NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

Despite all the attempts to be innovative, including two efforts to lower his tax burden, QB CALEB WILLIAMS did sign a largely standard deal reports Mike Florio ofProFootballTalk.com:

Quarterback Caleb Williams got creative and imaginative in his effort to secure special terms in his rookie deal with the Bears. In the end, the Bears didn’t budge.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Williams ultimately signed a mostly standard contract.

That said, Williams will get his full signing bonus within 15 days.

The deal contains basic and usual language regarding the potential voiding of future guarantees. Also, the contract has offset language; if Williams is cut with years remaining on the fully-guaranteed contract, the Bears get a dollar-for-dollar offset as to whatever he would make with a new team.

Williams, as PFT previously has reported, tried to persuade the Bears not to use the franchise tag upon expiration of the deal. The Bears declined. Williams also attempted to engineer payment strategies that would have resulted in more favorable tax treatment. Again, the Bears wouldn’t do it.

Whether a proven and experienced agent could have done better remains to be seen. If any agent can ever get a team to agree not to use the franchise tag, that would be worth millions for the player, since the team wouldn’t be able to squat on his rights with a one-year contract that falls well below the top of the market.

MINNESOTA

Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com has a long, long look at why the Vikings moved on from QB KIRK COUSINS and decided Michigan QB J.J. McCARTHY was his successor.  An edited version below:

“I believe in J.J. McCarthy,” O’Connell told ESPN, “but to get him in the building the right way under the right circumstances, and having another first-round pick like Dallas Turner helps that.”

ESPN spent the offseason tracking the Vikings’ quarterback transition, one that took them through intense negotiations with Cousins, included a check-in on the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert and the acquisition of a second first-round pick that ultimately helped secure Turner rather than McCarthy. It featured a set of five private workouts around the country, one big surprise and the first top-10 quarterback pick in team history (Fran Tarkenton was picked No. 11 overall in 1960).

Interviews with coach, executive and agent sources in and around the organization revealed a two-year process built around the probability the Vikings would never have a draft position high enough to call their own shot and would need a multifaceted plan to succeed with whomever they landed.

“What people don’t understand about the quarterback-selection process,” O’Connell said, “is that it’s not just the quarterback themselves. It’s: ‘What does the rest of the picture look like with that quarterback?'”

NFL TEAMS RARELY pull off a quarterback transition without some lean years in between, and ESPN’s Football Power Index projects the Vikings to win 6.8 games in 2024 — an unavoidable and uncomfortable fact as both Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell enter the third year of four-year contracts. They had hoped Cousins would bridge them to the next quarterback, but the bridge to McCarthy has now fallen to veteran Sam Darnold, a once-elite prospect himself who is now with his fourth team in seven seasons.

McCarthy’s moment might not come as soon as the Vikings hope. O’Connell, scarred by Washington’s botched development of quarterback prospect Dwayne Haskins during his tenure there as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, laid out for ESPN his plan to ensure that McCarthy won’t have to play until he is ready.

“Those things [O’Connell] talked about are the reason why I have so much faith in him,” Adofo-Mensah said. “to take a mold-and-play like [McCarthy] with talent and traits that are as high-end as anybody, and mold him into that player we want him to be.

“A lot of times when we go back over history and we say, ‘These quarterbacks have missed.’ There’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard, and we’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give him the best opportunity he can to be the best player he can be in this offense.”

The Vikings’ hiring of Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell in 2022 coincided with one of the worst quarterback classes in recent draft history. The best QB has been the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy, whom the Vikings had hoped to sign as an undrafted free agent, sources told ESPN in the fall.

Instead, the 49ers drafted Purdy with the final pick of the draft to avoid a bidding war. No other member of the class is likely to start in 2024, and the top two selected — the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Kenny Pickett and the Atlanta Falcons’ Desmond Ridder — have already moved on to new teams.

O’Connell shut down some mild internal sentiment to take a flier on a quarterback that spring. He has since jokingly referred to himself as the Vikings’ “quarterback killer” in draft discussions.

“I have had to, in a lot of ways, fight off some mistakes from being made,” O’Connell said during an appearance this spring at the “Faith & Life” lecture series in Plymouth, Minnesota, which was posted on YouTube. “Mainly because the evaluation process I go through. Hope and faith are wonderful things, but I do not like them to necessarily be strategies.”

O’Connell was correct about the 2022 class, and the Vikings’ success with Cousins that season ensured another year would pass before finding his successor. Their 13-4 record left them with the No. 23 overall pick, and the top three quarterbacks were off the board by No. 4. They did select Jaren Hall in the fifth round, at No. 164 overall, but were realistic about his slim chances of developing into a long-term starter.

That pushed the conversation to the 2024 draft. Close observers understood that Adofo-Mensah was already hedging his financial bet with Cousins in 2022, having added only one year to the quarterback’s contract. Negotiations in 2023 led to a compromise agreement that would allow Cousins to enter the 2024 free agent market without being subjected to the franchise tag.

Cousins responded with perhaps the best first half of a season in his career. He was tied for the NFL lead with 18 touchdown passes and ranked second with 2,331 passing yards when he tore his right Achilles tendon in Week 8. The injury hit the franchise hard. People throughout the organization believed O’Connell had elevated Cousins’ game and set him on a course for a late-career blossoming as a genuine top-10 NFL quarterback. They knew his injury would heal well before the start of the 2024 season and, according to multiple sources, genuinely wanted him to return as their starter.

Players young and old shared that sentiment. Receiver Justin Jefferson said Cousins’ return would be “perfect.” Right tackle Brian O’Neill wanted Cousins back with “one thousand million percent” certainty.

NO ONE IN the building wanted Cousins back more than O’Connell, who had built a relationship with the quarterback based on positive feedback and truth-telling.

With that backdrop, O’Connell leveled with Cousins after the season: The Vikings’ 3-6 record after his injury had exposed the dangers of not looking beyond a 36-year-old quarterback. With their best draft position (No. 11 overall) in a decade, the team had decided to tap into a deep 2024 quarterback class and find its next starter. But no one — not ownership, not Adofo-Mensah and not O’Connell — wanted the rookie to play right away. Cousins would be their starter in 2024 and possibly longer.

It would be a tough sell, and the Vikings were already considering their next steps. At the combine, they checked with the Chargers on Herbert’s availability. It was the kind of call many NFL teams make to a team that has changed leadership. Adofo-Mensah had worked with new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh when they were both with the 49ers from 2013 to ’14, and was well aware of Harbaugh’s preference for a run-based offensive scheme. The Chargers did not want to move Herbert, but the Vikings’ interest was a sign for league observers about Cousins’ looming availability.

Cousins had said publicly and privately that he wanted to finish his career in Minnesota, but he also made clear he wanted the structure of a new contract — the guaranteed money, in other words — to reflect that the Vikings wanted the same thing. “It’s not about the dollars,” Cousins said in January, “But it is about what the dollars represent.”

Internally, the Vikings knew they couldn’t make that commitment. Adofo-Mensah wanted what he refers to as “optionality.” There was too much value in a rookie quarterback’s contract, with its low salary cap impact, to overlap it with a long-term veteran deal. His final offer, delivered at the NFL combine at the end of February, was a deal that fully guaranteed Cousins’ 2024 salary and offered partial guarantees for 2025. Cousins, who would later say he wanted to avoid what amounted to a “year-to-year” contract, turned it down.

By that time, there were rampant public reports the Falcons were readying a massive contract offer that would meet Cousins’ expectations for an end-of-career agreement. He accepted their four-year offer, with two fully guaranteed years and part of a third, as confirmation the Falcons wanted him as their long-term starter. As it turned out, the Falcons were also planning to draft their next quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall. They just didn’t tell Cousins.

The Vikings moved full speed into a new era.

EVEN BEFORE THE combine, O’Connell had his plan for identifying the Vikings’ next quarterback and then refined it with input from coaches and members of the personnel department. If it went well, it would be the only quarterback replacement plan he would employ with the Vikings. That would also be true if it didn’t go well. The same went for Adofo-Mensah. Both of their careers would likely rest on the shoulders of the quarterback they ultimately drafted.

The Vikings would deemphasize the players’ scripted pro days and instead conjure as realistic of a job interview as possible. In those private workouts, O’Connell and staff would evaluate each player in the Vikings’ offensive scheme. It was important to conduct the process in the quarterback’s familiar football environments so the Vikings could observe how each interacted with people they already were comfortable with.

So after bidding farewell to Cousins, and agreeing to terms with Darnold two days later, they went to work.

A combination of McCown, Phillips and assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski would monitor each pro day, while a larger group would follow a more expansive itinerary that coincidentally would start with McCarthy on March 29 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The traveling party, which jetted on one of owner Zygi and Mark Wilf’s private planes, included Adofo-Mensah, O’Connell, Phillips, McCown, Udinski, senior vice president of player personnel Ryan Grigson and passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Brian Angelichio. On a few occasions, the group was joined by some of the Wilfs’ adult children.

The schedule varied based on availability, but most days began with O’Connell teaching a series of plays from the Vikings’ playbook in a classroom at each school’s football facility. For roughly an hour, he would review expectations for footwork, progression and eye placement, among other minutiae. O’Connell stressed his intent as a playcaller for each play.

McCarthy later said the experience was a significant part of why he considered Minnesota his top potential destination.

“It was the way [O’Connell] presents the install,” he said, “the way he compartmentalizes everything about how to look at this play individually and how to make it more relatable to what your knowledge is and how you can smoothly and efficiently step into this playbook.

“That was something that was truly unique because you go around to so many defensive coaches like [Washington’s] Dan Quinn and [New England’s] Jerod Mayo, and being able to have that relationship as former QB and current QB, it’s truly special and it means a lot.”

From there, the group would go to a practice field and pull in receivers and other skill position players who were available to participate. Phillips and Angelichio would coach those players, adding to the realism of the environment, as they went through the plays. The receivers were not part of the initial install, so part of the evaluation was watching how each quarterback guided — or didn’t guide — them through rough patches.

In McCarthy’s case, the Vikings’ scouting and film review had been limited by a Michigan offense that asked him to throw an average of 22.1 passes per game, the fourth fewest by a first-round quarterback in his final full college season over the past 20 years. But as part of their evaluation, they filtered his throws into what O’Connell referred to as “weighty downs” — particularly third downs and red zone attempts — to help compare his most important plays to other first-round prospects who had more overall attempts.

In some cases, McCarthy had more attempts in those situations than some of those other passers. As they watched him during his private workout, the Vikings saw a degree of decisiveness and arm strength that in their opinion rivaled any of the draft’s top six quarterbacks.

“I left there very, very confident in my evaluation of J.J,” O’Connell said, “and if anything, felt even stronger about it.”

OF SOMEWHAT LESS importance, but still a priority, was the team’s assessment of each quarterback’s interactions with the people he encountered on his home turf. When he walked on the practice field, did he simply nod and say hello to the receivers? Or did he gather them and express enthusiasm, creating an immediate miniteam? In many cases, current players were working out or lifting weights around the time of the Vikings’ workouts. Did they stop and watch? Were they interested in the quarterback’s performance?

McCarthy’s big personality gave him an advantage in such situations. The same was true for a task the Vikings assigned each quarterback: Take us to eat — lunch, in most cases — at a place of your choosing. (The Vikings paid.) What type of place would the quarterback select? Was it on campus, and if so, how did the students and other patrons respond to him? Would the employees recognize him and know his order, or had he chosen a place to avoid crowds?

McCarthy selected Zingerman’s Deli, the famous eatery a brief walk from Michigan’s central campus. The group did not call ahead, and they walked into a crowded weekday lunch hour, said Miles Bolton, a front-of-house staff member who was there that day. McCarthy took photos with fans who recognized him as the group waited in line to place orders. “He was really gracious in taking time to pose for pictures and interact with fans,” Bolton said.

In most cases, the Vikings arranged the seating for O’Connell and McCown to sit on either side of the quarterback, ensuring he could speak freely with the people he had already interacted with the most. “You definitely have to be careful about putting too much emphasis on that kind of stuff,” O’Connell said. “You can’t say, ‘Hey, he was awkward at dinner, so we can’t draft him.’ You use it as a sliver of the total evaluation.”

Each visit was followed by an intense review on the plane ride, either back to Minnesota or to the next quarterback stop, while the day was still fresh in the group’s mind.

The trip to Michigan was followed by stops in Seattle to see Penix; Eugene, Oregon, for Bo Nix; and then Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for Drake Maye. The final stop was April 18 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to visit with Jayden Daniels. The Vikings also met with South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Tulane’s Michael Pratt and Tennessee’s Joe Milton III at the NFL combine.

WHEN THEY RETURNED to Minnesota, it was time to stack their draft board and assign values to each quarterback. How many of the QB prospects would they be willing to give up extra draft assets to acquire? And how many would they accept at or close to their spot at No. 11, with the benefit of additional acquisitions?

Even before the trip commenced, Adofo-Mensah began maneuvering to give himself what he again referred to as “optionality.” On March 15, he acquired an additional first-round draft pick (No. 23 overall, from the Houston Texans). Given the cost of the trade — second-round picks in 2024 and 2025, plus a 2024 sixth-rounder, while getting a 2024 seventh-rounder from the Texans — the move was widely regarded as the first step in making a bigger jump for a quarterback near the top of the draft.

In several public appearances, Adofo-Mensah insisted the deal had no specific intent — an expected line from an NFL general manager who didn’t want to give away his strategy. But as it turned out, he truly believed it.

Even before the private workouts, the Vikings knew they liked enough of the quarterback class to conclude they would be within striking distance of several. They also knew they would like some more than others and wanted to have enough assets to move up into the top three spots of the draft if the opportunity arose. If it didn’t, and the Vikings wound up drafting a quarterback at No. 4 or later, Adofo-Mensah thought the Texans trade would help him surround that quarterback with another blue-chip talent.

“We went over our scenarios,” he said, “and thought this was a really good way to position ourselves.”

WHEN DRAFT DAY arrived, the Vikings had multiple possibilities in play. First, though, O’Connell sought out a symbolic but important meeting. He called Darnold into his office at 10:30 a.m. and walked him through the team’s plan.

Darnold had signed a one-year, $10 million contract and had long understood the Vikings would likely draft a quarterback. “No matter what happens,” he said upon arriving, “I’m going to compete.” But Darnold was his likely Week 1 starter and, based on how the draft fell, perhaps for much longer.

The conversation lasted 45 minutes. Darnold told O’Connell he appreciated the candor but that it wasn’t necessary. After all, Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, had lost starting spots with two teams in his first five seasons and had spent his sixth as a backup with the 49ers. No one owed him anything.

“I just felt it was very important for me to look him in the eye and say exactly the reality of this,” O’Connell said.

Reality was also sinking in for some of the scenarios the Vikings had laid out. There was a strong possibility three quarterbacks would be off the board before they had a chance to make a trade offer, creating the likelihood they would be drafting at or near their original spot at No. 11.

It was clear that Caleb Williams and Daniels would be drafted with the first two picks by the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders, respectively. That left the third spot, where the New England Patriots were intent on drafting Maye unless a team overwhelmed them with an offer.

The Vikings really liked Maye, and they were willing to forfeit the ability to surround him with an additional player at No. 23 in order to get him. Their offer to the Patriots was substantial. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Vikings’ final proposal included three first-round picks — No. 11, No. 23 and their top pick in 2025 — but with a request for two of the Patriots’ midround picks in return. It was not enough to tempt the Patriots.

“It’s always about walkaway prices,” Adofo-Mensah said, speaking generally about draft trades. “Your only leverage in the negotiation is your willingness to do something else. So I’ve got to say, ‘I will not do this because I would rather do these three other things and make our team better.’ It’s got to mean something.”

IN PREPARATION FOR not moving into the top three, Adofo-Mensah called Jets general manager Joe Douglas before the draft to map out a potential move to No. 10 if necessary. Then the waiting game began.

McCarthy was next on the Vikings’ priority list, ahead of Penix. Many around the league had paired Penix’s downfield mentality and quick release with O’Connell’s offensive philosophy, but the Vikings felt confident McCarthy had similar capacities. Michigan’s offense simply hadn’t asked him to use them. And at 21, three years younger than Penix, McCarthy had more potential for growth.

But their relatively similar evaluations left the Vikings more confident in resisting the urge to move up. No team with picks between No. 4-10 needed a quarterback. Would another team trade into that group for McCarthy or Penix? It was possible, the Vikings assessed, but even if one were selected, the other should be in range for the Vikings. At one point during the draft, Adofo-Mensah turned to Grigson and said sarcastically he was “supposed to trade the whole farm” for No. 4, according to a video posted by the Vikings.

As it turned out, the Falcons surprised everyone by selecting Penix at No. 8 despite having signed Cousins a month earlier. Now the Vikings were focused on the Bears’ No. 9 spot. They knew they could make a trade with the Jets at No. 10 to get McCarthy, if needed. But there was another nagging thought among some decision-makers. Would the Bears be cutthroat enough to trade out — despite their well-known interest in receiver Rome Odunze — to block the NFC North rival Vikings from getting him?

The Seattle Seahawks had met twice with McCarthy, once at the combine and then after his pro day, and new head coach Mike MacDonald had been Michigan’s defensive coordinator during McCarthy’s first season in Ann Arbor (2021). ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had gone so far as to match McCarthy and the Seahawks in his first 2024 mock draft.

The Vikings’ draft room remained tense until the Bears drafted Odunze. Adofo-Mensah finalized the deal with the Jets for No. 10, giving New York fourth- and fifth-round picks with a seventh-rounder in return, to swap first-round picks and submit McCarthy’s name.

“You’re always sweating a little bit with that one pick in between,” he said, “but this business is about taking a little risk and trying to get a reward, and I think we got that in the end.”

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton later suggested that he had bluffed the Vikings into moving up, out of concern that he would move from No. 12 to No. 10 and select McCarthy ahead of the Vikings. But based on their accumulation of draft insight, the Vikings were confident that Payton preferred Oregon’s Nix, whom he drafted at No. 12.

Back in the draft room, Adofo-Mensah turned his attention to a trade that would flip the No. 23 pick into No. 17, which he used to select Turner.

“Cooking!” Grigson said.

“Cooking with gas!” Adofo-Mensah replied.

THE VIKINGS MOVED through their spring practices with Darnold atop the depth chart, and O’Connell confirmed the obvious in mid-June: Darnold would open training camp as the Vikings’ No. 1 quarterback. For the first time under Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell, the Vikings appear set to bring four quarterbacks to camp — Darnold, McCarthy, veteran backup Nick Mullens and Hall, the 2023 fifth-rounder — perhaps an extra step to prevent McCarthy from playing before he is ready.

O’Connell brings scar tissue to the job of developing McCarthy. As Washington’s offensive coordinator in 2019, O’Connell had a front seat to the franchise’s botched work with first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins. Despite initial plans to take a methodical approach to his development, coach Jay Gruden put Haskins on the field in Week 4 — long before he was ready. Haskins struggled for two seasons, was released in 2021 and spent his final NFL season as the Steelers’ No. 3 quarterback. (Haskins died in April 2022 after being struck by a truck in Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

“When we selected him, we had a lot of confidence in what he could become under the right circumstances and development and timetable,” O’Connell said, “and that didn’t exactly end up being the mindset just a few short months later.”

The Vikings have started at the beginning, by revamping some of McCarthy’s footwork. In particular, they have him putting his left foot forward and right foot back when in the shotgun, as opposed to the “square” stance that some passers and teams use. That early work has demonstrated McCarthy is a “pretty coachable player,” McCown said.

Assuming McCarthy doesn’t win the starting job in training camp, the Vikings’ schedule has a natural transition point: A bye after their Week 5 trip to London to play the Jets. Publicly and privately, O’Connell has left McCarthy’s timetable open-ended.

– – –

LIKE MOST NFL teams, the Vikings produced and published nearly 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes video of their draft room. None of it included the kind of celebration you might expect at the successful end of a two-year journey. After completing the trade with the Jets, Adofo-Mensah smiled, stood up and said: “We’ve never picked a quarterback in the top 10,” his way of saying the deck had been cleared for selecting McCarthy.

“We got it?” a member of the personnel staff asked him.

“Yeah,” Adofo-Mensah said.

The room was still nearly silent.

“You’ve still got all your picks, man,” O’Connell told him, noting the Vikings had drafted their quarterback without giving up the second of their two first-round picks.

Finally, team executives circled the room and shook hands. They stood and clapped as the pick was announced.

“Proud of you, bro,” O’Connell told Adofo-Mensah.

It wasn’t time to pop champagne, however. Now it was first-and-10, and the work was just beginning.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

David Lombardi of The Athletic has collected some very tempting imagined trade offers to the 49ers for WR BRANDON AIYUK:

Brandon Aiyuk has formally requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers. They reportedly aren’t planning to oblige him. But plans can change if another team makes an offer that blows the 49ers away. This is the NFL. Every man has his price.

What might that price be for Aiyuk, who’s already under contract for 2024?

First, consider the pressure the 49ers face to win now. They’ve been to at least the NFC Championship Game in four of the past five years, but if they can’t break through to win the Super Bowl this season, the franchise’s title drought will have extended to three decades. Put simply, the 49ers — with a star-studded roster that’ll only become more difficult to retain as time passes — are more starved than ever to hoist a Lombardi Trophy. That means they’re not in the business of worsening their team for 2024 — even if they stand to gain assets that can make them better in the future.

The 49ers are set on getting better now, and because the 2024 NFL Draft is far behind us, that’d mean any trade of Aiyuk would likely have to yield a player in return — one who can help the 49ers in their 2024 bid for the Super Bowl.

That’s a tough condition to satisfy, which is why a trade is unlikely. But we ran our trade simulator anyway, featuring offers from writers for six teams who might be interested in Aiyuk. All offers were weighed by 49ers writer David Lombardi. Were any of them good enough to send Aiyuk packing?

Atlanta Falcons

DE Zach Harrison and 2025 first-round pick for Aiyuk

The Falcons could be sneakily aggressive participants if there is a real Aiyuk trade opportunity. Atlanta’s brass has shown the desire to be all-in under first-year coach Raheem Morris. Plus, the Falcons were outbid for edge rusher Montez Sweat last year only to watch Sweat turn around the Chicago Bears pass rush, and Atlanta’s unproven wide receiving corps could use a boost. So they would seem happy to offer up their 2025 first-rounder plus a young player. The problem is finding a young player who they can spare and would help San Francisco. Atlanta isn’t deep enough at any position (except quarterback, we know), so any quality player it gives up will hurt. Linebacker Nate Landman would give the 49ers insurance and quality depth while Dre Greenlaw continues his ACL rehab. But the 22-year-old Harrison is a more tempting offer, and 81-year-old Arthur Blank feels like he’s operating with a sense of urgency at the moment. — Josh Kendall, Falcons beat writer

Las Vegas Raiders

DE Malcolm Koonce and a 2025 third-round pick for Aiyuk

Social media gave us a hot Aiyuk for Davante Adams rumor this week (thanks internet!), but that doesn’t make much sense for the Raiders. Both receivers will need a new contract soon (Aiyuk is unhappy while Adams is due to make $36 million in salary in 2025) and Adams is the better player. The Raiders are also very high on their No. 2 receiver, Jakobi Meyers, and drafted tight end/Swiss Army knife Brock Bowers. So the best they could do would be to offer Koonce and a third-round pick, given how deep they are on the defensive line, and no one is likely to trade for 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson. Wilson has worked hard this offseason to get stronger and this would open up a role for him, across from Maxx Crosby. But this still feels forced — as well as too big a move right now for a new general manager in Tom Telesco who is still trying to get a feel for how good his team is. — Vic Tafur, Raiders beat writer

Los Angeles Chargers

Edge rusher Joey Bosa and a 2025 fourth-round pick for Aiyuk

The Chargers moved on from their top two receivers this offseason in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Even after drafting Ladd McConkey in the second round and signing DJ Chark in free agency, the Chargers are thin at receiver. They need proven top-end talent. Aiyuk would be a logical fit for the roster. The Chargers have the cap space — in 2024 and beyond — to give him the type of extension he seeks. In March, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz forecasted what the receiver market could look like soon. “Good wide receivers are going to become available, whether it’s through cuts, cap casualties or trades,” he said then. That was before the McConkey pick, of course. But it is hard to imagine Hortiz stopped monitoring the market.

Bosa, coming off an injury-riddled season, would join his brother Nick in San Francisco. Bosa reworked his contract and took a pay cut in March to remain with the Chargers. He has said he wants to retire with the organization. In that sense, offering him in a trade at this point would be a rather cold move on a human level. Additionally, the Chargers are relying on the strength of their edge rusher group — Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree — to elevate a defensive unit otherwise in transition talent-wise. Still, it is an interesting scenario to consider. Bosa is in the final guaranteed year of his deal, and this trade would provide a pretty considerable return before another contract decision is due on Bosa when he is set to count for $36.4 million on the 2025 cap. — Daniel Popper, Chargers beat writer

New England Patriots

Edge rusher Matthew Judon and a 2025 second-round pick for Aiyuk

The Patriots have made it clear they badly want a No. 1 wide receiver for new quarterback Drake Maye, whether that receiver arrives this year or next. Aiyuk could fill that role for the Patriots, who have the most cap space in the league, leaving them plenty of room to extend Aiyuk. And New England could give Aiyuk tons of targets, given their middling group of wide receivers.

Judon would give the 49ers a major boost in their pass rush (he has 32 sacks in his last 38 games), and while it would hurt the Pats to give him up, Judon will be 32 this season and wants a new contract — not a combination that typically lines up with a rebuilding team. While this doesn’t land the 49ers the first-round pick they probably covet, the Pats’ second-rounder next year has a good chance of being a top-40 pick, and they get that while dramatically improving their pass rush as they load up for another run at the Super Bowl. — Chad Graff, Patriots beat writer

Pittsburgh Steelers

Edge rusher Alex Highsmith and OT Dan Moore Jr. for Aiyuk and a sixth-round pick

The Steelers have been pursuing a top receiver to pair with George Pickens and would love to have Aiyuk fill out their revamped offense. Also, the Steelers have a general manager (Omar Khan) who has earned the nickname “The Khan Artist,” so anything is possible. If the 49ers seek a player-for-player exchange, it complicates things. The Steelers have little to offer in that scenario because they prefer to draft, develop and sign their own.

Perhaps the most logical player they could offer is somebody whom they would not want to part with at almost any cost (and likely wouldn’t). Highsmith signed a four-year, $68 million deal last year that runs through the 2027 season, and he has 21 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons, the 12th-most in the league. Second-year guy Nick Herbig seems primed to be a big-time pass rusher waiting in the wings, but he’s still an unknown long term. The Steelers could sweeten the deal by adding Moore, who has 49 career starts in three seasons but is in a contract year and has become expendable with the team drafting two first-round tackles the past two years. Still, it’s highly unlikely, if not out of the question, that the Steelers would even consider moving Highsmith. — Mark Kaboly, Steelers beat writer

Washington Commanders

WR Terry McLaurin for Aiyuk and a 2025 compensatory third-round pick

Aiyuk’s connections with the Commanders — he played college football with first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels and Washington GM Adam Peters was part of the 49ers front office that selected Aiyuk 25th in the 2020 draft — and the receiver’s thirsty social media posts highlighting Daniels has kept this story afloat. The Commanders are not one player away from contention — especially not a heavily dependent receiver. Trading coveted future picks and using a significant portion of their ample salary cap space for Aiyuk is the opposite of Peters’ first-year actions. Washington has holes at three premium positions — offensive tackle, edge rusher and cornerback — plus McLaurin and 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson at receiver.

That said, if Peters seeks a reunion for him and his young quarterback, the logical bait is the wildly popular, productive (and likely untradable) McLaurin. The sixth-year receiver has two years remaining on the three-year, $69 million extension that began in 2023; the additional time is why San Francisco gives up a future pick. Making Aiyuk one of the five highest-paid receivers will lead to McLaurin’s camp wanting a raise next year when the contract no longer includes guaranteed money. At 29, McLaurin is roughly two and a half years older than Aiyuk. — Ben Standig, Commanders beat writer

The decision

Atlanta is the only team dangling a first-round pick, which is undeniably valuable. The 49ers may be able to flip that pick for an impact player at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, Harrison — who had three sacks as a rookie — doesn’t move the needle for a team needing an immediate return. He’d compete for the fourth and final rotational spot at defensive end. That’d be tough for the 49ers to swallow, considering they’d lose a top-end receiver.

Koonce and Highsmith have been more productive, making the Las Vegas and Pittsburgh offers more intriguing for the here and now. But would Koonce or Highsmith give a 49ers’ D-line that already features Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos the type of boost that outweighs the offense’s loss of Aiyuk on the other side? (The Steelers’ offer of Moore doesn’t move the needle — he allowed even more pressure than 49ers tackle Colton McKivitz last season.)

It seems only true star power could be reasonably expected to do that. The Chargers’ Joey Bosa and New England’s Judon, therefore, grab attention. The latter, however, will be 32 this season and is coming off a biceps tear. The 29-year-old Joey Bosa has dealt with his own injury issues, but the chance to add him at a cost of only $8 million in 2024 — plus an option that’d cost the 49ers about $25 million in 2025 while giving them a platform to negotiate a potential extension — is intriguing.

The 49ers fielded the league’s No. 1 offense with Aiyuk last season. But if they feel quarterback Brock Purdy and the other weapons can keep churning without him, the thought of a Bosa brother bookend squeezing the pocket against Patrick Mahomes is very tempting.

Washington’s offer of McLaurin is also worth looking at. He’s been a 1,000-yard receiver for four consecutive seasons. He’d come at an affordable rate — around $18 million — for the 49ers in each of the next two seasons. But it’s hard to say McLaurin would be better for the 49ers than Aiyuk, who’s a key blocker in the system.

A true short-term splash is mandatory and that leaves the older Bosa brother as the most viable of these offers. The 49ers, who infamously traded Charles Haley away to the Dallas Cowboys about three decades ago, can roll the dice on a deal with the Chargers to acquire a star defensive end this time. Maybe that’s what it’ll take to smother Mahomes and actually win the Super Bowl this time. — David Lombardi, 49ers beat writer

AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE

It still boggles the mind that someone could drain $22 million from a team’s account and no one noticed until said person began giving himself away with purchases.  Now the Jaguars want that money back even though it seems to be gone into the coffers of online betting companies.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

On the surface, the Jaguars are trying to get blood from a stone. At a deeper level, they might be setting up a far more lucrative play.

Via Xuan Thai of ESPN.com, the Jaguars have sued Amit Patel for $22.2 million that he embezzled, largely to support a gambling habit. The relevant principal of Florida law permits the Jaguars to recover treble damages, pushing the suit to $66.6 billion.

It’s a slam-dunk, based on Patel’s admissions in a federal prosecution that culminated in a guilty plea.

Unless the Jaguars are simply trying to prove a point and/or hedge against the possibility of Patel eventually winning the lottery, it’s possible that the team is setting up an effort to recover money from FanDuel or DraftKings.

Court documents, per Thai, show that Patel transferred $20 million to FanDuel and $1 million to DraftKings. The Jaguars previously asked FanDuel to repay some or all of that money.

Given the potential ramifications flowing from an NFL team suing one or more significant NFL partners, the Jaguars might be hoping that their lawsuit against Patel will prompt him to file what’s known as a third-party complaint against the sports books. Then, Patel could/would/should argue that FanDuel and DraftKings (but particularly FanDuel, given the magnitude of the deposit) acted with negligence and/or recklessness and/or deliberate indifference and/or malice aforethought and/or whatever other fancy lawyer terms can be cooked up to show that the sports books have a basic legal duty to detect patterns that indicate embezzlement.

Next, Patel could/would/perhaps should recover the money he spent from FanDuel and/or DraftKings, with that payment passing through to the Jaguars.

Would Patel do it? There’s no downside in trying.

Frankly, it’s possible that the Jaguars and Patel, working through their lawyers, have decided to cooperate in this regard, with a side deal that they won’t seek anything from him beyond whatever he recovers from FanDuel and/or DraftKings.

Earlier this month, we pointed out that England requires sports books to detect patterns suggesting problem gambling and/or theft. Even though the American gambling industry has yet to spawn such protections, litigation traditionally represents one of the most viable and effective ways to create those protections.

One case at a time. With the first case perhaps being the Jaguars v. Patel v. FanDuel and/or DraftKings.

TENNESSEE

Interesting.  If Titans GM Ran Carthon had his way, RB DERRICK HENRY would have been shipped to Baltimore in October:

As expected, Derrick Henry‘s Titans tenure came to an end this spring. The two-time rushing champion signed a deal with the Ravens as part of the flood of running back deals worked out early in free agency.

It came as no surprise that Henry would up in Baltimore considering the connections between the two parties which dated back to the 2023 trade deadline. Even after the deadline passed for his contract to be restructured, the Ravens were named as a team to watch on the trade front. No deal was finalized, but an agreement was in place between Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta and his Tennessee counterpart.

Ran Carthon agreed to a trade price on Henry of a fourth-round pick with the potential to become a third-rounder, Dan Pompei of The Athletic notes (subscription required). He adds, however, that “others in the Titans hierarchy” did not approve of the swap. As a result, Henry finished out the campaign in Tennessee, offering a public, on-field farewell to the organization after the regular season finale.

The news of Carthon being overruled is particularly interesting since he left the door open to a re-signing ahead of free agency. Instead, the Titans were among the teams which moved quickly in adding a different veteran back (Tony Pollard) to pair with Tyjae Spears. That tandem will be tasked with helping second-year quarterback Will Levis develop in his first full season as a starter while Henry begins the second phase of his decorated career.

The 30-year-old took a two-year deal with the Ravens as questions linger with respect to his longevity. Henry’s age is past that at which many high-profile backs begin to slow down, and his massive workload (at least 215 carries in each of the past six seasons) was no doubt a concern for potential free agent suitors. The four-time Pro Bowler will shoulder lead back duties in Baltimore after J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards departed in free agency.

Especially with Keaton Mitchell expected to miss the beginning of the 2024 season, Henry will be counted on early and often with his new team. The former Offensive Player of the Year told Pompei he plans to continue his career for the foreseeable future, with his fitness obviously playing a big role in his ability to do so. He did add, though, that winning a Super Bowl could alter his long-term thinking. Henry’s ability to repeat his Tennessee success in Baltimore will be a key storyline to follow as the 2024 season unfolds.

AFC EAST

MIAMI

Two key members of the Dolphins pass rush are on PUP.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

The Dolphins placed a pair of pass rushers on their physically unable to perform list on Thursday.

The team announced that Bradey Chubb and Jaelan Phillips have both landed on the list. It’s not a surprise in either case as Chubb is working his way back from a torn ACL and Phillips is recovering from a torn Achilles.

Both players can be activated at any time, but the injuries came late in the 2023 season so they may not be cleared to go before the start of the regular season.

Linebacker Cameron Goode and offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn are also on the list. Goode ended last season on injured reserve with a knee injury while Wynn was on the list due to a quad issue.

Running back Salvon Ahmed is on the non-football injury list. He can also be activated at any point.

THIS AND THAT

EIGHT

Lamar Jackson and Troy Aikman are set to face off, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  Jack Baer of YahooSports.com:

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback filed a challenge against a trademark filing by the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback to use their shared jersey number of No. 8, according to ESPN and trademark attorney Josh Gerben.

At issue is Aikman owning and applying for several trademarks featuring the word “EIGHT” on apparel and bags, which Jackson’s legal team reportedly argues would be “likely to cause confusion, or cause mistake, or to deceive” the public when it comes to figuring out if they’re buying, say, a Troy Aikman T-shirt or Lamar Jackson T-shirt.

FL101, the company behind the Aikman products, has several products featuring “EIGHT,” including a light beer brand, but Jackson is only disputing the bags and apparel.

Jackson has been making his own apparel for years under his Era 8 Apparel brand, with products including T-shirts that just have the numeral 8 on them. Jackson has reportedly applied for a number of trademarks around the number, most of them featuring the “Era 8” name.

This isn’t the first time Jackson has gone to battle over his apparel company, as he filed a lawsuit against Amazon in 2020 over selling unlicensed merchandise featuring his registered trademarks.

Back in March, Tim Walters of Florida TODAY ran a contest to vote the best uniform number (the most prestigious list of players to wear it).  He picked 16 numbers and in the first round it was number 7 vs. number 8.

Here is his list for 8 which included both Aikman and Jackson:

8: Cal Ripken, Yogi Berra, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie Stargell, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Kobe Bryant (changed to 24 after 10 seasons), Alexander Ovechkin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Morgan, Andre Dawson, Lamar Jackson, Julie Ertz.

It lost that match to number 7

7: Mickey Mantle, Ivan Rodriguez, John Elway, George Halas, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Johnson, Pete Maravich, Cristiano Ronaldo.

“7” made it to his final four as did 24, 42 and 44.

And the winner was #24.

No 24: Jeff Gordon, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Bonds, Miguel Cabrera, Rickey Henderson, Kobe Bryant, Willie Mays, Rick Barry, Manny Ramirez, Moses Malone, Charles Woodson, Darrelle Revis and Marshawn Lynch.

ESPN – 100 BEST ATHLETES OF THE 21^st CENTURY SO FAR

Here is ESPN’s list of the 100 best athletes of the first quarter of this century.  They offer explanations for all, but we have only included those for the 12 NFL players.

he greatest athlete of the 21st century? That’s easy. It has to be Tom Brady, the quarterback of the greatest dynasty America’s favorite sport has ever seen, a seven-time Super Bowl champ and five-time Super Bowl MVP. Yep. Tom Brady.

Except. Except it has to be Lionel Messi, the best player in the world’s favorite sport, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the footballer of the year. Yep, definitely Messi.

Except … no … LeBron James, right? Four-time NBA champ, four-time Finals MVP, four-time regular-season MVP, 20-time All-NBA, most points scored in NBA history. No athlete has dominated the public conversation like LeBron has. He has to be No. 1.

Except, what about Serena Williams? Winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, the Serena Slam (holding all four major titles at the same time) and four Olympic gold medals. And she got her final Grand Slam event win while pregnant, putting her career on hold while she was at her most dominant.

Except, if you are going to pick a tennis player, what about Roger Federer? He transformed an entire sport with his artistry, his chess game on the court, his blazing forehand. He won 20 Grand Slam titles and became the most beloved tennis player of all time. Gotta be Fed.

Yeah, except Rafael Nadal won 22 Grand Slam titles and Novak Djokovic has won 24. You have to pick one of them over Federer.

Hmm. Maybe this isn’t so easy. We didn’t even mention the Olympians: Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles. Or Kobe. Gotta throw Kobe Bryant into the discussion. Or Lewis Hamilton. Or Peyton Manning. Or Floyd Mayweather. Or Tiger. Geez, almost forgot about Tiger Woods.

Yes, ranking the top 100 most accomplished athletes since 2000 wasn’t quite so easy after all — but it sure was fun. Twenty-five years ago, the ESPN SportsCentury project ranked the top 100 North American athletes of the 20th century. Michael Jordan came in first, followed by Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Wayne Gretzky. (Ruth should have been No. 1, but hey, I’m a baseball writer.) We also ranked a horse: Secretariat came in at No. 35.

With so many transcendent athletes over the past 25 years, we thought it was time to do another ranking. I promise you there are no horses this time (sorry, American Pharoah). In considering the best athletes of the 21st century, however, we have expanded our choices beyond North America. ESPN editions from around the globe contributed to the nominations and voting process, as well as the individual sport list rankings that will follow.

Voters were instructed to consider only an athlete’s performance since 2000. So, for Barry Bonds: He won seven MVP awards, but only four of those came after 2000, as did 317 of his 762 home runs. Or Ken Griffey Jr.: He played until 2010, but all of his best seasons came in the 1990s. Tiger won 13 of his 15 majors from 2000 on, so he’s in good shape. Other athletes, such as Patrick Mahomes or Nikola Jokic or Shohei Ohtani, obviously have more greatness ahead of them, so we’ll see how high their accomplishments so far get them on the list.

In the end, we received more than 70,000 votes from ESPN contributors to create our top 100.

Let the arguments begin. — David Schoenfield, ESPN senior writers

1. Michael Phelps, swimming

2. Serena Williams, tennis

3. Lionel Messi, soccer

4. LeBron James, basketball

5. Tom Brady, football

Key accomplishments: Seven-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time NFL MVP, two-time AP Offensive POY, 15-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro, NFL record for career passing yards/TDs

When Brady was asked which of his seven Super Bowl rings was his favorite, he was fond of answering: “The next one.” That sums up the player whom Bill Belichick referred to as the “ultimate winner” who often played his best when the stakes were highest. Belichick noted how Brady entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick “with little to no fanfare” and left “as the most successful player in league history.” Said Belichick: “His relentless pursuit of excellence drove him on a daily basis. His work ethic and desire to win were both motivational and inspirational to teammates and coaches alike.” — Mike Reiss

6. Roger Federer, tennis

7. Simone Biles, gymnastics

8. Tiger Woods, golf

9. Usain Bolt, track

10. Kobe Bryant, basketball

11. Novak Djokovic, tennis

12. Rafael Nadal, tennis

13. Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer

14. Stephen Curry, basketball

15. Katie Ledecky, swimming

16. Tim Duncan, basketball

17. Shaquille O’Neal, basketball

18. Patrick Mahomes, football

Key accomplishments: Three-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time NFL MVP, two-time First Team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler

Mahomes not only had one of the NFL’s best passing seasons ever in 2018, but he did it in his first year as a starter. That season he became only the second quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, joining the Broncos’ Peyton Manning, who did it in 2013. Mahomes put himself on a fairly easy pace in both statistical categories with a scorching start. He had 13 touchdown passes in the first three games and threw for more than 300 yards in eight of the first nine. He had two six-TD games that season and hasn’t had one since. — Adam Teicher

19. Lewis Hamilton, auto racing

20. Aaron Donald, football

Key accomplishments: 10-time Pro Bowler, eight-time first-team All-Pro, three-time Defensive POY (tied for most all time), HOF All-2010s Team, 2014 Defensive ROY

Donald went into his eighth NFL season with many significant achievements on the field for the Rams: Defensive Rookie of the Year, three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and seven Pro Bowls to start his career. The one thing he was missing? A Super Bowl ring. He and the Rams won that during the 2021 season, beating the Cincinnati Bengals in a game that went down to the wire. On fourth down in a three-point game, Donald pressured Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and forced an incomplete pass to essentially end the game. Donald’s celebration will be remembered, too: He ran around with his arms outstretched and then pointed at his left ring finger, where his first Super Bowl ring would go. — Sarah Barshop

21. Diana Taurasi, basketball

22. Sidney Crosby, hockey

23. Kevin Garnett, basketball

24. Albert Pujols, baseball

25. Floyd Mayweather, boxing

26. Peyton Manning, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer (2021), two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time NFL MVP (most all time), 14-time Pro Bowler, seven-time First Team All-Pro.

Manning already had a Hall of Fame career when he arrived in Denver in 2012 — 11 Pro Bowl selections, five first-team All-Pro selections, nine 4,000-yard passing seasons and a Super Bowl win in his 14 years with the Colts. He signed with the Broncos after a missed season in 2011, his fourth neck surgery and a bit of uncertainty about whether physically he could play at the level he wished. His four years in Denver answered those questions with four AFC West titles, two Super Bowl trips and a Super Bowl win.

His masterpiece might have been the 2013 season, when the Broncos broke the league’s scoring record with 606 points and Manning set records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns, including seven in the season opener. The Broncos topped 40 points six times and 50 points three times. Current Dolphins associate head coach and former Broncos assistant Eric Studesville said: “I’ve never seen anything like Peyton and those guys that year. I don’t think anybody has. That was just an all-time great with the ball in his hands doing all-time great things at a level nobody else has been to.” — Jeff Legwold

27. Randy Moss, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer (2018), six-time Pro Bowler, four-time First Team All-Pro, 156 career TD receptions (second all time).

At 6-foot-4 and with a 47-inch vertical jump, Moss could reach or jump over the tallest defensive backs who tried to cover him — hence the phrase “You got Mossed.” But with speed that was measured below 4.3 seconds in the 40 during a private workout before the 1998 draft, Moss also could run away from the fastest defenders, be it on deep routes or even on what would now be called “bubble screens.” Other factors contributed to his success as well, but the league had never before seen a player like Moss. — Kevin Seifert

28. Nikola Jokic, basketball

29. Michael Schumacher, auto racing

30. Mike Trout, baseball

31. Clayton Kershaw, baseball

32. Marta, soccer

33. Miguel Cabrera, baseball

34. Tamika Catchings, basketball

35. Dwyane Wade, basketball

36. Maya Moore, basketball

37. Ichiro Suzuki, baseball

38. Barry Bonds, baseball

39. Kevin Durant, basketball

40. Justin Verlander, baseball

41. Dirk Nowitzki, basketball

42. Giannis Antetokounmpo, basketball

43. Alex Rodriguez, baseball

44. Mikaela Shiffrin, skiing

45. David Ortiz, baseball

46. Max Scherzer, baseball

47. Jimmie Johnson, auto racing

48. Thierry Henry, soccer

49. Aitana Bonmati, soccer

50. Zinedine Zidane, soccer

51. Steve Nash, basketball

52. Adrian Beltré, baseball

53. Derek Jeter, baseball

54. Alex Ovechkin, hockey

55. Luka Modric, soccer

56. Alexia Putellas, soccer

57. Calvin Johnson, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer, six-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro, HOF All-2010s Team, single-season receiving yards record.

Known as Megatron, Johnson was at the peak of his powers in 2012. That’s when he set an NFL single-season record with 1,964 receiving yards, breaking Jerry Rice’s record of 1,848 that had stood since 1985. “It was an unbelievable thing to play with a guy like that. I think from day one, I knew that I was throwing to a Hall of Famer as long as he stayed healthy,” Matthew Stafford, Johnson’s quarterback during the receiver’s last seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, told ESPN in 2021. “He was a special player and a great person, a great teammate.” At 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, Johnson possessed a 42½-inch vertical leap that allowed him to outjump defenders in video game fashion. — Eric Woodyard

58. J.J. Watt, football

Key accomplishments: Five-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All-Pro, three-time Defensive POY (tied for most all-time), HOF All-2010s Team, only player with 20-plus sacks in multiple seasons.

Watt won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career, but his most dominant season came in 2014. He had 20.5 sacks, the second time he’d done that in his career, as well as 59 solo tackles, 29 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown. Watt had another defensive touchdown that season, and he had three offensive touchdowns. He won his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year award that season and finished second to quarterback Aaron Rodgers in MVP voting. Watt received 13 of 50 MVP votes that season, the most by a defender since Lawrence Taylor won the award in 1986. — Sarah Barshop

59. Mariano Rivera, baseball

60. Candace Parker, basketball

61. Ray Lewis, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer (2018), 12-time Pro Bowler, eight-time first-team All-Pro, only player with 40 sacks and 30 interceptions since sacks became official in 1982.

Lewis redefined the middle linebacker position as a three-down defender who made plays from sideline to sideline. His ability to make teammates around him better established a storied tradition of defense in Baltimore. From 2000 to ’12, the Ravens’ defense ranked among the top three in the NFL in seven of the 10 seasons in which Lewis played at least six games. “Before we get to his play, Ray is the greatest leader in team sports history,” said Shannon Sharpe, a Hall of Fame tight end who won a Super Bowl with Lewis in 2000. “No one is even close.” — Jamison Hensley

62. Shohei Ohtani, baseball

63. Allyson Felix, track

64. Mia Hamm, soccer

65. Kylian Mbappé, soccer

66. Jon Jones, MMA

67. James Harden, basketball

68. Phil Mickelson, golf

69. Jason Kidd, basketball

70. Andrés Iniesta, soccer

71. Manny Pacquiao, boxing

72. Shaun White, snowboarding

73. Mookie Betts, baseball

74. Lisa Leslie, basketball

75. Xavi Hernandez, soccer

76. Georges St-Pierre, MMA

77. Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, track

78. Bernard Hopkins, boxing

79. Bryce Harper, baseball

80. Andy Murray, tennis

81. Sheryl Swoopes, basketball

82. Kohei Uchimura, gymnastics

83. Chris Paul, basketball

84. Lauren Jackson, basketball

85. Kawhi Leonard, basketball

86. Venus Williams, tennis

87. Ronaldo Nazário, soccer

88. Roy Halladay, baseball

89. Annika Sorenstam, golf

90. A’ja Wilson, basketball

91. Aaron Rodgers, football

Key accomplishments: Four-time NFL MVP, 10-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro, HOF All-2010s team, Super Bowl XLV MVP, 475 pass TDs (Packers’ career leader).

Of all the superlatives and milestones that can be used to explain Rodgers’ greatness, here’s one that often gets overlooked. He’s the NFL’s career leader in touchdown-to-interception ratio (475 TDs, 105 INTS). In that way, he was the anti-Brett Favre, yet he carried on Favre’s remarkable run of success in Green Bay before getting traded to the Jets. Packers coach Matt LaFleur perhaps described Rodgers’ impact best when he said near the end of Rodgers’ run with the Packers: “A lot of people have been rewarded, quite frankly, because of his ability to go out there and play.” — Rob Demovsky

92. Pedro Martinez, baseball

93. Rory McIlroy, golf

94. Ronaldinho, soccer

95. Zlatan Ibrahimović, soccer

96. Darrelle Revis, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer (2023), seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro, HOF All-2010s team.

Revis took man-to-man coverage to a new level in 2009 when the Jets’ coaching staff made the unconventional decision to put him on the opponents’ top receiver with no safety help. He was on his own island, so to speak, spawning the “Revis Island” moniker. The result was one of the best cornerback seasons in history. Revis held Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (twice) and Terrell Owens (twice) — all Hall of Famers — under 35 receiving yards. He did the same to Torry Holt, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. He finished with six interceptions and a staggering 31 passes defended, earning the first of four first-team All-Pro selections. — Rich Cimini

97. Virat Kohli, cricket

98. Connor McDavid, hockey

99. Ed Reed, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer (2019), nine-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All-Pro, HOF All-2000s team, 2004 Defensive Player of the Year.

Reed was the ultimate defensive game changer of his generation. In 2004, he set an NFL record by returning an interception 106 yards for a touchdown against the Browns. Four years later, he broke his own record with a 107-yarder against the Eagles. Reed is the only player in NFL history to score touchdowns off a punt return, blocked punt, interception and fumble recovery.

“You see the safety’s out in the middle of the field and have a wide-open throw on the right. The next thing you know he’s intercepting it,” former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “Where did he come from? It’s impossible. That’s what made it such a challenge. He made the impossible possible.” — Jamison Hensley

100. Charles Woodson, football

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer (2021), nine-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro, HOF All-2000s team, 2009 Defensive Player of the Year.

Woodson’s career was a three-act play. In Oakland, as a Heisman Trophy-winning No. 4 pick, he was a hard-partying, hard-playing Hall of Fame talent. In Green Bay, he became a Hall of Famer. And with his return to the Raiders, he became a legend, making the switch from wild youngster at cornerback to sage vet at free safety. And if he lost a step, it was one precious few others ever had. “It was a beautiful transition,” Woodson said, “if you will.” And his first NFL coach, Jon Gruden, most certainly would. The slower-paced lifestyle of Green Bay helped Woodson, well, slow down and center himself. “And he met and married the right woman and had kids,” Gruden said. — Paul Gutierrez

So, we have 24 basketball players on the list – 16 men and 8 women.  The eight women do not include the most famous women’s player in history.

Only 3 hockey players, only 4 golfers (1 woman).

Of the 12 NFL players – Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss are the only wide receivers, no tight ends, Adrian Peterson seems to be a running back omission.