The Daily Briefing Friday, February 25, 2022

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

For all the talk about culture and Super Bowl windows, Diana Russini of ESPN.com went on the Rich Eisen show and said she hears that cold hard cash (and/or bitcoin) is a big factor for QB AARON RODGERS going forward.  Darrelle Lincoln of TotalProSports.com:

According to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, Aaron Rodgers is expected to inform the Green Bay Packers of his decision soon.

From what Russini has heard, Aaron Rodgers wants to be the “highest-paid player in the NFL, by a wide margin.” Talking about $50 million per year.

“From the conversations I’ve had with a lot of people in the league, he wants to be the highest-paid player in the NFL by a wide margin,” Russini said. “So we’re talking about $50 million a year. We know the cap situation the Green Bay Packers are in. We know Davante Adams needs to get paid. So there’s a lot on the table.”

$50 million is a steep price to pay for a 38-year-old quarterback, but he is coming off two back-to-back MVP seasons. In 16 games, the future Hall of Famer had 4,115 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Rodgers was named the NFL’s MVP for the second year in a row, leading the Packers to 13 wins for the third straight season. The Packers fell short of the Super Bowl in each of these seasons, most recently losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs.

This is what she tweeted:

@diannaESPN

Aaron Rodgers will be informing the Packers of his decision soon, per league sources. I’m told there are multiple teams with offers on the table but of course, nothing can happen until the Green Bay Packers allow a trade.

If he goes, Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com “narrows” the list of logical landing spots to 11:

Here’s how we’d rank Rodgers’ most logical landing spots, in the event he seeks a relocation and Green Bay listens to offers:

11. Eagles

Jalen Hurts has a lot going for him as a young, developing mobile and ever-poised starter. But general manager Howie Roseman has every reason to explore the market for a superior passer, especially with three first-round picks at his disposal. Rodgers may be a short-term solution for a team preaching patience, but Roseman is notoriously aggressive, and Philly would embrace the idea of pairing such a star QB with new play-makers like DeVonta Smith. The issue is twofold: the Packers wouldn’t prefer Rodgers sticking in the NFC, and Rodgers probably wouldn’t sign up for more of a rebuilding scenario under a young coach.

10. Panthers

Few teams are as desperate for a QB upgrade (and as trigger-happy at the position in recent years). They can at least tout a promising defense and a few Grade-A weapons (Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore), and new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo was Rodgers’ QBs coach from 2012-2013. The problem is, does Rodgers trust they are close enough to contention under coach Matt Rhule? And would Carolina really be prepared to mortgage its future for someone not named Deshaun Watson, assuming the Pack demand an otherworldly haul to keep Rodgers within the NFC?

9. Raiders

Derek Carr is a fine starter, but he’s easily expendable in 2022, and the whole team is in transition under new coach Josh McDaniels. With plenty of cap space, the Raiders could surely make an offer, promising Rodgers a move closer to his West Coast home, a big role in decision-making alongside a new regime, and perhaps a big offer for his friend Davante Adams. But they also feel a bit further from real contention than other logical suitors, especially in a tough division. Would Rodgers really be eager to jump from the Packers to this unproven setup?

8. Browns

No matter what Kevin Stefanski says about Baker Mayfield, the latter isn’t locked into a long-term job after an underwhelming 2021. Cleveland is otherwise mostly built to contend with a rock-solid O-line, an elite running back and promising defense. Stefanski isn’t so unlike Matt LaFleur — a young, proven offensive mind — and could appeal to Rodgers, especially if Davante Adams is part of the relocation. The market isn’t necessarily a draw, but perhaps Rodgers would see it as a chance to elevate his own legacy by finally bringing the Browns into contemporary stardom.

7. Washington (you can call them Commanders now Cody)

Who knows what Rodgers thinks of its generally dysfunctional ownership? This isn’t exactly a dream destination for elite players. Football-wise, though, the building blocks are there: a respected veteran coach in Ron Rivera, a high-ceiling defense, some young play-makers (Antonio Gibson, Terry McLaurin, etc.) who would theoretically take off with a superior QB, and a very winnable division. Washington has never been shy about taking swings for veteran QBs, and Rivera has both the cash and lack of reliable passers to justify a big offer. The other question is whether the Packers would even consider dealing him in the NFC.

6. Buccaneers

The Packers wouldn’t want Rodgers in the NFC, let alone on one of the teams best suited to do all it can to stay in the title hunt. But Tampa Bay’s desperation in the wake of Tom Brady’s retirement could result in an offer too good to turn down, especially if Rodgers is getting final say over his destination anyway. Tampa Bay has cap issues, especially if it wants to surround its next QB with pieces like pending free agent Chris Godwin, but coach Bruce Arians wants a quick fix for one last championship run, and Rodgers could rest easy knowing this franchise is willing and able to do everything for its QB.

5. Titans

Tennessee has gotten roughly top-10 production from Ryan Tannehill during the QB’s nearly three seasons on the job, but the veteran is 0-3 in his last three playoff starts, playing a big role in those defeats. Mike Vrabel knows how to build and maintain a tough winner in the AFC South, but his team is still arguably an elite QB away from getting over the hump. The only feasible way out of Tannehill’s contract is a trade, but why wouldn’t they explore it, especially via old friend Matt LaFleur? Rodgers, meanwhile, would be right back with a contender, complete with star teammates like Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown.

4. Steelers

If Pittsburgh weren’t historically averse to these kinds of blockbuster swings, it’d easily rank higher. Everything fits: Rodgers and Mike Tomlin have a deep respect for each other, the Steelers are an iconic franchise and proven winner, and Ben Roethlisberger is already basking in retirement. Pittsburgh has the defense to contend now, and if it were to finagle enough money to bring Davante Adams with Rodgers, that combo with Najee Harris (and a restored O-line) would be scary. Tomlin has the track record to push ownership for a quick fix at QB, and at least Green Bay would be shipping Rodgers to the AFC.

3. Colts

Carson Wentz wasn’t bad in his Colts debut, but he also didn’t deliver in key spots, leaving Indy in QB purgatory despite a roster otherwise built to compete right now. Team owner Jim Irsay has all but outed himself as wanting Wentz gone, even if coach Frank Reich might prefer another go-round. And the Colts can move on rather easily, saving money in the process. Rodgers would give the franchise a long-awaited injection of franchise star power, which has been missing since Andrew Luck’s 2019 retirement, and potentially save Reich and GM Chris Ballard’s jobs by returning the AFC South squad to the title conversation.

2. Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa has earned at least a little more time under center, and new coach Mike McDaniel seems genuinely interested in developing the youngster. But it’s not every day a future Hall of Famer is available. Miami reportedly kept eyes on Deshaun Watson despite his litany of legal issues. Rodgers would fulfill that lingering desire for established help, and then some. A-Rod, meanwhile, would get the Tom Brady-style move to sunny Florida, where the Dolphins are absolutely flush with cap space (Davante Adams package deal?) and boast a defense ready to win now, not to mention a new whizkid coach.

1. Broncos

GM George Paton knows all too well what Rodgers can do, coming from a career in Minnesota. The Broncos, desperate for a QB with Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock confirmed as non-answers, have long been linked to Rodgers — and that was before the team hired former Packers offensive coordinator and noted Rodgers companion Nathaniel Hackett as its new coach. Executive John Elway could point to Peyton Manning as evidence of a superstar veteran lifting the entire franchise, and Denver has the cap space to get creative. Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton would offer Rodgers solid WRs to start, and No. 12 would also get a ready-made defense, while Green Bay would keep him out of the NFC.

MINNESOTA

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com thinks the Vikings should swallow hard – and extend QB KIRK COUSINS:

Extend Kirk Cousins’ contract.

I know. Cousins isn’t the most exciting quarterback. If there’s anyone who gets held up as the example of a signal-caller who is just good enough to be competent without being talented enough to win a Super Bowl, it’s Cousins. Former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer had to beg him at times to be more aggressive with the football. There’s certainly a subset of Vikings fans who want their favorite team to go in a different direction.

And yet, when you look at Cousins’ actual performances, he is solid at worst and excellent at his best. He ranked fourth in the league in average net yards per attempt (ANY/A), which adds sacks to passing yardage, touchdowns and interceptions. He ranked fifth in passer rating. If you think he was taking advantage of garbage time, situation-adjusted stats such as DVOA (eighth) and QBR (14th) suggest that he is more than capable of holding his own.

The hiring of Kevin O’Connell, who worked with Cousins in the past, suggests that he is likely to stick around. Given the fact that he has a $45 million cap hit in 2022, Minnesota needs to either restructure his deal by adding voidable years or hand him an extension with a signing bonus to reduce his 2022 number.

The latter makes more sense to me, even if it means keeping Cousins in the range of $35 million per season. The ideal scenario for the Vikings would be signing him to a five-year pact that they can reexamine after 2023 without having to eat an ungodly amount of money. It might be more realistic to shoot for 2024. Either way, with a team that finished ahead of the Bengals, Titans and Raiders in DVOA in 2021, I’m not sure I would be desperately anxious to blow things up and go in a different direction at quarterback.

As for the Super Bowl argument, well, it’s naive. The Ravens won a Super Bowl with Joe Flacco. The Giants won two Super Bowls with Eli Manning. The Eagles won a Super Bowl with Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. None of those teams had a dominant defense, at least during the regular season. The way to win a Super Bowl is get into the postseason and have your quarterback get hot in January. Cousins gives the Vikings an above-average option to start that process.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

Bill Barnwell wants the Buccaneers to acquire QB CARSON WENTZ:

Acquire Carson Wentz.

I’m going to argue that the Colts should keep Wentz when I hit the AFC teams, but if he is actually about to be traded or released, the Bucs should go out of their way to get a deal done. Wentz had a dismal end to the season after returning from a bout with COVID-19, but over the entire season, he ranked ninth in Total QBR and 13th in both passer rating and adjusted net yards per attempt.

Wentz might not have the ceiling some saw for him after the 2017 season, when he played MVP-caliber football and helped the Eagles push for the top seed in the NFC and an eventual Super Bowl, but a solid quarterback should be all the Bucs need to repeat as NFC South champions. Wentz’s size and pocket presence also make him the prototypical Bruce Arians quarterback, with the Bucs coach comparing him to Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger during that breakout 2017 campaign.

If the Bucs can get Wentz for a midround pick, that would be an easy transition from the Tom Brady era.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

Grant Gordon of NFL.com says the Cardinals and QB KYLER MURRAY are saying “nothing to see here” about reports of disfunction.

There is no more nonsense, the drama in the desert has subsided.

Following Instagram cleanses and reports of immaturity, quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals are on the same page and the goal in Glendale is moving forward, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported Thursday.

Slater, who reported “everything is copacetic” between the club and its franchise QB, added her understanding is the parties are now working to exercise the former No. 1 overall pick’s fifth-year option or agree to terms on a long-term deal. Murray has one season remaining on his rookie contract.

Ten days prior, Murray, 24, released a statement on social media that came after a much-publicized Instagram scrub and a report that those within the club viewed Murray as immature and lacking leadership.

“I play this game for the love of it, my teammates, everyone who has helped me get to this position that believed in me (and) to win championships,” Murray wrote. “All of this nonsense is not what I’m about, never has been, never will be. Anyone who has ever stepped between those lines with me knows how hard I go.

“Love me or hate me but I’m going to continue to grow and get better.”

Though Murray’s Instagram still has just three images, there is one of him in a Cardinals uniform and any disharmony seems to have improved, per Slater’s report of moving forward.

Prior to Murray’s statement on Feb. 14, it was reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo that the Cardinals were looking for Murray to make progress with his maturity and leadership. The largest example cited of Murray’s lack of maturity and/or leadership was that he did not finish out the Cardinals’ wild-card loss to the Rams on the field, as backup Colt McCoy took the last snaps of the season.

The report followed Murray cleansing his Instagram account of any and all Cardinals references after he played in the Pro Bowl on Feb. 6. The team followed that up with its own social media scrub.

Amid all the histrionics and confusion, the team released a statement on Super Bowl Sunday to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport maintaining its commitment to the top pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.

“Nothing has changed regarding our opinion and high regard for Kyler Murray,” the statement read. “We as a team and Kyler individually have improved each year he’s been in the league. We are excited to continue that improvement in 2022 and are excited that Kyler Murray is the quarterback leading us.”

Despite a rough conclusion to the 2021 season for Murray individually and the team, the Oklahoma product still had his third straight season to start his career with 3,700 or more yards passing and 24 or more total touchdowns, along with earning his second Pro Bowl selection.

The forecast in Arizona has improved with Murray and the Cardinals looking ahead and moving forward.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Wayne Gretzky has told T ANDREW WHITWORTH not to retire.  This from The Athletic:

Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth is leaning toward retirement and is going to take another “couple of weeks” to truly determine what he really wants to do regarding his future, he said Wednesday on NFL Total Access. He will take time with his family to decide for sure.

Despite being in favor of retirement, an unlikely source made him consider a possible return. NHL legend Wayne Gretzky lives near Whitworth and called him after the Rams won the Super Bowl to offer advice.

“There’s only one thing better than winning one,” Gretzky told Whitworth. “And that’s winning two.”

Whitworth, the league’s oldest active player at 40, won his first-ever Super Bowl title in his 16-season career. He recently won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.

The four-time Pro Bowler also commented on teammate Aaron Donald during the interview, who is also considering retirement. Whitworth mentioned he ran into Donald in the Rams’ weight room, which he takes as a “positive sign” for Donald’s upcoming decision.

Jourdan Rodrigue, Rams beat writer: For five years and two Super Bowl runs, Whitworth has not just been the Rams’ stalwart left tackle — he has also been a backbone around which much of their offense has been constructed.

Without his steadiness, they couldn’t have used draft or financial capital on some of the moves that helped them with a title. Without his guidance and teaching-first personality, the overall cohesiveness along their offensive line — an underrated strength of theirs this entire year — wouldn’t exist.

What his retirement would mean for the team

Rodrigue: If Whitworth does decide to retire, the Rams will open up about $16 million against the cap that will likely be repurposed into a contract offer for Joe Noteboom, the offensive lineman who has backed up Whitworth for years (and who has shown he is a starting-caliber player).

If not Noteboom, the Rams will need to solidify that spot as a priority in free agency because they’re expecting to extend quarterback Matthew Stafford and much of the current title team.

SEATTLE

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com says Seattle’s number one priority should be to fix the pass defense:

Fix the pass defense.

The Seahawks finished the season ranked 26th in pass defense DVOA. It represents a bottoming-out for a franchise that began its most recent run to the Super Bowl on the backs of the Legion of Boom. Pete Carroll’s defense ranked 30th in adjusted sack rate and cycled through cornerbacks in 2021. Jamal Adams, the defense’s prized addition in 2020, failed to rack up a sack and allowed a 93.8 passer rating in coverage. The Seahawks, who seemed to have a nine-win floor when they sent two first-round picks to the Jets for Adams, finished 7-10, and they will send the No. 10 overall pick to New York in April’s draft.

Seattle has nearly $37 million in cap space and could add another $16 million if it releases franchise stalwart linebacker Bobby Wagner. Either way, it has enough cap room to address its dismal pass defense. Carroll and general manager John Schneider need to add at least one pass-rusher and a second if they move on from veteran Carlos Dunlap.

The edge rusher market includes veterans Chandler Jones, Von Miller, Jason Pierre-Paul, Haason Reddick, Melvin Ingram and Emmanuel Ogbah; the Seahawks will probably start their offseason rebuild there.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

Eric Bienemy will remain the OC of the Chiefs.  Charean Williams of ESPN.com:

Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy went through another hiring cycle without getting a head coaching job. With his contract up, Bieniemy and the Chiefs had a decision to make on his future.

The decision apparently is made.

Bieniemy will return to Chiefs for 2022, Matt Verderame of fansided.com reports. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media adds that Bieniemy has agreed to a one-year deal.

Bieniemy joined Andy Reid’s staff in 2013. He spent his first five seasons as the team’s running backs coach and the past four as offensive coordinator.

He reportedly was considering whether to coach in college or take a year off if he didn’t remain with the Chiefs.

Bieniemy’s name appeared in Brian Flores’ recent racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and some of its teams as Bieniemy continues to get interviews for head coaching jobs without getting hired.

Bieniemy does not call the plays in Kansas City. But he has played an integral part in the team’s 50-15 regular-season record, 8-3 postseason record, four consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game, two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl title the past four seasons.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

Additions to the Ravens coaching staff include former player Zach Orr.  Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com:

Zach Orr has returned to the Baltimore Ravens to coach their inside linebackers, just six years after being an All-Pro for them.

Orr, 29, joins new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and replaces Rob Ryan, who spent one season coaching inside linebackers in Baltimore before becoming a senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders. Last season, Orr coached the outside linebackers for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This is a reunion between the Ravens and one of their former budding stars. In 2016, Orr was a second-team All-Pro inside linebacker for the Ravens, leading Baltimore with 133 tackles. But he had to abruptly retire after that season because of a congenital neck and spine condition.

“We’re excited to welcome Zach back to Baltimore,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “Having previously played and coached for the Ravens, Zach has first-hand knowledge of our culture. He understands the standard of defense we strive to uphold. His knowledge, passion and communication will have a big impact on our inside linebackers.”

After being an undrafted rookie in 2014, Orr made an immediate impact on special teams before becoming a starter two years later. He teamed with C.J. Mosley to give the Ravens one of the best inside linebacker combinations in the league.

Now, Orr comes back to Baltimore, where he will oversee the development of former first-round pick Patrick Queen.

Orr is one of five new coaching hires by the Ravens on Wednesday. The others are: George Godsey (tight ends), Rob Leonard (inside linebackers), Mike Devin (assistant offensive line) and Ryan Osborn (defensive quality control).

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Lovie Smith has courageously declined the in-game input of his boss and patron, GM Nick Cesario.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Former Texans head coach David Culley admitted last season that General Manager Nick Caserio regularly communicated with him during games. Caserio defended his involvement on game day, pointing out he also wore a headset while director of player personnel in New England.

“My philosophy and goal has always been to just provide information where necessary, be a resource and be as helpful as possible, whatever that constitution is,” Caserio said after firing Culley.

While Caserio mainly listened while wearing a headset with the Patriots, he actively participated in Houston.

Culley had no previous head coaching experience before last season. However, the Texans’ new head coach, Lovie Smith, has spent 16 years as a head coach with stints with the Bears, the Bucs and at the University of Illinois.

In an interview with Rich Eisen this week, Smith made it clear he doesn’t expect Caserio to participate in any discussions during games.

“People do it a lot of different ways,” Smith said on the Rich Eisen Show. “I’ve been the head football coach for a long period of time. I haven’t had the General Manager involved on gameday and don’t plan on it. Things were done differently at different places. We have a system that we’re pretty comfortable with here. Nick and I have talked about that. Nick’s going to be available to help in any way that we think he should. We feel pretty good about that.”

THIS AND THAT

BROADCAST NEWS

More scoop on the great announcer re-set of 2022 from well-connected Andrew Marchand of the New York Post:

After the seismic broadcasting move of Troy Aikman from Fox to ESPN, the next tremors are expected to reverberate from the NFL sidelines to some of sportscasting’s all-time biggest names.

From Sean McVay’s possible exit from coaching to a potential musical chairs of play-by-players, involving legendary announcers Al Michaels and Joe Buck, NFL TV free agency could become even more chaotic.

Following Aikman’s five-year deal in the $90 million-and-change range with ESPN, McVay, a 36-year-old coach with a fresh Super Bowl trophy in his case, soon could be faced with a very tantalizing decision.

Amazon has been trying to close a deal with Michaels to make him its lead play-by-player when it starts its exclusive broadcasting of “Thursday Night Football” next fall, but it has been stuck at the 1-yard line, as Michaels has waited to see whom Amazon would bring in as his partner.

After Cris Collinsworth agreed to a $12.5 million a year deal to team with Mike Tirico on NBC’s next iteration of “Sunday Night Football,” Collinsworth was crossed off for Thursdays with Michaels.

Amazon held talks with current 49ers GM and ex-TV analyst John Lynch, according to sources, but it did not lead to a deal.

Amazon was in striking distance to sign Aikman in recent weeks but was unable to close, allowing ESPN to swoop in and steal Aikman by surpassing the average annual salary of Tony Romo and CBS’ 10-year, $180 million contract.

Though Michaels has been hesitant to break in a new analyst, he and McVay have a relationship, as they live near each other in Los Angeles and even go out to dinner on occasion. McVay has the star power that might finally entice Michaels to sign up with Amazon.

However , McVay, who reportedly made $8.5 million as the Rams coach, may choose to stay on the sidelines and surely could use interest from Amazon or Fox as leverage. His words and the Rams’ deeds likely make him destined to leave coaching in the next few years.

He has said he doesn’t want to be an NFL lifer, wants to be around for his family, while the win-now Rams mortgaged their future for their title.

McVay clearly will be able to get a TV job anytime he walks away from coaching, but these networks are basically only paying its top game analysts these eight-figure-per-year deals.

If McVay waits, the No. 1 game analyst chairs at ESPN, CBS, Fox and Amazon may all be filled. There will always be seven-figures out there for him, but this might be the right time if he truly desires $15 million plus and weekends off.

Meanwhile, Buck is atop ESPN’s list to pair with Aikman, according to sources. The two had been a team at Fox for more than two decades.

Buck has one more year on his Fox contract and it does not want to lose him, especially with two Super Bowls in the next three years. Money talks, though, and although Fox pays Buck plenty — $11 million a year to be its top NFL and MLB play-by-player — ESPN could try to blow Fox out of the water.

Though Fox does not have to grant permission to Buck to speak with ESPN, Fox may choose to because he would be a lame-duck announcer, which could cause an untenable situation in a Super Bowl year.

ESPN is expected to first see if it can land Buck. If not, it is likely to turn its attention to Michaels, according to sources. ESPN has known that Michaels wanted to work with Aikman and felt it needed to sign the right analyst to even really consider going after Michaels.

ESPN has done that. For Michaels, it would be a storybook return to his “Monday Night Football” roots.

On the other hand, Amazon already has signed up Michaels’ producer of choice, NBC’s Fred Gaudelli, which will allow Michaels to easily slide in there, if he has an analyst he likes.

After Aikman’s departure, Fox will try its hardest to keep Buck, but it does like its depth. On play-by-play, it has up-and-comers Kevin Burkhardt, Adam Amin and Joe Davis. It brought in Greg Olsen as its No. 2 game analyst last year with the idea that he could one day be a No. 1. That day could be upon us, though, it is not a done deal yet.

Fox will investigate McVay and surely can’t be ruled out there. It has already talked to Sean Payton about a studio job, according to sources. Both Fox and Amazon still like the potential of NBC’s Drew Brees, despite his poor playoff game. And Tom Brady will receive calls from Amazon and Fox.

Adding to its mix and matching possibilities, Fox has Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt as its No. 1 college team.

2022 DRAFT

Prospect DT GEORGE KARLAFTIS has an interesting story that started in Greece.  Tyler Greenawalt of YahooSports.com:

American football player

George Karlaftis bull-rushed the center on his first football snap. This was in middle school, so Karlaftis’ already-gargantuan 6-foot, 200-pound frame (by his coach’s estimate) careened past the offensive line into the backfield for an easy sack.

Problem was, Karlaftis jumped offsides and the play didn’t count. The 13-year-old didn’t realize it. He was playing American football for the first time. The Athens, Greece, native had recently moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, following the sudden death of his father earlier that summer and picked up the sport only after conversations with friends and family.

So Karlaftis, confused but proud of himself, trotted over to his coaches after the play to figure out what he did wrong and how he could get better.

“I got past the center, which was easy,” Karlaftis confidently said to his coaches. “But what am I supposed to do next?”

Karlaftis and his coaches laugh now about that moment, the genesis of a football journey that began with blissful ignorance quickly followed by an astounding ascension. Karlaftis rose up to become a four-star defensive end in four full seasons of organized football, then a first-team AP Freshman All-American at Purdue before he finished his collegiate career with 14 sacks in 16 games.

Now, he’s a likely first-round NFL draft pick seven years after picking up the sport.

Karlaftis hasn’t garnered the same attention as some of the other top pass rushers like Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson or Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, but his blend of power and finesse stands out in the class.

His football trajectory was expertly curated. Karlaftis built a plan of action from the moment he decided to play the sport and continues to tweak it as his journey progresses. It started with learning football, determining how to get to a Division I school and how to make it to the NFL.

“I’ve always been the kind of guy that likes to plan ahead,” Karlaftis told Yahoo Sports in January. “And it’s shown to be successful through a lot of hard work, dedication and all that kind of stuff. And that’s kind of who I’ve been, just planning everything ahead, having a very detailed plan.”

From Athens to Indiana

Karlaftis doesn’t dwell too much on what brought him to Indiana from Athens. After his father, Matthew, died suddenly of a heart attack in the summer of 2014 at the age of 44, Karlaftis and his family moved to his mother Amy’s hometown of West Lafayette within two months.

Those weeks were a blur for Karlaftis. He had a U16 water polo tournament for the Greek national team, but Karlaftis could barely get in the water. He didn’t even check his grades after taking his seventh-grade finals before hopping on a flight to Indiana in August. Alone.

All he focused on was what came next.

“Certain things happen in your life, and they affect you very differently in your feelings to a certain point. And your emotions can become numb to almost everything else. And that’s almost to a point how it’s become for me,” Karlaftis said. “Little things in life just don’t really affect me. And I always look forward to what’s next. I don’t really reflect on the past too much. I learn from them, absolutely. But that’s what’s next, so that, I guess, whatever kind of mentality you want to call that.”

His father’s death is the reason why he moved to Indiana, but his connection to his father helped him build his strategy for success. Matthew constantly offered words of affirmation, and it helped his son link his genetic advantages with mental confidence. Karlaftis’ father also preached the academic side of athletics, regularly helping his son digest video tutorials of water polo experts while Karlaftis trained as a goalkeeper.

Building a coherent thesis based on copious research was already baked into Karlaftis’ psyche because of his parents. They both earned advanced degrees – Matthew received a Ph.D. in civil engineering at Purdue, while Amy got her MBA from the University of Indianapolis after meeting Matthew at Purdue while earning her bachelors in management.

Karlaftis’ interest in football turned into an obsession, one where he’d fawn over highlights of J.J. Watt and other sack artists, and research how to build himself into a big-time recruit and eventually an NFL prospect.

Pass rushing 101

The learning curve for Karlaftis wasn’t easy. The same guy who can now switch up his moves between a chop rip, a club rip and an arm over the course of a game didn’t know the difference between a 1-technique and a 5-technique, or even how to put on football pads, seven years ago.

“He didn’t know anything about the game of football,” said Dan Adams, Karlaftis’ middle school coach. “Didn’t know how to put his hand down and get into a three-point stance, none of that.”

His coaches loved his size but were so unsure of what to do with him that they tried him out as a kicker as a freshman on the varsity high school team. They even bought him a size 14.5 square toe kicking shoe because he didn’t kick with the side of his foot. But even on special teams, Karlaftis showed his drive. He would sprint down the field and tackle the ball carrier after kicking it.

Karlaftis’ kicking days didn’t last long. He slowly built his confidence on the defensive line with small progressions. First: Just slant right or left depending on the play call. Then: understanding gap assignments, stunts and how to stop the run. Former NFL defensive end and Purdue alum Chike Okeafor taught him the basics of hand combat and stances as a sophomore, which immensely aided his elevation.

One of the biggest things Karlaftis needed to fix early was his approach at the line of scrimmage. His coaches had a plan for that – they put the offensive line 5 feet in front of a fence that circled the practice field and forced the defensive linemen to find non-linear paths to the backfield. Karlaftis couldn’t bull-rush, anymore, he had to learn other moves.

“But he came along fast,” high school head coach Shane Fry said. “I mean, from going from zero, the little he played in eighth grade, to having some experience at the lower levels as a freshman, to being on the varsity field in 10th grade. … We were all so patient in realizing he’s already come a long way. He’s bound to come even further.”

All the while, Karlaftis asked a million questions and absorbed film at an impressive pace. He pored over YouTube clips of legendary pass rushers to find intricacies he couldn’t learn on the field. He read up on recruiting and how to get a leg up on the competition with his training and diet.

By the time his junior year rolled around, Karlaftis felt the game slow down. He felt confident in himself and his ability to use his body to overpower the competition.

“I was far more advanced than everyone else. I was far more developed than everyone else,” he said. “So I was gaining steam.”

Karlaftis graduated the spring semester of his senior year, something that surprised his mother and his non-football coaches. He was a two-time shot put state champion on the verge of becoming the first three-time winner in school history, and he was also one of the better basketball players on his team. But Karlaftis knew that by leaving for Purdue a full semester early, he’d have more time to prep for his collegiate career.

“I knew in high school, I was the biggest, fastest, strongest, best technique, while in college I was the bottom at the totem pole,” Karlaftis said. “So I had to work in order to get back up at the top.”

Unsurprisingly, that strategy worked as well.

“In a four-month period, he transformed his body like nobody else our strength trainer has ever seen,” Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. “And he was one of those young men that because he hadn’t played football a whole lot, he was willing to learn. So if you told him to do something that was in his best interest, man, he went full speed ahead and did it. So I just think when he transformed his body that fast in four months, like, ‘Oh, jeez. This guy, he means business.’”

Fast-forward three years later, Karlaftis saw his weight bump up from 260 to 275 but his body fat percentage fall from 25 percent to 15. He upped his bench press from 275 pounds as a freshman to 335 as a junior. He more than doubled his power clean from 185 pounds to 380 and can now squat 635 and front-squat 505.

“He was here for a purpose,” Brohm added. “He just had a burning desire to prove himself.”

The rise of Karlaftis

Purdue defensive line coach Mark Hagen asks his players to fill out a film review sheet every week to break down their opponent. Each section includes a set of lines for every player on the offensive line and the tight ends – their strengths, weaknesses, tendencies and any other observations from the film.

Karlaftis would return to Hagen with the sheet absolutely filled.

“It was almost like he was writing a term paper on that three-page handout,” Hagan said. “There wasn’t enough white space to take more notes.”

That preparation spilled onto the field. He showed off his power almost immediately as a freshman with 7.5 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss in 12 games. A COVID-19 and injury-riddled 2020 season ended with just two sacks in two games, but Karlaftis returned in 2021 with 4.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

But the tape speaks for itself. Talent evaluators see the strength when he overpowers tackles on the way to the quarterback – as he did against Illinois this past season – or the combination of moves and mobility against Notre Dame when then-Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly tried to double up Karlaftis, but he still found penetration and finished with a half-sack.

It all boils down to Karlaftis’ mindset: It’s football, football and more football. He says he thinks about the sport 100 percent of the time – when he’s eating, dreaming, training, reading. It consumes him, much like it did for the past seven years. Only this time, the goal is bigger: Get to the NFL.

“Before I played a down of football, I knew that football was what I wanted to do,” Karlaftis said. “And I know this sounds weird – but I knew that’s what I wanted to do. And I knew I was going to do it at the highest level.”