{"id":7336,"date":"2026-08-02T00:50:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T00:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/?p=7336"},"modified":"2026-08-02T00:50:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T00:50:15","slug":"the-daily-briefing-thursday-july-30-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/the-daily-briefing-thursday-july-30-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The Daily Briefing Thursday, July 30, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AROUND THE NFL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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NFC SOUTH<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>NEW ORLEANS<\/strong><\/strong>After 10 seasons, TAYSOM HILL says his time with the Saints is over.  Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com<\/a>: – Taysom Hill won’t be returning to the New Orleans Saints for a 10th season, he confirmed in a statement posted to social media Wednesday night.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Hill did not say whether he intended to retire, leaving the door open to playing elsewhere this season.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>In his first public comments since the end of the 2025 season, Hill thanked the Saints and their fans for his nine seasons in New Orleans, explaining that he has taken time this offseason to figure out what comes next.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“I still don’t have a clear answer about what the future holds, but I know that returning to New Orleans is not in the cards,” Hill said in his post. “As training camp begins, I didn’t want my silence to be misinterpreted, and as hard as it is to put into words, I wanted to express my gratitude.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Hill was known as the “Swiss Army knife” during his time in New Orleans — playing at quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receiver and on special teams — and was considered one of the most versatile players in franchise history.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“I had always heard, ‘If you love New Orleans, New Orleans will love you back,'” Hill said in his post. “That could not have been more true. You exceeded every expectation I had of what it would be like to live and play in a city. The passion, loyalty, and support you showed my family and me over these nine seasons were truly one of a kind.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“… I’m still working through what comes next, but I couldn’t move forward without taking the time to say thank you.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>If Hill does not play again, he will retire as one of only five players in NFL history to score at least 10 touchdowns each via rushing, receiving and passing. He is the only player in the Super Bowl era to have at least 1,000 yards in all three categories.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Saints general manager Mickey Loomis on Tuesday said he had recently talked to Hill, but he declined to share the details of that conversation. On Wednesday, Loomis praised Hill in a statement, thanking him for being a “great teammate, excellent leader and mentor.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“We thank Taysom for all his great contributions, and we are positive that a day will come when all his accomplishments can be properly celebrated,” Loomis said.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Hill, who turns 36 next month, often drew comparisons to players from earlier generations because of his ability to play so many roles.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>When he caught his 10th career touchdown pass in 2023 to reach double digits in all three categories, he became the first player since Hall of Famer Frank Gifford to do so. Gifford accomplished the feat in 1957.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Hill is less than two years removed from a serious knee injury sustained in December 2024. He began the 2025 season on the physically unable to perform list but returned to play 13 games. He caught 11 passes, threw one touchdown pass and ran the ball 52 times for 114 yards and a touchdown.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>A significant portion of those stats came in Hill’s final home game Dec. 21. The Saints fed him the ball to try to get him 1,000 career receiving yards and also appeared to call plays that would get him in a position to score a touchdown, which he did on the final play of the game.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“We had the touchdown, then the next play he tried to get me another one and then the next play he called the screen to me,” Hill said after the game. “I was laughing in my head, and it was like, ‘Kellen knows.’ So those things don’t go unnoticed.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Hill became emotional after the game as he reminisced on his career, although he declined to say at the time whether retirement was on the horizon.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Saints claimed Hill off waivers from the Green Bay Packers before the 2017 season. He played in 118 regular-season games and six postseason games.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>TAMPA<\/strong> BAY<\/strong><\/strong>Is this a \u201ctactical\u201d injury?  Eric Edholm on DT VITA VEA\u2019s new back problem Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Vita Vea is now missing training camp for a different reason. <\/em><\/em> <\/em>One day after reports emerged that the two-time Pro Bowler had requested a trade from the Bucs, head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Vea “tweaked something” in his back during Tuesday’s conditioning run at the start of training camp.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Bowles also announced that LT Tristan Wirfs suffered a hamstring injury during the same conditioning run, calling Wirfs “day to day.” <\/em><\/em> <\/em>It’s not clear how serious Vea’s injury is, although Bowles didn’t appear concerned and the fact that Vea attempted the conditioning run at least suggests he was willing to participate in part of camp activities. Neither Vea nor Wirfs practiced Wednesday, although Vea was seen engaging with teammates on the field through defensive line drills.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Bowles also said that the Bucs have not engaged in any internal or external trade talk to this point with Vea. The two sides have been at odds over Vea’s contract, which is set to pay him $17 million in 2026 and expires after this coming season.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“It comes up every year,” Bowles said when asked about Vea’s trade request, “and it usually takes care of itself. Our job is to get the guys ready to play.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>How this could play out with Vita Vea<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>Vea reportedly prefers landing with one of the California teams or the Raiders if he’s traded, although there might be other teams interested in his services if the Buccaneers reverse course and start entertaining trade offers.  <\/em><\/em> <\/em>It’s become more commonplace in recent years to see players \u2014 healthy or not \u2014 eschew holdouts for “hold-ins,” attending camp but not participating during full-team work in practices. Vea and Bowles could be seen chatting prior to practice on Wednesday.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Even with some promising additions to the team, it has been a somewhat trying offseason after the Bucs lost four of five games down the stretch and missed the postseason in 2025. First came the loss of free agent Mike Evans. In addition to the standoff with Vea, contract talks with Baker Mayfield have not led to an extension.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Vea’s “tweak” might only be a temporary hurdle, but the Buccaneers have plenty to sort out over the next five weeks prior to the start of the season.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
NFC WEST<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/em><\/strong>SAN FRANCISCO<\/strong>Estranged WR BRANDON AIYUK notes Coach Kyle Shanahan\u2019s accident.  Tyler Sullivan of CBSSports.com<\/a>: In the aftermath of this news coming to light, Aiyuk had a couple of posts go up on his Instagram story that seemingly aimed to mock Shanahan.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The first slide read, “You can’t win the race if you crash out.” That was followed by another post that said, “Keep yo head up and stay in yo own lane. You gone win.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Given the timing of the post and the phrases “crash out” and “stay in yo own lane,” it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to connect the dots that lead to this being a shot at Shanahan and, by extension, the 49ers.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
AFC WEST<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>LOS ANGELES CHARGERS<\/strong>QB JUSTIN HERBERT has popped the question to Madison Beer. J.J. Post atESPN.com<\/a>: The NFL season hasn’t started yet, but Justin Herbert already has a ring on his mind.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback announced his engagement to singer-songwriter Madison Beer. The couple shared the news Tuesday in a joint post on Instagram, captioned with a simple message: “Meet my fianc\u00e9.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Herbert and Beer were first spotted together in August 2025 on the set of a music video Beer was shooting, which began to spark dating rumors. Beer would appear at Chargers games throughout the fall, with the dating rumors seemingly confirmed when the two shared a kiss on the sideline before the Chargers’ Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders. The pair attended a Los Angeles Dodgers World Series game together later that autumn. The duo was also spotted sitting courtside at Crypto.com<\/a> Arena supporting the Los Angeles Lakers.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Herbert co-starred in the music video for Beer’s song “lovergirl,” which was released in May as part of her latest album “locket deluxe.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Asked at the first day of Chargers training camp about whether he was more nervous about the proposal or his first NFL start, Herbert minced no words: “The proposal, for sure.” His coach, Jim Harbaugh, said he felt great for Herbert, then mused about a unique quirk in the league’s postseason calendar this year.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“Valentine’s Day. SoFi. … Little hairs on your arms start standing up,” he said.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>It’s not the first time Harbaugh has chimed in with his support for the relationship. In May, Herbert missed the second phase of the team’s voluntary offseason program to support Beer on tour. When asked about his reaction to the QB’s absence, Harbaugh said he offered: “Do you need a ride to the airport?”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Harbaugh also said then he was “happy” the quarterback was supporting Beer on tour.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The couple’s announcement post amassed more than 5.7 million likes on Instagram within an day of its posting, with the official NFL account among the well-wishers in the comment section.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
AFC EAST<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>BUFFALO<\/strong><\/strong>The Bills have a new alternate uniform with gray over gray that is called Nickel City.  It has not been well received by the Mafia. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com<\/a>: Josh Allen has a message for everyone who is not a fan of the Buffalo Bills’ new “Nickel City” alternate uniforms.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“Stop hating on the jerseys, guys,” Allen said.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The star quarterback’s comment came unprompted near the conclusion of his news conference Wednesday, two days after the Bills unveiled the new uniform — with the images of the all-gray jersey-pants combination receiving significant negative feedback on social media.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Allen, however, said the new look is representative of the changes the Bills have undergone and that he is excited to wear it.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“I enjoy them. I think it’s very symbolic of what we want to do and what we want to be,” Allen said after the Bills’ first practice of training camp. “I understand people want the old jerseys and the old helmets and all that.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“But at some point, too, we are moving forward. We have to move forward and do something new — and that’s what we’re doing.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The alternate jersey is expected to be worn for two games this season, but the specific games have not yet been released.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>It marks the first time the Bills have highlighted gray in this way. Teams are required to use colors in their current palette when designing alternate uniforms. The helmet has a blue base with the team’s red charge symbol featured.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>As Allen noted, change is a theme for the Bills in 2026, from their new Highmark Stadium that will officially open this season to hiring a first-time head coach in Joe Brady.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The head coach change came in the wake of the Bills trying to win a Super Bowl title with Allen, something that eluded the organization under former head coach Sean McDermott, who was fired in January.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Some of the tweaks under Brady were evident on the first day of camp, including practice being held an hour and 15 minutes earlier than it typically was under McDermott.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“The vibe, the energy, it’s different,” Allen said. “I’m not saying it’s better [or] it’s worse. It’s different. And as a new head coach for a team, I think that’s a smart decision to make things different.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“This isn’t the same place, and you have to make it feel differently because doing the same thing, it obviously didn’t work. So, got to change it up and try to find new ways to make it work.”<\/em><\/em> We admit that we never knew anyone called Buffalo the \u201cNickel City.\u201d  We found this on Quora: One of the things I love about Buffalo are the many nicknames it has earned over the years.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Among the most well known is \u201cThe Nickel City,\u201d a reference the American Bison on the back of the Indian Head nickel. I\u2019ve been told this was a common nickname on the CB airwaves in the 1970\u2019s. And of course the \u201cQueen City,\u201d earned when Buffalo was the second-largest city in New York State and a key location at the western terminus of the Erie Canal.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Following the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo earned the nickname \u201cCity of Light\u201d by being the first electrified city in the US. The city\u2019s official flag still bears this nickname.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>But the more interesting ones have been earned more recently. Buffalo became known as the \u201cCity of Good Neighbors\u201d in the mid-20th Century, due to the small-town feel and warm welcome experienced by visitors to the city. This is frequently referenced following the occasional blizzards, when residents demonstrate their neighborliness by shoveling each others\u2019 cars out and sharing food, warmth, and the experience in general.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>My personal favorite is \u201cCity of No Illusions.\u201d This was coined in the 1980\u2019s, when the city was dealing with a lot of disappointment in the economy, politics, and sports. While this may sound pessimistic or signal resignation of some sort, taken in the context of the other nicknames it reveals the quiet confidence that has kept the city going through the hard times. As the people of Buffalo experiences their city\u2019s resurgence they do so with eyes open and nothing to fear. They\u2019ve already been through the worst, so things can only get better.<\/em><\/em> We don\u2019t think the Nickel City jersey and pants are as bad as the helmet that goes with them, described as a \u201cstriking \u2018Charge\u2019 helmet.\u201d More on the thought process.  The jersey has a blue collar.  Blue collar, get it? What inspired the Bills’ new ‘Nickel City’ alternate uniforms?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>Buffalo’s “Nickel City” nickname dates to the city’s role as a manufacturing hub, making it a theme for a uniform rooted in the region’s industrial past.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The all-gray color scheme is inspired by the Buffalo Nickel while also representing the steel mills, grain elevators and rail yards that helped build western New York.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The actual blue collar<\/em><\/strong> on the jerseys represent the blue-collar workers who represent Buffalo’s work ethic and authenticity, while a charging buffalo logo sits over the left chest near the heart as a nod to the pride shown by generations of Bills players and fans.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Inside the collar, players will also find a simple message: “GO BILLS.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>What is the Bills’ new ‘Charge’ helmet?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>The centerpiece of the new alternate uniform is the Bills’ royal blue “Charge” helmet.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Rather than placing the familiar Charging Buffalo logo on the side, the design magnifies the logo itself.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The white horn wraps around the front of the helmet while the red charge streak extends across the top and toward the back. The metallic blue shell features a metallic flake finish with additional blue accents that the Bills say represent energy, strength and attack.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The red and white stripes merge at the back bumper.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>MIAMI<\/strong><\/strong>RB De\u2019VON ACHANE thinks the Dolphins are better than you do.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a>: Miami running back De\u2019Von Achane is aware that the Dolphins are not viewed as contenders this year, and he\u2019s happy to be on a team that opponents are overlooking.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Achane said he and his teammates will be ready to make other teams regret looking past them.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cWe\u2019re kind of used to that,\u201d Achane said. \u201cWe don\u2019t pay no mind to that. If teams feel that way about us, that means when they play us, they\u2019re gonna be not taking us seriously. And if you\u2019re doing that, then you\u2019re gonna have a long day for yourself.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Achane, who said he has a goal of leading the league in rushing, signed a four-year, $64 million contract this offseason. That was a significant investment from the Dolphins, who are a rebuilding team but think Achane is a big part of their future.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>As for this season, if Achane likes having people overlook his team, the good news is that a lot of people are: The betting odds say the Dolphins are the least likely to make the playoffs of any team in the AFC.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>NEW YORK<\/strong> JETS<\/strong><\/strong>Former WR Plaxico Burress piles on the Jets.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a>: Plaxico Burress’s NFL career was put on hold during the 2008 season, when he accidentally shot himself and then went to prison for 20 months for carrying a gun illegally. When he got out of prison in 2011, he signed with the Jets.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Burress now says the two experiences were a lot alike.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>At the time of the infamous shooting, Burress and the Giants were 10-1 and the favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and Burress was just months into a new five-year, $35 million contract. The shooting ended Burress’s tenure with the Giants, whose season went into a tailspin afterward, and when Burress returned to the NFL he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with a mediocre Jets team.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“They’re both kind of similar because when I walked into prison my first day, I was like, ‘Damn, man, you are a f*****g loser,” Burress said on The Joint Venture Show. “And I had the same damn feeling every day I walked through the door with the Jets. I was like, ‘Damn I hope we can win this weekend.’ Loser.”<\/em><\/em>  <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>THIS AND THAT<\/strong> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>LUKE KUECHLY AND NETFLIX<\/strong>Hall of Fame LB Luke Kuechly, well-educated at St. Xavier HS in Cincinnati, is the lead analyst for Netflix this year \u2013 starting with the big game Down Under.  Andrew Marchand of The Athletic<\/em>: Hall of Fame linebacker Luke Kuechly will be Netflix\u2019s new No. 1 NFL game analyst after impressing the streamer\u2019s executives during a recent tryout, according to sources briefed on the move who were granted anonymity because the news has not been formally announced.<\/em> <\/em>Kuechly will first team with NBC\u2019s Noah Eagle during the second game of the regular season Thursday, Sept. 10, when the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers from the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. NBC is producing the game for Netflix.<\/em> <\/em>Netflix has five NFL games this season. Christmas will be a doubleheader, requiring a second broadcast team.<\/em> <\/em>Netflix declined comment on Kuechly.<\/em> <\/em>Kuechly will officially be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio.<\/em> <\/em>Earlier this month, Kuechly and Eagle met at NBC\u2019s Stamford, Conn., studios for the tryout. While Kuechly is entering the Hall of Fame, he is not an ex-quarterback. He played only eight NFL seasons in Carolina, and his profile wasn\u2019t as high as some of the usual candidates for these positions. Netflix previously has used J.J. Watt, Greg Olsen, Drew Brees, Nate Burleson and Matt Ryan. Still, Kuechly, like his ex-teammate Olsen at Fox, had a desire to be in the booth and has studied for the opportunity.<\/em> <\/em>Kuechly, 35, entered the audition with some experience, having been the radio analyst on the Panthers broadcast with play-by-player Anish Shroff. He also hosts a podcast with his longtime teammate, J.J. Jansen. Last season, he did two \u201cMonday Night Football Playbook\u201d alt-casts on ESPN2 with Dan Orlovsky and Field Yates.<\/em> <\/em>During the tryout, Eagle, 29, and Kuechly showed immediate chemistry, according to sources who watched the audition, making the Netflix executives very comfortable turning to Kuechly as they sought to bring a new, fresh name into the No. 1 NFL TV booths.<\/em> <\/em>The top crews are dominated by quarterbacks with Tom Brady at Fox, Tony Romo at CBS and Troy Aikman at CBS, while NBC, with Cris Collinsworth, and Prime Video, with Kirk Herbstreit, have ex-players who worked their way up the broadcasting ladder. (Herbstreit was a college quarterback.)<\/em> <\/em>Now, Netflix will turn to Kuechly for a new voice in a top booth.<\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>RANKING THE FIRST ROUND PICKS<\/strong>Mike Renner of CBSSports.com<\/a> kills some time with a ranking of every first round pick in the drafts from 2020 to 2025 \u2013 from Joe Burrow to Trey Lance: Deep in the heart of the offseason, I was inspired by an exercise I saw on the NFL Stock Exchange podcast with Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers to take a look back at draft history, specifically evaluating and ranking the first-round picks this decade.<\/em> <\/em>With a list this large, being clear about the methodology is important. I decided to evaluate each decision from the team’s point of view, given the draft capital and options available on the board, rather than evaluating talent alone. This is an important distinction because I’m not simply ranking players. <\/em> <\/em>For example, Kyle Pitts is a good player, but the decision to draft him No. 4 overall in 2021 was objectively not a good one considering the next six players off the board were Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, Penei Sewell, Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain II and DeVonta Smith.<\/em> <\/em>Obviously, with the 2026 draft class yet to play a snap in the NFL, it was not included. Even the 2025 class is difficult to rank this early in their careers, with very few players appearing at either edge of the spectrum. Let’s get to the rankings first and then break them down team by team to evaluate how each franchise did over that span.<\/em> Top third: Best first-round decisionsRank     Player                              Pos.    Drafted (Year)   Team1          Joe Burrow                      QB      No. 1 (2020)      Cincinnati Bengals2          Drake Maye                    QB      No. 3 (2024)      New England Patriots3          Justin Jefferson             WR       No. 22 (2020)    Minnesota Vikings4          Jaxon Smith-Njigba       WR       No. 20 (2023)    Seattle Seahawks5          Jordan Love                   QB       No. 26 (2020)    Green Bay Packers6          Justin Herbert                 QB       No. 6 (2020)      Los Angeles Chargers7          Jayden Daniels              QB       No. 2 (2024)      Washington Commanders8          Micah Parsons               LB        No. 12 (2021)    Dallas Cowboys9          Tristan Wirfs                    T        No. 13 (2020)    Tampa Bay Buccaneers10         CeeDee Lamb               WR        No. 17 (2020)    Dallas Cowboys11         Jared Verse                  EDGE   No. 19 (2024)    Los Angeles Rams12         Ja’Marr Chase               WR        No. 5 (2021)      Cincinnati Bengals13         Christian Darrisaw           T         No. 23 (2021)    Minnesota Vikings14         Penei Sewell                    T        No. 7 (2021)      Detroit Lions15         Jalen Carter                  DT         No. 9 (2023)      Philadelphia Eagles16         Joe Alt                             T         No. 5 (2024)      Los Angeles Chargers17         Quinyon Mitchell            CB        No. 22 (2024)    Philadelphia Eagles18         Trent McDuffie               CB       No. 21 (2022)    Kansas City Chiefs19         Patrick Surtain II            CB        No. 9 (2021)      Denver Broncos20         Brock Bowers                 TE        No. 13 (2024)    Las Vegas Raiders21         Kyle Hamilton                   S        No. 14 (2022)    Baltimore Ravens22         A.J. Terrell                      CB       No. 16 (2020)    Atlanta Falcons23         Byron Murphy II              DT        No. 16 (2024)    Seattle Seahawks24         C.J. Stroud                    QB       No. 2 (2023)      Houston Texans25         Will Anderson Jr.           EDGE   No. 3 (2023)      Houston Texans26         Aidan Hutchinson          EDGE   No. 2 (2022)      Detroit Lions27         Derek Stingley Jr.          CB        No. 3 (2022)      Houston Texans28         Sauce Gardner               CB       No. 4 (2022)      New York Jets29         Rashawn Slater                 T       No. 13 (2021)    Los Angeles Chargers30         Christian Gonzalez         CB        No. 17 (2023)    New England Patriots31         Zay Flowers                  WR        No. 22 (2023)    Baltimore Ravens32         Bo Nix                            QB       No. 12 (2024)    Denver Broncos33         Josh Simmons                  T       No. 32 (2025)    Kansas City Chiefs34         Derrick Brown                DT        No. 7 (2020)      Carolina Panthers35         Tyler Smith                       T       No. 24 (2022)    Dallas Cowboys36         Tyler Linderbaum              C       No. 25 (2022)    Baltimore Ravens37         Tetairoa McMillan          WR       No. 8 (2025)      Carolina Panthers38         Abdul Carter                   EDGE  No. 3 (2025)      New York Giants39         Charles Cross                   T       No. 9 (2022)      Seattle Seahawks40         Jaxson Dart                   QB       No. 25 (2025)    New York Giants41         DeVonta Smith              WR        No. 10 (2021)    Philadelphia Eagles42         Andrew Thomas              T         No. 4 (2020)      New York Giants43         Brandon Aiyuk             WR         No. 25 (2020)    San Francisco 49ers44         Tyler Booker                   G         No. 12 (2025)    Dallas Cowboys45         Devon Witherspoon       CB        No. 5 (2023)      Seattle Seahawks46         Jalon Walker                  LB        No. 15 (2025)    Atlanta Falcons47         Walter Nolen                  DT        No. 16 (2025)    Arizona Cardinals48         Garrett Wilson                WR       No. 10 (2022)    New York Jets49         Drake London                WR       No. 8 (2022)      Atlanta Falcons50         George Karlaftis             EDGE  No. 30 (2022)    Kansas City Chiefs51         Malik Nabers                  WR       No. 6 (2024)      New York Giants52         Nolan Smith                    LB       No. 30 (2023)    Philadelphia Eagles53         Amarius Mims                   T       No. 18 (2024)    Cincinnati Bengals54         Greg Rousseau              EDGE  No. 30 (2021)    Buffalo Bills55         Jaelan Phillips                EDGE  No. 18 (2021)    Miami Dolphins56         Darnell Wright                   T       No. 10 (2023)    Chicago Bears57         Kelvin Banks Jr.                 T       No. 9 (2025)      New Orleans Saints58         Armand Membou              T        No. 7 (2025)      New York Jets59         Jaylen Waddle                WR      No. 6 (2021)      Miami Dolphins60         Jahmyr Gibbs                  RB      No. 12 (2023)    Detroit Lions61         Tyler Warren                     TE      No. 14 (2025)    Indianapolis Colts62         Trevor Lawrence              QB      No. 1 (2021)      Jacksonville Jaguars63         Emeka Egbuka               WR      No. 19 (2025)    Tampa Bay Buccaneers64         Bijan Robinson                 RB      No. 8 (2023)      Atlanta Falcons Middle third: Solid picks, mixed returns and incomplete grades 65         Jihaad Campbell           LB        No. 31 (2025)    Philadelphia Eagles66         Nate Wiggins                 CB       No. 30 (2024)    Baltimore Ravens67         Chris Olave                    WR       No. 11 (2022)    New Orleans Saints68         Josh Conerly Jr.            T          No. 29 (2025)    Washington Commanders69         Rashod Bateman           WR       No. 27 (2021)    Baltimore Ravens70         Colston Loveland          TE        No. 10 (2025)    Chicago Bears71         Brian Thomas Jr.           WR       No. 23 (2024)    Jacksonville Jaguars72         Paris Johnson Jr.          T          No. 6 (2023)      Arizona Cardinals73         Anton Harrison               T          No. 27 (2023)    Jacksonville Jaguars74         Odafe Oweh                   EDGE  No. 31 (2021)    Baltimore Ravens75         Jack Campbell               LB        No. 18 (2023)    Detroit Lions76         Grey Zabel                      G         No. 18 (2025)    Seattle Seahawks77         Olu Fashanu                     T        No. 11 (2024)    New York Jets78         Jordan Davis                  DT        No. 13 (2022)    Philadelphia Eagles79         Rome Odunze               WR        No. 9 (2024)      Chicago Bears80         Calijah Kancey               DT        No. 19 (2023)    Tampa Bay Buccaneers81         Xavier Worthy                WR       No. 28 (2024)    Kansas City Chiefs82         Jameson Williams         WR       No. 12 (2022)    Detroit Lions83         Malaki Starks                 S          No. 27 (2025)    Baltimore Ravens84         Peter Skoronski             T          No. 11 (2023)    Tennessee Titans85         Jaycee Horn                   CB       No. 8 (2021)      Carolina Panthers86         Jordyn Brooks               LB        No. 27 (2020)    Seattle Seahawks87         Jermaine Johnson II      EDGE   No. 26 (2022)    New York Jets88         Devin Lloyd                   LB        No. 27 (2022)    Jacksonville Jaguars89         Jordan Addison              WR       No. 23 (2023)    Minnesota Vikings90         Devonte Wyatt                DT       No. 28 (2022)    Green Bay Packers91         Cam Ward                      QB      No. 1 (2025)      Tennessee Titans92         Patrick Queen                  LB       No. 28 (2020)    Baltimore Ravens93         Chase Young                 EDGE  No. 2 (2020)      Washington Redskins94         Derrick Harmon               DT       No. 21 (2025)    Pittsburgh Steelers95         Ricky Pearsall                 WR      No. 31 (2024)    San Francisco 49ers96         Laiatu Latu                     EDGE  No. 15 (2024)    Indianapolis Colts97         Maxwell Hairston           CB        No. 30 (2025)    Buffalo Bills98         Mason Graham               DT        No. 5 (2025)      Cleveland Browns99         Troy Fautanu                   T         No. 20 (2024)    Pittsburgh Steelers100       Ikem Ekwonu                  T         No. 6 (2022)      Carolina Panthers101       Austin Jackson               T         No. 18 (2020)    Miami Dolphins102       Jahdae Barron                CB       No. 20 (2025)    Denver Broncos103       Donovan Jackson         G          No. 24 (2025)    Minnesota Vikings104       Daxton Hill                     S          No. 31 (2022)    Cincinnati Bengals105       Will McDonald IV           EDGE   No. 15 (2023)    New York Jets106       Lukas Van Ness            EDGE   No. 13 (2023)    Green Bay Packers107       Zion Johnson                 G         No. 17 (2022)    Los Angeles Chargers108       Jordan Morgan               T          No. 25 (2024)    Green Bay Packers109       JC Latham                     T          No. 7 (2024)      Tennessee Titans110       Mac Jones                     QB       No. 15 (2021)    New England Patriots111       Chop Robinson              EDGE  No. 21 (2024)    Miami Dolphins112       Matthew Golden            WR       No. 23 (2025)    Green Bay Packers113       Dalton Kincaid                TE        No. 25 (2023)    Buffalo Bills114       Graham Barton               C         No. 26 (2024)    Tampa Bay Buccaneers115       Tua Tagovailoa               QB      No. 5 (2020)      Miami Dolphins116       Myles Murphy                 EDGE  No. 28 (2023)    Cincinnati Bengals117       Cesar Ruiz                      C         No. 24 (2020)    New Orleans Saints118       Omarion Hampton         RB       No. 22 (2025)    Los Angeles Chargers119       Alijah Vera-Tucker          G          No. 14 (2021)    New York Jets120       Marvin Harrison Jr.        WR       No. 4 (2024)      Arizona Cardinals121       Ashton Jeanty                RB       No. 6 (2025)      Las Vegas Raiders122       Greg Newsome II           CB        No. 26 (2021)    Cleveland Browns123       Travon Walker                EDGE  No. 1 (2022)      Jacksonville Jaguars124       Jerry Jeudy                    WR       No. 15 (2020)    Denver Broncos125       Travis Hunter                 CB\/WR  No. 2 (2025)      Jacksonville Jaguars126       Kenneth Grant                DT        No. 13 (2025)    Miami Dolphins127       Dallas Turner                  EDGE  No. 17 (2024)    Minnesota Vikings128       Bryan Bresee                 DT        No. 29 (2023)    New Orleans Saints Bottom third: Most disappointing first-round decisions 129       Mekhi Becton                  T         No. 11 (2020)    New York Jets130       Quentin Johnston          WR       No. 21 (2023)    Los Angeles Chargers131       Kayvon Thibodeaux       EDGE   No. 5 (2022)      New York Giants132       Tyler Guyton                   T         No. 29 (2024)    Dallas Cowboys133       Javon Kinlaw                  DT        No. 14 (2020)    San Francisco 49ers134       Kwity Paye                     EDGE  No. 21 (2021)    Indianapolis Colts135       Mykel Williams               EDGE  No. 11 (2025)    San Francisco 49ers136       Travis Etienne                RB       No. 25 (2021)    Jacksonville Jaguars137       Caleb Williams               QB       No. 1 (2024)      Chicago Bears138       Kenny Pickett                 QB       No. 20 (2022)    Pittsburgh Steelers139       James Pearce Jr.          EDGE   No. 26 (2025)    Atlanta Falcons140       Henry Ruggs                  WR       No. 12 (2020)    Las Vegas Raiders141       Quay Walker                  LB        No. 22 (2022)    Green Bay Packers142       Will Campbell                 T          No. 4 (2025)      New England Patriots143       Bryce Young                  QB       No. 1 (2023)      Carolina Panthers144       Taliese Fuaga                T          No. 14 (2024)    New Orleans Saints145       Justin Fields                  QB       No. 11 (2021)    Chicago Bears146       Tyleik Williams               DT        No. 28 (2025)    Detroit Lions147       Jedrick Wills                   T          No. 10 (2020)    Cleveland Browns148       Payton Turner                 EDGE  No. 28 (2021)    New Orleans Saints149       Joe Tryon-Shoyinka       EDGE   No. 32 (2021)    Tampa Bay Buccaneers150       Zaven Collins                 LB        No. 16 (2021)    Arizona Cardinals151       Eric Stokes                    CB       No. 29 (2021)    Green Bay Packers152       Najee Harris                   RB       No. 24 (2021)    Pittsburgh Steelers153       Jahan Dotson                WR       No. 16 (2022)    Washington Commanders154       Michael Penix Jr.           QB       No. 8 (2024)      Atlanta Falcons155       Kadarius Toney              WR       No. 20 (2021)    New York Giants156       Terrion Arnold                CB       No. 24 (2024)    Detroit Lions157       Darius Robinson           EDGE   No. 27 (2024)    Arizona Cardinals158       Xavier Legette                WR       No. 32 (2024)    Carolina Panthers159       Kyle Pitts                       TE        No. 4 (2021)      Atlanta Falcons160       Trevor Penning               T          No. 19 (2022)    New Orleans Saints161       Deonte Banks                CB       No. 24 (2023)    New York Giants162       Kaiir Elam                      CB       No. 23 (2022)    Buffalo Bills163       K’Lavon Chaisson          EDGE   No. 20 (2020)    Jacksonville Jaguars164       Noah Igbinoghene         CB        No. 30 (2020)    Miami Dolphins165       Jeff Gladney                  CB       No. 31 (2020)    Minnesota Vikings166       Caleb Farley                   CB       No. 22 (2021)    Tennessee Titans167       Shemar Stewart              EDGE  No. 17 (2025)    Cincinnati Bengals168       Felix Anudike-Uzomah   EDGE   No. 31 (2023)    Kansas City Chiefs169       Mazi Smith                      DT       No. 26 (2023)    Dallas Cowboys170       Clyde Edwards-Helaire   RB       No. 32 (2020)    Kansas City Chiefs171       Treylon Burks                  WR      No. 18 (2022)    Tennessee Titans172       Kenneth Murray               LB       No. 23 (2020)    Los Angeles Chargers173       Broderick Jones              T         No. 14 (2023)    Pittsburgh Steelers174       Cole Strange                   G         No. 29 (2022)    New England Patriots175       Kenyon Green                 G         No. 15 (2022)    Houston Texans176       J.J. McCarthy                 QB       No. 10 (2024)    Minnesota Vikings177       Jamin Davis                   LB        No. 19 (2021)    Washington Football Team178       Damon Arnette               CB       No. 19 (2020)    Las Vegas Raiders179       Lewis Cine                      S         No. 32 (2022)    Minnesota Vikings180       Alex Leatherwood          T         No. 17 (2021)    Las Vegas Raiders181       Jalen Reagor                 WR       No. 21 (2020)    Philadelphia Eagles182       C.J. Henderson              CB       No. 9 (2020)      Jacksonville Jaguars183       Tyree Wilson                  EDGE  No. 7 (2023)      Las Vegas Raiders184       Emmanuel Forbes         CB        No. 16 (2023)    Washington Commanders185       Evan Neal                       T         No. 7 (2022)      New York Giants186       Isaiah Simmons             LB        No. 8 (2020)      Arizona Cardinals187       Anthony Richardson      QB       No. 4 (2023)      Indianapolis Colts188       Isaiah Wilson                  T         No. 29 (2020)    Tennessee Titans189       Jeff Okudah                   CB       No. 3 (2020)      Detroit Lions190       Zach Wilson                   QB       No. 2 (2021)      New York Jets191       Trey Lance                     QB       No. 3 (2021)      San Francisco 49ers Renner breaks down each team after his list.  You can see it here<\/a> Some notes: The Seahawks are the only team with multiple first-rounders this decade not to have a single one outside the top 90. That’s how you build a Super Bowl-winning juggernaut. John Schneider, take a bow.<\/em> (Seattle has 4 in the top group, 2 in the middle) There’s been no in-between for the Giants this decade. They’ve either nabbed franchise cornerstones or had complete whiffs. Now they just need those cornerstones to stay healthy. Jaxson Dart, Andrew Thomas and Malik Nabers have had their careers marred by injuries to date. If all are healthy this season, the Giants should finally make the leap to playoff contention. <\/em>(The Giants have 4 in the top group, 4 in the bottom) The Rams’ analysis is easily the funniest of any in the NFL. They had only one first-round pick from 2020-25, and it was one of the best picks over that span, with Jared Verse checking in at No. 11 out of 191. In an ironic twist of fate, he’s no longer on the Rams after the Myles Garrett trade this offseason. The Rams’ attitude toward the draft is truly one of one.<\/em> Chris Ballard’s first-round draft track record matches the lackluster state of the Colts franchise over that span. He hit a home run with Tyler Warren, but at a relatively low-value position. He also had a catastrophic miss in Anthony Richardson at the most valuable position in the NFL. Ultimately, Ballard’s constant struggles at quarterback and edge rusher have defined his GM tenure. His vaunted 2018 draft class feels like a lifetime ago for Colts fans.<\/em> <\/em>One of the underrated aspects of Brad Holmes’ rampant success as GM has simply been volume. The Lions’ eight first-rounders from 2020-25 were the second-most in the NFL, and there’s only one true eyesore of the bunch in Terrion Arnold. Of course, this analysis also includes the disastrous Bob Quinn era, which featured the worst non-quarterback draft pick on this list in Jeff Okudah.<\/em> <\/em>The Russell Wilson trade meant GM George Paton had fewer than his share of first-rounders, but he’s used them well. Bo Nix and Patrick Surtain II have turned out as well as, if not better than, anyone could have hoped at the time. And Denver’s lowest-rated pick of the bunch, Jerry Jeudy, was John Elway’s parting gift as GM. <\/em>(Denver has 2 in the top group, 2 in the middle) <\/em>The Browns didn’t have a first-rounder from 2022-24, which made life difficult for GM Andrew Berry, especially with his first two first-rounders being misses. The Jedrick Wills pick is particularly haunting given that the best left tackle in the NFL, Tristan Wirfs, was still on the board. So far, though, Berry doesn’t seem to have many regrets about passing on Travis Hunter, as it ultimately netted them both Mason Graham and KC Concepcion.<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AROUND THE NFL NFC SOUTH  NEW ORLEANSAfter 10 seasons, TAYSOM HILL says his time with the Saints is over.  Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com: – Taysom Hill won’t be returning to the New Orleans Saints for a 10th season, he confirmed in a statement posted to social media Wednesday night. Hill did not say whether he intended to retire,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[6,7,11,8,13],"class_list":["post-7336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-daily-briefing","tag-chris-myers","tag-chris-myers-sports","tag-daily-briefing","tag-fox-sports","tag-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7336\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}