The NFL announced its new TV deals, carrying all the way until 2033, on Thursday.  John Breech of CBSSports.com spots some interesting developments:

The NFL’s new television deal won’t kick in until 2023, but when that happens, there will be some big changes coming around the league.

If you missed it, the NFL announced a new 11-year deal with its television partners on Thursday. According to the Associated Press, the NFL will earn a total of $113 billion from from the deal, which runs through the 2033 season. Under the new contract, you won’t see very many changes from a network standpoint as CBS, NBC, ESPN and Fox will still all be airing games, but there will be plenty of other changes coming.

With that in mind, here are 10 things to know from the new deal:

1. Monday night games can be flexed. The new media contract doesn’t kick in until 2023, which means we’re going to have to wait two years before this happens, but starting with the 2023 season, the NFL will have the option to flex Monday games beginning in Week 12.

2. Monday doubleheaders will be happening more often. The NFL has been holding a Monday doubleheader in Week 1 for years and now it will be adding more to the schedule. Starting in 2023, there will be a total of three Monday night doubleheaders with one game airing on ESPN and one game airing on ABC.

3. Saturday doubleheader during final week of season. The NFL doesn’t usually play Saturday games during the final week of the season, but that will be changing starting this year. ESPN’s contract now includes two Saturday games with playoff implications during the final week of the season, which means the NFL will likely be flexing games into this spot.

4. Nickelodeon games likely come back: The Nickelodeon game was a hit back in January and there will likely be a few more of those down the road. In the new contract, the NFL has given its network partners a greater ability to innovate around their productions and provide interactive elements. The league is also going to allow its partners to provide an “alternate presentation” of certain games, which opens the door for the networks to get creative like ViacomCBS did with the Nickelodeon game.

The NFL and the networks are going all in on streaming with the new contract. What this means is that there will be nearly 20 games each season that will only be available online.

5. “Thursday Night Football” headed to Amazon. The tech giant will be the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football’ starting in 2023. For the next two seasons, Thursday football will be aired on Fox while also streaming on Amazon. Starting in 2023 though, Fox will be out of the picture and the only way for anyone to watch a Thursday game will be on Amazon (Amazon games will also be available on over-the-air TV in the home markets of the two teams that are playing.)

6. One international game will air exclusively on ESPN+. ESPN’s new streaming service ESPN+ will get to exclusively carry one international game per season, which means you’ll have to have ESPN+ if you want to watch this game.

7. NBC’s Peacock streaming network will get to exclusively air six regular-season games. From 2023 thru 2028, the NFL will be allowing NBC’s Peacock service to exclusively stream one game per season.

8. Paramount+ also coming up big. Paramount+ has been granted new and expanded rights for the streaming service, allowing for the flexibility to distribute NFL games on the premium tier at $9.99 and the new $4.99 ad-supported tier that will debut in June. The rights begin with the 2021 season and extend throughout the length of the new deal to 2033.

9. NFL can opt out of the deal after seven years: As noted by NBC, the league has the right to terminate the contract after seven years. One reason the NFL would think about exercising this right would be if something causes the TV rights to increase in value (Gambling is one thing that could help make that happen). If the value of the TV rights shoot up, the league could terminate the contract and go back to the negotiating table by 2030.

10. CBS, Fox and NBC each get three Super Bowls, ABC gets two. CBS will air the first Super Bowl in the new TV contact, which will take place in February 2024. The rotation for Super Bowls will go like this: CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC. When ABC airs the Super Bowl following the 2026 season, it will mark the first time since February 2006 (Super Bowl XL) that the network has gotten to air the NFL’s biggest game.

Here’s where the Super Bowl will be airing for the next 13 seasons:

2021: NBC

2022: Fox (end of old contract)

2023: CBS (start of new contract)

2024: Fox

2025: NBC

2026: ABC

2027: CBS

2028: Fox

2029: NBC

2030: ABC

2031: CBS

2032: Fox

2033: NBC

We had heard that the new deals would do away with the distinction of the Sunday packages being focused around conferences.  But at least in terms of the announcement, the FOX deal is still identified as being about the NFC.

The only thing specifically mentioned in the release is FOX will have all NFC Championship Games.  FOX will also have some rights relating to Christmas Day games.

Christmas is on Saturday this year – and Mike Florio noted this on March 1:

The 2020 season included a historic Christmas Day game for Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who scored six touchdowns. The game was a ratings bonanza.

So with Christmas 2021 landing on a Saturday, the NFL is thinking about jamming another gift into our collective stocking.

Peter King of Football Morning in America reports that the league is considering playing two games that day.

The Vikings-Saints game, which started in the late afternoon, drew an average of 20.1 million viewers. Our guess is that, if the NFL indeed stages two games, it will be one in the late afternoon and one at night.

Why not expand to three, making it identical to Thanksgiving? It’s something the league could do whenever Christmas lands on Saturday, Sunday (with the bulk of the games played on Christmas Eve), Monday, Thursday, or Friday.

To help plan your viewing pleasure:

Christmas Day 2021   Saturday

Christmas Day 2022   Sunday

Christmas Day 2023   Monday

Christmas Day 2024   Wednesday

Christmas Day 2025   Thursday

Christmas Day 2026   Friday

Christmas Day 2027   Saturday

Christmas Day 2028   Monday

Christmas Day 2029   Tuesday

Christmas Day 2030   Wednesday

Christmas Day 2031   Thursday

With a 17-game season now always extending into January, we would think Christmas and the NFL could be an item in every year here except 2024, 2029 and 2030.  And maybe even 2029.

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

QB ANDY DALTON believes the Bears promised him their 2021 starting quarterback job.  ESPN.com:

The Chicago Bears apparently won’t have a quarterback competition. That job belongs to Andy Dalton.

The former Cincinnati and Dallas QB said he has been assured the top spot is his and he won’t be competing with veteran Nick Foles.

“They told me I was the starter,” Dalton said Thursday. “That was one of the reasons why I wanted to come here. So every conversation I’ve had has been that, so that’s the assurance that I’ve gotten.”

A three-time Pro Bowler, Dalton agreed Tuesday to a one-year, $10 million deal. He can earn an additional $3 million in bonuses.

Dalton’s arrival is a big letdown for fans hoping the Bears would swing a blockbuster trade with Seattle for Russell Wilson. He is aware the reception he is getting is about as warm as a Chicago winter.

“Obviously I know there’s been a lot of talk, but I’m coming in from the outside,” Dalton said. “A lot of people don’t know a ton about me and are gonna get to learn a lot about me while I’m here. That’s all I’m worried about and so, I’m here now.

“Hopefully everybody gets a chance to see who I am as a player, as a person, see what we’re gonna be able to do with this organization. I’m excited about the opportunity. Obviously there’s been a lot of talk, but I’m not worried about any of that.”

Dalton said he was in “constant contact with everybody” as the Bears tried to acquire Wilson from the Seahawks. And he was thrilled when it became clear there would be no trade, because he wanted to come to Chicago.

Up against the cap the Bears cut S WILL FULLER, but WR ALLEN ROBINSON takes $18 mil in franchise tag money to play with Dalton.  Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com:

MINNESOTA

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on the riches amassed by QB KIRK COUSINS:

Few NFL players have worked the system to their advantage better than Kirk Cousins.

The 2012 fourth-round pick, taken by Washington in the same draft that resulted in three first-round picks and a second-round pick being used to get Robert Griffin III, played out a pair of franchise tags in 2016 and 2017, earning $19.95 million and $23.94 million, respectively, before becoming a free agent.

He signed a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings in 2018, with a two-year, $66 million extension added in 2020. That extension includes a $35 million base salary for 2022 that, as of today, becomes fully guaranteed.

Cousins explained last month on PFT PM that he’s content to finish his current contract with the Vikings, with another extension or restructuring. Given the dynamics of the franchise tag (he’d be entitled to a 44-percent raise over his $45 million cap number in 2022), the Vikings won’t be able to keep him from walking away in 2023.

That’s possibly when he’ll reunite with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.

Wherever Cousins goes in 2023, he will have made $193.89 million over seven years. As of today, the last portion of it — $35 million in 2022 — becomes fully and completely guaranteed.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

Mike Sando of The Athletic on QB TOM BRADY’s latest deal:

Brady has long been a salary-cap X-factor, but his latest trick is ridiculous even by his standards. It’s borderline laughable to think where this latest Brady contract extension ranks relative to the deals currently in play for some of the top quarterbacks.

1. The cap charge for Brady’s contract is about the same as the combined charge for the Patriots’ current QBs, even though New England might not have its opening-day starter on the roster.

Deals for Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham and Jake Dolegala combine to count $7.3 million against the Patriots salary cap, led by the $5.5 million charge for Newton. That combined team figure ranks last in the AFC East even though all three of New England’s division rivals have starting quarterbacks on rookie contracts. Yet, Brady’s new deal is counting a comparable $9,075,000 against the Buccaneers’ cap thanks to voidable years allowing the team to account for bonus money later.

2. Brady’s $9.1 million cap figure ranks 21st among NFL quarterbacks, low even by his standards.

Cap charges are variable and can be suppressed in any single season as part of team planning, but all money a player receives must eventually be accounted for from a cap standpoint. Cap charges for Brady’s deals have consistently ranked lower than those for other top quarterbacks on veteran contracts. The table below shows how consistently lower the cap charges for his contracts have ranked since 2014. Red shading in the table highlights cap charges that ranked among the 10 highest in a given season among quarterbacks. Green shading highlights contracts with charges ranked lower than that.

Brady’s deals have ranked lower than 10th seven times during the eight seasons in question. The other eight quarterbacks combined to produce cap charges lower than 10th just 13 times in 50 total seasons. Their average ranking this season is fifth even after Matt Ryan reworked his contract to drop from first to seventh. As noted, Brady’s new deal ranks 21st.

3. Brady’s cap charge is his lowest since 2012, when the cap was $120.6 million per team, some $60 million less than the cap limit in 2021.

The $8 million charge for Brady’s contract in 2012 represented 8.1 percent of the $120.6 million cap limit for each team that season. His current $9.1 million charge fills only 5.4 percent of the $182.5 million allotment for teams this season. One other quarterback since 2011 had a cap charge equal to 5.4 percent of the league allotment: Chad Henne of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014.

4. Marcus Mariota, Andy Dalton and Ryan Fitzpatrick carry higher 2021 cap charges than Brady.

It gets better. Dozens of non-quarterbacks carry higher 2021 cap figures than Brady, including Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib, who was a healthy scratch in a game last season when the team had eight defensive linemen active. Brady actually ranks only seventh on the Bucs.

5. Brady’s deal averages $25 million per year, which slots him 15th among quarterbacks in the NFL, between Derek Carr and Teddy Bridgewater.

Despite ranking better than second overall on average in QB Tiers balloting from 2014-20, Brady ranked about 19th on average salary per year (APY) over that span. For additional context, I calculated Brady’s APY each season since 2014 as a percentage of the five highest quarterback APYs each year. For example, in 2018, Brady’s $15 million APY represented only 51.4 percent of the $29.2 million average for the five highest quarterback APYs.

“Twenty years from now, we probably won’t remember Brady playing below market,” a former GM said. “We will remember him because he won a bunch of titles. But if he did play on better teams because he was willing to play below market, in essence, then, that did define his legacy.”

AFC WEST

DENVER

S JUSTIN SIMMONS gets big money from the Broncos.  Tyler Sullivan ofCBSSports.com:

Prior to the start of free agency, the Broncos ensured that star safety Justin Simmons would remain in Denver for at least the 2021 season by placing the franchise tag on him. Now, the club is locking him in for much longer than that. According to Benjamin Albright of KOA in Colorado, the Broncos have signed Simmons to a long-term contract. Specifically, Albright reports that it’s a four-year deal worth $61 million and includes $35 million guaranteed. Those figures now make Simmons the highest-paid safety in the entire NFL.

Denver placed the franchise tag on Simmons for the second-consecutive year earlier this month, but the front office was adamant that this was hopefully just a placeholder for a longer-term deal like the one that is coming into focus. Under the tag, Simmons was looking at approximately $13.73 million for 2021. Under this reported deal, the 27-year-old is looking at an average annual salary of around $15.25 million.

“Designating Justin with the franchise tag is a procedural move that allows us to continue working on a long-term deal,” Broncos GM George Paton said at the time of the tag. “We are completely focused on making sure Justin remains a big part of the Denver Broncos for many years to come.”

Mission accomplished.

Simmons has spent his entire career with the Broncos after the club selected him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Boston College. The 6-foot-2, 202 pounder has since blossomed into one of the better safeties the league has to offer, being named second-team All-Pro in 2019 and elected to the Pro Bowl in 2020.

In 16 games played last season, Simmons tallied 96 tackles, defended nine passes and had a career-high five interceptions.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

The Ravens have surfaced as a prime contender for free agent WR KENNY GOLLADAY per Adam Schefter, citing a “feeler” to agent Todd France.

The Bears and Football Giants are two other teams that have been linked to Golladay.  Chicago is his hometown.

Josina Anderson of ESPN.com says Baltimore has to figure out if it has enough cap cash.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com has this on Golladay’s expectations versus the market so far.

The Bears reportedly offered receiver Kenny Golladay a contract in the range of $11 million to $12 million per year. That wasn’t nearly enough to get a deal done.

Per a league source, Golladay is looking for a contract with a value in the range of $18.5 million per year.

That’s well below the top of the market, but no one is getting top of the market money this year, not with the cap decline. Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett, the top pass rusher in the 2021 class, accepted a base rate of $17 million per year; Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa is still the highest-paid pass rusher, at $27 million annually.

We’ll see whether Golladay gets $18.5 million per year or close to it. Ultimately, his best play could be to sign a one-year deal and get back to the market in 2022.

CINCINNATI

T RILEY RIEFF will try to keep QB JOE BURROW safe from harm.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Bengals knew they needed to do a better job of protecting Joe Burrow, and they’ve taken a big step toward doing that.

Riley Reiff has agreed to terms with Cincinnati today.

A veteran offensive tackle who has been a starter at left tackle for most of his career, Reiff spent the last four years with the Vikings and five years before that with the Lions.

Burrow is coming off reconstructive knee surgery, and as the first overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft, his health has to be a top priority for the Bengals. They’re hoping Reiff can keep him upright.

PITTSBURGH

WR JuJu SMITH-SCHUSTER opts to stay in Pittsburgh

@TeamJuJu

This is my home, they’re gonna need a wrecking ball to take me outta here! PITTSBURGH I LOVE YOU, LET’S GO!!!!! Yellow heartBlack heartYellow heartBlack heart

Taylor Bisciotti of NFL Network tweets the deal:

@TaylorBisciotti

JuJu Smith-Schuster is returning to Pittsburgh on a 1 year deal, taking a massive paycut to return to his home over larger offers from divisional rivals and Super Bowl contenders to accommodate Pittsburgh’s tough cap situation. JuJu is staying home.

@TaylorBisciotti

Sources tell me these were the other offers

KC 8 mill with 3 mill incentives

Steelers 8 mill

Baltimore 9 mill 4 incentives

And this from Adam Schefter:

@AdamSchefter

JuJu Smith-Schuster also turned down more money on a multi-year deal from the Eagles than he took to return to the Steelers, per source. The Eagles’ were a secret suitor. But Smith-Schuster loved Pittsburgh and its fans too much to leave.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Up until recently, QB DESHAUN WATSON was thought to be an exemplary human being with a history of good deeds and proper motivations.

Then, he turned on the Texans shortly after signing a big money contract that included a huge signing bonus.  But it had to be Texans “bad.”

Then attorney Tony Buzbee opted to make his life miserable.  Sarah Barshop ofESPN.com:

Four more lawsuits have been filed against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, alleging similar inappropriate conduct and sexual assault to the previous three that had been filed.

This brings the total to seven lawsuits filed against Watson by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who has said on Instagram that there are nine total cases against Watson. Buzbee told ESPN on Thursday via text message that his office has been in contact with police and that he would provide information to the police about all nine of the women who intend to sue Watson.

Houston police declined to comment to ESPN whether they’re investigating the matter. A spokesman for the Harris County district attorney’s office told ESPN on Thursday that nobody from any law enforcement agency has provided information to the DA’s office about the allegations involving Watson.

Buzbee will address the media in Houston on Friday afternoon, when he says he will provide some background about the seven lawsuits that have been filed and provide copies of multiple texts and messages relating to the suits.

After Buzbee’s announcement of the first lawsuit on Tuesday, Watson responded on Twitter by saying he rejected “a baseless six-figure settlement demand” and that this is “about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that.” At the time of his statement, Watson said he had not seen the first lawsuit.

“I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect,” Watson said in his statement.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy on Thursday said “the matter is under review” of the league’s personal conduct policy, and the Texans said they would stay in close contact with the NFL during the league’s investigation.

All seven cases filed so far show a pattern of sexual assault against a massage therapist. While six of the lawsuits allege these were one-time encounters with Watson, one woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by Watson on multiple occasions. That lawsuit says the first massage was booked through the spa where the licensed aesthetician worked. The six other lawsuits allege Watson first inquired about the massage through Instagram direct messages.

Three of the four lawsuits filed Thursday night accuse him of inappropriate contact; the fourth said he forcibly tried to kiss a woman.

“Watson’s behavior is part of a disturbing pattern of preying on vulnerable women,” the fourth lawsuit reads.

The Texans on Thursday again said they are aware of the matter.

“The NFL informed us [Thursday] that they will conduct an investigation into the allegations made in the civil lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson,” the team said. “We will stay in close contact with the league as they do. We continue to take this and all matters involving anyone within the Houston Texans organization seriously. We do not anticipate making any additional statements until the NFL’s investigation concludes.”

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

QB MITCHELL TRUBISKY, once the #2 pick in the draft, is content to be the 2021 backup in Buffalo.  Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com thinks the pairing is a winner:

No lie, this is a rock-solid pairing. Buffalo needed a new backup for Josh Allen with Matt Barkley hitting free agency, and Trubisky is on another level in terms of athleticism, upside, etc. He’s a perfect No. 2 for that offense, which thrives on a guy who can move around the pocket. Troobs, meanwhile? Instead of returning to the sinking ship that is the Bears, he gets to enjoy a modest $2.5 million while learning under Allen and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, potentially filling in for a contending team, and then going right back to the market in 2022 with a fresh chance at a bigger role. Well done, boys.

THIS AND THAT

BEST FREE AGENT DEALS

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com declares these 10 free agent signings to be his favorites:

Winning in NFL free agency doesn’t often guarantee winning when the games come around in September. Teams such as the New York Jets and Washington Football Team have managed to land critical free agents at the top of the market in years past, only for those players to look like shadows of their former selves in their new digs. Organizations fall into traps and make mistakes we can see coming a mile away.

And yet, when you look at who just won Super Bowl LV, it would be impossible to deny that free agency played a big role. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added key contributors on both sides of the ball throughout the year. On defense, they brought back Ndamukong Suh on a one-year deal to fill out one of the league’s best defensive lines. On offense, they added talent in the fall by signing running back Leonard Fournette and wide receiver Antonio Brown. Most notably, of course, Tampa upgraded at quarterback by signing the most successful NFL player of all time in Tom Brady. The moves earned a rare “A” grade from me and helped propel Tampa to a title.

No team has made a signing as impactful as Brady this year, but I’ve scoured the deals handed out on the first few days of free agency to find my favorites. I’m looking at these deals from the team’s perspective, so I’m trying to find contracts in which a player can outplay what he’s expected to earn over the next several years. Let’s count them down:

10. LB Kyle Van Noy to New England

The deal: Two years, up to $13.6 million with the Patriots

I have to admit that I’m skeptical of the spending spree the Patriots went on in the opening hours of free agency, in part because it’s the opposite of how the Patriots have typically acted in free agency. The move to bring back Van Noy seems much more in line with the Patriots’ typical predilections. Bill Belichick traded a late-round pick for Van Noy, got three years of below-market, above-average performance from the former Lions draftee, then added a fourth-round comp pick when the Dolphins signed Van Noy away last year in free agency.

Miami paid $15 million for one year of Van Noy and then cut the 29-year-old. The Patriots will now bring him back for less than that over two seasons without having to give up a compensatory pick as part of the deal. Guaranteeing Nelson Agholor $16 million for one year doesn’t seem like a typical Patriots move. Getting the best out of Van Noy and getting a pick for loaning him out for a year? That’s more like it.

9. CB Justin Coleman to Miami

The deal: One year, $2.5 million with the Dolphins

Price matters! Two years ago, I wasn’t a fan of the four-year, $36 million deal Coleman signed with the Lions, noting that Coleman had been bouncing around the league just before Matt Patricia made him the highest-paid slot corner in football. Away from Pete Carroll in Seattle, Coleman was often a problem with the Lions, as he gave up the eighth-most receiving yards of any corner in 2019 and followed it by allowing a passer rating of 135.0 in coverage in 2020. Cornerback stats can be problematic, but after paying him $18 million over two years, the new regime in Detroit decided to move on.

Coleman is a serviceable slot corner. At $9 million per year, his signing is a mistake. At the $2.5 million rate the Dolphins are paying him for 2021, it’s a good deal. He’ll be the favorite to take over for Nik Needham in the slot, with the Dolphins using 2020 first-rounder Noah Igbinoghene to back up Xavien Howard and Byron Jones on the outside. It’s clear that Brian Flores has wanted to build his defense from the secondary in, and this only furthers Miami’s plan. I’ve never heard anybody in the NFL complain about having too many cornerbacks.

8. KR Andre Roberts to Houston

The deal: Two years, $5.5 million with the Texans

I’m not sure I can recall a team going about its business the way the Texans have in free agency. Their 2020 roster was too top-heavy and had too many obvious holes on defense. General manager Nick Caserio clearly has a plan to fix the bottom quarter of the team. The Texans have, by my count, signed at least 15 new players in free agency. All of them are on one- or two-year deals. There aren’t a lot of stars in the bunch, but they are going to hopefully make fewer mistakes leading to big plays in 2021.

The moves are more intriguing in bulk than they are individually, so consider this Roberts deal to be representative of the bunch. An excellent return man and special-teamer, he has made three consecutive Pro Bowls with the Jets and Bills. He’ll help a Texans team that ranked well below average on both kick and punt returns in 2020.

I’m not sure it’s going to mean much if quarterback Deshaun Watson doesn’t return, but I can appreciate that there’s a coherent plan from the Texans to try to establish competency throughout the roster.

7. RB Mike Boone to Denver

The deal: Two years, $2.6 million with the Broncos

All Boone has done as a pro is produce. Working as the third back in Minnesota over the past three years, he has turned 71 carries into 379 yards and four touchdowns, including a 17-148-1 line in Week 17 against the Bears and their 10th-ranked rush defense by DVOA in 2019. He has actually seen more action in the preseason, where his 90 carries have produced 391 yards and three scores, along with 13 catches for 145 receiving yards. Boone had good measurables coming out of college at Cincinnati and played about half of the special-teams snaps for the Vikings over the past couple of years. He profiles like the sort of back who could emerge as a No. 1 if given the opportunity, and he should have a key member of the organization in his corner, given that new Broncos general manager George Paton just joined the team from Minnesota.

Meanwhile, the Broncos have question marks at running back. Melvin Gordon had a wildly inconsistent season in his debut with Denver, ranking 44th out of 47 backs in success rate while seeing his receiving efficiency crater and his fumbles continue. It appeared as if the Broncos might have voided Gordon’s 2021 guarantee of $4.5 million after the running back was arrested on DUI charges during the season, but those charges were dropped in March, and he will likely be on the roster.

More realistically, Boone might be ticketed for the Phillip Lindsay role in the offense. The 5-foot-8 back has flashed over the past few years, but he struggled to stay healthy in 2020 and ranked 47th out of those 47 qualifying backs in success rate. The Colorado product is now an unrestricted free agent after the Broncos rescinded their original-round tender.

At worst, Boone should be the No. 3 back for the Broncos. If Lindsay signs elsewhere and/or if Gordon continues to underwhelm, there’s an opportunity for Boone to do more. The evidence we have suggests that he could be an above-average option if given the chance. He’s closer to that chance in Denver.

6. G Kevin Zeitler to Baltimore

The deal: Three years, $22.5 million with the Ravens

Baltimore struck just before the negotiating period began to sign Zeitler, who had been cut by the Giants to free up $12 million. The market is deep with useful guards, but Zeitler might be the best of the bunch. The former Bengals draftee has never made a Pro Bowl, but his calling card is reliability, as he has missed one game over the past six years. He typically commits one holding penalty and allows one sack per season and otherwise delivers very good work on the interior.

For the Ravens, this is an example of general manager Eric DeCosta sticking to his team’s core principles. The Ravens love compensatory picks, so by signing Zeitler after he was released by the Giants, Baltimore doesn’t wash out the picks it is set to gain for losing Yannick Ngakoue or Matthew Judon in free agency. Everybody wants the Ravens to add an impact wide receiver, but their play on the interior was sloppy last season after they lost star guard Marshal Yanda to retirement.

If the Ravens had gone out on the first day of the free-agency negotiation period and paid top dollar for a wideout such as Kenny Golladay, they would have needed to get by on the interior. Instead, they made a major improvement that should help the core of their offense, which will still be running the football. They’re still in position to add a wide receiver in a bloated free-agent class, netting them two starters for the price of one.

5. EDGE Haason Reddick to Carolina

The deal: One year, $6 million with the Panthers

When a player breaks out in a limited sample, there’s always the possibility of teams treating it like his new normal and paying for that sort of production on a multiyear deal. This seems like too much of an overreaction to the chances of Reddick’s 2020 being a fluke. Even Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah were getting $10 million per season from the Dolphins last year with weaker résumés than the 12.5-sack season Reddick just had. I would have guessed a one-year deal for Reddick, who was the No. 13 overall pick in 2017, would have come in around $10 million or so.

To be fair, his underlying production as a pass-rusher might not support a repeat of those numbers. He had only 16 knockdowns, and edge rushers typically turn about 45% of their knockdowns into sacks, suggesting he might have ran a little hot. Indeed, he had a couple of sacks in which he got the quarterback just as the ball was coming out and the play was ruled a fumble as opposed to an incomplete pass. Reddick ranked 21st among edge rushers in pass rush win rate.

Watch his sacks and you’ll also poke some holes in those totals. If you’re looking for plays in which he beat a starting offensive lineman clean and created a sack for himself, you’ll find … three. He beat 49ers tackle Mike McGlinchey for a sack late in the season and got the best of Giants rookie Andrew Thomas twice as part of a five-sack performance against Daniel Jones & Co. Reddick beat tight ends (T.J. Hockenson) and running backs (Carlos Hyde) in pass protection, took advantage of twists, created five sacks against backup linemen, cleaned up a pressure or two created by his teammates and went totally unblocked for one against the Eagles.

At the same time, though, you could line me up on those twists and I’m not getting home to the quarterback. Reddick has always been regarded as a player with outstanding physical traits who is capable of playing multiple roles in a defense, but 2020 was really the first year in which the Cardinals stuck him on the edge and let him do his thing. There’s a decent chance he gets better in that role with more reps. A reunion with college head coach Matt Rhule in Carolina means Reddick will have support, and I hope that the Panthers won’t mess around with his spot in the lineup. They will have a young, promising trio of pass-rushers in 2021 with Reddick, Brian Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos.

4. EDGE Yannick Ngakoue to Las Vegas

The deal: Two years, $26 million with the Raiders

It’s hard to get a good deal on a player at his peak after a career season, so if a team wants to somehow come away with a bargain in free agency, it has to be willing to take on some risk. With Ngakoue, the risk is that the Raiders are getting a player coming off two relatively disappointing seasons. The former Jags standout started his career by averaging just under 10 sacks and 30 quarterback knockdowns over his first three seasons. Over the past two, however, he has dropped off to an average of eight sacks and 13 knockdowns.

If you want to argue that Ngakoue is a below-average run-defender, you can do that. Frankly, in a league in which teams are passing more than ever before, that means less and less. Teams are paying their edge defenders to rush the passer, and when you consider Ngakoue’s five-year career on the whole, he has been effective doing that. Since entering the league, he ranks 12th in sacks and 14th in knockdowns. His pass-rushing numbers over that time frame are virtually identical to those of Frank Clark, who cost the Chiefs first- and second-round picks in a trade and is on a five-year, $104 million deal.

Clark is the better player, but the difference in talent and performance is way smaller than the difference in price. Ngakoue is still only 25 and doesn’t have any sort of notable injury history. This deal either pays him $21 million for one year or $26 million for two. It’s a key addition for the Raiders, whose 4% sack rate since trading away Khalil Mack ranks last in the NFL. With former Jaguars coach Gus Bradley coming to town as Las Vegas’ new defensive coordinator, a return to form from Ngakoue could finally push a moribund Raiders defense in the right direction.

3. WR John Brown to Las Vegas

The deal: One year, $3.8 million with the Raiders

One important thing I look for in a contract is a plausible way for a player to outplay his deal. Some contracts have all the upside baked in, where the team is paying a player with a limited track record like he’s going to be the best possible version of himself for the majority of his new deal. There are rare exceptions (like Za’Darius Smith to the Packers), but those contracts almost never work out. This year, the deals for Leonard Floyd (Rams) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) might fit into that category.

With Brown, the Raiders are paying a pittance for a guy who was a legitimate WR1 in 2019 with a then-inconsistent quarterback in Josh Allen. Brown averaged 9.2 yards per target and 70.7 receiving yards per game, and while those were outlier numbers for his career, that sort of production would come in closer to $15 million or so per season on the open market. We know he has that sort of upside in his back pocket.

Last season, with Stefon Diggs taking over as the primary wideout and Allen developing into a superstar, Brown’s production was down. His efficiency, though, remained similar. He averaged 8.8 yards per target and 13.9 yards per reception. Injuries essentially limited him to eight games, but he topped 70 yards in five of them. If the Raiders get the 2020 version of Brown, he’ll outplay this deal. If they get the 2019 version of Brown, he’ll be one of the biggest bargains of the season. He should take over the Nelson Agholor role for the Raiders.

2. TE Rob Gronkowski to Tampa Bay

The deal: One year, $8 million with the Buccaneers

When you have the chance to sign a Hall of Famer who just helped win you a Super Bowl, you take it. Gronk isn’t the physical wrecking ball he was during his prime, but we just saw how effective he still is both as a blocker and receiver for the Bucs in 2020.

After taking the first quarter of the season to recharge his batteries, Gronkowski became a regular part of Tampa’s crowded passing game. Over that time frame, he was fifth among tight ends in receiving yards (535) and tied for third in touchdowns (seven).

1. OT Trent Williams to San Francisco

The deal: Six years, $138.1 million with the 49ers

The highest-paid offensive lineman in league history by the small matter of $10,000 per year, Williams is the sort of player who almost never hits free agency. Good players hit the market every season. A handful of very good players become free agents every year, although there’s usually some sort of red flag or string attached. You might get a superstar on the downside of his career, but in terms of truly great players still in the prime of their careers at their respective positions, it’s rare to see even one hit the market in a typical offseason.

Williams’ unique circumstances made him the exception. He sat out the 2019 season in Washington before being traded to the 49ers, who agreed to a no-franchise-tag clause when they restructured his deal. Left tackle is regarded as the fourth-most valuable position in the game when you look at peak contract values, and Williams is a Hall of Fame-caliber player. At 32, while injuries have cost him time in each of his past five active seasons, he should still have years ahead as one of the league’s best left tackles.

In a typical situation, the 49ers would have used the franchise tag at $13.8 million and used that to create leverage in negotiating a new deal. Instead, with Williams allowed to hit the open market, we saw just how much the tag depresses value for the top players in football. He has the largest annual average salary of any lineman in history and became the first lineman with a contract whose maximum value hit nine figures.

The numbers at the end of the contract might just be for show — and the deal isn’t cheap by any measure — but the 49ers locked in one of the most important players in football for years to come. It also frees them up to consider drafting a quarterback in the first round, which would then allow them to shed the cap space occupied by Jimmy Garoppolo and use it on other players.

2021 DRAFT

Emory Hunt of CBSSports.com offers a Mock that isn’t high on QB ZACH WILSON:

Now that the first week of free agency has come to an end, we’re starting to see teams fill some immediate needs on their roster with veteran players. Some acquisitions are so significant that they completely take some positional options off the table in the first round. However, with the NFL Draft it’s about the long-term in regards to team building. So, even if a team signed a solid veteran to perhaps a one- or two-year deal, it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t take an opportunity on a younger, talented player who has more upside and who is also cheaper.

When looking at this mock draft, try to keep that in mind. There are a few teams like Washington, Chicago and maybe New England who I could envision taking QBs in Round 1, but in the same breath, I could see them holding off on that position until Rounds 2 or 3. In my mock, I decided to go with the latter. Ideal fits for guys like Mac Jones, Kellen Mond and Jamie Newman would be New England, Chicago and Washington, respectively. Instead, I went with other areas in this mock for their selections. Also, every year there are a few players who end up going on Day 1 that no one would’ve thought possible. Well, there are a few in here that you should definitely keep an eye on.

1 – JACKSONVILLE

Trevor Lawrence QB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’6″ / 220 LBS

Lawrence is the most apt to step in right away and play really well as a rookie. He’s arguably the most battle-tested in the class.

2 – NY JETS

Justin Fields QB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 228 LBS

Fields, in my opinion, is QB1b in this class. Had he played another season at Ohio State, his resume would look a lot like Lawrence’s. The Jets land a true, franchise-changing QB.

3 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Ja’Marr Chase WR

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 208 LBS

Getting more dynamic around Tua Tagovailoa should be the goal, and adding a receiver the caliber of Chase would be a significant step in that direction.

4 – ATLANTA

Trey Lance QB

N DAKOTA ST  • SOPH • 6’4″ / 226 LBS

The Falcons have the luxury of taking a prospect like Lance without the pressure of playing him right away. Yes, there are other needs, but they don’t expect to pick this high again, so why not grab a potential heir apparent to Matt Ryan while you can.

5 – CINCINNATI

Christian Darrisaw OL

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’5″ / 314 LBS

I believe Darrisaw is the best tackle in the draft class, and he would almost immediately help strengthen the Bengals offensive line in front of Joe Burrow.

6 – PHILADELPHIA

Caleb Farley CB

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’2″ / 207 LBS

The Eagles could go offense, but landing a premier cover corner with ball skills in this era of the passing game is almost too good to pass up.

7 – DETROIT

Devonta Smith WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 175 LBS

I like what the Lions are building on their roster with new head coach Dan Campbell, both with on-field personnel and with their coaches. Landing the Heisman Trophy winner gives them a legit game-breaker on the perimeter.

8 – CAROLINA

Penei Sewell OL

OREGON • JR • 6’6″ / 330 LBS

I believe Sewell can serve in a multitude of roles up front for an NFL team, and the Panthers would almost surely welcome the services of the former Oregon Duck.

9 – DENVER

Patrick Surtain II CB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’2″ / 203 LBS

The Broncos need to get back to being bullies in the secondary, and they nab one of the best at the position in Surtain.

10 – DALLAS

Jaycee Horn CB

SOUTH CAROLINA • JR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

Horn plays with the right amount of aggressiveness you want to see out on the perimeter. With top-tier explosiveness and ball instincts, he helps bolster the Cowboys in the secondary.

11 – NY GIANTS

Joe Tryon EDGE

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’5″ / 262 LBS

Tryon may be a surprise to many here, but the former Washington Husky can flat out pressure the QB. The Giants need a threat coming off of the edge, and Tryon is a twitched-up, lengthy and athletic player who can be just that.

12 – SAN FRANCISCO

Zach Wilson QB

BYU • JR • 6’3″ / 210 LBS

This should almost be illegal for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to get his hands on the talented and athletic passer from BYU. Wilson would be an ideal fit in this scheme and brings much more upside than what’s currently there at the position.

13 – LA CHARGERS

Kyle Pitts TE

FLORIDA • JR • 6’6″ / 240 LBS

Lose Hunter Henry, gain Kyle Pitts. Imagine a potential lineup of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams AND Kyle Pitts — it’s scary just to think about.

14 – MINNESOTA

Rashawn Slater OL

NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’3″ / 305 LBS

Versatility, athleticism and upside equals the holy trinity of offensive line prospects and Slater would bring that, as well as some stability, to the Vikings’ offensive front.

15 – NEW ENGLAND

Levi Onwuzurike DL

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’3″ / 293 LBS

Onwuzurike has long arms and uses them like wheat baskets when he swats away an offensive lineman’s hands. He’s really good in working with his length on the interior, and the Patriots have to get much better up front defensively.

16 – ARIZONA

Tyson Campbell CB

GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’2″ / 185 LBS

Especially after losing Patrick Peterson, the Cardinals need to get more explosive in the secondary and Campbell brings both explosiveness and press skills to the table.

17 – LAS VEGAS

Liam Eichenberg OL

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’6″ / 302 LBS

Eichenberg was so dominant on tape at Notre Dame, on both ends of offense. He has the potential to be a foundational player for the Raiders on Day 1.

18 – MIAMI

Najee Harris RB

ALABAMA • SR • 6’2″ / 230 LBS

Going back to the SEC for another stellar offensive playmaker for the Dolphins. This time it’s Tagovailoa’s former teammate in Najee Harris, who is a three-down back that thrives on both ends of offense.

19 – WASHINGTON

Micah Parsons LB

PENN STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 244 LBS

I can see Washington targeting someone like Kellen Mond in Round 2, so with that being the backdrop, I went with the talented LB Micah Parsons with this selection. Parsons just continues to build a menacing defense for Washington.

20 – CHICAGO

Brady Christensen OL

BYU • SOPH • 6’6″ / 295 LBS

The Bears could go QB here, but like Washington, I could see them take less of a risk with a Round 2 pick instead. That’s why I went with Christiensen out of BYU, who was equally as dominant on film as any of the more talked about tackles in the class.

21 – INDIANAPOLIS

Alex Leatherwood OL

ALABAMA • SR • 6’6″ / 312 LBS

Losing Anthony Costanzo to retirement creates a bit of a void on that side, which adding Alex Leatherwood helps fill. I feel like he is the forgotten man in this excellent tackle class.

22 – TENNESSEE

Jaylen Waddle WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’10” / 182 LBS

Waddle is the most explosive receiver in the class; think Rocket Ismail and Joey Galloway-type speed and explosiveness. He’ll add a different dynamic to the Titans passing game.

23 – NY JETS (from Seattle)

Asante Samuel Jr. CB

FLORIDA STATE • JR • 5’10” / 184 LBS

Samuel gives the Jets a bonafide baller out on the perimeter. With the athleticism and ball skills to match, Samuel should be able to turn the ball over at a high clip as a pro player.

24 – PITTSBURGH

Josh Myers OL

OHIO STATE • SOPH • 6’5″ / 310 LBS

Pittsburgh lands the best center in the draft class with Myers out of Ohio State. The former Buckeye is a technically sound player with A+ recognition skills. He would help ease the blow of losing Maurkice Pouncey to retirement this offseason.

25 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Kadarius Toney WR

FLORIDA • SR • 6’0″ / 193 LBS

Even with the signing of Marvin Jones, and the drafting of Laviska Shenault Jr. last year, the Jags continue to stockpile dynamic talents around Trevor Lawrence, just continuing to make his job a lot easier as a rookie.

26 – CLEVELAND

Jaelan Phillips DL

MIAMI (FL) • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

The Browns add another pressure player opposite of Myles Garrett. Phillips is excellent on both ends of defense, so you don’t have to take him off the field, much to the chagrin of opposing offenses.

27 – BALTIMORE

Zaven Collins LB

TULSA • JR • 6’4″ / 260 LBS

Baltimore’s defense lost some firepower this offseason, so the Ravens get to replenish that with the 2020 Nagurski, Bednarik and Lombardi winner. Collins can cover, pressure the ball and make plays versus the run.

28 – NEW ORLEANS

Camryn Bynum CB

CALIFORNIA • SR • 6’0″ / 200 LBS

Bynum has A+ press skills and gives the Saints another stellar matchup defender who can turn the ball over. He’s also one of the better run defenders at the position, definitely not afraid of any physical conversation out there on game day.

29 – GREEN BAY

Alijah Vera-Tucker OL

USC • JR • 6’4″ / 315 LBS

One of the better technicians in the class, Vera-Tucker can play either guard or tackle at the next level and has excellent ability in pass pro.

30 – BUFFALO

Travis Etienne RB

CLEMSON • SR • 5’10” / 205 LBS

I believe the Bills can add one more explosive, gamebreaking threat to their offense and it arrives in the form of Travis Etienne, who is the type of back that can ring that cash register pretty quickly on any given touch.

31 – KANSAS CITY

Aaron Banks OL

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’5″ / 330 LBS

Banks is the best guard in the draft class and would keep the Chiefs offense rolling as they retool the offensive line.

32 – TAMPA BAY

Milton Williams DL

LOUISIANA TECH • JR • 6’4″ / 278 LBS

Milton Williams is cut from the same cloth as Vernon Gholston. His background at end helps him inside at tackle, showing the ability to win one-on-one matchups with consistency.