The Daily Briefing Friday, March 24, 2023

Most horizons, by definition, take time to arrive. Others come more quickly than anyone would have expected.

When it comes to potentially flexing Thursday games to Sunday, and vice-versa, Commissioner Roger Goodell said less than two months ago, “Not today, but it’ll certainly be something that’s on our horizon.”

Currently, it’s not on the league’s horizon. It’s staring the league right in the face.

Ben Fischer and John Ourand of Sports Business Journal report that owners will vote on a Thursday night plan that would permit flexible scheduling in Week 14 through Week 17.

In 2006, the NFL adopted flexible schedule for late-season Sunday nights. This season, late-season Monday night flexing is possible for the first time.

If at least 24 owners vote for the change, games will be eligible for shifting from Thursday nights with 15 days’ notice, and it will (if/when it’s used) result in teams potentially having two Sunday-Thursday turnarounds in the same season. Currently, the NFL limits teams to one four-day gap between games per year.

Apart from reduced rest for players and increased logistical demands for teams, the potential shifting of late-season games will put fans in a potential pickle, disrupting travels plans for a Thursday night game and pushing it to Sunday afternoon.

As the NFL obsesses with putting the best possible games in standalone windows, those other issues will take a backseat. The goal is maximum eyeballs and, in turn, maximum dollars. Flexible schedule on Thursday nights will help the league get there.

Meanwhile, the Competition Committee wants to help kick returns and punish end zone punts with the same solution.  See bold below from NFL.com:

The league’s competition committee presented eight rule change proposals, which come in addition to nine previously proposed by NFL clubs.

Among the committee’s proposals are two involving ball placement following touchbacks and fair catches.

One proposal is to place the ball at the receiving team’s 25-yard line when a touchback occurs from a punt, while another is to also put the ball at the receiving squad’s 25 if there is a fair catch or free kick behind the receiving’s team’s 25.

The Annual League Meeting begins Sunday and carries on through Sunday in Phoenix.

Below is a full list of the 2023 playing rule proposals:

By Philadelphia; amends Rule 5, Section 1, Article 2, to permit the use of zero (“0”) as a jersey numeral; to allow kickers and punters to use any jersey numeral between 0-49 and 90-99.

By Philadelphia; amends Rule 6, Section 1, to permit a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play (4th and 20 from the kicking team’s 20-yard line) for an onside kickoff attempt.

By Los Angeles Chargers; amends Rule 4, Section 6, Article 3 and Section 7, Article 4, to make the adjustment of the play clock following an Instant Replay reversal consistent with other timing rules.

By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 3, Article 9, to expand the coaches’ challenge system to include personal fouls called on the field.

By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 1, to provide clubs more opportunities for a third challenge.

By Detroit; amends Rule 15, Section 3, to expand the Replay Official’s jurisdiction to allow for consultation regarding penalty assessment.

By Houston; amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 2, to expand the Replay Official’s jurisdiction to allow for review on failed fourth down attempts.

By Los Angeles Rams; amends Rule 15, Section 1 and Section 3, to make fouls for Roughing the Passer called on the field subject to replay assist and/or review by a coach’s challenge.

By New York Jets; amends Rule 12, Section 2, Article 6, to expand the crackback prohibition to players who go in motion and go beyond the center to block (“split-flow block”) a defender below the waist.

By Competition Committee; to change the definition of a launch to leaving one or both feet.

By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for tripping a personal foul.

By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegally handing the ball forward consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.

By Competition Committee; to make the penalty for illegal punts, drop kicks, or placekicks consistent with other illegal acts, such as illegal forward passes.

By Competition Committee; to put the ball in play at the receiving team’s 25-yard line when a touchback occurs from a punt.

By Competition Committee; to prevent the offense from benefitting by an extension of the half as a result of their foul.

By Competition Committee; to put the ball in play at the receiving team’s 25-yard line if there is a fair catch on a free kick (kickoff and safety kick) behind the receiving team’s 25-yard line.

By Competition Committee; to clarify use of the helmet against an opponent by removing the “butt, ram, spear” language from Article 8 and incorporating those actions into Impermissible Use of the Helmet.

MINNESOTA

Mike Clay of ESPN.com thinks the Vikings made a great signing in CB BYRON MURPHY, Jr. from the Cardinals:

CB Byron Murphy Jr. to the Minnesota Vikings. Murphy is 25 years old and one of the league’s most underrated and versatile corners. Landing him on a two-year, $22 million deal is a steal for a Vikings team that had a massive void at corner and needed value signings in order to offset several notable losses — including Patrick Peterson, Eric Kendricks and Dalvin Tomlinson.

Clay’s opinion is seconded by Jordan Reid:

Murphy to the Vikings. This secondary desperately needed a veteran presence after the exit of Peterson to the Steelers. Murphy brings versatility, physicality and experience to Minnesota’s defense. And getting him on a two-year, $22 million deal is reasonable considering the traits he will bring as an immediate starter.

DALLAS

This story implies that three specific teams want RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT, but does it ever really say that?

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has narrowed down his options about where to play in 2023 to the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Elliott, 27, would like to make his decision about where to sign by the end of next week, the sources told Schefter.

When he does play with a new team, it likely will be in a number other than the No. 21 he wore for the Cowboys for the past seven seasons. On Thursday, Elliott tweeted: “I want my #15 back,” referring to the number he wore at Ohio State.

With the Eagles, Elliott would join a backfield led by newly signed Rashaad Penny and including Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell and Trey Sermon. Miles Sanders, the Eagles’ leading rusher last season, left in free agency to sign with the Carolina Panthers.

In New York, Elliott would join a depth chart led by Breece Hall, who is returning from a torn ACL suffered last season. The Jets also agreed to re-sign Ty Johnson to a one-year contract Thursday, a source told Schefter, and have Zonovan Knight and Michael Carter on the roster.

If Elliott were to join the Bengals, he’d join a squad led by Joe Mixon and including Chris Evans and Trayveon Williams. Samaje Perine left in free agency to sign with the Denver Broncos.

Elliott, who was set to count $16.7 million against the Cowboys’ salary cap, was released by the team March 15.

In 2019, Elliott signed a six-year extension worth $90 million that included $50 million in guaranteed money, but his numbers fell off the past three seasons, topping 1,000 yards (with 1,002) only once — in 2021, when the league expanded to a 17-game schedule.

Injuries slowed Elliott the past two years. He played through a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament in 2021 while not missing a game. He missed only two games in 2022 because of a hyperextended right knee but wore a brace for most of the season.

Although Elliott continued as the starter, the Cowboys relied more on Tony Pollard last season. Pollard ran for 1,007 yards, scored 12 touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. The Cowboys placed their franchise tag, worth $10.091 million, on Pollard last month. A source told ESPN’s Todd Archer that Pollard signed that tender on Thursday. Pollard and the Cowboys have until July 17 to work out a long-term deal.

Elliott had a career-low 876 rushing yards in 2022, but he scored 12 touchdowns and remained a top short-yardage back and pass protector. But in the final four regular-season games, he averaged just 2.7 yards per carry, and he had just 17 runs of 10 yards or more on the season.

We thought there was something funny in the phrasing of the story – as more than a wish list by Elliott and company, than teams actually chasing the running back.  The Bengals are quick to say they have no interest.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Earlier today, an ESPN.com report characterized free-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott as having three teams from which he’s choosing.

For one of those teams, that was news to the head coach.

“There’s a lot of great players that are available right now,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Thursday night, via Mike Dyer of WCPO-TV. “We like our team as where it’s at right now. But it’s always funny when things get thrown around. Sometimes, it’s the first you hear of it. But that’s just the way life works.”

The way life works is, in some cases, a reporter will do a favor for an agent (in exchange for future considerations, like getting the scoop on where the player will be signing) by helping to create a market. That can happen by, as in this case, shading something in a way that isn’t exactly true and accurate.

Read the article. Adam Schefter never says the Bengals, Jets, or Eagles are actually interested in Elliott. But it’s clearly implied that Zeke isn’t barking up an empty tree in any of the three cities.

To summarize, Elliott has narrowed his options to the Bengals, Jets, and Eagles. Taylor’s comments would seem to be a no. Per multiple league sources, the Jets and Eagles aren’t currently interested, either.

So if Elliott wants to play in 2023, he may have to expand his options — or reduce his expectations enough to get one of those teams interested.

PHILADELPHIA

Stephania Bell of ESPN.com thinks the Eagles could have the best signing in all of free agency with RB RASHAAD PENNY:

RB Rashaad Penny to the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a great fit at a great price. Obviously Penny’s injury history is a concern, and he’s coming off a season that ended with a fibula fracture (he says he’s fully healthy now), but that risk is baked into the contract price. Penny will not be required to increase his volume of work given the other backs around him, and he gets an upgrade in offensive line, potentially boosting that career 5.7 yards per carry average.

Seth Walder agrees:

Penny to the Eagles. He is a great bargain find. Over the past two seasons, Penny has averaged 1.8 yards over expectation per carry, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s huge. Sure, he’s coming off a broken fibula that cut his 2022 season short, but on a cheap, one-year deal, he’s easily worth it.

CAROLINA

The Panthers entourage moved on to Tuscaloosa on Thursday.

The Carolina Panthers traded for the No. 1 pick of the NFL draft to have a shot at Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, and consecutive pro days for the quarterbacks only reinforced that decision.

Carolina’s large pro day contingent that has included owners David and Nicole Tepper will continue their evaluation of the draft’s top quarterbacks — Will Levis at Kentucky on Friday and Florida’s Anthony Richardson on March 30.

And while nobody in the Carolina organization officially ruled out Levis or Richardson, league sources indicated that this is a two-quarterback race for the top pick.

Alabama coach Nick Saban believes Carolina saw not only the best quarterback, but perhaps the best player in the draft on Thursday.

Saban said Young’s processing is “off-the-charts good” and noted the 21-year-old plays quarterback like a point guard in basketball.

“I can’t figure out the negative with who he is and how he prepares,” Saban said.

The only negative is Young’s height. He’s 5-foot-10 in a league where the average height of a quarterback is around 6-3. Stroud is 6-3.

“Hopefully, he’ll be the first pick in the draft,” said Saban, who spent time Thursday talking to the Carolina contingent, including Tepper and coach Frank Reich. “Nobody knows that for sure. But we’re certainly hopeful, and we think he’s the best player in the draft.”

The Panthers have done their best to downplay the significance of Young’s height. Reich, who hasn’t had a starting quarterback shorter than 6-3 in 17 years as a coach, reminded earlier this week that he had a “very high” grade on Russell Wilson (5-11) when the nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion was drafted in 2012.

General manager Scott Fitterer, who was on the Seattle staff that drafted Wilson in the third round, agreed.

“You just learn how to play with it,” he said on Thursday of Young’s height. “You don’t see balls getting knocked down. He has no problem seeing over the middle of the field, processing. He’s off the charts as a processor.

“I don’t see height as a factor.”

Young did have one pass knocked down Thursday — by the roof of Alabama’s practice facility on a deep pass. Otherwise, he was spot on other than three drops that all hit the receivers in the hands.

He was, as Fitterer described at the NFL combine, “Just chill … Nothing’s too big for him.”

Young was so chill on Thursday that one analyst who attended both pro days gave Young the advantage.

But the past few days for Carolina was more about getting to know Young and Stroud better as people. Both had dinner the night before their workouts with the Teppers, Reich, Fitterer and others in a contingent that included 12 at Ohio State and 11 at Alabama.

A similar cast will go through the same process with Levis and Richardson.

The evaluation process is expected to continue for several more weeks with all four quarterbacks coming to Charlotte, North Carolina, to visit the team facility before the Panthers indicate who they will select.

TAMPA BAY

PK RYAN SUCCOP will move on as the Buccaneers save some buck.  Jenna Laine of ESPN.com:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have a new kicker in 2023, with the Bucs’ salary cap purge now including the release of Ryan Succop, the team announced Thursday.

The move saves the Bucs $3.75 million in salary cap space.

Succop, 36, had been with the team for three seasons. Prior to his arrival, the Bucs averaged 78.4% on field goals from 2009 to 2019 — last in the NFL. With Succop, Tampa Bay averaged 84% — fourth best in the NFL — from 2020 to 2022.

But coach Todd Bowles expressed a desire to improve the Bucs’ long-range kicking game after last season and that wasn’t Succop’s forte. He made 2 of 7 attempts from 50-plus yards in 2022; whereas, he went 12-of-12 on kicks of 40-plus yards.

Succop nailed the game-winning kick in the Bucs’ season opener against the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. He also made four field goals and an extra point in the Bucs’ 19-16 overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals in 2022.

In 50 games for the Bucs, he went 84-of-99 on field goal attempts and 132-of-141 on extra points. His 384 points scored ranks eighth in Bucs history and sixth among kickers.

Since 2009, the Bucs have had 13 players attempt at least one field goal in a regular-season game, tied for the most in the league with the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers, according to ESPN Statistics & Information research.

ARIZONA

The Cardinals have not found a strong market for WR DeANDRE HOPKINS.  Grey Papke of Larry Brown Sports:

The Arizona Cardinals have made no secret of the fact that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is available in trade talks. However, the team might have to accept that the return they get for him will not be what they initially sought.

The Cardinals are unlikely to have their initial Hopkins asking price met, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. Arizona had demanded a second-round pick for Hopkins, but teams are simply unwilling to give up that much. Breer suggests that the Cardinals may have to settle for a return that is only modestly better than the fifth- and sixth-round picks the Dallas Cowboys gave up to acquire Brandin Cooks from Houston.

Teams’ concerns about Hopkins are twofold. The wide receiver has missed 17 games in the last two years, and he turns 31 in June. Admittedly, six of the missed games were due to a suspension, but that still leaves a fair amount of missed time due to injury. It does not help that Hopkins is owed nearly $19.5 million in 2023, and any trade might be contingent on a reworked contract.

The Cardinals appear to be intensifying efforts to move Hopkins, which perhaps means they are accepting that their initial asking price was unrealistic. He still has six seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards in his 10-year NFL career, and could be a major addition for any team if he can stay healthy and perform as he has in the past.

SAN FRANCISCO

Stephania Bell is among the ESPN experts who love the signing of DT JAVON HARGRAVE:

DT Javon Hargrave to the San Francisco 49ers. You have to give the 49ers credit for absorbing the punishment Hargrave dished out in the NFC Championship Game and then signing him in free agency. The defense was already a force to be reckoned with, given the talents of Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, but Hargrave secures the Niners as the best defensive line in the NFL and guarantees more problems for opposing offenses up the middle.

Miller: Hargrave to the 49ers. The rich get richer, and the defensive line in San Francisco is the league’s best with Hargrave joining Bosa and Armstead up front. With one of the league’s most explosive offenses, the 49ers’ defense is now poised to tee off on opposing quarterbacks when teams are forced to throw to win.

Jason Reid: Hargrave to the 49ers. Talk about adding to an area of strength. It seems downright unfair that the 49ers were able to significantly bolster one of the league’s best defensive fronts — which already featured Bosa and Armstead — but that’s exactly what they did.

Jordan Reid: Hargrave to the 49ers. After struggles from Javon Kinlaw, San Francisco quickly pivoted to find another solution up the middle. Pairing Hargrave with Armstead and Bosa gives the 49ers one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL, and he will provide an anchor up front and produce constant pressure from the interior.

DENVER

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com is scratching his head over all the money the Broncos have sunk into the offensive line:

OT Mike McGlinchey to the Denver Broncos. It’s hard to knock a team for securing quality offensive line help, but McGlinchey’s contract ($87.5 million over five years) got a little steep, considering Atlanta signed Kaleb McGary — a comparable player — for a more reasonable three years and $34.5 million. The Broncos now have Garett Bolles, Ben Powers and McGlinchey making a combined $47.5 million per year on average.

LAS VEGAS

Ted Ngyuen of The Athletic takes a look at the Raiders’ offseason moves:

The Las Vegas Raiders have not been quiet in free agency, but they haven’t made a splash. The first big move they made was replacing quarterback Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo. Next, they traded away Darren Waller to the New York Giants and will rely on wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and tight end Austin Hooper to make up for some of his production. Essentially what they’ve done is replace more talented players with cheaper players who fit Josh McDaniels’ scheme better than their predecessors. Conventional wisdom says talent outweighs scheme and that good coaches adjust their scheme to the talent they have on the roster.

McDaniels adjusted his scheme to an extent for Carr and Davante Adams. Carr has been much more aggressive throwing the ball downfield in the past few seasons, and Adams is one of the most dangerous vertical threats in the league because of his route running and ability to adjust to the ball in the air. Last season, the Raiders ranked third in average air yards per attempt

Of course, the question of how a coach balances the interplay between talent and scheme isn’t simple. A coach should adjust his scheme to his players, but only if his players are talented and productive enough to justify it. It seems McDaniels has determined that Carr’s and Waller’s inconsistencies aren’t worth the schematic and financial commitment.

Though Carr has more arm talent and has shown he can handle more responsibility at the line of scrimmage during his career, Garoppolo has had more success. However, the two have been worlds apart when it comes to how much help they’ve gotten. Garoppolo was a backup during the New England Patriots dynasty, then was traded to San Francisco, where John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan built a monster.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando created his QB betrayal index, which measures the difference between how a team’s offense performs relative to its defense/special teams. Since 2000, Carr ranked 15th in how much his offense was let down by defense and special teams. Garoppolo ranked 31st in the index.

Garoppolo also played in the most quarterback-friendly offense in the league. The 49ers surrounded him with players who are elite in creating yards after the catch (YAC), and Shanahan was a master at creating space for them with play calling. Since 2017, the 49ers lead the league in YAC percentage (55.7).

Carr has typically struggled in his first year in a new offense, and because of the Raiders’ lack of success, he has played under a lot of offensive coordinators. Last season, he never looked comfortable in McDaniels’ offense but was uncharacteristically turnover-prone, throwing interceptions on 2.8 percent of his attempts — the most in his career.

The Raiders and Adams will miss Carr’s ability to throw the deep ball. Since 2019, among qualifying quarterbacks, Carr ranks 14th in the percentage of throws of 15 yards or more. Garoppolo ranks 35th in the same metric.

Garoppolo has won more games, but simply looking at quarterback wins is a rudimentary way of comparing them. Carr is more talented overall, but Garoppolo is tougher in the pocket and, more importantly for McDaniels, knows his scheme. McDaniels said he watched a lot of Garoppolo over the years studying Shanahan’s offense, so he’ll likely implement plays from Shanahan that attack the middle of the field, where Garoppolo thrives.

McDaniels has typically required true Y tight ends who are good-to-elite blockers. Former Patriots Ben Watson and Rob Gronkowski were downfield threats, but they were also great blockers. Last season, Waller was used more like a big slot and wing because his inline blocking just wasn’t adequate to play a majority of snaps attached to the line of scrimmage. He lined up as a tight end on only 27.4 percent of snaps — the lowest of his career. On a lot of those snaps, he had at least one tight end lined up inside of him to handle tougher blocking assignments.

Foster Moreau was the main Y for the Raiders last season. Moreau was testing out free agency before being diagnosed with cancer by the New Orleans Saints. Thankfully, he’ll have the opportunity to fight it. He’ll take this season off, but hopefully he’ll have a speedy recovery and we’ll see him on the field soon.

Austin Hooper was just signed and will be first in line to play Y for the Raiders. Hooper is an adequate run blocker who has been modestly productive in the passing game. In his career, he averages 33 yards per game. He’s not a game breaker, but he fits the mold of what McDaniels wants from a tight end. Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler said this year’s class is as deep as he’s ever seen. Signing Hooper and O.J. Howard shouldn’t stop the Raiders from drafting a tight end.

Meyers will be tasked with taking Waller’s place in the passing game. Meyers mostly played in the slot and even handled some difficult run-blocking assignments for the Patriots. The Raiders seem to be taking the Patriots’ and 49ers’ philosophy of collecting slot receivers. Meyers, Adams and Hunter Renfrow can all play in the slot. The Raiders will likely use a lot of compressed formations, which essentially puts every receiver within close proximity of the quarterback and gives them two-way go’s.

The vision of what McDaniels is trying to build is clear. He’s trying to create an offense that is similar to the ones he had in New England with multiple slot receivers and a strong blocking tight end. He won’t have Tom Brady, but he’ll have a quarterback who has had success in the offense. The moves made this offseason were to cut costs and also find players who fit the scheme. So, in short, the scheme better be good.

BALTIMORE

Ken Francis has been calling teams, allegedly on behalf of QB LAMAR JACKSON.  Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com:

The NFL sent out a memo to all clubs Thursday notifying them that a person who is not certified by the NFLPA might be attempting to persuade team personnel to enter into contract negotiations with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who received the nonexclusive franchise tag.

Under league rules, teams can speak only with Jackson because he doesn’t have an agent.

According to the memo obtained by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFLPA informed the league that Ken Francis, who is not a certified agent with the players’ union, might be contacting teams regarding Jackson.

The memo, which was distributed to all 32 teams, read: “As an uncertified person, Mr. Francis is prohibited from negotiating Offer Sheets or Player Contracts, or discussing potential trades on behalf of any NFL player or prospective player or assisting in or advising with respect to such negotiations.”

Francis told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that he has not contacted teams on Jackson’s behalf.

“I don’t speak for Lamar,” Francis said.

Jackson also denied that Francis has been contacting teams on his behalf, tweeting: “Stop Lying that man never tried to negotiate for me.”

Francis said he’s business partners with Jackson on portable gym equipment and that’s the extent of their business dealings. He stressed that Jackson handles his own football matters, though he has people in his circle that he might consult.

The memo reminded teams that an offer sheet may be negotiated only with the player, if he is acting on his own behalf, or with a certified agent.

“To be clear, Mr. Jackson is not currently represented by an NFLPA certified agent,” the memo read. “Violation of this rule may result in disapproval of any Offer Sheet or resulting Player Contract entered into by Mr. Jackson and the new Club.”

The NFL can fine teams $47,000 if a club negotiates a contract with an agent or representative not verified by the NFLPA.

This is the second time in seven months that the league has had to address this matter. In August, the NFL management council sent a memo to the 32 teams about speaking with a non-NFLPA-certified agent who had been contacting clubs on behalf of linebacker Roquan Smith when he was with the Chicago Bears. Smith was traded to the Ravens last season and negotiated a five-year extension with Baltimore in January.

On March 7, the Ravens placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on Jackson after the sides were unable to reach a new deal after 25 months of negotiations.

Under the nonexclusive tag, Jackson can negotiate with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet, Baltimore will have five days to match, or it will receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

If there is no offer sheet, Jackson would earn $32.416 million under the tag.

A Ravens official told ESPN the team has only negotiated with Jackson since he became eligible for a contract extension in 2021.

NEW ENGLAND

Critiques of the Patriots’ signing WR JuJu SMITH-SCHUSTER from Jordan Reid and Mike Tannenbaum at ESPN.com:

Jordan Reid: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster to the New England Patriots. The Patriots needed wide receiver help, but with Jakobi Meyers getting an identical contract from the Raiders, why not just re-sign him? Smith-Schuster is coming off a productive season with the Chiefs, but Meyers is still the better player.

Tannenbaum: Smith-Schuster to the Patriots. While I like the player, I thought New England could have used more speed, rather than another possession receiver.