NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

The momentum appears to be growing for the Bears to abandon the City of Chicago and flee to the suburbs.  Chris Emma of 730TheScore:

With the Bears having formally placed a bid on the Arlington Park property, the team is exploring a potential future away from Soldier Field.

Whether the Bears intend to leave Soldier Field for Arlington Heights — or if the bid is to gain leverage as part of a fight with the city of Chicago on issues with their current stadium — remains to be seen. On that topic, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wouldn’t speculate on where the Bears will play in the future other than to acknowledge the team’s bid on Arlington Park as a step toward a possible move.

“I don’t know the answer to that question other than to know this is a really early stage to develop potentially an alternative,” Goodell said Wednesday on 670 The Score as part of the What About Chicago Radiothon. “But I think a lot has to be done here. I know their commitment to the Chicago area is 110%, and that’s the most important thing to me.

“We have a long lease at Soldier Field. It’s a great place. But we’re all looking to the long term and trying to look at alternatives, and that’s what the Bears are doing.

“But I think for fans right now, I wouldn’t be focused on that. There’s a lot that has to go into this. Right now, let’s enjoy the ’21 season. A lot of excitement for the Bears.”

The Bears’ current lease with the Chicago Park District to play at Soldier Field runs through 2033. The team could potentially buy out the remainder of that lease to leave its lakefront home before the expiration. Arlington Park has been approved to accommodate a football stadium, the Tribune reported Wednesday.

– – –

WR MARQUISE GOODWIN will compete in the long jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials.  He once represented the U.S. as a sprinter.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Chicago Bears receiver Marquise Goodwin will attempt to make another Olympic team this weekend.

The veteran wideout will participate in the long jump qualifiers at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday. If he passes through the qualifying round, finals for the U.S. Team take place Sunday.

“My chances (of making the team) are always high because you never know what could happen on that day,” he told Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.

Goodwin made the 2012 U.S. Olympic team and just missed out on making the 2016 squad.

The 30-year-old opted out of the 2020 NFL season due to COVID-19. When he signed with the Bears this offseason, the club understood Goodwin’s desire to chance another Olympic dream.

“Anytime you have an Olympic mentality, you are different,” coach Matt Nagy said of Goodwin. “That’s a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour regime that you are keeping your body in shape. … For him, that’s never going to change.”

The track and field portion of the Tokyo Olympics runs from July 30-Aug. 8 — the men’s long jump finals take place on Aug. 2. If he makes the U.S. Olympic team, Goodwin would miss a portion of Bears training camp, which is set to kick off on July 27.

GREEN BAY

If QB AARON RODGERS is devious, and he may be, he could develop a fear of COVID this week.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

It seemed too easy, too good to be true. After further review, it isn’t.

The letter agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association from Tuesday of this week does indeed grant broad powers to all players to opt out of the 2021 season, regardless of whether they opted out in 2020 or whether they have been diagnosed with a higher-risk condition since October 1, 2020. Although such players would be entitled to no stipend for 2021, any player who executed his most recent contract before October 1, 2020 can indeed opt out voluntarily, no questions asked as to motivation or qualification or possible ulterior motive.

This includes, most notably, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. By next Friday, July 2, he can pull the plug on the 2021 season. It would be a permanent and irrevocable decision, but he can do it.

The benefit to doing so comes from the fact that he would not forfeit $11.5 million in unearned signing bonus money for 2021 if he opts out. Also, he presumably would still receive the payments on the $6.8 million roster bonus that he earned in March, and that is due to be paid out in weekly installments during the season.

That’s $18.3 million that he’ll keep by opting out. If he doesn’t opt out but holds out, he loses that $18.3 million — and would be fined roughly $2 million on top of it for skipping training camp.

The problem with opting out is that it requires a fairly quick decision, and the decision cannot be changed. But if Rodgers truly is thinking about staying away for all of 2021, there are 20.3 million reasons for making a final and binding decision in the next seven days.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com with a shocking report on what happened and didn’t happen with QB TOM BRADY in 2020:

No individual player has made a bigger mark on NFL history than Tom Brady. So any nugget involving his place of employment has a direct impact on the way that NFL history is told.

It was interesting, then, to hear from ESPN’s Jeff Darlington on Tuesday morning. In the wake of Brady’s comment from “The Shop” going public, Darlington was part of a panel discussion about teams that should regret having passed up on Brady in free agency last year. Darlington — who pursued Brady’s free agency closely last year — went a bit off the board by going with the New Orleans Saints.

“I think that people still underestimate how close Tom Brady was to signing with the New Orleans Saints up until he ultimately decided on the Bucs,” Darlington said. “I know that that’s going to be a statement that people try to question; it’s the truth.”

The Saints, as we know, ended up sticking with Drew Brees for one more year. They can’t really regret that decision. Brees is the best player in franchise history, and though broken ribs limited him to 12 games, he played well during the year and even beat Brady in two head-to-head meetings in the regular season. Brady did get the last laugh, outperforming Brees (who threw three interceptions) in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Darlington said that Sean Payton’s regret may be in the fact that he didn’t have Tom Brady last year, and now doesn’t have Tom Brady or Drew Brees in 2021 and beyond.

 “The Saints, despite understanding they did what they had to do, there is a little bit of — let’s call it regret — that Tom Brady is not their quarterback,” Darlington said.

Adam Schefter did report in February that the Saints might have gone with Brady if Brees had retired. Darlington, though, makes it sound like the Saints considered going with Brady regardless of Brees’ decision to play one more year or retire. And he makes it seem like the Saints even wanted Brady.

It’s interesting in the sense that any “what if?” in sports is interesting. If Brady had joined the Saints, then we know that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not your defending Super Bowl champions entering the 2021 season. It could very well be the Chiefs. It could just as easily have been the Saints, who went 12-4 and won the NFC South. The NFL record books would have Brady as the all-time passing leader already, a mark he’ll likely achieve anyway by early October. And just for fun … what if Drew Brees didn’t want to retire and ended up signing somewhere like … say … New England?

That story would have played out with some high drama on a weekly basis. And it feels fair to assume that Brees would have had a better year one in New England than Cam Newton did, thus changing the scope and shape of the AFC East.

Remember, Darlington is well-connected in Brady world and was very Bucs positive early when others were not.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

TE GEORGE KITTLE has gathered most of the NFL’s top ends in Nashville to foster some self-respect.  Turron Davenport of ESPN.com:

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle feels it’s time to put some respect on his position. That’s why he made it a point to gather 49 NFL tight ends together for this week’s Tight End University.

The program, which Kittle is conducting along with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and former tight end Greg Olsen, began Wednesday and will continue through Friday in Nashville.

“100% it does,” Kittle told ESPN when asked if the way his position is being undervalued bothers him. “I think TE is the most unique and diverse position. It’s the most fun position because it’s the only one on the field where you get to do everything that a football player does. You run block, you pass pro, you get to run routes and catch the football. We do everything!”

Kittle said his position deserves a little more recognition, given how players such as himself, Kelce and others have become focal points of NFL offenses.

The group of tight ends at TEU got to share trade secrets in hopes of collectively helping each other sharpen their playmaking ability. The summit offered on-the-field workouts, film-study sessions and some evening activities.

“I’m a big believer that you surround yourself with good people which brings the best out of you. We’re sharing our strategy with guys. Our mindsets, how you approach the game. All of this is for the tight end position to take a step forward. I’m excited that we have such a great group of guys,” Kittle said.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

For what probably is the biggest contract of his life, QB LAMAER JACKSON has only his mother to rely on in the negotiations.  Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com:

Lamar Jackson is one of three former first-round quarterbacks set to cash in with a lucrative new contract this offseason. The 2019 NFL MVP has been in talks with the Ravens for months about an extension, telling reporters he wants to stay in Baltimore “forever.” If and when Jackson strikes a long-term deal, however, he’ll do so without a standard agent. As Pat McAfee and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted Thursday, the Ravens star is representing himself — along with help from his mother — in ongoing negotiations.

“Agents, a lot of times, sort of act as a buffer for teams to players,” Rapoport told McAfee. “It is a little different with Lamar Jackson because it’s his mom sort of acting as his business partner, business manager.”

Jackson’s mother, Felicia Jones, previously helped represent the QB when Jackson entered the NFL in 2018, finalizing the former first-rounder’s rookie contract with the Ravens. Jackson has never employed an official agent since then, instead referring to Jones as his “manager.” Both then and now, Rapoport told McAfee, the agent community has “raised eyebrows” over Jackson’s handling of contract matters, but Jones’ guidance did not get in the way of Jackson signing a four-year, $9.5 million deal as a rookie.

This time around, of course, the stakes are higher. Ever since the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott inked a $160 million extension in March, all eyes have been on Jackson, as well as the Bills’ Josh Allen and now the Browns’ Baker Mayfield, to carry the QB market forward. Jackson is reportedly eyeing an extension that’ll pay him about $40 million per year, which is what Prescott got in Dallas. All signs point to him getting at least that, with something like $42 million to $43 million per year likely in play as he seeks to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid signal-callers behind former Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes is currently the highest-paid QB at $45M per year, with Prescott trailing at $40M.

The DB would think this actually puts some pressure on the Ravens, who have to be sensitive about charges that they took advantage of the player when the final contract is revealed.  We would doubt they would pull any overt shenanigans.

PITTSBURGH

G DAVID DeCASTRO is out, G TRAI TURNER is in.  Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

A few hours after the Pittsburgh Steelers released Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro, ending his nine-year tenure with the team, they found his replacement for the 2021 season.

Free agent guard Trai Turner, a seven-year veteran who spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, agreed to terms on a one-year deal. ESPN first reported the transaction, citing confirmation from agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Turner visited the Steelers on Friday, one day after the conclusion of minicamp, an event which DeCastro attended for one day but in which he never participated.

Turner, 28, spent his first six NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He made the Pro Bowl five times in Carolina, one fewer selection than DeCastro had with the Steelers, before he was traded to Los Angeles for Russell Okung.

Turner was limited to nine games last season because of injuries — he missed seven of the first eight games — and was released in March with the Chargers opting to free up $11.3 million on the salary cap.

Turner told SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week that he is healthy.

“I’m back at 100 percent,” he said. “Last year was a rough season for me with injuries and just overall covid. But hey, you know, you go through things and situations arise, but you work it and you get through it. So, I’m feeling good. I’m just ready to come back and have a phenomenal season.”

Turner hasn’t played more than 13 games in a season since 2016. He has started 89 of the 93 games he has played in his NFL career. He was the Panthers’ third-round pick in 2014 out of LSU.

The Steelers saved $8.75 million in DeCastro’s base salary by releasing him and were an estimated $15 million under the salary cap prior to adding Turner.

Bone spurs were the reason that DeCastro and the Steelers parted ways.  Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com:

Former Pittsburgh Steelers guard David DeCastro said he dealt with bone spurs in his ankle all last season that will need surgery to correct.

Via Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, DeCastro said Thursday that the ankle issues were an ongoing problem for him all of last season.

“I have to get surgery on my ankle a third time,” DeCastro said in a text Thursday. “I tried to fix it last year but the bone spurs kept coming back. It nagged me pretty bad all last year.”

The Steelers released DeCastro on Thursday with a non-football injury designation. He was in attendance at Steelers offseason workouts but did not participate because of the issue. His most recent surgery on the ankle came prior to last season.

DeCastro also confirmed that he’s uncertain whether his career will ultimately end up continuing after nine years in Pittsburgh. It will depend of how his surgery goes.

“Gotta see how the surgery goes,” he said. “But I’d have no problem calling it a day and moving on with my life.”

As noted by Mark Kaboly, DeCastro never appeared on the injury report because of an ankle injury last season. Knee, hand and abdominal injuries led to appearances on the list as well as days off for non-injury related reasons. But if an ailment is significant enough to require surgery, it’s safe to wonder whether he should have had that issue notated at times last year.

Are bone spurs a “non-football injury”?

AFC EAST

NEW YORK JETS

Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com with his preview of the Jets, who he ranks at #29 even with rookie QB ZACH WILSON:

In 1988, the Green Bay Packers had to just lose one of their final two games to get the first overall pick of the famed 1989 draft. They were going to draft UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman.

The Packers won their final two games, because it’s impossible to tell professional athletes to tank and lose. Green Bay drafted offensive tackle Tony Mandarich instead. It remains one of the most interesting “sliding doors” moments in NFL history (and it ultimately worked out just fine for the Packers).

What happened with the New York Jets in Week 15 and 16 of last season changed NFL history. We just don’t know if that change was good or bad for the Jets.

The Jets were 0-13 and needed to lose three times to get the No. 1 overall pick, which everyone knew would be Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jets unbelievably won at the Los Angeles Rams, a playoff team. Then to remove all doubt about the first pick they beat another playoff team, the Cleveland Browns, in the second-to-last game of the season. The Jacksonville Jaguars got Lawrence.

Regardless of any offseason time-wasting nonsense you may have seen, any team would have drafted Lawrence first. He’s a once-in-a-decade (or longer) prospect. However, that doesn’t mean the Jets might not have backed into a great QB answer at No. 2.

The New York hype train is already roaring down the tracks for Zach Wilson, the BYU quarterback who went second overall. He is getting Patrick Mahomes comparisons due to his arm. This is what happens in markets like New York, with teams like the Jets. There’s a never-ending desire for success and new headlines. Before Wilson plays a game, he’ll be turned into a messiah. Then, if he fails, the headlines will turn nasty. It’s not like we haven’t seen that before.

There’s no reason to believe Wilson will fail, however. He’s electric at improvising and making plays with his cannon arm. Had he not been in the same class as one of the great quarterback prospects ever, he would have been a fine No. 1 overall pick. If he’s better than Lawrence, it wouldn’t be entirely shocking. If there was ever a year for the Jets to screw up tanking, it was for this draft class.

Wilson takes over for Sam Darnold, the last highly drafted quarterback to get built up and torn down in New York. The Jets need to do for Wilson what they didn’t do for Darnold, and put a good infrastructure around him. Darnold was stuck with no-name offensive talent and Adam Gase, one of the worst NFL head coaches of this century. Darnold was bad and deserves blame for his failed time with the Jets, but it’s not like he had help.

The Jets got a new coach, Robert Saleh. The well-liked Saleh hired Mike LaFleur to run the offense. One of the Jets’ two big free-agent additions was receiver Corey Davis, a former top-five pick of the Tennessee Titans. Their first three draft picks after Wilson were offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, receiver Elijah Moore and running back Michael Carter. It’ll take a while to build an offense, but that’s a good start.

Other than the Chicago Bears, no team has an uglier half-century trying to figure out quarterback. Since Joe Namath’s last Pro Bowl in 1972, the Jets’ four (yes, just four) Pro Bowl quarterbacks: Ken O’Brien, Brett Favre, Boomer Esiason and Vinny Testaverde. There have been a lot of swings and misses at quarterback since Namath hung up his fur coat. 

Wilson is the latest in line to take his shot. He has the talent to succeed. Maybe the Jets won’t ultimately regret those two wins late last season.

OFFSEASON GRADE

The Jets added two big free-agent signings and a couple of first-round picks. Defensive end Carl Lawson and receiver Corey Davis were the big signings. In the draft, Zach Wilson was obviously the big addition but Alijah Vera-Tucker will help the offensive line. It was questionable for the Jets to trade up for a guard like Vera-Tucker, but he is a good prospect. Receiver Elijah Moore in the second round was a great value pick. The Jets didn’t spend like crazy, and didn’t lose much either. It was a solid haul as the rebuild starts.

GRADE: B-minus

QUARTERBACK REPORT

The biggest challenge might be managing expectations for Zach Wilson.

“He’s a great player,” rookie running back Michael Carter said on SiriusXM Radio. “He’s literally so good. He’s so smart. He does minute stuff that just really just wows you. He deserved to be the No. 1 pick if I’m being honest. He deserved every bit of that.”

There were lengthy reports on how Wilson did in seemingly every OTA practice, with full statistical breakdowns. Trevor Lawrence won’t have to deal with anywhere near the scrutiny Wilson will get. Being regularly compared to Lawrence might become a burden too. Dealing with New York will be a brand new challenge for Wilson, who was born and raised in Utah. It’s a big part of his job now.

“There’s not another team I’d want to play for besides the Jets,” Wilson said on NFL Network after he was drafted. “We’re going to be a special team. We’re going for the Super Bowl.”

BETTING ODDS BREAKDOWN

BetMGM’s win total for the Jets is 6. It’s hard to know how the upgrade from Adam Gase and Sam Darnold to Robert Saleh and Zach Wilson will transform the Jets. Gase and Darnold were among the worst in the NFL at their positions, so there has to be some improvement. Yet, it’s also a team that started 0-13 last season and at times looked like it could be one of the worst in NFL history. Going from that to 7-10 is asking a lot. Under 6 looks like the better play.

FANTASY TAKE

From Yahoo’s Scott Pianowski: “When the Jets renegotiated Jamison Crowder’s contract two weeks back, ensuring he’d be a part of the team for 2021, it officially made their receiving corps a mess for fantasy purposes. Corey Davis, Denzel Mims, Elijah Moore, and Crowder are all going outside the Top 100 in fantasy drafts — you can build a case for any of them as plausible sleepers, but it’s impossible to know which wideout will click the quickest with a new quarterback and coaching staff.

If the Jets had a narrow passing tree, I could view one of these targets as a proactive pick. But short of an injury or some major news moving this summer, I’ll probably just skip this group. I know, it’s not like you needed help getting to a ‘fade the Jets’ take, but just because something feels obvious doesn’t mean it’s not right. You win again, Occam’s Razor.”

STAT TO REMEMBER

Here are the offense categories in which the Jets ranked last or second-to-last in the NFL last season: points, yards, passing yards, rushing touchdowns, plays per drive, yards per drive, points per drive. Just think, Adam Gase was hired for his offensive acumen. The Jets still have questions at running back, they’re building on the offensive line, new No. 1 receiver Corey Davis was good at times with the Titans but mostly disappointing given his draft status, and there’s no tight end to speak of. With a rookie quarterback. The offensive almost has to be better, but don’t expect too much right away.

BURNING QUESTION

Can Robert Saleh fix the defense?

The Jets offense was awful last season. The defense wasn’t much better. It ranked 26th in points against and 24th in yards against. The Jets were decent against the run and miserable against the pass, allowing a 103.2 passer rating that ranked 29th in the NFL. Saleh is known as one of the best defensive coaches in the NFL after the work he did with the San Francisco 49ers. He also had talented players with the 49ers. Getting linebacker C.J. Mosley back after he opted out of last season will help the Jets. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the third pick of the 2019 draft, made key strides last season. But there are many questions around them. The secondary is unproven and the team really needs a pass rush from Carl Lawson, who is more untapped promise than proven potential after just 11.5 sacks his final three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Saleh’s schemes will help, but don’t expect a 49ers-like surge in 2021. It’ll take a while to amass talent, especially with the team focused on building an offense around Zach Wilson.

BEST CASE SCENARIO

As is the case with most bad teams who draft a quarterback early and hire a new head coach, the Jets’ season shouldn’t be judged by wins and losses. Though it would be nice to compete for an AFC East title, that’s not realistic. If the Jets get through this season feeling good about Zach Wilson’s ability to play in the NFL and Robert Saleh leading the franchise, that’s a good season. And it should happen; Saleh was a great hire and Wilson has talent you want to bet on.

NIGHTMARE SCENARIO

Good quarterbacks come from all schools, conferences and divisions. But it needs to be acknowledged that Zach Wilson was totally off the radar before last season, when he put up great numbers without facing one Power Five team. Level of competition can be overrated, but this will be a big jump for Wilson. It’s possible he gets exposed in the NFL. Then the Jets will be wondering if they just picked the latest in a long line of high draft picks that didn’t make it. And if Wilson isn’t good, it’s not like the rest of the roster is capable of carrying the team very far. It’s a team that didn’t get its first win last season until December. If you looked up in a few months and saw the Jets were the worst non-Texans team in the NFL, it wouldn’t be that surprising.

CRYSTAL BALL

I really liked the hire of Robert Saleh, and it seems doubtful that Zach Wilson is a total bust. The most likely outcome seems to be a lot of losses this season, but with a ray of hope that wasn’t anywhere to be found when Adam Gase was coach. If Wilson is good, the window for the Jets to improve rapidly during his rookie deal opens up. If other young players come along this season, the Jets’ rebuild could accelerate in a big way.

THIS AND THAT

HELMET DIVERSITY

Bucco Bruce is among the helmet characters freed by the NFL for a return in 2022.  Bruce and Patriot Pat are among those that John Breech of CBSSports.com sees returning (or being created).  Breech’s story has photos which you can see here:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t worn their famous Creamsicle uniforms in a game since 2012, but that’s something that could be changing in the near future after the NFL decided to rescind its one-helmet rule on Thursday.

The league sent out a memo, which was obtained by CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, and in that memo, the NFL let teams know that the one-helmet rule will be phased out following the 2021 season. Under the new rule, teams can add a second helmet option starting in 2022, which means any team that wants to take advantage of the new rule can add an alternate color. Any team that wants to add a second helmet will have to make that decision by July 31 of this year even though they wouldn’t be wearing it until 2022.

The one-helmet rule was originally put into place back in 2013 as a way to improve player safety. The NFL’s belief was that a worn-in helmet is safer for players to wear than a brand new one that hasn’t yet conformed to their head.

The Buccaneers led the charge on this rule change and have been pushing for it for nearly two years. At the owners meetings back in March, Buccaneers owner Joel Glazer made it clear that one of his priorities going forward was to get the rule changed.

“On the throwbacks we’re constantly on the league’s doorstep trying to get them to move so we can wear our throwbacks,” Glazer said. “We’re not there yet. But there are discussions going on and hopefully at some point in the future that will happen. I know how popular they are with our fans.”

With the new rule in place, this means Tampa Bay will be able to bring back its Creamsicle look. The Buccaneers used to wear their Creamsicle throwbacks all the time, but decided to stop in 2013 after the NFL passed its one-helmet rule. The Buccaneers used to wear a white helmet with their Creamsicle uniforms, but after the team switched to a pewter helmet, they stopped wearing the Creamsicle jersey because they didn’t feel like it matched the pewter helmets. (You can see both helmets below.)

Of course, the Buccaneers aren’t the only team that’s going to benefit here: Fans of the Patriots, Broncos, Eagles, Falcons, Bills and Seahawks will probably also be thrilled to hear this news.

Under the new rule, the Patriots will be able to put Pat Patriot back on their helmet. (The Patriots like to put Pat on a white helmet, which is an issue, because the team currently wears a silver helmet.)

The Eagles would be able to bring back their Kelly green helmets. (The team currently wears a midnight green helmet.)

The Broncos could switch out their dark blue helmets and start wearing baby blue once in a while.

The rule change will also give the Seahawks the option of wearing their silver helmet a few times per season.

Another team that could benefit from the rule change is the Falcons, who will now have the option to wear their old red helmet.

Speaking of red helmets, the Bills will also have the option to wear their throwback.

The Cowboys could also bring back their popular Thanksgiving throwbacks.

With the new rule, the Titans will also have the option of wearing a throwback Oilers uniform.

The new helmet rule could also pave the way for other teams that don’t have a throwback helmet to come up with an alternate look. For instance, the Bengals could start wearing white helmets with their white uniforms.

That’s just a small sample of teams that could be wearing a new helmet in 2022 with the NFL’s rule change.

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

ESPN’s correspondents each filed a player who looks poised to breakout among the 32 member clubs.

Unlike last year, this offseason looked more like what we’re used to with an in-person NFL draft, OTAs at team facilities and the return of minicamps for most clubs. But now that it’s all behind us, we won’t get another live look at players until training camps open around the league at the end of July.

So who took the bull by the horns this offseason to make their mark?

We asked our NFL Nation reporters to pick out a surprise standout from each of the 32 teams. Here’s what they told us:

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

WR Isaiah Hodgins

Hodgins was a standout during the first few days of last year’s training camp, but a shoulder injury sidelined him for the entire season. With a clean bill of health, he stood out once again in OTAs and minicamp, even shedding the red noncontact jersey before the team broke for the summer. Hodgins still has an uphill battle in a crowded Buffalo receiver room, but he has received praise from both coach Sean McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Miami Dolphins

CB Trill Williams

Williams, an undrafted rookie out of Syracuse, is already showing his range, versatility and potential to make a roster-spot push despite a deep Dolphins defensive-back room. He nabbed an impressive interception off Tua Tagovailoa and a couple of pass breakups, and generally looks like he belongs. The true test will be when the pads come on, but Williams is definitely worth keeping an eye on. — Cameron Wolfe

New England Patriots

LB Josh Uche

The 2020 second-round pick from Michigan played 17% of the defensive snaps as a rookie but looks primed for a significant jump this season. It was notable to see him paired with top linebackers Dont’a Hightower, Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Kyle Van Noy, and his speed, suddenness and potential as a disruptive pass-rusher were on display in multiple drills. — Mike Reiss

New York Jets

LB C.J. Mosley

Mosley, who opted out last season and played only two partial games in 2019 due to injuries, is poised to have a bounce-back year. He looked slimmer and quicker in offseason practices, which should help the transition to a 4-3 scheme. One of the league’s best off-ball linebackers before signing with the Jets in 2019, Mosley now must prove in training camp that he can chip off two years’ worth of rust. If he can, it will be huge for the defense. — Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

WR Sammy Watkins

Coming off the worst season of his seven-year career, Watkins was the Ravens’ best receiver at minicamp. He made several contested grabs and delivered the best catch of the offseason, getting separation from Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey along the sideline for a long touchdown reception. This represented a big first step between Watkins and Lamar Jackson in terms of chemistry. “I’m not going to lie to you; it is fun,” Jackson said of Watkins. “A big receiver, nice target, fast guy. Sammy is going to make our job a lot easier.” — Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals

WR Tee Higgins

It’s not often you see the team’s leading receiver from the previous season go relatively unnoticed during the offseason. But with the addition of Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins hasn’t been in the limelight as much this offseason. Still, coaches and teammates have noticed Higgins’ physical development, which was expected after he declared for the NFL early. The former Clemson standout seems poised for a big season. — Ben Baby

Cleveland Browns

DT Tommy Togiai

The fourth-round pick out of Ohio State has made a splash during both OTAs and minicamp. The combination of power and quickness is there. Considering one of Cleveland’s projected starting defensive tackles has an injury history (Malik Jackson) and the other (Andrew Billings) didn’t play in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, Togiai could become an important piece up front for the Browns. — Jake Trotter

Pittsburgh Steelers

CB James Pierre

The offseason departures of Mike Hilton and Steve Nelson created a few open jobs in the secondary, and Pierre is fighting hard for one. He is jockeying for time on the field — likely on the outside — and doing it with standout plays in mandatory minicamp. The second-year undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic picked Ben Roethlisberger off twice in Wednesday’s practice, including one interception in the end zone during a two-minute drill. Pierre played just 27 defensive snaps last season but was a key special-teamer with 227 snaps. The Steelers have mined undrafted free-agent gems in the past with guys like Hilton, and Pierre’s offseason workouts show he’s a solid candidate to be the next. — Brooke Pryor

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

DL Charles Omenihu

We haven’t seen a lot of the Texans this spring — just three practices because the team canceled minicamp. One player the Texans hope they see stand out this season is Omenihu. Without J.J. Watt, Houston needs to find other players to get to the quarterback, and defensive line coach Bobby King said he thinks Omenihu’s versatility gives him a lot of potential to make an impact. “You can play him at a lot of positions and he can affect the quarterback in a lot of different ways,” King said. “… We expect big things from Chuck this year.” — Sarah Barshop

Indianapolis Colts

QB Carson Wentz

How Wentz looked on the field wasn’t the only important part of the offseason equation for the Colts’ new starting quarterback. The other part was how he would fit in with his teammates after reportedly not having a great relationship with his teammates while with the Philadelphia Eagles. The transition, according to those inside the organization, has been a smooth one. “He comes in and asks about my family, my sister and things like that,” running back Nyheim Hines said. “As a new guy, it’s pretty cool. It shows that he’s caring and trying to take care of us.” And Wentz on the field? He has turned a lot of heads so far. “He has a really pretty deep ball,” Hines said. “I’ve liked everything I’ve seen from him so far.” — Mike Wells

Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Laviska Shenault Jr.

Shenault has arguably been the Jaguars’ best offensive player throughout OTAs and minicamp. He’s not exactly an under-the-radar guy, but with the addition of Marvin Jones Jr. and a rejuvenated DJ Chark Jr. and draft pick Travis Etienne getting reps at receiver, had Shenault not had a good offseason, he ran the risk of getting left behind in terms of touches. The Jags are keeping him at receiver instead of trying to use him in the backfield at times, and his development has been one of the highlights of the spring. — Michael DiRocco

Tennessee Titans

QB DeShone Kizer

The backup QB position is like insurance. You don’t realize how important it is until you need to use it. Kizer has looked good in OTAs and minicamp, especially when ripping throws on midrange routes across the middle. He spent most of his time with the Titans last year as a “quarantine QB” working only with QB coach Pat O’Hara. His quick decision-making in OTAs and minicamp is evidence that he has gained a strong grasp of the playbook. Kizer’s skill set is very similar to Ryan Tannehill’s in that he can make most of the throws and is adept at making plays on the move. The fifth-year veteran is ready to compete with incumbent backup Logan Woodside. — Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

WR Kendall Hinton

The last time most saw Hinton, he was the guy saddled with the most unenviable of tasks when he lined up at quarterback, on 24 hours’ notice, for much of the Broncos’ 31-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints. But when coach Vic Fangio was asked this past week if there was a player who had stood out in offseason workouts, it was Hinton. There is no question Hinton, a former Wake Forest quarterback/wide receiver, still faces enormous odds in a crowded depth chart at receiver, but he has shown plenty of improvement this spring. Added quarterback Drew Lock: “He’s super-aggressive to the ball. You feel like you can throw him a ball one-on-one and he’s going to go get it.” — Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs

TE Noah Gray

The fifth-round draft pick has impressed the Chiefs with his smarts, pass catching and route running. With the Chiefs looking to keep Travis Kelce fresh over the course of a 17-game schedule, it’s easy to see how Gray could get a significant amount of playing time, both in occasionally replacing Kelce and as part of multiple-tight-end formations. — Adam Teicher

Las Vegas Raiders

CB Nate Hobbs

The fifth-round pick from Illinois got plenty of reps at slot corner in OTAs and minicamp and was lauded by both third-year cornerback Trayvon Mullen and new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Bradley said Hobbs, who called himself the “best underdog” the Raiders had ever drafted on draft night, was “ahead of the curve” at the position, where he was competing with second-year nickelback Amik Robertson and veteran Nevin Lawson. — Paul Gutierrez

Los Angeles Chargers

WR Tyron Johnson

“T-Billy,” as he is known at the facility, is a legit 4.3 guy who made the most of his 20 receptions last year for 398 yards. He is really fun to watch running routes. In minicamp, he was a blur, and coaches talked him up big-time. He’s a qualified third receiver (behind Mike Williams and Keenan Allen) and should open things up for Justin Herbert. — Shelley Smith

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

CB Nahshon Wright

Wright was something of a surprise pick in the third round, but his size (6-foot-4, 183 pounds) made him a perfect match for what coordinator Dan Quinn wants in a cornerback. Through the rookie minicamp and into the organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, Wright has been around the ball a ton. He had multiple interceptions and a handful of pass breakups. It hasn’t always been clean and he has a long way to go, but the Cowboys might have hit on a less-than-known pick. — Todd Archer

New York Giants

CB Madre Harper

The second-year cornerback opened some eyes this spring. He came in bulked-up and in great shape, and took advantage of a mostly vacant defensive backfield during OTAs when most of the Giants’ cornerbacks didn’t attend. That created an opportunity Harper took advantage of this spring. After being signed off the Raiders’ practice squad early last season, Harper is one to watch this year. He has the size and skill set this coaching staff will find ways to use. — Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles

OT Andre Dillard

The former first-round pick says he has a fire in him like never before after missing the entire 2020 season with a biceps injury. He ditched social media to eliminate distractions and hit the weight room hard over the past year, setting a number of personal records. He is stronger and more confident, and has drawn praise from offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland for his on-field work. He’ll battle it out with former rugby player Jordan Mailata for the starting left tackle spot during training camp. — Tim McManus

Washington Football Team

CB Benjamin St-Juste

The third-round rookie was drafted this high for a reason, but he also showed that he might be ready to help sooner than anticipated. St-Juste showed excellent eye discipline and awareness, especially when in zone and passing off receivers leaving his area while picking up others entering. He showed that he was always ready to react, which resulted in numerous plays on the ball. While there were times he was beat, it’s not as if he looked lost or out of place. St-Juste’s length will help diversify Washington’s coverage — it can match bigger receivers now with two taller corners, St-Juste and William Jackson III. He has to prove he can play press at an NFL level to get more time, but St-Juste got off to a strong start. — John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

WR Marquise Goodwin

The 30-year-old veteran signed just a one-year deal with only $350,000 in guaranteed money, but Goodwin still has elite speed. On multiple occasions in Chicago’s offseason program, Goodwin took the top off the Bears’ defense and hauled in what would have been long touchdown receptions. Along with second-year wideout Darnell Mooney, Goodwin might give the Bears another legitimate deep threat for quarterbacks Andy Dalton or Justin Fields, both of whom have displayed nice touches on long passes during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. — Jeff Dickerson

Detroit Lions

LB Jahlani Tavai

The third-year linebacker is ready to break out this year after cutting nearly 20 pounds in the offseason. He played at nearly 270 pounds last year but is now close to 250. Detroit’s front office is excited about his slender frame, which allows him to move better on the field and could produce better results. Initially his role was uncertain under the new regime, but he has proved he’s reliable with his dedication to his craft and could fulfill a much-needed role on a defense that ranked among the worst in the league last year. — Eric Woodyard

Green Bay Packers

WR Juwann Winfree

The former sixth-round pick of the Broncos in 2019 has played in five career NFL games (three for Denver, two for Green Bay last year as a practice-squad elevation) but has never caught a pass. He caught plenty of them throughout OTAs and minicamp this spring, and while the Packers’ top four receivers appear set — Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard and rookie Amari Rodgers — Winfree looks like he’ll make a strong run at a spot in the rotation. Also, keep an eye on another practice-squad member from last year, offensive lineman Ben Braden, who’s gotten some work with the No. 1 O-line at tackle with David Bakhtiari still recovering from ACL surgery. — Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings

CB Harrison Hand

With Jeff Gladney absent amid legal issues and Cameron Dantzler sidelined with an apparent injury, Hand, a former fifth-round pick, got a lot of reps with the first-team defense in OTAs and minicamp. He came away with a couple of interceptions. The Vikings moved Hand around as an outside corner and even lined him up in the slot, which should help his chances for making the roster this fall. The secondary looks a lot different this year. While Dantzler (if healthy), Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland will be the front-runners to earn starting jobs, Hand’s strong spring showing could put him in line to duke it out with Kris Boyd for one of the final spots on the depth chart. — Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

RB Qadree Ollison

Take all of this with the proper caveat — the Falcons had players missing and first-year head coach Arthur Smith largely had his players not going full speed. But with Mike Davis not in attendance, Ollison seems like he could be creating a spot for himself in the Atlanta offense. A third-year pro out of Pittsburgh, he has 23 career carries for 53 yards and four touchdowns. But with a new scheme, perhaps Smith finds a larger role for him than he had under Dirk Koetter. He looked sharp and was used often throughout Atlanta’s workouts. — Michael Rothstein

Carolina Panthers

OT Dennis Daley

The temptation here is to say TE Ian Thomas, because coach Matt Rhule said the fourth-year player had a “tremendous offseason” after having a mediocre 2020 season. But Thomas always seems to look good in practice and it seldom translates to games. Daley is listed as a guard, but practiced so well at left tackle with Cam Erving and Trent Scott missing time with injuries that Rhule isn’t ready to hand over the starting spot to anybody just yet. At worst Daley gives the Panthers another option at a key position. — David Newton

New Orleans Saints

TE Adam Trautman

Trautman’s biggest leap came via the Saints’ offseason transactions. They parted ways with veteran Jared Cook and Josh Hill, leaving the second-year pro as their projected No. 1 tight end as both a pass-catcher and standout blocker. But Trautman also has talked about how much he has grown after a strong finish to last season and now experiencing his first true NFL offseason. — Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

WR Jaelon Darden

Darden missed some of minicamp due to a tweaked hamstring, but the fourth-round draft pick who runs a 4.46 (he’s 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds) looked very explosive, even drawing comparisons to Emmanuel Sanders and John Brown from coach Bruce Arians. “He’s super quick and fast,” Arians said. “He’s a little thicker than I thought he was going to be when I watched him. He catches punts very easily and catches the football extremely easily. He can be very explosive.” Arians also praised his fearlessness over the middle. Darden will compete with Jaydon Mickens for the punt and kick return job. Competition will be fierce in what’s already a very crowded room of receivers, but the fact that Tom Brady had a say in drafting Darden should tell you all you need to know. — Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

WR Rondale Moore

A couple of important caveats: The Cardinals had a shortened offseason program compared to normal, so choosing a standout is largely guesswork. Also, Moore probably wouldn’t be considered a surprise since he was a second-round pick, but it’s easy for him to get lost in the shuffle with the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green on the roster. But Moore had coach Kliff Kingsbury excited about the multiple ways he can deploy the rookie after the full-squad minicamp. “He’s very good in the open field, making the first guy miss,” Kingsbury said. “He has a knack at some of those plays, so, yeah, he’s going to be a guy that’s going to be fun to try to draw stuff up for, and see how many times we can get it to him.” — Nick Wagoner

Los Angeles Rams

TE Jacob Harris

Tyler Higbee was sidelined for the offseason program, which allowed Harris, a fourth-round pick from Central Florida, to take significant reps throughout voluntary and minicamp practices. “Jacob Harris is a guy who has definitely stood out,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “Just his overall speed, athleticism, you kind of feel him on the field.” McVay cautioned that Harris, who is 6-foot-5, 211 pounds and played receiver in college, must be evaluated outside of 7-on-7 play, but also commended his improvement since arriving in L.A. Harris will compete with second-year pro Brycen Hopkins and Johnny Mundt for playing time behind Higbee. — Lindsey Thiry

San Francisco 49ers

RB Trey Sermon

Sermon was drafted to provide depth behind veterans Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. with an eye toward a bigger role in the future. But that future might arrive sooner than later as Wilson is out four to six months following meniscus surgery and as Mostert deals with some lesser knee issues. Sermon made a strong first impression, particularly as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, and he looks poised to make an impact as a rookie so long as it carries over to training camp and the start of the season. — Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks

RB Alex Collins

With Chris Carson (personal matter), Rashaad Penny (knee surgery) and Travis Homer (calf) not practicing of late, Collins has appeared to receive the most reps of any Seattle running back. He looks trimmer and faster than he did in his first Seahawks stint. Collins is fighting for a roster spot on a minimum-salary deal that includes no guaranteed money. — Brady Henderson