The Daily Briefing Friday, June 10, 2022

AROUND THE NFL

DETROIT

When the Lions drafted WR JONATHAN WILLIAMS they anticipated that it would be a long-term play.  An update from Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com:

Although there was initial optimism that Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams might be available in time for training camp, head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t anticipate that happening as Williams continues to heal from his ACL injury.

“I don’t see him being ready for training camp. I don’t see that,” Campbell said. “I’m very hopeful, but I don’t see it. We’re going to do this thing the right way and when he’s ready, he’ll be ready. But, no, I don’t feel like you’re going to see him out there Day 1.”

The Lions are monitoring their No. 12 pick closely and don’t want to rush his progress.

Williams has been spotted around the practice facility for rookie and mandatory minicamps, but he has only watched from the sideline — while keeping a football in his hands — in anticipation of his return.

“We’ll have a plan for him moving forward,” Campbell said. “He’s going to be around here with us and the short period of time, at which he does go home, we know where he’s going to be and who those people are. So, we’re going to have a plan for him.”

Williams is expected to be a big part of the team’s future, which is why the front office traded up 20 spots to land him in the first round. The Alabama player tore his left ACL in January during the national championship game, but Detroit has maintained faith in his ability.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff is among those in the organization that are highly anticipating his return while also trying to keep him engaged with the team this offseason. As a young player, Goff understands the value in staying involved.

“Very excited. He’s a special talent and I just keep [saying] like ‘get him back, get him back,'” Goff said. “And, I know they’re going to make sure he’s as healthy as possible, but selfishly, I want him back as soon as possible, but he’s staying engaged. He’s got the script in his hand, he’s seeing the plays, he’s doing a good job. Obviously, he’s a great talent, but a great part of our team so far as well and I expect him to grow into his role nicely.”

As Goff watched Detroit move up to land him, he called the move a “great” one. Goff also admitted to watching his highlight tape on draft night and said his ability to make people miss is what jumps off the screen and his speed.

“I just think doing my best to keep him involved and make sure he feels like he’s a part of what we’re doing,” Goff said. “And I’m not the only one, coaches are doing that and trainers and everybody, but I think that’s what happens sometimes when these guys have these long rehabs and you can feel like you’re not quite a part of it and I’ve had long rehabs in the offseason. So, just making sure he feels love and a part of what we’re doing and is going to be a big part of what we’re doing obviously, hopefully sooner than later.”

GREEN BAY

Sounds like WR DAVANTE ADAMS is not a believer in QB JORDAN LOVE.

@MySportsUpdate

#Raiders WR Davante Adams said today that one of the reasons he decided to leave Green Bay was because he didn’t want to stay and then “sacrifice Aaron not being there after a year or two.”

Adams says Rodgers understood his decision.

– – –

QB AARON RODGERS has a new girlfriend, and if you were to call her a “witch” she would consider it accurate.  Eric Lambert of SportsMockery.com:

Everybody knows the saying, “You can’t make this stuff up.” That has become a regular occurrence with Aaron Rodgers these days. Just when it seems like the man can’t possibly get any weirder, he finds a way to surprise you. It started with the alienation of his family years ago. Then it was dating Danica Patrick. Last year, his power play threatened a holdout that got the Green Bay Packers to pay through the nose to keep him. Then comes his claiming he was vaccinated when he actually wasn’t. The guy has been a one-person reality TV show.

Now he’s taken things to another level. Not long after breaking up with movie star fiancee Shailene Woodley, Rodgers has found a new girlfriend. Her name is Blu of Earth. She is a witch. No, seriously. According to Side Action Sports News, she classifies herself as a witch and a medicine woman.When listening to her description, the technical term that comes to mind is “hippie.”

Aaron Rodgers is going to vanish into the wilderness after football.

That is at least what it feels like watching the progression of his life over the past few years. The guy is already somewhat of a recluse. He does the usual charity work, but it feels like he’s getting more and more into the nature-loving scene when it comes to personal preferences. Since he can’t seem to hold a relationship in modern society, he’s apparently opted for someone more “out there.”

Here is hoping Blu of Earth casts a spell on him that might diminish his effectiveness on Sundays so he’ll retire faster. That or slip him some psychedelics so he’ll think Bears defenders look like Packers receivers. Every man is entitled to his preferences regarding love, but Aaron Rodgers makes it so easy to laugh sometimes. He’s reached a point where all one can do is wonder what he’ll do next.

You know what? Aaron Rodgers is one weird man. I could have swore that just a couple months ago he was supposed to get married to Shailene Woodley but the Green Bay Packers QB has moved on from her.

He’s now apparently seeing someone who is a witch. No, that isn’t a joke. This might actually be with Rodgers needs. Never forget his COVID medicine, maybe he was actually seeing this witch then.

Side Action’s had this to say:

“It seems like yesterday when Aaron was professing his love and gratitude to his fiancé Shailene Woodley. Aaron has rebounded once again. The timeline is a little fuzzy on this one! She calls herself Blu of Earth.

Blu changed her name from her birth name, Charlotte Brereton. Blu describes herself as a witch, claims she’s a medicine woman (she has a Bachelor in Broadcast Communication) and is into psychedelic drugs.  This should be good says our source.

DALLAS

The Cowboys and TE DALTON SCHULTZ are apart on a long term deal.  Rob Phillips of DallasCowboys.com:

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy fully understands the business side of the NFL as it pertains to Dalton Schultz’s absence from this week’s final set of voluntary organized team activities.

McCarthy said he and Schultz spoke last Friday about the starting tight end’s decision not to participate in OTAs this week as he hopes to increase contract talks with the organization while on the one-year franchise tag.

“Business is business and I’m in the business of winning football games. We all have contracts. We all have these types of situations that they come about,” McCarthy said. “Timing obviously plays into these decisions and transactions. Now, as a head coach, it takes you a few years to get used to it, but I think you have to learn to separate things in this world.

“Dalton deserves this position that he’s in. So hopefully we can get it worked out.”

Schultz and the Cowboys have until July 15 to work out a multi-year deal or Schultz must play the 2022 season on the tag, worth just under $11 million. Schultz signed the tag in late March.

He set career highs in catches (78), receiving yards (808) and touchdowns (8) last year and figures to have a larger role this season as the Cowboys move forward without four-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to Cleveland in March.

McCarthy said he and Schultz have not yet discussed whether Schultz plans to return for next week’s mandatory minicamp.

“My conversation with him was he was going to miss this week and it was to focus on his business situation,” McCarthy said.

Schultz had been a regular participant in the offseason program up to this point.

“I’m not worried about his commitment or what he’s done,” McCarthy said. “He’s in great shape. If he was standing here, he would tell you this is the strongest he’s ever been. He’s put a tremendous amount of work into the offseason. I think it’s clearly why I separate it. It’s business. It’s business that he’s tending to, and it’s understood.”

Schultz’s absence this week has meant more practice reps for tight ends Jeremy Sprinkle, Sean McKeon, Peyton Hendershot and Jake Ferguson, the fourth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin.

TAMPA BAY

QB TOM BRADY did a presser Thursday.  After a question from longtime Tampa Bay scribe Ira Kaufman, he did not deny communications with the Dolphins, but did adamantly refute a rift with Bruce Arians.  Jenna Laine of ESPN.com files this report:

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady was adamant Thursday that he did not have any sort of rift with former head coach Bruce Arians, who announced his retirement shortly after Brady announced he was returning.

He did not, however, deny reports that he had spoken with the Miami Dolphins about joining their organization in some capacity, and he indicated he would not pressure tight end and close friend Rob Gronkowski to return.

“Zero whatsoever,” Brady said of Arians. “He and I have a great relationship. Part of the reason I chose here was because of Bruce. I mean, he and I have been — incredible communication — I have great respect for him. He knows how I feel about him — that’s the most important thing. And I know how he feels about me.”

As for the Dolphins, who reportedly were interested in getting Brady in a front-office capacity and/or as a quarterback, although he was under contract with the Buccaneers for one more season, Brady said, “I had a lot of conversations with a lot of people, I’ve had for the last three or four years of my career, about different opportunities when I’m done playing football, so, I kind of made a decision of what I’d like to do, and I’ll get to be in the game of football.

“I think for me, the most important thing is where I’m at now and what I hope to do for this team. That’s been my commitment to this team and this organization. It’s been so much fun for me to come here two years ago. It’s been almost 2½ now and it’s been an incredible part of my football journey. And it’s not over.”

With Gronkowski, lured out of retirement by Brady for the 2020 season in Tampa, the two have gotten together this offseason for throwing sessions. But Brady gave no indication Wednesday of which way Gronkowski is leaning.

“I think it’s just obviously totally up to him and we’d all love to play with him, but he’s got to make the best decision for himself and he knows that,” Brady said. “Anyone who cares about him knows that he’s doing what’s right for him, which is trying to figure it out — we don’t have training camp for about six weeks, so whatever he’s gotta do to figure it out. I think we’ll be hopeful he does, and if he doesn’t, we still gotta go out there and figure out what to do.”

Brady also opened up about his decision to retire, which he announced Feb. 1, and then unretire, which he announced March 13. Family played an integral role in both as his priorities have shifted since becoming a husband and father to three children, even admitting he needs to improve in those areas.

“It’s very easy when you’re 25 to know what you want to do next year,” Brady said. “It’s very challenging when you’re 43 or 44 because there’s other things that are pressing and other things that are really important in your life, like your kids and your wife and different relationships, things that have always taken a back seat to football. I think that’s just how it’s gone for me. It’s challenging, and I’ve got to work at those things.

“I think when the football season starts, everybody knows that it’s 100 percent football. It’s just the way you have to be, and that’s a big commitment to make. And in order to play every game, you’ve got to train really hard. I’ve got to train really hard at 44 years old, which is a big commitment. To try to make those decisions — [they] have their challenges. It’s not like it was when I was 25, but I don’t think any of us feel like we were when we were 25.

Thankfully for good reasons, there’s parts where I’m happy I’m not 25 and there’s other parts where I wish I felt like I was like a little more like 25, but I have a very complex, tricky life in different aspects — I’m just trying to navigate it the best way I can.”

Could he feel happy and whole away from professional football, or will it always define him?

“I fell in love with this sport when I was a young kid, and I still think there’s a great love for it. I think I always will, unfortunately,” Brady said. “Beyond it — I’m going to stay in football now, it’s pretty clear. So, that’ll be fun. I look forward to whenever that happens and whenever I decide to make that decision and retire — I think there’s a lot of things about me not ending up, kind of, having a normal offseason. I got to figure out what it would look like, which was really interesting to me. … It should be a smoother transition than I would have thought.”

LOS ANGELES RAMS

CEO Kevin Demhoff on whether or not there will be a day of reckoning for the Rams and their massive spending and traded draft picks

After the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals in their home stadium, they wanted to keep the momentum going and made moves in hopes of going back-to-back. They did not slow down in the offseason, something that even the team brass knows is not something they can do every year.

They signed Bears free agent wide receiver Allen Robinson, and gave All-Pro DT Aaron Donald, quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp monster deals.

COO Kevin Demoff says he knows this is not something the team can do forever, but for now it is something the franchise is willing and able to do.

“I don’t know that this model in particular is sustainable forever,” Demoff said. “To me, it’s not about, ‘Oh, this is the model we will always have.’ I think our model has been [being] aggressive in trying to build the best team that we can build. That is sustainable.”

He also mentioned that they have major goals for the franchise, and anyone who joins the team buys into the mindset.

“I think everybody who joined the Rams joined with this idea that we could be one of the best global sports franchises in the world. And if we want to be one of the elite teams in this city, in the world, one title doesn’t get you there,” he said.

SEATTLE

Sounds like the Seahawks are not counting on RB CHRIS CARSON.  Ely Allen of ProFootballRumors:

Running back Chris Carson knows a bit about adversity in football. From community college to being a late-round pick to early competition and injuries, Carson overcame quite a bit to become a starting NFL running back. According to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, Carson may not be done dealing with adversity. Jude reports that, in comments this week, head coach Pete Carroll seemed to hint that Carson may be looking at the end of his career, following a neck injury that sidelined him for the majority of the 2021 season.

Carson transferred to Oklahoma State after two seasons at Butler Community College and, after two so-so seasons of college football, Carson was five picks away from going undrafted in 2017. Even after getting selected by Seattle near the end of the final round of the draft, Carson was set to compete with veterans Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy for playing time. Carson won the starting job before having his rookie season cut short by a broken ankle.

A quick recovery helped Carson return to become the Seahawks’ leading rusher for the next three years, despite only playing 12 games in 2020. In the offseason before the 2021 season, Carson re-signed with Seattle on a two-year deal. In Week 4 of the season, though, Carson suffered a neck injury that would require surgery and end his season. The updates on Carson’s status have been few and far between in the last eight months. Carroll’s comments, this past Thursday, gave us one of the first looks into Carson’s status, albeit an ominous one.

“Our guys love this game that they grow up playing, and when they sense that there may be an end to it, it’s hard. It’s difficult, and it’s real,” Carroll said. “And we’re going to love (Carson) through it and help him as much as possible, if that’s the case, like we do with everybody when it comes to the end of it. It’s inevitable. It’s coming, but it’s always too soon, so we’re trying to fight that off.”

With Carson sidelined indefinitely, Rashaad Penny sits atop the depth chart. Penny has his own history with injuries, failing to play in more than 10 games in a season since his rookie year and only appearing in 37 of a possible 65 career games. Penny did have the best season of his career last year, rushing for 749 yards and six touchdowns, despite only starting six games.

Seattle has a bit of depth behind Carson and Penny. Since drafting Carson in 2018, the Seahawks have drafted a running back every year except for 2021. This past draft, the Seahawks drafted Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III in the second round. In the years before 2021, Seattle drafted Miami Hurricanes running backs Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas in back-to-back drafts.

Carson is reportedly scheduled to meet with his doctors and surgeon in the coming weeks. The meetings should provide a clearer picture of Carson’s potential for a return.

“He’s battling. He’s doing everything he can,” Carroll told reporters. “He wants to compete all the way to the last word. And so he’s going for it.”

DENVER

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com believes that $4.65 billion for the Broncos is just a waystation on the rise of NFL franchise value to north of $8 billion.

The value of NFL teams is going up. And it will keep going up. And up. And up.

As explained in Playmakers (which continues to be available for far less than an NFL franchise), some believe the average, random team eventually will be worth $8 billion to $10 billion.

It’s an important point for the players to remember when negotiating with the league. Even though the money coming through the cash register is roughly split on a 50-50 basis between management and labor, the players have no equity. The owners have all of it.

Broncos kicker Brandon McManus, a member of the NFL Players Association’s Executive Committee, addressed the dynamic of rising franchise values on Thursday.

“That’s the nature this business is going,” McManus told reporters, via quotes distributed by the team. “In [2018] the [Carolina] Panthers sold, and this is more than double. Baseball used to be America’s game, but I don’t think it’s anywhere close now. Football prints money, and it’s going to continue. They salary cap continues to go [up], the TV rights continue to go [up]. Gambling is just getting started. The values of these teams are going to continue to skyrocket, I believe.”

He believes right. Before too long, $4.65 billion will look like a bargain. The next team to be sold likely will hit $5 billion, especially since Josh Harris (as we’ve reported) would have paid $5 billion for the Broncos if he’d known that bid would have secured the team.

As we also reported, it wouldn’t have. The Walton-Penner group would have bid more than $5 billion. And they would have kept going, maybe past $5.5 billion.

Regardless of the final price, McManus realizes the benefit of having a true owner again.

“Any business structure is great when you have someone in place to lead and follow, and someone for our top executives to lean on,” McManus said. “With Rob [Walton] and the Walton-Penner group coming in here, I’m excited to have some direction. I know from their business standards the accountability that they’ll have at the top, and they’ll hold everyone to it to get us back to the winning ways that I’ve been hoping to get to.”

For the Broncos, it’s good news to have been purchased by one of the richest men in the world. By a man in Rob Walton who will become the richest owner in the NFL, by far. He’ll presumably give the front office the resources it needs to put a great team on the field. And that will make the Broncos real contenders again, ending a dry period that began after the retirement of Peyton Manning.

– – –

Does Peyton Manning have a role with the new Broncos ownership?  Jeff Legwold ofESPN.com:

The Walton-Penner group that agreed to buy the Denver Broncos this week has contacted Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning about a role in the organization that could eventually lead to an equity stake in the franchise, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.

Sources told Schefter that the group reached out to Manning about an advisory role with the team that could lead to his joining the ownership group.

Manning was contacted by multiple groups during the bidding process to acquire the Broncos, sources told ESPN.

The Pat Bowlen Trust, which has operated the Broncos since Bowlen stepped away from day-to-day operations in 2014, announced Tuesday that a sale agreement had been reached with the Walton-Penner group. Sources said the sale price was $4.65 billion, a record for a North American sports franchise.

Bowlen died in 2019, and the Pat Bowlen Trust put the team up for sale earlier this year after no agreement could be reached on which of Bowlen’s children would be the principal owner.

The Walton-Penner group is led by Walmart heir Rob Walton and includes his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner; her husband, Greg Penner; and Mellody Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments as well as chair of the board of the Starbucks Corp. and a director at JP Morgan Chase.

It is expected the Penners will have prominent roles in the day-to-day operations of the team, and Broncos CEO Joe Ellis had expressed the importance, since the team was formally put up for sale Feb. 1, that the new owner be visible in the community and understand the Broncos’ place in Denver, the state of Colorado and the region.

Manning said in October that he had been contacted by several investors who had planned to bid for the Broncos but that none of the discussions were “serious.”

“People are obviously interested. They’re curious,” Manning said at the time. “I care because I live here and I go to the games, and I want to know what’s going to happen like everyone else. But I have no relationship or agreement with anybody.”

LAS VEGAS

WR DAVANTE ADAMS says his move to Las Vegas was not a money grab.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

Just after reports emerged that receiver Davante Adams was being traded to the Raiders in March, several reports emerged from reporters on the Packers beat that Green Bay was willing to pay Adams just as much — if not more — than Las Vegas.

But Adams chose to go to Southern Nevada regardless, reuniting with his former college quarterback Derek Carr and getting closer to his native California.

Adams hadn’t necessarily addressed those reports. But he confirmed them in his Thursday press conference when asked about being happy in Las Vegas with his new organization.

“You guys have heard Green Bay offered this which is higher than what I was [going to make with the Raiders] and all of that. And, yeah, I’ll say it, it was true. OK, it was true,” Adams said. “But there’s much more that goes into it. And family is a big part of it for me. So, geographically being here, it makes it a lot easier for me to stay connected to my family year-round.

“And this isn’t Year Two, or I’m not trying to necessarily fight for a job or anything like that to where you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do — you’ve got to stay out there. I had the choice and the choice was for me to come here and raise my family on the West Coast and come out here and have some fun in the sun.”

Adams signed a reported five-year, $141.25 million deal when he was traded to Las Vegas, which at the time made him the league’s highest-paid receiver.

A five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Adams caught 123 passes for 1,553 yards with 11 touchdowns for the Packers last season.

Speaking of money, WR HUNTER RENFROW has a new deal.  ESPN.com:

The Las Vegas Raiders and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow have agreed to a two-year, $32 million contract extension with $21 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Renfrow was in line for a new deal after catching 103 passes in 2021, the second-highest single-season total by a receiver in franchise history behind the 104 receptions that Hall of Famer Tim Brown had in 1997. Renfrow also caught nine touchdown passes last season.

Over his career, Renfrow has caught 208 passes for 2,299 yards with 15 touchdowns.

Renfrow, a fifth-round find out of Clemson by the Raiders in 2019, was set to play out the final year of his rookie contract, earning $2.54 million in base salary.

The extension is the third this offseason handed out by the Raiders to their homegrown talent, following deals to QB Derek Carr and defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Renfrow figures to continue to work out of the slot as Davante Adams, whom the Raiders acquired in a blockbuster trade on March 18 after eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers, takes over as the No. 1 receiver in the offense.

Renfrow’s extension was first reported by the NFL Network.

BALTIMORE

EDGE JASON PIERRE-PAUL has not re-signed with the Buccaneers.  This on a visit.  Steve Rudden of USA Today:

The Baltimore Ravens have made a number of quality additions during the 2022 offseason. They’ve added playmakers on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, but there’s still time for the team to bring in even more players as they look to perfect their roster.

On Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that free agent pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul visited with Baltimore.  The 12-year veteran then posted an Instagram story of him in the Ravens’ locker room with the message “currently good vibes” under it.

It looks as if the Ravens still have eyes on re-signing Justin Houston after placing the unrestricted free agent tender on him, but it doesn’t hurt for the team to check out the other free agents on the market. If they were to sign a veteran outside linebacker it would add experience to a room that has plenty of young talent on it, as well as a bit of uncertainty with the recoveries of Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo from torn achilles injuries.

The former New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass rusher has 91.5 career sacks. Adding him to the Baltimore defense would be another great addition to an already stout defense, and his leadership would be helpful for young players such as Odafe Oweh, Daelin Hayes, and David Ojabo.

CLEVELAND

Without going into specifics (or an inauthentic sounding statement), QB DESHAUN WATSON is proclaiming his innocence on social media.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Now, after more than two months of silence following the press conference officially announcing the trade that sent him to Cleveland, Watson has spoken, with another social media post.

Via Kimblerley Martin of ESPN.com, Watson quotes these lyrics on his Instagram story: “See, the blogs can’t break me down, see, I’m the voice, I don’t reply. But the rumors y’all done heard, I’ma humbly deny, yeah, yeah.”

Watson’s message comes at a time when his position in the court of public opinion has taken repeated hits, from the filing of two new lawsuits to some unfortunate comments from his lawyer to a new report from Jenny Vrentas of the New York Times indicating Watson arranged massages with 66 different women over a 17-month period.

Watson’s latest words are consistent with his staunch denial of the allegations of sexual misconduct made against him. They come at a time when the NFL continues to consider whether and to what extent discipline should be imposed on Watson under the Personal Conduct Policy.

Shalise Manza Young of YahooSports.com isn’t buying it:

It’s clear now.

During Deshaun Watson’s pathetic introductory news conference with the Cleveland Browns in March, as Browns general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke of having confidence in “Deshaun the person,” that very person claimed more than once he has “never assaulted, harassed or disrespected any woman in my life.”

For good measure, he used his mother and her two sisters, his aunts, as a shield, saying that’s not how they raised him. Men accused of sexual assault or any kind of wrongdoing against women almost always trot out the women in their lives as a shield, as if their existence means they couldn’t have done what’s asserted they did, much in the same way racists trot out their one Black friend as cover.

Reading the newest reporting on Watson’s alleged behavior from The New York Times’ Jenny Vrentas, it’s clear now:

Deshaun Watson didn’t really see the alleged victims as women, not in the way he presumably sees his mother and aunts. He saw them as sex objects, hired for his depraved pleasure, whether they wanted to provide it or not.

It’s why he continues to assert that he did nothing wrong, despite a member of his own legal team confirming sexual conduct took place in three of the sessions, and despite acknowledging that one of his accusers, Ashley Solis, had tears in her eyes at the end of their session and his texting her “sorry about you feeling uncomfortable” immediately after.

He has testified under oath, according to The Times, that he doesn’t understand why he was called to answer questions.

“Like I told you at the beginning of this depo, I’m still trying to figure out why we in the situation we are in right now, why I’m talking to you guys, why you guys are interviewing me,” Watson reportedly said. “I don’t know. Do not know.”

He apparently had no interest in therapeutic massage, and was not looking for top-notch care for his body, which is a necessity for an NFL player.

Via Vrentas’ reporting, one of the women who has filed a lawsuit against Watson was a flight attendant who began taking massage therapy classes during the pandemic. Another woman was an aesthetician who told Watson her license allowed her to provide only a back facial, with cleansers and such, and not a massage. Under questioning during a deposition, attorney Tony Buzbee reportedly asked Watson if he inquired about the experience level of one of the women, and Watson said more than once that he hadn’t because it wasn’t a priority for him.

The Times verified that Watson had appointments with 66 women over 17 months, and he went to many of them multiple times. Some of the women who spoke to Vrentas for the story have not filed a lawsuit against Watson nor have they gone to police, so skeptics can save their tired line about them looking for a quick payday.

It doesn’t seem like Watson didn’t want proper therapy. It seems like he wanted to exert his power and feed his desires, no matter how humiliated and violated it made the women involved feel.

He was preying on women, many of them Black women, playing on their emotions by saying repeatedly he was “just tryna support Black businesses” to get them to rearrange their schedule to work on him.

Unfortunately, it’s not new to see Black men disrespect Black women the way the rest of American society always has.

That doesn’t make it any less disappointing.

The predatory behavior continued even as some of the women warned Watson.

One, who says he begged her to put her mouth on his penis, says she told him, “What’s going on? You’re about to mess up everything.” And at least one of the women threatened to go public with Watson’s behavior; that’s when the Houston Texans, Watson’s former team, get dragged into this situation through Vrentas’ reporting, with the team’s director of security providing Watson with a nondisclosure agreement after the woman posted on Instagram “I could really expose you” with Watson’s phone number, text messages and CashApp receipts.

Once he had the NDA in hand, Watson allegedly weaponized it, telling at least one woman he wouldn’t pay her unless she signed it.

TENNESSEE

From a Fantasy perspective, Liz Loza of YahooSports.com explores whether or not RB DERRICK HENRY is in decline – and if so, is it a gentle slope or a cliff.

Tennessee Titans: Is Derrick Henry worth a top-five overall pick?

Derrick Henry’s cliff has long been pondered.

Coming off a broken foot — on which he did, in on-brand anomalistic fashion, play in the divisional round of the 2021 postseason — the contemplation has only increased.

Per a recent Twitter poll, the fantasy community appears overwhelmingly confident in King Henry’s ability to ROI on his top-five ADP:

@LizLoza_FF

According to current ADP data, Derrick Henry is the No. 5 overall pick in redraft (.5 PPR).

Where do you think he should come off the board?

Inside the top-3 picks                         31%

No. 5 overall is spot on                      40.7%

No. 10 overall                                     20.4%

Zero RB, baby!                                  7.9%

717 votes

Final results

I’m not as convinced.

This is a back with over 1,400 pro carries to his name. And he’s on a team that will feed him, but is devoid of field stretchers. Coming off a season with an RB43 True Yards Per Carry (4.0), Tennessee’s lack of dynamism doesn’t figure to boost his efficiency. After all, he averaged just 3.1 YPC the last time he was on the field.

Yet, there’s an even more intriguing stat — from before the injury — that has me fading the Titans RB1.

Kudos to Dalton Del Don for mentioning Henry’s BMT percentage (a metric created by Sports Info Solutions that measures Broken Tackles plus Missed Tackles per Attempt) on the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast. As Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders explains, most upper-echelon fantasy backs record a BMT% in the mid to high teens (ex: Jonathan Taylor managed a BMT% of 16.3%). Nearly every recognizable fantasy producer manages double-digit numbers.

But Henry was sandwiched between Saquon Barkley (RB35 FPTS/gm) and Myles Gaskin (RB42 FPTS/gm) with a BMT% of 9.6 percent (150 carry minimum). Adding insult to injury, Henry’s broken tackle percentage has steadily declined since 2017. However, in 2021 he hit an all-time low — likely foreshadowing what’s to come in 2022.

Personally, I’d rather stack up on elite receiving talent and take a swing at an upstart runner with upside in the RB20 range than select Henry with a top-five draft pick.

THIS AND THAT

DESTINATIONS FOR MAYFIELD AND GAROPPOLO

Dan Graziano of ESPN.com asks some NFL insiders where they think QBs JIMMY GAROPPOLO and BAKER MAYFIELD will end up – and at the end someone proposes a unique solution:

The NFL offseason has been a game of quarterback musical chairs. With the music stopped (or at least paused), Jimmy Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield remain without a seat.

In several respects, Garoppolo’s and Mayfield’s situations are similar. Each had shoulder surgery this offseason. Each has a relatively high salary teams have, so far, been reluctant to absorb in a trade. And each is on the outs with his team because he has already been replaced.

Garoppolo, who has been the 49ers’ starter since late in the 2017 season, has known since last year’s draft he’d have to step aside for No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. Mayfield, who has been the Browns’ starter since early in his 2018 rookie season, found out with the rest of us in March that Cleveland was trading with Houston for Deshaun Watson, who faces 24 civil lawsuits alleging inappropriate behavior and sexual assault during massage sessions.

Is it possible both Garoppolo and Mayfield begin the regular season with the 49ers and Browns, respectively? Sure. It’s hard to find people in league circles, however, who believe they will.

As mandatory minicamps continue through next week — with both Garoppolo and Mayfield excused by their teams from attending — we took a straw poll of league executives, coaches and agents to find out what people think will happen. Here’s a rundown of what we’ve been told, ending with a consensus on the most likely landing spots for each:

The injuries

Mayfield played hurt for most of last season and had surgery in January to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. His health hasn’t been an issue as the Browns have tried to unload him, however. If he still had the starting job in Cleveland, he’d be on track for Week 1 and might even take part in the offseason program.

Garoppolo’s injury, which came as a surprise near the end of the 49ers’ playoff run, was more significant, mainly because it involved his right (throwing) shoulder. He had the surgery in early March and was told at the time he’d need at least 16 weeks before he would be able to throw a football, which is about three weeks away. As you might expect, the fact no one has been able to see Garoppolo throw this offseason has had a major impact on teams’ potential interest in a trade.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch said at the owners meetings in March he’d been having active trade talks with other teams before the decision was made for Garoppolo to have surgery. Once that happened, the 49ers decided their best course of action, rather than release him or trade him for peanuts, was to wait out his recovery and re-engage teams in trade talks later this summer. That’s where things stand now.

“The Garoppolo situation has been less messy, other than the surgery,” one NFL team executive said. “That makes you think, once he’s healthy, San Francisco has the better chance to get something done.”

The money

Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft. Last April, coming off a promising 2020 season, the Browns made the decision to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. After that, they were bound to pay him a fully guaranteed $18.858 million in 2022. Even if they were to release him, they’d have to pay him all of that money.

The Browns have been reluctant to release him for that reason, but interested teams have balked at the idea of trading something of value and taking on that entire salary. The Panthers engaged Cleveland in trade talks for Mayfield prior to and during the NFL draft in late April, but they wanted the Browns to pay a chunk of the salary as a condition of the trade, according to sources. The two teams could not agree on the size of that chunk, so no deal was struck. If the Browns were to release Mayfield, they’d still be on the hook for the money, but the Panthers or any other interested team could sign him and pay him significantly less. More on that possibility in a moment.

The 49ers acquired Garoppolo in a 2017 trade deadline deal with the Patriots, then signed him to a long-term contract extension after his promising finish to that season. We are now entering the final year of that contract, with Garoppolo scheduled to make $25 million in salary and bonuses in 2022. His deal includes a $24.2 million salary and an $800,000 roster bonus, the latter of which may already have been paid by the team.

An acquiring team would take on a $24.2 million salary if it traded for Garoppolo right now. Unlike Mayfield’s 2022 salary, however, Garoppolo’s is not guaranteed. An acquiring team could, potentially, work with Garoppolo on a contract extension that knocks down the salary number in exchange for guarantees. Again, we’re a ways away from that due to the health issue. But if trade talks for him pick up, that possibility exists to help smooth the path to a potential deal.

Could Garoppolo or Mayfield be on their current rosters when the season starts?

It’s possible, but not likely. As mentioned above, Garoppolo’s salary is not guaranteed. Any veteran who’s on a roster in Week 1 and is subsequently released can recover his entire salary via termination pay. That means, if he’s on the 49ers’ roster in Week 1, Garoppolo’s salary effectively becomes guaranteed. It would make it a lot tougher for the Niners to move him at the late October trade deadline and a lot tougher for them to release him if they couldn’t.

As it stands now, San Francisco could cut Garoppolo and take on only $1.4 million in dead money against its salary cap. If it waits until after Week 1 to cut him, that number would jump to $26.4 million.

Mayfield’s situation is different for multiple reasons, not the least of which is the guaranteed money. If the Browns really want to be stubborn and hold out for maximum trade value, they could keep him into the season and take this up until the trade deadline. Again, they have to pay him anyway, so that $18.858 million is going to hit their cap whether they keep him or cut him.

If Cleveland believes a better market for Mayfield will develop in September or October, it could keep him. And if there’s a chance to repair the relationship between the team and the player, it might not be a terrible idea to keep him. Watson could be suspended by the NFL under the personal conduct policy as a result of the lawsuits against him. The Browns signed Jacoby Brissett to be the backup and play if Watson cannot, but a healthy Mayfield is undoubtedly a better option should Watson miss significant time.

Problem is, it doesn’t sound as if the relationship between Mayfield and the Browns is salvageable. Of the people I talked to for this story, the overwhelming majority believed there’s no chance Mayfield will ever play for the Browns again.

“He’s done with them, and they’re done with him,” one source said. “That was true once he found out they were trying to trade for Deshaun.”

Indeed, Mayfield was posting farewell-ish messages on social media prior to the Browns’ acquisition of Watson in March, and he told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “The relationship is too far gone to mend. It’s in the best interests of both sides to move on.”

While the contract structure makes it more likely Mayfield remains with his current team once the season opens, the personal issues between Mayfield and the Browns might mean he’s done there for good.

How much say do the QBs have in all of this?

Garoppolo’s contract included a no-trade clause for the 2021 season only, and the Niners now have the right to trade him to any team they choose. That said, the relationship between Garoppolo and the 49ers has remained solid, and the two sides spoke after the season ended about trying to work together to help him get to a place he might want to go. Those things were said at a time when they all thought they could get Garoppolo traded quickly. But with almost all of those musical chairs now occupied, he might not get much input.

Mayfield also has no contractual power over his situation, but it’s possible there’s something he could do to move things along. A couple of the people surveyed for this story suggested that Mayfield, if he wants to force the Browns to trade or release him, should show up for mandatory minicamp and in August for training camp. As long as he’s away from the facility, he’s not putting any pressure on the Browns to do anything but wait for a better offer. But if Mayfield were to show up and make things uncomfortable in the building, they might find themselves in a position like the one Odell Beckham Jr. put them in last October, when they ended up releasing Beckham once OBJ (and his father) made it clear he no longer wanted any part of the place.

The Browns announced Wednesday, however, that Mayfield would be excused from mandatory minicamp as part of a “mutual decision,” which indicates (a) he’s not planning to show up as a means of hastening a trade and (b) the relationship between Mayfield and the Browns is irreparable.

Garoppolo has said and done all the right things since the Niners drafted Lance, and his excused absence from mandatory minicamp next week indicates he and the team remain on the same page about the best way to handle his situation. Either one of these guys could try to flex his leverage and force the team to release him (making him free to sign anywhere) by showing up and making things uncomfortable for the team. So far, neither has.

Bottom line: Where will they end up?

The majority of the people to whom I spoke for this story believe both players will likely end up being released. A couple of people thought Garoppolo might still draw trade interest, provided an acquiring team could work out something to knock down the salary or spread it out over a couple of years.

The most popular destination for Garoppolo among those to whom I spoke was the Panthers. The most popular landing spot for Mayfield in our straw poll was the Seahawks. They don’t seem interested in trading for him, but could, if he gets released, sign him to a low-cost deal and add him to a quarterback room that includes Geno Smith and Drew Lock in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade.

As of now, those teams and the Falcons are the three spots in which Mayfield or Garoppolo might be able to show up at camp and compete for a starter’s role. The Browns and 49ers likely hope other teams’ situations change and the market widens. Perhaps a quarterback suffers an injury at the position, and they can do something like the Eagles did in 2016 when they sent Sam Bradford to the Vikings right before the season when Teddy Bridgewater got hurt. Perhaps a team that feels good about its quarterback situation gets into camp and that changes, then revisits the idea of a trade. It’s impossible to forecast where such a change might occur, but here’s a partial list of outside-the-box suggestions I got when I made my calls:

Saints. “Are they sure Jameis [Winston] is healthy?” one source said. Winston tore the ACL in his left knee last October but has practiced with the team during OTAs.

Lions. Former Browns general manager John Dorsey, who selected Mayfield at the top of the 2018 draft, is now part of the Detroit front office. He’s not the GM, but if he were to stump on Mayfield’s behalf, is it ridiculous to think Mayfield could come in and compete with Jared Goff? Or replace Goff after this year?

Vikings. They’re set this season with Kirk Cousins but could move on from him after the year. This is an example of a place in which Mayfield or Garoppolo wouldn’t start right away but could position himself as the team’s starter in 2023, the way Winston did with the Saints in 2020. That could be possible elsewhere, including with the Buccaneers, Eagles, Cardinals, Titans and Raiders.

And then we’ll leave you with this idea, which was floated to me by one mischievous observer but doesn’t sound completely off the wall:

“Why not trade them for each other? San Fran saves some money, Cleveland gets a better backup option than Brissett. Baker gets to work with Kyle [Shanahan] for a year and be next year’s [Mitchell] Trubisky.”

Who says no?

BROADCAST NEWS

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post on Jason Garrett – and Drew Brees:

Former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett will replace Drew Brees on NBC’s NFL pregame show, “Football Night in America,” The Post has learned.

Garrett could still also succeed Brees as NBC’s Notre Dame game analyst, but a final decision has not been made there, according to sources.

Garrett, 56, was the Giants’ offensive coordinator for more than a year before being fired by then-head coach Joe Judge early last season.

Garrett has been calling USFL games for NBC this spring with Jac Collinsworth. Collinsworth, a Notre Dame graduate and the son of Cris Collinsworth, is a candidate for the play-by-play position.

Mike Tirico, who called the Fighting Irish last year, is being promoted to “Sunday Night Football” in place of Al Michaels. Michaels has since gone on to become the voice of Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” package, which begins in the fall.

Last month, The Post reported that Brees and NBC were done after one year. Immediately after the story, Brees, in a tweet, semi-denied the report, saying his future was in limbo and, among other things, he might go play football or pickleball instead.

In an interview with the Associated Press this week, NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua confirmed The Post’s initial report that Brees would no longer work at NBC.

Brees may take the year off, but he could have an opportunity at Fox Sports to be its No. 2 game analyst, which includes two playoff games next season, however Fox Sports does not have any plans to break the bank for Brees.

Fox has already signed Tom Brady to a 10-year, $375 million deal to be its lead game analyst after he retires from playing. Greg Olsen is its No. 1 game analyst for at least this year, which will conclude with Fox having the Super Bowl.

Richard Sherman had a tryout to be a Fox Sports game analyst, according to sources. He is not in the running for the No. 2 job. Sherman is widely expected to be a studio analyst with Amazon. If he ends up doing well there, Fox might ask him to do a game or two and both sides would be able to see if the relationship could grow