| NFC NORTH |
| GREEN BAYEDGE MICAH PARSONS is trending towards playing on a pitch count Sunday per Mike Florio: Yes, Packers linebacker Micah Parsons has been limited in practice the past two days with the back injury that became the battleground for his final days in Dallas. No, he’s not expected to miss the game. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Parsons is trending toward playing. He’s currently not expected to require an epidural injection in order to play. While his workload has yet to be determined, expect Parsons — fundamentally a pass rusher — to play in obvious passing situations against the Lions in an out-of-the gates showdown in what was once known as the “black and blue” division. Anything other than full participation will be less about the injury and more about not knowing the playbook when his assignment is anything other than “get to the quarterback.” And, yes, the back injury was real. But, no, it wouldn’t have kept him from practicing or playing for the Cowboys, if he had the financial security that came from a long-term contract. He carried the injury risk, and the back condition created enough of a risk of injury to justify not exposing Parsons to an aggravation that could have caused him to miss extended time in a contract year. |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASWR CEEDEE LAMB (and Todd Archer of ESPN.com) are calling his failure to catch a 4th-down pass late in Thursday’s loss at Dallas a “drop” although Cris Collinsworth seemed to feel the degree of difficulty on the diving catch took it out of that category: Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb shouldered the blame for the Dallas Cowboys’ season-opening, 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field. “Man, that’s terrible,” he said in the locker room. “Honestly, I feel like I can’t point no finger at anybody else.” Lamb had three drops, including two in the fourth quarter that prevented the Cowboys from pulling off an upset on the night the Eagles celebrated last season’s Super Bowl championship. During training camp, Lamb, who had seven drops last season, said one of the goals he had for 2025 was to go through the season without a drop. His first came in the second quarter and prevented the Cowboys from scoring a touchdown on three straight possessions to start the game, forcing them to eventually settle for a Brandon Aubrey field goal. “It wasn’t just those plays,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “There’s throws out there that I want back. But it’s Game 1, and he’s a guy that makes those plays. He’s going to make those plays. I’m not going to get down on him. I’m not going to lose confidence by any means. And he will make those plays.” Prescott did not shy away from going to Lamb. He had a game-high 13 targets. And when the game was on the line, Prescott looked his way. With 2:40 to play, Lamb had his most crucial drop — his third — as the Cowboys were looking for a go-ahead score. Prescott perfectly placed a deep pass in Lamb’s path, but it bounced out of his hands harmlessly, leaving Lamb shocked. It was his first three-drop game since Week 13 last year against the New York Giants. Had he made that catch, the Cowboys would have had the ball inside the Eagles’ 20 and had not been stopped in the red zone in their two first-half attempts. “I take full accountability and everything that’s going to come with it,” Lamb said. “As for me as a player, I’ve prayed for moments like that and for the ball to come my way, and for me not to come up with it, that stings a little bit.” After a defensive stop, the Cowboys faced fourth-and-3 from their 45 after the two-minute warning. Lining up in the slot, Lamb gained leverage on Cooper DeJean on a deep throw that was just out of his reach while diving. Though not counted as a drop, it’s a catch Lamb, a three-time Pro Bowl player and in the second year of an extension that averages $34 million per season, expects to make. “I don’t worry about CeeDee Lamb,” coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “CeeDee’s going to be fine. A great player. Again, this was a team defeat, and we own that.” Lamb finished with seven catches for a game-high 110 yards. It was his 22nd career game with at least 100 receiving yards, tying Hall of Famer Bob Hayes for third most in franchise history. Only Hall of Famer Michael Irvin (47) and Tony Hill (26) have more in team history as receivers. It was his third 100-yard game of his career against the Eagles. But it was the three that got away that bothered Lamb most, and he was not going to use a lack of preseason action as a factor. “That ain’t got nothing to do with what’s going on right now,” he said. “I need to catch the damn ball.” |
| PHILADELPHIATim McManus of ESPN.com gets to the bottom of Spitgate: – Eagles standout defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected from Thursday night’s 24-20 win against the Dallas Cowboys before the first play from scrimmage. After the opening kickoff, there was an injury delay for Eagles fullback Ben VanSumeren, who remained on the ground for several minutes. During that time, Carter and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott got face-to-face, and Carter spit on Prescott as the two began to separate. “It was a mistake that happened on my side, and it just won’t happen again,” Carter said after the game. “I feel bad for my teammates and the fans out there. I’m doing it for them. … Not being able to start the game even, finish the game, it f—ed me up but we’re going to get it better. It won’t happen again. I can make that promise.” Later video showed Prescott spitting in the direction of Carter and the Eagles’ defense before Carter spit on him. Prescott characterized the situation as a misunderstanding that escalated, saying he frequently spits during games and spit ahead to avoid his linemen while watching Carter “mess with” rookie guard Tyler Booker. He said Carter asked, “Are you trying to spit on me?” and that he took offense to the notion. “I wouldn’t spit on somebody,” Prescott said. “I stepped through [and] I actually said words like, ‘The hell — excuse me, but probably even more colorful — what would I need to spit on you for?’ And he just spit on me in that moment. It was more of a surprise than anything.” After Carter spit, Prescott quickly motioned to a nearby official, who threw the flag and ejected Carter for unsportsmanlike conduct six seconds into the NFL season opener. Fans booed as Carter walked off slowly, holding his helmet behind his back. “One of the officials observed [Carter] spitting on an opponent,” referee Shawn Smith told a pool reporter. “It’s a disqualifiable foul in the game. It’s a non-football act.” Prescott said he didn’t realize Carter would be ejected and said it was “unfortunate,” adding that, “I don’t wish for anybody to get out of the game.” The Eagles were given a 15-yard penalty, and the Cowboys scored a touchdown on their six-play opening drive, capped by a 1-yard rush by Javonte Williams. “I want these guys to play with great energy, great tenacity while doing it within the rules of the game. So we’ll address that,” said Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni, whose team committed nine penalties for 110 yards on the night. “[Carter] knows we needed him out there today, and he wasn’t out there against a really good offense.” Sirianni would not reveal whether Carter would face any internal discipline, saying any action would be kept in-house. Asked whether he is concerned about being suspended by the league, Carter said: “If I get that text or that call and have that conversation, we’ll handle it then.” The Eagles travel to Kansas City for a Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs in Week 2. Carter said he talked to his fellow defensive linemen at halftime and vowed there wouldn’t be a repeat occurrence. Left tackle Jordan Mailata added that Carter also addressed the team, describing his tone as “remorseful.” Quarterback Jalen Hurts also had a discussion with Carter. He said the two are “on the same page” and that the incident is something everyone can learn from. “As a whole team I think it’s just a matter of taking our discipline to another level and our focus to another level,” Hurts said. Carter, 24, is considered one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. He had 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss to help lead the No. 1-ranked defense in the NFL last season. Conor Orr of SI.com has thoughts on Carter’s ejection – feeling it reflects a change in NFL officiating. The very granular subtext of Jalen Carter’s absolutely stunning ejection before the first play from scrimmage in the season opener is that the NFL says it saw a sharp rise in both obscene gestures and taunting a year ago. Officials came into Thursday night’s game armed with morality detectors, prepared to make an example out of someone—anyone—before Sunday’s full opening slate. It’s not like players and coaches were not warned. Had it not been Carter, it would have been some unsuspecting wide receiver pointing his fingers in a way that vaguely resembled pistols, or a running back aggressively trying to yank his feet out of a pile before catching someone’s arm. Of course, I’m not sure that even in Roger Goodell’s wildest dreams that someone would make his job so easy. The principal may not even have to hand out a single other detention this weekend. What Carter did—hocking a loogie on the Cowboys’ most recognizable player and former Walter Payton Man of the Year—was classless and idiotic but was also, up until now, very much a part of the NFL’s milieu. This was, and remains, a filthy game. Ask an offensive lineman what happens underneath a pile (his groin gets twisted like a grocery store produce bag). Ask a defensive lineman why he now has a facemask with more protective bars than a locked-down bodega (to stop his eyes from being gouged out). Ask a coach why he’s always so reluctant to disclose anything about an injury (because once an opposing player finds out, he’s going to take that sensitive limb and contort it like bread dough). We can talk endlessly about what Carter was thinking. We can tie it, if we want, into Carter’s past. There is a reason, after all, that he was available for the Eagles to draft in the first place, with the ninth pick, despite being widely viewed as one of the two or three best talents in the 2023 draft. It’s fun to naval gaze or armchair psychoanalyze when we’re not the ones in the chair. But what interests me is how aggressively and effectively the NFL is trying to polish its product as the league reaches the next phase of its expansion and the outer reaches of its most aggressive goals. It’s not unlike some powerful new dictatorial regime that erases the very complicated and hard-to-palate history that predated its arrival. This is a global entertainment product. This is a political powerhouse with hooks deep inside the White House and a clear path to legislate itself into monolith status. This is a machine of self-generating content more vast and sustainable than any single streaming service. And, because of that, the NFL will have to find a way to shed the dusty and dirty lining that accompanied the product for so long. It has to be as neutral and inoffensive as puppies, Tom Hanks or a Bob Ross painting. If you think I’m overreacting, look at how quickly we’ve all collectively moved on from the YOU GOT JACKED era. Our knowledge of the post-career impact of head trauma made the past seem more difficult to digest and the programming shifted from glorifying violence to the promotion of personal dopamine, either from the success of our fantasy football teams or the (rare and almost impossible) completion of some parlay. This is the forever sweet spot that the NFL is trying to occupy, while also trying to cement the family-friendly feeling of it all. It’s kind of like when nicotine is available in fun and fruity flavors. To be clear, I’m not whimsical about some of this stuff and you shouldn’t be, either. It’s great that we don’t jump up and cheer when someone gets knocked out cold. It’s awesome that our kids are going to be a little more aware of just how not O.K. it is to approach another human being and spit on him (although, knowing Philadelphia like I do, to think that this will not lead to some kind of epidemic of fan spitting is incredibly optimistic). I am pointing out that 10 years ago, Carter would not have been ejected (just ask Terrell Owens and Bill Romanowski). Spitting isn’t specifically in the rulebook, by the way, but officials have plenty of leeway under the phrase “abusive gestures” to make their case. I am pointing out that 20 years ago, there probably wouldn’t have been 325 cameras there to capture it in high definition. I am pointing out that, sometimes, it’s wild to look around and see how much has changed. Carter 100% needs to clean up his act, but any player watching this game who thinks they won’t be next has another thing—or suspension—coming. The NFL’s Family Friendly Era™ is upon us. Tread lightly. |
| WASHINGTONRyan Wilson wonders what the Commanders have on their hands in rookie RB Isiah Pacheco was the 22nd running back taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, a seventh-round pick selected 251st overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. Heading into Week 1 of his rookie season, Pacheco was listed as RB3 behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a former first-round pick, and Jerick McKinnon, who was 30 years old and would play just one more NFL season. Edwards-Helaire suffered an ankle injury in Week 11, the team placed him on injured reserve, and Pacheco took full advantage of the opportunity; over the last eight regular season games, he ran for 551 yards, two-thirds of his rookie total. He remained hot in the postseason, rushing for 197 yards over three games (5.1 yards per carry) that culminated in another Chiefs’ Super Bowl. Fast-forward to early May, when 25 running backs were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. At the top, no surprise, was Ashton Jeanty, the sixth-overall pick. Twenty-four running backs and 239 selections later, the Commanders took Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who played one season at Arizona, and prior to that made stops at New Mexico and Alabama State. If you watched Croskey-Merritt (who goes by Bill) in college, you probably weren’t surprised to see him drafted. The problem was that there wasn’t much tape to go on from 2024 — he played just one game for the Wildcats because of eligibility issues — and it came against his former team, New Mexico. But even in that limited sample size, it was pretty easy to see he was special. When I first write up a prospect, I’ll usually begin by looking up some biographical information on their college team’s website, just to get a sense of who they are and what they’ve accomplished to date. On paper, Croskey-Merritt looked like a superstar. At New Mexico, he once rushed for 200-plus yards in back-to-back games, becoming the first player in school history to accomplish the feat in a single season, let alone back-to-back games. So, yeah, that sounds impressive, but boxscore scouting won’t get you very far. Turning on the tape from his last two college seasons told a story that loudly confirmed — in bold, underlined and increased font size by several points — the words at the beginning of this paragraph. These were the first two sentences of my notes on Croskey-Merritt from last spring: “Insane short-area-quickness, with one of the best jump-cuts in draft class after Ashton Jeanty. He has open-field juice, elite contact balance and is a willing between-the-tackles runner.” Again, that sounds effusive until you watched Croskey-Merritt in college, realized you struggled to find the words to convey the images burned into your brain and that you were, in fact, underselling it a good bit. We talk a lot throughout the draft process about skills translating from one level to the next, whether it’s Division II to FCS, FCS to FBS or making the leap to the NFL. Because it’s one thing to dominate at lower levels — only to realize that was mostly a function of you being the best athlete on the field every week. And maybe those were the concerns for Croskey-Merritt when he left Alabama State for New Mexico, but I’d imagine those concerns lasted less than the length of one practice. Same when he made his way to Tuscon, even if just for one game. And again, as the last running back taken in the 2025 class, where he quickly went from “that seventh-round rookie” to not only playing himself inside the 53-man roster, but allowing the Commanders to trade former third-round running back Brian Robinson Jr.. So why did Croskey-Merritt last until pick No. 245? First, he’s a 24-year-old rookie, and while that’s not a deal-breaker, the two first-round running backs, Jeanty and Omarion Hampton, are 21 and 22. In fact, of the other 23 running backs drafted, only Woody Marks and RJ Harvey are older than Croskey Merritt. Then there’s playing for three schools over his final three college seasons, including the lone game he suited up for Arizona last fall before he was sidelined by eligibility issues. There just wasn’t much tape of him playing against top-flight college competition. It’s one thing to run for over 200 yards against Fresno State and Utah State, but it would have been instructive to see him against Big 12 opponents (Kansas State, Utah, BYU and Arizona State were all ranked inside the top 15 when the Wildcats faced them). And, of course, there’s the old refrain about running backs being replaceable, some version of “Why take one in the first round when you can find comparable productivity for a fraction of the price later in the draft!” (It’s almost like a NFL Draft infomercial — “Use the coupon code: FUNGIBLE for 20% off your next RB purchase and watch the savings roll in!”) Fair or not, there is some truth to this, and I don’t even think it’s controversial; offensive tackles, edge rushers and defensive linemen, cornerbacks and, of course, quarterbacks are more important to a team’s success, much harder to find in the draft and regularly targeted earlier in the draft than running backs. Look no further than the Commanders’ last two draft classes: They took an offensive tackle and a cornerback in Rounds 1 and 2 in 2025, and the year before, it was quarterback, defensive linemen and nickelback. This also feels like a good time to dispel the myth that “you can find running backs anywhere.” Because you can’t. You can find value later in the draft, for sure, but we can say that about any position. Since 2000, 151 running backs have rushed for at least 400 yards in their rookie seasons. Two of the top four rookie rushing leaders were sixth-rounders: Ezekiel Elliott: 1,631 yards (first-round pick)Alfred Collins: 1,613 yards (sixth-round pick)Clinton Portis: 1,508 yards (second-round pick)Mike Anderson: 1,487 yards (sixth-round pick) But as you make your way through the top 50 rookie rushing leaders over the last quarter-century, you notice a trend: 25 first-rounders, 17 second-rounders and 11 Day 3 picks, including just one seventh-rounder in Pacheco. In fact, only Pacheco, Bryce Brown and Daryl Richardson ran for more than 400 yards as rookie seventh-round picks. And in that sense, any early success Croskey-Merritt has in the NFL would be more anomalous than expected, though the names become more frequent and familiar as you work your way back through Day 3: Rookie rushing yards by round Round 6 Round 5 Round 4Alfred Morris (1,613) Jordan Howard (1,313) Bucky Irving (1,122)Mike Anderson (1,487) Tyler Allgeier (1,035) Chuba Hubbard (612)Elijah Mitchell (963 yds) Tyrone Tracy Jr. (839) Jamaal Williams (556)Aaron Jones (448) Tony Pollard (455) There is some nuance to this discussion, however. Higher draft picks are more likely to make the team and be given more opportunities once they do. And in a different world, where Croskey-Merritt began his college career at Arizona, played three seasons there, stayed healthy and was the exact same player currently on the Commanders roster, he could have easily been a top-100 pick. Put another way: He still is that player; it’s just that his path to the NFL wasn’t as direct as he had perhaps hoped. For what it’s worth, he is a better prospect than Pacheco coming out of college; he’s a more explosive runner, with better vision and big-play ability. And in that sense, Croskey-Merritt does feel like a steal as a late seventh-rounder, at least based on the brief glimpses we got in college and in the preseason. The good news is that none of that matters now. He made the roster, and while he’s currently RB4 behind Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols, Croskey-Merritt is going to get his opportunity. Just like Pacheco had to bide his time as a rookie until an injury opened the door for him to subsequently kick down. |
| NFC WEST |
| SAN FRANCISCONot what you want as a 49ers fan or a RB CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY Fantasy Owner a the season starts: @AdamSchefter49ers are listing RB Christian McCaffrey as limited at today’s practice due to a calf issue. |
| AFC WEST |
| DENVERMike Sando’s panel has the Broncos as the 6th-best team in AFC. Thoughts: Denver rounds out a second tier of teams ranked fourth through sixth, with a larger gap to the next group, which features the Steelers and Chargers. “Denver is getting better and could win that division this year, actually,” said an exec who nonetheless had Cincinnati-Houston-Denver in his 4-5-6 slots. The Broncos ranked first in defensive EPA per play last season. How high can they climb from their No. 16 ranking on offense? “I trust the coach (Sean Payton), and Bo Nix is still underrated,” one voter said. “They paid (Courtland) Sutton, they got RJ Harvey to go with J.K. Dobbins. I think (Evan) Engram will be the big piece for them to open up the offense. We know Sean loves tight ends who can get up the seam.” That would help overcome potential regression on defense. “I think Denver is the fifth-best team,” another exec said. “Is it good enough (to contend)? Probably not. My issues are quarterback-related, which is why I have Houston fourth. I trust that quarterback more than some of the others.” |
| KANSAS CITYThe turf should be better at the home of Corinthians in Sao Paolo tonight. Jayna Bardahl and Daniel Popper of The Athletic: When the NFL played its first game in Brazil last year at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, criticism rose about the slick field conditions. As the league prepares to return to the arena for Friday’s Kansas City Chiefs versus Los Angeles Chargers matchup, it hopes to avoid the same problems thanks to a turf renovation in conjunction with the NFL, along with extra awareness from players, coaches and executives. “We are always focused on delivering the best experience for our teams in every way, and certainly, the field surface is a key component of that,” NFL executive VP of club business Peter O’Reilly said in August. “Our team has been down there working with Corinthians to ensure the best possible field surface for this game, and we feel confident in that.” Corinthians Arena, also known as Neo Química Arena, is primarily a soccer stadium and has hosted events like the World Cup, Olympics and Copa América. Its playing surface features the hybrid turf GrassMaster, which is the same turf used at two NFL stadiums: Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers) and Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Eagles), the homes of two teams who played in Brazil last year. However, before this summer, the turf at Corinthians Arena had not been renovated since the facility opened in 2014. In June, the NFL and its local partners invested in the renovation process and sent technology not yet available in Brazil to sew new synthetic fibers in the grass. The process was aimed at improving traction, a development that directly ties to the concerns of NFL players. The Eagles beat the Packers 34-29 last year in Brazil, but multiple players lost their footing and slipped throughout the game. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni told NBC at halftime that the playing surface was a problem, but, “We’ve gotta do whatever you’ve gotta do, change your cleats.” On Monday, before Chargers players departed for Brazil, a whiteboard outside of their equipment room had a note written on it in red marker, strongly urging them to get fitted for screw-in cleats. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said he thinks his team “will be able to handle it,” as long as they are properly equipped. “I think it’s something that we always address before the game, and we’ve seen the film. We’ve talked about it,” Herbert said. “That’s something that we’ll feel before the game when we’re able to warm up, see how it is, and just make sure that we get a good feel for all the cuts that we’re going to make and handle that.” Chargers running back Najee Harris said earlier this week that improper field conditions can make playing extremely difficult, especially in the running game. “When I cut into the ground, I put a lot of force into it,” Harris said. “I know it’s not going to be the same type of (surface) that we’re used to playing on, and hopefully the screw-in cleats help, but I probably don’t think it will. “We’ll see, man. Rather than make assumptions and think about the field, you just got to do what you got to do. Any surface — rain, sleet, concrete, astroturf — it don’t matter.” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he knew that the league was working on improving the field conditions and brushed off concerns about the impact it would have on the game. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and, for the first time, will be free to watch on YouTube. The Brazil game is the first of seven international games for the NFL this season. “I think it’ll be ripping and ready to go,” Reid said. “But you know what? Whatever it is, both teams are playing on it, and we roll.” And this change in end zone logos, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic: The Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs will both have their logos represented on the field for Friday’s night’s matchup at Neo Química Arena, even though it is technically a Chargers home game. The Chiefs will have their logo and colors in one end zone. The Chargers will have their logo and colors in the other end zone. “New for this year, the logos or marks of both teams will appear in their respective end zones of all NFL international games,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email. “It’s a fun element to further enhance the atmosphere as a big event and create a special look and feel for international games. Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:“As always at international games, all of the gameday presentation and rituals of the designated team will be featured like a home game — in this case, the Chargers.” In last year’s Brazil game, the Philadelphia Eagles were the home team against the Green Bay Packers. Both end zones were painted with Eagles marks. When international games first started, it was typical for both teams to be featured in an end zone. By 2019, however, the NFL started having the fields dressed up for the home teams. According to NFL spokesman Michael Signora, the change in end zone protocol was reviewed with all clubs at the spring league meeting in May. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMORECharles McDonald of YahooSports.com sees QB LAMAR JACKSON matching or exceeding his near-MVP 2024 season: Lamar Jackson is set up well to have another nuclear seasonLamar Jackson had a rare season last year where he was voted first team All-Pro while not winning the MVP, but he’s positioned to have another all-time great season this year as Baltimore gears up for another season. Last season ended in disappointment when the Ravens fell short of their goal against the Bills in the divisional round with too many turnovers, but they were able to move the ball well outside of that. This team might not reach the peaks of what they did in 2024, but with Jackson under center (and that Derrick Henry guy next to him) they can still be an elite offense capable of winning it all. [It’s not too late — join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The run game is self-explanatory. Baltimore’s offense isn’t perfect and can be leaky from time to time, but it showed last year that it’s perfectly capable of anchoring an offense that can be a buzzsaw unit and score at will. Jackson’s mobility and continued growth as a NFL ball-handler gives them a margin of error to work with that most teams simply don’t have. Last season, Jackson posted by far the lowest sack rate of his career, getting sacked on just 4.6% of his dropbacks. There’s no reason to believe that trend can’t continue for the Ravens. For perhaps the first time in Jackson’s career, there should be excitement about what the Ravens’ pass-catchers can do for this team. The emergence and contract extension of wide receiver Rashod Bateman has put this team in a spot where they have a big-play threat on the outside who is still growing into the little things that can make him a real WR1 for this offense. If Bateman can stay on the field and continue to let his immense talent manifest, Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins round out perfect complementary pieces for what Bateman brings on the outside. Mark Andrews, even after his sloppy game in the playoffs, is still one of the best tight ends in the league, and Isaiah Likely is a great player to pair with him on two-tight end sets. The last piece that should inspire high expectations for this offense is the continuity they’ve built with offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Despite leading a great offense for back-to-back seasons, Monken hasn’t been generating much head coaching interest and may be in Baltimore for the foreseeable future. That’s great for the players that they have on roster, because they really meshed with Monken’s vision for the offense last year, and another year of familiarity is never a bad thing. As long as the offense stays relatively healthy throughout the season, they’re going to put up points in bunches. Jackson has the pieces around him to win his third MVP this year as long as he doesn’t take some unforeseen drop in play. Repeating 41 passing touchdowns to just four interceptions will be tough, but a player as talented as Jackson should be able to do it. |
| CLEVELANDMike Sando’s execs have the Browns last in the AFC, but some see reason for cautious optimism: Four of the eight execs ranked Cleveland last in the conference. The voter ranking them highest (12th) had the Titans, Colts, Jets and Raiders lower. “Cleveland is not going to be great, but they’re not going to be as bad,” this exec said. “I think they have a good enough defense to help them stay in a lot of games. And if they have decent quarterback play, which they should have with (Joe) Flacco, they’ll stay afloat.” The voter ranking the Browns 13th pointed to their coaching in elevating Cleveland over the Patriots and Jets. “They’ve got the best coaches between (Kevin) Stefanski and (Jim) Schwartz,” he said. “That defense should be really good with (Myles) Garrett and Denzel Ward, and I liked the second-round linebacker (Carson Schwesinger). You would like them more on offense if they had (Quinshon) Judkins.” |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONWith WR CHRISTIAN KIRK sidelined, two Iowa State rookies could be prime targets of QB CJ STROUD on Sunday. DJ Bien-Amie of ESPN.com: – Texans wideout Christian Kirk has a strained hamstring that is expected to sideline him for at least Sunday’s opener against the Los Angeles Rams and could be longer, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday. It could be a two-week injury for Kirk, one source said, but the Texans will be “cautious” with him. Wideout Nico Collins suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills last season and missed the next five games. Kirk was expected to be the No. 2 wide receiver to Collins after Houston acquired Kirk from the Jacksonville Jaguars in March. He has struggled to stay healthy the past two seasons, missing 14 games because of season-ending injuries. His absence could hurt the Texans’ offense, as Kirk emerged as a safety blanket for quarterback C.J. Stroud throughout training camp. Now, Houston will rely on rookie wideouts Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. Noel plays mainly in the slot — where Kirk was expected to start — and is expected to fill that void. |
| INDIANAPOLISMike Sando’s execs have the Colts ranked 13th in the AFC. There’s some thought that the Colts, freed from the charade of pretending Anthony Richardson is ready to start, might outperform expectations despite Daniel Jones’ limitations. “I think they’ll be better than people think,” the voter ranking Indy ninth said. “Daniel Jones has a lot of talent around him, where he doesn’t need to do anything crazy.” The voter slotting Indy 11th sounded conflicted. “I probably have them too high, but it’s like they always find their way to the middle of the pack,” he said. Another voter said he could see right away during the preseason why the Colts went with Jones over Anthony Richardson: The former allows coach Shane Steichen a better shot at calling a coherent game offensively. “He’s probably like, ‘Dude, just give me a guy who’s not going to give me the one bad play that’s going to blow up the drive, and just get me on schedule so I could keep dialing it up,’” this voter said. There is a catch. “The thing with Daniel Jones is, he’s a limited-upside, low-ceiling quarterback that is turnover prone,” another exec said. “But he’s going to give you a (better) chance to compete and give you what Gardner Minshew did when they almost made the playoffs (at 9-8 in 2023) — a guy that’s better than Gardner.” |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOMike Sando’s anonymous exec panel has thoughts on the Bills: The Bills carry the AFC’s highest Vegas win total, which reflects not just team strength, but also schedule. “I think Josh Allen is right, dead square in his prime,” one of the execs ranking the Bills first said. “They have to do it this year. Baltimore is so well-coached and so sound, and Lamar Jackson is explosive. It is a dead heat between those two.” The Bills are 2-0 against Baltimore in the playoffs when Allen and Jackson were in their teams’ lineups. “Talent-wise, Baltimore might be better in certain spots, but they just haven’t shown the ability to take that next step,” another exec said. “Buffalo has shown that in crucial moments, crucial games, they are able to make that one extra play, the few times they have played.” That excludes the Ravens’ 35-10 victory over the Bills in Week 4 last season. “I think Buffalo has the best roster and the best quarterback right now,” the other exec ranking the Bills first said. “Kansas City will find a way because of the quarterback. That is what they do. I am not trusting Baltimore as much.” One of the voters ranking Buffalo third questioned the Bills’ staying power. “Buffalo is third, but I don’t think they will be there at the end,” he said. “They are very thin, and I think the defense is a really big concern for them. The division sucks, so that helps.” The exec who endorsed Buffalo’s roster as the best pushed back against the concerns on defense. “They have (pass) rushers,” he said. “They have different ways to pressure without having to scheme. I trust their scheme as much as anything. I do think getting (Jordan) Poyer back, although he is not the player he once was, solidifies them with a leader back there.” |
| THIS AND THAT |
| CANDIDATES TO BOTTOM OUTCharles McDonald doesn’t list the Saints as one of four teams that could “bottom out” this year, but he does name the two 2024 playoff teams from LA. We will be interested to read his reasoning: Which teams could bottom out this year?Not every quality team gets to repeat their fortunes from a year ago. Teams fall into the darkness every year due to the randomness of the league and roster attrition, and most of them are just a hair away from total disappointment. We’re going to crank the negativity up here and go rapid fire on a few teams that could wind up at the bottom of the NFL standings after being at least decent last year. Miami Dolphins — This is a popular team to be down on, and for good reason. The offensive line is thin and banged up, and they genuinely might have the worst secondary in the league on paper. If Tyreek Hill takes a step back, things could get really spooky for head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier as the seat gets hotter and it looks like the peak of their run is over. Los Angeles Rams — The Rams have put together what looks to be a playoff-level team, but their potential success this season is hanging by a thread. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been in the news struggling with a serious back injury that’s leaving the Rams’ ability to contend for a Super Bowl in doubt. His mobility will be affected, putting more stress on an offensive line that still has to prove they can be a consistent unit. They get a strong test to open the season with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson coming to town. If Stafford gets hurt or misses extensive time, which is on the table as long as he’s dealing with this back injury, the Rams could bottom out (and that could end up being a blessing in disguise, with two first-round picks this upcoming draft). Indianapolis Colts — They’re starting Daniel Jones and let two of their best offensive linemen walk out the door in free agency to wind up in Minnesota. There’s not enough juice to squeeze here to repeat even an 8-9 season like they had last year. Los Angeles Chargers — Jim Harbaugh’s squad bottoming out is unlikely, but they do face a bit of a tougher path going into the second year of this regime. Losing star offensive tackle Rashawn Slater for the season is a big blow to an already thin offensive line, but they were able to protect themselves by sliding last year’s fifth overall pick, Joe Alt, over to the left tackle spot. While the peaks of the Chargers roster, including superstars like Justin Herbert and Derwin James, is really strong, they still are trying to build out consistently good depth just two seasons removed from having a top-five pick. An overly run-heavy approach is going to be on the menu this year considering who their coaches are and the fact they drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round, but they still might not have the horses to actualize their dream of playing a bullyball style of offense. |
