The Daily Briefing Friday, March 10, 2023

The NFL’s Thursday personnel notice brought news that free agent receiver Odell Beckham would work out for teams. Multiple reports since have added the where and when.

Beckham’s workout will take place Friday in Arizona, and the Giants are among the teams planning to attend, Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports.

It will allow Beckham a chance to prove he is 100 percent physically.

He missed all of last season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, 2022.

Beckham visited the Cowboys, Giants and Bills in December but declined to work out, and no one signed him.

He is eligible to sign with any team at any time, having become a free agent in March 2022.

GREEN BAY

This in 2008:

AUGUST 7, 2008

Brett Favre was traded by the Packers to the Jets on Wednesday night.  Though many terms have not been released yet, the Packers will receive a fourth round draft pick, which could increase depending upon Favre’s performance throughout the year.

Favre insisted that he be flown from NJ to Cleveland, Ohio to meet his new team and be there for their first preseason game against the Browns. Prior to the game, the first Jet/Favre press conference was held.

Favre mentioned that he hasn’t even thought of No. 4 being retired.

And now – ESPN.com is saying:

The New York Jets are becoming more confident in their chances of landing quarterback Aaron Rodgers, sources close to the situation told ESPN’s Dianna Russini on Thursday.

The Jets’ increasing optimism follows their meeting this week with the Green Bay Packers quarterback. A contingent of Jets team officials, including owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, flew to California on Tuesday to meet in person with Rodgers, sources previously told ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Johnson left the meeting excited and satisfied about the potential match, sources told Russini.

The Jets and Packers remain engaged in conversations about possible trade compensation, sources said — discussions that had started before the Jets’ meeting with Rodgers.

Rodgers, 39, has not made any announcements about what he intends to do this coming season. It’s still possible he decides to retire or stay in Green Bay. But if he wants to play and he and the Packers agree it’s time for him to go somewhere else, the Jets appear to be a realistic option.

A four-time MVP, Rodgers is under contract through 2024 for $108.8 million. Technically, the contract, signed last March, runs through 2026, but 2025 and 2026 are considered “dummy” years for cap purposes. His deal includes a fully guaranteed $59.5 million this season, with $58.3 million coming in the form of an option bonus, payable before the start of the regular season.

Because his bonus money is prorated, Rodgers wouldn’t hamper the Jets’ cap situation. He would count $15.8 million in 2023 and $32.5 million in 2024, cap-friendly for a player of his stature.

If Rodgers leaves, the Packers would get hit with a $40.3 million “dead” charge in 2023 — nearly $9 million more than he would count if he were on the roster.

Mike Florio:

Lost in the ongoing flirtation between the Jets and quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the inescapable reality that Rodgers and the Packers are done.

Two years ago, the 49ers called the Packers the day before the draft and inquired about trading for Rodgers. The Packers laughed and hung up the phone.

Now, the Packers have freely granted the Jets permission to speak to Rodgers. And speak they have, sending the team’s entire power structure to California in an effort to persuade Rodgers to bite the Big Apple (don’t mind the maggots).

Through it all, the Packers have kept their mouths shut. They didn’t even leak that they’d given Rodgers permission to speak to another team. It’s almost as if they’re four points ahead with three minutes left and they’re just trying to milk the clock and not blow it.

Blow it they would if Rodgers decides he’s not interested in the Jets, and that he wants to stay in Green Bay. It already feels too late for that, but Rodgers has yet make any of his decision(s) known for 2023, a year and a day after he announced he’d return to the Packers for 2022.

Although nothing official has been declared this year, the tea leaves are pointing to no more Wisconsin ayahuasca for Aaron Rodgers. Any other outcome would be a surprise at this point.

SAN FRANCISCO

They may not be picking in the first round, but the 49ers will still be very influential in this draft.  Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

Before the NFL made its annual announcement of compensatory picks for the 2023 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers were slated to have just four selections.

After the league unveiled those 37 additional choices Thursday, the Niners now have a whopping 11. San Francisco’s seven compensatory selections include three extra third-round picks (Nos. 99, 101 and 102) as part of the league’s initiative for organizations developing minority candidates who become head coaches or general managers with other teams.

Those picks came following the departures of head coaches Robert Saleh (New York Jets), Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins) and DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans), as well as general managers Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders) and Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans) in recent years.

The Cleveland Browns (No. 98) and Kansas City Chiefs (No. 100) also received third-round compensatory picks for the departures of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings general manager) and Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears general manager), respectively.

Sixteen teams received compensatory picks on Thursday, with the Niners leading the way. The NFL uses a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors to award compensatory picks to each team that loses “more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year.”

The Niners and Los Angeles Rams picked up the maximum allowable four additional picks under the compensatory free agent formula. It’s the second straight year the Rams and Niners have gained the most compensatory picks.

In San Francisco’s case, it added cornerback Charvarius Ward in 2022 free agency but lost defensive linemen D.J. Jones and Arden Key, guard Laken Tomlinson, cornerback K’Waun Williams and running back Raheem Mostert for a net of four comp picks.

Those choices will come in the fifth round (No. 173 overall), sixth round (No. 216) and seventh round (Nos. 253 and 255). Because the 49ers signed many of their star players to significant contracts, they’ve been unable to re-sign some of their own key free agents and have become increasingly less involved in signing outside free agents.

Which is why the compensatory formula has become more of a focus, according to general manager John Lynch.

“You have to have the patience and the vision to allow some of these guys to walk, get some comp picks as a result to kind of play that game,” Lynch said at the NFL scouting combine. “[It] took us a little while to figure that one out but I think we’ve tried to understand that you can’t just go full throttle. And you get some rewards if you have a little more discipline. That’s never easy, but it is necessary.”

The Rams have long subscribed to that same approach and are once again near the top of the list in compensatory picks acquired. They added three picks in the fifth round (Nos. 167, 171 and 177) and one in the seventh round (No. 251) after losing edge rusher Von Miller, offensive lineman Austin Corbett and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, among others.

The Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys followed the 49ers and Rams with three compensatory picks each. Arizona got the highest selection awarded, a third-round pick at No. 96 overall, plus a fifth-round pick (No. 168) and a sixth-round choice (No. 213). The Cardinals lost running back Chase Edmonds, edge rusher Chandler Jones and receiver Christian Kirk in 2022 free agency.

Like the 49ers, Chiefs, Browns and Cardinals, the Washington Commanders also got a third-round pick (No. 97) after losing guard Brandon Scherff to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were awarded two comp picks each, with the Vikings and New Orleans Saints getting one each.

The Bears and Texans received supplemental picks at the end of the draft, with Houston now holding selection No. 259, which will be this year’s Mr. Irrelevant.

SEATTLE

Could LB BOBBY WAGNER find his way back to Seattle?  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Seahawks General Manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll were mum last week about a possible reunion with Bobby Wagner. The Rams announced they will release the linebacker after one season.

On Thursday, Schneider acknowledged the Seahawks have been in contact with Wagner, who was granted permission from the Rams to speak with other teams.

“We’ve been able to talk to Bobby now and address some of those things, so it’s worked out great,” Schneider said in his weekly interview with Seattle Sports 710 AM, via Corbin Smith of SI.com. “We’re going to be in communication as we go along throughout free agency now.”

Wagner played 10 seasons with the Seahawks before the sides unceremoniously parted ways.

Wagner learned of the Seahawks’ plan before they informed him of his release, something Schneider and Carroll have apologized for. Wagner has said he wished the Seahawks would have handled it differently.

Wagner ranks as one of the best players in franchise history with eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro honors.

He showed no sign of regression last season in Los Angeles, earning second-team All-Pro. Wagner made 140 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups and 10 quarterback hits in 17 games.

The Seahawks are in need of linebacker help with Jordyn Brooks working his way back from a torn ACL and Cody Barton scheduled for free agency. They currently have $30.53 million in cap space.

“We had a great, awesome, frank conversation, so he knows where we are, and we know where he’s at,” Schneider said. “We have so much respect for him personally and professionally, so we were able to talk through some things and yeah, we know where it’s going.”

– – –

Mike Florio says that the Seahawks aren’t locked into QB GENO SMITH for three years:

It was broadcast to the world as a three-year, $105 million contract. In reality, it can be as short as one year and $28 million.

In a structure similar to the contract the Raiders gave to Derek Carr a year ago — a contract the Raiders tore up after one season and $25 million — the Seahawks can move on from quarterback Geno Smith after one year and $28 million.

Although the initial indications were that the contract fully guaranteed $40 million at signing, the truth is (per a source with knowledge of the deal) that the number is only $27.3 million. The remaining $12.7 million becomes fully guaranteed in February 2024. And the Seahawks can cut him before then.

If they keep Smith beyond 2023, he gets another $22 million for 2024 and $25 million for 2025. As noted by Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, the incentive package comes in the form of escalators based on his performance in 2023 and 2024 — and the triggers are tied to his 2022 performance.

For each of five categories that he beats (yards, touchdowns, completion percentage, passer rating, and wins), Smith gets $2 million. If he exceeds his 2022 performance as to all five, he gets another $5 million.

So he can bump his 2024 salary by up to $15 million based on what he does in 2023, and he can increase his 2025 salary by up to $15 million based on what he does in 2024.

He had a strong 2022, making it harder to improve. He threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdown passes, completed 69.8 percent of his throws, generated a passer rating of 100.9, and won nine games.

Also, because the payments are escalators and not incentives, he only gets the money if the team actually keeps him. If, for example, he barely beats his 2022 performance in 2024 in all five categories and in turn bumps his salary to a non-guaranteed $42 million in 2025, that could actually work against him when the team decides whether to bring him back.

The contract also keeps the Seahawks firmly in play for drafting a rookie quarterback, whether with the fifth overall pick or a later selection. If they get someone they love in the draft, Geno’s stint as the Seattle starter could end at two seasons.

BALTIMORE

Charles Robinson of YahooSports.com talks to three agents (none of whom, of course, represent agentless QB LAMAR JACKON) about what’s going on in Baltimore:

Don’t believe what any teams are saying about their interest in Lamar Jackson right now. There’s a lot of bulls*** that goes on in our football business. It’s a business of liars.”

That was one of the first thoughts that rolled off the tongue of a seasoned NFL agent on Wednesday, when asked to walk through a scenario: If Lamar Jackson had hired you the day after Deshaun Watson landed his fully guaranteed deal with the Cleveland Browns in March of 2022, how would you have handled the last year of negotiations between the Baltimore Ravens and their quarterback? And more to the point, how would you have navigated this month, following the Ravens’ application of the non-exclusive franchise tag to the former league MVP, which allows Jackson to solicit a contract offer from another team?

We posed the scenario to three high-end NFL agents. All have extensive experience negotiating significant starting quarterback deals or representing star players under a franchise tag. All three have experience with both. All have strong opinions on the sputtering extension negotiations between Jackson and the Ravens, which have languished for two years and may now rest in the hands of whichever team (if any) chooses to extend him a contract offer in the coming days.

While there have been varying accounts of what has occurred between Jackson and the Ravens over the expanse of their contract talks, two realities do not appear to be in dispute: That Watson’s deal with the Browns has weighed heavily on the negotiations between Baltimore and its franchise quarterback; and that the lack of an experienced agent between the two parties has led to some predictable hurdles along the way.

With that in mind, we asked the three agents to share their thoughts on four key aspects of Jackson’s current situation.

Starting with …

The Deshaun Watson contract and an ensuing value disparity

All three agents agreed that one piece of information that has been repeatedly flagged as an issue in the negotiation is unquestionably true: The Deshaun Watson deal is the wedge between the two parties.

Unlike most elite quarterback deals that reset negotiating expectations in relatively expected increments, Watson’s deal with the Browns was an outlier like nothing the league had seen, shattering norms in guarantees and structure. For elite quarterbacks moving forward, it would be a measuring stick in future deals. For teams, it would be pegged as an absurd outlier from a desperate franchise.

By September, when the Ravens reportedly had advanced a $250 million deal with $133 million guaranteed, it would already be seen as a potentially insurmountable hurdle.

“With Lamar, if they got to that $250 million deal over five years but it was only $130 million guaranteed, that’s their view of him,” one agent said. “At that point, the nuance would have been in the negotiating details. Can we cut off a year from the deal so he gets to free agency sooner? Can we get a no franchise tag and a no transition tag [clause]? We’re talking about mechanisms that allow him to make even more money and get to the market soon again. There’s always ways with an agent to skin a cat. … But when it comes to how Lamar valued himself, what we think as his agent doesn’t mean a f***ing thing. What you think in the media doesn’t mean a f***ing thing. What other players think doesn’t mean a f***ing thing. A player values himself a certain way and sometimes that’s the only way he can see. Eventually, that’s what he’s being blinded by. Lamar doesn’t want other people’s opinions or perspectives on his value. He has made that clear for five years.”

Added another agent, “The last thing you want to do in a situation like this is back a team into a corner, where you’re so far apart that you’re basically just saying ‘no’ and asking them to negotiate against themselves. Owners aren’t going to react well to that. Especially if you’re repeatedly asking them to do that. And with players, their ego is important in negotiations. You never want them to feel like they’re eating a s*** sandwich during the process. It makes them feel bad about the negotiation and the job they did as players. There has to be some flexibility in the process.

“If you are backing an owner into a corner or the team is trying to make a player eat a s*** sandwich, things will shut down in those situations. We have to go through the process of feeling out what each side is willing to budge on — both the team and your player. If the answer is nothing on both sides, it’s going to break down. Did anyone budge in this situation? Did only one side budge? Whatever happened, it definitely wasn’t enough flexibility from the team or Lamar or both, or they would have made more progress than they did.”

How an agent would have been helpful with the franchise tag

At some point, an agent recognizes a gap that can’t be bridged. The difference between $250 million guaranteed and $133 million guaranteed is a wide enough margin that it’s unlikely to be overcome. All of the agents agreed that once it became apparent that the two sides hadn’t made significant strides by February, it should have triggered preparations for each potential franchise tag. Most especially the non-exclusive tag because that would have represented an opportunity to dial in Jackson’s market by gauging outside interest.

This is an important point in the process when the agents all pointed out the obvious: Their services and experience would have been extremely helpful to Jackson at the NFL scouting combine because that’s when they would have discreetly engaged with other teams to sort out his potential options.

“You tamper,” one agent said. “You meet with as many teams as you can and you tamper like a motherf***er. The teams that need a quarterback and are interested will be like, ‘OK, what do we have to do? I’m all ears. Yes, we want him. Now what do we have to do?’ Really, that’s the key [with Jackson’s non-exclusive tag]. That’s where the problem is created with not having an agent. All this stuff is back-channel deals getting done by people who know how to do it.

“You’d start with an overall group that is interested in Lamar, then that group gets smaller because some don’t want to do the contract, some don’t want to give up the trade compensation, and some the player doesn’t want to live in a certain place or play for a certain team. By the end of it, you have a smaller group that you know you can get something done with. Once he’s tagged, you’re already down the road.”

“A deal like this becomes an intimate, one-on-one private conversation with owners,” another agent added. “Specifically, owners and only the power person in the building. It doesn’t involve the pro director or even the GM in most situations — this is about talking to the people who make the final decision. That’s why when you’re talking about a contract at this level, you’re really only able to hire seven or eight or 10 [agents] who can do this kind of deal. There’s only a few that have the owners on speed dial, or that go to the owners’ meetings, or have dinners with these owners in their private clubs, or that have sat with them on their yachts. There’s only a few agents that have the gravitas to sit with them and talk about the type of human being and player they are getting in these kinds of deals. Lamar is an incredible kid. You need an agent who can convey that [to an owner] in a situation like this.”

The third agent added that there’s an educational element of the non-exclusive tag that sometimes needs to be conveyed to players who haven’t gone through the process yet. Not only the reality that a player can sign only one offer sheet, but that sometimes there are situations where teams won’t extend any contract simply out of the belief that it’s going to be matched.

“I would have talked to Lamar about the reality of what’s coming,” the agent said. “First, I would have told him it’s extremely difficult to get a club to give me an offer sheet as a non-exclusive franchise player because it becomes extremely public. Secondly, teams convince themselves that the Ravens would just match it and they don’t want to do the work for another team. And then thirdly, the team that signs the offer sheet has it count against their salary cap for the week [during the period of time when the Ravens can decide whether to match it]. Some teams just don’t want to do that.”

Is there collusion against Lamar Jackson?

When the Browns traded for Watson and finalized his fully guaranteed five-year, $230.5 million extension, it didn’t take long for critics to hammer the moment as an act of desperation. Oddly, some of those same critics pointed at Lamar Jackson and alleged that it must be an act of collusion when teams didn’t immediately state their intentions to lavish him with a fully guaranteed deal — or preemptively suggested they wouldn’t be pursuing him at all. It’s curious to bash the Watson deal but then also bash the teams that don’t follow in the footsteps of it.

All three agents had varying opinions about the league and whether there is overt collusion taking place in the wake of Watson’s deal. But all three agreed on a few points that are tied to Jackson’s viability when it comes to a fully guaranteed deal. Among them: Some of the teams that preemptively bowed out of interest in Jackson are likely lying; other teams aren’t interested in Jackson because of the risk of guaranteeing a massive sum to a quarterback with an injury history; and Jackson doesn’t have the leverage or freedom that helped pave the way to the league’s previous fully guaranteed quarterback deals (established by Kirk Cousins and Watson).

“Some of these teams, Atlanta and Miami and some others, they have to say publicly that they’re not interested,” one agent said of franchises preemptively removing themselves from interest in Jackson. “They have to say it. If you’re Miami and you think Lamar is an upgrade, you can’t go after him publicly and sign him to an offer sheet and then when the Ravens match it, turn around and say, ‘Hey, Tua [Tagovailoa], we really love you.’”

And the aspect of colluding against another fully guaranteed deal?

“Let’s be clear — these are billionaire owners,” an agent said. “They go to the same places. They go to the same country clubs. They buy their yachts from the same people. They speak to each other on a regular basis about multiple things that are mainly business. They are very incestuous by nature because they’re the 31 most powerful owners in the world as it relates to pro football in America.

“Lamar Jackson has missed one third of his games in the last two years. And he is a player where the indication has been very clear that he’s expecting the biggest contract in NFL history and for it to be fully guaranteed. That expectation takes your fraternity of 31 owners down to maybe none. It’s not easy to pay $250 million to a quarterback that’s been hurt. It’s not easy to pay it to one that’s never been hurt. If he gets hurt, that kind of salary is a franchise-killer for most teams. That’s the argument that goes on behind closed doors. Does that make it collusion? No. And oh, by the way, you have to give up two first-round picks just for the right to spend that money.”

Added another agent, “People are talking like it’s collusion that Lamar might not get a fully guaranteed deal, but think about the two quarterbacks that did. When Watson got his, there were four teams involved and ultimately Cleveland did the fully guaranteed deal after they were told they were out of the running. That means out of four teams that were all coming to the table with offers, only the Browns were willing to give Deshaun a fully guaranteed deal, and they only did it after they were told that they were out of it. The Browns believed that the fully guaranteed deal was their only option to getting him. And that was on top of Deshaun having the control of a no-trade clause and having sat out an entire year of football. Think about all of those factors that had to go into that one situation.

“Then in the other, with Kirk Cousins, he played through two franchise tags to get to free agency to get his fully guaranteed deal from the Vikings, and he only did a three-year deal for less money than the New York Jets would have given him. So in the history of quarterbacks, the only two that got fully guaranteed deals either had a massive amount of leverage or played through two tags to get to free agency.

“Lamar doesn’t have the leverage of Watson and hasn’t played through two tags like Cousins. He’s under a franchise tag and hasn’t shown he will force a trade. So where’s the leverage to get a fully guaranteed deal?”

What would an agent suggest now?

Unless a massive and somehow unmatchable offer sheet is extended for Jackson, he will have to contemplate playing out the 2023 season under the $32.4 million tag. If that’s the case, all three agents said they would consider some avenues to compromising. Each one, (in simplified terms):

Agent 1: “We fight for a fully guaranteed contract, or we can fight for it and settle on a contract that is practically guaranteed. Let’s just say it’s a four-year deal for $200 million. For the sake of making the math easy, let’s just say the salary is 50, 50, 50, 50 over the four years. The first $50 million will be fully guaranteed at signing. The second $50 million will also be fully guaranteed at signing. The third $50 million will be guaranteed for injury at signing, but convert to fully guaranteed in the waiver system at the beginning of Year 2. So, if they cut you after one year, you walk with $100 million. If they cut you after two years, you walk with $150 million. In other words, they aren’t cutting you. That’s a practically guaranteed deal.”

Agent 2: “Compromise by saying, ‘We don’t need five years fully guaranteed. We get your issues with it. He’s had injury history. Give us the three years fully guaranteed deal that Kirk Cousins got [in 2018] at $50 million per year and we’re done. Three years for $150 million fully guaranteed. You want to hedge your risk, we’re willing to gamble on ourselves.”

Agent 3: “I would ask Lamar about which approach he’s most willing to take between the Deshaun Watson or Kirk Cousins route for a fully guaranteed deal. Then I would go to the Ravens and say, ‘This is what we are preparing to do. We’re going to employ one of these two approaches and neither one is going to be good for you. So give us your best deal that gets as close as you’re willing to go. Then once that is done, depending on how close it is, I would suggest a compromise that gives everyone a win: Pay Lamar $250 million over five years — which would put him $7 million a year ahead of Watson [in average per year] — and then put the second-biggest guarantees [in league] history on the table in terms of guarantees at signing and practical guarantees. If both sides can meet at that point, Lamar walks away with what amounts to the second-biggest guarantees in history and the Ravens managed some of their risk by not guaranteeing the entire thing.

“Everybody gets something, but nobody gets everything.”

HOUSTON

A QB named E.J. PERRY is on the move in the AFC South.  Milo Tiabi of AthlonSports.com:

E.J. Perry’s time without a team was short-lived. The Houston Texans today claimed the 24-year-old off waivers.

The quarterback was a roster casualty of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ yesterday as they cleared a spot for wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

While the news was broken by Field Yates of ESPN, the Texans have since confirmed the acquisition.

Perry, who played college ball for Boston College and Brown, has yet to receive a regular season snap in the NFL. He spent his rookie season in Jacksonville on the practice squad, being waived and re-signed a number of times.

In addition to being named Offensive MVP of the 2022 Shrine Bowl, Perry’s most notable for his scouting combine showing last offseason.

He ran a 4.65 at the 40-yard dash, standing out as having the top athleticism score for a quarterback.

Perry will bring youth and athletic upside to a Texans team whose backup role may be up for grabs. Should the team select a quarterback with their second overall pick in the upcoming draft, Perry would compete with Davis Mills and veteran reserves Jeff Driskel and Kyle Allen for an opening day roster spot.

– – –

QB DESHAUN WATSON continues to haunt the Texans.  The Athletic:

The Texans are forfeiting a fifth-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft and are being fined $175,000 for a salary cap reporting violation, the NFL announced Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:

The league determined that the Texans provided quarterback Deshaun Watson, who’s since been traded to the Browns, with “undisclosed compensation” in 2020.

The compensation, that was not disclosed to the league, was a membership at an athletic facility in 2020, according to a news release from the NFL.

The salary cap requirements in the Collective Bargaining Agreement require teams to report any player compensation or benefit.

MIAMI

Who are you going to believe – whimsical Tom Brady or his former teammate Scott Zolak who is thinking Miami?  Nick O’Malley of MassLive:

Scott Zolak is adding to the Tom Brady rumor mill.

The New England Patriots radio broadcaster and 98.5 The Sports Hub co-host says Wednesday that he believes that there’s a chance that Tom Brady could come out of retirement to play in 2023 for the Miami Dolphins.

This comes after rumblings from across the league. NFL Network’s Rich Eisen and FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd are among notable names claiming that they’ve heard rumors that Brady will not go to the broadcast booth in 2023 as he’s currently set to do. Instead, they think he’s going to come out of retirement once again to play for Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins.

Brady apparently attempted to quell those rumors with a post on social media, writing that “anyone who thinks I have time to come back to the NFL has never adopted a 2-month-old kitten for their daughter.”

Zolak isn’t buying Brady’s post.

“Brady may go to Miami. I think that’s in play. I do. I think the possibility of him coming out of retirement is definitely 100% in play,” Zolak said. “You can sit there and look at the kitten tweet from yesterday. Don’t buy that. This isn’t me saying it. This isn’t someone close to Brady. It started with Rich Eisen. Eisen’s at the Super Bowl. Multiple people dropped the hints. Colin Cowherd, he knows some FOX people. I don’t think he’s gonna call games. How does that deal get done? How do you sign a guy to that?

“(A) $375 million, 10-year contract to call games, he’s not even gonna do it next year,” Zolak continued. “I know his handlers have moved to Miami. It’s built for him. He’s looking at private schools for his kids. Cowherd talks about the San Francisco offense. He’s not talking about San Francisco. He’s talking about Mike McDaniel in Miami.”

Brady announced his retirement earlier this year, claiming that he was walking away for good after last year’s short-lived decision. The 45-year-old has claimed that this time his retirement was for good. However, that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from spinning.

Zolak is a former Patriots quarterback who has since become a popular figure in New England sports media. He currently serves as the color analyst for Patriots radio broadcasts and is also the co-host of the “Zolak & Bertrand” mid-day show on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

NEW YORK JETS

WR BRAXTON BERRIOS won’t take a paycut, so the Jets give him a job cut.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The New York Jets are clearing cap space.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that Gang Green is releasing WR Braxton Berrios after the two sides were not able to come to terms on a restructure, per a source informed of the decision.

Berrios’ release saves New York $5 million against the salary cap.

Originally a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2018 (missed his entire rookie season on IR), Berrios played the last four years in New York. He generated 107 catches and 1,085 yards with five TDs as a rotational receiver.

In 2022, Berrios caught 18 passes for 145 yards on 32 targets — often heavily involved in the red zone offense, much to the chagrin of Gang Green fans.

Berrios signed a two-year, $12 million deal in New York last offseason, but he was never going to play on an $8.232 million cap number this season. Sides were going to redo the deal, or he’d be cut.

In a weak market, Berrios should find a new home as a depth slot receiver who can be a reliable returner. Berrios earned first-team All-Pro honors as a returner in 2021 after averaging 30.4 yards per kickoff return.

Of course, the Jets shedding salary will only spur further questions about the chase for Aaron Rodgers.

The Jets did make a trade Thursday, but it wasn’t with the Packers.  The Athletic:

The Ravens have agreed to trade safety Chuck Clark to the Jets, according to a team source briefed on the trade who is not authorized to speak publicly about it. Here’s what you need to know:

Baltimore will receive a late-round 2024 draft pick in exchange for the 27-year-old veteran.

Clark has spent the past six seasons with the Ravens and finished second on the team with 101 total tackles in 2022.

He requested a trade before the start of last season but remained with Baltimore and started all 17 games.

Clark was entering the final year of the three-year contract extension he signed with the Ravens in February 2020. Baltimore selected the Virgina Tech standout with a sixth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He eventually played his way into the starting lineup and has only missed one game in the past four seasons.

Clark was the Ravens’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee last season.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

For the Ravens, something is better than nothing

This is no disrespect to Clark, a solid performer who was one of the most accountable and respected players in the Ravens locker room. However, the Ravens were almost certainly going to release him this offseason and this trade at least allows them to get something in return.

The Ravens spent big on safety Marcus Williams in free agency last year and used the No. 14 pick on safety Kyle Hamilton. It was always expected that Clark would be the odd man out going forward. — Zrebiec

The return is secondary to the Ravens’ cap space

The non-exclusive franchise tag for quarterback Lamar Jackson put the Ravens $9 million over the cap. They need to get cap compliant by the start of the new league year on March 15. Trading Clark creates $4.1 million of space and gets them almost halfway there.

More moves are inevitable and the Ravens could have decisions to make on guys like Calais Campbell, Gus Edwards, Devin Duvernay and Michael Pierce. — Zrebiec

Why the Jets made this move

The Jets had one of the NFL’s best defenses last season, but safety was a weak spot and Clark helps to shore up that position at a minimal cost. Lamarcus Joyner is set to hit free agency and isn’t expected to return, so now the question becomes if the Jets want to play Clark with Jordan Whitehead, who started every game last season. The Jets can save $7.25 million by cutting Whitehead, who might be a little too similar position-wise to Clark to keep both of them around. — Rosenblatt

– – –

Much like Tom Brady brought people with him to the Bucs, CB SAUCE GARDNER indicates the Jets are contemplating adding more than QB AARON RODGERS from Green Bay.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Jets would like to acquire quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Cornerback Sauce Gardner would like that to happen.

Via Zack Rosenblatt of TheAthletic.com, Gardner had something interesting to say on a livestream about the situation. Appearing with receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, Sauce said that, if Rodgers joins the Jets, “It’s package deals all over. I can’t tell y’all who, but just know.”

It’s unclear what Gardner meant, but it’s possible that he’s referring to one or more of the various players Rodgers has said he’d want the Packers to keep for Rodgers to stay — tight end Marcedes Lewis, receiver Randall Cobb, tackle David Bakhtiari, receiver Allen Lazard, and tight end Robert Tonyan.

All but Bahktiari will be free agents next week.

Earlier this week, Gardner joked that, if Rodgers becomes a Jet, Gardner won’t intercept him in practice, and he’ll burn the cheesehead Gardner wore after the Jets beat the Packers in Green Bay.

The Jets also may be burning through some cash and cap space to bring some of Rodgers’s Green Bay teammates to town.

THIS AND THAT

MICHAEL IRVIN

Michael Irvin and his legal team struck back against the allegations of a Marriott employee and the hotel company’s unhesitating support of her allegations.  They have video (with bad sound, but favorable body language) and found two witnesses, one in Australia.  The AP version:

Two men who were in a Phoenix hotel lobby the night that Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin was accused of misconduct with a female employee said Wednesday that they didn’t see him do anything wrong and that his brief interaction with the woman appeared friendly.

Phil Watkins of Australia and Bryn Davis of Philadelphia appeared at a news conference by video link with Irvin and his attorney.

Irvin has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against a Jane Doe and Marriott International Inc., alleging that a false misconduct claim on Feb. 5 caused him to be kicked out of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel and be removed from NFL Network’s Super Bowl week coverage.

Watkins said he saw “nothing at all” that could be considered inappropriate and that Irvin and the woman shook hands and laughed.

“There was nothing untoward out of the interaction,” Watkins said, adding that Irvin soon left for the elevator as the woman went back toward the bar,

Irvin has insisted he did nothing wrong and went to his room alone. He has said there was no inappropriate physical contact.

Irvin’s attorney, Levi McCathern, complained that Marriott has not adequately provided him with video footage of the encounter. McCathern said he was allowed to watch a short video in Marriott’s attorney offices Tuesday but was not allowed to take a copy or make one.

The video showed Irvin and the woman meeting and shaking hands and that Irvin twice touched her elbow before leaving, McCathern said.

McCathern said he asked a judge to order Marriott to provide him with a copy.

“The allegations are nonsense,” McCathern said. “We need to immediately get Michael back to work, and I believe Renaissance needs to apologize.”

Marriott officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Irvin, who appeared to tear up briefly at the news conference, complained that he hasn’t been allowed to see the video. He compared the allegations and resulting fallout to Jim Crow-era persecution of Black men.

“I couldn’t even tell you what she looked like,” Irvin said. “This just blows my mind, that in 2023 we still dragging and hanging brothers by a tree.”

2023 DRAFT

According to the team correspondents of The Athletic here is what the 32 teams are thinking about the draft after the Combine:

Here is one thing we learned about each team’s plans for the NFL Draft at the combine in Indy.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals remain open to trading the No. 3 pick and moving back to gain additional picks, which might be their best option. This is a team with more questions than answers. In his first year on the job, GM Monti Ossenfort needs to rebuild the offensive line, add a pass rusher and improve the cornerback room. In addition, Arizona may need help at receiver if it trades standout DeAndre Hopkins, which is a strong possibility. Moving back a few spots probably would take the Cardinals out of the running for Alabama edge Will Anderson, Jr., but Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson still could be around. — Doug Haller

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are at least kicking the tires on all of the quarterbacks. Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson confirmed they had formal interviews with Atlanta, and it stands to reason that Alabama’s Bryce Young was on that list, too, even though Young didn’t confirm it. Considering the Falcons take the interview process very seriously — they are allowed only 45 formal interviews at the combine — it’s significant they are spending so many of them on quarterbacks. It doesn’t mean they are going to take a quarterback in the first round, but the longer they look, the more likely it is they will buy. — Josh Kendall

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens keep their draft plans close to the vest, but general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh made no effort to hide their excitement about this year’s cornerback class. DeCosta compared it to going into a restaurant and having a number of enticing options on the menu. With the 22nd pick, the Ravens probably won’t have a shot at Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez or Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. But Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes, Maryland’s Deonte Banks and South Carolina’s Cam Smith all could be in play. With Marcus Peters potentially leaving in free agency, the Ravens need another starting-caliber cornerback opposite Marlon Humphrey. This draft is a good place to find one. — Jeff Zrebiec

Buffalo Bills

Although wide receiver is both a short- and long-term need, the Bills will be looking for offensive playmakers in the offseason. That could mean wide receivers, running backs or even tight ends. Wide receiver should remain a serious consideration, but general manager Brandon Beane mentioned the option of trying to get the opposing defense out of nickel and into base with three linebackers, which could open the door to a heavy investment in running back, tight end or both. Beane also mentioned that it’s a strong tight end class, so we’ll see what happens. — Joe Buscaglia

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers were never willing to go as high on Derek Carr as the Saints, which is part of the reason there was buzz at the combine that Frank Reich and GM Scott Fitterer were interested in trading up for a quarterback. The Panthers are considering all options, but they know they would have to switch places with Arizona at 3 to ensure they get one of the top three QBs on their board. While the Panthers are impressed with Anthony Richardson’s raw talent, my sense is they view him as too big of a gamble to trade up for. Then — assuming they don’t pursue another free agent such as Jimmy Garoppolo — it becomes a matter of which QB they like best among Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis. — Joe Person

Chicago Bears

The Bears control the NFL offseason. They have the most salary-cap space in the league and the first pick in the draft. And they don’t need a quarterback with Justin Fields in place. So the 2023 offseason is an amazing opportunity to build around Fields. The cap room made the Bears a popular team among agents at the combine, and their draft position made them popular among teams in need of a quarterback. And there are a lot of them. Every year there are QB dominoes to monitor around the league, and the first pick of this year’s draft should be included in them. — Adam Jahns

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are rightfully paying attention to tight end and running back, and first-round fits are being assessed. A real takeaway through a Bengals lens was the depth at those two spots. Cincinnati needs tight ends, and Hayden Hurst — or another veteran — may become the temporary answer in free agency. But the number of quality, traits-based prospects expected to be available in the middle rounds would serve as the perfect complement for a team more likely to fill premium positions early. Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, D.J. Reader, Chidobe Awuzie and Jonah Williams are all free agents after next season. Plucking eventual replacements at those spots would be valuable. As for tight end and running back, the Bengals are searching for more out of those positions, and their willingness to wait to take advantage of the depth is lining up as an ideal strategy. — Paul Dehner Jr.

Cleveland Browns

Yes, the Browns care about the draft. Yes, the Browns absolutely need to draft better than they have in recent years if they’re going to become real contenders. But my primary takeaway from the combine is that the Browns are focused on what they can do in March via trades and signings to add proven talent to their defensive line and wide receiver groups. A year after giving up the farm for Deshaun Watson, they’re going to move money around in Watson’s contract to create more cap room and try to make up for some of their previous poor drafting and free-agency misses. They’re all in on right now, and they’re going to be busy spending in the next couple of weeks. — Zac Jackson

Dallas Cowboys

Drafting a tight end at No. 26 is much more in play now than I thought when I left for Indianapolis. It’s arguably the deepest position group in this draft class, and the Cowboys are intrigued. Dalton Schultz has been a very productive tight end for Dallas over the last three seasons, averaging 66 receptions, 667 yards and 5.6 touchdowns per year. But he is an unrestricted free agent after playing under the franchise tag last season, and it doesn’t sound like the Cowboys are interested in getting into a bidding war for his services. The top tight ends in this draft are Michael Mayer (Notre Dame), Luke Musgrave (Oregon State), Darnell Washington (Georgia) and Dalton Kincaid (Utah). All four could be on the board when Dallas goes on the clock next month. — Jon Machota

Denver Broncos

The Broncos made no secret about their desire to upgrade their offensive line heading into 2023. General manager George Paton suggested he will look to both free agency and the draft — where the Broncos don’t pick until the third round — to begin the work of upgrading an offensive front that could include as many as three new starters. Though new coach Sean Payton has just begun the work of analyzing Denver’s existing roster, the Broncos want to use their final two games of 2022 as a launching point for where their offense can go. That means creating a more disciplined and creative approach in the ground game that can help simplify the responsibilities of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson. The Broncos will also be searching for additions to a running back room as they await the eventual return of injured starter Javonte Williams. These will be the building blocks for what Denver hopes will be a turnaround after it finished last in the league in scoring last season. — Nick Kosmider

Detroit Lions

The Lions are in the market for a quarterback. What does that mean exactly? Well, it certainly feels like all options are on the table. Listening to head coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes in Indy, it’s clear they feel they could do more at QB. It could be as simple as upgrading the backup position in free agency, adding a quality player capable of stepping in for Jared Goff in a year when making the playoffs is the goal. But the Lions also haven’t ruled out the possibility of adding a quarterback in the draft. Campbell alluded to that in an interview with CBS Sports. — Colton Pouncy

Green Bay Packers

The Packers like what they have in 24-year-old quarterback Jordan Love. General manager Brian Gutekunst said he’d “absolutely” be comfortable with Love starting Week 1 of the 2023 season — if that’s how this offseason’s quarterback carousel works out. Gutekunst thinks Love is ready to be a starter in the NFL and that the next step in the 2020 first-round pick’s progression entering Year 4 is to finally play. Whether that means playing for the Packers or for another team remains to be seen since we still don’t know where Aaron Rodgers’ future lies. The possibility remains that Rodgers returns to the Packers and Love is traded, although Gutekunst said he envisions that Love’s turn as a starter will come with the Packers (barring uncontrollable variables). — Matt Schneidman

Houston Texans

It’s no secret that the Texans need a quarterback and plan to use their first-round pick on one of the top passers in the draft. But general manager Nick Caserio said it’s possible that the Texans could come away from the draft with two quarterback selections. Third-year pro Davis Mills is currently the only quarterback on the roster, so Caserio said that he plans to add multiple quarterbacks this spring. Given the Texans’ abundant resources entering the draft (11 picks including two in the top 12), Houston very well could pull off a trade to move up to No. 1 overall so they can select the top quarterback on their wish list rather than waiting to see what Chicago does at the top spot. (Many around the league expect the Bears to trade down so another quarterback-needy team can leap-frog the Texans.) — Mike Jones

Indianapolis Colts

General manager Chris Ballard knows the rest of the NFL firmly believes he’s going to trade up for a quarterback this spring and — ideally — steer the Colts out of the quarterbacking abyss they’ve been stuck in since Andrew Luck retired. Last week, Ballard tried to downplay that desperation, purposefully pushing back on the narrative his team has to trade up to land its future face of the franchise. “I know everybody in America has just automatically stamped that you gotta move up to (No.) 1 to get it right,” Ballard said. “I don’t know if I agree with that. I don’t.” Does this mean the Colts won’t move up? Absolutely not. That’s still very much on the table. But Ballard stressed that he won’t unless he feels the player he’s getting is a slam-dunk prospect. There’s still a lot of evaluation to be done before that decision gets made. But something both Ballard and new coach Shane Steichen did allow: Size won’t scare them away. That’s an interesting development on the Bryce Young front. — Zak Keefer

Jacksonville Jaguars

This is a meta topic, but the Jaguars will be prioritizing the draft as the means to building out their roster this offseason. Last year, they hit home run after home run in free agency, and they’ll still try to remain opportunistic with the right fits there, including retaining Evan Engram and Jawaan Taylor. But GM Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson are aligned in their vision to prioritize the draft in their second offseason together. Naturally, that’ll be a way to even out the books, especially a year away from engaging in contract discussions with Trevor Lawrence. It’d also help the Jaguars build a more sustainable long-term product with Lawrence as the centerpiece. — Jeff Howe

Kansas City Chiefs

One could argue this was common knowledge before the combine, but the Chiefs are not being coy when it comes to wanting a pass rusher and receiver among their top picks in the draft. The Chiefs are releasing defensive end Frank Clark, which makes the position an even higher priority for general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid. Despite possessing the 31st pick, one possibility for the Chiefs is moving up in the first round via a trade to select the pass rusher or receiver they covet the most. With Patrick Mahomes in the prime of his career, the Chiefs know their offense can continue to be potent with another talented receiver joining a group that includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and JuJu Smith-Schuster, if he re-signs with the team. — Nate Taylor

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders’ preference is to draft their starting quarterback of the future this year. The franchise has been rumored to be interested in expensive veterans such as the now-retired Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson, but both general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels have made it clear they’re focused on doing what’s best for the franchise long term. And given all the other holes the Raiders have on the roster — like offensive line and on all three levels of the defense — their most prudent path forward is to acquire a rookie quarterback at some point. There’s a chance it doesn’t happen in 2023, but things seem to be headed in that direction. — Tashan Reed

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are looking to add to their tight end room, and they are hoping to find a well-rounded player who can affect the game as a run blocker and pass catcher. That aligns with a very talented tight end draft class featuring several first-round-caliber prospects. Tight ends will have a big role in new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s offense. Having watched Travis Kelce shred his defense the past two seasons, head coach Brandon Staley believes in the mismatches tight ends can create. I expect the Chargers to lean significantly into 12 personnel in their new system. They can save cap space by moving on from Gerald Everett. Even if Everett is on the roster in 2023, adding another quality tight end in the draft will get Staley closer to his ideal offensive personnel. — Daniel Popper

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams are doing due diligence on backup quarterbacks and because most of their current picks are on Day 3, the high-profile names at the combine weren’t really part of their thinking. Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead didn’t attend (the standard operating procedure for them the last few seasons), but other executives and personnel people did, including manager of football administration Kassandra Garcia. The question whispered around the corners of various bars and hotel lobbies of Indianapolis was whether the Rams will actually end up back in the first round after a trade of cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The team has gotten calls about him from multiple teams, and as prospect evaluations wrap up, talks may escalate if some of those teams don’t think they can get “their” guy in the first round. — Jourdan Rodrigue

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins don’t have a first-round pick, so they could go in any direction by the time they’re finally on the clock. Even with Tua Tagovailoa clearing concussion protocol after the season, the Dolphins have to keep all options on the table at quarterback. Maybe that’s someone like Hendon Hooker, Tanner McKee or Jake Haener on Day 2 or one of the high-profile options on Day 3, such as Max Duggan or Stetson Bennett. They figure to strengthen their QB depth chart in some capacity this offseason. — Howe

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are focused on their defensive front and ensuring they have enough pass-rush productivity in 2023 and beyond. First, the team must sort through its plans for Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. Both players were productive in 2022. Both players are entering the final season of their current deals with salaries that do not match their production. Whether Minnesota trades, extends or releases each player or not will likely hinge on how willing the Vikings are to reach for a pass rusher in the early rounds. They have, though, met with those players, so the possibility exists as early as No. 23. — Alec Lewis

New England Patriots

The perception entering the combine was that the Patriots would only use their first-round pick, No. 14, on one of their three main needs: cornerback, wide receiver or offensive tackle. But the Pats spent time chatting with some of the best pass-rushing prospects in the draft. Last season, they boasted the best pass-rushing duo in the league (based on pressure rate) in Matthew Judon and Josh Uche. But the combine showed that New England is willing to add more talent to that group and will consider taking an edge rusher in Round 1. — Chad Graff

New Orleans Saints

The Saints walked away from the combine having addressed their most important need. They now have a present and future quarterback in veteran Derek Carr. With this addition, the Saints arguably jumped to the top of the NFC South heap as the only team with stability at quarterback. Plus, the Saints hurt the Panthers in the process by keeping Carr away from Carolina, which also pursued the former Raiders quarterback. The Carr move also frees up the Saints to not have to draft a quarterback and will allow them to focus on other needs in free agency and the draft. The Saints knew they couldn’t lose out on Carr, and they didn’t. — Larry Holder

New York Giants

In New York, all eyes were tuned into how the Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley situations would pan out. Having signed Jones to a four-year extension and franchise-tagged Barkley in a Tuesday afternoon flourish, the Giants can move on with their offseason. They hold the 25th pick, but they still have a number of needs. Fans are attuned to the wide receiver position, but as general manager Joe Schoen pointed out, it’s all about building the team and thinking of the big picture beyond just 2023. With all their needs, Schoen’s focus will be on taking the best available player. — Charlotte Carroll

New York Jets

The Jets are planning for Duane Brown — soon to be 38 — to return in 2023, which makes things interesting for how general manager Joe Douglas might approach the offensive line this offseason. Brown battled through a significant shoulder injury but was solid in 12 games last season. He underwent surgery this offseason and is planning to play in 2023. Both Douglas and Robert Saleh made it clear they’ll welcome him back if he wants to play — and Brown won’t be putting off retirement to be a backup. So if Brown comes back and is locked in at left tackle, the Jets will have to decide if they trust Mekhi Becton (one game in two years) or Max Mitchell (medical issues ended his season early) enough to start them at right tackle — or if they need to invest at offensive tackle again this offseason with an early draft pick. That’s assuming one of the top tackles — Paris Johnson, Peter Skoronski or Broderick Jones — even falls to them at No. 13. — Zack Rosenblatt

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are preparing to lose key free agents. They have 20 players who will become unrestricted free agents this month, including 15 who played at least 15 percent of the offensive or defensive snaps in the Super Bowl. There are six in The Athletic’s top 50. In a normal year, it would be hard to keep that many players. Add in the fact that the Eagles are going to be tight on salary-cap space and are attempting to sign Jalen Hurts to a contract extension — not to mention that their success means those free agents will be in demand elsewhere — and general manager Howie Roseman seems to be preparing the fan base for the reality that there’s going to be an exodus. The good news is the Eagles should add valuable compensatory picks in 2024. The bad news is they’ll need to rebuild a defense that has seven starters set to hit the open market. — Zach Berman

Pittsburgh Steelers

Former general manager Kevin Colbert used to say it every combine and it would go in one ear and out the other: The Steelers are willing to move up or down in the draft if the situation presents itself. So, of course, new general manager Omar Khan presented the same philosophy — but with a twist, suggesting he wouldn’t hesitate to make a move up to get a player he wants. Khan said he was “open to anything,” something that became obvious in November when he traded Chase Claypool to Chicago for what turned into the 32nd overall pick. Colbert never made a deadline-day trade of that significance and moved up in the draft just three times in 23 years. With three picks in the first 49 and four in the first 80, the Steelers could very well move up in the first round to grab a player of need, whether it is an offensive lineman or a cornerback. So, moving up in the draft, while still unlikely, is more on the table under Khan than it ever was with his predecessor. — Mark Kaboly 

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers will take a look at some kickers. At least that’s what general manager John Lynch said. When Lynch volunteered that information last week, it sounded like a message to Robbie Gould, who’s about to become a free agent and who’s been a tough negotiator previously. Sure enough, the 40-year-old kicker reacted strongly, telling ESPN over the weekend that he’ll test free agency and plans to kick elsewhere in 2023. Is it all contract-negotiation bluster? The 49ers, a team that intends to play meaningful games in January and February, love that Gould has never missed a postseason attempt. Gould, meanwhile, has said his goal is to win a Super Bowl, and he seems to have a good shot at doing that with San Francisco. For now, the 49ers will at least kick the tires on a good kicking class, which includes North Carolina State’s Christopher Dunn, Michigan’s Jake Moody and Georgia’s Jack Podlesny. — Matt Barrows

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks’ interest in the top quarterback prospects isn’t a smokescreen. General manager John Schneider isn’t thrilled that his team has drafted just two quarterbacks since he came to Seattle in 2010. And since 2010, Schneider and coach Pete Carroll have only had one native top-10 pick. So, yes, Seattle is taking a long hard look at this year’s top QB prospects — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis — and would consider taking a guy they love even though Geno Smith is under contract for multiple seasons. Is Seattle’s interest in quarterbacks great for baiting potential trade partners? Sure. But that doesn’t appear to be Seattle’s primary motivation. — Michael-Shawn Dugar

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Depending on how free agency plays out, the Bucs’ best bet in the first round could be an offensive tackle. And they certainly have a significant need at the position, having released veteran left tackle Donovan Smith on Tuesday. The assumption is that Tristan Wirfs will move from right tackle to left, but if he does, that will create a problem on the right. If the Bucs stay put at 19, they probably won’t have a shot at Peter Skoronski of Northwestern or Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State, the highest-rated tackles in the draft. But they could be in play for Georgia’s Broderick Jones, Tennessee’s Darnell Wright or Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison. — Dan Pompei

Tennessee Titans

Two key position groups came into clearer focus. It’s no surprise that Mike Vrabel and Ran Carthon (and new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly) would publicly support Ryan Tannehill, and it has been the most likely scenario all along that Tannehill would be QB1 in 2023 on the final year of his deal. It’s more likely now, with the Titans as focused as they are on drafting offensive line help — and declaring confidence that they can fix that group through free agency and the draft. If the plan is rolling with Tannehill, the top priority has to be the offensive line, followed by receiver. Those areas would be just as needy with a rookie quarterback in mind, but they’d be much harder to effectively address. — Joe Rexrode

Washington Commanders

We already knew that the Commanders intend to revamp their offensive line. That cornerback seemed like another obvious area of need. And that quarterback Sam Howell will get a shot to start. What’s new is how much coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew talked up the tight end room. The unit had 60 receptions in 2022 — or 50 fewer than Travis Kelce. Starter Logan Thomas struggled with blocking in his rusty return from an ACL tear, while John Bates primarily helped with shoving defenders around. There’s potential for sure, namely with rising second-year players Cole Turner and Armani Rogers, but projecting steady help from either next season is risky. This draft class is stacked with TE prospects including possible first-round targets Michael Mayer and Luke Musgrave. Based on Rivera and Mayhew, it seems unlikely Washington dips into that position. — Ben Standig