THE DAILY BRIEFING
| The Eagles are now one of 21 teams in Super Bowl history to score 34+ points – they are the first to lose the game.
The previous record for points scored in a losing effort also came in a game involving the Eagles – Philadelphia’s 41-33 win over Tom Brady and the Patriots in SB52.
The most combined points in a Super Bowl remains 75 – back in SB29 when the 49ers beat the Chargers, 49-26.
– – –
Mike Pereira defended the flag that ensured Kansas City’s Super Bowl win. But, he did not have many others join him.
@nick_underhill
An almost perfect Super Bowl from an entertainment perspective ends with the officials in the spotlight instead of Mahomes or Hurts.
That’s a major problem, but what can you expect from a league that rewards officials for blown calls with high-profile assignments?
This:
@markschlereth
The NFL is brilliant… tired of everybody complaining about the shitty field on Twitter so they made a horse shit called the end of the game to take the focus off the field!
Jay Morrison reminds us that it was the Rams who benefitted from a similar call last year:
@JayMorrisonATH
Back-to-back Super Bowls with iffy third-down defensive holding calls in the red zone in the final 2 minutes.
This:
@BeatinTheBookie
Think about it for a second right. The two biggest plays of the #ChiefsKingdom season were penalty flags to decide the games against Cincinnati on a roughing, and on Philly on a holding.
PS: I like the Chiefs too, I just think it’s unbelievable that the refs have this much pull
But there is this evidence:
@chiefs_outsider
Don’t come at the Chiefs and act like this wasn’t a penalty. It was a flag.
And Bradberry confesses to the crime. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35 on a last-second field goal, but judging by the reactions on social media, some NFL fans felt cheated.
Officials called holding on Eagles cornerback James Bradberry on a third-and-five incompletion with 1:48 left. That allowed the Chiefs to run off all but 11 seconds before Harrison Butker kicked the go-ahead field goal with eight seconds remaining.
Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said it was “100 percent” a hold by Bradberry on him.
Bradberry agreed that he held, but “I just didn’t know if he’d call it.”
“It was a holding,” Bradberry said, via Mike Giardi of NFL Media. “I tugged his jersey. I was hoping they would let it slide.”
Peter King:
Tone Deaf Quote of the Week: From Roger Goodell, in his annual Super Bowl press conference, on officiating, in the wake of the fourth-quarter debacle in the AFC Championship Game: “I don’t think it’s ever been better.” Five documented errors in one series (see my column last week), and officiating has never been better? Obviously Goodell wants to back his officials. Understandable. Loyal. But don’t take us for saps, please. A better way to truth-tell to your fans and to back the officials would be to say: “We didn’t reach the highest standards we expect late in the AFC Championship Game. But our officials have an excellent track record, and I believe over the span of the season we had a great season.”
THE FIELD
The NFL spent a small fortune to play SB57 on a substandard field of natural grass.
The field at State Farm Stadium turned into a Super Bowl slip and slide on Sunday night, and after the Kansas City Chiefs outlasted the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35, the surface was among many hot topics.
“The field was kind of terrible,” Kansas City defensive lineman Frank Clark said. “We’ve had this problem in Arizona before. A lot of these stadiums try to do new tactics with the grass, they try to do new things. I’ve been playing football since I was 7. The best grass is grass that is naturally there.
“At the end of the day, it was the field that we were given.”
Players from both teams had a hard time keeping their footing, leading several to change their cleats. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes slipped while trying to make a cut but was able to gain a few more yards. Kansas City receiver Skyy Moore lost his footing on a jet sweep, and running back Isiah Pacheco even slipped on his celebration after scoring a touchdown.
Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata compared the field to playing in a water park.
“The footing? It was terrible,” he said. “But the Kansas City Chiefs had to play on it, too. To be fair, they kind of said it was terrible, too, during the TV timeout. So, I’m glad we were on the same page.
“It was just slick. You couldn’t anchor. You had to get your whole foot in the ground. If you try and use just your toe, you’d slip right away. You saw the receivers — it was like a water park out there. And we’re playing on grass.”
Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts was among the players who changed cleats to get better traction. And oftentimes, after the whistle, players would stop to look down at where they planted their feet before getting back into the huddle.
“If you look at the film, everyone slipped on both sides,” Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick said. “I’m not going to sit here and use it as an excuse or complain about it. It was evident, though. If you see the tape, it’s on there.”
Both teams managed to reach 340 or more total yards of offense, however, and they combined for 73 points.
“This is a game of adjustments, and we had like four dudes changing their cleats at halftime,” Clark said. “Just try to figure it out. But bad field or not, you’ve got to play football.”
The DB’s wife went to Oklahoma State University, and that is the school responsible for Sunday’s field. Prior to the game, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com did this piece about how wonderful the grass was.
Be warned: When you’re watching Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, you might get the urge to take out your driver for a few swings.
That’s because the grass that the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will play on inside State Farm Stadium will be the same turf on which you’d play 18.
The turf is Tahoma 31 and it’s among the newer breeds of grass that have been developed with the funding of the United States Golf Association. Tahoma 31 is a mix of two types of Bermuda grasses and rye grass, and it was developed at Oklahoma State University under the watchful eye of Dr. Yanqi Wu. He started the process of creating Tahoma 31 in 2006, when he crossed China Bermuda grass and African Bermuda grass. A year later, the seeds were harvested and the grass was tested and studied all over the country until 2018.
The result was a grass that’s good enough for the Super Bowl.
It’s a high-quality grass that, compared to other Bermudas, has better tolerances for cold, drought (it uses 10% less water), disease, and wear, and recovers better from traffic, said Cole Thompson, the director of turfgrass and environmental research at the USGA.
For example, normal Bermuda grass would wear out to bare ground after the kind of foot traffic it would face in the leadup to the Super Bowl, said Brian Whitlark, an agronomist in the west region for the USGA. Tahoma 31 won’t have an issue holding up to demands of being a Super Bowl field, he added.
When it was time to pick a sod for the game, Ed Mangan, the NFL field director, needed grass that could withstand a week’s worth of rehearsals for the pregame, halftime and postgame shows.
“With that extra pressure comes extra things that we need to do,” said Mangan, who’s working his 35th Super Bowl. “We can’t call time out and say, ‘Wait, push the game back.’ The game is coming. It’s on this day and it’s going to happen. Kickoff at 4:30 [MST], like it or not, so we have to be ready.”
And the NFL’s turf gurus say they are.
“We believe that, right now, this is one of the strongest varieties of hybrid Bermuda grass you can get,” said Nick Pappas, an NFL field surface director.
The Super Bowl sod was grown in Scottsdale, Arizona, at West Coast Turf, about 45 miles east of State Farm Stadium, Mangan said.
He and his team arrived at State Farm Stadium about four weeks ago and ripped up the Arizona Cardinals’ field, which was made up of Tifway 419, which remains the “gold standard” of Bermuda grass since it was released in the 1960s, Whitlark said.
With the help of about 30 people, more than 600 rolls of sod that were 40-feet long and 3½-feet wide and weigh about 1,600 pounds were laid on the field tray, which can be rolled outside of the stadium to be watered, get sun and treated — and can also be rolled back inside during inclement weather, which has been crucial, Pappas said.
“It kind of unrolls like carpet,” Mangan described, and then laser graded to ensure the turf was smooth.
From there, the field was continually cared for — treated, watered and mowed — and constantly adjusted depending on moisture, dryness and the weather.
Grass that makes divots is a good thing in golf. Not necessarily football. |
| NFC EAST |
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PHILADELPHIA
We like this take from Kurt Warner:
@kurt13warner
People taking shots at a team that LOST in the SB is one of the weakest thing I see on here from a sports perspective… the 2nd best team in the world, that could have easily won & ppl talking crap!! I lost 2, but man I’ll take getting there & being called a bum by some1 any day!
Despite the loss, QB JALEN HURTS helped his career with his SB57 performance. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com:
Hurts walks — and plays — like a franchise quarterback, one who propelled Philadelphia to a 15-2 record on the way to a narrow Super Bowl LVII loss. He’s also a compelling case study not because of the wins, but because of how and how quickly he went from second-round backup to an MVP candidate quarterbacking sensation, and what it means for his earning potential in the NFL quarterback pantheon. Hurts has one season left on his rookie contract, meaning the negotiation clock with the Eagles has started.
What is one brilliant season worth?
Before Hurts’ impressive Super Bowl performance, some league execs said they saw Hurts as good but not elite, a byproduct of an Eagles system catalyzed by the league’s most dominant offensive line and a bevy of playmakers. Super Bowl run or not, that group did not see Hurts as someone who would live up to a top-five NFL contract.
Others viewed Hurts more favorably, as a modern NFL quarterback with all the tools, someone who belongs in the club of quarterbacks making $40 million a year. That group believes Hurts is someone who can lead the Eagles for the next decade. Sunday’s performance on the game’s biggest stage only reinforced that perspective. But that type of evaluation could be a tension point for an organization with eight starting defenders set to hit free agency and a front office with a roster construction chore ahead.
Would the Eagles really risk the prospect of letting a 24-year-old quarterback who played at an MVP level and led them to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in 57 seasons slip away?
“You can’t afford to let him get to next year,” an NFC exec said.
THE THROUGH LINE in Hurts’ career has been his highly publicized challenges on the field. Benched at Alabama, drafted on Day 2 in 2020, falling flat with a two-interception playoff performance last year vs. Tampa Bay.
But it’s a résumé balanced by critical counterpoints: two College Football Playoff appearances at Alabama and another after transferring to Oklahoma. He got his starting job in the NFL as a rookie despite the presence of Carson Wentz, then the face of the Eagles franchise and two years into a $128 million contract. The Super Bowl run that has been Hurts’ undeniable, crowning achievement.
Hurts says he accomplished all this by adhering to basic principles of any workplace: Work well with others, be inclusive, put others before yourself. Not every quarterback figures this out.
“Being thrust in so many different situations, the No. 1 thing is you have to invest in your teammates,” Hurts said. “You have to invest time in your coaches as well. If you have a relationship with someone, you know them on a personal level, I feel they are going to play harder for you on the field. That’s a huge credit to where we are now. We’ve come so far because we’ve been truly connected all year.”
Three NFL quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl at a younger age than Hurts was when he took the field at State Farm Stadium on Sunday. Those three quarterbacks — Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes — will stand shoulder to shoulder in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. Mahomes, at age 27, made his third appearance in the game Sunday and won his second title.
While Hurts is not yet in that historic tier, his improvement has been rapid. He ranked fourth in QBR at 66.3, up nearly 12 points from the previous year, and that’s not counting his 23 rushing touchdowns since 2021, tops in the league among quarterbacks.
Doug Williams, a former Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Washington, watched Hurts this season and said he believed he’d been proven right. Back in 2019, while serving as Washington’s senior vice president of player personnel, Williams says he liked Hurts as a late first or early second-round talent (Hurts went late second round, 53rd overall).
“I saw exactly what Philadelphia drafted,” Williams said. “He’s matured a lot. It’s not all about him as a runner. He’s learned how to sit back there and get the ball out of his hands. He’s done that. He’s patient. A leader, can throw and run — he’s a coordinator’s nightmare.”
Hurts’ biggest improvement in two years as a starter is “his ability to know what the defense is going to do before they get there,” tight end Dallas Goedert said.
Goedert noticed the trend in Week 2, and that meant “game on” for the season. Early in the week, Hurts and Goedert had discussed the same scenario Minnesota’s defense would show them on the field — safety rolling to Goedert, the corner cheating up, leaving Quez Watkins deep. Hurts saw the Vikings’ tendency in-game and hit Watkins for the 53-yard score over the top.
“I feel like [before] he would wait to see what the defense is going to do and then make his decision,” Goedert said. “Now he’s eliminating reads because of the coverages knowing what will be taken away based on how the defense plays, going through reads faster.”
He followed the Vikings win by putting together winning drives in Week 5 against Arizona and Week 10 against Indianapolis. Hurts had the highest fourth-quarter QBR (84.3) of any passer this season. His 52 completions of 20-plus yards ranked seventh in the NFL, and his 11 passes of 40-plus yards ranked fifth.
Hurts was at peak efficiency Sunday night, when the Eagles converted 11 of their first 18 third downs, most of which came from Hurts’ arm or legs. And when the offense needed a two-point conversion to tie the game at 35, Hurts — who had just rushed for his third touchdown — powered through Chiefs traffic for a stretched-out score late in the fourth quarter. It came at the end of a patient, composed 75-yard drive when all the momentum favored the Chiefs. The fact that Kansas City subsequently chose to leave little time for Hurts to work continued magic was telling.
“With all the [labels], all the branding, what people have been saying about him in the media — guy threw for [304] yards, three [rushing] touchdowns,” said left tackle Jordan Mailata from a solemn Eagles locker room postgame. “Not bad for a system QB, right?”
Hurts’ season also showed the path to a Super Bowl is often about who can limp there — increasingly so at quarterback, which saw a record 64 different starters leaguewide. Injuries plagued both Super Bowl quarterbacks, with Mahomes suffering a high ankle sprain in the divisional round and Hurts spraining his shoulder in Week 15. The injury cost Hurts two games, and possibly an MVP. There were moments during the playoffs when Hurts would slide or get out of bounds, eschewing a physical style that can be reminiscent of a running back. This signified the injury might have been worse than the team let on. Hurts himself said for weeks that he wasn’t 100%. |
| NFC SOUTH |
|
NEW ORLEANS
As usual, the Saints have lots of work to do with their salary cap. Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com:
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis would one day like to see a future where New Orleans isn’t at the bottom of the salary cap standings.
But the Saints have a lot of work to do to get there.
The salary cap is expected to be set at $224.8 million, a jump from the 2022 cap of $208.2 million. It’s back on the upward trend after dropping in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Saints were $55 million over the salary cap when the NFL informed teams of their pending cap space in late January, according to Roster Management System.
That’s not nearly as bad as in 2021, when the Saints were $100 million in the red. There were some consequences to that, such as defensive end Trey Hendrickson signing with the Cincinnati Bengals and a quiet free agency year, with rotational defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon being their biggest addition.
“Look, we’ve got to catch up. We’ve got to manage this back to the middle,” Loomis said in January. “That’s been our plan all along, and obviously the COVID year and the reduced cap and the reduced leaguewide revenues and the smoothing out of all that has impacted that. But yes, we have to make up for some of that.”
It helps that the Saints got the contract of retired quarterback Drew Brees off the books this year. But with a murky future at the position, New Orleans could use any extra space to sign a free-agent quarterback or trade for one like Las Vegas Raiders’ Derek Carr, had he decided to waive his no-trade clause.
Here’s some of the decisions the Saints can make to not only become salary cap compliant but to sign free agents:
Restructure salaries of DE Cameron Jordan, CB Marshon Lattimore, OT Ryan Ramczyk, QB/TE Taysom Hill, RB Alvin Kamara and S Tyrann Mathieu
2023 Potential Cap Savings
PLAYER POTENTIAL CAP HIT POTENTIAL SAVINGS
DE Cameron Jordan $25.7M $10M
CB Marshon Lattimore $22.46M $10.065M
OT Ryan Ramczyk $21.44M $9.69M
QB/TE Taysom Hill $13.92 $6.8M
RB Alvin Kamara $16M $7.65M
S Tyrann Mathieu $8.9M $4.3M
C Erik McCoy $12.68 $8M
S Marcus Maye $8.49M $4.25M
OG Andrus Peat $18.37M
WR Michael Thomas $13.158M $1.365M
QB Jameis Winston $15.6M $4.4M
WR Tre’Quan Smith $3.4M $1.9M
K Wil Lutz $5.62M 1.5M or more (depending on amount of void years)
Jordan turns 34 in July, but it’s hard to imagine the Saints moving on without a solid replacement for the defensive end. If they chose to release him, they would save $2.2 million against the cap. He is entering the final season of his contract with three void years on the end. The Saints can do a simple restructure as they have for several years in a row.
They will do this by reducing his $13.9 million base salary and reducing it to the league minimum of $1.165 million and converting it into a signing bonus. That would allow them to spread $12.7 million over the remaining three void years. By doing this and converting his $500,000 to a signing bonus, the Saints can lower Jordan’s 2023 cap number by about $10 million. However, it will pile on more dead money in the future if the Saints don’t sign him to an extension in 2024.
Savings: $10 million
Lattimore missed most of the 2022 season with an injury, although he immediately made his presence known with a pick-six upon his return late in the season. His 2023 base salary became guaranteed last year, so if the Saints pulled a stunner and traded him, the new team would be responsible for that salary.
It’s more likely that the 27-year-old has his contract restructured like last year. The Saints would take his $14.5 million base salary to the minimum of $1.08 million and spread it out over the remaining four years of the contract he signed in 2021. That would lower his cap hit from $22.9 million to $12.4 million.
Savings: $10.065 million
Ramczyk’s cap number of $21.4 million above can be lowered to $11.75 million with a simple restructure like those listed above, spreading the portion of his base salary over the final four years of his deal, if the Saints don’t add void years.
Savings: $9.69 million
Former Saints coach Sean Payton has joked about taking Hill’s contract off the Saints hands if he returns to the NFL, but Hill’s nine touchdowns proves he’s still needed in New Orleans. A restructure would take a trade out of the question (and trade savings would be almost nothing). But it would save the Saints some money and cut his $14.75 million cap number in half.
Savings: $6.8 million
Kamara has a $16 million cap hit in 2023. The Saints can take a portion of his $9.4 million base salary and his $1 million roster bonus and convert that to a signing bonus, saving about $7 million in the process.
Savings: $7.65 million
Mathieu signed a three-year deal with two void years in 2022. They can reduce his $8.9 million cap number to $4.5 million with a restructure of his $7 million base salary.
Savings: $4.3 million
Convert C Erik McCoy’s and S Marcus Maye’s roster bonuses into signing bonuses
McCoy signed a five-year extension in 2022 with a $10 million roster bonus due in 2023. The Saints structure contracts this way on purpose so that the roster bonus can be converted into a signing bonus and spread out over the rest of the contract. That saves $8 million in 2023 and adds $2 million to each future year.
Savings: $8 million
Maye signed a three-year deal in 2022 with two void years. He is due a guaranteed $5.8 million roster bonus in 2023.
The Saints can drop his $8.5 million cap hit to $4.25 million by converting the roster bonus into a signing bonus and spreading it out over four years.
Savings: $4.25 million
Restructure or release OG Andrus Peat
Peat has been with the Saints since they took him in the first round of the 2015 draft and has gotten fairly pricey to keep, considering he has missed 28 games since the start of the 2018 season. His cap number for 2023 is $18.37 million.
If the Saints restructure Peat, they’ll save almost $8 million against the cap but will also balloon his cap number to more than $20 million in 2024, the final year of his deal.
Restructure savings: $10.37 million
Post-June 1 cut savings: $11.825 million
Cut savings: $1.387 million
Release WR Michael Thomas as a post-June 1 cut
Post-June 1 cuts allow the team to spread out the salary cap hit over two years instead of one. The tradeoff is that the team has to carry that player’s salary until after June 1, even if the player is cut months prior.
Brees voluntarily reduced his base salary from $25 million to the veteran minimum prior to his retirement in 2021. The Saints still had to deal with the prorated portion of his signing bonus, but it gave them some cap relief to get the base salary down.
Thomas recently reduced his own base salary to $1.165 million, giving the Saints flexibility to move on from him if they wish. If Thomas was a regular release, they would have to account for the entire remaining portion of his signing bonus in 2023 ($26.1 million). If released, he’ll be a post June-1 cut so they only have to absorb the $11.9 million portion of his signing bonus on the books for 2023.
Savings: $1.365 million
Release QB Jameis Winston
It’s hard to imagine the Saints moving ahead with Winston as their quarterback after attempting to replace him twice, first with a failed attempt to acquire Deshaun Watson and then with Andy Dalton in-season.
Winston signed a two-year deal last year that was structured in a way that they could move on quickly. Winston is due a $12.8 million base salary and has $11.2 million remaining of the $14 million signing bonus from last year.
He could be another post-June 1 cut if the Saints want to save $12.8 million against the cap, but it’s possible they want the cap space immediately. By releasing him prior to his contract guarantees kicking in on March 19, they’ll save $4.4 million against the 2023 salary cap.
Savings: $4.4 million
Release WR Tre’Quan Smith
This would only bring minor savings, but Smith’s usage dropped significantly in 2022 despite his role as a blocker. He had only one touchdown in 2022.
Smith isn’t expensive, but if the Saints need to start looking for change in the couch cushions, this is a potential cut.
Savings: $1.9 million
Add void years to K Wil Lutz’s contract
Lutz is entering the final year of his contract and will count $5.62 million against the cap. The Saints might be hesitant on an extension at this moment after Lutz missed the 2021 season and converted a career-worst 74.2% of his field goal attempts in 2022.
They can add void years to the contact if they’re not ready for an extension. If the Saints added two void years, they can do a restructure of his $3.4 million base salary, converting it to a signing bonus and dropping his cap hit to $4.1 million.
Savings: $1.5 million or more (depending on amount of void years)
What else can the Saints do?
Defensive linemen David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport are scheduled to become free agents who will still count against the salary cap if they leave because of the void years in their contracts. Onyemata would count $10.1 million against the salary cap if he leaves.
If the Saints gave Onyemata the same deal he got in 2020 (three years and a void year, $27 million, $10 million signing bonus), it would be a cap hit of $9.4 million (base salary and signing bonus added to the $5.71 million of the old signing bonus on the 2023 cap).
While that particular scenario wouldn’t save the Saints a ton of cap space, at least they wouldn’t be spending $10 million in cap room on a player they don’t have.
The Saints are in a similar situation with Davenport, as he’ll count $7.6 million against the cap this season if he leaves because of a restructure to his fifth-year option in 2022.
Total savings: About $70-$80 million |
|
TAMPA BAY
Rick Stroud says the Buccaneers will be in the extreme secondary QB market:
@NFLSTROUD
Bucs will explore the FA QB market but their salary cap situation makes it unlikely they will compete for anyone who has a legit top tier market. Jimmy Garoppolo will likely be out of their price range, especially with his injury history. Expect a lot of names attached to TB.
Jacoby Brissett, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold… |
| NFC WEST |
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ARIZONA
When Super Bowl Sunday dawned, Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon was believed to be the front-runner for the Arizona head coaching position. Then, this from Peter King:
Incredible. Eagles got fooled again. Another wide-open touchdown. I thought at that moment: Poor Jonathan Gannon. The Philadelphia defensive coordinator, slated for a head-coach interview with the Cardinals early this week, will walk into said interview having given up a 38-spot in the Super Bowl, and having given up the easiest, most wide-open TD passes – two of them! – in the post-season. |
| AFC WEST |
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KANSAS CITY
Peter King gets the good stuff on Andy Reid:
In Reid’s office at State Farm Stadium Sunday night was his longtime agent, Bob Lamonte, and his grandson, Maverick. “My good luck guy,” Reid said with pride, nodding to the boy. Maverick, son of Britt Reid, who is imprisoned for an accident that badly injured a young girl in 2020, has been with Andy Reid for the team’s playoff run. The coach seems to enjoy having Maverick by his side.
Reid, who turns 65 next month, was peppered with questions about his future during the week. Jay Glazer reported Sunday on FOX that Reid would have a decision to make about his future after the game. So, post-Corn Dog, I asked him about it.
“Are you gonna retire?” I said.
“I’m not,” Reid said.
“You’re gonna coach again?”
“That’s what I plan on doing. Yeah, God help me.”
This was an emotional game for Reid, because in the last quarter-century, he has fixed both franchises. He coached the Eagles for 14 seasons, laying the groundwork for their long-term respectability and coaching/teaching current GM Howie Roseman. Reid took about 10 minutes off from football before taking the job coaching Kansas City in 2013. What a run he’s had: Reid’s the only coach in NFL history to have more than 100 wins with two different franchises. He’s taken Kansas City to three Super Bowls in the last four seasons, winning two. Reid’s 269th career win—regular- and post-season—here puts him one win behind Tom Landry for fourth place on the all-time list.
But this was also a rollicking and significant win for his quarterback. Think of his three playoff games this season: suffers a high-ankle sprain against Jacksonville, grouses at Reid for taking him out to have the ankle examined in a 27-20 win; survives against Cincinnati in the AFC title game 23-20, gritting through the ankle issues; leads his team back from 10 points down (for the second time) to win the Super Bowl after re-injuring the ankle. For the post-season, playing with a bum ankle for 85 percent of the snaps, Mahomes completed 72 percent of his throws with a rating of 114.7.
There’s another guy who had a bunch of narrow playoff and Super Bowl wins in his early NFL life: Tom Brady. Let’s compare the two men when they were 27. That’s how old Mahomes is now.
Brady at 27: 57-14 overall record, three Super Bowl wins, 11-to-3 post-season TD-to-Interception ratio.
Mahomes at 27: 75-19 overall record, two Super Bowl wins, 35-to-7 post-season TD-Pick ratio.
Not so different, is it?
This post-season stamped Mahomes as a player with great talent and a Brady ethos. When middle linebacker T.J. Edwards tackled Mahomes on his last snap of the first half, Edwards rolled Mahomes’ injured right ankle. This game looked very dark for Kansas City. The pain on Mahomes’ face made every fan of the team and the quarterback feel like vomiting.
“I knew it wasn’t good,” Mahomes told me.
But when we spoke 90 minutes after the game, it was apparent Mahomes knew something else.
“Whatever it was, I wasn’t coming out of the game,” he said. “This is the Super Bowl. You think I’m coming out of this game? We got all off-season to get well. We had only two quarters left to play, and we had to find a way to win.”
At halftime, down 10, Reid told his team, “Ten points. Ten points isn’t a lot. We’re just off a tick.” And Reid said the halftime’s so long, it allowed his team to calm down—but not before Mahomes and Travis Kelce lit into the group.
Mahomes said he thought his team was playing tight. “We weren’t playing with our normal joy,” he said. “I said you can’t let the moment overtake you.”
There was 48 minutes of real time between snaps for Mahomes, with the long halftime. Mahomes and the offense came out sharp, driving 10 plays for 75 yards on the opening drive of the second half. Now it was 24-21. After the Eagles chewed up almost eight minutes on the next drive, now came the key drive of the game.
Mahomes will have a different backup in 2023. ESPN.com:
Chad Henne is calling it a career in a manner few in football are able to — as a Super Bowl champion.
The veteran quarterback took to social media shortly after his Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday night to say the game would be his last in the NFL.
“Calling it a career. Capping it off with @budlight and another ring,” he wrote on Instagram.
Henne, 37, didn’t play in Kansas City’s dramatic 38-35 win, although it looked like he might enter the game when Patrick Mahomes aggravated a right ankle injury late in the first half. Mahomes was hobbled but never missed time, instead leading the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl title in the past four seasons.
Henne has been with Kansas City for both titles (the other came in Super Bowl LIV). He has been mostly a backup to Mahomes in his five seasons with the Chiefs but has been reliable when Kansas City needed him, including leading a 98-yard touchdown drive after Mahomes initially hurt the ankle in the team’s 27-20 divisional round win against the Jacksonville Jaguars last month. |
|
LAS VEGAS
QB DEREK CARR doesn’t want the Raiders to get anything in exchange for his services. The Athletic:
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr isn’t accepting a trade to the Saints or any other team, league sources told The Athletic on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
New Orleans received permission to speak with Carr and the quarterback visited the Saints on Feb. 8. The Saints were the only team that showed interest in trading for Carr and wanted him to take a pay cut, a league source said.
The Raiders asked for a third-round pick, but were willing to be flexible on compensation, according to a league source. Ultimately, teams didn’t want to take on Carr’s contract.
Las Vegas has to trade Carr or cut him by Feb. 15 to avoid more than $40 million of the $121.5 million remaining on his contract becoming fully guaranteed. Carr has veto power over any trade.
The Raiders benched Carr (starting Jarrett Stidham) for the final two regular-season games to avoid injury risk and he left the team to avoid being a distraction. Carr finished last season with 3,522 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a 60.8 completion percentage resulting in an 86.3 passer rating.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What’s next for Carr?
Carr met with the Saints for a couple of days this week, but he decided on Sunday that he wouldn’t be accepting any trade to any team, and the Raiders are set to release him before the 15th.
Carr, who had a no-trade clause worked into his extension last spring, would have liked to meet with teams on his own terms to discuss reworking his contract — he is due $40 million in guaranteed money if the Raiders don’t cut him — but the Raiders were only willing to let him talk to teams that had the framework for a trade worked out.
The Raiders would have been happy with getting any draft pick back for him, but they were prepared to move on regardless when they benched him for the last two games of the season. Carr will now be first in line in free agency, and he said last week at the Pro Bowl that he is looking forward to choosing his team after being drafted and playing nine years for the Raiders. — Tafur |
| AFC EAST |
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NEW YORK JETS
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will have a passing game coordinator. Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:
The Jets are bringing in another offensive assistant.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, New York is hiring former Tennessee offensive coordinator Todd Downing as passing game coordinator.
Downing was fired last month after the Titans finished No. 28 in points and No. 30 in yards this season. He was promoted from tight ends coach in 2021 after Arthur Smith departed the organization to become the Falcons head coach.
Downing also was arrested for DUI in November and served jail time in the last month as a result. The league has not yet announced any discipline for the Titans or Downing for a violation of the personal conduct policy.
After parting ways with former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur in January, the Jets have now added former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator and Downing to lead their offensive staff.
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com points out some connections:
Downing, who was fired after the season, has ties to two quarterbacks who might be potential offseason targets for the Jets — the Titans’ Ryan Tannehill and the Las Vegas Raiders’ Derek Carr.
Downing was the Raiders’ quarterbacks coach in 2015 and 2016 and their coordinator in 2017 — three Pro Bowl years for Carr, who is expected to become a free agent later this week.
The Jets also have checked into the availability of the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Sunday.
NFL Network first reported Downing’s hiring. |
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THIS AND THAT |
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HALL OF FAME
Peter King on the state of the Hall of Fame voting with the new class announced:
12. Re: Hall of Fame voting, a few thoughts. (I’m one of the 49 voters for the Hall.) Most of you know how the process works. The 15 modern-era finalists get discussed, as do the four total Senior and Contributor candidates. The committee votes, one by one, on the three Senior (Ken Riley, Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley) and one Contributor (Don Coryell) candidates. If they get 80 percent of the private vote, they’re in. All four got in. Then we vote to cut the 15 modern candidates down to 10. When the top 10 get announced, we vote for our top five. After the cut to five is made, we’re asked to vote yes or no on the final five. If they get 80 percent yes votes, they’re in. Overall, this was a more contentious year than usual. Lots of discussion on return specialist Devin Hester, who didn’t make it, and on the three receivers who seem to be cancelling each other out.
13. My cut to five: Andre Johnson, Albert Lewis, Darrelle Revis, Joe Thomas, Zach Thomas. Toughest decision for me was Lewis or Ronde Barber, who I was also bullish on. But I thought Lewis’ all-around game—superb coverage, physicality, special teams, kick-blocking—gave him a microscopic edge. I was happy for Barber, though. Sad for Lewis. And I fully supported Demarcus Ware, who was seventh on my list.
14. Discussion time: six hours, 23 minutes. Slightly less than usual.
15. As for the receiver logjam, the candidacies of Andre Johnson, Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne all have their partisans among the voters. I don’t know how it gets solved, particularly with more receivers with inflated numbers entering the pool in coming seasons. I am partial to Johnson. He’s the biggest (6-3, 230). He’s virtually as fast as the fastest, Holt (4.40 to 4.38 for Holt in the 40-). He didn’t have the advantage of playing with Peyton Manning or on the Greatest Show on Turf. (Though Holt played more than half his career with lesser QBs on lesser offenses.) And he didn’t have a player like Marvin Harrison or Isaac Bruce on the other side to take attention away from him. I think Johnson’s clearly the best of the three, but I’m one of 49 voters.
16. I don’t think there’s a lock next year among first-time-eligibles, but the cases of first-timers Julius Peppers and Antonio Gates will be strong.
17. My theory on why it might take a while for Darren Woodson or any safety to make the Hall of Fame soon: In the 16 years from 2001 to 2016, zero safeties were elected among the 99 enshrinees. In the past seven years, which you might call the Safety Overcorrection Era, 10 safeties have been enshrined among the 52 men voted into the Hall: Kenny Easley, Brian Dawkins, Ed Reed, Johnny Robinson, Steve Atwater, Cliff Harris, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, John Lynch and LeRoy Butler. (I didn’t include Charles Woodson, of course, because he spent only the last four years of his career at safety.)
Now that Ronde Barber is in, Luke Easterling of USA TODAY (joined by the DB) says maybe it is time to take a second look at his brother:
@LukeEasterling
Tiki is 15th in NFL history in yards from scrimmage. Every player ahead of him who is eligible for the Hall of Fame is already in.
The other three? Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adrian Peterson, all HOF locks.
@LukeEasterling
On that list, only Barry Sanders played as few seasons as Barber did (10).
Tiki averaged 100 yards of offense per game for his entire career.
One of the best, most versatile, most dynamic, most productive offensive playmakers in NFL history. |
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BROADCAST NEWS
More like Schedule News, but there is some broadcast stuff here from Peter King:
2. Interesting Super Bowl tidbit from Roger Goodell: The NFL is likely to pick two more Super Bowl sites by year’s end. The next two are set: Super Bowl 58 next year in Las Vegas, and SB 59 in February 2025 in New Orleans. I’d bet a lot that one of the two games after that, in 2026 or ’27, will go to Los Angeles. The NFL loved the venue, the city and the facilities last year at SoFi, and the idea when the place was built was to give LA a game once every four or five years.
3. Best news tidbit, nearly hatched: The NFL is working toward playing its two games in Germany on consecutive Sundays next November. I’m told Kansas City and New England, previously announced as host teams, expect to play on Sundays in an eight-day span, and it’s probable but not certain that both games will be in Frankfurt. Last year’s successful Germany debut was at Allianz Arena in Munich. The Frankfurt stadium is Deutsche Bank Park, with a retractable roof, about four miles from the city center. It’ll be pretty amazing to have Patrick Mahomes and Bill Belichick in Germany on back-to-back NFL weekends.
4. Best news tidbit, not yet hatched, but developing: The NFL is working with digital geniuses to develop a low-latency broadcast. Low-latency means a shorter time between a live football play and when you see it on your TV or mobile device. Why is this important, shortening the time between the live play and when it can be shown? Because that would allow viewers to be more able to bet on props involving each play. Seems a little insidious to me, to invite more people to bet more money on more football things, but the NFL is driving to make a jillion on sports betting, and this could be the next addictive frontier. |
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2023 POWER RANKINGS
It’s never too early for 2023 Power Rankings:
Super Bowl LVII is over, with the Kansas City Chiefs downing the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. Now, we’re looking ahead to next season with our way-too-early NFL team rankings.
Sure, a lot can happen between now and the time the regular season gets underway in seven months. Many teams could have new starting quarterbacks. The futures of Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers are in flux. Three teams have hired new head coaches, while two are still interviewing candidates. There are plenty of free agents who will sign with new teams in March — or return to their 2022 squads. And then there’s the 2023 draft, which begins April 27.
Here’s how we see next season right now — from 1 to 32 — with our NFL Nation writers describing the offseason for the teams they cover in three or fewer words.
Our power panel is a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities who evaluates how NFL teams stack up against each other, then ranks them from 1 to 32.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2022 record: 14-3
Offseason in three or fewer words: Keep Mahomes happy
The Chiefs have some work to do if they’re going to surround quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a strong cast of supporting skill players. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman and Jerick McKinnon are potential unrestricted free agents. Travis Kelce has shown no signs of decline, but he will turn 34 in October. A good chunk of their available resources needs to be devoted to bolstering their receiving group. — Adam Teicher
2. Philadelphia Eagles
2022 record: 14-3
Offseason in three or fewer words: Decisions, decisions, decisions
The Eagles have a number of notable free agents, including Miles Sanders, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, James Bradberry, Isaac Seumalo, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. Complicating matters is that QB Jalen Hurts is eligible for a contract extension. They’ll have to set a big chunk of money aside to lock Hurts in long term and will have to let some quality players walk. — Tim McManus
3. San Francisco 49ers
2022 record: 13-4
Offseason in three or fewer words: Figure out quarterback
Brock Purdy and Trey Lance are the only two quarterbacks the Niners have under contract for next season and both are recovering from injuries. Lance (broken right ankle) expects to be a full go for OTAs and beyond, while Purdy (torn UCL in right elbow) won’t be back until late July at the earliest. Which means San Francisco’s quarterback dilemma must first be solved based on health, then on ability and upside. Would the 49ers run it back with just Purdy, Lance and a low-cost veteran? That’s just one of the many quarterback questions the Niners must answer if they’re going to contend for a Super Bowl again in 2023. — Nick Wagoner
4. Cincinnati Bengals
2022 record: 12-4
Offseason in three or fewer words: Sign Joe Burrow
Burrow, the top overall draft pick in 2020, will be eligible for a contract extension this offseason. Once Cincinnati locks in Burrow for the foreseeable future, the Bengals will get a better sense of what their salary-cap situation will look like for the next few years. That will impact the other decisions that need to be made, such as whether Cincinnati can afford to give receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins top-of-market deals or whether the pass protection deserves another look this offseason. — Ben Baby
5. Buffalo Bills
2022 record: 13-3
Offseason in three or fewer words: Mind the cap
There’s some work to be done on the roster, and the Bills sit more than $18 million over the cap. The team has big free agent decisions to make with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and safety Jordan Poyer, both of whom would not be easy to replace. QB Josh Allen and the offense also need help, especially at wide receiver and interior offensive line. General manager Brandon Beane said there won’t be a splash move like signing Von Miller last offseason, but the Bills will have to get creative in building the roster and avoid spreading too much cap down the road. — Alaina Getzenberg
6. Dallas Cowboys
2022 record: 12-5
Offseason in three or fewer words: Pressure on McCarthy
This was the case in 2022 as well. But now Mike McCarthy enters a season in which he will call plays and have more say in the offense than he ever has. He will have a retooled offensive staff and potential changes in personnel on that side of the ball. He has won 24 games in the past two seasons and took the Cowboys a step further in the 2022 playoffs, but heading into the second-to-last year of his contract, McCarthy will need to have his best season, and that work starts in the offseason. — Todd Archer
7. Los Angeles Chargers
2022 record: 10-7
Offseason in three or fewer words: Pay Justin Herbert
The 2020 sixth overall pick is eligible for a contract extension, and it would be in the Chargers’ favor to get a deal done expeditiously, not only to beat the market and pending deals for Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Lamar Jackson, but to cut out any distraction that looming contract negotiations might cause for Herbert and the organization. That way, the Bolts can place all of their attention where it is badly needed in order to make the deep playoff run they’ve missed the past two seasons — by fixing the offense and building a scheme that allows Herbert and his arm to shine. — Lindsey Thiry
8. Miami Dolphins
2022 record: 9-8
Offseason in three or fewer words: Just get healthy
While operating at 100%, this team proved it could be among the best in the NFL. The problem came when the Dolphins were at 100% for only a handful of weeks. The return of Brandon Jones and Nik Needham should shore up the defense — which stands to improve with the addition of coordinator Vic Fangio. Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion issues provided one of the biggest stories in the league this season, but Miami is confident that after an offseason of rest, he will be good to go in 2023. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
9. Minnesota Vikings
2022 record: 13-4
Offseason in three or fewer words: Overhaul the lineup
An atypical combination of big cap numbers, expiring contracts, aging veterans and diminishing performance means the Vikings will need to make some significant changes to their starting lineup in the coming months. Six of their existing starters will be at least 31 when the 2023 season starts, and quarterback Kirk Cousins (35) is the only one who is assured of a return. As many as nine defensive starting spots could change hands. It will be a massive effort. — Kevin Seifert
10. Jacksonville Jaguars
2022 record: 9-8
Offseason in three or fewer words: Fix the cap
The Jaguars are $30.1 million over the salary cap. GM Trent Baalke is going to have to make some cuts (CB Shaquill Griffin is almost certainly one) and restructure some contracts to get under the cap. Getting this done will make re-signing TE Evan Engram and possibly RT Jawaan Taylor a little easier, though expect the Jaguars to be careful with how much money they’re pushing into the future because they’ll need to start at least talking about a long-term deal for QB Trevor Lawrence after the 2023 season. — Michael DiRocco
11. Baltimore Ravens
2022 record: 10-7
Offseason in three or fewer words: All about Lamar
What the Ravens can and can’t do in free agency revolves around quarterback Lamar Jackson. If Baltimore places the $45 million exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, the team will have very little salary cap space to do anything to improve at wide receiver and cornerback. If the Ravens reach a new deal with Jackson, they would have more than $20 million in cap room to upgrade his supporting cast. If Baltimore decides to trade Jackson, the team would rank among the top teams in cap space (more than $40 million). — Jamison Hensley
12. Detroit Lions
2022 record: 9-8
Offseason in three or fewer words: Tighten up defensively
Offensively, there aren’t many holes to fill on the Lions’ roster, but defense is a different story. After their first winning season since 2017, the Lions will have to rely on getting some game-changers in the draft with two first-round picks. Statistically, the Lions ranked in the bottom tier of nearly every major category on defense, including points allowed per game, in which they were tied for 28th (25.12 points PPG). — Eric Woodyard
13. Seattle Seahawks
2022 record: 9-8
Offseason in three or fewer words: Geno and defense
The two big offseason tasks for Seahawks general manager John Schneider are to re-sign quarterback Geno Smith and improve the front seven of their defense. Schneider will have the resources to do it with around $30 million in cap space (before cuts and restructures) and a boatload of draft capital, including the fifth overall pick and four of the top 53 selections. An ideal scenario would be re-signing Smith and backup Drew Lock, which would allow them to spend their early-round picks on the defensive positions they don’t address in free agency. They need upgrades at D-tackle, D-end, outside linebacker and inside linebacker. — Brady Henderson
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
2022 record: 9-8
Offseason in three or fewer words: Build around Pickett
QB Kenny Pickett finished his rookie season on a high note, going 7-2 after the bye and throwing five touchdown passes to one interception in that stretch. Now it’s about taking the next steps — both individually and as an offense. Pickett will continue working with offensive coordinator Matt Canada, back for another year, but now it’s about giving Pickett and the offense the tools to score more points. That means upgrades to the scheme and personnel. At the top of the list, the Steelers have to figure out how to get wide receiver George Pickens more involved, and they should look to add offensive linemen and another offensive skill position player through the draft or free agency. — Brooke Pryor
15. New York Giants
2022 record: 9-7-1
Offseason in three or fewer words: Re-sign some standouts
Quarterback Daniel Jones is coming back in some shape or form — general manager Joe Schoen has already stated that confidently. It’s a matter of whether it’s for the $32.4 million franchise tag or something closer to $40 million per season. Jones played really well in his first season under coach Brian Daboll, finishing tied for sixth in QBR at 60.8 despite being contacted the third most of any quarterback at 31.7%. But Jones isn’t the only Giants player who might get a new deal. RB Saquon Barkley is likely to return, and DT Dexter Lawrence and OT Andrew Thomas are also extension candidates. — Jordan Raanan
16. Green Bay Packers
2022 record: 8-9
Offseason in three or fewer words: What Aaron wants
Aaron Rodgers simply wanting to return is only part of the storyline. If he decides he wants to play, he said he wants to know that the Packers aren’t in a rebuild. If they are, then he’d probably try to get traded. The Packers have said publicly that they want Rodgers back, but it’s not out of the question that internally they’re ready to move on to Jordan Love. Before anything significant can happen this offseason, the Packers need to know where things stand with their quarterback(s). — Rob Demovsky
17. New England Patriots
2022 record: 8-9
Offseason in three or fewer words: Rehabilitating the offense
Bill Belichick has essentially acknowledged that his 2022 plan — which included streamlining the offense and not naming an official coordinator — was ill-advised. The team’s Jan. 12 statement that it would be interviewing to fill the offensive coordinator position was uncharacteristic for the notoriously tight-lipped organization and a decisive step in the direction of trying to get QB Mac Jones & Co. back on track. The team hired Bill O’Brien to fill the open position, and he will return back to the Patriots’ sideline for the first time since 2011. — Mike Reiss
18. Washington Commanders
2022 record: 8-8-1
Offseason in three or fewer words: Who’s the owner?
The Snyders put the team up for sale in November, and the word remains that they’re motivated to sell — “fixer upper in nation’s capital, for sale by owner.” But the question remains, when and to whom? What can Washington do in free agency during this state of transition? Can it re-sign key players such as free agent defensive tackle Daron Payne? How quickly will a new owner install his own people in upper management? And would the Snyders hang on to the team for another year if it doesn’t get the price it wants (hard to imagine)? So many questions that impact the future of the franchise that are even bigger than Washington’s annual one: Can [player X] be the quarterback of the future? — John Keim
19. Cleveland Browns
2022 record: 7-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Meshing with Watson
Cleveland gave up three first-round draft picks, plus a new $230 million fully guaranteed contract, to trade for QB Deshaun Watson. The first year of the deal didn’t go well. After serving an 11-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy by committing sexual assault, as defined by the NFL, on massage therapists, Watson ranked just 27th in QBR (38.3) as Cleveland’s offensive efficiency cratered in his return. Considering Watson didn’t play during the 2021 season, either, rust was expected. He now has the offseason to develop chemistry in and with Cleveland’s offense. — Jake Trotter
20. New York Jets
2022 record: 7-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Find a quarterback
The Jets have made no secret of their desire to replace QB Zach Wilson with a proven veteran, turning Wilson into a backup. The question is, which one? If they don’t land the Raiders’ Derek Carr, look for them to pursue a trade for Aaron Rodgers if the Packers make him available. If they miss out on Rodgers and Carr, the Jets can turn to the Titans’ Ryan Tannehill or Jimmy Garoppolo (free agent). Basically, they’re desperate. The Jets’ hierarchy, facing a make-or-break season, doesn’t want to run it back with Wilson, who hasn’t come close to living up to his draft status (No. 2 overall pick in 2021). — Rich Cimini
21. Las Vegas Raiders
2022 record: 6-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Times are a-changin’
Paraphrasing Bob Dylan seems appropriate in Las Vegas, especially with Derek Carr on his way out after nine seasons as the Raiders quarterback. Carr, who was benched with two games to go, holds nearly every passing record in franchise history but also a career record of just 63-79. So whoever the next Las Vegas QB is — Jimmy Garoppolo? Jarrett Stidham? Draft pick TBD? — will usher in change in a way not seen in the streets of Silver and Blackdom since perhaps when Carson Palmer landed there in 2011. — Paul Gutierrez
22. Los Angeles Rams
2022 record: 5-12
Offseason in three or fewer words: Start camp healthy
The silver lining of missing the playoffs for the Rams is that they will have an extended offseason to get healthy, something they desperately needed last season. Los Angeles was without several star players for a significant portion of the season — quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive tackle Aaron Donald and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson II — and had so many injuries to their offensive line that they started 12 different combinations in 12 games. Rams coach Sean McVay has said he expects Stafford to have a healthy offseason and getting that group 100% healthy for the start of training camp has to be the Rams’ No. 1 offseason goal. — Sarah Barshop
23. Carolina Panthers
2022 record: 7-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Find franchise quarterback
The Panthers haven’t selected a quarterback in the first round of the draft since Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick, in 2011. They have the No. 9 overall pick and an extra second-round pick from the Christian McCaffrey trade to move up and get a QB in the top three, maybe even at No. 1 overall. They have an offensive-minded coach now in Frank Reich, and it’s time to, as GM Scott Fitterer said, take a shot. — David Newton
24. Tennessee Titans
2022 record: 7-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Retool the offense
The Titans’ offense was 28th in the NFL last season with an average of 17.5 points per game. Derrick Henry remains a legitimate threat running the ball, but Tennessee must find a way to balance things out. The Titans promoted Tim Kelly to offensive coordinator, filling that void, but uncertainty about QB Ryan Tannehill, possibly having to replace three starters on the offensive line and the lack of receiving game leave big questions. — Turron Davenport
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2022 record: 8-9
Offseason in three or fewer words: Fill Brady void
It’s an impossible task, replacing a seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, not only in terms of play but leadership. But to keep their window for contention open and maximize the time they have receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White all together, the Bucs will need to find a veteran replacement or strike gold in the draft at No. 19. — Jenna Laine
26. Atlanta Falcons
2022 record: 7-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Time for growth
The Falcons finally have cap space after two years of living near the edge and having to make difficult decisions with how to structure their roster. How will they use that money? There are options — but starting out with improving the front seven and pass rush is a place coach Arthur Smith highlighted and is expected to put an emphasis on in the next few months. — Michael Rothstein
27. Denver Broncos
2022 record: 5-12
Offseason in three or fewer words: Up next — Payton
Sean Payton is taking over a team that has played playoff-level defense (again) but hasn’t scored more than 20.8 points per game in a season since 2015 and hasn’t finished in the league’s top 15 in scoring since 2014. The Broncos have cycled through 10-plus quarterbacks and fired three coaches since January 2019. Payton is now tasked with repairing quarterback Russell Wilson’s game, but the bottom line is if he can’t get Wilson and the rest of the Broncos to score more touchdowns, he’ll eventually join a growing list of those who have failed that task. — Jeff Legwold
28. New Orleans Saints
2022 record: 7-10
Offseason in three or fewer words: Get that quarterback
Jameis Winston? Andy Dalton? It’s anyone’s guess who could be the quarterback for the Saints in 2023. Their situation certainly looks a little brighter now that they’ll get back into the first round of the draft, thanks to the Sean Payton trade. Whether they try to package picks and move up or make magic work with their salary-cap situation in free agency, expect the Saints to be on the lookout for their next signal-caller. — Katherine Terrell
29. Chicago Bears
2022 record: 3-14
Offseason in three or fewer words: Spend, add everywhere
The Bears have the most salary-cap space in the NFL (approximately $93 million) and the No. 1 overall draft pick. With around 20 players set to hit free agency next month, the makeup of this roster will again look very different next season. The ability to spend on premium positions — pass-rushers, offensive linemen and cornerback, which GM Ryan Poles said he’ll eye specifically — gives Chicago flexibility to add top veteran talent beginning in March. Poles will also be busy fielding offers for the Bears’ top draft pick, which could yield an additional first-rounder this year and in 2024 so they can continue building the roster around quarterback Justin Fields. — Courtney Cronin
30. Indianapolis Colts
2022 record: 4-12-1
Offseason in three or fewer words: Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback
The Colts are still trying to resolve what has been a lengthy coaching search featuring a number of candidates. But that might not even be their biggest decision of the offseason. With the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft at their disposal, the Colts have their best opportunity yet to address their yearslong quarterback problem. Will they get it right? — Stephen Holder
31. Arizona Cardinals
2022 record: 4-13
Offseason in three or fewer words: New head coach
The Cardinals will have their fourth coach in the past seven years, which means another new culture, another new staff, another new scheme and another new man in charge. Arizona needs to find some stability with this head coach if it wants a chance to make a run at the playoffs. That starts with the offseason, which might be the most important one for Arizona in recent memory. QB Kyler Murray is still rehabbing his injured knee, so to avoid a year of rebuilding, the Cardinals’ new coach will need to figure out how to start winning out of the gate. — Josh Weinfuss
32. Houston Texans
2022 record: 3-13-1
Offseason in three or fewer words: Get a quarterback
Davis Mills logged a QBR of 33.2 (third-worst among starters) and was benched for backup quarterback Kyle Allen for two games in Weeks 12-13. Allen threw four interceptions in his brief time as a starter. So, it is clear an upgrade is needed at QB. After hiring new coach DeMeco Ryans, the Texans could look to get a quarterback at April’s draft with the No. 2 overall pick. Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis are options. The Texans must leave the offseason with a new face of the franchise to accelerate their rebuild. — DJ Bien-Aime
And here are the early Vegas odds – which look a lot like the ESPN power rankings:
Chiefs +600
Bengals +850
Bills +900
Eagles +900
49ers +900
Cowboys +1400
Ravens +1800
Chargers +2000
Packers +2500
Jaguars +2500
Lions +2500
Jets +2500
Rams +3000
Dolphins +3000
Saints +3000
Browns +4000
Broncos +4000
Vikings +4000
Raiders +4000
Giants +4000
Steelers +5000
Panthers +5000
Commanders +5000
Patriots +5000
Seahawks +6600
Bears +6600
Titans +6600
Falcons +8000
Buccaneers +8000
Colts +15000
Cardinals +25000
Texans +30000
Off the top of the head, we like the Dolphins at 30 to 1, the Vikings at 40 to 1 and the Giants at 40 to 1. |
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