it is a return to one of his NFL-record 14 teams as he signs a deal with the Baltimore Ravens for his second stint with the franchise, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Free-agent QB Josh Johnson, who has played for an NFL record 14 teams, is returning to the Ravens for the third time in his NFL career, per source. Johnson was with the Ravens in 2016, 2021 and now will be back again in 2023.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 22, 2023

Eagles faithful will remember well that Johnson participated in one of the game’s biggest stages during the 2022 season. 

When San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy was injured in the first quarter of the NFC Championship Game, it was the veteran QB Johnson who had to enter the game for the first playoff appearance of his 14-year career.

After 13 passes, the 37-year-old’s afternoon came to an end after a concussion as Philadelphia took the NFC title game by a score of 31-7.

In 2021, Johnson was a starting QB for the Ravens for one game after an injury to Lamar Jackson and a COVID-19 illness from Tyler Hutnley. 

Now, Johnson provides a push to Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown for the backup QB job. 

Rule Change 

Following an outcry of San Francisco being left with no healthy quarterbacks in the NFC Championship, the NFL will return to a rule that allows for teams to increase the number of QBs without a roster spot.

The NFL bylaw on allowing a third QB to be active without burning a roster spot was approved, per source.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 22, 2023

The NFL previously allowed for a third “emergency quarterback” up until the end of the 2010 season, when they added an increase to the active roster size. However, most teams opted to use the extra spot on non-QBs.  

A notable importance to this updated rule is that the player must be on the team’s 53-man roster.

The NFL has approved a rule allowing a team to designate a roster spot on an emergency 3rd QB.

A couple important rules:
* That player must be on the 53-man roster (it cannot be a practice squad call-up)
* That player can only play if the top 2 QBs are injured (no benchings)

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 22, 2023

Many teams opt to stash their third quarterback on the practice squad and would be able to use a call-up if necessary. But now, the value of a third quarterback on the main roster increases if multiple injuries occur during games.

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.