The Daily Briefing Friday, March 4, 2022

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

Roaming the corridors and lobbies of Indy, Jeff Howe of The Athletic says the rest of the NFL thinks QB AARON RODGERS will remain a Packer.

There’s a widespread belief around the league that quarterback Aaron Rodgers will remain with the Packers. Teams have inquired about his availability, but they don’t believe a trade will ultimately happen this offseason. Rodgers has yet to inform the Packers of his future plans, so things could certainly change. But the widespread opinion is that he’ll return to Green Bay for an 18th season.

MINNESOTA

An update on QB KIRK COUSINS and his contract.

Some news is so obvious that it’s not news. This nugget falls into that category.

Chad Graff of TheAthletic.com reports that conversations in Indianapolis suggest that quarterback Kirk Cousins “isn’t going to offer any sort of hometown discount to stay with the Vikings.”

Of course he isn’t. He’s never taken a discount on any contract he ever has signed. And that’s his right.

He played for Washington in 2016 and 2017 under the franchise tag, refusing to accept long-term offers that didn’t reflect the value he received by cashing out two tags and then becoming a free agent in 2018.

His most shrewd move came in 2020, when Cousins signed an extension that left him with a $35 million fully guaranteed salary in 2022. The $45 million cap number, given that Cousins has twice been tagged before, puts him in line for a 44-percent raise and a one-year $64.8 million franchise-tag salary for 2023, or a $54 million transition-tag salary for 2023.

This means that the Vikings can’t, as a practical matter, keep him from becoming a free agent in 2023. And so Cousins will try to parlay a season with new coach Kevin O’Connell into the kind of campaign that persuades some other team to believe that Cousins deserves a massive payday — despite his overall lack of playoff appearances or postseason success.

Again, Cousins has every right to work the system for every last dollar. As long as there are teams willing to pay him huge money to lead their franchises to outcomes slightly above mediocrity, it will continue.

The Vikings seem to be content to let Cousins give it one more try, unless they can find a quarterback-desperate team that is willing to absorb his $35 million salary and give the Vikings real value in return. Even then, the Vikings would have to be confident that they have a better alternative. While Cousins isn’t among the best quarterbacks in the NFL, the best quarterbacks in the NFL aren’t readily available.

Unless, of course, Tom Brady decides that his next career stop should be not the team from the area where he grew up, but the team from his mother’s home state.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

This:

@AdamSchefter

Cowboys are “likely” to release WR Amari Copper by the start of the new league year, per league sources.

Cooper is due $20 million in fully guaranteed money on the fifth day of the new league year, March 20.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Could RB SAQUON BARKLEY be traded?  Jeff Howe of The Athletic:

It doesn’t appear likely to happen, but the Giants are open to the possibility of trading running back Saquon Barkley, who will make a fully guaranteed $7.2 million during the final year of his contract. The No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft is loaded with talent, but he has been limited to 627 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 15 games over the last two seasons due to injuries. The Giants need the cap space as they rebuild with a first-year general manager and head coach, but it might not make sense to basically give away a player with immense upside if he can stay healthy.

NFC SOUTH

CAROLINA

Eric Edholm of YahooSports.com on what the Panthers are thinking in terms of drafting a QB early:

One team that finds itself in a strange limbo with its QB approach is the Carolina Panthers. It’s highly likely they add one this offseason — but how? There’s a strong case for the veteran route, adding a more known quantity to a QBs room that includes only Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker. (Cam Newton is also a free agent who could be back.)

A decision on Darnold’s fifth-year option is due in May. The team appears willing to sort through all the options of finding more help, with Panthers GM Scott Fitterer describing the team’s QB competition as “open” on Wednesday.

“Darnold needs to take the next step,” Fitterer said. “We need stability at the quarterback position, whether that is Sam or someone else, someone needs to take hold of that position and hold that. Right now, it’s open.”

Could Deshaun Watson be in their plans? Maybe. But waiting for his possible indictment delays that process and carries heavy risk if sexual assault charges are raised against him. There could be other veteran options the Panthers can explore, but is trading for a veteran two offseasons the best allocation of resources?

Even if Panthers owner David Tepper demands that the position be upgraded, Fitterer said he doesn’t want to play too fast and loose when it comes to considering taking one in the draft.

“We’re already [projecting the 2023 QB class],” Fitterer said. “You always want to look ahead. What does it look like in the future? Because the one thing we want to do, we want to build it the right way and not force something.

“We don’t want to make the mistake of, oh, we need this right now. Let’s fix this right now. Let’s keep the big picture in mind and know what it looks like a year or two out.”

Early as it might be, the potential jewel of the 2023 draft class is Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Other well-liked QB prospects next year could include: Alabama’s Bryce Young (even if his height could be an issue), Boston College’s Phil Jerkovec, Kentucky’s Will Levis, Stanford’s Tanner McKee, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.

At first blush, next year looks deeper and stronger overall. But as evaluators warned, a lot can happen over a year.

“The guy you think is good now sucks later,” the national scout said, laughing. “Or there’s an injury. Guys transfer all the time. Change of plans, whatever. Go back and look at what you thought of [this year’s QB class] a year ago. I am guessing it’s changed just a little bit, and maybe a lot.”

The scout compared it to “a ‘what’s behind Door No. 2?’ situation” where you have the knowns of this year’s group versus the promise of a yet-to-be-determined allotment.

“It’s hard,” he said, “but it’s a necessary evil.”

Drafting a quarterback in Round 1 one year doesn’t preclude a team from taking one in the first the next year — No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray comes to mind after the Arizona Cardinals traded up in Round 1 for Josh Rosen the year prior.

“You just don’t want to do that,” the scout said when offered the Murray example, “if you don’t have to. And now they’re trying to figure out if Kyler is worth extending. Basically, you’re always looking — this year, next year. It’s pretty much every year, even if you think you have your guy.”

TAMPA BAY

This is an instance where the DB’s views are squarely aligned with Mike Florio ofProFootballTalk.com:

Tuesday’s media tour de force by Bucs coach Bruce Arians was aimed, apparently, at letting quarterback Tom Brady know that, since he’s under contract to Tampa Bay for 2022, his options are to play for the Bucs or to play for no one. Beyond the question of whether it’s a mistake by Arians to essentially dare Brady to try to finagle a path to a new team, the notion that Brady is under contract through 2022 requires a fair and objective interpretation.

Brady initially signed a two-year contract with the Buccaneers in 2020. Last year, in an effort to create $19 million in cap space for a team that was trying to keep the band together, Brady signed a new two-year deal. He didn’t receive a raise over his $25 million annual compensation (a tremendous bargain for the Bucs), either last year or this year. It was simply a device to lower his number in a cap-crunched season, due to the pandemic. He didn’t have to do it. But he did it, primarily to help the team keep other players — not to enrich himself, or even to get anything close to his actual value.

Thus, as a practical matter, his commitment to the Buccaneers has ended. Any clumsy effort to huff and puff about Brady being the exclusive property of the Buccaneers and that the team wouldn’t allow him to pick his next destination will serve only to blow down the house of whoever tries to do it.

So far, only Arians (true to form) has assumed the tough-guy posture on Brady’s contract. But Arians won’t be making the decision on this one. If/when Brady decides he wants to play again, he’ll make the first call not to Arians but to G.M. Jason Licht. If necessary, Brady will go to ownership and make the simple and persuasive case for his freedom.

Brady has brought the Buccaneers a Super Bowl trophy. They absolutely would not have it without him. (Their second choice in 2020 behind Brady was Teddy Bridgewater.) In 2021, Brady filled a stadium that had sluggish attendance, at best, for years, pouring more and more money into the coffers of the franchise.

Then there’s the fact that, if Arians wants to pick a street fight, Brady has a pair of brass knuckles that he could easily deploy. Specifically, the Buccaneers clearly tampered with Brady in 2020, to no scrutiny or consequence. While the NFL has turned a blind eye to the obvious violation of the rules (as the NFL does 95 percent of the time), if Brady decides to blurt out (on purpose) the circumstances surrounding his recruitment two years ago, the NFL may have no choice but to revisit something it previously ignored.

It shouldn’t come to that. The Buccaneers should realize that Brady has earned the right to leave if he wants. To go where he wants. While the Bucs may get a face-saving, low-round draft pick for their trouble, it would be wrong and ill-advised to stand in his way, if (as it appears) he has retired not from football but from the Buccaneers.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

Larry Fitzgerald, whose father does not hold a high opinion of QB KYLER MURRAY, speaks through the magic of Twitter:

@LarryFitzgerald

Replying to @jiminyfarley

This isn’t factual information. Have never had a problem with a teammate in 30 years of competitive sports.

Hmmm. “Never had a problem?”  But surely some of those teammates, in 30 years, were indeed selfish and immature.

AFC WEST

DENVER

Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic says the NFL wants all bidders on the Broncos to lay out their exact financing plans in advance:

The last time an NFL team hit the market, the process got bogged down with bidders who were scrambling behind the scenes to find investors to finance their bids.

The 2018 sale of the Carolina Panthers only crossed the finish line because billionaire David Tepper stepped up with his bid of $2.275 billion, which was lower than the investor-heavy offers from Ben Navarro and Alan Kestenbaum.

The NFL wants to avoid a repeat of that paradigm with the sale of the Denver Broncos, informing the trust that is selling the team that preliminary offers need to be fully capitalized, according to a finance source.

“That’s a big change from past sales,” the source said.

None of the parties involved in what is sure to be a record-breaking sale responded or commented. A spokesman for the Broncos referred questions to the league. Steven Greenberg, the Allen & Co. investment banker charged with the auction, did not reply, and neither did Joe Leccese, the lawyer on the deal. The NFL referred questions to the team.

The Broncos are owned by the Bowlen trust, the estate vehicle of the late owner of the team, Pat Bowlen. The team is expected to fetch a record price, likely between $3.5 billion and $4 billion.

But that price tag means a prospective buyer might need an investment group, meaning the NFL’s push for speedy capital raising takes on added urgency. The league will allow $1 billion of acquisition debt, but that still means a buyer needs roughly $2.5 billion in cash, at a minimum.

The league, under pressure to improve its diversity from coaches to ownership, has said it has conveyed that concern to the trust.

“We would love to see a diverse owner of the team,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said at his Super Bowl news conference. “Whether that’s a person of color, or a female or a Black man, we think that would be a really positive step for us. And something we’ve encouraged. And one of the reasons we’ve reached out to find candidates who can do that.

“The Broncos are selling the team, not the NFL. We would have approval rights. But I think we’ll be very clear, and we have already been clear with the Broncos, that (diversity) is something we would seek to have in the ownership.”

Two prospective minority owners identified publicly are media magnate Byron Allen and venture capitalist Robert Smith.

Finance sources said one non-minority name that is frequently mentioned is Greg Penner, the chairman of Walmart and founder of investment firm Madrone Capital.

Though Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is frequently bandied about as a potential buyer, he is seen as a long shot, and if he is interested in an NFL team, it might be the Seattle Seahawks, which is also owned by a trust.

High-profile former Broncos players such as Peyton Manning or John Elway could be part of an ownership group but not the controlling owner. NFL rules require the owner to have 30 percent or more of the equity.

Because the sale is from a trust, there is a fiduciary duty to seek the highest price. But the caveat is that it must be a bid approvable by the NFL. And that could be part of the reason the NFL wants the capital lined up early. If a trust were selling the Panthers, could it have turned down the higher offers? Carolina was viewed unfavorably by the NFL because the lead owner not only lacked the type of resources to buy the team on his own but also to fund future developments like a new stadium.

“The NFL is going to get what they want, you know, at the end of the day,” one sports investment banker said. “But you know, (trustee and team CEO) Joe Ellis and the trust ain’t running this sale. This is the NFL, period. They’re obviously involved in their way and they’re looking at the offers, but you know, the NFL will control virtually 100 percent at the end of the day.”

One would have to go back to the sale of the Washington Commanders in 1999 to find an NFL team purchase that relied on a group to finance the price. The subsequent sales of the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, the then-St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills were all acquired by uber-wealthy buyers who did not need a consortium to afford the franchise.

That luxury of a deep-pocketed owner becomes more difficult as prices have soared. The league liberalized its conservative debt rules after the Carolina process, and now it is seeking to weed out unqualified groups early.

“Allen & Co. last time allowed a lot of people that were wealthy but weren’t multi-billionaires,” said a legal source of the Panthers’ sale process, also run by Allen & Co. “So if you’re not a multi-billionaire, you’re going to have to share your proof of funds, you have the capacity to get to, you know, a high number. I think all it means is that they just need to do a little bit more digging in the front end.”

What’s the timeline? Goodell said the league wants a fresh owner by next season. The Broncos have also set September as a target for ownership transfer.

But what does that mean now? One source said preliminary expressions of interest could be due in three weeks. There are usually several offer deadlines with processes like this, with the last one being the best and final.

Three weeks might be tight, at least according to one sports banking source.

“The bidding doesn’t look as frothy as a lot of people thought,” he said. Asked why, this well-connected banker replied: “I have not had any potential buyers reach out to me. Yet.”

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

We wondered if PK EVAN McPHERSON’s staying on the field to watch the halftime show at SB56 was approved.  Apparently not.  Jay Morrison of The Athletic:

It’s clear from talking to head coach Zac Taylor, director of player personnel Duke Tobin and several other members of the Bengals organization this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that the sting is still sharp from losing the Super Bowl.

But the game’s outcome is only one of the things still bothering special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons from that Sunday evening in Los Angeles.

Asked about one of the more memorable images from the game — kicker Evan McPherson enjoying the halftime show rather than heading to the locker room with his teammates — Simmons offered a short and sharp reply.

“That’s a sore subject,” he said. “That’s a real sore subject.”

Clark Harris also skipped the trip to the locker room to catch the concert by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem and others, but the veteran long snapper was savvy enough to avoid the cameras, unlike McPherson.

Though the stunt still isn’t sitting well with Simmons, it eventually will fade into the background of McPherson’s overall body of work, which stands as one of the greatest seasons by a kicker in Bengals history, and one of the best by a rookie in league annals.

McPherson’s 16 postseason field goals tied the NFL record, and his 42 combined in the regular season and postseason topped the team record of 34 set by Mike Nugent in 2011. McPherson had five walk-off game winners, two of which came in the playoffs, and his 12 field goals from 50-plus yards smashed the team’s previous single-season record of three and already set the franchise’s career mark.

So other than getting his butt in the locker room at halftime, what more could Simmons ask of McPherson in Year 2 and beyond?

“We certainly need to improve kickoffs, the consistency on kickoffs,” Simmons added. “One of my major things this offseason is I’ve got to get his field goal leg to equate to what he does on kickoffs. He has a very, very powerful field goal leg. It’s not that he doesn’t have a powerful kickoff leg, but we’ve got to get that power transferred into kickoffs more consistently than we did this year.”

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Mike Florio is among those saying there is a market for beleaguered QB DESHAUN WATSON.  Jeff Howe of The Athletic hears otherwise:

Until Deshaun Watson’s legal situation is resolved, teams remain unwilling to pursue a trade for the Texans quarterback. The Texans previously asked for five to seven assets, including three first-round picks, and the Dolphins and Panthers were among the teams that showed interest last season before the trade deadline. They ultimately backed off while he faced 22 civil suits for alleged sexual misconduct. (Watson has denied all allegations.) Teams haven’t shown any urgency to pursue a trade this offseason while his legal situation is still up in the air.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com finds a report that the Bills are close to a deal for a brand spanking new stadium:

When it comes to building a new stadium in Buffalo, it’s almost time to destroy a table.

According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, a deal is “nearly at hand” to build a new home for the Bills.

Per the report, the various parties are closing in on a cost-sharing arrangement “that would be among the most team-friendly splits in recent NFL memory.” In other words, the billionaires once again will be sticking someone else with the bulk of the tab for their brand-new venue.

The deal isn’t done, and nothing is ever done until it’s done. But it’s getting there. And the total public contribution could exceed more than $1 billion, with roughly $850 million going to the actual stadium construction costs.

At a time when fewer and fewer citizens believe taxpayer money should be devoted to the playgrounds of the American oligarchs, the ability of Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula to shake so much cash out of the public coffers is impressive. Even if some Western New York residents would call the commandeering of so much public money for the project depressing.

But it would be even more depressing to lose the team. And the simple fact remains that, if Buffalo and Erie County weren’t willing to foot most of the bill, some other city/county/state would, if that means luring an NFL team to town.

THIS AND THAT

FREE AGENT PROJECTIONS

How many of these 25 projections for free agent signings will Cody Benjamin ofCBSSports.com hit on:

The 2022 NFL offseason will officially begin on March 16 (legal tampering begins on March 14), but free agency talk is already well underway. Veterans with expiring contracts can begin negotiations with other teams on March 14, and that’s not even accounting for the uncertain futures of big names like Aaron Rodgers, who may or may not be back in Green Bay.

As we approach the open market, here’s one stab at where some of the top names could end up, and what kind of money they could fetch in free agency — a look at 25 different potential landing spots for players at every position:

Note: The following players were not included because they are projected to re-sign with their current teams: Packers WR Davante Adams, Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin, Chargers WR Mike Williams, Rams WR Odell Beckham Jr., Chiefs OT Orlando Brown Jr., Bengals S Jessie Bates III.

Colts sign OT Terron Armstead

Projected terms: Three years, $61.5 million | Per year: $20.5 million

Regardless of whether the Colts replace QB Carson Wentz, they need better pass protection. Armstead is a major upgrade on Eric Fisher when healthy, not to mention a proven locker-room leader. GM Chris Ballard pays up to protect whomever’s under center.

Texans sign CB J.C. Jackson

Projected terms: Four years, $72 million | Per year: $18 million

Houston needs play-makers everywhere, but especially at corner. New coach Lovie Smith gets a building block for his defense, and general manager Nick Caserio knows Jackson from New England. At 26, the ex-Patriots star instantly boosts their secondary.

Ravens sign OLB Von Miller

Projected terms: One year, $17 million | Per year: $17 million

A key piece of the Rams’ Super Bowl rotation, he has the flexibility to be picky at 33, and a big one-year payday allows him a chance to latch onto another contender before re-evaluating in 2023. Baltimore gets itself a plug-and-play No. 1 edge man.

Broncos sign OLB Chandler Jones

Projected terms: Two years, $33.5 million | Per year: $16.75 million

Vic Fangio may be gone, but that doesn’t mean the new regime can’t invest on defense, especially with Bradley Chubb in need of a true pass-rushing mate, GM George Paton flush with cap space, and QB perhaps likely to be addressed through the draft.

Jaguars sign WR Allen Robinson

Projected terms: Four years, $66 million | Per year: $16.5 million

A reunion! A-Rob may field equally lucrative offers from splashier cities like Miami and New England, but Trevor Lawrence is an appealing draw, as is the familiarity of Jacksonville. Doug Pederson and Co. give their young QB a true No. 1 to target.

Panthers sign OG Brandon Scherff

Projected terms: Three years, $49.5 million | Per year: $16.5 million

Carolina needs a QB, but unless they land a blockbuster trade, they’ll likely turn to the draft. Priority No. 2 is fixing a porous line, and Scherff, despite injury concerns, is still elite on the interior.

Commanders sign S Tyrann Mathieu

Projected terms: Three years, $48.75 million | Per year: $16.25 million

Sticking with the Chiefs would be ideal, but Mathieu gets a pay raise and a chance to play under Ron Rivera here, while Washington gets a huge upgrade at the back end of a leaky secondary as it looks to return to contention.

Eagles sign S Marcus Williams

Projected terms: Four years, $62 million | Per year: $15.5 million

GM Howie Roseman sees the potential for Malcolm Jenkins 2.0 here, scrapping the Band-Aids at safety for a durable long-term center-fielder. Williams, meanwhile, gets a payday that would’ve been more difficult in New Orleans.

Chargers sign TE Mike Gesicki

Projected terms: Four years, $56 million | Per year: $14 million

Assuming Mike Williams returns out wide, Justin Herbert already has good weaponry. Gesicki, however, gives him a third big-time outlet in the passing game. The Chargers have cash to spend. Why not keep building around your star QB?

Jets sign CB Carlton Davis

Projected terms: Four years, $56 million | Per year: $14 million

With lots of money to play with, the Jets get Robert Saleh a real long-term answer in the secondary, instantly improving their pass coverage with the Bucs’ tag candidate. Davis, 25, cashes in while getting the Big Apple spotlight.

Seahawks sign DE Randy Gregory

Projected terms: Three years, $40.5 million | Per year: $13.5 million

Gregory’s got an off-field and injury history, but that’s not stopping the Seahawks. In dire need of a disruptive edge presence, Seattle bets on the Cowboys star’s rising talent while reloading for at least one more Pete Carroll-Russell Wilson run.

Jaguars sign TE Dalton Schultz

Projected terms: Four years, $52 million | Per year: $13 million

Trevor Lawrence needs weapons of any kind. Schultz gives him another. Removed from the Cowboys’ offense, he may not be as lethal, but new coach Doug Pederson has relied heavily on tight ends before. He pays up to get his QB another outlet.

Bengals sign C Ryan Jensen

Projected terms: Three years, $39 million | Per year: $13 million

It’s a steep price tag for a 30-year-old center, but Jensen was a nasty bodyguard for Tom Brady, and that’s exactly what the Bengals should want for Joe Burrow, especially with cap space to spare.

Raiders sign WR D.J. Chark

Projected terms: Three years, $37.5 million | Per year: $12.5 million

Since the loss of Henry Ruggs, the Raiders have sorely missed a steady deep threat for Derek Carr. Chark has plenty to prove after an injury-marred close to his Jaguars run, but he pairs nicely with Hunter Renfrow in Vegas.

49ers sign CB D.J. Reed Jr.

Projected terms: Four years, $44 million | Per year: $11 million

Maybe one of the most undervalued free agents of the 2022 class, Reed is just 25 and fresh off 1.5 seasons of top-notch corner play. San Francisco brings him back to its needy secondary under ex-Seahawks assistant Nick Sorensen.

Broncos sign LB De’Vondre Campbell

Projected terms: Two years, $21 million | Per year: $10.5 million

Denver already added pass-rushing help in this exercise, but Campbell brings physical, play-making pop to a lacking ILB corps. New coach Nathaniel Hackett witnessed his peak firsthand in Green Bay, and the Broncos have money to spend.

Browns sign WR Michael Gallup

Projected terms: One year, $10.5 million | Per year: $10.5 million

Call it an incentive-laden deal, considering Gallup is coming off injury, but it makes sense for both sides: the cap-laden Browns improve a mostly barren receiving corps, while Gallup gets a chance to be an unofficial No. 1 before re-entering the market.

Colts sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Projected terms: Two years, $20.5 million | Per year: $10.25 million

Indy needs pass-catching help, no matter how much GM Chris Ballard preaches patience with Parris Campbell and others. Valdes-Scantling gives them a true field-stretcher to pair with the more well-rounded Michael Pittman Jr.

Saints sign QB Teddy Bridgewater

Projected terms: One year, $10 million | Per year: $10 million

Jameis Winston offers more upside but figures to get some looks elsewhere. Teddy, meanwhile, is the perfect stopgap for them: he knows the system, plays it safe, and can easily slide into a backup role if/when they land a successor.

Dolphins sign OG James Daniels

Projected terms: Four years, $39 million | Per year: $9.75 million

Hailing from a bad Bears O-line doesn’t necessarily make him a hot name, but Daniels is young (24) with a solid resume at a spot of dire need for Miami. New coach Mike McDaniel gets an instant upgrade up front as he looks to build out the run game.

Chiefs sign DT D.J. Jones

Projected terms: Four years, $38 million | Per year: $9.5 million

An underrated, ascending piece of the 49ers’ defensive line, Jones gives the Chiefs another big man to plug in alongside Chris Jones on a defensive front that underwhelmed down the stretch in 2021. Steve Spagnuolo covets a stronger front.

Seahawks sign TE Zach Ertz

Projected terms: Two years, $18 million | Per year: $9 million

Gerald Everett was a fine outlet for Russell Wilson in 2021, but Ertz proved — right in front of Seattle’s eyes in the NFC West — that he’s still a top-10 starter when healthy. Ertz moves farther west for one last run with an elite QB.

Steelers sign C Bradley Bozeman

Projected terms: Three years, $27 million | Per year: $9 million

Pittsburgh isn’t typically keen on splashy moves for older free agents, but Bozeman is only 27 and fresh off a career year as the heart of Baltimore’s line. No matter who’s under center, they need to shore up the trenches.

Vikings sign DT Akiem Hicks

Projected terms: One year, $9 million | Per year: $9 million

Converting to a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Ed Donatell, the Vikings welcome an NFC North rival who can plug the gaps — and just so happens to have a Pro Bowl history alongside Donatell from their time in Chicago.

Titans sign TE Rob Gronkowski

Projected terms: One year, $8 million | Per year: $8 million

Mike Vrabel likes the tough guys, and Gronk’s personality fits right in. He brings pop as both a blocker and pass catcher, giving Tennessee a quick fix at a position of need. The one-year deal allows Gronk to ride into the sunset in 2023, if he chooses.

2022 DRAFT

If you need a fast receiver in the draft, plenty are available.  Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com:

 In a stadium that celebrates speed with Indy cars in the concourse, the wide receivers at the NFL scouting combine matched a record Thursday, the first night of on-field workouts.

Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton led the way as eight wide receivers clocked sub-4.4-second times in the 40-yard dash inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Thornton’s unofficial time of 4.21 was posted immediately after his run, which would have set a record for the combine, but all times are reviewed with the electronic timing equipment, and his official time was later determined to be 4.28, the fastest of the evening.

The group of pass catchers still left a contrail, as the eight sub-4.4 clockings tied the most by the wide receivers at the combine in any year evaluated since 2006. There were also eight wideouts under 4.4, set in 2007. Kansas State wide receiver Yamon Figurs ran the fastest 40 at the combine that year at 4.30.

Seven wide receivers cracked the 4.4 mark in 2019 — the same year current Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf ran the fastest recorded 40 in the event’s history for a player 225 pounds or heavier.

Initially, the NFL reported that nine wide receivers had broken the mark, which would have been a record. But overnight, Alec Pierce of Cincinnati saw his time adjusted to 4.41 from 4.33, leaving the previous record intact.

Thornton had the only official time under 4.3, as Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., who ran in the earlier group of receivers, had the next fastest official clocking at 4.31. Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who had already turned heads for his work in practices in his week at the Senior Bowl, was next fastest at 4.32. Austin chose not to run his second 40 a bit later.

SMU’s Danny Gray (4.33), Rutgers’ Bo Melton (4.34), North Dakota State’s Christian Watson (4.36), Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson (4.38) and Ohio State’s Chris Olave were the others to break 4.4.

Olave’s and Wilson’s times marked only the second occasion since 2006 that two wide receiver college teammates both ran sub-4.4 40 times at the combine, with the other coming in 2019 by Ohio State’s Terry McLaurin and Parris Campbell.

The other 40-yard dash that might have caused the biggest stir was that of Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, who — at 6-foot-3 3/8 inches tall, 211 pounds — uncorked a 4.52, or better than 12 wide receivers who ran Thursday.

Mel Kiper Jr.’s and Todd McShay’s top-ranked receiver — USC’s Drake London — did not run because he is still working his way back from a fractured right ankle suffered in October. Penn State’s Jahan Dotson ran a 4.43, and Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks ran a 4.55.

More on QB DESMOND RIDDER from Matt Miller of ESPN.com:

Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati: Our eyes generally float to the throwing drills when it comes to quarterbacks, but Ridder running a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash has reignited conversations about his ability to step in as a rookie starter in a creative scheme. Yes, there are accuracy issues on tape, but those can be corrected with improved mechanics. What can’t be coached is that kind of speed. With the quarterback talent pool expected to dry out in the first 20 selections, we might have another passer arriving on the Round 1 stage. — Miller

As a QB with “accuracy issues”, Ridder hit about 65% of his passes over his last two seasons.

More on Ridder’s speed and athleticism.  Taylor Weiter of WCPO-TV in Cincinnati:

The NFL said Ridder’s 4.49-second dash would be the fastest combine 40 recorded by any active quarterback.

While Ridder’s run is the fastest of all active quarterbacks at the combine, some of the fastest quarterbacks in the league did not run at the combine. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson did not run at the combine, but recorded a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at Louisville’s “speed day.”

Kyler Murray did not run at the combine either. Bears quarterback Justin Fields could not attend the combine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but did record a 4.44 at his pro day.

In addition to an impressive run, Ridder recorded a 36-inch vertical and the third-best broad jump by any quarterback since 2003 at 10 feet, 7 inches.

Ridder is one of three QBs who Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com liked in Indy:

Winners

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati: Ridder was athletically superior to all of those that tested. When work on the field began, the Cincinnati product continued to look impressive. There were accuracy issues this season but some believe that it can be corrected with more consistent footwork in the pocket. If that is the case, then there is no reason to believe a team may not be comfortable taking him in the first round. He certainly showed the arm strength capable of pushing the ball down the field. Ridder does not have the most commanding voice but he was very supportive of the other quarterback participants.

Sam Howell, North Carolina: Coming into the combine, Howell had the distinction of being the best deep ball thrower in the class. He and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett were probably the most accurate with their downfield attempts. The trajectory on Howell’s deep passes is impressive. When looking for translatable traits, Howell has that feather in his cap.

Malik Willis, Liberty: Willis did not do any of the athletic testing. Most assume that he would test well so there is no reason to prove them wrong. There is a danger in Willis getting overhyped after his on-field performance. Concerns about his game stem from holding onto the football too long and that is not an aspect visible in a combine setting. However, it is hard not to be impressed by his arm strength. As the night was winding down, it turned into a ‘how late can you throw the go route’ contest to see who had the strongest arm and Willis stood out. He set himself apart in that sense. Willis also earned some credit off the field when he was spotted doing a random act of kindness for a homeless person.

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Jordan Reid and Matt Miller of ESPN.com pick their biggest  risers on Thursday:

Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA: For months it seemed like Colorado State tight end Trey McBride was a lock to be the top tight end in the class. But Dulcich has an argument to join him in that conversation after his performance on the Lucas Oil turf. Dulcich ran a 4.70 in the 40-yard dash but also showed off impressive hands and overall high-end traits in the field drills. With more teams eyeing tight ends, Dulcich’s rise up boards firmly places him in the TE1 conversation. — Miller

Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan: Moore was the most impressive from start to finish, and his 4.41-second 40 time quieted some speed concerns about his game. A natural route runner with plenty of quickness, he was consistent throughout the on-field workout. He proved to have consistent hands and a wide catch radius, plucking the ball out of the air consistently. Coming into the combine, he straddled the line between third- or fourth-round pick, but now it would be surprising to see Moore get outside of the second round. Moore also stayed after the workout concluded, looking comfortable catching punts. — Reid

Skyy with two ys.