NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

Is QB AARON RODGERS backtracking from a split?  He doesn’t sound like a mam implementing a plan.  Adam Maya of NFL.com:

Deadlines force decisions, and Aaron Rodgers has a major one impending. Whether he will play for the Packers, or at all, in 2021 has been the question of the offseason. The reigning league MVP finally intimated this weekend that he’ll have an answer shortly.

Rodgers has been among the many football players golfing in the celebrity-filled American Century Championship in Nevada, where NBC Sports caught up with him Saturday and asked what his plans are for the upcoming season.

“I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this week,” Rodgers said. “And then I’m going to get back to working out and figure things out in a couple weeks.”

His timetable tracks neatly with the start of training camp (the Packers are due to report on July 27). Though Rodgers skipped Green Bay’s entire offseason program, camp was long seen as the moment of truth between the franchise and its star quarterback. It’s when the fines become greater and the absences more detrimental to preparation for the season.

After 16 years in the NFL, Rodgers knows the value of that time. He and the Packers don’t have much more of it before resolving how they’ll proceed. The offseason began with Rodgers determined to extend his tenure multiple years with the only NFL team he’s known. It’s almost over and he’s still uncertain about what to do this year. But clarity for all is coming soon.

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA

Doug Pederson with some insights on what went wrong with QB CARSON WENTZ in the wake of the drafting of QB JALEN HURTS.  John McMullen of SI.com:

Not that it’s any surprise but the Eagles did not draft Jalen Hurts in 2020 with the idea of him becoming the starting quarterback by the 2021 season.

Although it didn’t need to be, that sentiment was confirmed by former Eagles coach Doug Pederson while appearing on Sirius XM’s NFL Radio.

“[We] brought in Jalen Hurts, not to undermine Carson Wentz, not to do anything to take away his job or anything because Carson was our starter,” Pederson said. “[Wentz] was the franchise and all that moving forward. But [we wanted] someone that could come in and could be the backup and learn how to play the NFL game, bring his talent to the Philadelphia Eagles.”

The law of unintended consequences hit Philadelphia hard, however.

The atypical nature of selecting a QB so high in the draft at No. 53 overall when the perceived face of the franchise was in the prime of his career at 27 and about 10 months off a record-setting extension proved to be a miscalculation of epic proportions as Wentz began to question the franchise’s motives.

From there the snowball started rolling down the hill resulting in a loss of confidence by Wentz and ultimately a benching that fractured the coach/QB relationship.

Pederson was out of a job by January less than three calendar years off a Super Bowl LII championship and Wentz soon followed him out of town when the QB was traded to Indianapolis in March after Jeffrey Lurie agreed to take on a massive $33.8 million dead-money hit.

“Really as the season began, things just started to kind of I guess spiral out of control,” Pederson admitted. “Injuries began to set in. We weren’t playing very well. Turnovers offensively, just a number of things, penalties, more injuries compounded problems, and it just became harder and harder as the year wore on.”

Pederson refused to point fingers, though.

“No one person is to blame for any of what happened last year,” he said. “And it’s just unfortunate for me because I was hoping to really have an opportunity to fix the issues that we had and kind of get everything back on track — whether it be this year or the next year. And, obviously, that didn’t happen.”

The goal of the Hurts pick was just as it was advertised at the time, a cost-effective insurance policy at the game’s most important position.

“You go into drafts and you go into each year looking for quarterbacks,” Pederson said. “And we continued to look for quarterbacks, and that’s always something that will never change. We won a Super Bowl with our backup quarterback [Nick Foles]. And we’ve had to play with our backups a couple of times in Philadelphia.”

In many ways, the selection of Hurts may have made some sense in a vacuum but it failed to take into account human nature.

The rest is history.

“I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the ifs, ands, and buts,” said Pederson. “I just focus on the future and look forward to that.”

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Falcons LB BARKEVIOUS MINGO has a legal problem.  ESPN:

The Atlanta Falcons released linebacker Barkevious Mingo on Saturday after he was arrested in Texas on a charge of indecency with a child-sexual contact.

Arlington police said that Mingo was arrested Thursday on the second-degree felony charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison under Texas state law. According to the state penal code, the charge relates to engaging in sexual contact with someone younger than 17 years of age or causing the child to engage in sexual contact.

Arlington Police said in a statement that the agency could provide no further information about the investigation, citing “the nature of the charges and age of the victim.” Police said Mingo turned himself in.

“After being made aware today of allegations involving Barkevious Mingo and gathering information on the matter, the Atlanta Falcons have terminated his contract,” the team said in a statement late Saturday night.

Mingo’s attorney, Lukas Garcia, called the allegations “completely baseless” in a statement given to multiple outlets.

“At this stage, our side has very limited information,” Garcia said. “What we do know is these allegations are from over two years ago and are completely untrue. Mr. Mingo is the victim of a false claim, and we believe this is motivated by money or some other ulterior motive.”

According to Tarrant County records, Mingo was released on $25,000 bond Friday.

Not much there for the public to judge the facts, but we suppose it does not look good for Mingo that the Falcons so quickly cut him loose.

And, as we go to press, SI.com’s Jon Wertheim has more details – and it’s not good:

Sports Illustrated has learned the charges stem from an alleged incident that took place over the July 4th weekend of 2019 and was brought to the attention of the Arlington PD in January 2021.

According to documents filed by Arlington PD pertaining to a search warrant and obtained by SI:

Mingo invited a teenage family member and the boy’s friend, also a teenager, to spend the day with him. Mingo took the boys to the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington and K1 Speed, a Dallas-area go-kart complex. They had dinner at BJ’s restaurant, a popular local steakhouse. Mingo paid for everything, including a season pass to K1 Speed.

Mingo also treated the boys to a shopping spree, paying for items they chose from Nike.com. The relative’s friend chose a variety of T-shirts, shoes and shorts. The gear was shipped to the boy at the address of his friend, Mingo’s family member.

On the night of July 4, 2019, the boys returned to the local hotel where Mingo was staying. According to the documents obtained by Sports Illustrated, the boy fell asleep, but at approximately 3 a.m. he woke up and noticed Mingo in bed with him. He “thought it was odd,” according to documents, because the plan was for the two boys to sleep in a room separate from Mingo. He thought little of it and went back to sleep.

According to the document, “The victim was then woken by [Mingo] pulling at his underwear. This occurred for a few minutes until the suspect got more and aggressive and pulled the victim’s underwear down to his shins. The victim advised that when this was occurring, he was scared and pretended to be asleep. [Mingo] put a lotion on that made the victim’s skin burn and … rubbed his penis up and down, in between the victim’s butt crack.”

When, in January 2021, the boy’s mother made a complaint to the local police, the case was assigned to a detective with the Arlington Police Department Crimes Against Children Unit. In February 2021, as part of the investigation, Arlington police applied to the Tarrant County Judge David C. Hagerman for a search warrant to obtain Nike’s sales records from July 4, 2019, pertaining to three orders.

As the Arlington police detective put forth in the application, the “evidence will corroborate the victim’s statements. Furthermore it is known to [the detective] … that purchasing gifts for children is a known “grooming” behavior in Child Sexual Abuse cases.”

SI has learned that Nike complied with this order.

AFC WEST

DENVER

EDGE VONN MILLER on the current Broncos QBs and the possibility of QB AARON RODGERS coming to Denver.  Mike Klis of ProFootballTalk.com:

Inside Broncos headquarters, the team’s players, coaches and football staff are respectful of the quarterbacks they have.

Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater get all their attention and nothing but.

Outside of the UCHealth Training Center, Broncos Country is less deferential. Even the guy checking names at the All Star Celebrity Softball Game in the upper deck auxiliary press  box at Coors Field wanted to know if the Broncos were getting Aaron Rodgers.

But if Rodgers, who is currently the disgruntled quarterback property of the Green Bay Packers, is all Broncos fans are talking about on the outside, then such noise has a way of leaking to the inside, too.

“What have I heard?” Broncos’ star pass rusher Von Miller said in a conversation with 9NEWS at the Rally Hotel prior to his participation in the celebrity softball game Sunday. “First and foremost, I’m comfortable with Drew, I’m comfortable with Teddy. G.P. (George Paton) and John Elway, if A-Rod is out there for us to get him, those are the two guys to have on the job.

“John Elway, he’s done a great job of working the big-time guys before — Peyton and DeMarcus and Aqib — all these other guys. So if there’s a guy to be had, G.P. and John Elway are the two to put on it, if it can be done. If it can’t, I’m comfortable with Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater. They’ve impressed the hell out of me, and impressed the hell out of everybody during OTAs.

“So I’m super excited for those guys. Another year for Drew Lock, I think this will be the time for him to turn it on. So either way we go, it’s looking bright for us.”

KANSAS CITY

G LAURENT DUVERNAY-TARDIF, who left the Chiefs to help in Canada’s war with COVID, is honored by ESPN.  Jalani Scott of NFL.com:

Of the various awards distributed at the 2021 ESPYs, few carried more significance than the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.

This year’s recipient of the honor was none other than Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who was nominated for his selfless work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in his hometown of Montreal.

Duvernay-Tardif took to Twitter on Sunday to express gratitude regarding his latest accolade.

“Being a professional athlete comes with a lot of privileges but also a responsibility to use your platform to have a positive impact in your community,” LDT wrote. “Winning this award for my work off the field is a huge honor.”

Among the nominees the eight-year veteran edged out for the award include Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, Minnesota Lynx guard Layshia Clarendon and WWE wrestler Titus O’Neil.

With the added distinction of being the only active player with a medical doctorate, LDT made headlines last July when he became the first NFL player to opt out of the 2020 campaign due to COVID-19.

For his efforts, Duvernay-Tardif was named a co-winner of the 2020 Lou Marsh Award in December, which is given out annually to Canada’s top athlete. He was also honored as one of Sports Illustrated’s five 2020 Sportspersons of the Year.

– – –

In Peter King’s absence, QB PATRICK MAHOMES remembers writer Terez Paylor who passed away earlier this year at age 37:

I miss Terez Paylor. It’s crazy, and sad, to think he’s been gone for five months now.

In my first two years in Kansas City, he was the beat guy covering the Chiefs for the Kansas City Star. I thought Terez was what a big-time NFL writer should be. He asked insightful questions, not cliché questions. I always knew when he was going to interview me that he’d be prepared. He’d have done his homework. I think some of the best stories written about me came from him—he asked questions that made me think, and so I’d give him good answers back. That’s a big part of why I really enjoyed my interactions with him.

I trusted him. He never tried to play gotcha with me, never tried to catch me in something so he could make a headline out of it. What I always appreciated was that he asked me questions to really try to let the fans know the inside story of why a play worked, or why we won or lost. That trust led me, when I started my foundation in 2019, to think of Terez. He had left to go to Yahoo Sports by that time, but when I started my foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, I called him first. I wanted him to tell the story because I knew he’d tell it right.

One of the reasons I’m writing this today is that I feel we can’t let his legacy go dim. He deserves to be remembered, and to impact future journalists, for years to come.

Terez was just 37 years old. He had decades left to be a beacon for so many young journalists—particularly minority journalists. Terez didn’t get to be a national writer and forget where he came from. He knew as he rose in the business that he was a role model for minority journalists. He definitely knew who he was talking to, who he was writing for. It was for the football audience, yes, but it was also for a generation of journalists he was influencing and hoped would follow his path.

He knew he didn’t see many people from his race, people who looked like him, climbing the ladder in sports journalism. He wanted that to change, and I respected the heck out of him for that.

I hope through his scholarship fund at Howard University that young journalists study journalism well, and also study Terez’s path. I hope for years there is a stream of Terez Paylor Scholars entering the business and rising to the heights he did. Knowing Terez, and knowing where he came from, that would be a proud piece of his legacy.

If you are interested, here is where you can find more information on the scholarship:

To keep the legacy of Terez Paylor alive, a scholarship for young journalists has been set up at his alma mater, Howard University. Donations to the Terez A. Paylor Scholarship can be made in two ways:

• Online at https://giving.howard.edu/givenow. Under “Tribute,” note that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under “Designation,” click on “Other” and write “Terez A. Paylor Scholarship.”

• By check, please write “Terez A. Paylor Scholarship” on the check and mail to:

Howard University

P.O. Box 417853

Boston, MA 02241-7853

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

Baltimore has a player named Cleveland.  And he’s big.  Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com:

If anyone doubts that rookie Ben Cleveland can start immediately on the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive line, they should step inside his family’s kitchen in Toccoa, Georgia.

There are markings on the wall where Cleveland would stand and his mother would take a pencil and ruler to line the top of his head. One reads: Ben 6′ 2″ — he was 13.

You learn quickly that nothing has ever been too big for Cleveland, the Paul Bunyan of the Deep South whose sprawling beard is as enormous as his stories.

Growing up, it was easy to remember his shoe size because it matched his age through much of his teenage years. His cowboy boots these days are size 17, extra wide.

At the dinner table, he once ate a half-dozen double cheeseburgers in one sitting. As a teenager, he was known to down two whole pizzas during the few hours after football practice and before going to bed.

When he was fishing at 11 years old, Cleveland caught an 85-pound stingray at Myrtle Beach. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt on the pier, so he cut the line and let it swim away.

As a high school freshman, Cleveland was pulled off to the side by his coach, who told him Florida had offered him a scholarship. Cleveland had never even watched a college football game because the fall is hunting season.

Now, with Cleveland having wrapped up his first NFL minicamp, the notion of being considered the favorite to start at left guard in front of Lamar Jackson could become overwhelming. But he adheres to a philosophy that’s not surprising for someone nicknamed Big Country.

“I am a firm believer that if you sit here and try to control every little bitty aspect of everything that could possibly happen, that’s how you create stress, and everything just piles on top of one another,” Cleveland said in his Southern drawl. “I’m just going to show up and do everything in my power to make sure that it gets done the right way. That’s all that I can control, so that’s really all that I can focus on and worry about.”

Cleveland family

No one who ever went against Cleveland would describe him as laid-back. While playing under-14 baseball, he knocked out the catcher in a home-plate collision. Cleveland was thrown out of the tournament.

It was around that time when Cleveland figured he wasn’t going to follow the same path as his older brother, Ryan, who finished in the top 10 in career home runs at Georgia Southern.

“We really grew up as a baseball family,” his father, Derek, said. “Both the boys played football at an early age, but it was more of a thing just to keep them in shape for baseball season. That was our whole mindset, and then Ben just kept getting a little bigger and a little stronger. It was just meant to be.”

Cleveland was raised in a small northeast Georgia town that is known more for a waterfall — it’s 28 feet higher than Niagara Falls — than for producing professional athletes. The last player from the town before Cleveland to get selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft was five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Pat Swilling in 1986.

Cleveland’s father is a production manager for a company that makes bathroom partitions. His mother, Andrea, is a receptionist at a doctor’s office.

By the time Cleveland was 2, his father had him outdoors, learning how to fish and hunt. His sons weren’t going to be spending hours playing Madden.

“To me, just sitting around playing video games is a waste of time,” Derek said. “When they had time on their hands, I wanted them to be outside and enjoying what God gave them rather than sitting in front of a television or whatever those little hand-held gizmos they used to have.”

When it comes to bragging rights, Ben is the best at duck hunting. His father is tops at deer hunting. Fishing is considered a toss-up.

– – –

At the University of Georgia, Cleveland not only drove defensive linemen off the ball in the running game, but he was also an outstanding pass protector. He allowed a total of four pressures on 473 blocks over the past two seasons (22 games), the best success rate (99.2%) by a right guard in the SEC, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Few linemen were more disciplined than Cleveland, who didn’t commit a penalty in 520 snaps last season.

At 6-foot-6, 357 pounds, Cleveland has the strength to match his size. In the weight room, he can squat 700 pounds, and his personal best in the bench press is 545 pounds. The Georgia strength coach posted a video on Twitter of Cleveland doing six reps of 160-pound dumbbell presses with one arm.

What really wowed scouts was his speed. A shirtless Cleveland ran the 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds, which is the type of movement Baltimore needs when its guards pull and run zone-scheme blocks.

“I think we have a pretty well-defined and clear understanding of what we want to be on offense. He fits that,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “That’s a big, strong, powerful guy that likes to rough people up, and that’s how we want to play.”

Wait is over

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh had his heart set on selecting Ben Cleveland in the 2021 draft — so much so that he wanted to trade up to make sure he got his man. AP Photo/Gail Burton

In this year’s NFL draft, the Ravens didn’t have a second-round pick. So Baltimore had to wait 62 picks on Day 2 — a span of 4 hours, 11 minutes — before selecting Cleveland.

The reality was the Ravens had been waiting much longer than that to grab him.

“John has been talking about Cleveland for like two months, really,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said after using the No. 94 overall pick on Cleveland. “So it was a relief for me to actually see him available when we picked. This was John’s pick.”

Harbaugh chimed in, saying, “I’m off your back now.”

Harbaugh acknowledged that he had wanted DeCosta to trade up to make sure the team got Cleveland.

“Ben was a guy who we really, really wanted to get,” Harbaugh said. “I know I was being a little bit of a nervous Nellie there for a bit, [but] we held tight and we got our guy.”

The fan club for Cleveland has grown. When the Ravens posted a video of Cleveland at rookie minicamp, former WWE champion Braun Strowman tweeted: “You fam?”

Cleveland responded: “We got separated somewhere around birth I’m pretty sure.”

Cleveland is now battling Tyre Phillips and Ben Powers for Baltimore’s starting left guard job. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman raved about Cleveland’s physical presence inside and how he will help the Ravens play “big-boy ball up front.”

“He was the best run-blocker in the draft this year,” Roman said. “We were able to draft him when we were, which is unbelievable. We’re really excited about developing Ben into an absolute road-grading offensive guard.”

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

QB CAM NEWTON is the active leader, at the moment, in a surprising category per Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Cam Newton currently occupies an unusual place in the NFL: A quarterback who is the league’s active leader in rushing touchdowns.

Newton, who ran for 12 touchdowns with the Patriots last season, has 70 rushing touchdowns in his NFL career. That ranks him fourth among players who were active during the 2020 season, behind Adrian Peterson (118), Frank Gore (81) and LeSean McCoy (73).

But Peterson, Gore and McCoy all remain unsigned, and there hasn’t been a lot of reported interest in any of them from NFL teams. It’s still possible that one or all of them will play in the 2021 season, but right now none of them is an active player, and that makes Newton the active leader in rushing touchdowns.

With his rushing prowess, Newton occupies a unique place in NFL history. Newton has more rushing touchdowns than many Hall of Fame running backs, including Steve Van Buren, Thurman Thomas, Larry Csonka, Lenny Moore, O.J. Simpson, Terrell Davis, Paul Hornung and Gale Sayers.

Newton has to compete to win the Patriots’ starting quarterback job this season, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll add to his touchdown total. But he has already done something unprecedented as a quarterback who can make plays with his legs.

MOHAMMAD SANU, with 4, is the active leader in career TD passes among non-quarterbacks.

– – –

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com puts together five trades for WR N’KEAL HARRY:

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

If you had any doubts about whether NFL scouts and coaches subscribe to this age-old adage, I expect the outcome of the N’Keal Harry saga will serve as a reminder that teams are always ready to take a shot on once-promising players who have been demoted or dismissed.

The New England Patriots’ 2019 first-round pick has been a major disappointment, providing two seasons of inconsistent play at wide receiver. This offseason, the team signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne as free agents to upgrade the position, boosting speculation that Harry — whom teams had already been calling about, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo — was on the trade block and available to anyone looking for a big-bodied pass catcher on the perimeter. Thus, it was not a surprise to learn this week that Harry has requested a trade away from New England.

While Harry certainly has not performed up to expectations, it is too early to dismiss his chances of becoming a key contributor as a designated chain mover in the passing game.

At Arizona State, the 6-foot-2, 228-pounder destroyed opponents as a 50-50 specialist on the perimeter. Harry routinely wrestled the ball away from defenders while displaying outstanding hand-eye coordination and strength. In addition, he flashed excellent skills as an open-field runner. Harry not only blew through arm tackles with ease, but he knocked would-be tacklers down with aggressive stiff-arms that matched his feisty demeanor. The combination of physicality, toughness and intensity led me to believe he would evolve into a top possession receiver in an offense that needed a reliable pass-catching threat between the numbers.

However, in New England, Harry failed to carve out a role, averaging just 9.2 yards per catch (on 45 receptions) in 21 career games, with four touchdowns. Injuries have impacted his play. Even so, it’s hard to get excited about a big-bodied wideout averaging fewer than 10 yards per catch in a pass-happy league.

The disappointment continues when studying film of Harry. He struggles against press coverage and lacks the burst to run away from defenders down the field. The lack of separation makes it hard to feature the young receiver as a WR1. Without proof that his 50-50 skills can translate to the NFL, the Patriots will have a tough time getting return compensation that comes anywhere close to his original value as the No. 32 overall pick in 2019. Perhaps Bill Belichick can pry a late-round selection from an interested team; a conditional sixth- or seventh-round selection might be the Pats’ best bet at this stage.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best fits for Harry on the trade market:

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have been searching for a consistent WR2 to place opposite Davante Adams for years. Although Harry has struggled in New England as a part-time starter, he possesses the size and running skills to shine in an offense that features some catch-and-run elements. Aaron Rodgers’ status remains in question, but if he returns as the QB1, the MVP might be able to sprinkle some magic dust on Harry to help him re-discover his game as a rugged playmaker on the perimeter.

Chicago Bears

Matt Nagy and Co. need to find weapons to complement Allen Robinson in the passing game. Despite Harry’s struggles, he is a big body with the size and physicality to win one-on-one matchups down the field. With Robinson routinely commanding double-coverage, the young pass catcher could carve out a niche as a WR2/WR3 while learning the nuances of the position from the Bears’ No. 1 option.

New Orleans Saints

The lack of depth and talent behind Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith could prompt Sean Payton to take a flier on Harry’s potential with a low-risk trade. The 23-year-old would have an opportunity to get onto the field as a WR3 if he could beat out the competition for the role. Harry’s size and ball skills could add a dimension to the Saints’ offense if Payton could unlock his potential.

THIS AND THAT

NEW NFC PRO BOWLERS

Marc Sessler of NFL.com tabs the player most likely to make his first Pro Bowl in 2021 on each NFL roster:

Arizona Cardinals

Isaiah Simmons

LB · Year 2

His rookie campaign began with a whimper, but Simmons showed up down the stretch. Despite playing just 376 snaps, the eighth overall pick flashed his advertised versatility, operating inside and out, on the edge, in the slot and at safety. Linebackers coach Bill Davis acknowledged that Simmons was given a ton to do, recently saying: “We trained Isaiah in six different defensive positions.” Tall order over video-conference sessions amid a pandemic. The Cardinals are bound to have a better plan for Simmons in 2021, and this freaky athlete is a solid candidate to confound offensive schemers for years to come.

Atlanta Falcons

Calvin Ridley

WR · Year 4

Only four players racked up more receiving yards a season ago, but Ridley’s Pro Bowl invite was lost in the mail. Few wideouts enter 2021 doused in more upside, with the 26-year-old frolicking around as Atlanta’s clear-cut No. 1 now that Julio Jones is a Titan. Besides, Ridley excelled last season when Jones wasn’t on the field en route to finishing with a league-high eight 100-yard outings. The Pro Bowl is simply a box to be checked for a player who could lead the NFL in receiving yards. Throw in rookie tight end Kyle Pitts alongside Arthur Smith calling plays, and Ridley is set up to fly.

Carolina Panthers

Brian Burns

DE · Year 3

Burns jumps off the screen as a pass-rushing nuisance with the most total pressures last season of any player under the age of 25. Leading a young Panthers defense with nine sacks in 2020, the former Florida State star nabbed an 86.9 pass-rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, trailing only Khalil Mack, T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett. His speed and power off the edge suggest Burns could be mentioned among those names on a regular basis in 2021.

Chicago Bears

David Montgomery

RB · Year 3

I never bought a ticket for the Montgomery Hype Train. It felt like a rough ride inside a dull Chicago offense in search of itself. From Week 12 on, though, the young runner morphed into something special, averaging 99.7 ground yards per tilt. He’s a help through the air, too, hauling in 24 catches over that stretch and 54 grabs on the year. It’s no small chore making the Pro Bowl as a back, but if Justin Fields can flip the switch under center (after we collectively tolerate Andy Dalton for a week or two), this offense has a shot to be fiery.

Dallas Cowboys

CeeDee Lamb

WR · Year 2

Before Dak Prescott was lost to a grisly ankle injury in Week 5, Lamb averaged 5.8 receptions for 86.6 receiving yards per game. That chemistry hints at a big campaign from the second-year wideout, even with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup competing for targets. A dangerous weapon out of the slot, Lamb saw action all over the field in minicamp and garnered praise from coach Mike McCarthy, who said: “I see CeeDee making that jump. He is very comfortable, very natural.”

Detroit Lions

Penei Sewell

OT · Year 1

If you’re Detroit, you’d like Sewell to mimic the first season of future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, who starred at tackle from wire to wire in 2007 and waltzed directly into the Pro Bowl. Preparation will be key as Sewell is being asked to switch from left to right tackle after opting out of his final season at Oregon. So far, so good, though, with Lions guard Jonah Jackson saying in June: “They say he’s a 20-year-old, but he acts like a grown man with how he handles himself. … You see why he was the No. 7 overall pick.” By comparison, at age 20, I was softly released from a summer house-painting gig after spilling a bucket of white paint all over somebody’s precious roof.

Green Bay Packers

Robert Tonyan

TE · Year 5

The future of the Packers is a comprehensive mystery until Aaron Rodgers decides if he feels like putting on a green and gold helmet. We know this much: The athletically blessed signal-caller enjoyed working with Robert Tonyan in 2020. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound target was Green Bay’s second-leading receiver and netted the highest passer rating when thrown to (147.6) among tight ends with at least 25 catches last season, per Next Gen Stats. Besides tallying a spicy 11 touchdowns last year, Tonyan hasn’t recorded a single drop in 81 targets over the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Sitting in that window when NFL tight ends turn into raging fires, Tonyan is a candidate to become something special.

Los Angeles Rams

Darious Williams

CB · Year 4

Jalen Ramsey deserves every drop of praise, but don’t forget about Williams, who graded out as PFF’s fourth-ranked cornerback in 2020. The undrafted Williams has emerged as a sticky defender with a knack for making game-altering plays. L.A.’s secondary will be challenged after losing both John Johnson III and Troy Hill, but Williams is ready to step into the spotlight as the most underrated cornerback in the NFC.

Minnesota Vikings

Irv Smith

TE · Year 3

Kyle Rudolph exiting stage left opens the door for Smith to fulfill his juicy potential. His 30/365/5 line from 2020 should balloon, but there’s a potential fly in the ointment here: Mike Zimmer needs some convincing. The Vikings coach threw cold water on Smith’s presumed rise by telling reporters in June, “Honestly, I don’t think it’s any bigger role for him whatsoever.” Zimmer pointed to Tyler Conklin seeing more work at the position. Is the coach playing head games with Fantasy Heads (and my precious mid-summer article!) or attempting to motivate Mr. Smith? September will reveal the truth.

New Orleans Saints

Adam Trautman

TE · Year 2

Game behind the game: If I sprinkle this thinkpiece with an onslaught of young tight ends, one of them is bound to light it up. Then I simply copy and paste that portion of the column and send it to my parents in hopes they’ll finally be proud of my path through adulthood. Maybe it’s Trautman who flips the switch for a Saints team that parted ways with Jared Cook and Josh Hill. He’s a reliable blocker and skilled route runner who produced a handful of intoxicating moments catching the football as a rookie. Trautman was brought along slowly in a pandemic-soiled campaign, but the door has been flung wide open.

New York Giants

Dexter Lawrence

DT · Year 3

The G-Men quietly allowed the ninth-fewest points league-wide, a feat helped by a gentleman who refers to himself as “Sexy Dexy.” Brute strength, quick feet and a flair for punishing hits make up Lawrence’s game. Check out his handiwork here against a flock of beguiled interior linemen and would-be blockers. This is no wilting flower, but instead a pile of bricks dropping 90 mph off a Gotham rooftop. Chalk up this first-round pick as a win for oft-maligned general manager Dave Gettleman.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts

QB · Year 2

The last time we saw them, the Eagles were a bubbling on-field disgrace. Not just bad, but boring and a stench to the senses. That’s playing into today’s perception that Philly barely exists in the NFC. Look closer, though, and you can see the makings of a productive offense if the line stays healthy and wideout DeVonta Smith hits the ground running. So much depends on Hurts, who brought life to the team during his four starts to close the year. If anything, Hurts offers a spicy floor due to his ability to take off on the ground. I want this to work — desperately — because the concept of watching Joe Flacco lumber around in the pocket chips away at my will to exist.

San Francisco 49ers

Brandon Aiyuk

WR · Year 2

With George Kittle and Deebo Samuel missing a combined 17 games due to injury, Aiyuk finished his workmanlike rookie campaign with 748 receiving yards off 60 grabs. The first-rounder also showed versatility on the ground, something Kyle Shanahan values in his wideouts. Aiyuk is enjoyable to watch, but making a Pro Bowl boils down to his target share inside a healthy, run-first offense. How the Niners handle Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance matters, too, but Aiyuk has proven he’s ready for a big-boy role.

Seattle Seahawks

Poona Ford

NT · Year 4

Large chunks of Seattle’s roster have been sent to the Pro Bowl. Making the case for a nose tackle in 2021 is an uphill climb, but Ford has grown into a reliable, run-stuffing behemoth. The undrafted free agent won over coach Pete Carroll by showing tangible improvement over each of his three campaigns. Last season, the burly, 310-pound hammer-dropper added a dash of pass-rushing spice up the gut. With Jarran Reed out the door, Ford now takes over as Seattle’s lead dog up the middle on a new two-year deal. A Pro Bowl berth is no pipe dream.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Devin White

LB · Year 3

White took last year’s Pro Bowl snub to heart before Tom Brady sat him down to talk about what matters most in the NFL: big, shiny trophies. White listened, terrorizing the Saints in the Divisional Round of the playoffs with 11 tackles, a fumble recovery and a pick. One week later, the 2019 first-rounder tallied 15 tackles against the Packers. White’s onslaught crescendoed against the Chiefs with another 12 tackles paired with an interception to help the Bucs win it all. One gets the sense he might look good in a Pro Bowl uniform.

Washington Football Team

Ryan Fitzpatrick

QB · Year 17

No Russian novel required on this entry. Football is supposed to be fun. Fitzmagic in the Pro Bowl (it’s never happened, guys) is the type of fun that might convince gridiron diehards to actually watch this annual all-star clash.

ALSO CONSIDERED: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Minnesota Vikings; Romeo Okwara, DE, Detroit Lions; Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles; Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers; C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB, New Orleans Saints; Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Football Team; Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals; Robby Anderson, WR, Carolina Panthers; D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers; Taylor Moton, OT, Carolina Panthers.

TRANSLATING THE LIGHTNING

As we work to get this done early on a Monday so we can make our 2^nd Annual Lightning Boat Parade – we saw this from Bucky Brooks at NFL.com:

If I am an owner, executive or coach in the NFL, I am placing a call to the Tampa Bay Lightning to see if I can get a behind-the-scenes look at how they quietly built this hockey dynasty.

The Lightning not only just won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, but they have been in the conversation as one of the top teams in the league for nearly a decade. And the franchise’s consistent excellence provides a number of crossover learning lessons that could produce similar results in other sports leagues, including the NFL.

To be fair, I’m no hockey aficionado, but I appreciate greatness, and there is no denying Tampa Bay is one of the premier organizations in the sport today. The team has played in three Stanley Cup Finals — and five Eastern Conference Finals — over the past seven years. So, how did general manager Julien BriseBois and head coach Jon Cooper build such an impressive operation in an area that isn’t exactly known as a hockey hotbed?

After taking deep dive into the Lightning’s back-to-back titles, here are three lessons NFL team-builders can utilize to construct an elite squad in an ultra-competitive league:

1) Patience pays off. Jon Cooper is currently the longest-tenured coach in the NHL, boasting a 384-197-53 mark over eight regular seasons — that’s a points percentage of .647, which is second all-time to the legendary Scotty Bowman among coaches who’ve logged at least five seasons. The two-time Stanley Cup winner has guided his team to an impressive 70-46 record (.603) in the postseason. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy to see why the Lightning have kept the ultra-successful coach in place. But it’s important to remember the franchise’s decision to stick with him after Tampa Bay came up short in some big games before this recent title binge. The team lost a Stanley Cup Final in 2015, fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016 and ’18, and suffered through an embarrassing sweep in the first round of the 2019 playoffs after posting the league’s best regular-season record by a wide margin. This trajectory not only led to questions about whether Cooper was the right man to lead the team, but it prompted observers to suggest that management should blow up the squad after repeated shortcomings in the playoffs.

To their credit, the Lightning did not overreact to the team’s postseason setbacks, and their patience has been rewarded with back-to-back championships. In the NFL, the combination of high standards and low patience has prompted some teams to move on from successful coaches (SEE: Andy Reid in Philadelphia). And despite their immense success, guys like Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh haven’t been immune to hot-seat rumors when certain seasons didn’t end well.

The most important thing for coaches to show management is that they are capable of building a consistent winner. While I am not suggesting that regular-season success should completely trump playoff performance, it must carry legitimate weight in the final evaluation. If you want to win championships, you have to consistently get in the playoffs in the first place. (A no-brainer point, yes, but one that many people often overlook.) And you can’t overreact to early exits. Despite the heartbreaks and headaches, the best coaches and teams eventually find a way to the winner’s circle, using prior failures to build a grittier squad that is capable of overcoming adversity and hoisting the trophy.

2) Draft, develop and re-sign your stars. The best way to build a consistent contender is to stockpile the roster with homegrown talent. Teams that identify and develop their stars from Day 1 have the capacity to build a championship team around a nucleus of young players who grow up in the system together and establish a culture that embodies the franchise. In a perfect world, a championship roster features a mix of top picks playing like superstars and developmental guys making key contributions in designated roles. That’s definitely the case with the Lightning. C Steven Stamkos (No. 1 overall pick in 2008), D Victor Hedman (No. 2 overall in 2009) and G Andrei Vasilevskiy (No. 19 overall in 2012) are blue-chip performers on the ice, while RW Nikita Kucherov (No. 58 overall in 2011) and C Brayden Point (No. 79 overall in 2014) have outplayed their draft status to flourish as cornerstone players for Tampa Bay. With those last two, the coaching staff and scouting department deviated from NFL norms to select a pair of players without the prototypical physical dimensions. In each case, the Lightning opted for speed and skills over size and strength, and they were rewarded with spectacular returns on investment.

Looking at the NFL for a similar comparison, I would point to the Kansas City Chiefs’ success with their homegrown approach. The Chiefs plucked a superstar in Patrick Mahomes by utilizing an aggressive draft-day trade to land their QB1. The team has surrounded him with an explosive cast of playmakers possessing speed, athleticism and playmaking skills. Considering that Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman lacked prototypical dimensions and/or traditional playing styles, K.C.’s ability to identify and develop players outside of the first round reminds me of the Lightning’s team-building approach.

The NHL’s back-to-back champs and the Chiefs also have utilized similar retention tactics to keep the nucleus together. Both have found ways to manage their salary situations while retaining their core players with deals that pay them well … but below market value on paper. The clever accounting maneuvers have enabled each team to maintain a well-rounded contender year in and year out.

3) Build a team that can play like a chameleon. The best teams in any sport are capable of winning games in multiple ways. Tampa Bay is the ultimate chameleon on ice, as a team with the capacity to win shootouts or grind-it-out affairs. This versatility has been fueled by the Lightning’s ability to construct a roster that features skilled players and enforcers throughout the depth chart. With a lineup that enables the Tampa Bay to create and exploit mismatches, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions can play — and win — utilizing any style.

When I watch the Lightning morph into a different team based on the situation, it reminds me of the New England Patriots winning with snowflake game plans during their two-decade dynasty run. Those Pats would bludgeon opponents with a smashmouth running game one week and then light up the scoreboard with a spread-and-shred attack the next. The depth and versatility of their roster and playbook allowed Bill Belichick and Co. to keep opponents from homing in on a one-dimensional approach.

Teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks, among others, have taken steps to create more balance in 2021, giving them more options to move past postseason roadblocks. If they are going to become champions and perennial contenders, it is imperative to build a roster that can win playing any style on the grass.

As a collateral to #2, the continuity of the Lightning roster (18 of the 20 players who were dressed for the 2021 final game had rings from 2020, and one of the others was a rookie who was in the system) has enabled them to build a culture and to become beloved by a growing fan base that is familiar with all the players.

Character plays a part too, the team has been without public scandal or known confrontations within memory.

Nothing lasts forever, and contracts dictate that there will be changes as they contemplate a three-peat.

But the unsaid #4, having the best goalie, is much like having the best quarterback in the NFL.  You always have a chance.

THE 5 MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS

Does anyone in the NFL have more pressure in 2021 that QB MATTHEW STAFFORD.  There seems to be a universal belief that the combined rottenness of a generation of Lions coaches and teammates is the reason he has never been among the NFL’s top five QBs in his decade-plus career.  And now, Sean McVay, an acknowledged genius, is automatically going to make him flourish.  But, what if he doesn’t…

Here he is on Bucky Brooks’ list of the 5 most underrated players in the NFL:

If you have not listened to the most recent “Flying Coach” podcast with Peter Schrager and Sean McVay, you are missing out on a great conversation between a couple of quarterback gurus, as Kyle Shanahan joined his NFC West counterpart’s show to discuss all things football.

One of the most interesting discussions centered on Matthew Stafford, who, of course, just relocated from the Lions to McVay’s Rams this offseason. Although the former No. 1 overall pick is regularly lauded for his arm talent, Shanahan and McVay both believe the veteran deserves more credit for his overall ability and accomplishments as a player.

“Stafford’s the man,” Shanahan said on the pod. “I studied him hard coming out of college, and you always play against him, so you know how good he is. But to know he might be available and to spend two weeks really watching him, Sean, yeah, he’s better than I realized. He was the man. He’s actually underrated to me. I know how good of a guy you got. I know how good he is at play-action. I know how smart he is. Not only does he just have a big arm, but he’s got touch, he knows where to go with the ball.”

Wow! You rarely hear a coach rave about an opposing player like that unless there is a tremendous amount of respect. The effusive praise coming from Shanahan not only prompted me to re-examine Stafford’s game, but it sent me on a mission to find other players who deserve more recognition for their play between the lines.

Given some time to survey the league and poll a few folks on which players are really underrated in our game, I’ve come up with a list of the five most underrated players in the league today:

1 – Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams · QB

The veteran quarterback has always been regarded as one of the most naturally talented passers in the league, but few observers rank Stafford as a top-five quarterback. Despite posting impressive numbers for a downtrodden franchise — including 38 game-winning drives and 31 fourth-quarterback comebacks during his Detroit tenure — No. 9 has not received much recognition as a premier player at the position. That should change with Stafford teaming up with Sean McVay to direct an offense with explosive scoring potential due to the structure and personnel. Given more weapons and a creative play-caller, the one-time Pro Bowler could finally earn MVP talk from the football world.

2 – J.C. Jackson

New England Patriots · CB

Despite being generally overshadowed by 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, Jackson is recognized as one of the NFL’s top cover corners by coaches and scouts around the league. The former undrafted free-agent signee plays with a junkyard-dog mentality while displaying elite ball skills and awareness on the perimeter. Jackson has generated 20 turnovers (17 interceptions, three fumble recoveries) in 45 career games, including 12 takeaways in 2020 alone. As a turnover machine with size, length and cover skills, Jackson is a player every defensive coach would covet in the lineup.

3 –  Jerome Baker

Miami Dolphins · LB

If you are only familiar with Baker’s name due to the three-year, $39 million extension that he signed this offseason, you have missed out on watching the emergence of one of the NFL’s best young linebackers. The fourth-year pro has led the Dolphins in tackles in back-to-back seasons while also demonstrating big-play ability as a second-level pass rusher (seven sacks in 2020). If Miami is going to take the next step as a playoff contender, No. 55 will play a major role in helping the team get over the hump.

4 – Robert Tonyan

Green Bay Packers · TE

Casual observers might dismiss Tonyan’s breakout 2020 campaign as just a byproduct of Aaron Rodgers’ MVP performance, but a closer look at the 27-year-old’s game reveals a crafty route runner with soft hands and superb ball skills. The Indiana State product is a space maker between the numbers with a combination of quickness, athleticism and physicality that enables him to roam free over the middle. With 11 touchdowns on 52 receptions last season, Tonyan emerged as a prolific point scorer for Green Bay.

5 – Haason Reddick

Carolina Panthers · OLB

After playing out of position during his first three seasons in Arizona, the former No. 13 overall pick found his groove as an edge defender for the Cardinals in 2020, piling up 63 tackles, 16 quarterback hits, 15 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and four passes defensed. A reunion with his college coaches (Matt Rhule and Phil Snow) in Carolina should help the Temple product continue to play at a high level in a role better suited to his talents. If the veteran plays with the same energy and effort that he has always displayed since initially walking on at Temple, the Panthers’ defense should improve quickly with the free-agent signee positioned in a key role.