AROUND THE NFL

Are we really in the final throes of the CBA negotiations?  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

It’s usually a good idea to not disrupt the schedules of billionaires without good reason. The league office apparently has a good reason.

Mike Silver of the NFL reports that the NFL has “summoned” owners to New York for a meeting later this week regarding the ongoing labor negotiations with the NFL Players Association. Per Silver “significant progress” has been made, but the two sides are “far apart” on “some outstanding issues.”

As PFT reported earlier in the day, one of the biggest remaining issues relates to the funding rule. Which means that a general consensus has been reached on plenty of other more important issues, like how the financial pie would be divided under a 17-game format.

Silver adds that a new labor deal, finalized before the start of the league year on March 18, would include a 17-game season the would commence between 2021 and 2023. And that’s hardly a small detail. As PFT explained over the weekend, the league wants to start with 17 games by 2021; the players would like to push it to 2023. That would make 2022 an obvious point for compromise, if the NFL is willing to compromise on this item.

And 14 of the 32 member clubs will be playing at least 18 games when the time comes.

Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Chiefs earned a first-round bye on the last day of the 2019 regular season on their way to the Lombardi Trophy. That quite possibly could mark the final season of two teams getting byes in each conference.

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement proposal, the NFL would add a playoff team to each conference beginning this season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

That means only the team with the best record in each conference would receive a bye during wild-card weekend. It would add two games — one from each conference — to wild-card weekend for a total of six games on the first weekend of the postseason.

The expanded playoffs was an easy sell to the players, according to Schefter, unlike increasing the number of regular-season games to 17.

The NFL currently has 12 playoff teams — eight division winners and four wild-card teams. The two teams in each conference with the best records receive the byes into the divisional round.

The Ravens and Chiefs earned byes in the AFC in 2019, and the 49ers and Packers did the same in the NFC.

Under the old CBA, players on teams that earned a first-round bye did not receive postseason pay that weekend. They will under the new agreement, according to Schefter.

There is growing optimism the sides soon could finalize a new CBA, with owners meeting in New York this week and the Players Association conducting a conference call with player reps.

Presuming that everything else stays the same in terms of playoff qualification what we missed in 2019 was an AFC Wild Card game of Pittsburgh with Devlin Hodges at QB going to Kansas City and an NFC Wild Card game of the Rams going to Green Bay (which might have been a decent game).

Joe Fereira saved us from looking up all the might-have-been games over the last decade plus:

Here are NFC #7 at #2 WC Games that might have been (all 7 seeds over .500 except where noted)

2019 LAR at GB

2018 MIN at LAR

2017 DET at MIN

2016 TB at ATL

2015 ATL (8-8) at ARZ

2014 PHI at GB

2013 ARZ at CAR

2012 CHI at SF

2011 CHI (8-8) at SF

2010 NYG at CHI

2009 ATL at MIN

Here are AFC #7 at #2 WC Games that might have been (all 7 seeds over .500 except where noted)

2019 PIT (8-8) at KC

2018 PIT at NE

2017 BAL at PIT

2016 TEN at KC

2015 NYJ at NE

2014 HOU at DEN

2013 PIT (8-8) at NE

2012 PIT (8-8) at NE

2011 TEN at BAL

2010 SD at PIT

2009 HOU at SD

So most teams that make it are 9-7 or 10-6 – and none are 7-9.  We missed three Pittsburgh at New England games.

And Tampa Bay’s playoff draught would have ended in 2016.

Six games spread across one weekend (Monday night too?).

Ferreira, who used to do this kind of stuff in the NFL office notes:

@JoeNFL

TIEBREAKERS: As for 17 games over 18 weeks, will be tricky formula plus have to balance alternating years of 9 and 8 home games…UNLESS extra game is neutral site or int’l game (hard to configure for all teams). Current sched rotation started in 2002…led by yours truly.

So the NFL is not going with a 19-week, two-bye season?  Why not?  And there seems to be a tug of war between the mandatory one neutral game per year and owners wanting 9 home games every other year.

The DB saw somewhere, we hope to find it by tomorrow, an impassioned plea for the 17^th game as a neutral site package with many international games.  The key is that the games would form a new package that could be sold for international streaming rights.  Eight of the 16 games would be in London, then if you play two in Mexico, one in Canada, one more elsewhere in Europe (Germany, Ireland), you are up to 12.  And we haven’t even tried to stage one in Buenos Aires or Sydney.  Grow the game!  But we think a 19^th week is key to make scheduling better and further enhance revenues.

Interesting twitter exchange – –

Jamal Adams

@Prez

More Regular Season Games + More Playoff Games = More money for the league & players, everyone wins 💰

Richard Sherman

@RSherman_25

Call me brother.  It’s never that simple.  Gotta go deeper than that in this.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

If Cowboys WR AMARI COOPER was shot, the Dallas police department doesn’t know about it. Neither does the person texting from Cooper’s number and Instagramming to his account.  Mike Fisher of SI.com:

Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboys has not been “shot in a Dallas parking lot,” says the Dallas Police Department, debunking a rumor that is making social-media rounds on Wednesday.

And just to make sure that’s clear, Cooper himself is texting friends with the same message he put on Instagram:

@fishsports

.@AmariCooper9 – #AmariCooper himself – on ‘getting shot’: ‘FAKE NEWS,’ says #Cowboys star on IG: https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-police-debunk-rumor-of-cowboys-wr-amari-cooper-being-shot …

“That was fake news, y’all,” Amari wrote. “Everything good over here.”

Earlier came the clarity from the Dallas Police Department.

“There has been a tweet going viral that Amari Cooper has been shot in the Dallas area,” Dallas PD tweets at 12:19 p.m. “We have NOT found any validity to that tweet occurring in the city of Dallas.

“At this time, there has been NO shooting incident occurring in the city of Dallas.”

This could’ve conceivably been a developing story as it was for a moment possible there is an incident of some kind involving the player somewhere outside the framework of “shooting” and “in Dallas.” However …

@DezBryant

This world have some real messed up folks in it… coop just text me… I don’t get it.. why would anybody start a rumor like that?? Weirdos seriously

Former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant checked in with Cooper to affirm that there is no incident at all. And so Cowboys Nation can turn back to football and contracts, rather than life and death.

Since his arrival in 2018 following a blockbuster trade with the Raiders, Cooper has been a difference-maker in the Dallas offense. He posted a career-high 1,189 yards receiving in 2019 to go along with eight touchdowns and 79 receptions and in the end qualified for his fourth Pro Bowl in five NFL seasons. Cooper is now a free agent, possibly facing receiving a franchise tag from Dallas, but in any event slated to get a massive contract. He has made it clear he wishes that happen in Dallas.

“I love it here,” Cooper recently said. “I want to be here. I just love this situation, my teammates. I just feel it’s the place for me.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said the same.

“I have no reason to think Amari Cooper won’t finish his career with the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones has said.

NFC WEST

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Sophie Luoto is getting a promotion reports Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com:

The Los Angeles Rams are promoting Sophie Luoto to director of football operations, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Luoto fills a role that was vacated by Bruce Warwick, who departed the organization after 10 years to become the chief of staff for coach Mike Norvell at Florida State University.

The role puts Luoto in charge of team travel, which includes travel for games and the travel of scouts and prospects to various workouts and functions. She will oversee the team practice facility operations and also the team’s training camp operation at UC-Irvine.

Luoto, 31, becomes the highest-ranking woman in football operations for the Rams and is among a small group of women in high-ranking football operations positions across the NFL.

Luoto, who graduated from UCLA, has spent the last four seasons with the Rams serving as a manager in football operations.

She previously worked at California-Berkeley as the director of recruiting operations.

AFC WEST

DENVER

QB JOE FLACCO has a “positive” MRI where positive means good.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

Though quarterback Joe Flacco’s future remains uncertain, some positive news has come about.

Flacco, whose first and thus far only season with the Broncos ended with a trip to injured reserve due to a neck injury, underwent an MRI last week and found positive results, according to 9News.com‘s Mike Klis on Tuesday. Through Klis, Flacco’s agent Joe Linta said a second opinion from a spine specialist is being sought.

“Joe has every intention to play but not at the risk of his long-term health,” Linta told Klis.

Klis also reported Broncos general manager John Elway was encouraged about Flacco’s health and working through his future options in Denver.

Acquired via trade with the Ravens ahead of the 2019 season, Flacco’s Broncos tenure was a rocky one, as he sustained his neck injury during a Week 8 loss to the Colts that brought Denver to 2-6 with him as a starter.

The 35-year-old Flacco has two seasons remaining on his Broncos contract, with $20.25 million due in 2020 and $25.25 million due the following season, according to Spotrac.com.

The emergence of second-round pick Drew Lock at the end of the season and his potential as a franchise quarterback likely doesn’t bode well for Flacco in Denver. However, Flacco’s seemingly positive news in regards to his neck does bode well for the former Super Bowl MVP’s future remaining in the NFL.

KANSAS CITY

Eric Bieniemy seems torn between assisting the Chiefs and heading up the program at his alma mater.

Eric Bieniemy is unlikely to take the head-coaching job at the University of Colorado. Unless he isn’t.

A day after Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported that the Chiefs offensive coordinator is “unlikely” to jump from the NFL to a college program that has become a Michigan State stepping-stone, Mike Klis of 9News.com reported that Bieniemy, the all-time leading rusher at Colorado, remains a “strong candidate” for the job.

According to Klis, the school and Bieniemy “have been in periodic contact,” but “there are still many questions and decisions to be made on both sides.”

For Bieniemy, the biggest decision is whether he wants to be a head coach badly enough to walk away from an offense that features one of the best quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen — and the short-list 2021 head-coaching opportunity that should go along with another year of working with Patrick Mahomes. While there’s no guarantee Bieniemy will become an NFL head coach in 2021 if he stays put, it becomes highly unlikely that he’ll become an NFL head coach in 2021 if he leaves. First, he likely won’t want to bail on Colorado after only one season. Second, by stepping into a mid-level college program, Bieniemy necessarily will yield his spot on the NFL’s “A” list to others.

I’ve previously argued that Bieniemy should stay where he is. In the end, however, only he can decide what’s best for him. More than a week after the Colorado job became available, he has yet to definitively decline the potential opportunity.

LAS VEGAS

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com has advice for the Raiders as he offers up five offseason moves for every team.  #5 is his big one:

Las Vegas Raiders

Projected 2020 cap space: $51.6 million

1. Cut Tahir Whitehead. I was surprised when the Raiders let the deadline for Tyrell Williams’ $11 million base salary guarantee pass without cutting the former Chargers wideout, but it’s clear they think the deep threat will bounce back after plantar fasciitis slowed him down in 2019. With Williams sticking around, the only obvious cut candidate for Las Vegas is Whitehead, who was phased into a diminished role in December. Cutting the former Lions linebacker would free up $6.3 million in cap space.

2. Add a significant pass-rusher. While I don’t think the Raiders should make a move solely to get past the Khalil Mack trade, they badly need pass-rushing help. Rookie Maxx Crosby came out of nowhere to rack up 10 sacks, and they will hope for more out of No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell in Year 2, but Jon Gruden’s team ranked 25th in sack rate and 29th in pressure rate last season.

With Crosby and Ferrell expected to start on the edge, the logical place to look would be for a disruptive interior presence. I just mentioned Chris Jones, and the Raiders could afford to give Jones whatever he wants on a new deal, but a trade seems unlikely. Andy Reid once dealt Donovan McNabb within the division, but you would still figure Reid would prefer to deal Jones somewhere outside of the AFC West, and Las Vegas doesn’t have a second-round pick. Maybe it could get creative and send the 19th pick and a mid-round selection for Jones and the 32nd pick.

The next man up might be Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who had 10 sacks in a breakout campaign for Buffalo. Phillips isn’t likely to cost anywhere near as much as Jones, but one former critic of Phillips coming out of Oklahoma was an ESPN personality by the name of Jon Gruden, who criticized Phillips’s motor, wondered about his love for the game and said he was “a nose tackle without much pass-rush talent.” People change, but he doesn’t strike me as somebody Gruden is about to hand a significant contract to.

More realistically, the Raiders could look toward somebody like Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy as a short-term option. They could jump in the Jadeveon Clowney bidding and rotate their defensive ends while moving Ferrell inside on passing downs, but a tackle makes the most sense here.

3. Upgrade at cornerback. Few organizations have cycled through more starting cornerbacks over the past decade without finding a long-term solution than this one. The last cornerback to start three seasons in a row for the Raiders is Stanford Routt, who finished his run with the team in 2011. Daryl Worley, who started over the past two years, is a free agent and unlikely to return.

They tried to address cornerback last year by signing away LaMarcus Joyner from the Rams, but that failed miserably. Joyner had been a hybrid free safety/slot corner early in his career before excelling once the Rams moved Joyner to free safety on a full-time basis. The Raiders signed him to a four-year, $42 million deal and then moved him back to cornerback, where he was overmatched. With Karl Joseph hitting free agency, they could move Joyner back to free safety. Doing so would open up another cornerback spot.

While Las Vegas returns Nick Nelson and 2019 second-round pick Trayvon Mullen, this is a position in which it needs to sign somebody it can (at least try to) rely upon. This might be a spot for Bradley Roby after his bounce-back season with the Texans.

4. Bring in a possession receiver. The wideout corps seemed set last year with Williams working deep and Antonio Brown serving as the primary target hog underneath. You know how that went. The Raiders got an unexpectedly great season out of tight end Darren Waller, but they never really replaced Brown in the lineup. Gruden continued his series of trading draft picks for ill-advised receiving options by nabbing Zay Jones from the Bills, and Hunter Renfrow is going to work out of the slot, but they really need someone to work the intermediate levels of the field.

This could be a logical landing spot for Emmanuel Sanders if he doesn’t get a better offer from a team closer to the Super Bowl. (It would also be an ideal opportunity for Amari Cooper, but I suspect that one’s not happening.) It’s more likely that the Raiders address this position with one of their first-round picks, although that’s only if they don’t …

5. Consider trading up for a quarterback. I’m not sure any of the quarterbacks available in veteran free agency are a clear better option than Derek Carr, who quietly did a solid job in 2019. He finished the season 10th in QBR, ninth in passer rating and ninth in net yards per attempt, and while he had Waller, he didn’t exactly have a dominant group of wide receivers. While you can understand why the Raiders would go after Tom Brady with a new stadium to fill, Carr was fine last season.

In terms of the future, though, it’s fair to wonder if they will target a quarterback with more upside. This could be their best chance to grab that passer. The Raiders have the 12th and 19th picks in the first round, plus three third-round selections, thanks to the Mack and Gareon Conley trades. They don’t have a second-round pick, but they have more to offer in a trade now than they will in the years to come.

Everything depends on what Gruden finds when he evaluates top prospects Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert over the next few weeks. (Jacob Eason, who ESPN’s Mel Kiper mocks to the Patriots at 23 in his most recent mock draft, is likely to still be on the board when the Raiders pick.) If Gruden thinks either Tagovailoa or Herbert are franchise passers in the making, the time to make his move is now.

The Eagles had to swap fourth-round picks and send future first-, second- and third-round picks to move up from No. 8 to No. 2 to grab Carson Wentz in 2016. Having an extra first-round pick in hand should help, but to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 pick, the Raiders might need to send one of their third-rounders and their 2021 second-round pick along with the 19th selection.

Carr’s future would obviously come into question if they trade up. Las Vegas would only eat $5 million in dead money if it deals Carr and $7.9 million if it releases the longtime starter, so that’s not a factor. What’s left of his contract would amount to a three-year, $58.2 million deal with just $2.9 million guaranteed, so he would have some modest trade value if the right opportunity arose.

Projecting that opportunity, at least right now, is impossible. Quarterback is going to be a game of musical chairs this offseason for anywhere from four to 10 teams. If the Buccaneers or Chargers are left standing without a veteran quarterback, would they be interested in trading for Carr? Probably, but I can’t imagine it would be for a significant draft pick. There’s little risk for the Raiders, who could either keep Carr on as a mentor before addressing his status in 2020 or cut him while paying that additional $2.9 million.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

New OC Alex Van Pelt is going to play footsie with QB BAKER MAYFIELD.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

You can count on one hand how many offensive coordinators Baker Mayfield has had in his brief NFL career, but you’re almost out of fingers after just two seasons.

Hopefully, we won’t end up saying the same about his changes in footwork.

Mayfield’s new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt told reporters Wednesday he plans on changing the quarterback’s footwork, which he wants “to be like Mozart, not Metallica.”

Among examples given by Van Pelt: Mayfield’s foot placement in the shotgun before the snap. Van Pelt wants to switch Mayfield’s lead foot from his right to his left, which Van Pelt believes will help Mayfield be more fluid in his three-step drop.

“That allows the quarterback to play with more rhythm,” Van Pelt explained about the foot switch. “It’s quarterback junkie talk, but it’s something I believe in.

“In my opinion, it helps in the three-step game, the quick game. There’s more rhythm, it’s not as robotic, it’s more fluid.”

Van Pelt isn’t suggesting a change just for the sake of change, but to help Mayfield improve in his third season. It’s not necessarily the make-or-break campaign for him, but he does need to show positive progress after a second season that lacked it.

“I have a belief and a philosophy of footwork and it’s extremely important to me and Kevin (Stefanski) as well,” Van Pelt said. “It all starts with the feet. The feet never lie. They get you through your progressions.”

Van Pelt said the changes will be in an effort to get Mayfield completing 64 percent of his passes or better, a number he called the “benchmark” for an effective passer.

If anything, Van Pelt definitely appears confident in who he is and what he wants to accomplish with Mayfield. As a former NFL quarterback of nine seasons and an assistant who has implemented his recommendations, he expects the quarterbacks to achieve the standard he sets for them. As offensive coordinator, that will be no different, as he said his “plan is to be the voice of the room” in greater offensive meetings.

With another coaching change just now settling in Cleveland, we have plenty of time before the season begins to critique every little move made by each member of the staff. We’re still six months from games — a good thing for a staff still attempting to learn each other — but before long, the on-field activities will again matter. We’ll see how long this group lasts.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

The Texans have extended DL BRANDON DUNN, a top rotational defensive lineman.  Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports the contract is three years and worth a total of $12 million, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.

THIS AND THAT

GREG ROBINSON

More on the arrest of Greg Robinson, once the second overall pick in the draft, nabbed by a border patrol drug-sniffing dog while tooling along I-10 near El Paso.  This from NFL.com:

NFL offensive tackle Greg Robinson remained in a West Texas jail without bond Wednesday after federal agents said they found 157 pounds (71.21 kilograms) of marijuana in a rented vehicle in which he and two other people were riding.

Robinson, 27, of Thibodeaux, Louisiana, and Jaquan Tyreke Bray, 26, of La Grange, Georgia, were in the El Paso County Detention Center after federal authorities charged them with conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute it. Both were held without bond pending an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge.

If convicted, both could be sentenced to up to 20 years in federal prison. It was unclear from jail and federal court records if they had attorneys.

“We are aware of the report but will decline further comment,” an NFL spokesperson told NFL Media.

According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday by the Drug Enforcement Administration and obtained by NFL Media, Robinson, Bray and an unidentified third person were driving from Los Angeles to Louisiana in a rented sport utility vehicle on Interstate 10 through a remote section of West Texas. When they passed a Border Patrol agent with a drug-sniffing dog, the dog detected the scent of marijuana. The agent radioed ahead to the patrol’s checkpoint in near Sierra Blanca, Texas, 83 miles (134 kilometers) southeast of El Paso.

There, the patrol stopped and inspected the vehicle, finding several large duffel bags containing vacuum-sealed black bags containing what tested positive as marijuana, the complaint stated. Also found were glass jars and packaging equipment, along with $3,100 in cash.

Agents said the unidentified passenger was an Uber driver who also drove and ran errands for Robinson and his family and friends. The passenger showed agents cellphone texts that showed Robinson had offered to pay the passenger to claim ownership of the marijuana, according to the complaint. The texts showed the passenger, who is a legally resident immigrant but not a U.S. citizen, refused and would not have made the trip if aware of the drugs in the vehicle. The person was not charged.

The former Auburn University standout was drafted second overall in 2014, by the St. Louis Rams. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2018. Robinson is set to be a free agent next month, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday the Browns informed the offensive lineman’s reps a few weeks ago that they did not plan to re-sign him in free agency.

Robinson battled inconsistency while starting 14 games last season for the Browns, who had a disappointing 6-10 season. He was benched for one game and missed another with a concussion.

Bray, a former NFL wide receiver, spent three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. He was last on a roster in Sept. 2018, when he was released by the Houston Texans.

According to on-line sources, a pound of marijuana goes for about $1,000 (to make the math easier) so Robinson’s haul was worth about $150,000, maybe a bit more. 

That’s a considerable sum, but assuming he paid something for it, and assuming he was going to split the profits in some fashion with his compatriots, it seems like a senseless thing to do for a guy who has made nearly $30 million playing in the NFL in his career.  Did he spend it all?

NFC FREE AGENT MATCHES

Nick Shook of NFL.com matches each NFC team with a prospective free agent.  Three players get listed with two teams, so not everyone is going to be happy.

ARIZONA CARDINALS: Bud Dupree, outside linebacker

The Cardinals need to find a way to keep RB Kenyan Drake, and they took a potentially smart risk in re-signing LT D.J. Humphries, but that’s just the beginning of the offseason work in Arizona. After cutting Terrell Suggs in December, the Cards rode out the remainder of 2019 with Cassius Marsh at outside linebacker. It’s time to upgrade the position. There are plenty of worthy candidates, Shaquil Barrett chief among them — but if the Cardinals want to take a more economical approach to this, they should set their sights on the AFC North. Dupree or Matt Judon would fill this role nicely opposite Chandler Jones and create a weekly problem for opposing offenses. While Judon might be the surer bet at the position, Dupree could have the higher ceiling after flourishing in a similar scenario in 2019, when he played opposite T.J. Watt.

ATLANTA FALCONS: Matt Judon, outside linebacker

The Falcons don’t have much dough to work with, possessing a little over $5 million in projected cap room. They can save the most by cutting center Alex Mack, but he’s been too reliable for that to be a guarantee. Atlanta also has to decide whether it’ll make a last-ditch push to keep De’Vondre Campbell or watch him walk. Should the Falcons free up enough space, though, Judon could join the team and make an impact off the edge in place of Campbell. The Falcons will just have to do some cap gymnastics before entertaining such a thought.

CAROLINA PANTHERS: Yannick Ngakoue, defensive end

The Panthers currently have $32 million in projected space, but that number could jump above $50 million if they cut Cam Newton. That would create a huge need at quarterback, of course, but they could address that position with a veteran like Andy Dalton (or a number of other available options) and spend elsewhere. Enter Ngakoue, who has proven to be a problem-causer off the edge and is just entering the prime of his career, turning 25 in March. Carolina hasn’t had a young defensive end with this type of potential since the peak years of Julius Peppers, and now could be the time for David Tepper’s team to make its first big signing at the position since he took over ownership.

CHICAGO BEARS: Vonn Bell, safety

The Bears have very little cap room to work with, and it’s unlikely they’ll be able to do much of anything at their current position. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is in search of a big payday in free agency, meaning Chicago will need to address the position in some form. Without cutting someone to create space, this isn’t likely to happen, but Bell might sign at a lower number, at least.

DALLAS COWBOYS: Amari Cooper, wide receiver

Look, we could venture outside of those who played for the Cowboys in 2019, but the best solution to Dallas’ most glaring need was already on their team this past season. Jerry and Stephen Jones will find a way to get the Dak Prescott deal done; Cooper, however, is less certain. With the Cowboys having sent a first-rounder to Oakland for a season and a half with Cooper thus far, the Cowboys should feel very pressed to keep the receiver, who has proven he’s worth a big contract.

DETROIT LIONS: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, safety

This might seem like a bit of a reach for the Lions, but Detroit could use a splash signing in the secondary and has the cap space (projected $46 million) to get it done. Clinton-Dix has plenty of experience in the NFC North, having played for Green Bay and Chicago, and he stands alongside Bell as one of the best strong safety options on the open market. This only happens if the Lions don’t retain Tavon Wilson, who played well in Detroit but is headed toward a pay raise this offseason.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: Bryan Bulaga, offensive tackle

The Packers could explore a cheaper option at right tackle, but Green Bay would be best suited to come to an agreement on a new deal with Bulaga, who has years of experience protecting Aaron Rodgers and still possesses plenty of quality talent at age 30. The Packers are working with $24 million in projected space, and while Green Bay likely won’t spend as heavily as it did last offseason, opening up the wallet for Bulaga is worth it (especially if they can ink him on a shorter-term deal and potentially draft his eventual successor in this tackle-rich class).

LOS ANGELES RAMS: Andrew Whitworth, offensive tackle

The Rams found a rock-solid left tackle in Whitworth when they convinced him to move from snowy Cincinnati to sunny Los Angeles, and they’d be best served to keep him, even at 38 years old. With $15 million in cap space and a number of positions to address, keeping Whitworth with a lower-priced veteran deal could help Los Angeles find ways to fit in other players under the cap. The other option, of course: Draft a replacement at left tackle and accept the risk of starting a rookie alongside another young lineman in third-year pro Joseph Noteboom.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Byron Jones, cornerback

Minnesota suddenly has a big need at the position. Xavier Rhodes noticeably declined last season (ignore his Pro Bowl selection), while Trae Waynes is ticketed for free agency, so the Vikings will need to find at least one corner to fill the void. Hope remains for 2018 first-rounder Mike Hughes, who needs to stay healthy in order to contribute, but it’s time for Minnesota to make a change for the better at cornerback.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Chris Harris Jr., cornerback

The Saints have less than $10 million to work with in cap space right now, but thanks to Monday’s news that Drew Brees will make another go of it in 2020, they at least have a better understanding of how to use their remaining money. An upcoming void is going to exist in the secondary, most likely at cornerback. Harris accounted for a little over $12 million in space for Denver this past season, but at 30 years old, he’s running out of time to make another run at a title. Perhaps he could be convinced to come to New Orleans for such a shot at a lower number, especially with the knowledge the Saints will be going for it again with Brees under center.

NEW YORK GIANTS: Jadeveon Clowney, defensive end

The Giants are young and need help in a variety of areas, but with nearly $62 million in projected cap space, New York has the room to sign a big-time player at edge rusher. The Giants will likely first try to keep Leonard Williams at a lower number, but if they want to aim for the big catch, Clowney would fit the bill and provide an instant impact at a position of need.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Byron Jones, cornerback

As is evidenced in this file, Jones will be sought after in this group of free agents. One only needs to watch about two or three episodes in the latest season of “All Or Nothing” to realize how badly the Eagles need to upgrade their cornerback position. Sure, Jalen Mills’ return helped, but he’s going to be a free agent in March. The Eagles battled injuries all over their roster in 2019 and perhaps no position group was more devastated than the secondary (though receiver could make a strong case). Jones isn’t a turnover producer, but he would give the Eagles a strong cornerback that they wish Sidney Jones would’ve grown to become by this point. Plus, adding Byron Jones would mean stealing a quality player from the rival Cowboys.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Arik Armstead, defensive end

It took some time, but the 2015 first-round pick finally flourished in 2019, just in time for free agency. San Francisco is young and talented enough to make another run at the Super Bowl, and Armstead could factor into such success if the 49ers find a way to make it work. Justin Simmons could also be a great fit if the Niners can’t keep Jimmie Ward at free safety.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Jack Conklin, offensive tackle

Conklin fits on the Seahawks for two reasons: Germain Ifedi is headed to free agency and isn’t a lock to be retained because of his up-and-down play, and Seattle will have $50 million to work with this offseason. That seems to create an ideal landing spot for Conklin, who would shore up a position that has been a liability for the Seahawks for some time.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Jack Conklin, offensive tackle

Sure, we listed Conklin as a fit for Seattle just above, but signing the accomplished right tackle would be a coup for Tampa Bay, too. Bruce Arians doesn’t like drafting offensive linemen, and the Buccaneers have a need at right tackle. That seems to make for an excellent fit with Conklin, who rebounded from injury to play well for Tennessee’s run-first offense in 2019. Conklin is Gregg Rosenthal’s No. 25 free agent in this class and would provide an immediate long-term solution at the position, replacing 34-year-old veteran Demar Dotson.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS: Amari Cooper, wide receiver

There might be other enticing receiving options on the market (A.J. Green, 31 and Emmanuel Sanders, 32), but the 25-year-old Cooper fits best because of the years he still has ahead of him. If Dallas can’t find a way to keep Cooper, the Redskins should pounce on their division rival’s loss. Cooper would create an excellent one-two punch at the position for Dwayne Haskins to work with, teaming with Terry McLaurin to create a duo that can attack all parts of the field. With $53 million in projected cap space, Washington will have the spending power necessary to add a key playmaker to its young roster.

2020 DRAFT

In his new Mock Draft, Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com doesn’t believe the smoke that the Dolphins are only mildly enamored with QB TUA TAGOVAILOA.  Instead, he has them trading up to #2 and thus denies EDGE CHASE YOUNG to the Redskins.

Pick 1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 216 LBS

A few recent quotes from Burrow have allowed some to speculate that the reigning Heisman winner will spurn Cincinnati. I highly doubt that happens.

Pick 2 – MIAMI (Mock Trade from Washington Redskins)

Tua Tagovailoa QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 218 LBS

Is Miami technically “considering” every quarterback prospect right now? Sure. But Tagovailoa still feels like the front-runner, and the organization doesn’t want to lose out on the opportunity to pick him, so they move up to do so.

Pick 3 – DETROIT

Chase Young EDGE

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 265 LBS

The Lions signed Trey Flowers in free agency a year ago but still have a pass-rushing problem. And that issue is fixed with Young at No. 3.

Pick 4 – NY GIANTS

Tristan Wirfs OL

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 322 LBS

Wide receiver will be tempting here for GM Dave Gettleman, but I think he ultimately goes with an offensive tackle to protect Daniel Jones. Wirfs was good in 2018 then took his game to another level in 2019, and he spent time at right and left tackle.

Pick 5 – WASHINGTON (projected trade from Miami)

Isaiah Simmons LB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 230 LBS

Where did Ron Rivera last coach? Carolina. Who was the heartbeat of his defense during his time there? Luke Kuechly. Simmons has Kuechly type athletic gifts and can cover like a safety. The Redskins could use an infusion of talent at essentially every position. In their trade with Miami, Washington gets this pick, Miami’s third first-rounder (No. 26), a third-rounder (No. 70), and Miami’s second fifth-rounder (No. 148).

Pick 6 – LA CHARGERS

Justin Herbert QB

OREGON • SR • 6’6″ / 237 LBS

Do the Chargers go the trade or free-agent route to find their next quarterback? Hmmm. If they can’t land one, they could go with Herbert, who wouldn’t have to start right away, and could ultimately be a game-manager early in his career.

Pick 7 – CAROLINA

Jeff Okudah CB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

The Panthers are probably going to lose James Bradberry in free agency, and with Okudah falling into their lap, this is an easy, home-run pick at the start of the Matt Rhule era.

Pick 8 – ARIZONA

Jerry Jeudy WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 192 LBS

I’m guessing Jeudy is going to run noticeably faster than CeeDee Lamb at the Combine, which could (see: should) push many folks to crown him as WR1 in this class. Kliff Kingsbury gets Kyler Murray a stud pass catcher.

Pick 9 – JACKSONVILLE

Derrick Brown DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 318 LBS

Brown needs to get more effective as a pass rusher when he can’t simply bull rush guards into the quarterback, but he’s immensely powerful right now and is the best run defender in the class.

Pick 10 – CLEVELAND

Jedrick Wills Jr. OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

Wills is a great athlete for his size, and the right side of the Browns offensive line was downright disastrous in 2019. A perfect fit for Baker Mayfield and Co.

Pick 11 – NY JETS

Andrew Thomas OL

GEORGIA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

Jets GM Joe Douglas spent many years in Philadelphia with Jason Peters at left tackle, and with this pick, he envisions Thomas being that type of high-caliber blindside protector for Sam Darnold.

Pick 12 – LAS VEGAS

CeeDee Lamb WR

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 189 LBS

This pick will work wonders for ticket sales and generating hype in Las Vegas. Lamb adds a fun, big-play element to the Raiders’ offense.

Pick 13 – INDIANAPOLIS

Brandon Aiyuk WR

ARIZONA STATE • SR • 6’1″ / 206 LBS

Philip Rivers seems destined for Indianapolis given his connections to some coaches there. With him there, Indianapolis should add to its receiver group, and with a big combine, Aiyuk is primed to skyrocket up boards.

Pick 14 – TAMPA BAY

Javon Kinlaw DL

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’6″ / 310 LBS

How about a Tampa Bay defensive front with Shaq Barrett, Vita Vea, and Kinlaw. Studly.

Pick 15 – DENVER

Laviska Shenault Jr. WR

COLORADO • JR • 6’2″ / 220 LBS

Shenault was born to play in a West Coast offense, and that’s Broncos new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s scheme. If he can stay healthy, he can be a star thanks to his size, YAC-skills, and pure speed.

Pick 16 – ATLANTA

A.J. Epenesa EDGE

IOWA • JR • 6’6″ / 280 LBS

The Falcons need more pass rushers. Epenesa is ready to be a three-down player thanks to his length, power, edge-setting ability, and pass-rushing moves.

Pick 17 – DALLAS

Neville Gallimore DL

OKLAHOMA • SR • 6’2″ / 302 LBS

Gallimore is a former nose tackle turned penetrating three-technique, and his burst will be fully accentuated in Dallas’ defense.

Round 1 – Pick 18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE

LSU • SOPH • 6’4″ / 250 LBS

Understanding the depth of the offensive tackle class, the Dolphins go edge rusher here with Chaisson, an explosive, polished defender around the corner.

Pick 19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Kenneth Murray LB

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 234 LBS

Things work out perfectly for the Raiders and they get their quarterback of the defense in Murray. I expect him to test similarly to 2019 first-round linebackers Devin White and Devin Bush.

Pick 20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Josh Jones OL

HOUSTON • SR • 6’7″ / 310 LBS

The Cam Robinson experiment could be over and that would leave Jacksonville with a gaping hole at left tackle. Insert Jones, a tall, powerful, and athletic blocker with game film that was significantly more consistent than Robinson’s, albeit against a significantly lower level of competition.

Pick 21 – PHILADELPHIA

Tee Higgins WR

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS

This is too perfect. Higgins provides the Eagles with a deep threat and just so happens to be around 6-foot-4 with immaculate ball skills.

Pick 22 – BUFFALO

Henry Ruggs III WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 190 LBS

Ruggs wouldn’t add much size to the Bills’ receiver group, but good luck covering a due of Ruggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasley in man or zone coverage.

Pick 23 – NEW ENGLAND

Grant Delpit S

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 203 LBS

Given the age of the Patriots starting safeties, and the fact that Devin McCourty is set to become a free agent this March, Bill Belichick goes with Delpit, a tall, athletic, versatile safety with better play-making skill in coverage than against the run.

Pick 24 – NEW ORLEANS

Jalen Reagor WR

TCU • JR • 5’11” / 195 LBS

It is difficult to do a mock and not send Reagor to the Saints, a team with Drew Brees and Michael Thomas but a clear need at No. 2 wide receiver.

Pick 25 – MINNESOTA

Trevon Diggs CB

ALABAMA • SR • 6’2″ / 207 LBS

Diggs is a physical, press-man cornerback who can instantly replace an aging Xavier Rhodes in Mike Zimmer’s scheme.

Pick 26 – WASHINGTON (Mock Trade from Miami)

Mekhi Becton OL

LOUISVILLE • JR • 6’7″ / 369 LBS

It’s a dream come true for the Redskins here with Becton. And while right now, it may seem like there’s no way he lasts until No. 26 overall, at least one of the consensus “top” offensive tackles will likely be here. Trent Williams has been an absolute rock for Washington, but with him turning 32 in 2020, the last year of the extension he signed in 2015, the team very well could (and maybe should) trade him this offseason.

Pick 27 – SEATTLE

Austin Jackson OL

USC • JR • 6’6″ / 310 LBS

Jackson could very well test as the most athletic tackle in the class and he is a smooth mover — this plays perfectly into what GM John Schneider loves at the position (and all positions).

Pick 28 – BALTIMORE

Curtis Weaver EDGE

BOISE STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 265 LBS

The Ravens adore heavy, outside linebacker types to rush the passer. That’s precisely what Weaver is, and before his injury in 2019, he was on track to get selected in the Top 20 overall.

Pick 29 – TENNESSEE

Josh Uche EDGE

MICHIGAN • SR • 6’2″ / 250 LBS

With Uche, the Titans would get an awesome linebacker-edge rusher hybrid with juice around the corner and a dazzling inside counter.

Pick 30 – GREEN BAY

Patrick Queen LB

LSU • JR • 6’1″ / 227 LBS

Queen really looks like a safety on the field, from his size to his change-of-direction skills, and acceleration. And that’s not a not bad thing in today’s NFL.

Pick 31 – SAN FRANCISCO

Xavier McKinney S

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

McKinney is as active as they come in run support and consistently made plays in coverage in Nick Saban’s pro-style scheme.

Pick 32 – KANSAS CITY

Ross Blacklock DL

TCU • JR • 6’4″ / 305 LBS

In this scenario, the Chiefs can’t retain Chris Jones, so they go with a super-athlete on the interior of the defensive line in hopes of replacing some of his production.