And the final number is 66 – about two per team – opting out of NFL 2020.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

The deadline for players to opt out for 2020 passed at 4 p.m. ET Thursday. A total of 66 players took the option to sit out the season.

(Offensive lineman Larry Warford is not on the list since he is a free agent.)

The 66 players will see their contracts toll, whether the opt out was voluntary or high risk.

Players with a high-risk designation receive a $350,000 stipend, while voluntary opt outs get a $150,000 salary advance they must pay back in 2021.

The Falcons, Steelers and Chargers did not have a player opt out. The Patriots had eight players opt out — linebacker Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, running back Brandon Bolden, tight end Matt LaCosse, fullback Danny Vitale, receiver Marqise Lee and offensive lineman Najee Toran.

Other big names to opt out were: Chiefs running back Damien Williams, Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Broncos offensive lineman Ja’Waun James, Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman and Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Now, players may opt out only under limited circumstances. The two exceptions are 1.) If a player receives a new diagnosis that puts him in the high-risk category; or 2.) If a player has a family member die or become hospitalized due to COVID-19.

There were no big name additions to the list at the final hour, with the most noted undecided player CB TRE’DARVIUS WHITE of the Bills staying off the list.

– – –

Will teams be isolating QBs from the rest of the team and each other?  Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com:

The Question of the Quarantined Quarterback has been floated around league circles for months. But it seems like, in the past week, every time an NFL head coach is asked about it on the record, they’ve already decided against it.

We are now almost two weeks into training camp with protocols in place and daily meetings happening across stadiums, and as far as I know, no team has come close to quarantining a quarterback.

Of course, this strategy doesn’t have to be deployed just yet, five weeks before the scheduled start of the regular season. But I don’t think it ever will. I believe there are two reasons for that, and they aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.

The first, and most obvious one, is that the plan doesn’t really work in practice.

“What are you going to do? Have your starter quarantined and not take any first-team snaps all week?” one GM told me. “Or are you quarantining your third-string quarterback? I mean…”

The implication here is clear. If there’s a roster catastrophe where your starter at the most important position in American sport is sidelined for a game, and then his backup is too, and then you have to roll with a third-stringer (or elevate someone from the practice squad since some teams don’t carry three QBs on the 53-man roster), you’re not likely to win that week’s game. You basically went through a lot of trouble for nothing.

The quarantined quarterback, which I’ll refer to as the QQB, would participate in all the virtual meetings. He’d probably be sequestered at a nearby hotel, since staying at home with a family would possibly introduce him to COVID-19 and make the entire exercise pointless. And maybe the QQB would train and take reps at an off-site location. Think that’s worth it? I don’t.

“The quarterbacks in particular are spread out way more than 6 feet,” first-year Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters recently when asked about the idea of the QQB. “But every position, we have done that. I do not really want to single those guys out, which I know we all do, but every position, we are taking this very seriously in terms of adhering to the protocol and going beyond it. Certainly, those meeting rooms, we have four quarterbacks on our roster, and the meeting room they are in can fit way more than four players.”

Here’s the other reason you haven’t seen it happen yet. In this copycat league, no one wants to be first. Covering this league now for almost a decade, my gut tells me that even if some coaches or GMs are truly considering this, they don’t want to be at the front of the line. And if they do it, they don’t want others to know.

Sure, there’s the idea of a competitive edge. But because the idea when put into practice is a little silly, I’m not sure anyone’s eager to make fetch happen.

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Even as the Packers shut Lambeau down for two games, the Lions think they can have fans in Governor Gretchen Witmer’s Michigan.  Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Lions are striking a more optimistic tone than at least one of their division rivals.

The team sent a letter to season ticket members Friday that said they’re still “preparing to host fans at all eight regular season home games.”

They mentioned the ongoing uncertainty because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and acknowledged that they didn’t know “how many fans, if any” will be allowed in person, “or under what conditions.”

Yesterday, the Packers announced they’d be empty at Lambeau Field for the first two games, and would reevaluate for the final six games, depending on public health concerns.

The Lions said that any tickets that become available would go to season ticket members, with no single-game sales planned. Like most teams, they’re also offering members to opt out of 2020 or get refunds without losing their status, in addition to perks for those who roll 2020 payments into 2021 season tickets. Those include a 20 percent bonus for food, beverage and merchandise for every dollar rolled forward (up to $500) and a price freeze guarantee.

Of course, all that is pending state and local approval, so they might be making plans for something they can’t deliver.

GREEN BAY

Lambeau Field will sit empty until at least after the frost hits the pumpkin.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Packers will play at least their first two home games in an empty stadium.

Lambeau Field will not host fans during first two home games this season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Packers announced today.

The Packers’ third home game is on November 1 against the Vikings, and the Packers say they will decide during the season whether they’re ready to host fans by then, after consulting with public health officials.

“Lambeau Field will not be the same without our fans’ energetic support in the stands,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement. “Given the extraordinary circumstances this year and the additional protocols in place, though, we determined it was best to take incremental steps to start the regular season. These two games will allow us to focus our attention on safely conducting games inside the stadium with all necessary participants. We are hopeful that we will be able to host fans for games later in the season, should conditions allow.”

America’s failure to get the virus under control has had a profound effect on the entire country, and the NFL is no different. Football will not be the same, but at this point most fans are just hoping there’s any football to watch at all.

Wisconsin has fewer than 1,000 deaths attributed to Covid-19 (about 50 in Green Bay’s Brown County) and ranks only 36^th in the nation in deaths per million.  New Covid-19 cases in the state (pop 5.8 million) have been averaging about 1,000 per day with an average of fewer than 10 deaths per day.

Some might argue that the failure is not in controlling Covid, but in refusing to consider it controlled (at least in Wisconsin).

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Cowboys QB DAK PRESCOTT has joined the fray to release a man facing the death penalty for a crime that occurred 21 years ago in Oklahoma.  ESPN.com:

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has joined a movement in petitioning the governor of Oklahoma to overturn the conviction of and release Julius Jones, a Black man on death row for murder.

In a letter sent Thursday to the office of Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and the state’s parole board, a copy of which was obtained by Time magazine, Prescott advocates on Jones’ behalf, writing that this is an opportunity to correct a “miscarriage of justice.”

“Current events are shining a much-needed light on deep-seated prejudices and systemic mistreatment of black people, and it is my sincere hope that the cultural movements of today will lead to significant social changes that will create a better tomorrow,” Prescott wrote. “To that end, you all are in the unique position of being able to make a direct impact by addressing a specific miscarriage of justice.”

Prescott has joined Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and the NBA’s Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Trae Young and Buddy Hield in urging the governor to spare Jones’ life. In his letter, Prescott addressed his experience with racial injustice.

“As a black man in this country right now, I experience injustices firsthand day in and day out, even as an athlete with ‘celebrity status,'” Prescott wrote.

In 2002, Jones was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Paul Howell. The 45-year-old businessman was shot in the head on July 28, 1999, while sitting in a vehicle in his parents’ driveway in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Jones has maintained his innocence, with he and his family saying he was at home at the time of the crime. Advocates have pointed to issues such as racial bias, a flawed investigation and an ill-equipped defense in explaining why they believe Jones’ conviction should be overturned. Oklahoma City’s Black Lives Matter chapter has included a commutation for Jones in a list of demands that was presented to Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt on June 1.

“After reviewing the facts of the Julius Jones case, I firmly believe the wrong person is being punished for this terrible crime; furthermore, an evaluation of the process that led to Mr. Jones’ conviction raises serious legal and ethical concerns,” Prescott wrote. “I implore you to right this wrong. Please don’t let another innocent black man die from the systemic mistreatment that has plagued our nation for far too long.”

Last month, Oklahoma attorney general Mike Hunter released a summary of trial transcripts in the case that he says refute what he described as “misinformation” being provided to the public about Jones’ conviction.

“The fact is, Julius Jones murdered Paul Howell in cold blood in front of his sister and daughters,” Hunter said. “No celebrity imploration or profusion of misinformation will change that.”

An execution date for Jones has not been set, but he has exhausted all of his appeals. Hunter announced earlier this year that the state is prepared to resume lethal injections.

“The treatment of Julius Jones is the kind of miscarriage of justice African American men like myself live in fear of, and that is why I feel compelled to use the influence that God has blessed me with to speak up for what I believe is right and to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves,” Prescott wrote. “Julius Jones’ case is a clear example of what can happen to a person who cannot afford legal representation, and what can happen to a black person at any time in this country — which is exactly why so many are protesting for the changes we so desperately need.”

In June, Prescott pledged $1 million “to improve police training and address systematic racism through education and advocacy in our country.” His pledge was made following the May death of George Floyd, who was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Jones was a criminal with a long history in the justice system.  The murder weapon was found at Jones’ home wrapped in a red bandana that witnesses said the assailant wore.

In 2018, at the request of the defense counsel, the state agreed to test the DNA on the bandanna. The bandanna was sent to a lab chosen by the defense. The conclusive results of the DNA profile on the red bandanna show the probability of the DNA belonging to someone other than Jones is one in 110 million African Americans.

Subsequent to Howell’s murder, Jones pleaded guilty to robbery with a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm. This offense arose out of the armed carjacking of a vehicle outside a Hideaway restaurant the week before Howell’s murder.

The driver of this vehicle identified Jones. In addition, “substantial evidence linked Jones to the carjacking, which occurred just days before the instant offenses. The stolen vehicle, a Mercedes, was recovered from a Norman apartment complex where Jones lived. After Jones and a friend were arrested for Howell’s murder, the key to the stolen Mercedes was found in the Cutlass shared by Jones and co-defendant Christopher Jordan.”

Jones was also arrested for attempting to elude a police officer, arrested while driving a stolen car (he had a loaded gun during this incident, and also had a pair of gloves and a pair of pantyhose in his pocket), tied to the robbing of a jewelry store at gunpoint, committed another carjacking at the same Hideaway during the same week, and fought with a detention officer.

WASHINGTON

RB ADRIAN PETERSON has an aggressive goal.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Adrian Peterson is 35 years old, ancient for a running back, but he thinks he’s a long way from done.

Heading into his 14th NFL season and his third in Washington, Peterson says he still has more he wants to accomplish, starting with winning a Super Bowl.

“Winning a championship is the one I want most,” Peterson said on NFL Network.

Peterson also said he’d like to catch Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time rushing leader. Peterson, who has 14,216 career rushing yards, needs to gain 4,140 more yards to pass Smith’s record of 18,355.

“That’s one of the goals I set to myself when I entered the NFL was to pass the GOAT,” Peterson said. “I look forward to playing a couple more years, 3-4 more years, who knows, depending on how my body is feeling.”

Realistically, it’s extraordinarily unlikely that Peterson will catch Smith. But even in his mid-30s, he’s not ready to walk away just yet.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com is touting DL MARCUS DAVENPORT.

On defense, T.J. Watt had the most seismic leap in the NFL last season, and it’s time to pinpoint who’s next. While Watt’s sack total only improved from 13 to 14.5, he was much more disruptive on a snap-to-snap basis and led the league with eight forced fumbles. He was a first team All-Pro alongside Chandler Jones at the edge rusher position.

My pick for the Watt-type breakout in 2020 is Saints outside rusher Marcus Davenport, another former Round 1 selection who plays on a team with an established, highly paid star — 2019 second-team All-Pro Cam Jordan — across from him on the edge.

It wasn’t Davenport’s fault the Saints used two first-round picks in a trade up to select him in the 2018 NFL Draft, but after a mediocre rookie campaign, there were rumblings he was headed toward bust territory, or just that his debut season indicated he’d never fulfill the expectations that come with a player when a team trades up in Round 1 to get him.

Davenport erased those concerns in a flash in his second NFL season, and before an injury led to him missing the final three games of the regular season, he was phenomenally efficient as a pass rusher across from Jordan. Per Pro Football Focus, from his rookie season to 2019, “Davenport’s pass-rush win rate rose from 13.5% to 18.4%, and he increased his raw pressure count from 28 in his rookie season to 50 last year.”

And that boost in production from Davenport is nearly identical to what we saw from Watt down the stretch in his second NFL campaign before his first-team All-Pro eruption in Year 3. From PFF in 2018, “Watt produced 25 pressures over the last eight games, with only four of them coming via scheme. Watt raised his pass-rush win percentage from 12.8% in the first half to 20.7% in the second half.”

While Watt’s sophomore year in the NFL finished with more than double the amount of sacks as Davenport’s (13 vs. 6), the Saints edge defender was ironically about two times more efficient than Watt from a pressure-creation perspective:

                                   PRESSURES     PASS-RUSH SNAPS     PRESSURE-CREATION RATE

Watt (2018)                           51                       902                                      5.60%

Davenport (2019)                 50                         532                                    10.60%

*Data via PFF

Those are some crazy figures for Davenport, right? And he has a leg up on Watt too because of the presence of Jordan. Watt rushes opposite former first-round pick Bud Dupree, who’s very slowly come along in his NFL career but is not in the same tier as Jordan.

Teams will first and foremost gameplan to limit Jordan’s production. According to ESPN’s Seth Walder via Next Gen Stats, Jordan was double-teamed on 24% of his rushes in 2019. Only seven qualifying edge rushers (essentially “full-time” defenders at that position) were doubled-teamed more frequently.

From a stylistic standpoint, Watt is bendier than Davenport — Watt’s three-cone time was 6.79, Davenport’s was 7.20 — but Davenport is nearly two inches taller and weighed 12 pounds more at his respective combine. Both own a diverse arsenal of pass-rushing moves and play with plenty of pop on contact to drive offensive tackles backward into the quarterback.

Neither are chumps as run defenders either, which keeps them on the field, thereby increasing their chances to make plays behind the line and, of course, provides more pass-rushing possibilities as the league continues to smarten up about the benefits of early-down passing.

I’m not sure what it was — maybe because of Jordan’s presence, the relatively low amount of sacks, or because he didn’t play in the final three regular season contests or New Orleans’ home playoff loss — but Davenport’s sparkling second season flew under the radar.

The former first-round pick — my No. 2 edge rusher and No. 20 overall prospect in the 2018 class — came into the NFL advanced as a pass rusher, it just took him ample time to acclimate to the professional game after playing his college ball at UT-San Antonio against lesser competition.

On a rock-solid Saints defense with playmakers in coverage and Jordan on the other edge, Davenport is going to enjoy a 2020 season like the year Watt had in 2019.

TAMPA BAY

Third-round rookie RB Ke’SHAUN VAUGHN is among three Buccaneers RBs who come clear from Covid.  On the other hand, a second round pick from 2018, CB D.J. STEWART heads to Bustville without even getting a third training camp.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Buccaneers had three of the running backs vying for roles behind Ronald Jones on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but they’ll have a fuller backfield in the days to come.

The NFL’s daily transaction wire shows that the team activated Aca’Cedric Ware and Raymond Calais from the list. Photos posted by the Buccaneers from Thursday’s conditioning work also show Ke’Shawn Vaughn working with the rest of the team, so it appears he’s also back on the active roster.

Vaughn was a third-round pick this year and Calais came aboard in the seventh round. Ware was on the practice squad in Tampa last year.

While the backs are returning to action, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com was the first to report that 2018 second-round pick M.J. Stewart‘s time with the team is coming to an end. The cornerback had 68 tackles in 21 games with the team.

– – –

Thoughts from QB TOM BRADY expressed at a virtual press conference on Thursday and relayed by Nick Shook of NFL.com:

As Brady said during his Thursday press conference, “I’m glad we’re not playing a game this Sunday. I’m glad we have time to prepare.”

Oh, and he’s attempting to do this amid an ongoing pandemic.

“I have to work at it pretty hard physically still, I put a lot of time and energy into making sure I’m feeling good, in order to perform at my best,” Brady said. “But mentally, I think that’s been the thing that obviously has its challenges. I think you couple that with the coronavirus situation and it became even more difficult, so I think conversations we probably would have had in April, we’re having now and I think that part is a bit challenging too so the only thing you do is adjust to the situation, adapt the best way you can.

“Put as much time and energy now as we can into it, and I think the reality is the clock is ticking on everybody and we’re going to have to work as hard as we can and not waste any minutes of any day trying to get used to one another and embrace the challenge and see it as an opportunity to see what we can become.”

The clock has afforded Brady a little over a month to cram before the big exam arrives in Week 1 in New Orleans. He’s hard at work, of course, because he’s well aware of his football mortality. Arriving in a new city as the face of a franchise north of 40 brings its own set of expectations, too, and these include talks of a Super Bowl run. It’s not as if Brady is simply fading into the sunset on the same team with which he began his career.

His quest to prove he can still hack it, and do it outside of the reign of Bill Belichick, is underway. Five weeks from now, we’ll see whether he’s studied enough to pass the first test.

Brady acknowledged a lack of opportunity to get full-speed reps in with teammates under coaching staff supervision, and said he’s “anxious to get that started so I can start learning in a more typical way. It certainly, like I said, has its challenges.” He added that his teammates are “working hard to get to know one another” but pointed out a lack of on-field work has limited their progress.

Those waiting for discussion of the TB12 method got a little sample of it when Brady referred to his focus on pliability and hydration, but also in connection to staying healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think everyone’s learning every single day a little bit more,” Brady said of COVID-19. “I think you just take these things one day at a time. I think we’ve all learned a lot over the last five or six months. I’ve always felt like taking care of my body was really important. Not just for football — because it has been my job — but my quality of life in the future.

“I’m under the belief that you either believe what you put into your body has an effect, or what you believe doesn’t have an effect. I think for me, in my experience, the better I’ve treated my body, the better I’ve eaten, the more hydrated I am, the better treatments I get, the more sophisticated my workouts have been, the better my body’s performed. For me it’s been, when something works, you do more of it. When you do more of it, you see better results.”

Brady has taken time prior to camp to try to convene with his teammates and has a bit of an understanding, but knows a deeper understanding will only come with more structured practices.

“The guys worked really hard and it’s been fun getting to know the receiver position,” he said. “Obviously, none of the guys I’ve played with — Gronk’s the only guy I’ve played with, so I know what he can do. It’s really up to everybody to go out there and earn their role. I’ve always believed that you get out of it what you put into it. A lot of guys are working really hard and have been working hard because this is their career and they want to do a great job.

… “Regardless of who the quarterback was it’s important for all of these guys. Football matters to Mike [Evans] and to Chris [Godwin]. I’ve loved being around those two guys who are not only great players, but great leaders. Cam [Brate] and O.J. [Howard] who have been here have been really great along with the other tight ends in the group. Dare [Ogunbowale], RoJo (Ronald Jones II), I met ‘Shady’ (LeSean McCoy) the other day on the practice field — it’s a good, hard-working group. Really smart players, and again, it’s going to be up to all of us to come together and to see how we can make it all work.”

Brady is far from the New England coast and likely still getting used to wearing pewter and red instead of blue, silver and red, which is all part of his acclimation process. He said it’s starting to feel more natural with time.

“I didn’t even know where the quarterbacks’ room was or [where] the full team meeting room was,” Brady said. “You get in here and your brain is trying to figure out a lot of different things. Every day that goes by it’s getting a little bit better.”

NFC WEST

LOS ANGELES RAMS

WR ROBERT WOODS is anticipating someone giving him a nice contract in the near future.  Marty Fenn of Clutchpoints:

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods said he is “ready to get paid” as he prepares for the 2020 campaign.

Woods added he hopes he will be with the Rams for the remainder of his career.

@JourdanRodrigue

Robert Woods says so far he feels good about his upcoming contract situation. Says he looks good, he feels good after his workouts this spring.

Woods says he is “ready to get paid” and of course he wants it to be by the Rams, and to be a Ram for the rest of this career.

The 28-year-old has become one of the better receivers in football in L.A.

Woods has gone over the 1,000-yard mark in each of the past two seasons. He also set a new career-high with 90 receptions last season, and also tallied 115 yards on the ground.

It would seem the seven-year veteran is in for a raise, though it might not come just yet. Woods still has two years remaining on the five-year, $34 million deal he signed with the Rams ahead of the 2017 season.

While it seems likely the Rams will look to retain Woods, they also have to consider impending contracts for fellow wide receiver Cooper Kupp and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, both of whom will be free agents at the end of this year.

Fortunately, it seems Woods is not necessarily making any demands. The Rams might also have slightly more flexibility in the coming years after they offloaded Brandin Cooks in the offseason.

In any case, the Rams will hope Woods can continue to be productive as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2019.

– – –

A look at how another Kroenke holding is behaving from Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic:

@JourdanRodrigue

Pretty big news coming out of Kroenke’s Arsenal club. 55 staffers cut (10%) despite players taking pay cuts w the understanding that staff would stay intact. This is literal worlds away from happenings here, but notable as a Kroenke holding – the Rams did not make any staff cuts.

AFC WEST

LAS VEGAS

The Raiders have dashed the hopes of RB JEREMY HILL for a comeback.  Levi Damien of RaidersWire:

Five days ago, Jeremy Hill was excited to be getting a workout with the Raiders after nearly two seasons away from football.

Monday, he tweeted out “It’s official, I’m a Raider now….#raidernation LET’S GET IT.” A tweet he has since deleted. It was essentially replaced with a new tweet: “That was fast”

Just two days after he was signed by the Raiders, he was cut loose, confirmed by Vic Tafur of The Athletic.

It isn’t really Hill’s fault. He was signed because the team was down a running back after Devontae Booker tested positive for COVID-19. but Tuesday Booker was cleared and returned to the active roster, so Hill was let go.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

QB JOE BURROW is living up to the hype in early Bengals camp.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff constantly raved about Joe Burrow’s mental preparedness during offseason Zoom meetings. Now that the Bengals are on the practice field, it’s time for the rookie quarterback’s teammates to join the chorus.

“I think he knows his stuff. He’s making the appropriate reads and checks,” veteran tight end C.J. Uzomah said of Burrow, via the team’s official website. “He’s going to be one of the boys for sure. He has a certain confidence in himself and you can tell he has the confidence in us to do what we need to do. I like him so far. I like what he brings to the table. That poise that he has. The moxie that he has is nice.”

The cooing didn’t end with Uzomah.

“He can definitely spin it,” receiver Alex Erickson added. “Arm talent? That stuff? Not going to be an issue.”

The veteran wideout noted Burrow’s confidence coming in and out of the huddle, something he wasn’t required to do while winning the Heisman Trophy at LSU.

“The first thing with a lot of the rookies, especially guys that go from a system where they’re not in a huddle, they’re yelling out plays. He’s got command in the huddle,” Erickson said. “You can tell he’s really worked hard at it in the offseason.

“It sounds like a little thing, but that stuff really matters. It makes a big difference when the quarterback says the play, you get a good break and it sets a tempo for the whole play.”

Several veterans noted that Burrow wasn’t afraid to correct teammate’s errors or suggest tweaks to routes and the like. That kind of command is key for a rookie who hasn’t had an offseason and will be tossed into the fire come Week 1.

“He has that confidence about him, but he’s not overboard,” Erickson said. “He carries himself like he knows he belongs. As he should. He earned the right to be the No. 1 pick. He’s earned the right to be the face of the franchise. But he has a rookie’s approach. He has to earn the respect of his teammates. He’s doing that one day at a time.”

We haven’t heard a negative word about Burrow this offseason. The hope in Cincinnati is that the rookie continues to shine once the pads come on and the games begin to matter.

CLEVELAND

GM Andrew Berry gushes over the 2020 version of QB BAKER MAYFIELD.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Browns General Manager Andrew Berry is loving what he’s seeing from quarterback Baker Mayfield this offseason.

Berry said that Mayfield has been everything a team wants in a franchise quarterback, both in his physical preparation (he’s among the many players who says he gained muscle and lost fat), and his mental approach.

“Baker has really been outstanding this entire spring and summer – level of engagement with the coaching staff, getting up to speed mentally with the system and his interaction with his teammates,” Berry said.

Mayfield showed a lot of promise as a rookie first overall pick in 2018, but he took a step backward with his play in 2019: He had a lower completion percentage, fewer yards per pass, fewer touchdowns and more interceptions in 2019 than 2018. The Browns need to see Mayfield take a big step forward in Year 3.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Bill Belichick is shrugging off any burden from the Covid protocols.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

NFL teams have had to implement new protocols around their facilities in order to conduct training camp amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the changes haven’t caused too much stress for Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick spoke to the media on a video conference on Friday and said the Patriots are “very fortunate” to have space in their facility to get work done while maintaining the prescribed amount of distance between people. He noted that the plexiglass bill has “to be pretty high” given how much has been installed around the building, but said nothing’s been “overwhelming” for the team at this point in the process.

THIS AND THAT

NFL CRIME

From the NFL crime beat.

The murder of former WR Reche Caldwell remains a mystery.  A long look (abridged below) from Eric Edholm of YahooSports.com:

Tamarick Vanover and Reche Caldwell first met in 2002 as San Diego Chargers teammates, each at different ends of their careers. Vanover was getting his final chance after two years out of the NFL, and Caldwell was a second-round draft pick that spring, a rookie with his entire career in front of him.

The two were an unlikely pair on the surface, having attended rival schools — Vanover at Florida State, Caldwell at Florida. That never got between their friendship, one that would last for the next 18 years.

“Me and Reche, before this happened, we were talking on the phone like 10 times a day,” Vanover told Yahoo Sports. “At least 10 times a day.”

This, Vanover is referencing, was the night the 41-year-old Caldwell was shot and killed in Tampa on June 6, just before he was about to go out with his girlfriend.

Vanover and Caldwell weren’t just talking on the phone when the shooting happened — they were actually FaceTiming. Vanover, several hours away in Tallahassee, Florida, was one of the last people to see Caldwell alive. The others: the woman Caldwell was dating (Jennifer Graciano) in whose front yard Caldwell was shot; the person (or people) who shot Caldwell; and the paramedics who couldn’t save his life on the way to the hospital.

On that FaceTime call, Vanover said Caldwell was showing him his new office at the home owned by Graciano in Tampa’s Live Oaks Square neighborhood.

After walking outside, Caldwell also showed off his new jewelry and what he and Vanover used to call “honey buns” — their term for hundred-dollar bills.

“I said, ‘Bro, I know you got some honey buns on you!’ When I said that, he showed me like $20,000 in cash. I said, ‘Man!’” Vanover said.

That’s when everything changed in an instant.

“Then in the next few seconds, that’s when I heard the gunshots,” Vanover said. “I didn’t know what was going on at first. I was just standing there, calling [Caldwell’s name].

“His phone was on the ground. But he wasn’t saying anything.”

Police said Caldwell was shot in the chest and leg and that the incident didn’t “appear to be a random act.” According to a TMZ report, Caldwell was “ambushed” by a “couple of people” who jumped out of bushes near the house, attempting to rob him.

Deborah Caldwell, Reche’s mother, said that her son’s last words were: “Tell everybody I love them.”

Yet no one seems to know who did it, or exactly why or how it happened.

2 months later, no break in Caldwell shooting death case

“Reche got along with everybody. He was just a good guy,” Deborah said. “Of course, he’s my son and I am going to say that. But everyone said that, too.”

Vanover said, “It makes no sense. Reche was always trying to keep people uplifted. … None of us are angels. But in the long run, nobody deserved to die in such a traumatic way.”

It has been two months since Caldwell’s death, and there is no resolution in the case. The investigation, spearheaded by Tampa Police Detective Michael Kelley, remains open and ongoing, police say. They have not publicly named suspects or persons of interest. No arrests have been made.

Kelley didn’t respond to multiple calls for comment on the case.

“Unfortunately, there is no current update that can be released,” Tampa Police Department spokesperson Eddy Durkin told Yahoo Sports in a statement. “Detectives continue to actively work to develop leads in this case and encourage anyone who may have information in relation to his homicide to contact Crimestoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-TIPS.”

Deborah Caldwell can’t understand why nothing has been found. Recently, investigators seemed to indicate to her they were close to finding who did the shooting. Last week, she said she felt there was nothing to suggest the case was any closer to being solved.

“I am looking for any answers I can find,” Deborah said by phone. “This whole thing has been a shock to me.

“I tell [police] that I am just antsy. I want to let them do their job. It’s never fast enough, and it’s not going to be good enough.”

More strange details of what happened that night

Jennifer Graciano described herself as Reche Caldwell’s “on-and-off girlfriend,” meeting first in 2006 when Caldwell was with the New England Patriots. They had been in an “on” period of dating for the past year, she told Yahoo Sports, and he had moved into the residence that she had purchased three years earlier.

“We were in a great place,” she said.

Graciano described Reche as “very outgoing, very happy,” attracted to his kind heart and fun-loving demeanor, one that she never wavered over the time she knew him despite the road blocks Caldwell faced.

 “Anything that went wrong or unexpected, he would find another way,” Graciano said. “He always turned a negative into a positive. He liked to joke around; he was a jokester. He liked to play pranks on people.”

Caldwell was helping manage a local performer named Roboy, along with his younger brother Andre — who also played in the NFL — as part of their new record label, DuWell Entertainment. (Andre did not respond to interview requests.)

Graciano and Caldwell had made plans for the night of June 6, one day after bars and clubs reopened at 50 percent capacity in Florida following COVID-19 restrictions. They were going to attend Roboy’s performance at a Carrollwood club, Whiskey North, and then spend the night at a hotel they had booked in Clearwater.

According to Graciano, they took their bags out to the car just before 11 p.m. when it started drizzling. As Graciano ran back inside to grab her jacket, Caldwell and Vanover were chatting via FaceTime.

“As I walked back in my house, all I heard was gunshots,” Graciano said, “and I dropped everything and ran outside. That’s when he was on the ground.”

Vanover remained on FaceTime while the shooting occurred and stayed on the line to try to figure out what happened. He said a little time elapsed between the shots and when Graciano reemerged from the house.

“I hear his girlfriend walk up probably a couple minutes later,” he said. “She was like, ‘Uh, 911? I need paramedics. My boyfriend has just been shot.’ That’s when I hung up.

“I tried to call her. I wanted to see what was actually going on. And I couldn’t get her on the phone, so …”

Graciano said she didn’t see anyone come or go — it happened that fast. Neither did Vanover. All that either of them saw or heard, they said, were gunshots. Vanover recalled four gunshots; Graciano wasn’t sure how many she heard.

Graciano also isn’t sure how many people were involved in the shooting. Deborah Caldwell believes it was “two or more.” Other family members were reticent to speculate, citing the open investigation.

“The information I gave police — they said my statement was pretty key to their investigation,” Vanover said. “It was more what I didn’t hear. Like, I told them I didn’t hear a car speeding off. None of that. I didn’t hear any shuffling feet, no one running up or anything like that. No one said, ‘Get down’ or ‘Give me your money.’ None of that.”

And all that cash and jewelry Caldwell was flashing in his front yard? Vanover said most, if not all, was still in Caldwell’s pocket when he died. No other family members could confirm that fact, and police have not verified it, either.

Was Caldwell’s killer someone he knew? Graciano isn’t sure — and she feels lucky she also wasn’t a victim.

“I am all over the place with that,” she said. “I don’t trust anyone. At the end of the day, I would have been walking — if I had not walked to my vehicle, I would have been right there with him when it happened.

– —

Caldwell had recently reconnected with his family

Donald “Reche” Caldwell’s life was a series of ups and downs, some challenges unexpectedly thrown at him and others he brought on himself.

After his NFL career ended in 2008, Caldwell returned to Tampa, where he was a high school sports legend in football, baseball and basketball, followed by a high-profile stint with the University of Florida up the road in Gainesville.

Caldwell fell into trouble as he tried to find his way through his post-NFL life. The man who once was Tom Brady’s go-to target in 2006 was first busted for helping organize an underground gambling ring and later was arrested for ordering what he thought was legal MDMA, the bizarre details of which were unfurled in a 2016 ESPN.com feature.

Since leaving prison after a 27-month sentence, Caldwell was a changed man, friends and family said. A month before his killing he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in a case involving several former NFL players, including Vanover. But Caldwell was said to be in a better place than he had been in a long time. He had responsibilities, including his new record label, and was reengaging with old friends and family with his prison sentence behind him.

Following their divorce in 2016, Sherron Caldwell, Reche’s ex-wife, said she and Reche had tried to mend their relationship in the year prior to his death. The high school sweethearts had been through so much together prior to getting married, through nine years of marriage and through the birth of their two children.

“We had been together for so long,” she said, “that love is always going to be there.”

– – –

An ex-NFL player admits to attempted murder – but says he’s insane.  TMZ.com:

Ex-NFLer Justin Bannan has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in his attempted murder case … after the defensive lineman allegedly shot a woman back in 2019.

41-year-old Bannan — who played 11 seasons in the NFL — was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault and burglary back in October 2019 … after he shot a woman in the shoulder in Boulder, Colorado.

The woman survived — and she’s suing Bannan over the shooting — but he’s also being prosecuted criminally and faces serious prison time if convicted.

Officials say at the time of his arrest, Bannan told a bizarre story about how he was on the run from the Russian mafia and had ditched his cell phone over fears he was being tracked.

Bannan also claimed he did not intend to fire his weapon, claiming the shooting was an accident and he never intentionally targeted the female victim.

Officials say the woman had worked in the same building as Bannan … but they really didn’t know each other.

Cops also say when the 6’3″, 310-lb. Bannan was arrested, he was carrying a rolled-up $20 dollar bill, which later tested positive for cocaine.

According to FOX 31 Denver, Bannan is now set to undergo a mental health evaluation at a state hospital.

Bannan was a standout defensive lineman at the University of Colorado from 1997-2001 … and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

He later played for the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams and Detroit Lions before calling it a career in 2013.

2021 DRAFT

Several top NFL prospects for 2021 have opted to rest on their laurels for next year’s draft by opting out of NCAA Football 2020.  One is DE GREG ROUSSEAU of the University of Miami.  Chase Goodbread of NFL.com:

Miami edge rusher Greg Rousseau has informed Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz that he will opt out of the 2020 college football season, becoming the latest high-profile prospect to skip fall competition amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Just actually, while we were speaking, Greg Rousseau let me know he is not going to play football this fall. He is opting out, very similar to what you’ve seen in college football,” Diaz told reporters during a Zoom call on Thursday, per MiamiHurricanes.com‘s Christy Chirinos. “… We want to thank him for everything he’s done for the Miami Hurricanes and we’re going to support him every way that we can, with him looking to achieve his dreams of becoming a great player in the National Football League.”

Rousseau (6-foot-7, 265 pounds, per school measurements) enjoyed a breakout season in 2019, earning first-team All-ACC honors after compiling a league-high 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. He also was named the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. Rousseau would have been a third-year sophomore this fall. He possesses remarkable length and quickness off the edge, although he played multiple positions across the Hurricanes’ defensive front last season.

NFL.com draft analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah recently watched three of Rousseau’s 2019 game tapes and compared him to Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter. Jeremiah also considers Rousseau the best 2021 draft prospect he’s studied so far.