AROUND THE NFL

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Even if it means playing for a team other than the Cowboys, TE JASON WITTEN wants to continue to play in 2020.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Jason Witten has no plans to retire again just yet.

The Cowboys tight end reiterated that he wants to continue playing but noted he realizes that might mean playing for another team for the first time in his career.

“I just think, yeah, coaching is in my future, but right now, I want to play while I can,” Witten said while presenting his Collegiate Man of the Year award at The Star in Frisco Tuesday night, via David Helman of the team’s official website. “We’ll see where that takes place. Of course, I want that to be with the Dallas Cowboys. I’ll always be a Dallas Cowboy. But I also understand that, with all the changes, I may have to go somewhere else.”

Witten’s comments made it clear he plans to pursue opportunities to continue playing, saying during Super Bowl week that the goal is to “exhaust” every opportunity to play before turning to coaching.

The question is whether teams believe he has anything left in the tank after he returned for his 16th season.

Witten compiled 63 catches for 529 yards with four TDs in his return from the TV booth. It was his fewest yards in a season since his rookie year and the lowest yards per catch (8.4) of his career. The 37-year-old looked every bit of his age last season, often seeming like the Tin Man in need of gobs of oil from Dorothy.

Yet despite the subpar season by his standards, Witten’s numbers were enough to rank eighth in receptions and 14th in yards among all tight ends last season. Those stats speak to the futility of depth at the position more than anything.

After watching Greg Olsen agree to a $7 million deal in Seattle, surely Witten thinks someone will give him a shot to play in 2020.

While noting he understands he might have to travel elsewhere, Witten isn’t giving up hope his 17th NFL season will be in Dallas.

“Well, it’s taken a lot longer than I had hoped for, but I think obviously with so many changes happening inside the [Dallas] building, just working through that,” Witten said. “I met with [coach] Mike [McCarthy] early on after he got the job, we had a really good visit. Since then, he’s been putting together his staff. I’ve had constant communication with Stephen [Jones] and Jerry [Jones] along the way. So, I think it’s my hope, I think our hope, to kind of have those talks very soon after the combine ends and before free agency. I want to play. I think I want to explore that. I think it’s the right fit in the role, and I feel like I still have something to give. I’ve been on the other side of that and made the decision to retire.”

Now all the veteran tight end must do is find a team willing to sign him in 2020. The NFL has a way of retiring players before they’re ready to walk away. Witten hopes he’s not the latest case.

PHILADELPHIA

The Eagles have released LB NIGEL BRADHAM per Tim McManus of ESPN.com:

The Eagles are releasing veteran linebacker Nigel Bradham, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Bradham, 30, was informed of the Eagles’ decision on Tuesday afternoon, the source said.

The move gives the Eagles an additional $4.5 million in cap room, upping their projected total to around $45 million in cap space as they enter the free-agency period.

Bradham was scheduled to make a base salary of $8 million in 2020.

Originally a fourth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2012, the Florida State product signed with the Eagles in 2016 and became a key component of Jim Schwartz’s defense, averaging 96 tackles over his first three seasons in Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON

RB ADRIAN PETERSON will be returning to Washington in 2020.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Adrian Peterson won’t be a free agent in March.

Washington announced on Wednesday that they are exercising their option on Peterson’s contract for 2020. It is the final year of the two-year pact he signed with the team last year.

Peterson is set to make a base salary of $2.25 million and count $3 million against the team’s salary cap.

That’s not much to pay for the player who has led the team in rushing over the last two seasons. They likely wouldn’t mind finding a younger player to help share the load now and take on a bigger role in the future, but Derrius Guice‘s knee injuries make it hard to count on him to be that player.

Peterson has 462 carries for 1,940 yards and 12 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He hasn’t missed a game due to injury, but did sit out the 2019 opener as a healthy scratch.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

The Falcons appear to have their kicker-punter duo for 2019. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The Falcons signed punter Ryan Allen and kicker Younghoe Koo to one-year extensions Tuesday. 

With punter Matt Bosher struggling with a groin injury, the Falcons had a revolving door at punter last season.Allen, 29, who signed Nov. 4, helped to stabilize the position over the final eight games of the season. He punted 28 times for 1,172 yards for a 41.9 average. Also, Allen placed 14 punts inside the opposition’s 20-yard line, including eight that were placed inside of the 10-yard line and five that were downed inside of the 5-yard line.Allen played six seasons for the Patriots and won three Super Bowls.

He has played in 96 NFL games and has a career average of 40.2 yards per punt.Allen will have to beat out punter Sam Irwin-Hill, who signed Feb. 7.Bosher, a sixth-round pick in 2011 out of Miami, appears headed to free agency after punting for the Falcons for the past nine seasons.

The Falcons also had problems at the kicker position and signed Koo on Oct. 29 after releasing long-time kicker Matt Bryant. Koo, 25, a former Georgia Southern kicker, made 23 of 26 field-goal attempts and 15 of 16 extra-point tries.

NEW ORLEANS

QB DREW BREES announces from a cliff in Kauai, through the magic of Instagram, that he will be back with the Saints in 2020 – although he does so without actually having a contract.  Katherine Terrell of The Athletic:

The end is coming for New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

But not yet.

Brees announced his return for at least one more NFL season on Tuesday morning, a little ahead of the one-month timeline he publicly set at the Pro Bowl. That means he’ll try to do what few quarterbacks have been able to do in the NFL: Go out a winner.

Brees posted a picture on his Instagram account on Tuesday of a recent hike he took on the island of Kauai, showing an empty cliff overlooking the ocean.

“My feeling about the 2020 season!” he wrote. “I look forward to the grind and the journey, for the reward at the end will be worth it!!! “Love you #WhoDatNation. Let’s make another run at it.”

In an odd way, Brees’ announcement felt somewhat anticlimactic. The threat of retirement certainly felt real, and yet, it almost seemed like an impossibility.

Great quarterbacks are just wired differently. It seemed almost unfathomable that Brees would not only walk away from a team he loved that still has a legitimate shot at a Super Bowl, but also that he could break most of the big records just to watch the still-active Tom Brady claim them for himself next season.

At no point during this season, even during a stretch where he sat out five games with a thumb injury that required surgery, did he seem like a man who was ready for things to be over. When Brees sat down with The Athletic for an interview in late October, he was asked if he got to spend more time with his family while rehabbing his thumb.

The question was almost puzzling to him. Even when Brees would theoretically be away from football without a game for which to prepare, the work never stops.

“Here’s the thing, it was pretty much the same,” Brees said. “Because the time I’d normally be preparing for the game, I’m in the training room. So it’s not like I was just home at 5 o’clock. It was kind of the same deal.”

That kind of commitment is likely why Brees had to think long and hard about if he truly had what it takes to return for one more season at 41. He is famously routine-oriented and now at an age where his body is more susceptible to injury.

Many of the NFL’s great quarterbacks, as durable as they once were, dealt with health issues that eluded them early in their careers.

Terry Bradshaw once said he wanted to play until 40, but an arm issue ended his career. Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl in his final season but was limping down the stretch with a foot issue. John Elway had knee and rib issues that forced him out of the game at 38.

“Nagging things that used to go away in a week were lingering four and five weeks,” he said at his retirement.

Even Brett Favre, the “Iron Man,” dealt with multiple issues that caused him to miss three games in his final season.

In coming back, Brees likely knows that he’ll have to devote even more time to make sure his body holds up.

Brees once said he wanted to play at 45. That was the goal, he said, when he was 35. But by 39, he said that while he thought he could still do that, it’s unlikely he’ll want to anymore.

“Do I feel like I could play this game for a lot longer? Until I’m 45 and beyond? Yes, I do, if that was truly what I wanted to do I feel like I could do that, God willing, health-wise and everything,” Brees said to The Athletic in 2018.

“But I’m telling you I’ll walk away from this game prior to that. When I do walk away it’ll be because I want to spend more time with my family, because I’m ready for that next chapter, and I’ll feel like I gave it everything I wanted to give it.”

What will the future look like? When will Brees truly decide to hang it up?

The first will become more clear in a few months, when the free agency and draft dust has settled, and even Brees probably doesn’t know the answer to the second question.

Right now, this is just step one. The Saints still have to figure out what a new contract for Brees will look like, but it’s clear that both sides have incentive to get this done without playing the leverage game. With Brees returning, the Saints won’t have to eat his $21.3 million of dead money this year. At a minimum, they’ll divert $5.4 million of that into 2021 and try to figure out an extension that’ll end up with a reasonable cap number. They will have to figure out what to do with backups Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill, who are free agents (Hill is restricted).

But all of that will come in time. Right now one thing is known: The clock is officially ticking on Brees’ tenure in the NFL.

It’s very real that Brees could ride off into the sunset in a year at age 42. In his ideal world, he’ll do it on his own terms with a Super Bowl win. As Brees knows better than most, there aren’t any guarantees for that to happen, especially this late in his career.

With that in mind, the very act of Brees returning sends a clear message: Despite the heartbreak of the last three seasons, Brees believes that the Saints have the team to make one last run.

Meanwhile, the Saints are going to tender QB TAYSOM HILL.  Hunter Noll of ClutchPoints.com:

Drew Brees announced he will be playing in 2020. That means the New Orleans Saints likely have their quarterback for the upcoming season.

It also means they are now in a weird situation with both Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill. A situation that might see them not bring back either player.

Now, Hill is currently a restricted free agent. That means the Saints will be able to match any offer the quarterback is given by another team.

According to Tom Pelissero this could set up a situation where Hill is tendered by New Orleans with a first or second-round.

A lot of people in football are high on Hill.

Admittedly, this surprises some, as Hill is now 29 (will be 30 in August) and has 13 career passing attempts for 119 yards and no touchdowns (one interception).

He’s become most popular for his utility play. Hill has been a quarterback , sure. But he’s also been a running back, receiver, tight end, and even blocked a punt.

Hill has done it all, but it appears many still believe it’s all about quarterback for him. So the Saints want to capitalize on that. If they can’t retain him, they could still get something back in the form of a draft pick.

So if the Saints, or any other team, truly believes Hill is their next star quarterback, now is the time of them to make that commitment to him. We’ll see what happens this offseason, but it should be interesting to see what goes down with Hill.

It should be noted that Hill is quick to signal that he’s also cool with what has happened to him during the last two years in New Orleans. Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Taysom Hill isn’t going to be New Orleans’ starting quarterback in 2020, but that isn’t keeping him from wanting to return.

Tuesday’s news of Drew Brees’ intent to return to the Saints means Hill won’t ascend to the role of franchise quarterback for the Saints, at least not in the upcoming season. The book is far from shut on their future together, though, because Hill “would love to play with Drew again.”

“At the end of the day, I look at Drew coming back and maybe I’m not playing quarterback, which is ultimately where I want to have an opportunity to play in the NFL,” Hill said during an appearance on Adam Schefter’s podcast, “but there are still going to be opportunities for me to make plays. I can tell you a unique experience for me that most backup quarterbacks don’t get is I’m in the huddle with Drew on game day. … That to me is invaluable.”

Hill has undoubtedly learned plenty and experienced even more during his time with the Saints, in which the quarterback has also been used as a pass-catcher and as a special teamer, as well as the occasional signal-caller. His role is a unique and valuable one to coach Sean Payton, who is tasked with devising gameplans that often include Hill in unorthodox positions.

Hill helped inject some life into the Saints during Wild Card Weekend, displaying his value in a short amount of time in a game they ultimately lost to the Vikings. He’s headed to restricted free agency, though, leaving open the possibility for another team to sign Hill to an offer sheet that could put the cap space-strapped Saints in an uncomfortable position.

That’s for the suits to handle, though, at least right now. Hill isn’t packed and ready to leave New Orleans for greener pastures, even with Brees returning.

“I think there’s a process of being a restricted free agent,” Hill said. “My agent and I are going through the process, and we’ll see what happens. But I’m in no hurry to leave New Orleans. As I look at my career, I have goals, and I have a vision for myself as to what I can do in the NFL, and there has been nothing that has been said, or I’ve never been treated in any way that would lead me to believe that the vision I have for myself is not the same vision that coach [Sean] Payton has for me, as well as the other guys on the staff. So I’m in no hurry, but I also think that there’s an important element of being a free agent. You finally have the opportunity to sit down and say, ‘What are my goals? What are my visions for myself?’ And then see who shares those same thoughts as you do.

“We’ll go through that process. It’s super early, so I have no idea what is going to happen. But we’ll go through that process and see what happens.”

Projecting Hill’s suitors and potential fits elsewhere is difficult, because he doesn’t have a significant body of work to evaluate as a traditional quarterback. He’s played the position in spots, but his value to the Saints is about more than playing quarterback — for now. We’ll see if he returns for more of that or gets a better shot elsewhere. We know he’ll be happy to remain in New Orleans if that’s what ultimately happens.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

We guess that this is the equivalent of having your record expunged.  The AP:

President Donald Trump has pardoned Edward DeBartolo Jr., the former San Francisco 49ers owner convicted in a gambling fraud scandal.

DeBartolo, 73, who helped to build the 49ers’ dynasty of the 1980s and ’90s, was involved in one of the biggest owners’ scandals in the sport’s history.

In 1998, he pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony when he paid $400,000 to former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards in exchange for a riverboat gambling license.

The White House announced the surprise decision to reporters on Tuesday. NFL greats Jerry Rice, Jim Brown, Ronnie Lott and Charles Haley were in attendance.

DeBartolo, whose 49ers won five Super Bowls under his leadership, stepped down as owner in 1997 after two Louisiana newspapers reported he would be indicted for gambling fraud. He avoided prison, was fined $1 million and was suspended for a year by the NFL. But the episode effectively ended his NFL career.

Rice, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played on three of DeBartolo’s Super Bowl-winning teams, said DeBartolo “was like that 12th man” of the great 49ers teams.

“He’s the main reason why we won so many Super Bowls,” Rice said. “So today is a great day for him. I’m glad to be here and be a part of that. It’s just something I will never forget. This man, he has done so much in the community, has done so much in NFL football.”

DeBartolo withdrew from the riverboat project after the state gambling board demanded he hand over all documents he gave to the grand jury. The documents included an “unexecuted agreement” between DeBartolo and Stephen Edwards, according to a copy of a grand jury subpoena obtained by the newspapers.

The state gambling board canceled the project after DeBartolo withdrew.

The DeBartolo family built their fortune through commercial real estate — mostly owning shopping malls. The family business was started by DeBartolo’s father, who died in 1994. In addition to the 49ers, the family also owned the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League before selling the team in 1991.

DeBartolo Jr. ran the 49ers starting in 1977, and his hiring of coach Bill Walsh in 1979 led to the franchise’s most successful era. From 1982 to 1995, the team won five Super Bowls.

After the suspension, DeBartolo gave control of the team to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York.

He never returned to the NFL after his suspension. The team is now run by his nephew, Jed York.

DeBartolo was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

SEATTLE

The Seahawks deny FOX Sports an analyst for 2020 by signing TE GREG OLSEN with more than $5 mil guaranteed. ESPN.com:

Former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has agreed to terms on a deal with the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced Tuesday.

Terms weren’t released, but a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter the deal is for one year and worth $7 million, with $5.5 million in guaranteed money.

Olsen visited with Buffalo, Seattle and Washington and felt most comfortable with the Seahawks, the source said.

Tight end was an area of need for the Seahawks, with Will Dissly coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon, his second major injury in as many NFL seasons. Veteran tight end Ed Dickson is a candidate to be released after missing most of his two seasons with Seattle due to injuries. Luke Willson, whom Seattle re-signed after trading Nick Vannett last year, is an unrestricted free agent. Jacob Hollister is a restricted free agent.

Because Olsen was released by Carolina, his addition won’t cost the Seahawks a compensatory pick.

Olsen became a free agent after he and the Panthers mutually agreed to part ways after nine seasons. A three-time Pro Bowl selection who has played 13 NFL seasons, he said he was still interested in playing in the NFL.

Olsen tallied 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons from 2014 to 2016, becoming the first tight end in NFL history to achieve that feat. But the injury bug has put a damper on his production the past three seasons.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

Adam Teicher of ESPN.com on the challenges facing the Chiefs in their bid to retain DT CHRIS JONES:

In their perfect world, the Kansas City Chiefs would retain defensive tackle Chris Jones for the foreseeable future and perhaps the rest of his career. Jones, the Chiefs’ sack leader in each of the past two seasons, is only 25 and said recently he would like to play in Kansas City “forever.”

But despite winning Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs’ world isn’t perfect. At least their financial picture for 2020 isn’t. They will have trouble keeping Jones given all the burdens on their salary cap.

The Chiefs are scheduled to have about $13 million of cap space when the league year begins next month without doing anything between now and then. Merely placing the franchise tag on Jones at a cost of about $16 million would put the Chiefs over the cap.

On one hand, Jones is the kind of player the Chiefs should clear salary-cap space for. He’s been the top playmaker on their defensive front. Jones had 15.5 sacks in 2018 and 9.0 last year. He was a major factor in Super Bowl LIV, knocking down three passes and getting pressure on 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on a second-quarter play to force an interception.

Jones should be heading into the prime of his career and had this to say at the end of the season, though the words came in the euphoric moments after the Super Bowl: “You don’t get these moments often and I’m so grateful to be on this team. Kansas City — I know I don’t talk about it much, but I want to be a Chief for life. I plan to stay here forever. Win not only one championship — two, three, four. We’ve got to build a dynasty here.”

On the other hand, the Chiefs survived last season in the times when Jones was out of their lineup. They went 2-2 without him, one of the defeats coming early in the season when the Chiefs were going through a rash of injuries that had Patrick Mahomes among others on the sideline.

The Chiefs were — statistically at least — a better run-defense team when Jones was out of the lineup than when he was on the field. They allowed 5.5 yards per rush with Jones in the game and 4.3 without. That’s a significant gap.

But key indicators show the Chiefs to be better against the pass when Jones was in the game. They allowed a 59.4 completion percentage with Jones, 62.9 without. They allowed 6.45 yards per pass attempt with Jones, 6.95 without.

The Chiefs could find a way to afford Jones but seemingly made their decision about that last year, when they traded for and then signed defensive end Frank Clark to a five-year, $104 million deal. Giving Clark that contract one year and then a similar deal to Jones the next wouldn’t be smart business for a team that is preparing for Mahomes’ massive next contract, whether it comes this year or next.

The best hope for the Chiefs to keep Jones, at least for 2020, appears to be as the franchise player. But there’s no guarantee Jones would sign the franchise tender. He held out of offseason workouts last year in the hope of getting his contract extended then.

It’s impossible to see the Chiefs letting Jones just leave as a free agent with no compensation. The Chiefs have the option of making Jones their franchise player and then trading him. That’s what they did last year with linebacker Dee Ford, who was traded to the 49ers.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Mmmmm.  It doesn’t sound like QB JOE BURROW is ready to meekly accept his fate as the first overall pick of the Bengals.  Ben Baby of ESPN.com:

Potential top overall NFL draft pick Joe Burrow suggested Monday that the upcoming draft process could have more layers than simply being selected by the Cincinnati Bengals, the team with the top pick.

“I do have leverage,” the former LSU quarterback said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, during a reception in Fort Worth in which he accepted the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s top college quarterback. “[The Bengals] have their process and I have my process. We haven’t even gotten to the [NFL] combine yet. There’s a lot of things that happen leading up to the draft and a lot of information gathered.”

It does not appear Burrow elaborated on those comments.

During various interviews with local media in Dallas-Fort Worth, Burrow was repeatedly asked about his thoughts on playing for the Bengals, who have the first pick in the draft after finishing with the NFL’s worst record in 2019.

Burrow, who grew up in Athens, Ohio, less than three hours east of Cincinnati, was intrigued by the idea of playing in the state where his parents still reside.

“It’s an interesting [thought], going back home to Ohio,” Burrow told KTCK-AM. “It would be a lot of fun. It would.”

During the buildup to next week’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, questions regarding Burrow’s willingness to play for the Bengals have been the topic of media speculation. Burrow’s mother, Robin, told the Star-Telegram on Monday that she was unaware of how that narrative originated.

“We have no idea where that comes from,” Robin Burrow told the Texas newspaper. “It’s a story out there that someone has created that doesn’t have any substance — from our perspective at least.”

However, throughout the day, Joe Burrow did not affirm his commitment to playing for Cincinnati, a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 1991. In 2004, top pick Eli Manning refused to play for the San Diego Chargers and was eventually traded to the New York Giants, where he won two Super Bowls.

Burrow said being the No. 1 draft pick will be a “dream come true,” but demurred when asked if he wants to go to the city that currently holds the top overall pick.

“I’d like to play football,” Burrow said at a news conference. “So whoever takes me — I’m a ballplayer, I’m gonna play.”

The Bengals will have a chance to meet with Burrow during the combine, which starts on Sunday.

CLEVELAND

Browns LT GREG ROBINSON appears to be smuggling drugs during his vacation.  TMZ.com:

Cleveland Browns lineman Greg Robinson — the #2 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft — is in custody after officials say he was found with A LOT of marijuana at a border patrol checkpoint.

We’re told Robinson was stopped on Monday at the Sierra Blanca border checkpoint near the U.S., Mexico border. We’re still working on the details surrounding the arrest.

Jail records show Robinson is still in custody and we’re told he’s facing a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute.

27-year-old Robinson was an absolute stud back in his college days — making 1st Team All-SEC during his 2013 season at Auburn.

The NFL scouts drooled over Robinson — he’s 6’5″, 332 pounds — and when the Rams took him with the #2 pick in 2014, they signed him to a fully guaranteed 4-year $21 million contract.

The bad news for the Rams … he didn’t live up to the hype so they traded him to the Detroit Lions for a 6th round pick in 2017. The Browns signed Robinson in 2018 and re-signed him in 2019.

Sources tell us the Browns recently informed Robinson they would not be bringing him back for the 2020 season.

Robinson has reportedly made more than $29 million in contract money during his NFL career.

We reached out to Robinson’s rep and the Cleveland Browns — so far, no comment from either.

PITTSBURGH

Former NFL wideout Ike Hilliard is hired by the Steelers.  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

The Steelers named nine-year NFL coaching veteran Ike Hilliard as their new wide receivers coach Tuesday morning.

Hilliard replaces interim wide receivers coach Ray Sherman, who came out of retirement to replace Darryl Drake after Drake’s death during last year’s training camp.

Hilliard previously worked as the Washington Redskins’ wide receivers coach from 2014 to 2019, his second stint in the role after also holding the position in 2012.

On his watch, rookie Terry McLaurin led the Redskins in all three receiving categories with 919 receiving yards, 58 receptions and 7 touchdown catches last season.

Hilliard also worked as the receivers coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2013 and as the assistant receivers coach for the Dolphins in 2011. Prior to his coaching career, Hilliard was a wide receiver at Florida and was drafted by the Giants in the first round of the 1997 draft. He spent eight seasons with the Giants and finished with four in Tampa Bay.

Hilliard is the second offseason hire for the Steelers, who previously added Matt Canada as the quarterbacks coach.

THIS AND THAT

2020 DRAFT

Kevin Hanson, who we have never heard of, but that doesn’t mean anything, is given the forum of SI.com to promulgate a Mock Draft.  They tell us “his NFL Mock Drafts have graded as the most accurate over the past five years, per The Huddle Report. His 2015 NFL mock draft graded as the most accurate and his 2019 NFL mock draft was the second-most accurate out of 101 draft analysts”

Away we go –

It will be interesting to see how the free agency and the draft shake up quarterback rooms around the league. With that said, here’s an updated look at how the first round could play out.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

All indications point to Burrow being under center for his home-state Bengals in 2020. While he’ll turn 24 as a rookie and has only good, not great, arm strength, Burrow shows tremendous poise in the pocket and throws with pinpoint accuracy. Breaking multiple SEC passing records, running away with the Heisman Trophy and leading LSU to an undefeated championship-winning season, Burrow made it look easy at times despite facing seven top-10 opponents along the way.

2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State

Unless Washington gets a king’s ransom to move back, Young is the no-brainer pick here. The source of nightmares for opposing offensive tackles, quarterbacks and offensive coordinators alike, Young has 27 sacks over the past two seasons, including a school-record and FBS-high 16.5 in 2019.

3. Detroit Lions: Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State

In the previous iteration of my mock, Miami traded up for Tua Tagovailoa, which allowed the Lions to still get their man (Okudah) at No. 5 and acquire a pair of additional Day 2 picks. If they don’t find a trade-back scenario they like, the pick will likely come down to Okudah, Derrick Brown or Isaiah Simmons. Pairing a complete corner like Okudah with Darius Slay, who is entering a walk season and looking for a big contract, would give the Lions one of the best cornerback tandems in the league (for at least one season).

4. New York Giants: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama

The Giants have used early first-round picks on Saquon Barkley (2018) and Daniel Jones (‘19) at the top of their previous two draft classes. This pick will help both of those players. A two-year starter at right tackle at Alabama, Wills is a dominant run blocker that has improved in pass protection and would replace free agent-to-be right tackle Mike Remmers to provide a significant upgrade to the offensive line as a rookie.

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

Provided team doctors are comfortable with his medical evaluation, it becomes an easy choice for a front office that has been looking for a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tagovailoa’s three-month CT scan was “as positive as possible.” With elite accuracy, anticipation and touch, Tagovailoa could be redshirted for a season with Ryan Fitzpatrick coming back in 2020.

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

The widely-expected belief that Philip Rivers won’t be back with the Chargers was confirmed by the team on Monday. Regardless of the free agents the Chargers may pursue ahead of the draft, Herbert has the tantalizing traits—prototypical size, arm strength, plus mobility and intelligence—that could entice the Chargers to take a chance on him this high. Meanwhile, the Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy called concerns about Herbert’s quiet leadership style a “false narrative” and went on to say that Herbert has “far more charisma than many NFL starters we’ve been around.”

7. Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

With the retirement of Luke Kuechly, adding a talent like Simmons here makes sense. While Simmons won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker, it’s his versatility that stands out. The converted safety had 104 tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles for Clemson in 2019.

8. Arizona Cardinals: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

The 2020 wide receiver draft class is one of the best ever and the Cardinals get their top choice here as they reunite Lamb with his former quarterback Kyler Murray. Scoring 26 touchdowns in 27 games over the past two seasons, Lamb has outstanding hands, body control and run-after-catch ability.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Brown, iDL, Auburn

Only the Panthers (5.2) allowed more yards per carry than the Jaguars (5.1) last season, and Brown is a dominant run defender who moves extremely well for his size. Given that Marcell Dareus has a team-high $22.5 million salary-cap charge, he’s a likely release candidate this offseason.

10. Cleveland Browns: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

Cleveland could be in the market to upgrade both tackle spots. Left tackle Greg Robinson was briefly benched midseason and is a free agent again while right tackle Chris Hubbard graded out as PFF’s 76th-best offensive tackle (out of 81 qualifiers) last season. Becton moves extremely well for a man his size and could play either left or right tackle for the Browns.

11. New York Jets: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

As long as one of the top four offensive linemen are on the board here, I’d expect that to be the pick. The Jets ranked bottom-three in Football Outsiders’ offensive line rankings in both run blocking (31st) and pass blocking (30th) in 2019. Topping Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” in 2019, Wirfs would be an immediate upgrade at right tackle, could play left tackle or shift inside to guard.

12. Las Vegas Raiders: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

Darren Waller had a breakout season (90-1,145-3), but the trade for Antonio Brown turned out to be a failed experiment, leaving an opening for a true WR1. Ending his collegiate career on a high note (6-204-1 vs. Michigan), Jeudy is a polished route-runner with breakaway speed that can immediately step into the WR1 role.

13. Indianapolis Colts: Javon Kinlaw, iDL, South Carolina

Perhaps Chris Ballard would select Lamb or Jeudy, if one of those top-10 talents were to fall, or draft a quarterback with the upside of Jordan Love here. As Ballard said last month the “3-technique drives this” defense and “we’ve got to be able to get some more interior pressure.” Kinlaw has generated 10 sacks over the past two seasons by using his blend of length, strength and quickness.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Following his 30-interception season, there’s no guarantee that Jameis Winston will be back in 2020, although that hasn’t been ruled out either. While Love regressed in his junior season as he threw nearly as many interceptions (17) as touchdowns (20), he has the physical traits including elite arm strength that would fit in Bruce Arians’s vertical passing attack.

15. Denver Broncos: Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama

Perhaps the Broncos draft an offensive tackle like Georgia’s Andrew Thomas here, but in this mock they go in a different direction to help second-year quarterback Drew Lock. Courtland Sutton had a breakout sophomore campaign (1,112 yards) for the Broncos and Ruggs offers a complementary skill set to Sutton’s. Few players can match the elite sub-4.3 speed of Ruggs, who scored on one of four career touches at Alabama.

16. Atlanta Falcons: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

Only the Dolphins (23) had fewer sacks this season than the Falcons (28), who have announced they will move on from Vic Beasley (team-high eight sacks in 2019). The 20-year-old has elite speed off the edge and came on late—4.5 sacks in final four games—and led LSU in sacks, tackles for loss and QB hurries in 2019.

17. Dallas Cowboys: Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Outside of Jeffrey Okudah, the Cowboys would have their choice of defensive backs in this mock draft scenario. The Cowboys were tied for the league low in passes intercepted (seven) last season and Delpit is a rangy playmaker with eight interceptions and 24 passes defended in his three seasons at LSU.

18. Miami Dolphins (via PIT): Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

Not only do the Dolphins need to fill the void left behind when traded away Laremy Tunsil, but the team could benefit from multiple upgrades to their line, which finished last in Football Outsiders’ 2019 offensive line rankings. A three-year starter at Georgia, Thomas has experience at both left tackle (2018 and ‘19) and right tackle (‘17).

19. Las Vegas Raiders (via CHI): Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

This pick could be a linebacker, such as Patrick Queen, but the Raiders instead go with one of Queen’s LSU teammates. Not only did the Raiders trade Gareon Conley midseason for a third-round pick, but Daryl Worley will be an unrestricted free agent next month as well.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR): C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

The Jags own this pick (and others) after trading Jalen Ramsey to the Rams. The biggest knock on Henderson will be his tackling, but he possesses the length, speed and confidence to thrive as a cover corner at the next level.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado

Carson Wentz became the first quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards without a 500-yard wide receiver. The trio of Alshon Jeffery (10), DeSean Jackson (three) and Nelson Agholor (11) played only 24 games in 2019. Built more like a running back than a wide receiver, Shenault flourishes in the open field due to his strength, size, burst, vision and elusiveness.

22. Buffalo Bills: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

The Bills signed a pair of smaller receivers—John Brown and Cole Beasley—last offseason and the duo combined for 139 catches for 1,838 yards and 12 touchdowns. Tying Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins for the most receiving touchdowns (27) in Clemson history, Higgins has a large catch radius, high points the football well and wins as a vertical receiver.

23. New England Patriots: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

While not the most explosive off the line, Epenesa possesses a nice blend of power, length and heavy hands. While he started the 2019 season slowly, he closed the season strong with eight sacks and four forced fumbles over his final five games.

24. New Orleans Saints: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

Assuming that Drew Brees is under center for at least one more season, adding another playmaker opposite Michael Thomas makes sense. Coming off a breakout senior season, Aiyuk has the speed and open-field vision to rack up yards after the catch in bunches. The former Sun Devil has an 81″ wingspan, which is equivalent to someone 6′ 9″.

25. Minnesota Vikings: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Both Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander are scheduled to become free agents, and the play of Xavier Rhodes has regressed significantly despite making the Pro Bowl. In fact, Rhodes could become a cap casualty this offseason. The younger brother of Stefon, Trevon Diggs has ideal length for the position and led Alabama in pass breakups (eight) last season.

26. Miami Dolphins (via HOU): Josh Jones, OT, Houston

As noted earlier, the Dolphins have a league-worst offensive line that could use multiple upgrades including at both tackle spots. The offensive tackles currently on their roster that played 500-plus snaps last season, graded as the 63rd (or worse) offensive tackles last season, per PFF, and one of them (J’Marcus Webb) is a 31-year-old free agent-to-be. A four-year starter at Houston, Jones has the length, quick feet and movement skills coveted in a left tackle.

27. Seattle Seahawks: Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame

Only the Dolphins recorded fewer sacks (23) than the Seahawks (28) in 2019 and both Jadeveon Clowney and Ezekiel Ansah are potential free agents. Okwara’s season was cut short (fibula) and he has lacked consistency, but he’s a long and explosive athlete that racked up 13.5 sacks and 19.5 TFL in 22 games over the past two seasons.

28. Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama

Especially if the Ravens are unable to retain Matt Judon, who had a team-high 9.5 sacks last season, edge rusher will be the team’s biggest draft need. Injuries derailed the start of his Alabama tenure, but Lewis has the explosive first step and length to become a productive pass-rusher for the Ravens.

29. Tennessee Titans: J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State

If the Titans and Derrick Henry are unable to agree to a deal to keep him in Nashville, Dobbins could step into his workhorse role. Dobbins has tremendous vision, balance and power and is a capable receiver (22-plus catches in all three years in Columbus). He also broke Eddie George’s single-season rushing record at Ohio State.

30. Green Bay Packers: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

A pair of Packers linebackers—Blake Martinez and B.J. Goodson—are set to become free agents. Queen is a three-down linebacker with outstanding speed and coverage skills, who played his best football down the stretch.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

Jimmie Ward is set to become a free agent and McKinney has the versatility to play both safety spots as well as nickel corner. Adept in both run support and as a pass defender, McKinney had three interceptions for the Crimson Tide this season.

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU

Several of the Chiefs’ cornerbacks—Kendall Fuller, Morris Claiborne, Bashaud Breeland and Keith Reaser—will become free agents in the offseason. While he’s not the biggest corner (183 pounds), Gladney plays more physical than his weight and is exceptionally fast (4.34 40). Gladney has five career interceptions and 26 passes defended over the past two seasons.