MINNESOTA

TE T.J. HOCKENSON is collecting part of the Wilf fortune.  Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com:

T.J. Hockenson was back on the Minnesota Vikings’ practice field Thursday, having seemingly put a summer’s worth of injuries and illness behind him. Thursday’s sudden infusion into his bank account surely helped the healing process.

Hockenson signed a four-year contract extension that will pay him at least $66 million and up to $68.5 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, in a deal that resets the tight end market. A source told Schefter that the average annual value of the deal is $17.125 million and that Hockenson will make $42.5 million guaranteed — both the highest for a tight end in NFL history.

“I’m excited to actually play football,” Hockenson said, “and go out there and have to not worry about anything else and move forward from everything and go win some games. That’s really what we’re here for.”

The deal ends an unusual summer during which Hockenson sat out almost all of the Vikings’ contact drills, participating only in early-practice stretching and individual periods. He first attributed those limitations to an ear infection that affected his equilibrium. When that condition cleared up, Hockenson reported lower back stiffness to Vikings medical officials.

Hockenson spoke multiple times with reporters over that period but was vague about whether he was protecting himself or otherwise “holding in” while in the final year of his original rookie contract. The two-time Pro Bowler said Thursday that he is “feeling better” and emphasized that his goal was always to be ready for the Vikings’ regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In expressing his relief that a deal was in place, Vikings general manager Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah acknowledged the complexity of the situation but said he did not think there was “ever any sense of a quid pro quo or anything like that.”

“I know there is a business aspect to things,” Adofo-Mensah said. “Ultimately, I can’t tell you anything for certain. But I didn’t view it as that at all. I felt like there was a process that needed to play out and ultimately it ended up here, and we’re excited about that.”

Hockenson quickly became one of quarterback Kirk Cousins’ top targets last season after a midseason trade from the Detroit Lions, hauling in 60 receptions for 519 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games, and then another 10 receptions for 129 yards in a wild-card playoff game against the New York Giants.

Hockenson finished second among NFL tight ends last season with 86 receptions for 914 yards in 17 combined games with Minnesota and Detroit.

“Our hopes were that we were acquiring a player that would become a major part of our offense moving forward,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We saw the immediate impact over those 10 games — 11 games. We’ve been able to build on T.J.’s role here, and really have a great process in the offseason of what it’s really going to look like in our offensive system for a major player like T.J. to be a part of it.”

The Vikings sent a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick to the Lions for Hockenson and two draft picks (a fourth-round draft pick in 2023 and a conditional draft pick in 2024).

With Hockenson soon to be locked up for the long term, the Vikings have one more contract situation to resolve with a pending extension for superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who still has two years left on his rookie deal.

Which of course leads Seifert to wonder, as do we, about WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON who may re-set the receiver market.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was basking in relief after a massive contract agreement with tight end T.J. Hockenson was announced Thursday. The glow lasted all of four minutes before the obvious follow-up question arrived from a local reporter.

“Is Justin Jefferson next?”

Yes, the Minnesota Vikings general manager had a full plate this week. Along with the usual maneuvering to establish a 53-man roster, Adofo-Mensah was negotiating not only with Hockenson’s agent but also with Jefferson’s representatives. The All-Pro receiver became eligible for a contract extension of his own after last season, and while neither Jefferson nor the Vikings have said it explicitly, it’s quite possible the ensuing talks are down to their final 10 days.

During that span, the sides could agree on what might be the largest contract for a non-quarterback in NFL history. It’s also possible, Adofo-Mensah acknowledged for the first time Thursday, that talks would be cut off prior to the Vikings’ Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

“I think there are times with players,” Adofo-Mensah said, “[where] they kind of just want to focus on the season when it happens. So those are joint conversations we’ll have with his representatives whenever that time comes.”

Justin Jefferson is entering the final year of his rookie deal, though the Vikings could exercise his fifth-year option for 2024 and use the franchise tag after that. David Berding/Getty Images

Jefferson has not expressed displeasure with his contract situation. He skipped the voluntary portion of the Vikings’ offseason program but reported for mandatory minicamp in June, attributing his absence to a slew of marketing and endorsement opportunities, combined with minimal pressure from the Vikings’ organization. But he has participated fully in every training camp practice, including two apiece with the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals, and did not employ any of the more aggressive tactics used by some of his teammates and other players around the NFL.

Linebacker Danielle Hunter, for one, sat out the first four days of camp entirely before the Vikings adjusted his contract to give him a raise of more than $10 million for 2023. Hockenson took part only in early stretching and individual drills for most of camp, saying first he had an ear infection and later back stiffness, but he resumed full practice participation this week as he closed in on his new deal.

Jefferson has been nonchalant about both the pace and timing of talks. In fact, he has brushed off questions about his contract for more than a year. During training camp in 2022, he said he was “not really too fond of money,” and he has since taken a fatalistic approach to negotiations.

“That’s not the worries that I have right now,” Jefferson said at the start of this summer’s camp. “It’s really only about winning a Super Bowl, just getting the wins, and being with my team. The contract is going to play itself [out], and I’m just out here to play football.”

Jefferson has developed a strong relationship with Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and it’s fair to wonder whether the uncertainty surrounding Cousins’ future is impacting Jefferson’s decision-making. Cousins and the Vikings agreed in March to table negotiations for a contract extension, meaning Cousins will enter this season in the final year of his deal.

Cousins said in June that he didn’t expect discussions to pick up until March. So it remains to be seen whether Jefferson will commit to Minnesota long term without knowing for sure who will be throwing him the ball.

When considering that quandary, it’s hard to avoid thinking about the circumstances that brought Jefferson to the Vikings in the first place. They drafted him in 2020 after trading away star receiver Stefon Diggs, who had signed a contract extension in 2018 when the Vikings used a pass-first scheme under offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. But the Vikings fired DeFilippo before the end of the season and transitioned to a run-first approach. After seeing a 38% drop in targets in 2019, Diggs pushed for a fresh start.

There are no indications that the Vikings plan to move away from the scheme that helped Jefferson lead the NFL in receptions (128) and receiving yardage (1,809) last season en route to winning the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award. But Jefferson is also in position to ensure that everything is to his liking before signing a deal, knowing his price tag will only go up over time.

In turn, the Vikings wouldn’t face an immediate crisis if they can’t reach a deal before the season starts. They have Jefferson under contract for $2.4 million this season and $19.7 million for 2024 under his fifth-year option. They could use the franchise tag in 2025 if they choose.

Such a hardline approach does not seem preferable to Adofo-Mensah, who for months has been telling anyone who would listen that he wants to build the team around Jefferson’s talents.

“I try not to get into private conversations with people,” he said Thursday, “but we’ve said it and will continue to say it. Justin is somebody we want around here for a really long time. We’re going to do everything we can to do that. Whenever that happens, it will be a great day for the Vikings and a great day for Justin.”

WASHINGTON

A key part of ability is availability.  EDGE CHASE YOUNG may not be available yet again.  John Keim of ESPN.com:

Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young remains uncertain for the season opener thanks to a stinger suffered in the preseason opener. He has not been medically cleared by doctors for contact.

Young has continued to practice despite the setback, though he has not participated in full-contact activities. He has been part of full-team work when Washington has practiced without shoulder pads.

Said Commanders coach Ron Rivera after practice Thursday: “The guy is practicing and doing everything we need him to do right now as he’s getting ready for the opener. I have no idea what the doctor’s going to do, but I do know right now that he’s told him he can continue to progress and get himself ready to go. Until then, there’s nothing we can tell you, nothing we can say.”

Rivera said the team will provide an update next week after receiving more information from doctors following an additional examination. That’s also when Washington will release its first injury report ahead of the Sept. 10 season opener vs. Arizona. One source familiar with the situation said it’s “not as bad” as some have made it out to be. However, it remains uncertain if Young will play vs. the Cardinals.

Washington must feel good enough about his status because it did not place him on injured reserve, with the intent of bringing him back after four weeks.

Young looked sharp this summer as he further recovers from a torn ACL and ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee suffered in November 2021. He returned for the final three games last season. Young stopped wearing a brace on the knee in training camp and said he felt like his old self and had regained his explosiveness.

Another Commanders defensive end, Efe Obada, was placed on injured reserve because of a patella issue with a knee. Obada was Washington’s top reserve end. The Commanders still have Montez Sweat and veteran backups Casey Toohill and James Smith-Williams.

TAMPA BAY

The agent for WR MIKE EVANS wants a resolution by September 9.

The agent for Mike Evans set a deadline of Sept. 9 ― the eve of the start of the Bucs’ regular season ― to reach an agreement with the Pro Bowl receiver or they will discontinue talks on a new contract.

In a statement released Friday morning, Evans’ agent, Deryk Gilmore, said the Bucs have not made an offer, and they will discontinue discussions with the team on Sept. 9, the day before Tampa Bay plays at Minnesota.

“Mike wants the next phase of his career to be with an organization who wants him and wants him to help win a Super Bowl,” Gilmore said in a statement Friday morning. “Which is why we have informed the Buccaneers organization that we will discontinue contract discussions as of September 9, 2023.”

Evans, 30, is in the last season of a 5-year, $82 million deal he signed in 2018.

Gilmore said Evans has wanted to be a “Bucs for life” since he was drafted in the first round out of Texas A&M in 2014.

“Despite our efforts the past two years, and the professionalism of Bucs general manager Jason Licht and assistant general manager Mike Greenberg, we have not received an offer to stay in Tampa,” Gilmore said. “This is disappointing to Mike as he sees other teams step up to keep key pieces and players that are important to their organization. Many players of his status would’ve held out of camp to not risk injury, but Mike has continued practicing hard, as always, because he puts his team first.”

Evans is believed to be seeking a deal similar to the three-year, $80.1 million contract signed by Rams receiver Cooper Kupp that included $75 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus.

Kupp, 30, missed the final eight games last season with an ankle injury and is now battling a hamstring injury.

Evans currently counts $23,698,500 against the salary cap, predominately because he had restructured his contract to allow the Bucs to sign free agents during their three years with quarterback Tom Brady.

This sounds bleak.  No offer made.  The ask is $75 million guaranteed for a 30-year-old WR who while always very good, has not always dominated.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com sees it the same way.

Receiver Mike Evans apparently will retire as a Buccaneer only if he retires after the 2023 season.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that talks on a new contract for Evans are at an impasse, and that Evans will enter “what likely will be his final season” with the team that drafted him in 2014.

Per Stroud, Evans is believed to be targeting Cooper Kupp money. The Super Bowl LVI MVP signed a three-year, $80.1 million deal in 2022. Of that amount, $75 million was guaranteed.

Evans currently is playing under a contract that pays an average amount of $16.5 million. He has a cap number of $23.698 million for 2023, and the Bucs will take a dead-money charge of $12.198 million in 2024.

Evans did not take a hard line in an effort to get a new deal. And he’s not happy that his decision to show up and not complain was used against him.

“It sickens [Evans] to see players hold out and get rewarded, when he does everything for the organization on the field, in the community, off the field, working with other players in the organization,” Evans’s agent Deryk Gilmore said Wednesday, via Stroud.

While Gilmore might regret those words the next time a client of his holds out, Evans rolled the dice on a non-squeaky wheel would get some grease. That’s usually not how it works.

So here’s how it will work. Evans will attempt to generate 1,000 yards for the tenth straight season of his career. And then the Bucs will either dig deep to pay him, apply the franchise tag (at $28.35 million based on his 2023 cap number, that’s not happening), or watch him walk away.

NEW YORK JETS

Re-energized QB AARON RODGERS likes what he sees of his new team.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

It’s been a long time since the Jets have been this closely watched. They had intense media coverage when Bill Parcells was there from 1997-99 and before that with Joe Namath way back in the day.

All eyes are on the Jets because they have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done since Namath did it in Super Bowl III.

Rodgers pointed out when he arrived in New York that the one Lombardi Trophy looks “a little lonely.”

The star quarterback said Thursday the Jets have a “legitimate chance” to win the Super Bowl.

“Obviously, there are a lot of expectations,” Rodgers said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “A lot of people are going to be pulling for us to fall flat — the crows as [Robert] Saleh referred to them. A lot of people are in our corner, too, which is a good thing.”

Saleh’s opening speech in “Hard Knocks” focused on the naysayers, using the analogy of an eagle soaring high enough to suffocate a pursuing crow, the only bird that will attack an eagle.

Rodgers said he relishes the spotlight and insists he ignores the “negative energy.”

“There will be a lot of eyes on us,” Rodgers said. “That could be pressure to some people; that could be expectation; it could be excitement. I choose to look at it as excitement. There’s a lot of people that are going to be tuning in, a lot of people are going to be following along throughout our season. A lot of people are going to have a lot to cheer about, I think.”

While he called the Jets “really talented,” Rodgers would not compare it to the best teams he played on in Green Bay.

Rodgers won his only Super Bowl ring in 2010 on a team that included Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.

THIS AND THAT

10 WHO WILL IMPROVE

Garrett Podell of CBSSports.com offers 10 players primed to improve in 2023 – presumably from a Fantasy standpoint, since they are all skill players

Player development in the NFL isn’t always linear. Football is a game with so many moving parts and variables that an individual player’s production can ebb and flow over the years. There are so many reasons why some do and don’t thrive at the level they could potentially reach based on their talents. With that in mind, here is a closer look at 10 offensive players ready to roll in 2023, thanks to some tiny or massive changes to their football ecosystems.

Justin Herbert

LAC • QB • #10

Reasons for thriving: New OC Kellen Moore, return to health for Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater, healthy ribs for Herbert

Face-of-the-franchise quarterback Justin Herbert finally has a new offensive coordinator: it’s former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore! He led productive offenses in Dallas as they boasted a top-five scoring offense in 2022 (27.5 points per game, the fourth-most in the NFL) and averaged 354.9 yards per game. The development of Dak Prescott, who broke the Cowboys single-season passing touchdown record in 2021 under Moore, was “at the center of Kellen’s impact,” according to Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy, who wanted to take the reigns back and call plays again.

Moore paired with Herbert, who has the most passing yards (14,089) through a player’s first three seasons in NFL history and the second-most passing touchdowns (94) through a player’s first three seasons in NFL history, will likely lead to many more fireworks at SoFi Stadium. Former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s Chargers offense averaged an NFL-low 6.34 air yards per pass attempt last season, woefully underutilizing one of Herbert’s biggest strengths. Dak Prescott averaged 8.41 air yards per pass attempt over his four seasons with Moore as his OC, the ninth-most in the NFL in that span. Herbert should see a similar uptick in that department, only strengthening Los Angeles’ aerial attack.

The Chargers ranked 13th in scoring offense (23.0 points per game) in 2022 despite having Herbert, running back Austin Ekeler — the NFL’s scrimmage touchdowns leader in each of the last two seasons — and an outstanding wide receiver duo of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. That duo has since become a trio with 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston (21st overall) out of TCU now onboard. In Moore’s four seasons (2019-2022) calling plays for the Cowboys, Dallas ranked second in scoring offense (27.7 points per game) and total offense (391.0 total yards per game) behind only the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (28.8 points per game and 401.5 total yards per game). Better use of Herbert’s and his playmakers’ talents should have Los Angeles’ offense playing much more prolific football.

If the Chargers can keep their offensive line and defensive stars — like Slater, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Joey Bosa and three-time Pro Bowl safety Derwin James — healthy, a huge IF given their injury woes the last couple of seasons, Herbert will be thriving in 2023.

Tony Pollard

DAL • RB • #20

Reasons for thriving: Finally named the Cowboys RB1, Ezekiel Elliott is a New England Patriot

All signs out of Dallas Cowboys training camp indicate Tony Pollard is in line for a gigantic 2023 season.

The 26-year-old running back earned his first Pro Bowl selection after the 2022 season because of a career-high 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns. He topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time, and 75% of his scoring was on the ground with nine rushing touchdowns. Despite Pollard suffering a fractured fibula in the Cowboys’ season-ending NFC divisional round playoff defeat at the San Francisco 49ers, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completely forgot about Pollard’s injury while practicing alongside of him in training camp because of how smooth the running back’s rehabilitation process has gone.

“He’s [Tony Pollard] been the same guy since he was drafted, and the year he was drafted [2019] was the year Zeke held out,” Prescott said at training camp in Oxnard, California on August 17. “Being able to come in then and have such a huge role early in training camp to take all the reps, to pass protect, and to essentially be an every-down back in his first training camp to when Zeke came back, they could get into a duo-tandem type of back rotation. Now, him being able to take this step and have the starting role, he’s a true professional. He takes care of his body, he leads by example, and he’s the perfect pro for guys to watch his approach. Even coming off of an injury, you don’t even think about that, and it’s a credit to how he approached his rehab and how he goes about his game. TP is a hell of a back, a hell of a player, and he’s going to have another huge year.”

Pollard already being at essentially full health is a critical development for the Silver and Blue because when healthy, Pollard is as dynamic with the football in his hands as anyone in the entire NFL. His 5.9 yards per touch led the league among players with at least 200 touches in 2022. Just as notable is that with the Cowboys releasing Ezekiel Elliott — one of their franchise leaders whose 3.9 yards per touch was dead last in the league among players with at least 200 touches last season — it’s Tony time in Dallas. Despite the contrast in productivity a year ago, Elliott, who was on a six-year, $90 million contract, received 16 more touches than Pollard.

Pollard’s backfield mates are now the undrafted Rico Dowdle, 2023 sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn, and the undrafted Hunter Luepke. San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey totaled 1,880 scrimmage yards, 502 more than Pollard’s 1,378, while ranking second in yards per touch (5.7) behind the Cowboys rusher (5.9). McCaffrey had 97 more touches than Pollard (329 to 232) in 2022. If Pollard can maintain a similar yards per touch average on a higher workload, he should be able to to perform like one of the NFL’s top five running backs in 2023.

Darren Waller

NYG • TE • #12

Reasons for thriving: Being the Giants’ clear-cut top passing game option in 2022 Coach of the Year Brian Daboll’s offense

Darren Waller, who signed a three-year, $51 million contract extension with Las Vegas on the eve of the 2022 regular season, will now be joining the G-Men as one of the more prolific tight ends across the last four seasons. He trails only the last two First-Team All-Pro tight ends — Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Baltimore’s Mark Andrews — in catches and receiving yards since 2019.

Darren Waller TE ranks since 2019

WALLER           STATS TE RANK

Rec.                    280         3rd

Rec. Yards       3,394          3rd

Rec. TD             17             9th

The Daniel Jones-Darren Waller pairing could create fireworks since Jones had the eighth-highest passer rating in the entire NFL when throwing to tight ends, but he targeted them at the 31st-highest rate in the league last season. Waller could also help unlock Jones’ deep ball since he had seven catches of 20 or more yards downfield, the most among all tight ends in 2022 despite missing eight games. The Giants were also one of the top 10 red zone offenses in the NFL a year ago, converting 63.3% of their red zone drives into touchdowns — the seventh-highest rate in the NFL — despite not having a go-to big body like Waller’s 6-foot-6, 255-pound frame to throw it up to. Safe to say Daboll should have fun with Waller’s route concepts.

Waller will become the clear-cut No. 1 option for the Giants, instead of having to fight All-Pro receiver Davante Adams for the spotlight and targets like 2022 like he did in Las Vegas, on a receiving core that includes Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton and Parris Campbell as other likely starters. Everything is lined up for Waller to have a monster 2023 season.

Aaron Rodgers

NYJ • QB • #8

Reasons for thriving: A reenergized Rodgers spent OTAs, minicamp and training camp fully invested in working with his new teammates plus he is fully healthy once again

When the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers’ NFL home of 18 seasons (2005-2022), agreed to send the four-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl XLV MVP to the Big Apple via trade, Rodgers became the best quarterback to ever put on a Jets uniform. That’s not an exaggeration.

However, New York isn’t acquiring the Rodgers who played like the league’s back-to-back NFL MVP that he was in 2020 and 2021. They’re acquiring a 39-year-old version who turns 40 in December after coming off arguably his worst NFL season: His 91.1 passer rating in 2022 was the lowest of his 15-year tenure as the Packers starting quarterback.

Much of Rodgers’ 2022 play can be explained by the broken right thumb he played though since the last play of Week 5 — a 27-22 loss against the New York Giants in London.    

Prescott missed five games to heal from a similar injury. Rodgers opted to tough it out and play in all 17 games — with an improved Jordan Love breathing down his neck — most of which he had a significant amount of tape wrapped around his thumb and palm on his throwing hand. Watching him throw week to week, it was clear Rodgers didn’t have the same laser-like accuracy that has become a staple of his Hall of Fame career. Safe to say it’s back now after this perfectly placed jump ball to receiver Garrett Wilson in Gang Green’s preseason finale against the New York Giants.

There is also complete offensive synergy between Rodgers and his hand-picked offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, a person Rodgers has also called “a dear friend.” There were times last season when Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFLeur and Rodgers weren’t on the same page with their offensive vision. That is no longer an issue in Florham Park, so Rodgers is ready to roll once again 2023.

Garrett Wilson

NYJ • WR • #17

Reasons for thriving: Catching passes from future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers instead of Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco or Chris Streveler

The reigning Offensive Player of the Year (the only New York Jet to win the award) led the entire 2022 rookie class in catches (83) and receiving yards (1,103) while catching passes from the following quarterbacks: Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Mike White and Chris Streveler. Wilson, 23, also added four receiving touchdowns. Now, in case you live under a rock, Wilson will be catching passes from future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl XLV MVP. Rodgers is now to pepper his favorite receivers with targets, and Wilson should be no different. Rodgers has already compared the second-year player to three-time First-Team All-Pro Davante Adams, his longtime Green Bay Packers top option.

“Yeah,” Rodgers said on July 20 when asked if Wilson reminds him of Adams. “Look, I love Davante. I saw him this summer. Davante is in a category by himself still, but that 17 [Wilson] reminds me of the other 17 [Adams] as far as his [Wilson’s] ability to get in and out of breaks and his quick twitch at the line of scrimmage, for sure.”

Yes, it’s only the preseason, but the new Gang Green duo already has their jump ball chemistry down, as evidenced by their 14-yard touchdown against the New York Giants in their preseason finale. Expect Wilson and Rodgers to make similar music all season long.

Dak Prescott

DAL • QB • #4

Reasons for thriving: Having two legit wide receivers in 2022 Second Team All-Pro CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks and the first offense of his career in which the routes and blocking are synched up to his footwork

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will thrive in 2023 because he’ll have a new voice relaying plays into his helmet: head coach Mike McCarthy. He called offensive plays in six seasons as an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2000-2004) and San Francisco 49ers (2005) as well as throughout the bulk of his 13 seasons as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 2006-2018. McCarthy is invigorating the existing playbook with elements of his foundational West Coast offense, which led Prescott to name Dallas’ new offense  the “Texas Coast.”

New offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer went out of his way to clarify on June 8 the final day of the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp, that many elements of Kellen Moore’s attack will remain in place. A logical decision since Moore’s offense averaged 27.7 points per game across his four seasons running the offense from 2019-2022, the second-most in the NFL since 2019 behind only the Chiefs’ 28.8 points per game.

One of the adjustments in the new system will likely be more up-tempo, no-huddle action, a staple of McCarthy’s offenses alongside future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers when the two were together on the Green Bay Packers. Dallas averaged 65.5 offensive plays per game in 2022, a number that ranked as the ninth-most in the NFL. The Cowboys are likely looking to climb into the top-five in that metric in 2023.

“When you can change your pace, you’re gonna catch [the defense] off-guard,” Prescott said June 7, via the Cowboys’ official website. “You want as many at-bats so we’ll try to get as many plays as we can, as many chances to make big plays. Lastly, we want to be the aggressors. We want to attack these guys and push the tempo. We just want to make sure that we’re dictating the pace and being the aggressors so the team is on our pace and not theirs.”

One of the goals of their new offense is to become more efficient, score more points and have fewer turnovers, obviously. Last season, Prescott hindered the offense’s efficiency by co-leading the NFL with 15 interceptions. Yet, the Cowboys don’t see their quarterback as “needing to be fixed” so much as he needs to embrace some of the safety nets the new “Texas Coast” offense will provide.

“He [Dak Prescott] certainly doesn’t need to be fixed,” Schottenheimer said. “There’s no question about that. The guy is a great player, and you guys have watched him more than I have. He’s a competitor. He’s going to compete and say ‘I can make that throw.’ He’s just got to understand situations in the game, down and distance, and all that stuff and clean up some of the decisions he knows last year that he kind of missed.”

Another area McCarthy and Schottenheimer are looking to tie even tighter around Prescott in addition to timing the routes to his footwork is the way they pass-protect him. Prescott was under pressure on 31.4% of his dropbacks in 2022, a number they would like to see decline in 2023.  

“When you look at interceptions, there’s so many factors that go into it,” Schottenheimer said. “The point is the protection part of it of us trying to tighten up some of the pocket and make it a little bit firmer and how we kind of fit our backs into being the sideboard for different whether you’re sliding protections, things like that. … That’s more of a philosophy for Mike [McCarthy] and I that we’ve been around. [Offensive line coach] Mike Solari and I’ve been together a couple different times. That is something that we’ve definitely worked towards doing .I feel like we’ve come away with not only just the right answers, and fits for blitzes, everyone talks about blitzes and how you block those up, but just even in a four-man rush. Whether you’re sliding or whether you’re in a pocket declaration, we block into how you fit the pieces together. If the backs are involved, or whether they’re blocking someone who just fit in through a gap, they’re always involved, and we definitely want to play in a physical mindset in all protections issued.”

Given those schematic adjustments plus the trade acquisition of Brandin Cooks, whose six career seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards are tied for the third-most in the NFL since he entered the NFL in 2014, trailing only Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans (nine seasons) and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (seven) in that statistic, Prescott is set up for rousing success in 2023.

Trevor Lawrence

JAC • QB • #16

Reasons for thriving: System continuity under head coach Doug Pederson, a true WR1 in Calvin Ridley

The primary reason why the Jaguars are the prohibitive favorites to repeat as AFC South champions is because of Trevor Lawrence’s continued growth under Pederson. Going from having Urban Meyer as his head coach to Pederson launched his production into another galaxy. Lawrence threw 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, the third-worst TD-INT ratio in the entire NFL, which led to  a 71.9 passer rating, the second-worst in the entire NFL as a rookie in 2021. Following the signings of receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, plus tight end Evan Engram in addition to Pederson’s arrival, he became a top-10 quarterback with a top-five touchdown-to-interception rate (25-8, tied for the fifth-best) and the 10th-best passer rating (95.2). 

Lawrence’s dramatic progression is historic among quarterbacks who have been in his shoes: his passer rating increase of 23.3 points is the second-highest jump among first overall pick passers from their first to second seasons in NFL history. Only Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl champion Terry Bradshaw progressed more quickly than Lawrence from his first to second season.

Now, imagine how much better Lawrence could be with system continuity in regards to the playbook entering his second season with with Pederson, third in the NFL overall, plus the addition of Calvin Ridley, a 28-year-old receiver who ranked top five in receiving yards (1,374) back in 2020 (the last full season he played). Ridley only played five games with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 before stepping aside to focus on his mental health, and he was out for the entire 2022 season because of a gambling suspension. Before the essentially two-year layoff, Ridley was one of the league’s best pass-catchers. Entering the 2021 campaign Ridley was in a six-player club of guys with at least 3,000 receiving yards and at least 25 receiving touchdowns from 2018 (his rookie year) to 2020. His contemporaries in this group were Davante Adams, Travis Kelce, Mike Evans, Tyreek Hill and Tyler Lockett.

Early on Jacksonville’s offseason, Ridley was wowing coaches and showing he can still be a top-tier WR1.

“I’ve been really impressed with Calvin,”  Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said on May 22. “I’ve watched every snap Calvin’s played in the NFL, just like a lot of our guys have. So we’re very confident in the player we’re getting. And then to be able to meet him in person, we’ve had a lot of people that vouched for him, obviously going back to when we acquired him, but the work he’s put in this offseason has been impressive just in terms of meeting the extra work he does. And you can tell he is doing it because he comes in the next day, he’s got his list of questions, and they’re very thought-out. You can tell he’s peeked ahead of the install or just looking a couple of days ahead as we go on. So he’s done a great job, just intermixing with the group and making his own role.” 

A revived Ridley alongside a confident, comfortable Lawrence could lead to the 2021 first overall pick reaching new levels of production.

Chris Olave

NO • WR • #12

Reasons for thriving: A quarterback upgrade and a healthy, legitimate receiving threat on the other side

Chris Olave was on pace to top former Ohio State Buckeyes teammate Garrett Wilson for Offensive Rookie of the Year before a hamstring injury sidelined him for two games. He had to “settle” for 72 catches and 1,042 receiving yards in addition to four receiving scores. His catches and receiving yards were second in the 2022 rookie class, trailing only Wilson.

However, his underlying metrics indicate he could be in for a bigger season in Year 2. Olave averaged an incredibly efficient 2.42 yards per route run in 2022, the seventh most in the NFL among the 127 players who ran at least 300 routes last season. The only players who averaged more yards per route run than Olave from that group in 2022 were First-Team All-Pro Tyreek Hill (3.21), 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson (2.62), Pro Bowler A.J. Brown, speedster Jaylen Waddle (2.59), Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs (2.50) and 2022 First-Team All-Pro Davante Adams (2.46).

Olave also received an upgrade at quarterback, going from Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston to four-time Pro Bowler Derek Carr, the Raiders all-time leader in passing yards (35,222) and passing touchdowns (217). Michael Thomas, who has played in 10 games since 2020, is also supposedly entering the upcoming 2023 season, and his presence should help pull coverage away from Olave.

Dameon Pierce

HOU • RB • #31

Reasons for thriving: An improved offensive cast opens up more room to run

Dameon Pierce was the hub of the Houston Texans offense in 2022 because of a woeful aerial attack. The 2022 fourth-round pick ranked eighth in the entire league in rushing yards per game (72.2) and third in tackles avoided (79, trailing only Josh Jacobs’ 103 and Nick Chubb’s 97). With the extra room to run provided by the additions of 2023 second overall pick C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Robert Woods, tight end Dalton Schultz and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s Shanahan-style zone-blocking scheme, Pierce could thrive in a big way in 2023.

Christian Watson

GB • WR • #9

Reasons for thriving: Being completely on the same page with his quarterback for the entire season

“If he [Aaron Rodgers] doesn’t trust you, he’s not going to throw you the ball, I promise you that,” New York Jets wide receiver Randall Cobb said on the third episode of “Hard Knocks,” via Bleacher Report. “He does not like throwing interceptions. If he doesn’t trust you’re going to run the right route, he’s not going to throw it.”

Christian Watson learned this truth the hard way in Green Bay in 2022 after having an ugly drop on his first throw from Rodgers in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, dropping what would’ve been a 75-yard touchdown. It took Watson until Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys, when he broke out with 107 receiving yards and three touchdowns on four catches in a 31-28 overtime victory, to earn Rodgers’ trust. From there, he exploded, finishing the year with nine scrimmage touchdowns.

The nine touchdowns were tied for the most among all rookies with Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III. They were also tied for the fourth most in the entire NFL among all wide receivers with a few of the league’s best: the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb, the Browns’ Amari Cooper and the Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett. Watson’s seven receiving touchdowns from Weeks 10-18 were tied for the third most in the entire NFL with former Packers great Davante Adams.

Being on the same page with Jordan Love from the get-go in Year 2 after working closely with him all offseason could mean more fireworks for Watson in 2023.

10 WHO ARE SAFE

Frank Zinkie of YahooSports.com offers 10 players you won’t have to worry about:

Let’s take a look at the safest picks in each round of 2023 Yahoo drafts, with an acknowledgment that I included running backs whenever possible due to the annual struggle to find safe picks at a position that is inherently full of risk.

Round 1: Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

I wanted to put Justin Jefferson in this spot, but that advice will only help those who nab the 1.01 draft slot. In a 2023 RB landscape that is full of potholes, Chubb is arguably the safest option. The 27-year-old is experienced but not yet old for the position, and he is one of the few ball carriers who has virtually no competition for touches in his team’s backfield. Chubb lacks a high ceiling due to his lack of passing game involvement, but he is the betting favorite to lead the NFL in rushing yards and will also be heavily used in the red zone.

Round 2: A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The Round 2 receivers offer terrific safety, with Brown as perhaps the safest of the bunch. The 26-year-old exceeded the 1,000-yard mark in three of his initial four seasons, with his best campaign coming in 2022 during his first year with the Eagles. Brown is the top target in an ultra-productive offense that has enough weapons to keep defenses honest.

Round 3: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Due to his incredible combination of throwing and rushing prowess, Allen has arguably become the most reliable fantasy QB. Over the past three seasons, the sixth-year pro has averaged 4,411 yards and 36 TDs through the air, and 649 yards and seven scores on the ground. The 27-year-old could lead an even better offense this year if RB James Cook delivers on breakout expectations and first-round TE Dalton Kincaid hits the ground running.

Round 4: Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Aside from scrambling, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson likes nothing more than directing passes to his star tight end. The Ravens have added weapons for their passing attack in wide receivers Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr., but the negative impact of having more passes directed to other targets should be offset by having more passing plays overall. Having averaged over 50 yards per game in each of his past four seasons, Andrews has a high floor to go along with the ceiling he showed when producing 1,361 yards in 2021.

Round 5: Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans

Pierce lacks the upside to be an exciting draft option. After all, it’s hard to envision the Texans having a high-scoring offense this year. But Pierce is undoubtedly going to have a heavy workload, which is something that can be said about few RBs at this point in the draft. Barring injury, the 23-year-old should easily top the 1,000-yard mark and get most of the goal-line work.

Round 6: DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears

After acquiring Moore in a trade that involved the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bears are surely going to call the 26-year-old’s number often this season. In a worst-case scenario, Justin Fields proves that he lacks high-end passing ability, at which point Moore will be in a similar situation to his five years in Carolina, where he still averaged over 1,000 yards per season. And in a best-case scenario, Moore enjoys a career year after instantly establishing chemistry with Fields.

Round 7: Dalvin Cook, RB, New York Jets

Safety is a scarce commodity in Round 7, which led me to choose someone who has been on his current team for just a few weeks. Simply put, the Jets didn’t guarantee Cook $7 million (with $1.6 million more in incentives) to sit on the bench. And I guarantee that QB Aaron Rodgers had a hand in Cook’s signing after watching him succeed in NFC North contests for six seasons. Although Cook will share carries with Breece Hall, he is the healthier of the two backs and is more likely to be involved in the passing game.

Round 8: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

I’m cheating on this pick, as Freiermuth currently comes off the board with the final pick on Round 7, but I don’t like the safety of anyone in Round 8. The third-year pro nearly reached 100 targets last year in a Pittsburgh offense that added little weaponry in the offseason and could take a step forward as QB Kenny Pickett continues to develop.

Round 9: Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Forget the fact that Johnson failed to catch a touchdown last season. That widely discussed statistic was an anomaly that will be corrected this year. With 281 catches over the past three seasons, Johnson is a reliable target hog who should score at least five times this year en route to being a low-end WR2. And as was mentioned with Freiermuth, at least one Pittsburgh weapon could have a career year if Kenny Pickett takes a step forward.

Round 10: Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants

Jones is the safest option among a 10-pack of Round 10 picks that include three kickers and several position players who have unstable roles or brief track records. Due to his rushing prowess (708 yards, seven TDs in 2022), Jones has a high floor. And with a meager career-high of 3,205 passing yards, the 26-year-old has plenty of room to take his fantasy production to a higher level.

GIL BRANDT

We are sorry to hear of the passing of Gil Brandt.

A founding figure in the world of scouting and analytics, he thrived in various activities until just a few years ago.  This from ESPN.com:

Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt, one of the architects who helped turn the Dallas Cowboys from an expansion franchise into “America’s Team,” died Thursday. He was 91.

He was the Cowboys’ vice president of player personnel for 28 years, from 1960 when the team entered the NFL as an expansion franchise until May 1989, when he was fired by new owner and general manager Jerry Jones.

Under the leadership of Brandt, coach Tom Landry and general manager Tex Schramm, the Cowboys posted 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 until 1985 and made five Super Bowl appearances, earning two championships. The Cowboys won those titles by defeating the Miami Dolphins 24-3 in Super Bowl VI and the Denver Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl XII.

Landry was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 and Schramm in 1991, but Brandt had to wait to join them until 2019, when he was inducted as a contributor. He is also in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor, added in 2018.

“We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Gil Brandt — a true icon and pioneer of our sport. Gil was at the very core of the early success of the Dallas Cowboys and continued to serve as a great ambassador for the organization for decades beyond that. His contributions cemented his spot in the Ring of Honor,” Jones said in a statement. “He was my friend and a mentor not only to me, but to countless executives, coaches, players and broadcasters across the National Football League, which rightfully earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame where his legacy will be celebrated forever.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that the Hall of Fame flag in Canton, Ohio, was lowered to half-staff Thursday in honor of Brandt.

Brandt is credited with being the first in the NFL to use computers to enter number grades for prospects at each position in evaluation for the NFL draft and the first to test prospects’ mental makeup under pressure through psychological testing.

Using that computer system as a guide, he oversaw the drafting of or signed nine players who went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame: defensive lineman Bob Lilly, his first selection in 1960; defensive back Mel Renfro (1964); wide receiver Bob Hayes (1965); Roger Staubach (1964); offensive tackle Rayfield Wright (1967); defensive back Cliff Harris (signed as undrafted free agent in 1970); defensive tackle Randy White (1975); running back Tony Dorsett (1977); and wide receiver Michael Irvin (1988).

Brandt said the Cowboys had a system in place that, “if we would follow the computer, we’d do all right.”

“You can’t tell the story about the success of the Dallas Cowboys and their two-decade run of winning seasons from the mid-1960s to mid-1980s without mentioning Gil Brandt,” Jim Porter, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said in a statement Thursday.

Brandt also helped Jones with his first NFL draft in 1989, when the Cowboys selected eventual Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman with the first overall pick. Jones fired Brandt after that draft, but the two men remained friends, and Brandt selected Jones to present him at his Hall of Fame induction in 2019.

“Gil Brandt set the standard for all scouts and personnel executives to follow, and aspire to, in the NFL,” Jones said when he accepted the offer to present Brandt at his induction. “Gil changed the NFL in the draft room and is more than worthy of this recognition.”

Brandt is credited, along with Schramm, with spurring the creation of the NFL scouting combine. The two men proposed to the NFL’s competition committee that the scouting process should be centralized, which led to the creation of the National Invitational Camp in Tampa, Florida. Two other such camps also were held in other parts of the country, and in 1985, the three camps merged into one and became known as the NFL scouting combine.

“Gil Brandt was a pioneer in the truest sense of the word,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday. “As the personnel architect of the Cowboys for nearly three decades, he transformed the way teams scouted talent by building a player evaluation system using computers. He was the first to scout players from outside the U.S. and from different sports. The NFL today would not be the same without Gil Brandt.”

Brandt was born on March 4, 1933, in Milwaukee and attended the University of Wisconsin. His first job after college was as a baby photographer.

He got his start in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams as a part-time scout in the 1950s, when Schramm was the team’s general manager.

Brandt also wrote for NFL.com as a player analyst and historian and was a regular contributor for SiriusXM NFL Radio.

“Gil was as good a storyteller as it gets, with a memory as sharp as a tack. His dedication to, and passion for, this game left a lasting impact on generations of Hall of Fame players and coaches. There are very few people that have been able to have the kind of generational impact that he did. Gil was as dedicated to growing this league and sport as anyone ever was, and we are all grateful and better for it,” Jones said in his statement Thursday.

“Our hearts go out to Gil’s wife, Sara, his son Hunter and all of Gil’s family and friends.”

HIGHEST-PAID PLAYERS

As of this week, ESPN provides us with an updated list of the NFL’s highest-paid players.  For whatever reason, they tell us the teams for the runner-ups, but not the leader in each category – which wasn’t a big deal until we go to long snapper:

Quarterback

Highest three-year APY:

1. Justin Herbert, $53.3 million

Signed: July 2023 (contract ends in 2029)

2. Lamar Jackson (BAL), $52 million

3. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $51 million

4. Russell Wilson (DEN), $50 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Deshaun Watson, $230 million

Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Justin Herbert (LAC), $217.7 million

3. Kyler Murray (ARI), $189.5 million

4. Lamar Jackson (BAL), $185 million

5. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $180 million

Running back

Highest three-year APY:

1. Christian McCaffrey, $17.2 million

Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.7 million

3. Derrick Henry (TEN), $12.5 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Christian McCaffrey, $36.3 million

Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $34.3 million

3. Derrick Henry (TEN), $25.5 million

Wide receiver

Highest three-year APY:

1. Cooper Kupp, $26.7 million

Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Stefon Diggs (BUF), 26.2 million

3. Tyreek Hill (MIA), $25 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Cooper Kupp, $75 million

Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Tyreek Hill (MIA), $72.2 million

3. Stefon Diggs (BUF), $70 million

Tight end

Highest three-year APY:

1. T.J. Hockenson, $17.125 million

Signed: August 2023 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Darren Waller (NYG), $17 million

3. George Kittle (SF), $15.3 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. T.J. Hockenson, $42.5 million

Signed: August 2023 (contract ends in 2027)

2. George Kittle (SF), $40 million

3. Mark Andrews (BAL), $37.6 million

Offensive line

Highest three-year APY:

T1. Andrew Thomas, $23.5 million

Signed: July 2023 (contract ends in 2029)

T1. David Bakhtiari (GB), $23.5 million

3. Laremy Tunsil (HOU), $22 million

4. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $21.8 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Andrew Thomas, $67 million

Signed: July 2023 (contract ends in 2029)

2. Ronnie Stanley (BAL), $64.1 million

3. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $62.7 million

4. Ryan Ramczyk (NO), $60.2 million

Cornerback

Highest three-year APY:

1. Jaire Alexander, $21.7 million

Signed: May 2022 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $20.6 million

3. Denzel Ward (CLE), $20.2 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Denzel Ward, $71.25 million

Signed: April 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $71.2 million

3. Marlon Humphrey (BAL), $66.9 million

Edge rusher

Highest three-year APY:

1. T.J. Watt, $30.5 million

Signed: September 2021 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Joey Bosa (LAC), $29.2 million

3. Myles Garrett (CLE), $26.7 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Joey Bosa, $102 million

Signed: July 2020 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Myles Garrett (CLE), $100 million

3. Khalil Mack (LAC), $90 million

Defensive tackle

Highest three-year APY:

1. Aaron Donald, $31.6 million

Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Quinnen Williams (NYJ), $24 million

3. Jeffery Simmons (TEN), $23.5 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Quinnen Williams, $66 million

Signed: July 2023 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Daron Payne, $60.02 million

T3. Aaron Donald (LAR), $60 million

T3. Chris Jones (KC), $60 million

T3. Dexter Lawrence (NYG), $60 million

Off-ball linebacker

Highest three-year APY:

1. Roquan Smith, $20 million

Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)

2. Fred Warner (SF), $19.5 million

3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $19 million

Total guaranteed money

1. Roquan Smith, $60 million

Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)

2. Shaquille Leonard (IND), $52.5 million

3. C.J. Mosley (NYJ), $51 million

Safety

Highest three-year APY:

1. Derwin James Jr., $19.6 million

Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $18.6 million

3. Jamal Adams (SEA), $17.6 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Derwin James Jr., $42 million

Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

T2. Jamal Adams (SEA), $36 million

T2. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $36 million

T2. Jessie Bates III (ATL), $36 million

Kicker

Highest three-year APY:

1. Justin Tucker, $6.2 million

Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Matt Gay (IND), $5.9 million

3. Chris Boswell (PIT), $5.6 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Justin Tucker, $17.5 million

Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Matt Gay (IND), $13 million

2. Chris Boswell (PIT), $12.5 million

Long-snapper

Highest three-year APY:

1. Joe Cardona, $1.6 million

Signed: March 2023 (contract ends 2026)

2. Charley Hughlett (CLE), 1.47 million

3. Josh Harris (LAC), $1.44 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Joe Cardona, $2.6 million

Signed: March 2023 (contract ends 2026)

2. Andrew DePaola (MIN), $2.2 million

3. Charley Hughlett (CLE), $1.9 million

Punter

Highest three-year APY:

1. Michael Dickson, $3.9 million

Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Jack Fox (DET), $3.6 million

3. Tress Way (WSH), $3.3 million

Total guaranteed money:

1. Michael Dickson, $8.5 million

Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Jack Fox (DET), $7.5 million

2. Tress Way (WSH), $6.4 million

The team that pays long snapper Joe Cardona, a 31-year-old graduate of the Naval Academy, $1.7 million is the New England Patriots.