The Daily Briefing Friday, October 22, 2021

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

Give Coach Joe Judge credit – no equivocation on taking the blame.  Jordan Raanan ofESPN.com:

New York Giants coach Joe Judge isn’t putting the blame elsewhere for his team’s 1-5 start — he’s looking right in the mirror.

“There’s your answer. I’m the head coach. It’s my responsibility, point blank,” Judge said Thursday. “Every player on this field, every position group, the execution, it all comes down to me. The fish stinks from the head down.

“I’ve been taught that from great guys who I worked for, played for. There are no excuses, no exceptions. You demand it from your coaches to make sure that the players are playing the right way. You demand it of the players to know what to do and then go out there to do it.

“But it starts with me and ends with me.”

The Giants have dropped their past two games and are coming off a 38-11 demolition last Sunday at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. They’ve lost all three of their home games this season by a combined score of 82-38.

Judge, who is 7-15 since taking over as head coach, insists he’s not feeling the pressure.

“To me, the only time you really feel any kind of pressure and nerves is when you’re unprepared,” he said. “If you’re prepared and you go through the tasks and process at hand and you’re consistent with it, then you go in with confidence.

“That is what we preach to our guys. We come out here and practice every week, prepare a certain way every week. We have to go out there better and execute better to have the results that we want.”

Starting safety and defensive captain Logan Ryan likes what he’s hearing and seeing from Judge despite the rough start, including putting the blame on himself. Ryan did much of the same Thursday when he spoke to reporters, beginning with his intention of focusing on what he needs to do better before handling other responsibilities.

“You’ve got to respect that. You’ve got to respect when people take ownership,” Ryan said of Judge’s comment about how it starts at the top. “Finger-pointing, blaming is an easy thing to do. You have to respect a coach who says it starts with him to get the team prepared.

“I agree. It does start with him. It starts with me individually to lead myself and lead my unit as well. I think all of us are up here taking ownership. We can only answer the questions how we can. When there is negative stuff going on, there are only so many answers. At the end of the day, we need more positive results and I think that starts with people taking ownership. So it’s a good sign.”

Judge has vowed that the Giants, who spent big in free agency to upgrade the roster this offseason, will turn it around.

“This is definitely going to get better, so there you go,” Judge said earlier this week. “I don’t know what kind of guarantee [the fans] want, but I can assure everyone out there that’s a Giants fan and they want to know when it’s going to turn, I can tell them right now we’re working tirelessly to make sure we get this thing turned around in the right direction, not just for short-term results, but for long-term success.”

Turning around their season will not be easy for the banged-up Giants heading into their home matchup Sunday with the Carolina Panthers. Star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) and wide receivers Kenny Golladay (knee) and Kadarius Toney (ankle) were not at practice again Thursday, while starting left tackle Andrew Thomas (foot/ankle) went on injured reserve earlier this week.

PHILADELPHIA

One reason QB DESHAUN WATSON hasn’t been traded to the Eagles is – he doesn’t want to play for the Eagles per Aaron Wilson:

However, Texans reporter Aaron Wilson is reporting that Watson has made it clear that he does not want to play for the Philadelphia Eagles.

“At one point, Philadelphia was really aggressive in this, to the point where Howie Roseman had even contacted Deshaun’s legal team, he sent an investigator down here… He had done a lot of leg work on this. Eventually what he ascertained, and I reported this back in August and late July as well, was that Deshaun wouldn’t waive his no trade clause for the Eagles,” Wilson reiterated on “The Zach Gelb Show” on CBS Sports Radio.

“So Deshaun has power in this. He choose his own team. If he says no, then the trade is a no.”

Wilson also reported that the Denver Broncos have backed off of Watson as well.

WASHINGTON

The DB might think that the leaking and publishing of private emails, that had nothing to do with anything that could be described in a normal world as criminal, is a matter of Federal importance.

And, the House is getting involved after Jon Gruden’s character assassination.  But not because it is upset at what happened to Gruden, but because it wants to expose more individuals.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is all in:

Many will say, as many often do, that Congress has better things to do than to poke around the private investigation conducted by one of the private companies belonging to a private sports league. The NFL, however, isn’t some mom-and-pop operation with limited influence on a small circle of people. The NFL has become a dominant force in American life, with the ability to gather larger live audiences than any other sports or entertainment product.

That’s why Congress is exercising its prerogative, indeed its obligation, to explore the top-secret (except when trying to bring down Raiders coach Jon Gruden) investigation of the Washington Football Team. As explained in Thursday’s letter from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to Commissioner Roger Goodell, “The NFL has one of the most prominent platforms in America, and its decisions can have national implications.”

The NFL also enjoys a broadcast antitrust exemption, granted decades ago by Congress. This allows the league to sell to the networks the rights to all games in a 32-team bundle, instead of letting (for example) NBC buy the rights only to the home games of the Dallas Cowboys — and relegating less attractive teams to far less lucrative deals. With that Congressional dispensation as to the laws preventing 32 separate companies to behave as one, the NFL would be a far less competitive (and thus far less compelling) product.

Although the Washington Football Team is indeed a private company, it and other teams receive significant public benefits and funding. The teams also rely on intense interest, loyalty, and financial support of the general populace. Thus, the goings-on in the WFT workplace become a matter of clear and obvious public concern.

“The Committee is seeking to fully understand this workplace conduct and the league’s response, which will help inform legislative efforts to address toxic work environments and workplace investigation processes; strengthen protections for women in the workplace; and address the use of nondisclosure agreements to prevent the disclosure of unlawful employment practices, including sexual harassment,” the letter to Goodell explains.

As the saying goes, the coverup is worse than the crime. In this case, Congress wants to explore both. What happened within the Washington Football Team, and what if anything did the NFL do to minimize the potential consequences that would have flowed from the kind of transparency that we’ve seen in other investigations conducted by the NFL?

When the NFL announced on July 1 the stunning decision to punish WFT owner Daniel Snyder but to reveal no specifics about the investigation, it was reasonable to conclude that full disclosure would make his ongoing ownership of the team untenable. Indeed, disclosure of some of Gruden’s emails made it impossible for him to continue as the head coach of the Raiders.

If Congress can compel the NFL to cooperate, the information that comes to light could force dramatic changes to the landscape of the Washington Football Team. It also could impact those responsible for trying to brush the matter under the rug — with consequences possibly reaching as high on the organizational chart as the person to whom Thursday’s letter was sent.

The House has no ability to criminally charge individuals and they could not bring a civil suit on behalf of the offended women any more powerful than the one already brought.  But they can acquire the emails and leak them to aligned media…such as Florio.

Readers of the DB knew this, but Andrew Brandt reminds us that Snyder’s discipline was issued after an “oral” report from the investigator/fixer.

@AndrewBrandt

Regarding investigation into WFT and Daniel Snyder, many are just realizing that:

(1) the lawyer investigating reported to the NFL, and

(2) she gave an oral report to NFL only; no documentation or record of her findings.

Why the special treatment?

Now Congress wants to know too.

NFC SOUTH

CAROLINA

If Coach Matt Rhule is in command, QB DESHAUN WATSON won’t be a Panther anytime soon.  Matthew Washington of The Score:

Head coach Matt Rhule dismissed the idea that the Carolina Panthers are doing their due diligence on Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson ahead of the Nov. 2 trade deadline.

“I haven’t done any work on anyone else,” Rhule said, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “I believe that (Sam Darnold) will be a great quarterback for the Carolina Panthers.”

The Panthers opened the campaign with three wins but have suffered three consecutive losses since then.

Darnold has recorded 1,573 passing yards for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He’s also added 110 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.

Darnold’s completion percentage has gradually declined over the campaign, going from 68% in the season opener to 41% in last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Carolina acquired Darnold from the New York Jets in April in exchange for three draft picks. The 2018 first-round pick became the unquestioned starter after the Panthers dealt Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos a few weeks later.

Rhule is placing Darnold’s success in Carolina on his own shoulders.

“My biggest thing is making sure that me and (QB coach) Sean Ryan, (offensive coordinator) Joe Brady do a better job of putting Sam in the best position,” he said. “He’s my focus, and I expect him to play his best football moving forward. I’m not looking anywhere else.”

– – –

There is a big opening in Baton Rouge – and a possible candidate to fill it on the Panthers staff. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

When LSU announced earlier this week the school and its football coach, Ed Orgeron, have mutually agreed to part ways at the end of the season, Joe Brady’s name quickly was mentioned as a candidate for the job.

The Panthers’ offensive coordinator was in Baton Rouge in 2019, helping direct one of the greatest offenses in college football history. LSU won the national title with Joe Burrow, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr. leading the way.

Brady’s contributions in his one season as the school’s passing game coordinator and receivers coach won’t soon be forgotten. That would seem to make Brady, 32, a popular choice of alumni, though athletic director Scott Woodward is known for his flash hires. He hired Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M.

“I didn’t really have any thoughts on it,” Brady said Thursday. “Unfortunately for us, we had just come off of a loss when all that stuff came out, so there was a lot more things on my mind. I don’t have many thoughts on that. I had a great experience my time there, but I was way more concerned with our performance this past Sunday and finding ways to improve it this Sunday.

“All those things from a coaching perspective are things I don’t really pay a lot of attention to. It’s one of those things that after the season I think about those things, but right now I have to do a better job at being the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers and that’s all I’m really concerned about right now.”

Brady has had far less success in the NFL with Teddy Bridgewater and now Sam Darnold as his quarterback.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

EDGE JJ WATT on what playing the Texans Sunday means to him.  Josh Weinfuss ofESPN.com:

When Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt looks across the line of scrimmage this Sunday and sees the Houston Texans’ uniforms and helmets, he’ll be reminded of the memories made during 10 seasons with his former team, the playoff games won and AFC South division banners hanging inside NRG Stadium.

But that’s where the emotion of facing the only team he played for until this season will end.

“There’s obviously something more to it,” Watt said Thursday. “I don’t think that it’s what people may think it is because, I mean, you look at the roster and you look at the guys that are there, I mean it’s been so massively turned over that there’s only a handful of guys that are even there from last year that I played with.

“So, it’s not like, I’m like, ‘Oh, I want to go and beat my old team’ or ‘Oh, I can’t wait to face this guy,’ because it’s not the same team. It’s not the same organization that I remember and that I was a part of.”

That’s a large part of why Watt asked for his release from Houston back in February, he told the Houston media during a conference call Thursday morning. Watt said he expected Houston’s roster to be turned over like it has as well as the lack of success that’s resulted from it.

He barely recognizes the roster anymore, he said.

“There’s so many guys I don’t know,” Watt said.

After 10 seasons, four division championships, helping the franchise win its first playoff game all while winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards and being named the 2017 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, it pains Watt to see the Texans in this current state of disrepair.

“That’s why it hurts me to see where it is now, because I believe those fans deserve to be living those high times and to be experiencing those great moments and it hurts to know that they’re not, and to know that they’re struggling,” Watt said. “So, I hope that they get back there at some point and I hope that they get to do that because I know firsthand it’s an unbelievable place to play when you’re rolling.”

Watt said once the game starts Sunday, it’ll be just like any other game as the Cardinals look to improve on their 6-0 record with a short week coming up before hosting the Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football.”

Watt hasn’t parted ways with all his “thousands of pieces” of Texans gear, and it sounds like he probably won’t. However, he estimated, with a smile, that about half of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, his hometown, may be dressed in Texans clothing. That’s starting to change to Cardinals red, he added.

SEATTLE

QB RUSSELL WILSON is fired up – about the 2026 World Cup.

@SeaTimesSports

Headlined by Ciara and Russell Wilson, the Sounders’ executive committee is helping to shape a vision for what the 2026 World Cup soccer experience would be in Seattle. https://st.news/30DFQEX

@DangeRussWilson

SEATTLE!!! 2026 World Cup! (2 soccer ball emojis)

AFC WEST

LAS VEGAS

Mike Florio puts on his lawyer hat and reluctantly makes the case that whoever (“the NFL”) sent his private emails from the past to his current employer may have made themselves liable to massive damages to Gruden:

When former Raiders coach Jon Gruden told HBO producer Maggie Burbank that “the truth will come out,” many shrugged and said, “It already has.”

But there are plenty of untold truths unrelated to the emails that Gruden sent to former Washington executive Bruce Allen. If Gruden is so inclined, he could pursue those truths by paying the ultimate homage to the late Al Davis.

The basic theory, if pursued in Nevada, would be “intentional interference with contractual relations.” The argument would be that the NFL put the kibosh on Gruden’s ongoing business interests with the Raiders by weaponizing supposedly secret emails in a way that ended his employment with the team.

Obviously, he wouldn’t be the most sympathetic plaintiff. He wrote the offensive emails that triggered his resignation. But the NFL, after insisting that none of the emails would be made public, harvested some of them with the intention of sending them to the Raiders — even though the emails were sent by Gruden at a time when he didn’t work for the Raiders.

As the argument would go, the NFL necessarily interjected itself into the employment relationship by “tattling” on Gruden over something that happened before he went to work for the team. Perhaps the goal was to prompt the Raiders to explore their own servers for potentially offensive and inappropriate emails sent by Gruden after he returned to the team in early 2018. Perhaps the official goal wasn’t to get the Raiders to get rid of Gruden, but to simply take a closer look at his conduct after becoming an employee of an NFL team again.

Regardless, someone leaked just enough emails to get Gruden out. Not many people had access to those emails. If Gruden sues, maybe the truth as to that wrinkle and many others will indeed come out.

Bruce Allen was offensive when with the Raiders around with the Raiders around the turn of the century per Amy Trask:

“I did hear comments of that nature from the individual [Bruce Allen] to whom Jon sent those emails, and I did speak up … I talked to the owner about it because to be silent would have been to be complicit,” Trask said in a video tweeted Sunday by @CBSSportsNet. She also made it clear she didn’t have much interaction with Gruden and didn’t hear him make comments.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

T BRANDON KNIGHT won’t be continuing his career in Baltimore.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

The Ravens were awarded tackle Brandon Knight on a waiver claim on Monday, but he won’t be joining the team this week.

The team announced on Wednesday that Knight has refused to report to the team. Head coach John Harbaugh said at a Wednesday press conference that Knight did not report for personal reasons. They have signed veteran offensive lineman James Carpenter instead.

Knight spent the last three seasons with the Cowboys and made 10 starts for Dallas before being waived last Saturday. He would have been in line for a reserve role behind left tackle Alejandro Villanueva and right tackle Patrick Mekari with Ronnie Stanley out for the season.

Carpenter will now slide into a depth spot. He started 24 games at guard for the Falcons over the last two seasons and has 121 starts over 10 years in the NFL.

CLEVELAND

QB BAKER MAYFIELD has multiple injuries.  Jake Trotter of ESPN.com:

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield told Fox Sports on Thursday that he suffered a tuberosity fracture in his left shoulder, in addition to the torn labrum.

Mayfield added that the fracture in the non-throwing shoulder is “preventing his rotator cuff from firing.”

“I need that fracture to heal for me to get back out there,” Mayfield said shortly before Cleveland’s 17-14 victory against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. He added that he’s hoping to return for Cleveland’s game against the Steelers on Oct. 31.

Mayfield suffered the torn labrum in Week 2, but he aggravated the injury in Sunday’s loss to Arizona. After Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt drove Mayfield’s left shoulder into the turf, Mayfield stayed down for several minutes before coming back in to finish the game.

Mayfield practiced Tuesday and vowed to play against Denver. But he was ruled out on Wednesday, and backup Case Keenum was announced as the starter.

“If I am not able to … be 100 percent, that is where I would be out,” Mayfield said before Tuesday’s practice. “I have to make that decision. Only I know how my body feels. If anyone questions whether I’m hindering the team and going out there injured, that’s just not right. It’s my decision. I get to say whether I am able to play or not, and that’s just how it is.”

– – –

Jake Trotter of ESPN.com assesses the performance of QB CASE KEENUM as the Browns go to 4-3 on Thursday night.

On fourth down inside the Denver 10-yard line, Cleveland Browns quarterback Case Keenum dropped back with the Denver Broncos’ pass rush barreling down on him and no place to throw the ball.

So Keenum took off up the middle. And with a Denver linebacker standing in the way, Keenum faked left, then dove right for a first down at the 1-yard line. Then, on the next play, he lofted a touchdown pass off play-action to help propel the Browns to a 17-14 victory over the Broncos Thursday night.

Two offseasons ago, the Browns didn’t just sign Keenum to be a mentor for starting quarterback Baker Mayfield. They brought him in believing he could come through in a pinch, to keep Cleveland’s season afloat if called upon. With Mayfield out because of a torn labrum and a tuberosity fracture in his left non-throwing shoulder, Keenum delivered on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

“He fought like he always does,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said of Keenum. “Orchestrated the operation. That was a huge play there on fourth down. Just to make a play, fighting for extra yardage. He did a great job fighting.”

Operating efficiently out of a heavy play-action-based, short-throw-oriented attack, Keenum steadied the Browns following two consecutive losses. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 199 yards and the touchdown, which followed the play of the game — his fourth-down conversion.

“You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready,” Keenum said this week, “and I’ve been ready since I got here.”

Keenum may have to stay ready for the time being.

Complicating Cleveland’s quarterback situation further, Mayfield disclosed he also has a fracture in his left shoulder. Mayfield is aiming to return by Cleveland’s next game on Oct. 31 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But if Mayfield is unable to go, Keenum proved Thursday that the Browns have another quarterback who can deliver.

PITTSBURGH

We missed this sad news last weekend, and pass it along with our condolences.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Steelers inside linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky is away from the team after the death of his wife.

Rayme Olavsky was 45 years old. She and Jerry have three children.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers have heavy hearts with the unfortunate passing of Rayme Olsavsky,” the team said in a statement. “Words cannot express our sadness for Jerry and the loss of his wife. We will continue to support Jerry through this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry and their entire families.”

The Steelers have announced that defensive coordinator Keith Butler will perform the duties of the inside linebackers coach tonight against the Seahawks.

AFC EAST

NEW YORK JETS

S MARCUS MAYE says he is not looking for less Green pastures.  Rich Cimini ofESPN.com:

Despite a recent tweet by his agent that suggested he’s open to a trade, New York Jets safety Marcus Maye said Thursday that he wants to remain with the team — a sentiment he shared with Jets officials.

“They know I want to be here,” Maye said. “They know I’m 100% with my guys.”

The NFL trading deadline is Nov. 2, and Maye’s name is floating in the rumor mill. The Jets (1-4) are on the verge of falling out of contention, and there’s some question as to whether they want to sign him to a long-term contract extension. Maye, 28, is playing on a $10.6 million franchise tag.

A few days after a Week 3 ankle injury, Maye’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, tweeted it would be a three- to four-week injury, adding that Maye would be healthy by the trading deadline. That fueled the speculation.

Maye, speaking to reporters for the first time since then, said he has no control over what his agent tweets, adding that it was just an injury update.

He said he has not — and will not — request a trade. He wants to remain with the Jets, the team that drafted him in the second round in 2017.

“Yeah, of course, I’m here,” said Maye, who wanted a contract last offseason that would’ve made him one of the league’s highest-paid safeties. “Every time I’m in this building, I’m 100%. Every time I’m on the field, I’m 100%. I’m going to be with my guys no matter what.”

Maye, who has missed two games with his injury, is poised to return to the lineup Sunday against the New England Patriots (2-4) at Gillette Stadium.

His long-term future could be impacted by pending DUI charges, stemming from a Feb. 22 arrest in Broward County, Florida. Defying league rules, Maye didn’t report the incident to the Jets. They didn’t find out until Oct. 4, when it was first reported by ESPN.

Asked whether coach Robert Saleh was blindsided by the arrest, Maye said, “They all were, but we talked and we moved on.”

Maye said he’s “not allowed” to comment on the case. He also refused to comment on why he hid it from the organization for seven months, which could factor into whether he’s disciplined by the NFL. The league office is reviewing the matter and could decide to suspend him. Maye doesn’t believe it has fractured his relationship with the organization.

“They know me,” he said. “Once I’m in the building, I’m all go. I don’t think there’s a trust issue from my end and stuff like that. They know I’m 100% with these guys every time I step on the field and walk in the building.”

Saleh said the organization supports Maye, who initiated a meeting with his coach because it was “the adult thing to do, just owning up to my situation.” That, of course, was after it was reported by media outlets. Maye was charged with three misdemeanors — driving under the influence, DUI/damage to property and person, and leaving the scene of a crash. There were no injuries, but he’s being sued by a woman who alleges that Maye crashed into her car and caused damage to the vehicle.

Maye said he’s remorseful.

“Oh, yeah, definitely,” he said. “The situation happened. I definitely feel sorry for it. I learned from it. … You have to keep going.”

– – –

QB ZACH WILSON claims he is not dreading another run-in with the Patriots.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson‘s first meeting with the Patriots was not a particularly enjoyable experience.

Wilson’s first two passes were intercepted and he threw four overall in a 22-6 loss in Week Two this season. It was one of many dominating performances by a Bill Belichick-led Patriots team against a rookie signal caller and it didn’t seem like the kind of experience that Wilson would be itching to have again.

Thursday saw Wilson singing a different tune, however. Wilson said that he’s looking forward to another chance to tangle with the defense that stymied him the first time around.

“Just like it was the first time we played them, everything’s a steppingstone,” Wilson said, via Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “We’re building something here that’s going to be special for a long time. When it’s going to be super-special, we don’t know, but all we have to focus on is one step at a time, throwing those bricks down and getting better. I’m excited to play these guys again. I think it’s going to be a blast.”

The awful start against the Patriots has not been an outlier as the Jets have failed to score in the first quarter so far this season. They had a bye in Week Six to work on that and other problems, so Sunday’s game will be a chance to see if they’ve taken any steps forward on offense.

THIS AND THAT

BARNWELL’S PROPOSED TRADES

10 deals that make sense in the deep-thinking mind of ESPN’s Bill Barnwell:

Trades in the NFL don’t always come when you expect. Last year, I wrote a column pitching 13 trades. The first deal on that list was a swap between the Eagles and Cardinals, with veteran tight end Zach Ertz making his way to Arizona. It might have taken a year, but Ertz eventually made his way to the Cards last week.

I’d love to take credit for being a genius, but being off by a full year means I don’t get any. On top of that, in my deal, the Cardinals were sending Haason Reddick to the Eagles. At the time, Reddick was a disappointing former first-round pick who had spent most of his time playing linebacker. Right around the time I wrote that column, the Cardinals lost Chandler Jones and moved Reddick to edge rusher, where he launched an entirely new career. He has 17 sacks in his last 17 games with the Cardinals and Panthers (where he signed in free agency). If the Eagles had seen that coming, they would have happily rushed Ertz out the door in 2020.

I’m going to propose 10 more deals that make sense for both sides. The goal is to be realistic, so while there’s at least one trade with a big name attached, most see players on the back of competitive rosters moving around or starters on bad teams changing hands for draft picks. I’d set the over/under on any of them happening at 0.5, but I hope they contextualize what the league’s top teams might try to do before the trade deadline strikes on November 2.

Browns add O-line help, Cowboys boost depth

Browns get: OT Ty Nsekhe

Cowboys get: LB Mack Wilson

After enjoying one of the healthiest offensive lines in football a year ago, the Browns have to be nervously eyeing their trainer’s room each week. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and right tackle Jack Conklin both missed Sunday’s ugly loss against the Cardinals with injuries. Swing tackle Chris Hubbard would have been first in line to replace Wills or Conklin, but he just underwent triceps surgery and is expected to be done for the season. The Browns aren’t going to get anyone as good as Wills or Conklin on the open market, but adding a veteran tackle is something they would likely love to do if the right opportunity arises.

At 35, Nsekhe certainly qualifies as a veteran. Crucially, he has experience playing under Browns offensive line wizard Bill Callahan during their shared time in Washington. The Cowboys signed Nsekhe after their line went to pieces last season, but he hadn’t played an offensive snap all season before Sunday’s win over the Patriots. If Tyron Smith’s neck injury isn’t serious, Nsekhe could be expendable.

Dallas would get back linebacker depth in Wilson, whose role in the defense has declined throughout the season. The 2019 fifth-rounder would be an indirect replacement for Jaylon Smith, who was released earlier this month.

Ravens trade for an offensive tackle

Ravens get: OT Morgan Moses, 2023 sixth-round pick

Jets get: 2022 fourth-round pick

The Ravens are 5-1, but things haven’t gone as planned up front. At tackle, they were planning on welcoming back superstar Ronnie Stanley from an serious left ankle injury on the left side, then imported Alejandro Villanueva from the Steelers to play on the right side. That lasted one game. Stanley hasn’t played since Week 1, and the team announced Tuesday that he will undergo season-ending surgery. Villanueva wasn’t playing well on the right side, but he has looked much better since moving to Stanley’s former spot, where he played in Pittsburgh.

Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta probably needs to add a tackle in the weeks to come. If the Ravens want to move Villanueva back to the right side, they could pursue Seahawks left tackle Duane Brown. It would likely be easier to keep Villanueva on the left side, which would mean targeting a right tackle. Moses, signed to a one-year deal by the Jets, is a capable right tackle with a track record of staying healthy. The Ravens might value availability more than ability at this point.

Buccaneers pick up crucial secondary help

Buccaneers get: CB Terrance Mitchell

Texans get: 2022 fifth-round pick

Most competitive teams don’t need wide receivers right now, but just about every team needs cornerbacks, and there aren’t going to be many starters available. The Texans, as always, are the exception. Mitchell has bounced around the league a bit, but he has allowed an 82.2 passer rating in coverage and forced three fumbles in five games so far this season. Mitchell also forced three fumbles a year ago with the Browns. He might not have the Peanut Punch, but teams are going to want to add a player who can create a takeaway in a tight game.

The Buccaneers would settle for just about any ambulatory cornerback at this point. Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting are both on injured reserve, and free-agent addition Richard Sherman left last Thursday’s win over the Eagles with a hamstring injury. Mitchell is versatile enough to line up either inside or outside. While he’s not going to be the top corner on a Super Bowl team throughout the postseason, he could be Tampa’s best corner for a few weeks until their stars return.

Rams, Chiefs swap defenders

Rams get: CB DeAndre Baker

Chiefs get: LB Travin Howard

Going to the Chiefs for defensive help might be barking up the wrong tree, but this is a low-level swap of guys on the back of the roster. The Rams need help at cornerback after Darious Williams went on injured reserve. Baker’s NFL career has been a disaster, with the 2019 first-round pick producing an awful rookie season with the Giants before robbery charges led New York to release him. The Chiefs signed Baker after those charges were dropped, but after playing 98 defensive snaps between Week 3 and 4, he has taken one snap since. He’d be a flier for the Rams at a position of need.

The Chiefs have lots of cornerbacks they prefer to Baker, but one of the many other things they could use is a linebacker. Their linebackers have been shredded in coverage this season, and Anthony Hitchens hyperextended his elbow in Sunday’s win over Washington. Howard, a converted safety, was in line to compete for linebacker snaps in 2020 before tearing his meniscus. He has only played 10 defensive snaps this season, all of which came in garbage time last week against the Giants. Chances are that this deal wouldn’t change either team’s season dramatically, but these are two young players who could see more playing time with a change of scenery.

Chiefs acquire a former first-rounder to boost their pass rush

Chiefs get: EDGE Charles Harris

Lions get: 2022 sixth-round pick, 2023 sixth-round pick

You’ve heard about teams taking the best available player during the NFL draft. The Chiefs need to add the best available player on defense. Steve Spagnuolo’s unit looked better during Sunday’s win over Washington, but even in their best performance of the season, a coverage bust led to this long touchdown:

The secondary has been a problem, but Kansas City could also use another edge rusher to supplement Frank Clark and Chris Jones. Harris has bounced around the league since disappointing as a first-round pick with the Dolphins in 2017, but he has picked up sacks in four consecutive games as a regular for the 0-6 Lions. He isn’t going to singlehandedly turn around the Chiefs, but he could at least be part of a functional edge-rushing rotation. He’ll also cost the Chiefs less than $1 million over the remainder of the season.

Chargers upgrade at kicker

Chargers get: K Younghoe Koo

Falcons get: OT Trey Pipkins, 2022 fifth-round pick

In 2017, the Chargers started the season with Koo as their kicker. He lasted four games before being released, with the then-rookie missing three of his first six attempts. Koo didn’t make it back into a starting role before 2019, but he has since gone 67-of-72 on field goals and 58-of-62 on extra points for the Falcons. A free agent after this season, Atlanta might not be able to justify paying him like he’s one of the best kickers in football given their cap issues.

The biggest problem for the Chargers right now might be at kicker, where Tristan Vizcaino has missed five extra points in six games. Coach Brandon Staley might want to go for it all the time on fourth down, but can the Chargers really feel good about trying to make a deep playoff run with a kicker they don’t trust? They can afford to re-sign Koo, so a deal could make sense for both sides. Pipkins, who wasn’t able to win a starting job over the past two years, would be an option for the Falcons as they consider 2019 first-rounder Kaleb McGary’s future at right tackle.

Cardinals deal for a former Heisman Trophy candidate

Cardinals get: S Jabrill Peppers

Giants get: 2022 sixth-round pick

As the only undefeated team left, the Cardinals will be looking to supplement their roster with a piece or two at the deadline. We know both general manager Steve Keim and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph love adding great athletes on defense and relying on them to fly around the football field, independent of position. Peppers has seen his role reduced for the Giants this season, and he’s probably best used as a hybrid linebacker/safety. The former Michigan star is in the final year of his deal, so he’s probably not in their long-term plans.

Peppers could also figure into Arizona’s plans as a return man. The Cardinals have used Rondale Moore as their primary return man, and while the rookie second-round pick is a threat to make a house call whenever he touches the football, he had a significant track record of injuries in college at Purdue. The Cards have only used Moore on 42.9% of their offensive snaps so far. Giving Peppers some of the return duties might make them more comfortable with giving Moore a larger offensive role.

Jaguars, Patriots exchange former first-rounders

Jaguars get: WR N’Keal Harry, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2023 sixth-round pick

Patriots get: OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, 2023 fifth-round pick

Let’s swap two disappointing first-round picks to places in which they might be able to thrive. Harry never seemed to settle in during his time in New England, and after failing to impress with Cam Newton in 2020, free-agent signings pushed him out of the rotation. The No. 32 overall pick in the 2019 draft only has two catches this season, but his 6-foot-4 frame could be valuable for a Jaguars team that doesn’t have a physical wideout with DJ Chark out for the season.

Chaisson was drafted by the now-deposed Dave Caldwell regime in Jacksonville, and while he entered the league as an exciting prospect and possible Anthony Barr clone, he has done little with the Jags. The No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 draft played about half of the defensive snaps last season, and despite moving into Year 2 for a defense that isn’t exactly filled with superstars, he has gotten similar playing time. Bill Belichick has a track record of trading for struggling high draft picks on defense and getting the most out of them; Chaisson would be the next in line.

Bills get a tight end to help ASAP

Bills get: TE Jacob Hollister

Jaguars get: 2022 seventh-round pick

With Dawson Knox sidelined by a hand injury, the Bills need a short-term tight end solution. Hollister signed with the Bills in March but didn’t make the 53-man roster. He caught on with the Jaguars, but his role in the lineup disappeared after Jacksonville traded for Dan Arnold. The former Seahawks tight end played just eight snaps in the win over the Dolphins in London.

Knox’s breakout season (21 catches, five TDs) means the Bills just need someone to hold down the fort until he returns, and Hollister already knows the Buffalo playbook.

Titans go all-in on an elite corner

Titans get: CB Xavien Howard, 2022 second-round pick

Dolphins get: 2022 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick

I didn’t see an obvious landing spot in terms of need, fit and salary-cap space for Howard until the Titans lost Caleb Farley to a torn ACL on Monday night. The Titans are built to win now around a bunch of veterans in their primes, but they don’t have anything close to a championship-caliber secondary. It took a goal-line stand on fourth-and-inches for Tennessee to beat the Bills, who marched up and down the field for most of the game. With a clear path to the top of the AFC South, a tiebreaking win over the Bills, the Chiefs in flux and a major hole atop their secondary, this is a spot for the Titans to go all-in.

For the Dolphins, meanwhile, it’s a chance to correct what has been a disastrous start to 2021. At 1-5, they are all but out of the playoff picture, with the ESPN Football Power Index giving them a 2.4% chance of turning things around. Miami erred by not addressing its offensive line this offseason, and quietly, its pass defense has been a disaster. It ranks 29th in scoring defense and points allowed per possession. It is 31st in QBR allowed. As bad as the offense has been, the pass defense has been worse.

Howard hasn’t been the problem for the Dolphins, but he also hasn’t been the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he was a year ago. Opposing quarterbacks posted minus-34.5 expected points added (EPA) throwing in his direction on 88 targets in 2020. This season, though, he has allowed 15.9 EPA on 31 targets. He has been the closest defender in coverage on four touchdowns and only has one interception after picking off a league-high 10 passes a year ago.

Understandably, Howard wanted to negotiate a new contract with the Dolphins after that 2020 season. And, also understandably, the team saw that Howard had four years left on his existing deal and didn’t think that was a realistic time to do anything. The Dolphins made some small changes to Howard’s deal and agreed to negotiate something new after 2021, when Howard will have three seasons left on his existing pact. That might not be a precedent they want to set, either. The organization might also see trading Howard as a wakeup call to a locker room that has seemingly taken a step backward from what looked to be a very promising 2020, and Miami might want to see what it has in 2020 first-rounder Noah Igbinoghene, who played his first defensive snaps of the season in Week 6.

With all that in mind, there’s a little bit in this trade for everyone. The Titans get a plug-and-play star at cornerback who aligns with their championship window in what might be their clearest path toward a conference title. They’re already down their second-round pick from the Julio Jones trade, so they send their first-rounder in 2022 and then swap second-rounders with the Dolphins between 2022 and 2023. There might not be a huge gap between Tennessee’s first-rounder and Miami’s second-rounder in 2022, but even moving up 10 spots into the 20s of that draft and getting a 2023 second-round pick can be a pretty meaningful return for Miami.

Howard becomes part of the defensive core alongside Bud Dupree, Jeffery Simmons, Harold Landry III and Kevin Byard for years to come. This would be a dramatic move for the Titans to make — and they would have to create some short- and long-term cap space for Howard — but this is the right time to go for it. The star corner moves to a Super Bowl contender and gets his new deal after the season.

The Dolphins shake up everything after their disastrous start. They get another first-round pick to work with in April’s draft, restoring their extra selection in the opening round after they shipped their pick to Philadelphia. General manager Chris Grier can use those two first-rounders to draft offensive line help, trade for quality linemen or (if so inclined) make a move up for a new quarterback. You wouldn’t blame Miami for wanting to hit the reset button on the 2022 season. This is as close as it will get to do so.

BYE-MAGGEDON

Matthew Berry of ESPN.com on why your team – and every other Fantasy team – will struggle this week:

Week 7, 2021. Since the advent of the internet, this is the worst week ever to play fantasy football.

As you are no doubt aware, we have six teams on a bye. Oh yeah, the NFL extended the season by a week and yet here we are, with six teams on a bye.

And not just any teams. The Bills. The Cowboys. The Chargers. The Vikings. The Steelers. The Jaguars. We’re actually missing the Jaguars!

That means no Josh Allen (QB1), Justin Herbert (QB7), Dak Prescott (QB9) or Kirk Cousins (QB10 on the season!). Those in superflex/OP leagues are even missing Ben Roethlisberger and Trevor Lawrence.

That means no Austin Ekeler (RB2), Najee Harris (RB4), Ezekiel Elliott (RB6), James Robinson (RB11), Dalvin Cook (RB15 in limited games) or the usually flex-worthy Zack Moss (RB22).

That means no Mike Williams (WR5), Justin Jefferson (WR8), Diontae Johnson (WR10), CeeDee Lamb (WR12), Adam Thielen (WR13), Stefon Diggs (WR17), Amari Cooper (WR22) or Emmanuel Sanders (WR24), plus Keenan Allen, Chase Claypool, Marvin Jones Jr, Cole Beasley and Laviska Shenault Jr.

Dalton Schultz (TE4), Dawson Knox (TE6) and, yes, even Jared Cook (TE15) are sitting this one out.

I’ve been calling it “Bye-mageddon” on the podcast this week, but it’s really a lot more than bye-week guys.

Week 7 will also definitely not feature Russell Wilson or 2-QB league starter Baker Mayfield.

No Christian McCaffrey (RB5), Kareem Hunt (RB13), Nick Chubb (RB14), David Montgomery (RB18), Chris Carson (RB23) or regular fantasy starters Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Miles Sanders. What? (Looks away, holds hand to ear). Ah. Yes. Thank you. (Turns toward camera). Apologies. I’ve just been told that apparently Miles Sanders has been active this whole time. Never mind on him.

We’ll do without JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kadarius Toney, and Will Fuller, and Michael Thomas. George Kittle and Logan Thomas are still nowhere to be found.

And just when you think you can’t take anymore, here comes an even longer list of players whose playing status as of this writing are in legitimate doubt.

Guys like Saquon Barkley, Antonio Gibson, Alex Collins, Julio Jones, Kenny Golladay, Jerry Jeudy, DeVante Parker, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Rob Gronkowski and even deeper-league guys like Teddy Bridgewater.

Bye-mageddon, indeed.

Whoever we are, however we play, wherever we play, we are all affected in some way by Week 7, 2021.

Four of the top eight picks by ADP. Eight of the top 15. Sixteen of the top 35.

In terms of scoring, we are missing four different top-10 quarterbacks. We’re likely missing five of the top 12 tight ends. And by the time inactives roll around, we’ll likely be missing 11 to 14 of the wide receivers who would usually be among the 25 started in ESPN standard leagues.

And we are most likely missing 13 of the top 25 running backs. That’s right. We have more top-25 running backs unavailable this week than in our starting lineups.

I’ve been playing fantasy football since I was a teenager and I’ve never seen anything like this. So I have a few words of caution for you.

Remember, bad as this week is, it’s just one week. Lotta season left to play. And most every team will be playing at less than 100%.

So if you have a good record — 6-0, 5-1, even 4-2 — and are hit especially hard by byes this week, don’t do anything stupid. Don’t overreact and make a one-week trade or drop a good player on a bye to field a full lineup this week. You can afford a loss. Just get through this week and you’ll have your players back next week and for the rest of the season.