THE DAILY BRIEFING
| NFC NORTH |
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DETROIT
Did DT JALEN CARTER talk his way into going to Detroit with the 6th overall pick? Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com:
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter ahead of the upcoming NFL draft, the unanimous All-American left a strong impression on the front office after visiting the Detroit Lions facility on Monday.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes held his poker face during Thursday’s media availability when discussing any specific plans about their draft strategy, but said the Lions aren’t opposed to selecting any prospects who may create any headlines — if it helps the team.
“He came in and he did a nice job. Again, it’s always case by case. He came in, we enjoyed our time with him, he did a nice job,” Holmes said of Carter’s recent visit. “I’ll say even after he left his visit, I felt better about him.”
With the Lions holding four picks in the first two rounds, including picks No. 6 and 18 overall, Carter could very well be available in that top-10 spot on draft day. Detroit’s run defense was an issue last year, too, allowing 5.2 yards per rush (30th) and 146.5 rushing yards per game (29th), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. No team allowed more yards before contact per rush than the Lions (3.4 yards).
Although Carter’s talent is undeniable, after earning All-SEC first-team honors, his draft status has been clouded after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing last month in connection with a fatal crash in January. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service and will attend a state-approved defensive driving course. His attorney, Kim Stephens, said that by resolving the matter, the state of Georgia is forever barred from bringing additional charges against Carter.
In a statement to ESPN, Stephens said Carter did not cause a car wreck on Jan. 15, in which Georgia football player Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed. Police alleged that LeCroy was driving an SUV that was racing Carter’s SUV before the wreck. According to police, LeCroy’s SUV was going 104 mph when it left the road and hit two power poles and several trees. Police said her blood alcohol content was .197, about 2½ times the legal limit in Georgia.
According to Stephens, Carter had not been drinking alcohol and was not under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substances.
Carter also showed up to Georgia’s pro day weighing 323 pounds, which was 9 pounds heavier than his weight at the combine in Indianapolis.
Carter only made visits to teams holding a pick in the top 10, with agent Drew Rosenhaus telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he was confident his client wouldn’t fall past the 10th overall pick.
Carter told HBO’s “Real Sports” that a couple different teams have asked him about what happened, but “they didn’t really get too in depth about the crash.
“They just wanted to hear my side and that’s it,” he added. |
| NFC EAST |
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DALLAS
The Cowboys have exercised the fifth year option on WR CeeDEE LAMB. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Cowboys want to sign receiver CeeDee Lamb to a long-term deal, but they have bought themselves some time to get that done.
Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports Thursday that the Cowboys have done the expected: They have exercised the fifth-year option on Lamb’s contract.
That will pay Lamb a guaranteed salary of $19.7 million for 2024.
Lamb, the 17th overall pick in 2020, will make a $2.520 million base salary in 2023 and count $4.458 million against the salary cap.
Lamb, 24, set career-highs in catches (107), yards (1,359) and touchdowns (nine) in 2022 after taking over the No. 1 receiver role from Amari Cooper. He earned his second Pro Bowl. |
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PHILADELPHIA
Is Matt Patricia on the Eagles coaching staff? Tim McManus of ESPN.com:
The Eagles have hired former Detroit Lions head coach and New England Patriots assistant Matt Patricia as a senior defensive assistant, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Coach Nick Sirianni said during a news conference Thursday that it was “trending” in the direction of Patricia being hired.
“Obviously his résumé speaks for itself. It gives you a great mind in there that’s done it at the highest level,” Sirianni said. “It gives you great ability to bounce ideas off of with the defensive staff, and also gives me another former head coach that I can bounce ideas off of as well with things which I think would be very helpful.”
Patriots coach Bill Belichick turned to Patricia, the team’s defensive coordinator from 2012 to ’17, as the offensive playcaller in 2022 following the departure of longtime coordinator Josh McDaniels to become Las Vegas Raiders head coach. It was an unconventional choice considering Patricia’s primary background in the NFL had come on defense. Patricia, 48, was also entrusted with implementing a new offensive scheme, with which Belichick naturally had significant influence.
The desired results never came to fruition, however, with Belichick saying at the end of the Patriots’ 8-9 season: “It wasn’t what we want it to be or need it to be.”
That led to the Patriots hiring Bill O’Brien to return as offensive coordinator on Jan. 26.
Between stints with the Patriots, Patricia served as the Lions’ head coach from 2018 to ’20, compiling a 13-29-1 record. He butted heads with former Lions and current Eagles cornerback Darius Slay during his time in Detroit.
Slay told ESPN’s Michael Rothstein in 2020 that there were multiple incidents that led to the fraying of the relationship between he and Patricia. The one that bothered him the most happened after a training camp practice. Slay posted a picture on social media about him and a receiver who had caught a couple of passes on him that day. At the start of the meeting later that night, Patricia used the social media photo along with a small highlight tape of said player on the board before addressing Slay. Slay, then 29, said Patricia put the picture on the team board, with Patricia essentially telling him to stop kissing up to another player, although the coach used a more profane analogy.
“Yeah. Right there, after that, that’s when all my respect went out the door for him. As a man,” Slay said.
Sirianni said he talked with Slay about the addition of Patricia, which was initially announced on the team’s website Thursday before being abruptly deleted.
“Of course. Like you do with anything, you go through and talk to guys and make sure everyone is comfortable with it,” Sirianni said. “I had conversations with Slay, I obviously had conversations with Coach Patricia, and I know it will be a good working relationship for us when that happens.”
– – –
Nicole Lynn is a new force in the world of agents, fresh from smoothly netting QB JALEN HURTS a big deal. Jason Jones of The Athletic:
In a world where she’s an outsider in multiple ways, Nicole Lynn cannot be ignored.
Lynn was a rising star in the sports agency business four years ago when she became the third woman — and first Black woman — to represent an NFL first-round draft pick when Alabama’s Quinnen Williams was picked third by the New York Jets in 2019.
There’s no “rising” needed in front of Lynn’s name anymore. She’s a force, a history maker as the first Black woman to represent a quarterback in the Super Bowl — Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.
Lynn has made herself at home in a world that’s not necessarily welcoming. This week, she negotiated the largest contract in total value in NFL history (five years, $255 million, $179.3 million guaranteed) for Hurts, as well as the first no-trade clause in team history as part of the extension to Hurts’ rookie deal. From an up-and-comer in the business to completing the league’s biggest deal in less than a five-year span — that’s major.
Lynn delivered a big payday for one of the NFL’s emerging stars. She tweeted in January that she was looking for a Brinks truck. After news broke of Hurts deal, Lynn followed that tweet with another. Big talk that yielded bigger results months later.
There’s no denying the NFL is dominated by men — mainly White men — when it comes to power-broking moves made around the league. From coaches to agents and powerful influences in the media, football is a man’s game.
The NFL has been criticized for its lack of sensitivity toward the Black community and women. Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem in protest of police brutality in 2016, and some Black fans are still unhappy he hasn’t played in the league since. Most recently, Brian Flores sued the NFL over its hiring practices for Black coaches.
Stereotypes and misogyny are still prevalent, and there are certainly players who only saw Lynn as “Nicole” and wanted nothing to do with her as an agent. It can be easy for some to accept that this is how things simply are supposed to be. Even though nearly 70 percent of the players in the league are Black, many players still carry some of the same biases when looking to hire an agent.
I’ve heard agents for years complain about this, so when Lynn wins, I smile.
There are men who will hate just because they can. Lynn will always have to prove herself to some, because what could a woman know about sports, right?
That’s why it’s satisfying to see Lynn stack up victories.
“I really saw something in her, and I feel like she’s a grinder — she’s going to go get it,” Hurts told Boardroom in February before Super Bowl LVII. “Kinda like myself, no one expects you to do much. I feel like we saw eye-to-eye in terms of hunger and determination to succeed, and she’s making history.”
Lynn continues to kick down the door, and it’s great to watch. The NFL needs more women like Lynn to step into spaces with antiquated thinking. It does more for the overall health of the NFL than selling merchandise aimed at women.
Lynn has been with Klutch Sports Group since 2021 and was promoted to president of football operations for the agency founded by Rich Paul, who brought his own seat to the table of the world of NBA agents. Like Lynn, Paul once was an outsider in the sports business world. And like Paul, Lynn now is someone who has become synonymous with some of the biggest names in sports.
It’s always good when the outsiders make a positive impact. They’re inspiring — and Lynn is inspiring.
Additionally, Lynn is a published author who connected with Hurts via Instagram to become his agent. Who needs a business card when a direct message will suffice?
Hurts did what a lot of men wouldn’t have done in sports. He trusted a woman with his career — and it paid off. Lynn’s success is also changing what we think of when we think of a sports agent.
The most famous images of agents in pop culture are men. Tom Cruise was a super agent in the film “Jerry Maguire.” Robert Wuhl played an agent in HBO’s “Arliss.” There’s also Dwayne Johnson’s show “Ballers.”
But Lynn is so good, she’s even changing that. And thanks to 50 Cent, her career is set to become the basis of a television series. If 50 Cent delivers like he’s done with the “Power” series or “BMF,” there are going to be a lot of Lynns popping up to emulate her hustle.
Lynn will be prominent in the NFL Draft this month with another big-time Alabama defender, representing outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr., as well as Texas running back Bijan Robinson.
She’s not going anywhere. That’s good. Knowing there are those in the sports world who might not want her around means every time one of her clients gets paid, it’s a kick to the status quo. And I like that. |
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WASHINGTON
The Commanders (Ron Rivera to be specific) profess to be happy with their QB situation. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Commanders had former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker in for a visit this month, but head coach Ron Rivera’s message on Thursday was that nothing has changed in regard to the team’s feelings about their current quarterbacks.
Rivera said at a press conference that “you never know” what will happen during a draft when asked about the visit with Hooker and that “situations and circumstances may dictate” a change in approach as things unfold, but he was emphatic that the team is happy with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett as their quarterbacks.
“As far as the quarterback position goes, we feel very comfortable with the guys we have,” Rivera said, via Bryan Manning of USAToday.com. “If you think about it, we have a young guy in Sam that coming out at one point was rated very high. We were fortunate, we believe, to get him where we got him. We got Jacoby Brissett coming off in what we believe was one of his better years as a player. It is one of those things that is funny because, typically, when you get quarterbacks, it is when they are coming off a tough time. We feel good about what we did there as well, and we will see what happens.”
Rivera acknowledged that the team isn’t going to put all of its cards on the table, but moving for a quarterback early in next week’s draft would represent a major shift from all the hints the team has sent about its plans this offseason. |
| NFC WEST |
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SAN FRANCISCO
Are the Buccaneers one of the teams making inquiries of the 49ers about QB TREY LANCE? Doric Sam of Bleacher Report has them on his list of suspects:
The San Francisco 49ers have a pair of promising young quarterbacks who are recovering from injuries in Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, and there’s reportedly a chance one of them isn’t on the team for the 2023 season.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the 49ers have “received inquiries from several teams looking into a potential trade” for Lance, who is working his way back from a broken ankle suffered in Week 2 of last season. Rapoport pointed out that San Francisco has been “fielding the calls, not making them,” as there is a belief around the league that Purdy would be the starter when he recovers from his torn UCL.
While Rapoport added that “no trade is imminent,” there are multiple teams in the NFL who could use a young, talented quarterback like Lance. The 2021 No. 3 overall pick has only appeared in eight games in his first two years, with four starts, but he’s shown flashes of the dual-threat ability that made San Francisco trade three first-round picks to move up to the third spot to select him.
Lance would likely fare best in a situation where he’s paired with a veteran quarterback so he can continue to recover and develop properly without the pressure of starting right away.
The Tennessee Titans are believed to be in search of their quarterback of the future so they can eventually replace Ryan Tannehill, who is set to count for a $36.6 million cap hit in the final year of his contract this season.
While Tennessee drafted quarterback Malik Willis in the third round last year, the franchise could be eyeing one of the prospects in this year’s quarterback-rich draft class with the No. 11 pick. Trading for Lance would allow the Titans to avoid the growing pains of developing another rookie.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added a stopgap this offseason by signing Baker Mayfield to a one-year deal following Tom Brady’s retirement. The Bucs are unlikely to contend for a Super Bowl without Brady under center, so they could be eyeing next year’s draft to find their franchise quarterback. However, adding Lance would allow the team to accelerate its impending rebuild.
Another interesting team to watch is the Minnesota Vikings, as veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract. While veteran Nick Mullens is a viable backup, the franchise is in need of a young quarterback to secure its future. Lance would fit that bill, and he wouldn’t have to start right away as the Vikings chase a second straight NFC North title.
The Houston Texans (No. 2 pick), Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) and Washington Commanders (No. 16) are all in positions to draft a quarterback this year, but they would be wise to explore a trade for Lance. Even with his minimal NFL experience, the 22-year-old would likely have a better chance to lead a rebuilding team to success than a rookie quarterback would. |
| AFC WEST |
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KANSAS CITY
Would the Chiefs give QB PATRICK MAHOMES a pre-emptive raise to get him back to his rightful spot atop the QB Pay list? It sounds that way to Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:
When Jalen Hurts agreed to his contract extension earlier this week, it had ramifications beyond just securing the quarterback’s future with the Eagles.
The Bengals are likely to reach a new deal with quarterback Joe Burrow this offseason, as are the Chargers with quarterback Justin Herbert.
Once all the figures for those contracts come in, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is likely going to be underpaid relative to the rest of the market. He signed a 10-year extension with the Chiefs in the summer of 2020 that has an average annual value of $45 million.
So after Mahomes won his second Super Bowl and second MVP in the 2022 season, an adjustment to the quarterback’s contract could be coming sooner than later.
“We have a special relationship with [Mahomes] and his agent. We’re in constant communication,” General Manager Brett Veach said during his Thursday pre-draft press conference. “It’s one of those things — and I think coach [Andy Reid] hinted on this in his last press conference — where as soon as one guy gets done, it’s kind of the blueprint and the model. And a few years later, it’s jumped and exceeded.
“But I think that this organization and the relationship we have with Pat will always be working to make sure that we’re doing right by everybody. There will be a couple more contracts that still have to get done — Burrow and Herbert — and once they do, I think you kind of look at everything and assess where you are and what you can do and take it from there.”
As Veach alluded to, Reid was also asked about Mahomes’ contract situation earlier in the week and noted that when a significant contract happens, it’s often quickly surpassed.
“You can start chasing that and kind of forget about your job at hand, but Pat’s got a great feel for all that stuff,” Reid said in his press conference. “The main thing he wanted to do, which my hat just goes off to him, is he wanted to do a deal that was team-friendly so that we could sign — if you lose a left tackle, you could go out and sign another one and have that flexibility there. So, you know, I think he’s got a great feel on all that.”
Given the comments from Veach and Reid, it seems like just a matter of time before Mahomes gets a raise. But the club will likely be patient to see where the market goes before it comes time to have Mahomes sign a new deal. |
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LAS VEGAS
CB DARIUS SLAY may say he can get along with Matt Patricia in Philadelphia despite old animosity, but Mark Davis is clear he has no plans of coexisting with baseball’s A’s. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:
Oakland wasn’t big enough for the Raiders and the A’s. The owner of the football team thinks Las Vegas isn’t, either.
Mark Davis doesn’t like the fact that the A’s plan to join the Raiders in Sin City. And Davis isn’t bashful about saying so.
Via John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Davis sounded off on the plan to bring the A’s to the town the Raiders now call home.
Davis holds a grudge regarding the way the A’s handled things when the two teams shared a venue in Oakland.
“I won’t forget what they did to us in Oakland,” Davis told Katsilometes on Thursday. “They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium. . . They were looking for a stadium. We were looking for a stadium. They didn’t want to build a stadium, and then went ahead and signed a 10-year lease with the city of Oakland and said, ‘We’re the base team.’”
That move, in Davis’s mind, killed the Raiders’ chances of remaining in Oakland.
“They marketed the team as ‘Rooted in Oakland,’ that’s been their mantra through the whole thing,” Davis said. “The slogans they’ve been using have been a slap to the face of the Raiders, and they were trying to win over that type of mentality in the Bay Area. Well all they did was fuck the Bay Area.”
Davis got what he wanted, a sweetheart deal for a taxpayer stadium in an arguably better market. But he still blames the A’s for the relocation of the Raiders.
“For them to leave Oakland without anything is pretty [screwed] up,” Davis said. “Because that site that the stadium was on was a good site. . . . We ended up in Las Vegas, which is absolutely fantastic and couldn’t be better. But the A’s never gave us a real good chance to stay up in Oakland.”
If/when the A’s come to town, Davis has no interest in cooperating with the baseball team.
“Not with that management group,” Davis said. “I just have, again, a lot of personal animosity toward the front office. But with a new management group? Absolutely.”
Hey, at least the Raiders and the A’s won’t have to pretend to support each other, like every other football team does when the local baseball team is playing, and vice-versa. They act like they get along because they have to, but they’re ultimately competing for the same hearts, minds, and wallets in their shared market. For the citizens who have limited discretionary dollars, local teams in different sports necessarily are trying to get a bigger percentage of it for tickets and merchandise, even if they will never admit it publicly.
Davis and the Raiders clearly won’t have that problem once the A’s come to town. It could make things interesting in the coming years, if/when the A’s officially join the Raiders as both former residents of Oakland — and current residents of Las Vegas. |
| AFC NORTH |
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BALTIMORE
An LA restaurant owner is quick to defend WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr. against sensational tabloid charges. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:
The headline at TMZ.com declares in gigantic font that Ravens receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been named in an assault investigation. The text of the story contains the most salient information, seemingly.
The owner of the restaurant where the incident allegedly occurred said this: “We were contacted about an investigation and reviewed the videos, the claim is false. There is no evidence of this person even being in the area where she claims the incident occurred.”
Skip
That would seem to be pretty important. It doesn’t completely invalidate the allegation, but it calls into serious question the veracity of the claim.
The alleged incident occurred at Delilah in L.A. That’s where cameras caught former NFL Network analyst Willie McGinest committing an assault, leading to an arrest, a suspension from work, and an eventual separation from employment.
Per the report, the incident allegedly happened “several weeks ago.” The alleged victim claims that Beckham “went up to her and grabbed her throat with light pressure.”
Beckham hasn’t denied being there. But if cameras were present in the area where the incident allegedly occurred and there’s no evidence to corroborate the claim, it’s hard to imagine this one going anywhere. |
| AFC SOUTH |
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INDIANAPOLIS
The Colts are holding on to C RYAN KELLY, who wants to stay in Naptown. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Colts fired head coach Frank Reich during the 2022 season and they’ve parted ways with some veterans this offseason, but they haven’t implemented the full rebuild that other experienced players like defensive tackle DeForest Buckner feared would unfold.
One of the choices that the Colts made along the way was to pass on trade inquiries involving center Ryan Kelly. General Manager Chris Ballard said earlier this month that teams called about acquiring Kelly, but that it was too hard to move on without him in the lineup.
Kelly told reporters this week that it was “impossible not to see rumors” about the team trading him, but his mind was put at ease when new head coach Shane Steichen told him that he remained in the plans in Indianapolis.
“He gave me a call that night and we talked for 20 minutes,” Kelly said, via James Boyd of TheAthletic.com. “I thought that was kind of refreshing in my mind of like, ‘I still love this place. It still means the world to me.’”
Most people expect the Colts to add a quarterback at the top of the draft next week. His identity will not be known until the Colts are on the clock, but he will have an experienced center to work with as he makes the transition to life in the NFL. |
| AFC EAST |
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BUFFALO
The Bills will have PK TYLER BASS to kick around for them for a few more years. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com:
The Buffalo Bills reached agreement with kicker Tyler Bass on a four-year extension that keeps him with the team through the 2027 season, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The deal is worth up to $21 million with $12.3 million guaranteed, sources said.
Bass, 26, was going into the final year of his rookie deal with the Bills and would have hit free agency in 2024. The deal will make him the fourth-highest-paid kicker in average annual value, according to Roster Management.
A Georgia Southern product, Bass was drafted by Buffalo in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft. He has been the Bills’ kicker in every game since, making 85.6% of his career kicks and 97.5% of PATs.
In each of the past two seasons, Bass has made over 87% of his kicks. He has never missed more than two PATs in a season and made all 51 of his regular-season PATs in 2021. He ranked 12th among kickers with more than 10 attempts in accuracy in 2022 (87.1%).
Bass has shown the ability to kick consistently despite the tough conditions that the lake wind and often lake-effect snow bring to Highmark Stadium. He also has had success at the end of the season, with his highest field goal accuracy percentages coming in December (89.5%) and January (100%). In his career, Bass, the first member of the Bills’ 2020 draft class to be extended, has missed only four fourth-quarter or overtime kicks (24-of-28), including the postseason, and he has made all five of his potential game-tying or go-ahead kicks in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime. He is the first player in Bills history to score 120-plus points in three seasons.
The Bills will also have consistency at the holder position for Bass after re-signing punter Sam Martin to a three-year deal this offseason. |
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THIS AND THAT |
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ANTHONY RICHARDSON
There are those who say that consistent accuracy in passing the football is the most underrated and important talent in quarterback play. Those people would not use a high draft pick on Gator QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON.
Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com profiles Richardson
Richardson’s friends and coaches call him “superhuman” and “a human highlight machine.”
“A lot of people say I’m a different breed. I always tell people I’m not from Earth,” Richardson says with a laugh. “I’m gifted, I’m talented. I feel like God made me different, and I just try to use that in my daily life.”
As Richardson explains, he points to a new tattoo on his left quad. It says, “1 of 1.”
– – –
There is no denying his talent, as Richardson has landed among the top five quarterback prospects headed into the NFL draft April 27 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC and ESPN App). But his rise has also made him the most polarizing prospect in this class. The reason? Richardson has 13 career college starts, which would be tied with Mitch Trubisky for the fewest by a quarterback drafted in the first round since 2002. In his only season as a full-time starter, he completed 53.8% of his passes, with 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Over the past 20 years, three quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round after throwing fewer than 20 touchdowns in their final college season.
The highlight reel shows the upside for the team that drafts him, but the stats show the risk.
Richardson knows all of this, and has not shied away from the conversation about improving his accuracy. “I know 50% completion percentage is not great so of course I’m working to get better,” he said.
There have been big quarterbacks, and fast quarterbacks, running quarterbacks and quarterbacks with remarkable arm strength. But Richardson is a rare prospect: an imposing figure at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds who runs like a receiver and can make a 60-yard deep ball look as effortless as a 10-yard out.
Many have compared him to Cam Newton, the former No. 1 overall pick, Heisman Trophy winner and NFL MVP. In 2010 with Auburn, Newton had one of the greatest single seasons in college football history, completing 66% of his passes with 30 touchdowns (and another 20 rushing) to seven interceptions. Richardson tried to pattern his game after Newton and even wore No. 2 in high school.
Another comparison for Richardson might be Josh Allen, a big-bodied quarterback who can run but completed 56% of his passes during his final two seasons at Wyoming. Allen is now a two-time All-Pro with the Buffalo Bills.
But neither Newton nor Allen ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash the way Richardson did at the combine in February. In fact, no quarterback over 225 pounds had ever clocked a time that fast in Indianapolis.
“If we’re being honest, when you say quarterback, your image is not typically Anthony because his ability skill-set-wise he can do pretty much anything you ask him to do,” said Ole Miss strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage, who worked with Richardson at Florida. “That’s where Anthony blows the top off relative to his position group. There’s not a lot of people that have done it or will do it that are as genetically gifted as Anthony.”
– – –
Richardson knew at an early age he was different because he could throw a ball 30 to 40 yards by the time he was 8, twice as far as his friends. He remembers the first time anybody saw him throw when he moved to Gainesville in sixth grade.
Richardson was at the park when a football rolled toward him. He saw a group of younger kids training clear across the way.
“Throw it back!” they yelled.
So Richardson did. They were so shocked they yelled once more.
“Do it again!”
They sent the ball back to Richardson, and again, he threw it to them with ease. It just so happened the coach of the youth football team was walking his dogs in the park at the same time. The kids called the coach over and told him, “We found your quarterback!”
Richardson did more than play football in the park. He would spend hours with friends doing backflips, a skill he taught himself after watching his younger brother, Corey, do them during toddler gymnastics. Watching Corey flip around looked like fun. Richardson tried it, and he was hooked.
As time went on, he wanted to do more than just backflips. He looked up YouTube videos of parkour — moves designed to get from one point to another by jumping, flipping, running or vaulting. He and his friends would run up walls and flip. At the park, they would flip over fences, jump between picnic tables, even use a small playground suspension bridge that was about 10-15 feet in the air.
“Me and my friend used to get on top of the part where people hold onto the bridge, and we would flip off it,” Richardson said. “It was never to impress anybody. I just like flipping and jumping. It brings joy to me.”
– – –
Staying in Gainesville and playing at Florida seemed like the natural fit. But the funny thing is, Richardson never grew up dreaming about playing for the Gators. When he first got to Gainesville, he had no idea the University of Florida was there because the campus was on the other side of town.
What was most important was staying close to home, and to his mother and brother. Corey is seven years younger, and Richardson took it upon himself to help raise him while their mother worked. Everybody who grew up with Anthony in Gainesville saw the two of them either on his mountain bike — Anthony pedaling, Corey riding on the handlebars — or out at football practice.
Vernell Brown Jr., who also grew up in Gainesville and played at Florida, vividly remembers Anthony walking into a middle school football practice with his little brother beside him. Brown eventually took a job as senior director of student-athlete development/alumni relations with the football program and became a mentor to Richardson.
“He’s always had a different aura about him,” Brown said. “You see this kid with this freakish ability but watching him deal with his little brother, that alone made him special to me.”
Richardson enrolled early at Florida, participating during bowl practices to close the 2019 season. As soon as he arrived, heads turned. “That first bowl practice it was pretty obvious from the word ‘go’ this kid is different,” Brown said. “I knew that already, but it became obvious to the coaches, the team. Everybody.”
Until it wasn’t.
RICHARDSON HAD AN idea he would have to wait his turn to start at Florida, but it still hurt when reality hit. He opened the 2020 season No. 3 on the depth chart, behind starter Kyle Trask and backup Emory Jones.
On the bus headed to Ole Miss for the opener, Richardson looked out the window and started crying. He took out his phone and texted Daniels.
“I remember telling him, ‘This is different, I’m used to being the guy,'” Richardson recalled. “He was like, ‘Your time will come.’ From that moment forward, I didn’t want that feeling anymore, so I took more steps to be a better player and better person.”
Richardson became the backup after Jones got hurt in the opener. That shifted his mindset. Richardson said, “I started going harder and trying to prepare like Kyle was, as if I was going to be the starter because you never know what was going to happen.”
But not playing that first season made him also miss basketball. For the first time since he was in middle school, Richardson was not playing both sports.
He briefly thought about walking on to the Gators basketball team “just to be a part of the team, go to practice, dunk in practice and if I got in a game, see if I could dunk in a game. I wanted to play, but it was more so getting back in that routine of playing basketball and football.”
He knew that was only a fleeting dream. He would be in line to compete with Jones for the starting quarterback job headed into the 2021 season. Then-coach Dan Mullen went with Jones as the starter, telling reporters he had a firmer grasp of the offense.
What unfolded was a quarterback situation that felt untenable for most of the year. Jones would start, but then Richardson would come on and dazzle. In the 2021 opener against FAU, Richardson had a 73-yard touchdown run. The next week against USF, he had an 80-yard touchdown featuring broken tackles and a stiff-arm. He threw a 75-yard touchdown pass in the game, too. As Florida prepared to play Alabama the following week, Mullen grew weary of the constant questions about the quarterback situation, reminding reporters once again that Jones gave Florida the best chance to win.
During his weekly news conference, Mullen used one play in the FAU game to show why he believed Richardson was not ready to start. “He drops back,” Mullen told reporters. “He misses a protection check. Then misses the hot throw. Then misses the primary read. And then scrambles around and runs, and everyone thinks, ‘What a spectacular play.'”
Richardson tweaked a hamstring against USF and missed the next two games. As Jones continued to struggle as the starter, Mullen opted to start Richardson against No. 1 Georgia. Richardson had three turnovers and sustained a concussion in the 34-7 loss. He played in only one more game that season.
Richardson does not blame Mullen for the way the 2021 season went. He finished with 529 yards passing, 6 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and a completion percentage of 59.4, with 401 yards and another three scores rushing.
But to others, it appeared Mullen put Richardson in a no-win situation to quiet the chorus of critics who wondered why Jones was starting.
“You would have some people who would say Anthony probably should have been the starter from the word ‘go,'” Brown said. “It caused a little bit of friction among the team. Guys were frustrated because they felt Anthony gave us the best chance to win. I think you had some of that within the coaching staff, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen.”
Mullen told ESPN injuries that season played a role. In addition to the hamstring injury and concussion, Richardson missed the bowl game after undergoing knee surgery and played in seven games.
“Every time we tried to start him he got hurt, and I think that slowed down some of the development he would have had,” Mullen said.
“I’m glad he threw me in that [Georgia] game because it taught me a lot about myself and showed me what I needed to improve on,” Richardson said. “I felt like I was ready to be the starter, but throwing me in that game early let me know I wasn’t necessarily ready at the moment. I had a lot to work on and perfect.”
Mullen was fired before the 2021 season ended, and Billy Napier replaced him. The 2022 season would be a make-or-break year for Richardson. In their first spring practice together, Richardson was coming off knee surgery but still made an impression.
“I remember calling my brother on the way home that night saying, ‘This kid’s pretty special,'” Napier said. “He made several [throws] that day. I’ve been on the field with a lot of really good players and it was pretty apparent after the first practice that this kid was really gifted.”
RICHARDSON’S ACCURACY WAS the obvious area where he needed to improve heading into the 2022 season. Arm strength is one thing but completing passes, especially in critical situations — that’s the way quarterbacks are ultimately judged.
In the season opener against No. 7 Utah, Richardson led a comeback upset victory with one big play after another, from a 2-point conversion featuring a pump fake, midair pirouette, to the game-winning score. He had three touchdown runs and 274 total yards, completely resetting expectations after just one game.
The following week against Kentucky felt even bigger, in a game hyped as Richardson versus another NFL draft hopeful, Will Levis. But Richardson struggled against the Wildcats, completing 14 of 35 passes for 143 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He had only six carries for 4 yards. What hurt worse was an inability to hit short passes. Richardson was 9-of-22 for 44 yards with two interceptions on passes thrown 10 or fewer yards downfield.
Great against Utah, bad against Kentucky. That one-week span was a microcosm of Richardson himself — physically talented, but still learning how to be a starting quarterback. Nobody took that Kentucky performance harder than Richardson. He apologized to his teammates, blaming himself. The day after the game, he and Brown sat and talked for hours, evaluating what happened.
The Utah game had people talking about the Heisman Trophy and had Richardson’s NFL draft stock skyrocketing. The Kentucky game made him feel as if he had ruined not only the season but his future, too.
“I just felt like it was over from there,” Richardson said. “I just wet the bed. This is not how it’s supposed to be.”
Richardson admitted the hype got to him, and he was playing what he calls “hero ball” against Kentucky. The more he pressed, the worse it got. Brown calmed Richardson down, telling him he had to ignore what people said about him and focus on getting better week to week.
“He said do what I feel is right for me, and that definitely helped me focus and get back on track,” Richardson said.
Napier points to Week 4 at Tennessee as a turning point. Though Florida lost, Richardson threw for 453 yards, ran for 62 and totaled four touchdowns.
“I saw him grow up a little bit as a competitor,” Napier said. “He wasn’t worried about what anybody thought, he was trying to take his group and beat the other team. He played that game as a competitor the way that you would want the quarterback to play.”
When the season ended, Richardson had a decision to make. He was given draft evaluations as a first-to-second-round prospect. Though his completion percentage for the season (53.8) and touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio (17-to-9) were not ideal, it was hard to pass up the opportunity.
So he went to work on his footwork, mechanics and accuracy. He and his coaches identified reasons why passes were inaccurate — especially while he was on the run — and the sequencing of throws became an emphasis.
“If you are off balance, as long as you have the right sequence — using your hips, having the right arm path and knowing how to get that same feeling as if your feet were planted in the ground, that’s really all that matters,” Richardson said.
Richardson estimates he has done sequencing drills “maybe a million times.”
He has also worked on forgetting bad plays. Richardson describes himself as a perfectionist who is hard on himself when things don’t go right. Couple that with pressing to make the impossible happen on every play and you get a frustrated quarterback.
As for the criticism about his accuracy, Richardson offers this: “My footwork was a little sloppy at times. So I’m definitely working to get better at that. I don’t listen to the criticism as much as I used to. Before I would listen to it, but that’s living to other people’s expectations. I don’t need to do that to be a great player. I’ve just got to be the best version of myself for my team, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
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The questions about his accuracy are still there, but so are the highlights from the combine and pro day, reminding both NFL decision-makers and fans of what makes him unique. During his meetings with teams, Richardson said he received largely positive feedback. He made it a point during his interviews to make sure teams got to know him, not as a player but as a person.
“A lot of people think I’m this big angry guy, but that’s not the case,” Richardson said. “I love helping people out. That’s one thing I want them to know, how much I care about my family, and how much they mean to me. That’s my motivation. That helps me be a better player and better person.”
Richardson is especially proud of being a role model for the kids in East Gainesville, showing them anything is possible. He still plays with the kids in the park, signing every autograph, rarely turning down an opportunity to help.
In fact, about a month ago, Richardson and his friend Sheldon Hardy went to a trampoline park in Gainesville to, you know, do some flips. As the two started jumping around, the little kids in the park couldn’t help themselves. “Anthony Richardson!” they shouted.
Richardson and Hardy played with them, including trampoline basketball.
“We still play like little kids,” Hardy said with a laugh.
There is big business on the horizon, of course, but Richardson will bring “home” with him wherever he ends up. His mother, stepdad and brother plan on moving with him. They will be there with him in Kansas City, too, ready to jump for joy when his name is called.
“My friends send me mock drafts but I tell them, ‘Don’t send that to me,'” Richardson said. “It doesn’t matter until April 27. That’ll be the day that solidifies everything.” |
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2023 DRAFT
Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com offers this Mock Draft:
The 2023 NFL Draft is one week away. In today’s thought exercise, the mock draft is expanded to seven rounds. At the top of the draft, four quarterbacks are taken inside the top five. It is an unrealistic outcome without any trades, but the intent is more so to shed light on some of the prospects who could hear their names called over the course of three days next week.
The draft order below is now the official order based on team records and tiebreakers. There are only 31 picks in the first round as a result of the Dolphins’ pick being forfeited due to tampering violations.
Without further ado, let’s kick this off!
1 – CAROLINA (from Chicago)
Bryce Young QB Alabama • Jr • 5’10” / 204 lbs
As draft day draws near, the drum beat grows louder in favor of Bryce Young going No. 1 overall. Head coach Frank Reich gets a point guard to play the quarterback position.
2 – HOUSTON
C.J. Stroud QB Ohio State • Jr • 6’3″ / 214 lbs
The final mock draft will come out next week but, for now, the choice is C.J. Stroud. I have a hard time imagining that the Texans will bypass the chance to take a quarterback at No. 2 overall.
3 – ARIZONA
Will Anderson Jr. EDGE Alabama • Jr • 6’4″ / 253 lbs
The Cardinals could use the extra draft assets to rebuild the roster, but Arizona is afraid of losing out on Will Anderson Jr. so it stays put and takes the best player available.
4 – INDIANAPOLIS
Will Levis QB Kentucky • Sr • 6’4″ / 229 lbs
Indianapolis could have a choice to make between two quarterbacks. In this instance, it is Will Levis and Anthony Richardson. It is my belief that the Colts would take Levis. The Colts have lacked stability at the position since Andrew Luck retired.
5 – SEATTLE (from Denver)
Anthony Richardson QB Florida • Soph • 6’4″ / 244 lbs
Seattle restarts the financial clock at quarterback with the selection of Anthony Richardson. He is afforded the time to grow and develop as a professional under the guidance of Geno Smith before being inserted into the starting role.
6 – DETROIT
Jalen Carter DL Georgia • Jr • 6’3″ / 314 lbs
Detroit lands arguably the best defensive prospect available at No. 6 overall. Jalen Carter has generated his share of discussion off the field but has the potential to be a dominant player at the next level.
7 – LAS VEGAS
Devon Witherspoon CB Illinois • Jr • 6’0″ / 181 lbs
Offensive line and cornerback are big needs for Las Vegas. It could be too early to take an offensive lineman so the Raiders take a culture-building cornerback who is aggressive playing downhill, but also has the intelligence and awareness to thrive in coverage.
8 – ATLANTA
Tyree Wilson EDGE Texas Tech • Sr • 6’6″ / 271 lbs
Tyree Wilson has been mentioned as a possibility to be taken before Will Anderson Jr. Atlanta is fortunate to land him at No. 8 overall. Arnold Ebiketie and Wilson should have one-on-one matchups with David Onyemata and Grady Jarrett working inside.
9 – CHICAGO (from Carolina)
Peter Skoronski OT Northwestern • Jr • 6’4″ / 313 lbs
Peter Skoronski may only be an average offensive tackle, but is that more valuable than a good offensive guard? The Bears have the luxury of making that decision themselves. They bring Skoronski in to upgrade the floor of the offensive line unit; where he plays is less of a concern.
10 – PHILADELPHIA (from New Orleans)
Nolan Smith EDGE Georgia • Sr • 6’2″ / 238 lbs
Philadelphia throws another pass rusher log onto the fire. The Eagles are a few players away from recreating the 2021 national champion Georgia defense with Nakobe Dean, Jordan Davis and now Nolan Smith.
11 – TENNESSEE
Paris Johnson Jr. OT Ohio State • Jr • 6’6″ / 313 lbs
Tennessee has been linked to quarterbacks in this draft class but the reality is that the infrastructure is nowhere near ready to insert a rookie quarterback. The Titans take Paris Johnson Jr. from Mike Vrabel’s alma mater to upgrade the offensive line.
12 – HOUSTON (from Cleveland)
Christian Gonzalez CB Oregon • Soph • 6’1″ / 197 lbs
Cornerback is not the biggest need for the Texans but Christian Gonzalez may be the best player on the board. Derek Stingley Jr. and Gonzalez are an incredibly gifted duo.
13 – NY JETS
Broderick Jones OT Georgia • Soph • 6’5″ / 311 lbs
The mock draft community may not have an answer as to how New York views Mekhi Becton and his progress toward a return before the draft. There is a case that the Jets need left and right tackles so that should not stop them from taking a player like Broderick Jones.
14 – NEW ENGLAND
Darnell Wright OT Tennessee • Sr • 6’5″ / 333 lbs
Darnell Wright is the best offensive tackle prospect available and it is a desperate need for the franchise. Trent Brown, Michael Onwenu and Riley Reiff — the Patriots have a bevy of options for the right side of the offensive line and should not sacrifice a long-term vision for players who may not fill that role beyond the upcoming season.
15 – GREEN BAY
Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR Ohio State • Jr • 6’1″ / 196 lbs
Green Bay is turning the offense over to Jordan Love. He needs weapons to succeed and build confidence on this new journey. The draft before Aaron Rodgers became the starter, the Packers selected wide receiver Jordy Nelson in the second round and tight end Jermichael Finley in the third round. A similar strategy could play out this year.
16 – WASHINGTON
Joey Porter Jr. CB Penn State • Jr • 6’3″ / 193 lbs
Washington needs to upgrade at the cornerback position so it adds Joey Porter Jr. one selection before his father’s former team comes on the clock.
17 – PITTSBURGH
Deonte Banks CB Maryland • Jr • 6’0″ / 197 lbs
Pittsburgh is rumored to be interested in trading up for Jalen Carter but could also use offensive tackle help. The run on the position has already happened so the Steelers address another important need: cornerback.
18 – DETROIT
Lukas Van Ness EDGE Iowa • Soph • 6’5″ / 272 lbs
Detroit doubles down on the defensive line with its first two selections. First, the Lions added Jalen Carter and now brings in Lukas Van Ness. The Lions will continue to be built through power.
19 – TAMPA BAY
O’Cyrus Torrence IOL Florida • Jr • 6’5″ / 330 lbs
Tampa Bay invested in its offensive line for years but the unit needs some attention after the past few offseasons. The Buccaneers have at least two long-term pieces to build around with Tristan Wirfs and now O’Cyrus Torrence.
20 – SEATTLE
Myles Murphy EDGE Clemson • Jr • 6’5″ / 268 lbs
After taking Anthony Richardson No. 5 overall, Seattle adds an important piece to its defensive front. The Seahawks have Boye Mafe, Dre’Mont Jones and now Myles Murphy.
21 – LA CHARGERS
Bijan Robinson RB Texas • Jr • 5’11” / 215 lbs
The Chargers can walk away from Austin Ekeler after the season without any remorse because they add his replacement in the form of Bijan Robinson.
22 – BALTIMORE
Quentin Johnston WR TCU • Jr • 6’3″ / 208 lbs
Baltimore has made the wide receiver room a lot more interesting with Quentin Johnston, Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman. Lamar Jackson has plenty of options in the pass game.
23 – MINNESOTA
Hendon Hooker QB Tennessee • Sr • 6’3″ / 217 lbs
Minnesota adds a high-floor quarterback at a much lower cost to ease the transition from Kirk Cousins.
24 – JACKSONVILLE
Bryan Bresee DL Clemson • Soph • 6’6″ / 298 lbs
Jacksonville has invested a lot into its defensive front and it is time for those investments to pay dividends. Travon Walker, Bryan Bresee and Josh Allen give the Jaguars an athletically superior defensive line, but that needs to turn into production.
25 – NY GIANTS
Steve Avila IOL TCU • Sr • 6’4″ / 332 lbs
Steve Avila was a leader during the Horned Frogs’ excellent season. The Giants have addressed the corners with two offensive tackles taken in the first round and now add to the interior.
26 – DALLAS
Brian Branch S Alabama • Jr • 6’0″ / 190 lbs
Brian Branch is a highly intelligent defensive back who brings leadership and accountability to the secondary. Stephon Gilmore, Trevon Diggs and Branch should have Cowboys fans feeling more confident about that unit.
27 – BUFFALO
Dalton Kincaid TE Utah • Sr • 6’4″ / 246 lbs
Buffalo is only concerned with keeping pace with Kansas City. Dalton Kincaid is a smooth pass catcher capable of making big plays after the catch.
28 – CINCINNATI
Calijah Kancey DL Pittsburgh • Jr • 6’1″ / 281 lbs
Cincinnati adds depth and pass-rush ability to the interior defensive line. Calijah Kancey is not going to hold up against the run but the Bengals are bringing him in to heat up the quarterback in critical moments.
29 – NEW ORLEANS (from Denver)
Mazi Smith DL Michigan • Sr • 6’3″ / 323 lbs
New Orleans signed a few interior defenders in free agency to replace Shy Tuttle and David Onyemata. Mazi Smith is a wide body who will upgrade the run defense.
30 – PHILADELPHIA
Keeanu Benton DL Wisconsin • Sr • 6’4″ / 309 lbs
Similar to Detroit, Philadelphia doubles down on the defensive line. The defensive line has always been a position of strength for the defending NFC champions and it will remain that way under the direction of general manager Howie Roseman.
31 – KANSAS CITY
Dawand Jones OT Ohio State • Sr • 6’8″ / 374 lbs
If Kansas City is not aggressive in adding some help to the offensive line, teams between now and their next selection are going to pounce on the opportunity and take all of the best talent off the board. The Chiefs take matters into their own hands by adding Dawand Jones.
Round 2
32. Steelers – Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
33. Texans – Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
34. Cardinals – Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
35. Colts – Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
36. Rams – Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State
37. Seahawks – Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
38. Raiders – Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
39. Panthers – Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech
40. Saints – Cody Mauch, IOL, North Dakota State
41. Titans – John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
42. Jets – Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
43. Jets – Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
44. Falcons – Jordan Addison, WR, USC
45. Packers – Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
46. Patriots – Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
47. Commanders – Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
48. Lions – Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
49. Steelers – Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC
50. Buccaneers – Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
51. Dolphins – Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
52. Seahawks – Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
53. Bears – Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
54. Chargers – Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
55. Lions – Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
56. Jaguars – DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
57. Giants – Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
58. Cowboys – Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
59. Bills – Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
60. Bengals – Matthew Bergeron, OL, Syracuse
61. Bears – B.J. Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
62. Eagles – Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma
63. Chiefs – Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida |
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