AROUND THE NFL

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

A Detroit radio man causes a buzz on Thursday with a report that QB MATTHEW STAFFORD is on the trading block.  ClickOn Detroit has this:

Sources close to the Detroit Lions have confirmed to Local 4′s Bernie Smilovitz that trade talks concerning quarterback Matthew Stafford have been underway for a couple of weeks.

Stafford’s wife Kelly posted on her Instagram account saying if her husband were to be traded, one destination she would be interested in is California.

The Los Angeles Chargers did say goodbye to quarterback Philip Rivers last week.

Stafford has played 11 seasons with the Lions, starting in 2009. He was the first overall pick in the NFL draft the same year.

He has led the Honolulu Blue to 69 wins, three playoff appearances and holds numerous NFL and franchise records including being the fastest to player to reach 40,000 passing yards.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com smelled a rat – especially because of immense salary cap blowback to the Lions:

At this point, I’m just the messenger. The name “Bernie Smilovitz” has never before appeared on this page. This doesn’t make him wrong, but it definitely gives the report a far different initial vibe than if it came from someone with a track record of breaking Lions news specifically or NFL news generally.

As mentioned at the bottom of the WDIV story, Stafford’s wife, Kelly, has reacted to trade rumors on Instagram. She placed the message “Well, if Detroit is done with us” over an image of a story regarding trade talk. On the next page, which mentions the Chargers, she adds, “I could stay in Cali.”

Two factors make the possibility of a trade to the Chargers or anyone much harder to accomplish. First, trading Stafford would trigger a $32 million cap charge for 2020 — $19 million more than the $13 million that otherwise counts this year for past signing bonus and restructuring. The Lions would avoid only $8.3 million in salary and roster bonus this year, which makes his cash component dirt cheap (and which makes his contract, which runs through 2022, very easy to absorb by a new team).

Second, Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford’s comments indicating that no major changes would be made in 2020 also suggest that it is a prove-it-or-move-it year for the current coaching staff and front office. If coach Matt Patricia and G.M. Bob Quinn need to get to the playoffs or close to them this year, keeping Stafford in lieu of breaking in a new quarterback would likely enhance that. Throw in the fact that the Lions clearly are hearing fan complaints about the organization, and dumping Stafford would do little to secure the benefit of the doubt from the paying customers if 2020 starts off sideways.

So I’m skeptical of this one, for now. But even if Smilovitz is wrong, the fact that the report has been published serves an important purpose for the Lions: It could prompt someone who needs a quarterback to start thinking about Stafford, and possibly to make the Lions an offer they can’t refuse for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft.

GM Bob Quinn seems to quash the rumor.  Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn refuted a late-night report that the team is in talks to trade quarterback Matthew Stafford.

“100% False!!” Quinn wrote in a text message to the Free Press.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com accepts Quinn’s denial and hints that forces aligned with other QBs (“Joe Turdball”) are planting rumors:

Chaos is coming when it comes to NFL quarterbacks. In some ways, chaos already has begun.

The out-of-the-Honolulu-Blue report from WDIV-TV in Detroit that the Lions are engaged in trade talks regarding quarterback Matthew Stafford likely comes from the pre-pre-pre-free agency efforts of agents who represent other quarterbacks to line up deals for their own clients by scaring away other agents who represent other quarterbacks from potential landing spots.

By, for example, spreading the word that a team like the Chargers or Colts or Buccaneers will be trading for Stafford, the agent can then (in theory) work on getting a deal done for his or her own client with one of those teams while other agents may steer clear.

It goes like this: Agent John Doe wants to get his client Joe Turdball (a potential future Hall of Famer, as discussed in a recent edition of PFT Live) signed by the Buccaneers. Other agents representing Turdball’s peers want their own clients to be signed by the Buccaneers. If John Doe can make those other agents think that the Buccaneers may trade for Matthew Stafford, the other agents may waver just enough to allow a preliminary deal to get done between the Bucs and Mr. Turdball.

It’s an incredibly low-tech approach, and it likely won’t do much to get agents to double-clutch. But that’s what agents are doing, we’re told, as an unprecedented number of quarterbacks become available in free agency or otherwise.

To be clear, I’m not reporting that Bernie Smilovitz of WDIV-TV fell victim to this dynamic. But I am reporting that the Lions definitely aren’t engaged in trade talks regarding Stafford, that agents definitely are stirring up rumors like this (Tom Brady is the other major pawn in this process), and that it doesn’t take a tremendous amount of brain power to connect the dots.

And the broader point continues to be this: Agents and teams are going to be working hard to know well before free agency begins where quarterbacks are going to be. The tampering in this regard won’t become rampant. It already is.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

Are the Buccaneers sending out conflicting, indecisive signals about QB JAMEIS WINSTON to decide their true, cleverly thought-out plan or are they truly indecisively conflicted?  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com believes it is the latter.

Jameis Winston recently underwent LASIK surgery to improve his eyesight. The Buccaneers, though, still don’t have a clear vision about whether Winston is their quarterback of the future.

Coach Bruce Arians admitted Thursday the team still is evaluating what to do at the position, with Winston scheduled to become a free agent.

“Really, nothing has changed,” Arians said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “What’s Door No. 2? You know? Can we make the one we have better? All those things you go through right now.”

Winston became only the eighth quarterback ever to pass for more than 5,000 yards in a season, with his 5,109 yards in 2019 the eighth-most in NFL history. (Drew Brees has had five 5,000-yard passing seasons.)

Winston also threw 30 touchdowns, but offset that with 30 interceptions and five lost fumbles. Seven of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns, the most pick-sixes thrown in the league.

Can the Bucs coach the turnovers out of Winston? Or, after five seasons, is it time to move on from the former No. 1 overall pick?

Tampa Bay is weighing its options, seeing if it can upgrade over Winston or if he is the best choice for another year. Several big-name quarterbacks, including Brees, Dak Prescott, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady and Teddy Bridgewater, are scheduled to become free agents.

But how many of those actually become available?

“You’re just sitting there waiting to see is there someone available?” Arians said. “Is he a better option?

“And then, that’s the problem: You get about three days to decide. The legal tampering period. Is somebody going to get let go? What’s the trade values? It’s really monotonous right now, because you don’t have any answers.”

Exactly.

This offseason has “quarterback chaos” written all over it, with the Bucs among the teams in line for the carousel.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

The Arizona Cardinals, through owner Michael Bidwill, signal a willingness to be on “Hard Knocks” in 2020.  Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic:

Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill didn’t rule out his team appearing on HBO’s Hard Knocks next season on Arizona Sports’ 98.7 FM’s Doug & Wolf Show Wednesday.

“We’re always going to listen to everything,” Bidwill said. “We’ll see what comes up.

“I think we’ve done a good job of being available and volunteering to do things, like ‘All or Nothing.’ So we’ll see where we end up.”

The Cardinals are among five NFL teams that could appear on the show next season.

Teams can be chosen for the show if they haven’t been in the playoffs in the past two seasons, don’t have a first-year head coach and they haven’t appeared on the show in the past 10 years.

The Cardinals, with second-year coach Kliff Kingsbury, have never been on the show.

The team also hasn’t been to the NFL playoffs since 2015.

Are you a sports fan? Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today Get this limited time offer: $1 for 3 months.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers are the other teams that fit the criteria to be on the show, which follows a team throughout training camp, next season.

The Oakland Raiders were featured on the show last season.

Last month, Bovada released odds for who would appear on the show and the Steelers led the way at -120.

The Cardinals were second at +225, followed by the Jaguars at +450, the Broncos at +600 and the Lions at +700.

The Cardinals were featured on Amazon’s “All or Nothing” series during the team’s 2015 regular season.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

Re-instated DE MYLES GARRETT re-iterates that QB MASON RUDOLPH slurred him, albeit in a secret manner that only Garrett heard.  Curtis Crabtree of NFL.com:

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has reiterated his claim that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph directed a racial slur against him in the midst of what would become an on-field melee during a game in November.

In an interview with ESPN, Garrett said Rudolph had called him “a stupid N-word” after Garrett had dragged Rudolph to the ground on one of the last plays of the game.

“When he said it, it kind of sparked something, but I still tried to let it go and still walk away,” Garrett said. “But once he came back, it kind of reignited the situation. And not only have you escalated things past what they needed to be with such little time in the game left, now you’re trying to re-engage and start a fight again. It’s definitely not entirely his fault, it’s definitely both parties doing something that we shouldn’t have been doing.”

Garrett had tackled Rudolph to the ground well after Rudolph had gotten rid of the football on a swing pass with less than 20 seconds left to play in a two-score game. While both players were on the ground, Rudolph then grabbed Garrett by the helmet and appeared to try and pull his helmet off. Garrett then responded by grabbing Rudolph’s facemask and succeeding in ripping the helmet off the head of the Steelers quarterback. As the pair got to their feet, Rudolph then charged back at Garrett as lineman David DeCastro had tried to push Garrett away from the incident. Garrett then swung Rudolph’s detached helmet and hit Rudolph over the head with it before the fight spiraled even further from there.

Garrett did not initially make the accusation public after the game. He made the alleged exchange part of his suspension appeal to the NFL in the days after the incident. When that information became public, Garrett said he had intended for the point to remain private but that “I know what I heard.”

Rudolph flatly denied Garrett’s claims that he used a slur.

“It’s totally untrue. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe he would go that route after the fact,” he said in November.

The NFL said they had found no such evidence Rudolph had used a slur beyond Garrett’s claims. Garrett was suspended indefinitely in the wake of the incident and missed the final six games of the season. He was reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday.

Additionally, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey was suspended two games and Browns defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game. Rudolph was fined $50,000. The teams themselves were both fined $250,000 and 29 more players were fined $3,507 for entering the fighting area.”

So apparently, if Garrett is to be believed, the “n-word” was heard during the mutual helmet-tugging foreplay, or perhaps after Garrett hit Rudolph late (no foul called by referee Clete Blakeman), but not as the immediate trigger to the helmet swing.

THIS AND THAT

QB CHAOS

Mike Tanier of Bleacher Report is such a smart guy, he can figure out what all 32 teams should do about their QB situation.  It helps when you know what the other 31 teams are going to do.

Some teams need a new quarterback. Others are trying to figure out what to do with the one they already have. A bunch are searching for ways to develop, support or pay a promising young one.

So what will they do?

All 32 NFL teams have quarterback questions this offseason, from “Who’s next?” to “How much?”—and Bleacher Report is here to provide all the answers.

(Note: All cap figures courtesy Over The Cap.)

Arizona Cardinals

Question: How can Kyler Murray take the next step?

Answer: Murray was sacked 48 times in his rookie season. He ran himself into a lot of those sacks, but the Cardinals need upgrades all along the offensive line. Quality third and fourth receivers would also be helpful for a team that uses lots of four-receiver sets. So there’s a ton of work to do. The good news is that we’re now talking about Murray’s potential and not his height or whether he would rather be playing baseball.

Atlanta Falcons

Question: Is it “quarterback of the future” time?

Answer: No, it’s “defense of the present” time, as it has been for the last three years. But maybe it should be. The Falcons haven’t drafted any quarterbacks at all since they took Sean Renfree in the seventh round in 2013. It’s time for them to emulate the Patriots and start taking Jimmy Garoppolo-Jacoby Brissett-Jarrett Stidham fliers in the middle rounds to serve as possible successors if Matt Ryan ages suddenly, trade bait if he lasts forever and more appealing alternatives to Matt Schaub when they need a spot starter.

Baltimore Ravens

Question: Did the Titans “figure out” Lamar Jackson in the playoffs?

Answer: No. The Titans stuffed some fourth-down plays and made some juggling end-zone catches in the playoffs. Jackson will remain in MVP form so long as he continues to develop as a passer and decision-maker (there’s still plenty of room for growth) and the Ravens acquire more than just Hollywood Brown at wide receiver.

Buffalo Bills

Question: Is Josh Allen on the Blake Bortles Express to Trubiskytown?

Answer: The real Allen lies halfway between what his harshest skeptics think of him (Wile E. Coyote on rocket skates with an Acme bazooka strapped to his arm) and what the Bills Mafia thinks of him (Cam Newton, only 100 times better). As long as the Bills only ask for a handful of scrambles and lasers per game from Allen and don’t do anything silly like open up their offense to “feature” him, he is more likely to go the Joe Flacco career route than go bust. And Flacco, you will recall, led a team to the Super Bowl.

Carolina Panthers

Question: Does keeping Cam Newton now that everyone else has left make any sense?

Answer: Yes. Newton’s cap number is a manageable $21.1 million. If he’s healthy, he’s a bridge quarterback to a youngster at worst and an All-Pro-caliber Comeback Player of the Year candidate at best. The Panthers should only move on from him if they are blown away by a trade offer or if the MRI machine bears bad news.

Seriously, in a league where we’re pretending Philip Rivers isn’t toaster crumbs and “Tom Brady in Las Vegas” doesn’t sound like the plot for Ted 3, why would anyone (besides America’s angry father-in-law Facebook community) be quick to write off Cam Newton?

Chicago Bears

Question: Mitch Trubisky? Seriously?

Answer: Yep. The Bears front office is tripling down on its bad decision, so everyone will just have to play along until the defense fizzles and pink slips start flying. The Bears would be a fine landing place for someone like Marcus Mariota or Josh Rosen who could nudge Trubisky a bit, which is why that won’t happen. At least Trubisky contract extension talks haven’t started. That we know of. Yet.

Cincinnati Bengals

Question: Joe Burrow, right?

Answer: Yes, Joe Burrow.

Cleveland Browns

Question: Is it time to give up on Baker Mayfield?

Answer: Cutting bait on Mayfield would be a terrible Moneyball move. Franchise-caliber quarterbacks are precious, Mayfield represents a considerable investment of draft capital and time, and he earned the Good Analytics Seal of Approval coming out of college. But dumping him would be a savvy political move. His backslide can be blamed on the failures of the outgoing regimes, and a quarterback reboot would earn the new braintrust an extra year of job security.

We’ll learn with Mayfield over the next 12 months or so whether Paul DePodesta and his Ivy League All-Stars are firm believers in analytics or front-office politics. Some of us already have a guess. 

Dallas Cowboys

Question: Is signing Dak Prescott to a nine-figure contract the team’s best move?

Answer: No. Signing Prescott to a nine-figure contract last year instead of dropping a cartoon safe on Ezekiel Elliott would have been the best move. Now, Prescott has more leverage and the Carson Wentz and Jared Goff contracts as templates, and the Cowboys have lots of free-agent mouths to feed. They need to sign Prescott before they have to franchise-tag him so they can proceed with the rest of their offseason priority list on their own terms. If they must tag him, it will only cost them more money and headaches down the line.

Denver Broncos

Question: How good is Drew Lock?

Answer: Lock looked like your basic adequate prospect in five starts last year. He only seemed like the second coming of Patrick Mahomes because Broncos fans are used to their quarterbacks curling up in the fetal position in the pocket or getting arrested after Halloween parties. Lock has the tools to be a franchise quarterback, making him as good of a prospect as Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield were this time last year. In other words, the hard work for the Broncos and Lock still lies ahead.

Detroit Lions

Question: Is it time to start thinking about life after Matthew Stafford?

Answer: The Lions should have spent the last decade thinking more about life with Matthew Stafford.

Green Bay Packers

Question: Should they invest in four new receivers for Aaron Rodgers, or just two or three?

Answer: The Packers haven’t spent a first- or second-round pick on an offensive skill-position player since they drafted Davante Adams 53rd overall in 2014. So yes, drafting some upgrades to complement Adams is a fine idea. And if that doesn’t appease Rodgers, they can always try tossing some coaches into the mouth of an active volcano.

Houston Texans

Question: How much trouble is Deshaun Watson in now that Bill O’Brien is officially both general manager and head coach?

Answer: Exactly as much trouble as Watson was in before, when O’Brien was unofficially both general manager and head coach. Watson’s agent needs to open contract extension discussions now, before O’Brien starts preparing not to participate in the draft. If Watson is lucky, O’Brien will trade him to a team that’s run professionally.

Indianapolis Colts

Question: Is Philip Rivers the best solution for their quarterback problem?

Answer: No. The Colts are in denial about being in rebuilding mode, and Rivers is driving on a donut with his tailpipe dragging and smoke billowing from under his hood.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Question: What’s the best way to settle the Gardner Minshew II-Nick Foles situation?

Answer: Acquire an actual franchise quarterback instead of a magical playoff unicorn and the Floribama Shore version of Trevor Siemian. But that won’t happen, because the Jaguars will talk themselves into Minshew the same way they keep talking themselves into Doug Marrone, all the while dragging Foles’ contract behind them like a piano up a flight of stairs. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Question: How can they pay Patrick Mahomes without purging Chris Jones and other key contributors from the Super Bowl team?

Answer: According to Bleacher Report’s back-of-the-envelope calculations, the Chiefs can pay both Mahomes and Jones as long as they don’t try to do much else. The trick will be giving Mahomes a contract with a mammoth bonus and lots of backloaded cash and not worrying about what that does to the 2022 or 2023 salary cap, because he’s Patrick Mahomes and he’s worth it.

Las Vegas Raiders

Question: Is Jon Gruden going to dither around with Derek Carr for another year?

Answer: Carr finished sixth in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ DYAR and ninth in passer rating while throwing to a castoff Ravens tight end and the No. 3 receiver for the 2018 Clemson Tigers. Maybe Gruden needs to stop dithering around at every other roster position before he worries about Carr.

Los Angeles Rams

Question: How can they get the most out of Jared Goff?

Answer: Step 1: Fix the offensive line, which will be tricky because Andrew Whitworth is a free agent and the Rams lack a first-round pick. Step 2: Get real about the running back situation, which will be tricky because Todd Gurley II’s cap number is over $17 million, making it hard to justify relegating him to committee status. Step 3: Teach Goff to make pre-snap reads without Sean McVay whispering into his helmet, which will be tricky because Goff should know this stuff by now and McVay built much of his genius cred on his Batman Beyond routine. In summary: The Rams are about to become really nostalgic for 2018.

Los Angeles Chargers

Question: Who will be their quarterback in 2020?

Answer: The Chargers would be a fine landing spot for Cam Newton in a trade, Teddy Bridgewater on a long-term contract or even Ryan Tannehill on a short-term “prove it” deal. But they’re also the most likely team in the NFL to just shrug its shoulders and hand the starting job to Justin Herbert.

Miami Dolphins

Question: Let’s assume they draft Tua Tagovailoa. What’s next?

Answer: Activate the Patrick Mahomes protocols! Plant Tua on the bench to learn and get fully healthy while Ryan Fitzpatrick soaks up rebuilding-era starts. Draft a top receiver and offensive line reinforcements with their other two first-round picks. Begin tailoring the offense to Tua’s strengths. Then unleash a fully armed and operational new offense in 2021.

Minnesota Vikings

Question: What happens to Kirk Cousins if they’re forced to release Stefon Diggs as a cap casualty?

Answer: The same thing that always happens to Cousins when conditions are the least bit suboptimal: He’ll transform into an over-his-head game manager trying desperately not to lose.

The Vikings’ cap situation is dire, and Diggs may have to go even though they lack viable replacements. The best way for them to clear cap space would be to extend Cousins, who’s entering in the final year of his contract, so they can hide some of his dough in future years.

You know your organization is in a tough spot when the best solution to your problems is “give Kirk Cousins even more money.”

New England Patriots

Question: If he leaves, will there be life after Tom Brady?

Answer: OK, time for some straight talk: There’s a 95 percent chance that this Brady-Patriots trial separation ends with Brady getting schmoozed in free agency by the Raiders for a few hours and then running back to Foxborough with roses and chocolates for Bill Belichick. Brady turns 43 in August and is in the midst of a four-year statistical decline. He doesn’t need new weapons or a change of scenery. He needs a teary-eyed ceremony and a banner in the rafters. If Belichick thought otherwise, Brady would already be under contract.

Brady still makes sense for the Patriots as a bridge quarterback taking a victory lap around the NFL if the price is right. Any other team would be getting a fading game manager with a mega-premium salary and expectations. The NFL no longer belongs to Brady or the Patriots. The headlines just haven’t caught up to that reality yet

New Orleans Saints

Question: Is Taysom Hill really the answer if Drew Brees retires?

Answer: No. This is one of those mass delusions, like when everyone convinced themselves in the early 1990s that Rob Liefeld was a great comic book artist.       

New York Giants

Question: How high should expectations be for Daniel Jones now that we are officially in the post-Eli Manning era?

Answer: Relatively low, because Jones was turnover-prone and the team around him needs massive upgrades. Luckily, Dave Gettleman and the Giants are doing everything they can to lower expectations.

New York Jets

Question: How can Sam Darnold turn the page on a mostly miserable sophomore season?

Answer: The best solution involves locking Adam Gase in a warehouse somewhere in Secaucus, New Jersey, and then losing the key, but we’re trying not to get too dark here. Until the Gase era self-destructs, Darnold must keep grinding and hope the Jets add some talent at wide receiver and on the line. If he’s lucky, they will have something like the 2016 Dolphins season, giving him something to build on.   

Philadelphia Eagles

Question: Is Carson Wentz too injury-prone to count on?

Answer: This is the sort of thing you worry about when you no longer have to worry about finding, developing, paying or extending the shelf life of your franchise quarterback. Give Wentz someone to throw to who wasn’t grilling cheesesteaks a month earlier and he’ll be less likely to get speared while escaping from Jadeveon Clowney in next year’s playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Question: How much does Ben Roethlisberger have left in the tank?

Answer: Let’s assume Roethlisberger recovers fully from elbow surgery and hasn’t spent the last five months driving from Krispy Kreme to Zaxby’s to Eat’n Park every day. He turns 38 in two weeks, has the injury history of a crash-test dummy, has never exactly been a model of TB12-caliber training habits and will be returning to an offense full of not-too-familiar faces. The Steelers have diligently drafted possible successors (Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs, Mason Rudolph) in the past. Now is the time to get more serious.

Seattle Seahawks

Question: This segment is just going to be a variation on “Russell Wilson is fine; it’s the rest of the organization that needs to step up,” isn’t it?

Answer: Yep.

San Francisco 49ers

Question: What’s the confidence level in Jimmy Garoppolo as a true franchise quarterback?

Answer: You’ll have to ask Kyle “Let’s Go To Halftime Tied” Shanahan. The good news for the 49ers is that Garoppolo is a relative bargain with a $26.6 million cap number this year because they walloped him with bonus bucks back in 2018. Whatever his faults, he’s a better option than the living legends waiting behind door No. 2.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Question: Should they move on from Jameis Winston?

Answer: They should, but they won’t, because the only alternatives (someone proven but past his prime, or someone unproven) aren’t real upgrades. This is what it looks like when an organization paints itself into a corner at quarterback.

Tennessee Titans

Question: What’s the best course of action with Ryan Tannehill?

Answer: Typically, using the franchise tag on a quarterback is a terrible idea, but it would amount to a one-year, no-obligations, $27 million-ish “prove it” deal for Tannehill. He’s a better short-term fit for the Titans—and vice versa—than any of the alternatives.

Washington Redskins

Question: Is Dwayne Haskins the long-term answer?

Answer: We’ll find out once we see what he looks like with an actual organization, coaching staff and roster around him.

BROADCAST NEWS

Crazy money – by broadcast standards – is reportedly being thrown around in pursuit of Tony Romo.  Clay Travis:

Tony Romo, whose initial contract with CBS expired with the AFC title game between the Titans and the Chiefs, is poised to become the highest paid game announcer in sports history, with CBS and ESPN dueling to sign him to a contract that is likely to be in the $15 to $20 million a year range.

The 39 year old Romo, who made $127 million as Dallas Cowboys quarterback during the course of his football career, will see his salary skyrocket from $3 million a year to north of $15 million based on CBS having the right to match any offer made by another network.

ESPN is attempting to hire Romo away and the two sides recently passed $15 million a year in bidding.

Why is Romo so valuable?

Partly it’s his talent, but even more important than that is the message hiring Romo sends to the NFL. After Jon Gruden left the booth to return to coaching, ESPN elevated Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, and Booger McFarland to its lead broadcast team on Monday Night Football. Witten spent just one year in the booth before he bolted, returning to play football for the Dallas Cowboys. That left Tessitore and McFarland as the Monday Night Football duo for this past season. The pairing was not well received.

Disney is desperate to retain the Monday Night Football NFL broadcast rights as part of a new deal in the years ahead. Indeed, ESPN wants to simulcast Monday Night Football on ABC, see itself added to the Super Bowl rotation, and get flexible scheduling for its Monday night games so they aren’t stuck with dud games that don’t matter late in the season.

While paying Romo $15-20 million a year would be a hefty pricetag, if ESPN added the Super Bowl and kept Monday Night Football, expanding it to ABC and receiving flexible scheduling, Romo’s salary would be a small rounding error on what would be a multi-billion dollar contract.

CBS, meanwhile, is desperate to retain the NFL rights package it has and keeping Romo, especially after the network recently lost the SEC to ESPN, sends a strong message to the NFL about its priorities when it comes to its lead broadcast team.

What’s more, what would CBS do if Romo leaves? CBS replaced Phil Simms to hire Romo. Could they go back to Simms and re-elevate him to the lead announcer team alongside Jim Nantz? That seems unlikely. So CBS would have to find a replacement for Romo and that replacement would have to be ready to call the Super Bowl in February since CBS has Super Bowl 55 in Tampa.

Interestingly, a similar situation led to John Madden receiving a monstrous offer from Fox back in 1994. Madden, who Fox needed to demonstrate how legitimate they were after stealing away the NFL rights from CBS, received nearly $8 million a year back in 1994, which is roughly $15 million in today’s present dollars when adjusted for inflation. Now Romo is ready to become the next Madden, only with the highest broadcaster salary in history.

The result?

Romo’s free agency has led to a high stakes game of poker. Every time ESPN raises their salary offer for Romo, CBS matches. Now we’re at $15 million. Could Romo’s salary go to $20 million or more? Potentially.

Yes, the quarterback free agency market is likely to be hot in the NFL, but it might be even hotter for Romo off the field. So much so that Romo, who turns forty in April, could end up making far more as an announcer than he ever did as a player.

If $15 million becomes the new benchmark number, couldn’t we see the loser of this battle go harder after Peyton Manning (or Drew Brees) than networks were previously willing to spend?

2020 DRAFT

In his Mock Draft, Will Brinson of CBSSports.com sees the Patriots chasing WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr.

There’s nothing better than getting weird out of the gate with a mock draft. And this year feels like it could be a weird year for the draft, with a bunch of quarterbacks (Cam Newton, Andy Dalton) lingering as trade candidates. But let’s go ahead and move a wide receiver first. The Patriots need help for Tom Brady in order to convince him to come back, and they need help NOW, before Brady’s March 18 dead money deadline.

So we’ll spice things up by having the Patriots deal their first-round pick to Cleveland for none other than Odell Beckham Jr. No one can say the deal for Odell from the Giants worked out well for the Browns. A first-year coach got fired. A second-year GM got fired. Baker Mayfield took huge steps back.

Maybe Kevin Stefanski can fix everything, but my gut says the Browns would love to cut their losses by landing a first-round pick in this draft, and the Patriots have to be worried about simply finding a first-round impact guy or finding help for Brady in free agency. There simply isn’t much out there.

Even if it’s not for Brady’s last run, the Patriots need help at wideout. Beckham could be the quintessential Pats player who is a pain everywhere and then tightens up in New England.

It almost makes too much sense not to do it, and it’s an easy 1-for-1 flip in this case. 

Check out this week’s draft episode of the Pick Six Podcast, where Brinson is joined by Ryan Wilson and R.J. White to break down Wilson’s latest mock draft and set the stage for draft season; listen below and be sure to subscribe for daily NFL goodness fired into your eardrums.

Alright, let’s get to it.

NFL MOCK DRAFT

Pick 1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 216 LBS

Barring something shocking, you’ll be reading the same Joe Burrow blurbs for the next few months. He’s going to Cincinnati, he’s going first overall and he better turn around the franchise unless he decides to pull an Eli Manning on the Bengals, who probably wouldn’t blink even if he did.

Pick 2 –WASHINGTON

Chase Young EDGE

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 265 LBS

With Ron Rivera taking over in Washington, it makes a ton of sense for the Redskins to take the best possible defensive player. Washington would need a massive haul from some other team in order to justify moving down.

Pick 3 – DETROIT

Jeff Okudah CB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

The Lions could go QB here in theory or auction off the pick (I think the latter is more likely), but they also need to win now and so they add a player in Okudah who can help improve their defense immediately.

Pick 4 – NY GIANTS

Jedrick Wills Jr. OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

Generally speaking when you’re trying to figure out what Dave Gettleman will do, the best move is to find the largest human in the draft on the offensive or defensive line. Willis isn’t the total lock here, but the Giants need OL help badly so he fits well enough.

Pick 5 – MIAMI

Tua Tagovailoa QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 218 LBS

Assuming Tua’s medicals check out at the combine, it makes a lot of sense for the Dolphins to end up landing the QB they’ve reportedly coveted for a lengthy amount of time. I would not rule out a trade up here at all.

Pick 6 – LA CHARGERS

Justin Herbert QB

OREGON • SR • 6’6″ / 237 LBS

The Chargers can go with Tyrod Taylor this year as their starting option while grooming Herbert as the future of the franchise.

Pick 7 – CAROLINA

Isaiah Simmons LB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 230 LBS

Simmons can be the centerpiece of a Panthers defense that will be rebuilt under new coach Matt Rhule.

Pick 8 – ARIZONA

Mekhi Becton OL

LOUISVILLE • JR • 6’7″ / 369 LBS

It’s paramount for the Cardinals to improve protection up front for Kyler Murray. Becton, a massive mountain of a man, can improve the screen game on the second level for Arizona while beefing up their pass protection.

Pick 9 – JACKSONVILLE

A.J. Epenesa EDGE

IOWA • JR • 6’6″ / 280 LBS

What are the Jags even supposed to do here in terms of fixing their team for the 2020 season? It feels like an all-in year, so let’s replace a departing pass rusher with another pass rusher in Epenesa.

Pick 10 – CLEVELAND

Andrew Thomas OL

GEORGIA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

Offensive line has to be the primary thing the Browns need to fix this offseason given how badly the OL performed last year. And this is a good draft to help fix the issues plauging them, by grabbing Thomas here.

Pick 11 – NY JETS

Tristan Wirfs OL

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 322 LBS

Another team that has to get better up front on offense and protect a young signal caller. Wirfs makes sense for them here after Sam Darnold was pressured frequently last season.

Pick 12 – LAS VEGAS

Jerry Jeudy WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 192 LBS

The Raiders have shown a proclivity for drafting big school propsects with a top-end pedigree and Jeudy certainly fits the mold as a guy who can improve the offense immediately.

Pick 13 – INDIANAPOLIS

Derrick Brown DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 318 LBS

Chris Ballard loves getting physical in the trenches without spending a ton of money and Brown is the best interior defensive lineman in the draft this year. Would be a slam-dunk pick for the Colts.

Pick 14 – TAMPA BAY

Grant Delpit S

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 203 LBS

Tampa was great against the run last year but struggled against the pass. Adding another LSU defensive standout in the first round can help improve how the Bucs play in the defensive backfield.

Pick 15 – DENVER

Trevon Diggs CB

ALABAMA • SR • 6’2″ / 207 LBS

Sure seems like Chris Harris’ time is up in Denver, which means the Broncos need to try and find some replacement corner help in the draft. Turning to a Nick Saban-coached stud seems like a decent answer.

Pick 16 – ATLANTA

Javon Kinlaw DL

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’6″ / 310 LBS

After spending two first round picks on offensive linemen last year, it stands to reason the Falcons are going to get some defensive help to keep Dan Quinn from finally getting fired. Kinlaw established himself at the Senior Bowl as worthy of going in the top 20.

Pick 17 – DALLAS

Xavier McKinney S

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

Really curious to see what direction Dallas goes here, and I think it matters a ton what they do in terms of their free agency approach. It wouldn’t be stunning to see them take a WR here — only one off the board — if they tag Byron Jones, but assuming they tag Amari Cooper, it makes sense to help the secondary.

Pick 18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

CeeDee Lamb WR

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 189 LBS

At a certain point you just have to see value and take it. And Lamb falling to 19th would be insane value, essentially helped by the way the depth and positional ranking of this draft plays out. Lamb is my personal WR1 and this is the best pick of this mock so far.

Pick 19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Julian Okwara EDGE

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’4″ / 248 LBS

Mike Mayock likes the big school guys and is intimiately familiar with Notre Dame after calling their games for multiple years. He needs to improve his pass rush — if Clelin Ferrell takes a leap forward, this defense could be much improved next year.

Pick 20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Kristian Fulton CB

LSU • SR • 6’0″ / 200 LBS

I think people draft out of spite more than they would admit sometimes, and I think the Jaguars would love to land a potential stud DB in the pick they acquired by shipping Jalen Ramsey to Los Angeles.

Pick 21 – PHILADELPHIA

Tee Higgins WR

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS

The Eagles ran short on pass catchers last year, so it makes all the sense in the world to mock them taking one in this spot, given how deep the drat is for receivers. Higgins is underrated in my opinion.

Pick 22 – BUFFALO

Laviska Shenault Jr. WR

COLORADO • JR • 6’2″ / 220 LBS

The Bills need to get a couple more young pieces on the depth chart for Josh Allen to really make this offense hum, and adding Shenault without putting any real pressure on him to be a true WR1 is a nice bonus for a team with lots of upside in 2020.

Pick 23 – CLEVELAND (MOCK TRADE from New England)

Henry Ruggs III WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 190 LBS

Again, SPITE. The Browns ship out Odell Beckham to the Patriots to make Tom Brady happy and convince him to take a little less money, then the Browns draft Ruggs as his replacement.

Pick 24 – NEW ORLEANS

CJ Henderson CB

FLORIDA • JR • 6’1″ / 202 LBS

Who knows what Sean Payton will do with this pick right now, when we don’t even know what will happen with Drew Brees in the future. Maybe he’s building around Taysom Hill! Or maybe someone else. Probably someone else. We’ll go defense instead.

Pick 25 – MINNESOTA

Bryce Hall CB

VIRGINIA • SR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

As long as Mike Zimmer is in charge, you should never be surprised when the Vikings go out and spend a first-round pick on a cornerback. That’s his MO throughout his time in Minnesota and it’s worked out well.

Pick 26 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Tyler Biadasz OL

WISCONSIN • JR • 6’3″ / 321 LBS

If the Dolphins get out of this draft with a new QB, a new WR and a new starting offensive lineman they should be doing cartwheels in Miami (or whatever you do in Miami when you’re excited) over a job well done with this draft.

Pick 27 – SEATTLE

Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 264 LBS

I wanted to give the Seahawks a running back just to troll Seahawks Twitter, but the reality is they have to get better at rushing the passer and at stopping the run. Adding YGM would do that for them.

Pick 28 – BALTIMORE

K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE

LSU • SOPH • 6’4″ / 250 LBS

The Ravens bring in some pass rush help with several key defenders heading to free agency. Chaisson showed how much of an impact he can have as LSU marched to a national title.

Pick 29 – TENNESSEE

D’Andre Swift RB

GEORGIA • JR • 5’9″ / 215 LBS

Let’s play in a world where the Titans DON’T keep Derrick Henry because they tag Ryan Tannehill/Jack Conklin and don’t want to pay a running back big money. Could they win with Swift running behind a great offensive line? I tend to think so.

Pick 30 – GREEN BAY

Justin Jefferson WR

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 192 LBS

The Packers needed another option for Aaron Rodgers outside of Davante Adams last year, so why not go out and actually invest in a playmaker like Jefferson who showed up on the biggest stages?

Pick 31 – SAN FRANCISCO

Zack Baun LB

WISCONSIN • SR • 6’3″ / 235 LBS

I know the 49ers have plenty of talent all over their defensive front seven, but I don’t think that will stop them from improving a strength of the team from last year to give them depth and options moving forward.

Pick 32- KANSAS CITY

J.K. Dobbins RB

OHIO STATE • JR • 5’10” / 217 LBS

Damien Williams was awesome in the playoffs, but the Chiefs still need to improve the depth at running back. Dobbins is a monster with breakaway speed who would thrive in Andy Reid’s scheme. Reid isn’t afraid to double down on offense either.