wins in last 48 divisional games (8 yrs):

41 – KC

40

39

38

37

36

35 – DAL

34 – PIT

33

32

31 – NO, NE

30 – GB

29 – PHI

28 – BUF

27 – LA, TEN

26 – SEA, HOU, MIN, BAL, MIA

25 – TB, SF, ATL

24

23 – IND, LV

22 – DET

21

20

19 – JAX

18 – CLE

17 – ARI, NYG, CHI, LAC, CIN

16

15 – DEN, CAR

14 – WAS

13

12

11 – NYJ

CHICAGO

If you believe that Super Bowl-winning QB Jim McMahon was NOT a franchise QB, this from Scott Kacsmar:

@ScottKacsmar

One of my new favorite NFL facts:

Before the Trubisky over Mahomes blunder in 2017, Chicago’s best chance to replace Sid Luckman came immediately after he retired in the 1951 NFL draft.

The Bears used the No. 2 pick on Notre Dame QB Bob Williams, a total bust.

HOF QB Y.A. Tittle went No. 3 to the 49ers.

They’ve been waiting over 70 years for a franchise QB.

No Bears QB has ever passed for 4,000 yards in a season.

No Bears QB has ever passed for 30 TDs in a season.

Erik Kramer at 3,838 pass yards and 29 TD passes in 1995 holds both Bears team records.

Here is an odd fact – we are pretty sure that every team but the Bears has had a 4,000-yard individual passing season, but the Bears have had more passers throw for 4,000 yards in their career with a team than anyone else.  A total of 20 QBs have 4,000+ yards passing in their time with the Bears.

DETROIT

GM Brad Holmes insists Lions fans shouldn’t be concerned, or at least, very concerned, that QB JARED GOFF doesn’t have his extension signed yet.  Dave Birkett in the Detroit Free Press:

The Detroit Lions signed two of their cornerstone offensive players to long-term contract extension earlier this offseason, and general manager Brad Holmes said he still is confident a third deal gets done this summer with quarterback Jared Goff.

“First and foremost, he’s earned an extension,” Holmes said Thursday in an interview on WXYT-FM (97.1). “It’s important, it’s a high priority for us and both sides are working really, really hard and these things just take time.”

The Lions finalized multi-year extensions with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell the day before the NFL draft last month.

St. Brown signed a four-year, $120.1 million extension that briefly made him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL; the Philadelphia Eagles signed A.J. Brown to a three-year, $96 million extension a day later.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff looks to pass against the 49ers during the second half of the Lions’ 34-31 loss in the NFC championship game in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.

And Sewell inked a four-year, $112 million deal that makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the game.

St. Brown’s deal runs through 2028, while Sewell’s deal, which was finalized after the Lions exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, runs through 2029.

Holmes, in his most extensive comments on Goff’s contract to date, said the organization started planning for all three deals before the end of last season.

“The whole process of budgeting and preparation and all that, that kind of goes into it, we’ve been preparing for a while,” Holmes said. “And look, in a perfect world, we’d have had all three of them done, bang, bang, bang, but these things just kind of take a while, especially with the quarterback market. But I do have faith that it’s going to get done.”

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff fist bumps teammates during warmups before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023.

Goff is expected to command somewhere around $50 million on his next contract, which would make among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the game.

Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts are the only currently quarterbacks on deals that average more than $50 million per season, and Patrick Mahomes restructured part of his contract last fall to guarantee him $210 million over the next four seasons.

Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins also are in line for mega quarterback extensions this offseason.

Goff, who helped the Lions reach the NFC championship game last season and is coming off one of the best years of his career, said earlier this offseason he was confident he’d get a new deal at some point though he insisted, “I’m not in control of that.”

Holmes said Thursday there is “some uniqueness” to working out a veteran quarterback contract, but said Goff has “performed at a high level and you look at what the results have been and we still feel good about where he’s at.”

“We’ve done a lot of work — again both sides have, we’ve done a lot of work,” Holmes said. “Dialogue has been consistent. there hasn’t been just dead periods and all that stuff, so we’ve been talking and again, I do have faith through all the looking at all the numbers, and you got to think about what can we do now and what are the impacts on the future as well. And we look at all of it because we’ve said all along when Dan (Campbell) and I first got here we’re looking to build sustained success and that’s still the goal.”

SAN FRANCISCO

The 49ers have a T. Owens at WR on their current roster, and yes, he is the son of the original T.O.  Matt Barrows of The Athletic:

The big race keeps getting postponed.

Terique Owens said he’s eager to take on his famous father, who outran — and ran over — opponents for 15 NFL seasons, but that Terrell Owens, 50, never seems to be quite ready.

“It’s a lot of, ‘I’m gonna be ready next week’ or, ‘I’ll be ready after I get this body work done,’” said Terique, who trained with his dad in the run-up to the NFL Draft. “He’s running out the clock because we still have not raced.”

At least he gets to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Twenty-eight years after the San Francisco 49ers used a third-round pick on Terrell, the team added Terique to its 90-man roster following the most recent draft. He and the 49ers’ other rookies will hit the field for their first minicamp practice Friday.

No one is expecting Terique to make a TO-like splash, at least not right away. The elder Owens was bigger, longer and more accomplished coming out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1996. And he arrived with a crackling ferocity that both fueled him on the field — Owens ranks third in the NFL in all-time receiving yards — and led to bridge-burning tirades in San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Terique said he’s quieter and is content to listen and observe right now. After all, he realizes he’s behind the curve due to a late start to the sport.

Growing up in the East Bay, he was careful to avoid his father’s formidable shadow. It’s the reason he chose to play basketball, not football, as a kid. And it’s why, after finally giving football a try, he preferred to wear No. 18 instead of the No. 81 jersey his father wore.

“I’m big on not being compared to my pops,” he said in a phone interview this week. “For me, it’s that I want to create my own story, my own path.”

Sometimes, however, it’s hard to shake your heritage.

The older Terique got, the more he began to resemble his father, especially in the way he ran. The long, powerful strides, the ability to break through arm tackles — all of it looked so familiar.

“Sometimes it’s like, ‘Man, is TO back?’” said Robert Holland, who spent two seasons with the 49ers in the early 1990s and who’s been training Terique at his gym in San Ramon, Calif., since Owens was in high school.

“I see it every day when I have him in here in the gym,” Holland said. “I just smile and I laugh and tell him, ‘You run just like your dad.’”

Tale of the Tape — Father vs. son

Height                      6-2, 7/8               6-1, 1/2

Weight                       213                    199

Arms                          34 1/2 inches    31 7/8 inches

Hands                       10 1/2 inches     9 5/8 inches

40-yard                    4.63                     4.52

Vertical jump             33 inches          38 1/2 inches

Broad jump               10 feet               10 feet, 4 inches

John Lynch saw the same thing when Terique had a pre-draft workout at Levi’s Stadium last month. The 49ers general manager used to be tasked with tackling Terrell Owens when Lynch was a safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He noticed the same power and violence in Terique’s gait, which is partly why the 49ers signed him as a free agent following the draft.

“I believe in bloodlines,” Lynch said in April. “I really do. I think there’s evidence that you should.”

There’s also an understanding that the 6-foot-1, 199-pound Terique is finding his stride when it comes to football and that his inner TO is just beginning to emerge.

Even though he started learning football as a high school sophomore, Terique didn’t play much on a talent-laden team at Oakland’s Bishop O’Dowd High. After high school, he spent one season at Contra Costa College before heading to Florida Atlantic University where he thought he’d get a walk-on scholarship. When Lane Kiffin left Florida Atlantic, however, the scholarship plan evaporated and Terique was on the move again, this time to Missouri State.

His final year there was his best and he ended 2023 with 28 catches and 528 yards. That included a five-catch, 140-yard outing against Utah Tech in which he hauled in touchdown catches of 45 and 36 yards.

After the season, Terique knew his modest college statistics wouldn’t get him drafted. The only way he could possibly hear his name called was if he ran his 40-yard dash in the 4.3-second range, which in combination with his size and pedigree would make him hard for NFL evaluators to ignore.

That’s when Holland saw another TO-like trait — the restless work ethic. Terique arrived at his gym every morning to train, then would hop in his Toyota Camry and spend the afternoons delivering groceries via Instacart. Terique said he started doing that during the COVID-19 pandemic when he could make as much as $1,200 over five days.

“I definitely picked up a lot of different stuff that I know I’d never eat,” he said with a laugh. “There were fruits and vegetables that I’ve never even heard of. I’m like, ‘How do you even implement this into your meal?’ I don’t know. But it’s been interesting though.”

The gig isn’t quite as lucrative now — the tips aren’t as generous as they were during the height of the pandemic, he said — but the flexible hours allowed him to train full-time while also picking up some spending money. After dropping off a bag of groceries in Oakland, Dublin or Pleasanton, he’d head back to the gym for an evening workout session.

“I literally was doing that throughout the whole draft process,” he said. “I wouldn’t get home until, I would say, 10 or 11 o’clock.”

The training paid off. Holland said he routinely clocked Owens in the high 4.3-second range using both laser and hand timers. But when it came time to run for scouts at Missouri State’s pro day — well, Terique’s work ethic may have worked against him.

He’d flown to Houston to work with his father and a trainer in the run-up to the pro day. He had a session there the day before his big audition when he probably should have been resting instead. The result: A ho-hum 4.52-second 40 that scuttled any chance he had at being drafted.

The pro day session, however, wasn’t an entire washout. It was run by a 49ers scout, and Terique looked good running routes and catching the football, further solidifying him as someone San Francisco was interested in signing after the draft.

Holland thinks Terique is in the perfect spot.

He’s the type of receiver — fast and big enough to break tackles — that’s flourished in Kyle Shanahan’s system. And they can afford to bring him along slowly and give him the tutelage his disjointed college career couldn’t provide.

“If you’re a coach, you just want a great canvas,” Holland said. “You just want great clay. You just want quality that you can work with. No, he’s not his father right now. But we all know where it’s going.”

Terique, meanwhile, still shies away from comparisons to his famous father. But he’s been leaning on him for tips and advice as 49ers spring practices get underway. Terique will wear No. 84 at this week’s minicamp, though he hopes No. 18 — currently worn by veteran Chris Conley — comes available at some point. It’s the number he wore in college and there’s meaning behind it.

“You look in the mirror and 18 backward is 81,” he said. “So it’s almost like: I have that greatness there. I can see it in myself. But obviously I’m different from 81.”

Jerry Rice’s son, Brendan, is also an NFL rookie as a 7^th round pick of the Chargers.

KANSAS CITY

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on WR RASHEE RICE’s most recent issue:

Details are emerging regarding Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice’s latest legal entanglement.

Multiple media outlets have obtained the police report. Steven Dial of Fox 4 has posted the key portion of it.

“The Complainant . . . said that on May 6, 2025, at approximately 1:30 AM he was at Lit Kitchen and Lounge located at 609 N Hardwood St for an after hours party, which he left shortly after. The Complainant said that he was in his car driving away from the location, where at approximately 1:56 AM Suspect . . . sent the Complainant a message on Instagram, asking the Complainant where he was at and asking the Complainant to return back to Lit Kitchen and Lounge. The Complainant said that at the time he believed the Suspect wanted to hire him to take pictures. The Complainant said that as the returned back to the location, he was made aware of where the Suspect was at by other members of the Suspect’s entourage. The Complainant said that he located the Suspect, and the Suspect asked him to look at Suspect’s cellphone; Which [sic] were messages sent by the Complainant and another individual by the Instagram name of [redacted]. The Complainant said that as he was looking down at the Suspect’s cellphone, Suspected the Complainant on the left side of the Complainant’s face.”

The Dallas Morning News item regarding the police report states that the Complainant had “visible swelling on one side of his face.” The Dallas Morning News article also contends that, “[o]n social media, doubt has been cast on the narrative in the hours since the allegation first surfaced Tuesday,” and that “[t]wo civilians with knowledge of the incident told The News a verbal altercation occurred at the club, but there was no physical contact.”

In other words, the witnesses didn’t see the punch, if there was one. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t a punch, but that testimony (if offered at trial) becomes evidence that could support reasonable doubt.

Of course, that won’t be the bar if prosecutors use this incident to attempt to revoke Rice’s bond. He’s currently facing eight felony charges arising from a late-March street racing incident. The conditions of his release pending trial surely include not committing assault — especially since he faces an aggravated assault charge, among other things.

If prosecutors in the pending case try to have Rice jailed pending trial, it’s possible if not likely that the “preponderance of the evidence” (i.e., more likely than not) standard applies.

LAS VEGAS

Jori Epstein of YahooSports.com on how the Raiders might thrive with QB GARDNER MINSHEW II:

An NFC assistant considered Minshew a “borderline playoff quarterback” while an NFC executive described him as a “game manager” who could succeed with the Raiders’ top-10 defense.

“They’re probably gonna be reliant on their run game,” the executive said. “It’s gonna be play-action pass heavy, they’re gonna attack the middle of the field. Gardner Minshew is gonna be cognizant of where his checkdowns are.

“It’s not gonna be an explosive offense, but it’s not gonna make a lot of mistakes either.”

And if the offense is good, but not great? The Raiders may find themselves back in the middle of the first round of the draft, trying to decide between sacrificing capital to move up for their coveted quarterback or going another year with two good, but not great players. Murmurs around the league also wonder whether team owner Mark Davis would pay to pursue a free agent like the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott or Cousins — if the Falcons roll with Penix earlier than expected.

TENNESSEE

The Titans OL coach has a special bond with the head coach.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com on the Callahans, father and son.

Bill Callahan’s son now is the boss.

The veteran offensive line coach joined his son in Tennessee as soon as Brian was named the Titans’ new head coach.

“I was overwhelmed that he got the job,” Callahan said, via Jim Wyatt of the team website. “It is beyond anything that I ever imagined for him. I just remember times when he was a teenager going to training camp when I coached with the Raiders, and he’d be out there throwing with Jerry Rice, and out there with Rich Gannon. I never thought it would come to this junction where he is right now.

“I am incredibly proud of what he’s done. Of course, all of my children, I am proud of them. But the steps that Brian has taken to do it on his own – it was his own path, his own journey. It was earned, and he was completely dedicated and driven to do this. I am so proud of him and so excited as well.”

Bill Callahan is regarded as one of the league’s best offensive line coaches, guiding 14 offensive linemen to a total of 35 Pro Bowls. The Browns, who had him under contract, let him leave to join his son. He brings 46 years of experience, including 25 years in the NFL, to the Titans.

Bill Callahan spent two seasons as head coach of the Raiders and four seasons as the head coach at the University of Nebraska, so he will be able to navigate Brian through the ups and downs of the job.

“I just felt compelled to help him,” Bill Callahan said. “I felt that at this juncture of my career – God willing, how many years do I have left? — I just really wanted to help him. I wanted to help the Titans, and help him succeed. It was really kind of a no-brainer in that regard. It’s family, and I want to see him succeed just like any parent wants to see their children succeed. It’s rare; it’s unique, and so, yeah, I’m fired up about it.”

NEW ENGLAND

Now it can be known – the unusual reason that T CALVIN ANDERSON missed time last year.  Malaria.

Adam LaRose of Pro Football Rumors:

The Patriots added Calvin Anderson as insurance at the offensive tackle spots last offseason. However, he wound up missing much of the 2023 campaign after being placed on the NFI list during the preseason.

Through to the opening of the season and into November – when Anderson was placed on injured reserve – it was unclear why he unavailable during the summer. As it turns out, though, the 28-year-old was sidelined as he was recovering from malaria. Anderson contracted the illness during a trip to Nigeria, as detailed by Christopher Price of the Boston Globe.

Upon return from the offseason trip in late July – one which Anderson and his wife (who is of Nigerian descent) have made for years – the former UDFA began experiencing symptoms. Rather than beginning training camp along the same timeline as his teammates, Anderson was briefly hospitalized. While he managed to suit up for five of the first six games of the season, his lack of conditioning hindered his performance.

Anderson then suffered a heart contusion in practice, an issue not believed to be related to his bout with malaria. In all, he sat out the final 11 weeks of the campaign, which marked the first half of the two-year, $7MM deal he signed. Ahead of the 2024 season, an adjustment was made to the remainder of the pact; Anderson agreed to a restructure which lowered his base compensation for the year and reduced his cap hit by $990K (h/t ESPN’s Field Yates).

As a result, Anderson is now due a base salary of $1.26MM in 2024. He is projected to serve in a swing tackle role with free agent signing Chukwuma Okorafor in line to start at left tackle and Michael Onwenu set to continue at the right tackle spot he occupied in Anderson’s absence last season. The latter’s ability to suit up for a full season will be an interesting storyline to follow.

As Price notes, there are no previous recorded cases of NFL players contracting malaria. Anderson thus made history last year by managing to play in a limited capacity upon recovery, and remaining healthy throughout the 2024 season could put him in contention for the Comeback Player of the Year award.

THIS AND THAT

QBs ON THE BLOCK?

Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com thinks these five QBs might be traded.  Would you want any of them?

With the 2024 NFL Draft in the rear view, most NFL teams have a solid idea of what their roster will look like come September. But with organized team activities and training camps still around the corner, there’s plenty of time for lineups to be tweaked. That’s especially the case if/when injuries arise, prompting last-minute adjustments, even at premium positions like quarterback.

Odds are there won’t be anymore blockbuster deals under center, but let’s say a key veteran goes down, even if just for the short term. The trade winds could very well pick up, especially with so many teams currently overseeing crowded depth charts. A year after journeyman Joshua Dobbs got dealt not once but twice as an emergency starter, which reserve signal-caller could be next on the trade block, provided a vacancy opens up in the coming months?

Here are five names to watch:

Taylor Heinicke

ATL • QB • #4

The former Washington Commanders starter already took a pay cut to stick around as Kirk Cousins’ backup. And that was before the Falcons spent this year’s No. 8 overall draft pick on Michael Penix Jr. Only due $4.5 million in 2024, Heinicke could easily prefer to start fresh if Penix gets the No. 2 job, and his 29 career starts could be appealing to a team desperate for immediate help.

Trey Lance

DAL • QB • #15

By acquiring him for a fourth-rounder a year ago, the Cowboys signaled they might view Lance as a long-term alternative to steady starter Dak Prescott. But the former San Francisco 49ers prospect has yet to take an official snap for Dallas and will be a free agent after 2024, with Cooper Rush seemingly entrenched as the No. 2. Dealing him after June 1 would save $5 million.

C.J. Beathard

JAC • QB • #3

All indications are Jaguars coach Doug Pederson loves Beathard as Trevor Lawrence’s savvy backup, but the team also just traded for New England Patriots castoff Mac Jones; at 26, the latter could be a post-2024 option as the No. 2. If, say, the 49ers lost someone to injury, it’s hard to imagine Kyle Shanahan not exploring a reunion after Beathard’s 12-start San Francisco stint.

Malik Willis

TEN • QB • #7

Humble and mobile as he may be, Willis has effectively been shortchanged by two straight Titans regimes, with current general manager Ran Carthon not only building around young starter Will Levis but adding Mason Rudolph as a new No. 2. It’s possible Willis might prefer a fresh start, and an acquiring team would have the added bonus of getting him under contract through 2025.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson

CLE • QB • #17

The 2023 fifth-rounder appeared in eight games for the Browns as a rookie, starting three in place of the injured Deshaun Watson. But Cleveland made not one but two veteran investments in the position this offseason, adding both Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley as Watson insurance. A practice-squad role could be in order, but what if another team likes his potential?

2024 DRAFT – PERFECT FITS

Matt Bowen of ESPN.com has a list of 16 players who he feels fit in perfectly with the teams that drafted them:

Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

Drafted: Round 1, No. 2

Why he fits: New Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury should be able to get the best out of Daniels — who can be schemed as a dual-threat player — by maximizing his throwing traits and dynamic running ability. I would expect a mix 11 and 12 personnel in Washington, with spread elements from Kingsbury’s background incorporated. That will showcase Daniels’ field vision and anticipatory skills from the pocket. He is a great decision-maker and an efficient passer, as he threw 40 touchdowns and only four interceptions at LSU last season.

The rookie quarterback can also work off run-pass options and be used situationally on designed rushes, where he has the speed to cut through defensive angles. Daniels ran for 527 yards and nine touchdowns on 58 designed carries in 2023, averaging 9.1 yards.

Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears

Drafted: Round 1, No. 9

Why he fits: At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds with 4.45 speed, Odunze has the physical traits to play as the boundary X receiver in Chicago, where he can stretch defenses for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. In his final season at Washington, Odunze led the nation with 21 receptions on throws of 20 or more air yards, and his 24 contested grabs overall tied for the most.

While Odunze has the route skills to align in the slot and the open field vision to produce after the catch, his ability to isolate outside — opposite of veteran targets DJ Moore and/or Keenan Allen — will create explosive play opportunities for Williams and the Bears’ offense in 11 personnel sets.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Drafted: Round 1, No. 10

Why he fits: In Kevin O’Connell’s system, McCarthy will be set up to throw with consistent rhythm on defined concepts, especially to the middle of the field. He completed 75.3% of his passes on throws inside the numbers last season at Michigan, including 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. McCarthy can heat up his pass velocity to drive the ball, attacking tight windows off layered reads — especially with play-action elements rolled in. No NFL team used play-action more than the Vikings in 2023 (30.6% of dropbacks).

As a passer, McCarthy can target all three levels of the field — short, medium and deep — and he can create outside of structure when necessary. But it’s the core passing/play-action concepts in O’Connell’s offense that really make this fit work. And if McCarthy wins the No. 1 job over Sam Darnold in camp, he will be throwing the ball to a talented group of pass-catchers, led by top-tier wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Byron Murphy II, DT, Seattle Seahawks

Drafted: Round 1, No. 16

Why he fits: New coach Mike Macdonald will scheme up Murphy as an interior force, taking advantage of his ability to generate backfield chaos against the run game and heat up the pocket as a pass-rusher. In 2023, Murphy had 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks while at Texas.

Look for Macdonald to get Murphy loose on interior stunts, using the talented defensive tackle’s quicks off the ball while also creating one-on-one matchups out of loaded fronts. Macdonald coached defensive tackle Justin Madubuike in Baltimore last season, and Murphy has similar disruptive traits to play that role in the Seattle front as a rookie.

Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Pittsburgh Steelers

Drafted: Round 1, No. 20

Why he fits: Fautanu can play multiple spots on the offensive line, but he is slated to start at tackle opposite Broderick Jones in Pittsburgh. Fautanu is a tenacious people mover in the run game, as he can drive defenders off the ball and climb to secure the second level. That meshes with the zone-heavy run schemes we will see this season under new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Fautanu also has the foot quickness, length and lower-body balance to kick back and mirror edge rushers in pass protection.

I love the scheme fit, but I’m also looking at this as Pittsburgh targeting offensive linemen in the draft who can reset its identity up front. In addition to Fautanu, the Steelers added center Zach Frazier in the second round. That’s two tone-setters for a club that wants to run the ball.

Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

Drafted: Round 1, No. 22

Why he fits: The Eagles landed the top corner in the draft with Mitchell, and I see a pretty seamless fit here under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Mitchell can use his explosive downhill speed — he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine — when playing off the ball in Cover 3 or quarters. But he also has the man coverage skills to challenge on the perimeter, with the ability to open and run with receivers on vertical concepts. He had 16 pass breakups last season at Toledo and is truly scheme-versatile.

In run support, Mitchell will set an edge and tackle. There’s a definite physical element to his game, and you’ll see him cut off the ball carrier’s angle and put him on the ground. By drafting Mitchell and second-rounder Cooper DeJean, the Eagles upgraded the secondary with physical, fast and aggressive players who can find the ball.

Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Drafted: Round 2, No. 34 overall

Why he fits: The offense under new coach Jim Harbaugh will feature plenty of play-action concepts, and McConkey can live inside the numbers from slot alignments there, working to schemed voids or using his savvy route running to get loose from man coverage. McConkey will produce with his catch-and-run traits here, but he also has the 4.39 speed to test the top of the defense.

I fully expect McConkey to emerge as a volume target for quarterback Justin Herbert this season, thanks in part to his ability to make plays on third down. Los Angeles will lean on McConkey’s ability to separate in critical situations. He averaged 14.1 yards per catch — including 6.7 after the catch — over the past two seasons.

Max Melton, CB, Arizona Cardinals

Drafted: Round 2, No. 43 overall

Why he fits: Melton has the length and top-end speed (4.39) to lock in as a man coverage defender, either in press or off-man. But I also like the fit in Arizona under coach Jonathan Gannon because of Melton’s ability to play with backfield vision as a zone defender. The Cardinals played a mix of split-safety and single-high zone last season on 63.8% of opponent dropbacks, the 11th most in the league. And Melton can stay on top of routes, read through to the quarterback and get a jump on the ball.

Melton had eight interceptions over the past three seasons at Rutgers, and he should get early playing time as a potential starter opposite veteran Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Green Bay Packers

Drafted: Round 2, No. 45 overall

Why he fits: Under new coordinator Jeff Hafley, the Packers’ defense will be more aggressive in coverage and pressure. That means Cooper is a great fit due to his three-down ability and playmaking upside. Hafley can scheme him as an off-the-ball/edge blitzer while also maximizing his second-level range in coverage. Plus, Cooper can get to the perimeter in the run game and track down ball carriers.

Cooper had 79 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three pass breakups last season. He will play inside with Quay Walker in Green Bay, and he has the speed and talent to be developed in a system that will create impact opportunities.

Mike Sainristil, CB, Washington Commanders

Drafted: Round 2, No. 50 overall

Why he fits: A true nickel corner with a playmaking mentality, Sainristil is a strong fit in Dan Quinn’s defense. He can match and run in coverage, evidenced by six interceptions — including two returned for touchdowns — last season at Michigan. But he also has the awareness to patrol the seam/hook zones in Washington’s split-safety schemes. And we know Quinn will scheme for Sainristil as a blitzer.

Sainristil has the skills needed to produce out of the slot in nickel and dime packages under Quinn, who will put him in a position to play a disruptive role as a rookie.

Cole Bishop, S, Buffalo Bills

Drafted: Round 2, No. 60 overall

Why he fits: Bishop is at his best when playing with forward vision at the second and third levels of the field, and he joins a Bills defense that aligned in two-high on a 56.3% of coverage snaps last season, the most in the league. It will allow Bishop to drive top-down on the ball and attack the alleys as a run defender.

When the Bills do spin to single-high coverage, Bishop can play as an enforcer underneath. Buffalo moved on from safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, so the door is open for Bishop to play an impact role as a rookie. He had 59 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions last season, doing a little bit of everything.

Malachi Corley, WR, New York Jets

Drafted: Round 3, No. 65 overall

Why he fits: The Jets have a No. 1 receiver in Garrett Wilson, and they signed veteran Mike Williams. But the addition of Corley, a physical slot receiver, gives quarterback Aaron Rodgers a high-percentage catch-and-run target who can turn underneath throws into explosive gains.

Corley posted 692 yards after the catch last season at Western Kentucky, and he forced 17 missed tackles. In addition to his physical traits, he has the ball carrier vision to find cutback lanes and go.

Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Denver Broncos

Drafted: Round 3, No. 76 overall

Why he fits: A skilled technician off the edge, Elliss adds depth to the Broncos’ rotation at the outside linebacker spot. He’s a fit for Vance Joseph’s system in the base 3-4, and he can rush in nickel fronts, as Elliss posted 12.5 sacks last season at Utah. With solid counter moves and a relentless effort level that allows him to create secondary pass rush production, he can also be schemed off stunts and loops to dent the pocket. Denver’s 42 sacks tied for 21st in the NFL last season, so Elliss will see action early.

Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Carolina Panthers

Drafted: Round 4, No. 101 overall

Why he fits: When targeting tight ends last season, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt. So adding Sanders, a tight end with middle-of-the-field stretch ability, is an upgrade for Young and the Panthers’ pass game. Sanders has the frame and catch radius (6-foot-4, 245 pounds) to post-up defensive backs, and he can produce after the catch. Watch for him to run the seams, crossers and unders in the Carolina offense.

In his final season at Texas, Sanders averaged 7.8 yards after the catch per reception and logged 22 receptions of 15 yards or more. There’s upside here for him in Dave Canales’ offense.

Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins

Drafted: Round 4, No. 120 overall

Why he fits: Wright joins a crowded running back room, but he has future potential in Mike McDaniel’s offense thanks to his explosive speed and pass-catching upside. McDaniel can get Wright to the perimeter on outside zone concepts, or even get him touches by scheming him as a receiving target or using him on fly sweeps.

Wright ran a 4.38-second 40 at the combine, and he had 35 rushes of 10 or more yards last season for the Vols. He has home run ability in a Dolphins offense that prioritizes straight-line speed.

Malik Mustapha, S, San Francisco 49ers

Drafted: Round 4, No. 124 overall

Why he fits: Mustapha will compete for playing time in the 49ers’ secondary, where he’ll fit as an instinctual split-field safety with an urgent play demeanor that shows up at multiple levels of the field. Mustapha is an absolute rocket to the ball as an alley runner, and he’s a strong tackler at the point of attack. Under new San Francisco defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson, he has the range to work off the numbers in Cover 2 or match vertically in quarters.

Mustapha totaled 75 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss in his final season at Wake Forest, and he has the skills to start his pro career as an immediate producer on special teams coverage units.