This on the guardian cap from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

In all, five Colts wore Guardian Caps during Sunday’s playoff game against the Broncos.

The most notable was running back Jonathan Taylor. Others who used them were running back Zavier Scott, tight end Kylen Granson, safety Rodney Thomas II, and linebacker Grant Stuard.

“Our [medical and equipment] guys here do a great job of keeping us informed,” Scott said, via the Indianapolis Star. “They’ve done the testing, and I don’t know the numbers, but they say it [offers] a significant reduction in concussions.”

Taylor explained that he wanted to try the extra padding. He didn’t commit to wearing it in the future.

The balance is safety versus aesthetics. They’re lumpy and misshapen.

It seems to be less of an issue with white helmets. On dark helmets, the cloth cover over the foam padding often looks like a bean bag chair with just a few too many beans.

Still, if it helps protect players, they should consider using it — and we should all try to get used to what it looks like.

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA

A promising debut, albeit not against a starting defense, for QB J.J. McCARTHY.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a rocky start to his preseason debut, but the rookie settled in as the game wore on.

The No. 10 overall pick entered Saturday’s preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders on the second drive after Sam Darnold made the start.

McCarthy’s first pass was a dart to Jalen Nailor for 18 yards in which the quarterback showed off his arm talent. However, three plays later, McCarthy evaded pressure, stepped to his right, and put the ball behind Trishton Jackson. It was an easy interception for Raiders cornerback Jack Jones, who stepped in front of the target.

The play was a learning moment for the rookie, who needed to put the ball in front of his receiver toward the boundary.

McCarthy showed some flashes on Saturday, including a natural sense of pressure and the ability to get out of the pocket and make plays. The rookie displayed a great arm, dropping the ball between the corner and safety for a 21-yard gain to Jackson deep in the second quarter.

A two-play sequence to open the third quarter underscored the youngster’s extreme upside. On a third-and-9, McCarthy whipped a pass over the middle to tight end Nick Muse for 15 yards. On the next play, the rookie uncorked a deep dime to Jackson for a 45-yard touchdown down the left sideline. It’s the type of explosive play that made scouts drool over the Michigan product.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell gave the rookie plenty of reps, keeping him in the game well into the third quarter. McCarthy finished 11-of-17 passing for 188 yards with two TDs and an INT over six drives. He also added two rushes for 18 yards.

“Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent,” O’Connell told reporters after the game, per SI.com. “I loved seeing him come right back after the interception and still be aggressive.”

McCarthy never looked overwhelmed, but some missed throws and reads indicated the rookie still has parts of his game to develop. However, as the game wore on, McCarthy settled in and made plays. The question is whether he can do it consistently against top defenses — not just third-stringers in the preseason.

With Darnold in line to start Week 1 against the Giants, McCarthy will have time to learn and continue to improve, just as he did on the field Saturday.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Owner Jerry Jones “walks back” some remarks about hold out WR CEEDEE LAMB. Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com:

Jerry Jones has clarified his recent comments regarding CeeDee Lamb and his lack of urgency to come to terms on a contract extension with his star receiver.

Jones, speaking ahead of the Cowboys’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, explained those comments while also expressing how much he wants Lamb to return to the team. Lamb has not been practicing with the team as he is hoping to avoid playing this season under his fifth-year option.

“I think I got in trouble the other day when I said, ‘Look, we’re not urgent about CeeDee,'” Jones said on the team’s pregame broadcast, via Yahoo Sports. “Well, no one appreciates CeeDee being on the field any more than I do, but let me say this, he wouldn’t be taking a snap out here today if he had been here. You’ve got to use your head when you expose key players. That gives the other younger players a chance to do it.

“We know exactly what CeeDee can do. … We wouldn’t have him out here. Has really not anything to do with his contract. Dak (Prescott) won’t be out here this afternoon. And so the bottom line is, no, there’s not that urgency. Now, I understand completely the angst that’s happening when you are anxious about it and someone says anything about whether you’re missed or not. Well, CeeDee, you’re missed, okay, but you’re not missed out here competing, and it doesn’t put any pressure, anyplace on us. It’s not pressure out here today and in practice.”

Based on Jones’ comments, it appears that, while he obviously wants to find a contractural resolution with Lamb, he is not stressing over the fact that Lamb is holding out. Jones won’t rush to figure something out because he wants Lamb back on the practice field.

That being said, the longer things continue to remain as they are, things will continue to be unsettled in Dallas. Jones, therefore, will have to continue to answer questions about Lamb and his future with the team.

– – –

QB TREY LANCE played all but one series in the preseason opener – and Mike McCarthy professes satisfaction with his performance.  Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

Three years after the 49ers spent three first-round draft picks to acquire him, Trey Lance remains a work in progress.

Lance, who started just four games for the 49ers and then didn’t play at all last year after he was traded to the Cowboys, got plenty of action in Sunday’s preseason game against the Rams. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Lance, who was only a starter for one year in college, needs the work, so after Cooper Rush started and led the Cowboys’ offense for one drive, Lance played the rest of the way.

“Trying to get as much as I can with him,” McCarthy said, via ESPN. “You want to see him running the offense at a high level. The footwork and some of the things we’re asking him to do conceptually are new. We just need work. We just need as much time as we can. I know I say that every time I talk about him, but he’s making good progress. He’s definitely wired the right way. He’s a great athlete. Just a lot of work to do.”

Lance completed 25 of 41 passes for 188 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions and three sacks. Those aren’t world-beating numbers, but McCarthy said Lance did what was asked of him.

“I really liked his command,” McCarthy said. “Frankly, I tried to . . . take advantage of every situation that we were in, so those fourth-down snaps, those will pay dividends in the future. I do believe that.”

Rush remains ahead of Lance on the Cowboys’ depth chart, which means there’s a good chance Lance will sit on the bench the entire season, just as he did last season. Which means if he’s ever going to develop, the preseason is his time.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Are the Falcons hoping to get something back for QB TAYLOR HEINICKE?  Ben Levine of Pro Football Rumors:

The Falcons invested heavily in the quarterback position this offseason. As a result, the team may be shopping their lone holdover at the position. As Josh Kendall of The Athletic writes, the Falcons staff is “behaving like it would prefer to get some trade value for Taylor Heinicke” vs. keeping him around as a QB3.

Heinicke had a successful run in Washington between 2021 and 2022, guiding his squad to a 12-11-1 record as a starter. That performance helped earn him a two-year, $14MM deal with his hometown Falcons last offseason, where he was expected to provide former third-round pick Desmond Ridder with some competition. Heinicke ultimately got four starts for Atlanta, going 1-3 while completing a career-low 54.4 percent of his passes.

The Falcons rebooted their QB position this offseason. First, they handed Kirk Cousins a lucrative contract, providing the organization with some veteran consistency at the position for the first time since the Matt Ryan era. The team later surprised many when they also added first-round QB Michael Penix Jr., a decision that definitively locked up a second QB spot on the 53-man roster.

While the team generally carried three QBs in 2023 while taking advantage of the league’s emergency quarterback spot, that might not be the case in 2024. Kendall says the team may prefer to just stash a young option on the practice squad as a QB3, and that means Heinicke (along with current QB4 Nathan Rourke) would likely be on the outside looking in.

While the Falcons would surely prefer to trade their quarterback, it may be easier said than done. Teams won’t be willing to give up a whole lot if they expect the Falcons to eventually cut Heinicke, and any QB-needy squads may just prefer to take their chances in a post-preseason bidding war. On the flip side, Heinicke doesn’t necessarily break the bank with his $4.5MM cap hit, and his starting experience could be valuable for teams seeking a dependable QB2. All the Falcons need is one suitor, but the team shouldn’t expect more than a late-round swap for the 31-year-old.

CAROLINA

The Panthers had an interesting return to Charlotte after Thursday night’s game in New England.  Joseph Person of The Athletic:

The Carolina Panthers’ team charter ran off the taxiway at the Charlotte airport early Friday morning after returning from a preseason game in New England, officials confirmed.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred after four inches of rain fell in Charlotte on Thursday as Tropical Storm Debby slowly moved through the area. A team spokesperson said some passengers didn’t realize there was an issue until noticing emergency personnel outside the Delta aircraft, which was stuck in the mud.

A Delta spokesperson provided a statement to The Athletic:

“The right main gear of Delta flight 8860 exited the taxiway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport following a normal arrival. No injuries were reported by the 188 customers who were bused to the terminal. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”

Most players and staff were sleeping when the plane landed around 2:30 a.m. ET and said they were not concerned for their safety. They remained on the plane for about an hour after landing before being bused to a terminal reserved for team charters and private planes.

Responding to a post on X about the situation, Panthers veteran safety Xavier Woods jokingly asked: “Vouchers?”

A Charlotte airport spokesperson said airfield lighting and the taxiway were fully operational.

“Emergency crews responded to a Delta aircraft which left the pavement while taxiing to Wilson Air Center. Airfield lighting and the taxiway was fully operational,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Delta towed the aircraft off the movement area shortly after 5:30 a.m. Crews repaired the area and the taxiway reopened at approximately 6:30 a.m.”

With starting quarterback Bryce Young and 32 other players either getting the night off or sidelined by injuries, the Panthers fell to the Patriots 17-3 in their first preseason game. The team returns to the practice field Saturday and hosts the Jets in its next exhibition Aug. 17.

NFC WEST

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Sean McVay is so talented he can coach and broadcast at the same time.  Frank Schwab, Jr. of YahooSports.com:

Sean McVay doesn’t take the preseason seriously. Never has. He started the trend of some teams sitting their starters for all preseason games.

So why wouldn’t McVay jump on the broadcast for the Los Angeles Rams-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday? Not like he was locked into the results of the game, right?

McVay did a full series on the headset with the Rams’ broadcast booth in the first half, commentating on the game as it unfolded, and did another series in the second half. Again, why not? And that led to a funny moment when McVay, still giving running commentary during the broadcast, started arguing with officials.

Ever wonder what an argument is like between a coach and the officials over a call? McVay let us know.

McVay took the headset off — we could still hear everything he said — and tried arguing his case. As usual, it did no good.

“Hey, I think when you see it you’ll see it differently!” McVay yelled at the officials.

Then McVay got his headset back on.

“That’s bad,” McVay said. “I don’t like that call.”

McVay gave us more comedy later in the drive. Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance scrambled for a first down on a fourth-down play. It was close to the first-down marker and McVay suddenly was asking if he should challenge it. The broadcasting team of Andrew Siciliano, Mina Kimes and former Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth all wanted him to challenge. Then McVay had to admit he didn’t have the challenge flag with him, it being preseason and all.

McVay has a future in broadcasting if he ever wants it, though he seems rejuvenated coaching the Rams. He had great energy breaking the game down as it happened in front of him. Maybe he can keep coaching and broadcasting all at once. It was pretty fun on Sunday.

AFC WEST

DENVER

Did QB BO NIX move ahead in the Broncos QB battle?  Nick Kosmider of The Athleticliked what he saw in the opener:

Bo Nix was staring at a quick end to his debut drive with the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon.

The rookie quarterback entered the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts late in the first quarter and fired incomplete on his first two passes, setting up a third-and-10 near midfield. Just after the snap, Nix appeared to be in trouble as pressure arrived from the right side. But if his first two throws showcased some understandable nerves for a player making his professional debut, the third showcased many of the traits that made him an appealing choice for the Broncos’ with the No. 12 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.

Nix scooted to his left, bought enough time to turn his shoulders, fired a pass across his body and hit Courtland Sutton for a 22-yard gain. In one play, the 24-year-old rookie showcased the combination of poise, athleticism and arm strength that helped Broncos decision-makers become enamored with him during the pre-draft process. More importantly, the play seemed to center the rookie quarterback after his nervy start.

“It’s always good when you look up and see an open guy,” Nix said. “It’s just about getting it to him from there.”

From that moment, Nix looked like a starting NFL quarterback during Denver’s 34-30 victory. If he keeps building on what he showed Sunday, that’s exactly what Nix will be when the Broncos open the season in Seattle on Sept. 8.

Nix completed 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards Sunday across five drives. Four of those ended in scores (two touchdowns, two field goals), including a 1-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims Jr. in the second quarter.

The only drive by Nix that didn’t go anywhere came late in the second quarter when tight end Lucas Krull fumbled after making a clean catch. The Broncos got a second chance at a two-minute drive after Keidron Smith intercepted a Sam Ehlinger throw on the first play of the Colts’ next possession. Nix took advantage, pushing the Broncos 75 yards in just 75 seconds — a 34-yard pass-interference penalty helped — to lead the offense to a go-ahead field goal.

“I liked the tempo and the timing of how we were releasing it,” Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters afterward. “I was pleased with what we were doing throwing the ball.”

KANSAS CITY

The first preseason game sent WR MARQUESE “Hollywood” BROWN to the hospital.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

There is some more positive news on Chiefs receiver Hollywood Brown.

After spending the night in a Jacksonville-area hospital due to a sternoclavicular joint dislocation, Brown is back in Kansas City, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The team announced earlier on Sunday that Brown had been discharged.

Brown suffered the injury on Kansas City’s first offensive play when he landed awkwardly on his shoulder.

Brown’s availability for the Chiefs’ season-opening matchup against the Ravens is currently unclear.

LAS VEGAS

Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com on the state of the Raiders QB position after the first preseason game:

The Raiders’ quarterback competition may be over at this time next week.

Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew are vying for the starting job in Las Vegas and O’Connell got the start in the team’s first preseason game. Minshew is set to start the second game against the Cowboys on August 17 and head coach Antonio Pierce said on Sunday that he thinks that will be enough information to make a call about who will be under center in Week One.

“The goal will be to hopefully make a decision after the game this Saturday,” Pierce said, via Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We have to get ready to play football. We have enough film and we’ll have two games to evaluate both quarterbacks to see how they’ll play.”

O’Connell and Minshew both led scoring drives during their time in the preseason opener and Pierce said he thought both players did well, so there’s not much of a hint about which way he’s leaning as decision day draws closer.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

The Browns have made a trade with Seattle.  Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon-Journal on the re-acquisition of C NICK HARRIS:

Center Nick Harris is coming back to the Browns.

Harris, who was a fifth-round pick of the Browns in 2020 out of the University of Washington, was re-acquired from the Seattle Seahawks along with a 2026 seventh-round pick. Cleveland is sending back a 2026 sixth-round pick

The fifth-year pro had signed with Seattle during free agency on a one-year, $2.395 million contract. However, the Browns developed a need for another center after Luke Wypler suffered a broken right ankle during Saturday’s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers.

All the Browns had at that position, in reality, was starter Ethan Pocic and Zack Johnson, a first-year pro whose only previous regular-season game experience had been one game at guard for the Tennessee Titans in 2022. Another center on their roster, Brian Allen, suffered a calf injury early in training camo and was cut after being placed on injured reserve.

Harris comes back to the team that took him with the 160th pick in the 2020 draft, with eyes on eventually grooming him to be JC Tretter’s replacement at center. However, on the second play of the first preseason game in Jacksonville on Aug. 12, 2022, he sustained a season-ending knee injury.

“I dislocated my kneecap, and in doing that I tore my VMO (vastus medialis oblique),” Harris told the Beacon Journal in an Aug. 11, 2023 conversation, “so my inner quad muscle. I also tore my MPFL (medial patellofemoral ligament), which is the ligament that connects your kneecap to the inside of your leg. So, yeah, it was a big boy injury. It was a big boy injury, and it was a lot.”

The recovery from that injury also took a toll mentally on Harris. He acknowledged he battled with bouts of depression as he went through the initial recovery stages.

“It took me a long time to even reach out to people because I was almost embarrassed of the situation,” Harris said. “I felt like I let a lot of people down, and obviously it’s a weird thing to say, but when you’re in that situation, it has that ability for me just because I was so excited to be in that position and I felt like I worked so hard for it. … I didn’t talk to anybody for months.”

Harris would come back to play in all 17 regular-season games last season, as well as the AFC wild card game, carving out a role as a lead blocker in the Browns’ short-yardage packages. He also started two games at center in place of Pocic: Week 15 vs. the Chicago Bears and Week 18 at the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Inglewood, Calif., native has played in 40 career regular-season games with four starts. He also appeared in the one playoff game last season.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

The Patriots have no use for WR JUJU SCHUSTER-SMITH – apparently of the belief that he has no trade value – cutting him loose on Friday.  Mike Florio ofProFootballTalk.com:

On Friday, the Patriots abruptly cut receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, despite owing him $7 million fully guaranteed in 2024.

On Sunday, coach Jerod Mayo was asked about the decision to move on from JuJu.

“Yeah, it was a decision between [executive V.P. of player personnel] Eliot [Wolf] and myself, really to give the younger guys an opportunity to go out there and get more reps and show what they can do,” Mayo said.

Mayo was asked whether Smith-Schuster’s knee injury was a factor, given that it seemed to impact his explosiveness.

“I mean, that’s part of it,” Mayo said. “At the same time, we just want him to get healthy. He still has some good ball left in him and I wish him nothing but the best.”

The Patriots benefit from Smith-Schuster being healthy and playing, because they’ll get a dollar-for-dollar credit as to anything he makes with another team this season. Since he was released, however, there have been no reports (yet) of other teams pursuing him.

NEW YORK JETS

According to a soon-to-be-published “unauthorized” autobiography, QB AARON RODGERS wishes he had been more forthright about his resistance to the experimental vaccines, and less circumspect.  ESPN promotes the book by its employee Ian O’Connor:

Three years after Aaron Rodgers told reporters he’d been “immunized” against the COVID-19 virus, the quarterback says in a soon-to-be-published unauthorized biography that he should have been truthful about his status.

Rodgers, who previously said the controversy had a dramatic impact on his public image, told author Ian O’Connor that the primary reason he claimed he was “immunized” was the statement represented “the crux of my appeal.”

“If there’s one thing I wish could have gone different, it’s that, because that’s the only thing [critics] could hit me with,” Rodgers said in the book.

In November 2021, the Green Bay Packers’ four-time league MVP tested positive for COVID-19 as an unvaccinated player and was sidelined for a minimum of 10 days. Rodgers had appealed to the NFL to have his homeopathic treatment regimen qualify him as vaccinated and faced widespread criticism for his misleading remarks. He was turned down.

Three months earlier, at a widely reported preseason news conference, Rodgers told reporters he had been “immunized” and was heavily criticized by fans and much of the media.

Rodgers later said on “The Pat McAfee Show” that his research showed he was allergic to an ingredient — polyethylene glycol, or PEG — in the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and that he was concerned about reports of adverse medical reactions to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“But if I could do it again, I would have said [in August], f— the appeal. I’m just going to tell them I’m allergic to PEG, I’m not getting Johnson & Johnson, I’m not going to be vaxxed,'” Rodgers, now the quarterback of the New York Jets, said in the book titled “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers”.

Rodgers told O’Connor the statement represented his appeal to the league.

He said: “I had an immunization card from my holistic doctor, which looked similar. I wasn’t trying to pawn it off as a vaccine card, but I said, ‘Listen, here’s my protocol. Here’s what you can follow to look this up.’ And it was an ongoing appeal. So, if I had just said [I was unvaccinated] in the moment, there’s no chance that the appeal would have been handled the exact same way.”

Asked if he would have gotten vaccinated had a local mandate sidelined him like New York’s had sidelined then-Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, Rodgers said, “I wouldn’t have done it.”

Rodgers was traded to the Jets prior to the 2023 season. He told O’Connor that he has joked with Jets vice chairman Christopher Johnson, brother of team owner Woody from the Johnson & Johnson family, about his refusal to take the pharmaceutical company’s vaccine.

Other new reporting in the book includes:

• New details about the near decade-long estrangement between Rodgers and his family, including interviews with the quarterback, his parents, his grandmother and other relatives. It also includes a look at the purported role in the family dynamics played by actor and former Rodgers girlfriend Olivia Munn, and the story of the recent first step Rodgers and his father made toward a potential reconciliation with a brief but meaningful expression of love last summer that compelled Rodgers to say he wanted to reestablish a relationship with his dad.

• The story of Edward Rodgers, Aaron’s paternal grandfather and a decorated World War II combat pilot who completed 43 successful missions against Hitler’s war machine before being shot down, captured, and beaten as a POW. On St. Patrick’s Day 1944, Rodgers saved his crew of 10 men in their burning, bullet-ridden B-24 by somehow flying it back to his base in Italy. Rodgers recalled that he was piloting his damaged plane “all alone over Germany. It was the loneliest feeling in the world.”

• Why Rodgers was upset by Packers coach Mike McCarthy during his most devastating defeat, the 2014 NFC Championship Game collapse at Seattle. Rodgers wanted to call six plays he had seem on film that “seemed indefensible” when Dallas beat the Seahawks in the regular season. One veteran Packers player said Rodgers “wanted those plays called over and over against Seattle, and McCarthy called only a few of them one time each.”

• That then-San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan, who drafted Alex Smith instead of Rodgers with the first overall pick in 2005, is “still bother[ed]” that his offensive coordinator, McCarthy, benefited most from that decision. “[McCarthy] had a lot to do with picking the other one [Smith], and in the end he got the one [Rodgers] that he didn’t pick, and it elevated his career,” Nolan says in the book.

• A look at the much-discussed text to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, who was seeking confirmation that he was being dealt to the Jets in 2023. Rodgers told Schefter, “Lose my number. Good try tho.” Later at the owners’ meetings, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, whose repeated messages to Rodgers had gone unreturned, told people, “At least Adam got a response from him.”

O’Connor’s book will be released next week.

The DB’s not usually a fan of these kind of books, but we must admit Rodgers is an interesting subject and O’Connor probably did him fair justice.

THIS AND THAT

QB RANKINGS FOR 7 CATEGORIES

Dan Orlovsky of ESPN.com ranks his top 10 QBs in seven different categories.  Will QB PATRICK MAHOMES, and/or anyone else, rank in the top 10 in all seven?

Arm strength

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

2. Josh Allen, Bills

3. Justin Herbert, Chargers

4. Matthew Stafford, Rams

5. Aaron Rodgers, Jets

6. Will Levis, Titans

7. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers

8. Anthony Richardson, Colts

9. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

10. Lamar Jackson, Ravens

To put together this first list, I weighed two components of having a big arm. First, there’s the obvious one: being able to throw far downfield. We’re talking about completing passes of 55-60 yards. Second, there’s the ability to fit the ball into tight windows with zip. Honestly, I leaned more on that aspect. These are really difficult passes to make, with quarterbacks throwing on a rope 15-20 yards downfield into a small strike zone. I call it “stepping on one,” and it’s critical in the NFL. Weak arms won’t cut it.

The top three seemed obvious; Mahomes, Allen and Herbert can all deliver the ball with serious velocity. We know they each have the ability to find receivers on deep balls, but I also really love watching them effortlessly pump fastballs to the intermediate areas of the field. Herbert leads all QBs in tight-window completions (145) since being drafted in 2020, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

Rounding out the top five, I have some veterans — Stafford and Rodgers — who can still sling it. Watch the tape and you’ll see Stafford consistently driving the ball to the sideline even as he prepares for his age-36 season. He was one of four QBs to complete at least 10 passes of 30-plus air yards in 2023, too. Not too far behind Stafford and Rodgers is another veteran in Mayfield, who makes the list based mostly on his deep-ball skill. In 2021, he had the second-farthest completion (in air yards) of the NFL Next Gen Stats era (since 2016), airing it out 66.4 yards to Donovan Peoples-Jones. He also found Mike Evans on a go route last season on a pass that traveled 60.1 yards in the air.

I have a pair of sophomore quarterbacks here, too. Levis can thread the ball with his big arm, and if you go back to the Titans’ Monday night win over the Dolphins in Week 14 last season, you’ll see some really firm passes. And everyone knows about Richardson’s powerful arm; if you don’t, check out his out route to Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox from last October. He can fire it.

As for guys who could have been on there but just missed, I’d give honorable mentions to Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence. At the very least, they each belong in the conversation.

Ball placement

1. Joe Burrow, Bengals

2. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

3. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

4. Matthew Stafford, Rams

5. C.J. Stroud, Texans

6. Brock Purdy, 49ers

7. Geno Smith, Seahawks

8. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

9. Jared Goff, Lions

10. Josh Allen, Bills

There’s a difference between accuracy and ball placement: Accuracy is the ability to throw the ball to your guy, while ball placement is keeping it away from the defender. An accurate quarterback gets the pass to a spot where his receiver can make the catch. A quarterback with strong ball placement gets the pass to a spot where only his receiver can make the catch. Trajectory, touch, anticipation and field vision all play a role.

Burrow is the best in the game here, but Tagovailoa is really close. I think Burrow stands out in true ball placement, while Tagovailoa might be the most accurate passer in the league. Both quarterbacks rank in the top five in completion percentage since their 2020 draft year — Burrow is third (67.8%), while Tua is fifth (67.4%).

Stroud is in my top five partly because of how well he throws to receivers open down the field. It was his calling card in college, too. I wrestled with Purdy being sixth behind Stroud, rather than higher on the list. He led the league in completion rate last season (68.7%) and does a great job layering the ball into his receiver’s strike zone.

Next on the list is Smith, who might be the most underrated quarterback when it comes to ball placement. Over the past two seasons, he has been off-target on just 12.4% of his throws, best in the NFL among QBs who started at least 20 games over that span. Smith has a knack for making challenging throws look easy.

Picking between Allen and Rodgers at No. 10 was a tough call, but I went with Allen, who has improved so much in this area.

Mechanics

1. Joe Burrow, Bengals

2. Matthew Stafford, Rams

3. Justin Herbert, Chargers

4. C.J. Stroud, Texans

5. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

6. Jared Goff, Lions

7. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

8. Aaron Rodgers, Jets

9. Brock Purdy, 49ers

10. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Who is a natural thrower? Who has the best footwork? Who moves well within the pocket and always plays in rhythm? It all factors into mechanics. When things are clean, I’m looking for a repetitive throwing motion. And when things aren’t clean, I’m looking for the ability to make it work because of a strong base.

That’s why Burrow leads the way — he is always ready to throw and can smoothly repeat the motion rep after rep. Stroud has that same ability, and Goff is equally consistent when his pocket is clean.

My hardest call here was probably putting Lawrence at No. 10. I almost put Geno Smith there, but Lawrence edged him out. Honestly, part of me wants to see Lawrence be a little less mechanical. He is so good in that department, but he could stand to play a little more free and have more of a recess style to his game at times.

Decision-making with the football

1. Aaron Rodgers, Jets

2. Matthew Stafford, Rams

3. Joe Burrow, Bengals

4. C.J. Stroud, Texans

5. Brock Purdy, 49ers

6. Jordan Love, Packers

7. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

8. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

9. Jared Goff, Lions

10. Kirk Cousins, Falcons

Quarterbacks have to be able to read the defense and recognize what it is trying to get him to do with the ball — and what it is trying to keep him from doing. Then they need to be able to figure out whether their first read is going to work given what the defense is showing. If the play calls for a throw to your top receiver on a slant route, would making that throw be a good or bad decision based on the coverage and how the defense is lined up? And if it would be a bad decision, can you trick the defense with your eyes or movement to open things up?

Rodgers is the best in the game here. Yes, he threw 12 interceptions in his last full season (2022 with Green Bay), but before that season, he hadn’t thrown double-digit picks in a season since 2011. He can read it out and keep the ball out of harm’s way. And Stafford gets acknowledged near the top of the list because he can consistently get the defense to do what he wants — like forcing a safety to bite with his eyes — and then make a high-percentage throw.

Stroud had the best interception rate in the NFL last season, tossing five picks for 1% of his total pass attempts. I already see high-level decision-making from him. And Love, who is sixth on my list, took a big step forward in his decision-making during the second half of last season. Only Mahomes threw more passes to open receivers last season than Love — 300 of his 579 targets went to pass-catchers with at least 3 yards of separation, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

The only other QB who was close to making this list is Herbert. He is pretty good about making smart throws, but I’d like to see him stretch out more and read the full field rather than be so quick with his decision-making.

Pocket presence

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

2. Joe Burrow, Bengals

3. C.J. Stroud, Texans

4. Matthew Stafford, Rams

5. Lamar Jackson, Ravens

6. Brock Purdy, 49ers

7. Jordan Love, Packers

8. Josh Allen, Bills

9. Geno Smith, Seahawks

10. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

A quarterback with strong pocket presence operates effectively in the pocket even when things are chaotic around him. Can he recognize and avoid pressure? Can he move efficiently and calmly under duress? When I built this top 10, I looked for those who were at their best when the situation was at its worst.

Mahomes is fantastic in this regard — he feels the pressure, doesn’t panic and moves around, all while keeping his eyes downfield. Burrow is right behind him, and I don’t know that anyone is better than him in the league at working in a phone booth. Stroud has already impressed in that area, too, especially on money downs.

This is another category in which I wondered whether I put Purdy too low at No. 6. His work in the pocket has stood out going back to when he became the 49ers’ starter in 2022, and he trailed only Prescott in QBR from inside the pocket last season (72.7). Love was right behind Purdy in that category (70.5), and he follows him in my ranking here, too. For some time, playing effectively from inside the pocket was a big concern in his game, but he has gotten so much better. (He might still drift backward a little too often, but expect more improvement in his second season as a starter.)

Smith and Prescott round out this list thanks to the way they move inside the pocket. They each have subtle movements and navigate pressure by feeling it and then relying on their solid mechanics.

Rushing ability

1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens

2. Josh Allen, Bills

3. Anthony Richardson, Colts

4. Jalen Hurts, Eagles

5. Justin Fields, Steelers

6. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

7. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

8. Joe Burrow, Bengals

9. Kyler Murray, Cardinals

10. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

In 2015, there were 384 designed QB runs leaguewide. Last season, there were 832 — and that was actually down from the 919 in 2022. So it’s clearly a massive part of the game today in comparison to a decade ago, as offensive coordinators lean into mobility at the position. Scrambling is key, too, but I really honed in on the designed carries here — the speed, instincts, physicality and elusiveness to break big plays.

I don’t think Jackson and Allen going 1-2 is going to shock anyone. Jackson led NFL quarterbacks with 821 rushing yards last season, while Allen was fourth at 524 (Allen also tied Hurts for the most rushing TDs in 2023 with 15). We saw enough promise from Richardson last season for me to put him third (he averaged 5.4 yards per carry in four games), and we know Fields has a lot of upside as a ball carrier. For Fields, it’ll just be a matter of usage, and I wonder whether the Steelers will lean on him more there if he ultimately lands the QB1 role in Pittsburgh.

I put Mahomes, Prescott and Burrow on here mainly because of their scrambling ability, a category they all excel in (Mahomes was actually second in scramble attempts last season with 50). Lawrence is solid as a scrambler and designed ball carrier, but I want to see him do it more. He rushed 70 times last season. Purdy and rookie Jayden Daniels also crossed my mind and could be on this list by next August.

Second-reaction ability

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

2. Josh Allen, Bills

3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens

4. Brock Purdy, 49ers

5. Jordan Love, Packers

6. Caleb Williams, Bears

7. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

8. Jalen Hurts, Eagles

9. Gardner Minshew, Raiders

10. Justin Herbert, Chargers

Being able to make a play is central to QB success, and the best in the league excel at making off-schedule and off-platform throws. These second-reaction passes from different arm angles — often on the move — can be the difference between moving the sticks and a stalled drive. They require serious creativity at times. Mahomes — the obvious No. 1 on the list — is elite in this trait.

Though he doesn’t make the list, the 40-year-old Rodgers used to be so good at this. Most quarterbacks exit the pocket to avoid bad situations. Rodgers used to do it to hurt you. We’ve seen a lot of growth at the position overall, and that’s why this is the only top-10 list that includes a rookie. Williams has elite strength, and considering how good he was in this category in college, I fully expect him to instantly be among the NFL’s best second-reaction playmakers in 2024.

Prescott might not jump out as a standout second-reaction QB, but he was actually first in QBR outside the pocket last season (81.8). It’s a major reason he took such a leap in 2023.

I included Minshew here because I truly believe he is one of the best at off-schedule plays. He finds a way when the play doesn’t work. His 64.0 QBR in situations in which the QB was pressured and left the pocket ranked fifth in the league last season.

So Mahomes misses out only in “Mechanics” which we can buy.

Joe Burrow is in five of the seven, including somewhat surprisingly “Rushing Ability”.  But not “Arm Strength” or “Second Reaction Ability”.

Josh Allen?  Five of seven.  No to “Decision Making Ability” and “Mechanics”

One guy on every list, but in the top four in none of them?  DAK PRESCOTT!

DRAFT 2025 –PROSPECTS UNDER PRESSURE

Matt Miller of ESPN.com looks at some 2025 draft prospects who face especially big seasons:

The 2024 college football season is right around the corner, which means a full schedule of games every weekend to evaluate the upcoming 2025 NFL draft class. Scouts are excited to see which players will play their way into higher draft stock over the course of the fall.

But some prospects have more on the line this upcoming season than others. Future success and millions of dollars are at stake, and game tape will be crucial for a handful of players with something to prove. How will standouts adjust to new schemes and positions, and can transfers transition seamlessly into new programs? Will talented prospects recover from injuries or slumps that plagued them in 2023? And who needs to show they can put up the production to match their talent?

Let’s pick out 10 draft prospects who have a lot at stake this season and what their performance could mean for their outlook next April.

Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

Depending on who you ask, Allar is either a former top recruit with a ton of NFL talent or a frustratingly talented player who hasn’t quite figured it out.

Allar grew up an Ohio State fan in Medina, Ohio, but committed to Penn State and sat for a season behind Sean Clifford. He broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore in 2023, running up a 10-3 record in a stacked Big Ten while throwing 25 touchdown passes to only two interceptions.

That all sounds great, right? But those stats don’t tell the entire story.

Allar completed only 59.9% of his passes for an average of 6.8 yards per attempt. Those totals were ranked seventh and fifth in the Big Ten, respectively. That’s good production — especially for a first-year starter — but not great. Now the pressure is on Allar to take the next step.

From a tools perspective, he has it all — a big arm, an NFL-ready frame at 6-foot-5 and 241 pounds and good lower-body mobility. But his struggles to keep his eyes downfield and make throws vertically are notable; his 39.6 QBR on vertical routes ranked ninth in the conference. Allar’s tools excite NFL scouts — one AFC South area scout I spoke to thinks Allar has QB1 talent — but he must refine his game this season.

Penn State opens with six winnable games against below-average defenses before traveling to Wisconsin on Oct. 26 and hosting Ohio State on Nov. 2. Those games could go a long way in determining his NFL draft stock. In a class without a clear-cut QB1, several scouts I’ve talked to believe Allar can become that player.

Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas

How do you replace Xavier Worthy, the fastest player in the history of the NFL combine? Get a speedy transfer from Alabama.

The Texas offense lived on the deep ball last season, with Worthy and Adonai Mitchell as the beneficiaries. Both are gone to the NFL now, Worthy as a late first-rounder and Mitchell going in Round 2, and Bond is the first candidate to become Texas’ WR1 in 2024. Can he prove himself as a true go-to target who can take over an offense?

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Bond has elite vertical stretch ability and speed. The junior led Alabama with 48 receptions for 668 yards and four scores last season and now he’ll get to work with Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Quinn Ewers. Being tasked with living up to the standards set by Worthy and Mitchell will put early pressure and attention on Bond to excel right out of the gate. He has two more years of eligibility, but it’s not too early to get excited about him as the top deep threat in college football.

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan

Edwards’ career has been a rollercoaster.

As a sophomore in 2022, he teamed up with Blake Corum to form a backfield duo that rushed for combined 2,454 yards. Edwards had 991 of those, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt with impressive quickness and burst. When Corum went down with a torn meniscus in his left knee late that season, Edwards was thrust into the lead back role and starred, rushing for 216 yards against Ohio State, 185 in the Big Ten title game against Purdue and another 119 in the team’s narrow loss to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

But Edwards didn’t carry that over to 2023. He was slower and stiffer, and he averaged just 3.3 yards per carry during the regular season, including five games in which he averaged fewer than 3 yards a pop. After struggling on limited touches against Alabama in the CFP semifinals (four carries, 11 yards), Edwards ended the season with a flourish by rushing for 104 yards and two long touchdowns against Washington in the national title game.

So which Edwards will Michigan see in 2024? With Corum and quarterback J.J. McCarthy off to the NFL — along with the Wolverines’ entire starting offensive line — Edwards should be the team’s offensive backbone. The touches and opportunities will be there for him to emerge in a stacked running back class, but Edwards must shake the issues that plagued his junior season and restart the excitement scouts had about him after his sophomore campaign.

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

Ohio State has claimed the title of WRU, having four wide receivers drafted in the first round of the past three drafts, and a year ago it looked like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Egbuka would be the next dynamic Buckeyes duo a la Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

Harrison lived up to expectations and was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft, but Egbuka battled an ankle injury that limited his availability and effectiveness. He, and the rest of the offense, also felt the loss of quarterback C.J. Stroud to the NFL, as replacement Kyle McCord struggled to generate explosive plays in the passing game. With 41 catches for 515 yards and four scores, Egbuka saw his production almost cut in half from his breakout 2022 season (74 receptions, 1,151 yards and 10 TDs).

Egbuka’s toughness and savvy presence as an underneath route runner are starter-level traits. He doesn’t possess game-changing speed or size (6-1, 203), but he is a great downfield blocker and a valuable punt returner. His feel for soft zones and expertise as a slant route runner are what you want in a WR2.

Ohio State’s quarterback situation isn’t completely settled as the season approaches, which could threaten Egbuka’s numbers. But the most important thing for him is a healthy showing in 2024. A return to his sophomore production could get him back into the first-round discussion.

Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

Nolen was the No. 1 recruit in the ESPN 300 in 2022, signing with Texas A&M, but hit the portal after two seasons with the Aggies and signed with Ole Miss. Nolen performed well at A&M, posting four sacks and nine pressures in 12 games (10 starts) last season, but not to the level expected from a top recruit. Now, as a junior, he’ll anchor the Rebels’ defensive line.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Nolen is a handful for offensive linemen, with trademark quickness and a body type that resembles Quinnen Williams coming out of Alabama. At only 20 years old, Nolen has strength and natural leverage that you rarely see in a college defensive tackle. But he has turned those skills into only five sacks in two seasons. Expectations for Nolen are high in 2024, as Ole Miss looks to make the expanded College Football Playoff for the first time.

The 2025 draft class is loaded at defensive tackle, with players like Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Deone Walker at the top of the board. But Nolen has the talent to make his way to the top of that list if he builds on his tremendous potential.

Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU

Unlike some other players on this list, Perkins hasn’t struggled to live up to expectations. But he is settling in at a new position and has a new defensive coordinator in Blake Baker, who came over from Missouri. And this season is big for Perkins because he’s trying to show the NFL what he can be as an off-ball linebacker, where he projects better than at edge due to his 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame.

Perkins flashed onto the scene in 2022, posting 7.5 sacks as a true freshman. He was deployed all over as a defensive chess piece, adding three forced fumbles and an interception in a role similar to how the Dallas Cowboys use Micah Parsons. Unfortunately for Perkins, an offseason injury slowed his progress in 2023. He also played more of a true linebacker role. While he rushed the passer on three more snaps (144) than he did in 2022, his usage — especially early in the season — hid his talents.

There’s an expectation that Perkins will see more pass-rush reps now, even if it means blitzing more from weakside linebacker position. In a conversation at the Senior Bowl, Baker assured me we’d see Perkins getting back to his roots as a rusher. But is that what NFL scouts want to see?

Winning games in the SEC might mean rushing Perkins early and often, but that could work against his NFL stock given his lack of traditional size for the edge position. Perkins has a first-round grade from every scout I’ve talked to this summer. But there is a difference in how the NFL perceives edge rushers vs. off-ball linebackers, and Perkins’ draft stock could be affected.

Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Sanders enters the season with Heisman hopes and buzz as a potential QB1 for the class. No college quarterback will get more attention than the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

Shedeur Sanders wowed in his first season at Colorado following his transfer from FCS Jackson State. He threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdown passes with just three interceptions on 529 attempts. He completed 69.3% of his throws and hung tough in the pocket despite dubious protection from a patchwork offensive line that contributed to Sanders being sacked an FBS-high 52 times. “Surgical” was the best word to describe Sanders’ play.

So why is he under pressure? Sanders must overcome the struggles he showed against top defenses. His effectiveness and production suffered against Oregon, UCLA and Arizona last season, as he was sacked 17 times in those games. He failed to throw for 200 yards against the Ducks, his lowest total when playing a full game. Good defenses forced Sanders to hold the ball in the pocket and often took away his primary read. When that happened, he wasn’t the same passer, and his numbers dropped.

The attention generated by “Coach Prime” and the Buffs’ early success last season put Sanders in the spotlight and validated the flashes Sanders showed at Jackson State. Year 2 will be his opportunity to prove his ability against better competition, improve his draft stock and potentially be the top overall player in the 2025 class.

Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon

Stewart is the second highly recruited Texas A&M transfer to be on this list, joining Nolen. Immediate explosive offensive production was expected from the five-star recruit, but Stewart produced just six touchdowns in two seasons before hitting the transfer portal and signing with Oregon. Scouts are now excited about how he will be used at Oregon, where he’ll join prolific quarterback Dillon Gabriel and have highly productive Tez Johnson opposite him at the other wideout spot.

The 6-foot, 175-pound Stewart can play out wide — he did so on 83.5% of his snaps at A&M — and has the speed to push defenses vertically. He possesses great acceleration, with the juice to threaten defenses at every level and punish cornerbacks on breaking routes but has dropped 5.5% percent of passes thrown to him the past two seasons (nine total). Stewart’s speed and overall movement ability make him an exciting prospect, but right now he’s more known for his recruiting stars than college exploits.

The high-octane Oregon offense could flip that narrative, and Stewart’s draft stock could soar if the production catches up to the hype.

Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M

Weigman played in only four games last season before being shut down with a fracture in his left foot, but there’s a lot of excitement about what the junior can do in 2024.

Weigman, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound righty, threw eight touchdown passes last season to just two interceptions while completing 68.9% of his passes. He also showed some running ability with two touchdowns on the ground. Weigman flashes arm strength that’ll reach every level of the field and the quick feet needed to reset in the pocket and on the move.

What’s at stake? He’s tasked with returning A&M to prominence in the SEC and beating in-state rival Texas, who the Aggies will play for the first time since 2011. If he does those things while duplicating last season’s small-sample-size output on a bigger scale, Heisman candidacy and QB1 status in the draft are possible, especially in a quarterback class without a set No. 1 player.

.

It won’t be without challenges. As mentioned above, Stewart left for Oregon and Weigman will have a new offensive coordinator in Collin Klein, who favored an offense featuring more quarterback runs and fewer downfield passes in his previous stops. Weigman has the mobility to execute in the ground game, but scouts want to see him airing the ball out and making full-field throws. Will Klein’s offense allow him to do that?

Weigman won’t get a chance to ease into the season, as the Aggies host No. 7 Notre Dame in the season opener on Aug. 31.

Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

Williams has been one of the hottest topics in draft circles this summer. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound junior is 19 years old, has experience at defensive tackle and defensive end, and will make the move to a full-time outside linebacker role in 2024 that should accentuate his natural pass-rush tools.

From talking to scouts this summer, Williams is viewed as a Travon Walker-like player: a physically talented pass rusher with length, power and speed but whose game needs polish. The flashes are there, as he has posted 4.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons in a reserve role.

Williams won’t be a reserve this season, though. In Week 1, he’ll face Clemson right tackle Blake Miller in a highly anticipated battle between top prospects. Three weeks later, Williams will encounter a strong Alabama offensive line. The new SEC prevents a player from hiding behind a soft schedule, and Williams will get tested in his new role weekly against top competition.

Some — including my colleague Jordan Reid — believe Williams is good enough to potentially be the No. 1 overall pick. Williams will get a chance to redeem that belief, starting with No. 14 Clemson on Aug. 31.

PIVOTAL ROOKIES

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com picks a “pivotal” rookie for each team.  It is not always the first player picked, although no definition is provided:

With the start of the 2024 NFL regular season fast approaching, Lance Zierlein identifies the one rookie most pivotal to each team’s success this year.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

Ray Davis

Kentucky · RB

Drafted: Round 4, No. 128 overall

This was a tough choice between Keon Coleman and Davis, but I believe Davis is the right selection for this exercise. First off, I’m expecting a Dalton Kincaid breakout to ease some of the pressure on Coleman in Year 1. Second, James Cook is an explosive talent, but Davis can provide the much-needed tough yards inside and has the ability to rack up catches out of the backfield. Davis will be sharing time with Cook, but don’t be surprised if there’s a stronger reliance on the running backs in Buffalo with Stefon Diggs in Houston now.

Miami Dolphins

Chop Robinson

Penn State · OLB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 21 overall

While I believe fifth-round pick Mohamed Kamara has a better feel for rushing the passer at this juncture, Robinson’s explosiveness and rare athletic traits give him the best shot to bolster the Dolphins’ rush in 2024. Both Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are still working their way back from the season-ending injuries they suffered in 2023. If the Dolphins can’t create a steady pass rush without them, the offense might need to be even better than it was last year, when it ranked second in scoring and first in yards.

New England Patriots

Ja’Lynn Polk

Washington · WR

Drafted: Round 2, No. 37 overall

Some people might have been expecting to see Drake Maye here, but it seems pretty clear that the Patriots won’t rush the rookie QB onto the field and I don’t believe he’s ready for the “pivotal” designation. However, I do view Polk as a player who can get his feet underneath him before Maye starts making appearances. Polk is a clever wideout with great ball skills and New England has a huge need at the position.

New York Jets

Malachi Corley

Western Kentucky · WR

Drafted: Round 3, No. 65 overall

Corley could give Aaron Rodgers and the offense a surprising boost. He’s a bruising target who plays the game like Deebo Samuel Sr. with the ball in his hands. His run-after-catch ability is unique to the Jets’ receiver room and Rodgers will love his competitiveness.

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

Roger Rosengarten

Washington · OT

Drafted: Round 2, No. 62 overall

While CB Nate Wiggins was the Ravens’ first-round pick this year, Rosengarten’s ability to win the right tackle job and play at a steady level will be crucial for the team. The 2024 draft was unusually deep at tackle, which likely contributed to Baltimore’s decision to deal Morgan Moses and target Rosengarten in the draft. He’s a physical run blocker with a chip on his shoulder, but he needs to prove he can handle NFL speed rushers.

Cincinnati Bengals

Amarius Mims

Georgia · OT

Drafted: Round 1, No. 18 overall

It’s still all about the offensive line and finding protection for Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Mims is a rare tackle prospect with elite length and tremendous, lean muscle mass on his 6-foot-8, 340-pound frame. He’s getting a chance to compete at right tackle and can offer an immediate upgrade as a run blocker and pass protector if he can stay healthy.

Cleveland Browns

Michael Hall Jr.

Ohio State · DT

Drafted: Round 2, No. 54 overall

Teams spend heavy draft capital and big money on outside rushers, but finding an interior defensive lineman who can create mayhem in the pocket is the cheat code. Hall is undersized at 6-3, 300 pounds, but he has electric first-step quickness and a variety of rush moves to beat single blocks. We know the Browns can clamp down on offenses, but Hall gives the defense a chance to elevate its threat level to an even higher degree on passing downs.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Troy Fautanu

Washington · OT

Drafted: Round 1, No. 20 overall

There could be three rookie starters on the Pittsburgh offense, including Roman Wilson and Zach Frazier, but Fautanu is the player to highlight here. He’s a very athletic big man who should be able to handle NFL rush quickness, but more importantly, he has a chance to remind longtime Steelers fans of the physical brand of offensive linemen they grew up watching. Fautanu is bringing nasty back.

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

Kamari Lassiter

Georgia · CB

Drafted: Round 2, No. 42 overall

With a winning background and plenty of competitiveness, Lassiter fits the mold of the culture changers that DeMeco Ryans has been targeting since he became head coach. It has been a while since the Texans had a solid, long-term duo at cornerback, but Lassiter could join with Derek Stingley Jr. to give Houston what it’s been lacking.

Indianapolis Colts

Laiatu Latu

UCLA · DE

Drafted: Round 1, No. 15 overall

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley expects his rushers to get home against single blocks — no team had a lower blitz rate last season than the Colts, even though they finished fifth in sacks. It might take a few games for Latu to work his way fully into the rush rotation but he has the instincts and skills to help the Indianapolis get after division-rival QBs C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr.

LSU · WR

Drafted: Round 1, No. 23 overall

The pressure is mounting on Trevor Lawrence and Co. to win and it’s only going to intensify with his new contract. The Jaguars need Thomas to hit the ground running if they’re going to chase down the Texans in the division and start to realize their offensive potential. Thomas is big, fast and put an FBS-high 17 touchdowns on the board in 2023.

Tennessee Titans

JC Latham

Alabama · OT

Drafted: Round 1, No. 7 overall

The Titans have been in flux at left tackle since the 2022 season, but Latham has the talent to provide the stability they so badly need. Tennessee will need to reestablish its offensive identity with Derrick Henry gone and Will Levis taking over as the full-time QB1. Having a talented ground-and-pound left tackle could smooth the transition.

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Bo Nix

Oregon · QB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 12 overall

I know he hasn’t been named the starter as of this writing, but Nix is the clear-cut choice for the Broncos here. Denver had limited draft capital and took a massive cap hit after the failed Russell Wilson experiment, so Sean Payton’s decision to pick Nix 12th overall was a huge one. There was never a better fit for Nix than Payton’s offensive scheme. He has a chance to build on the momentum from his outstanding senior season at Oregon.

Kansas City Chiefs

Xavier Worthy

Texas · WR

Drafted: Round 1, No. 28 overall

Worthy can be an extremely difficult assignment in man-to-man coverage thanks to his vertical speed and explosion out of his breaks, but he does lack size. Patrick Mahomes needs another weapon he can trust, so all eyes will be on Worthy in Kansas City.

Las Vegas Raiders

Brock Bowers

Georgia · TE

Drafted: Round 1, No. 13 overall

We know there is a quarterback battle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell and we know Davante Adams is one of the top targets in the game. What we also now know is Bowers will give the Raiders’ passing game a much-needed boost as an impressive three-level tight end who can stack yards after the catch.

Los Angeles Chargers

Junior Colson

Michigan · LB

Drafted: Round 3, No. 69 overall

Ladd McConkey is going to be a favorite of Justin Herbert and Joe Alt is a rock-solid option at right tackle. But I’m highlighting Colson, who follows Jim Harbaugh from Michigan and has a chance to become the tone-setter very quickly for a defense that hasn’t ranked in the top 20 in points allowed since 2019.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

Tyler Guyton

Oklahoma · OT

Drafted: Round 1, No. 29 overall

Guyton has already put together some impressive reps in practice that have had local media buzzing, but the road to success for rookie tackles can be a long and bumpy one. Life without Tyron Smith will require an adjustment period, and Guyton’s play as a rookie will go a long way in determining whether the Cowboys are serious title contenders.

New York Giants

Malik Nabers

LSU · WR

Drafted: Round 1, No. 6 overall

The additions of second-rounder Tyler Nubin and third-rounder Dru Phillips in the secondary appear to be steps in the right direction, but Nabers is the focal point among the Giants’ rookies this season. The team is starving for a WR1 and Nabers has the tools to become that guy. If he proves he can handle the top-dog duties at wideout, it will be a massive change for the better in New York during a season that will decide Daniel Jones’ future with the franchise.

Philadelphia Eagles

Quinyon Mitchell

Toledo · CB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 22 overall

The Eagles ranked second to last in pass defense last season and finished in the bottom five in TD-INT ratio allowed. There will be a great deal of pressure placed on Mitchell to play at a level beyond the expectations most rookie corners encounter upon entering the NFL. The coverage must be better if the Eagles hope to make it back to the Super Bowl.

Washington Commanders

Brandon Coleman

TCU · OT

Drafted: Round 3, No. 67 overall

Jayden Daniels is the new face of the franchise, but like all quarterbacks, he’s going to need pass protection to have a chance at succeeding. The last thing Washington wants is for Daniels to start his career in a constant state of panic due to consistent pressure from his blind side. It’s a tall task for a rookie to step into the left tackle spot from Day 1, but Coleman is getting the opportunity to do so. The third-round pick must prove the job isn’t too big for him.

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams

USC · QB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 1 overall

The easy answer here is Caleb Williams, the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s the face of the Bears now. A fast start would create a lot of momentum for an organization and city starving for a star at quarterback. On the other hand, a slow start could create anxiety from the fan base.

Detroit Lions

Terrion Arnold

Alabama · CB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 24 overall

The Lions know they can compete against the big boys in the NFC (and across the NFL) but competing and overtaking are two different things. Detroit has several new faces in the secondary this season and Arnold could be the most important player of them all. He’s probably going to need to play at a high level quickly if the Lions are to continue their momentum toward the top.

Green Bay Packers

Javon Bullard

Georgia · S

Drafted: Round 2, No. 58 overall

The Packers were desperate to find a savvy safety to plug in next to star free-agent acquisition Xavier McKinney. Georgia laid out the blueprint for how to use Bullard and I expect Green Bay to follow suit. He’s plays with good pattern recognition and is feisty in run support. The NFC North is becoming a dangerous place for defensive backs with so many potent passing offenses in the division, so Bullard’s play will be a key for the Packers in 2024.

Minnesota Vikings

Dallas Turner

Alabama · OLB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 17 overall

J.J. McCarthy could certainly fill this slot, especially if he wins the starting job for Week 1, but I expect the Vikings to take their time before moving him ahead of Sam Darnold on the depth chart. In the meantime, replacing Danielle Hunter’s pressure and sack production is a more urgent task, which helps explain why Minnesota traded up six spots in Round 1 to grab Turner. He has the talent and traits to become a force off the edge, but there’s still room for growth. The blitz-happy Vikings have to hope Turner can help hunt the quarterback right away.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

Michael Penix Jr.

Washington · QB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 8 overall

Penix is Atlanta’s pivotal rookie regardless of whether he plays much this year or not. The dead money that would result from moving on from Kirk Cousins’ contract is far less prohibitive after the 2025 season. The emergence of Penix — even if it were in practice or in spot duty in games — would play a big role in determining when the team decides its ready for a transition at quarterback.

Carolina Panthers

Xavier Legette

South Carolina · WR

Drafted: Round 1, No. 32 overall

Legette is a big target with a strong desire to fight for the football once it’s in the air. The underlying theme for the Panthers for the foreseeable future will be finding help for Bryce Young. There isn’t a quick fix that will happen overnight, but it would be a huge win for Carolina if Legette emerges as a receiver Young can trust as his go-to guy in 2024.

New Orleans Saints

Taliese Fuaga

Oregon State · OT

Drafted: Round 1, No. 14 overall

Fuaga was one of the more polished pass protectors in the draft, but he’s switching from right tackle to left tackle as a rookie. The Saints have to find out if he has the foot quickness to handle the speed he will encounter at his new position. There are question marks elsewhere on the roster, but finding a steady left tackle is typically critical for any team hoping to compete for a playoff spot.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tykee Smith

Georgia · S

Drafted: Round 3, No. 89 overall

I believe Graham Barton is going to be a stud at center for the Bucs, but I view Smith as the more pivotal rookie in 2024. Head coach Todd Bowles has made it clear he’s already been impressed by Smith’s football intelligence and calm. It appears Tampa Bay is counting on the former Georgia Bulldog to man the nickel back spot from Day 1. Smith has a shot to improve the secondary and give Bowles what he needs at the position.

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

Max Melton

Rutgers · CB

Drafted: Round 2, No. 43 overall

The Cardinals secondary has been an issue for years, and this season’s crop again has its work cut out for it considering the dynamic passing offenses in the NFC West. The most important player to come out of the 2024 draft for Arizona is wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., but Melton could be the most pivotal rookie. He might have to step in from the jump and prove he has the goods to become a quality starter.

Los Angeles Rams

Jared Verse

Florida State · OLB

Drafted: Round 1, No. 19 overall

Folks, I see Verse as the slight favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The loss of Aaron Donald to retirement will be tough to account for, but Verse’s leverage and strength make him a candidate to help defend the run and rush the passer at a successful clip early in his career.

San Francisco 49ers

Renardo Green

Florida State · CB

Drafted: Round 2, No. 64 overall

Green has a chance to step into a big role for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. He is hypercompetitive as a run defender and in contesting catches. The 49ers are giving him reps outside and in the slot, and he possesses the talent to play either spot. Green was one of my favorite corners in the draft, and my guess is Niners fans will find out why as the season progresses.

Seattle Seahawks

Byron Murphy II

Texas · DT

Drafted: Round 1, No. 16 overall

Murphy is a three-down defender who has excellent power for his size. He can be a very disruptive penetrator in the NFL thanks to his leverage and quickness. Finding an interior rusher who can also handle run duties is tough, but Seattle did just that with its first-round selection.