Tom Brady reiterated that he has no plans to play in the NFL again after retiring in February, but he hopes agreeing to buy into the Las Vegas Raiders will allow him to be involved in the league for the rest of his life.

“I’m certain I’m not playing again, so I’ve tried to make that clear and I hate to continue to profess that, cause I’ve already told people that lots of times,” Brady told Sports Illustrated in response to a question about fans and media who continue to come up with scenarios where he might return to the field.

Later Thursday, Brady, 45, told ESPN in an interview with “SportsCenter” that becoming a part-time NFL owner is a “dream come true.”

“I … want to be involved in the NFL for the next 45 years of my life if I last that long,” Brady said.

Raiders owner Mark Davis announced last week that Brady had agreed to join the organization’s ownership group, pending NFL approval. As with all prospective minority and majority owners, at least 24 current NFL team owners have to approve Brady’s partnership.

Brady also is part of Davis’ WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces ownership group, having acquired a stake in March.

Brady retired in February last year but reversed course after 41 days to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a third season. If he ever decided he wanted to play for the Raiders, as an owner, a dual role with the franchise would have to be approved by NFL owners.

However, Brady told ESPN he’s “really looking forward to not getting hit anymore” and not being chased by pass-rushers such as the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald.

“The game’s in great hands,” Brady said of the NFL’s current crop of star quarterbacks. “It’s time for other guys to do it.

“… Now I’m just a retired NFL player looking forward to watching all these guys,” he added.

Brady said Thursday he’s also looking forward to beginning his role as a broadcaster for Fox Sports in 2024 and spending more time with his children.

“Being a dad is the greatest responsibility I have,” he told ESPN.

Brady announced his retirement after the 2022 season on Feb. 1, after 23 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles. The three-time NFL MVP won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Buccaneers. He ended his career as the NFL’s leader in career passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649).

The Patriots plan to honor Brady during their home opener on Sept. 10. Brady told ESPN that it was “such a kind gesture” by Patriots owner Robert Kraft and he has “always felt” like he has been a member of the Patriots organization.

Brady also discussed his relationship with coach Bill Belichick, telling ESPN he “was very fortunate” to be able to play for him.

“He very much trusted what I was out there doing in the field, and it went both ways. Ultimately our success was because so many people in the organization, as coach Belichick always said, ‘do your job,’ and I did as quarterback and leader,” he said, adding he “learned so much from him.”

Brady told ESPN he has a great relationship with Belichick, adding that his former coach “was one of the first people to text me after we won the Super Bowl in Tampa.”

Brady said he and Belichick “have a lot of mutual respect.

“Were there times where you know it wasn’t always eye to eye? Very few and far between, actually. I still envision our relationship as positive and always will,” he said.

CHICAGO

A setback for the Bears plans in suburban Arlington Heights.  Andrew Seligman of The AP:

The Chicago Bears say they are considering abandoning their plan to build an enclosed stadium and entertainment complex on a suburban tract of land they recently purchased in favor of constructing one elsewhere in the region.

Citing a property assessment they said is too high, the Bears announced in a statement Friday that building on a 326-acre site in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is “no longer our singular focus.”

“It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the State of Illinois,” the team said.

The Bears announced in February they purchased the site of the shuttered Arlington International Racecourse from Churchill Downs Inc. for $197.2 million.

“The stadium-based project remains broadly popular in Arlington Heights, Chicagoland and the state,” the team said. “However, the property’s original assessment at five times the 2021 tax value, and the recent settlement with Churchill Downs for 2022 being three times higher, fails to reflect the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state.”

The Bears plan to pay for their stadium, but want taxpayer dollars to cover infrastructure costs, such as roads and sewers. The team said demolition work on the racetrack will continue.

The Bears envision restaurants, retail and more on the property some 30 miles northwest of Soldier Field — all for about $5 billion, with some taxpayer help.

The city of Chicago proposed last summer enclosing Soldier Field and increasing its capacity from a league-low 61,500. But the Bears repeatedly insisted the only possibilities they were considering were for the Arlington Heights site.

Soldier Field on Chicago’s lakefront has been the Bears’ home since 1971. The team played at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970, and if a new stadium is constructed, the franchise would have its name on the mortgage for the first time since arriving in Chicago.

Economic analysts have said building a Bears entertainment district would create more than 48,000 jobs and generate $9.4 billion for the local economy.

Everything was moving swimmingly towards Arlington Heights – and then Kevin Warren, fresh from disrupting the Big Ten – showed up.  Josh Schrock of NBCSportsChicago sees Warren’s fingerprints all over the announcement:

The Bears hired Kevin Warren as president and CEO for many reasons, but it’s no secret his primary objective is building the new stadium.

When Warren was hired to replace Ted Phillips in January, he said he would need about six months to get under the hood of the Bears’ Arlington Heights plan.

“One thing I found out, especially with stadium development projects, you have to create what’s the why?” Warren said during his introductory press conference. “And what’s the why for everyone? It can’t just be, what’s the why for the Chicago Bears, or what’s the why for this group or that group? One of the things I’ll really start thinking is, what’s the why? No matter what constituent group you put in front of me, what’s the why? The more common the why that you have, the more people will understand.

“With stadium development projects, and one of the many things I learned in Minnesota, is you have to create a compelling story of why it makes sense.”

Warren officially started as president in April, but there’s no question his research into the Bears’ stadium plans began the second he put pen to paper.

His first real move in “finding the why” occurred Friday when the Bears announced that Arlington Heights was no longer their “singular focus” for a new stadium.

“The Chicago Bears goal of building the largest single development project in Illinois history led by billions of dollars in private capital investment, and the jobs and economic benefits generated, is at risk in Arlington Heights,” the team’s statement said. “The stadium-based project remains broadly popular in Arlington Heights, Chicagoland and the state. However, the property’s original assessment at five times the 2021 tax value, and the recent settlement with Churchill Downs for 2022 being three times higher, fails to reflect the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state. We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus. It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the State of Illinois.”

The Bears met with officials from Naperville on Friday as they started to expand their search for the franchise’s next home.

Look up “leverage play” in the dictionary, and you’ll see a picture of Warren and Bears chairman George McCaskey sitting down with the fine folks from Naperville while hoping to get a word from the tax assessor that there is a deal to be made with the Arlington Heights property.

Warren undoubtedly got the e-mail from Naperville’s mayor and jumped at the chance to try to play hardball retroactively. It’s not his fault the Bears had already closed on the property basically by the time he was hired. The proper way to do business is to leverage the municipalities before signing the deal.

The Bears did things backward, so Warren is now tasked with doing things the hard way.

The new stadium — be it in Arlington Heights or elsewhere — will be either the first or second line on Warren’s Bears obituary.

“Kevin said it was built on time and under budget. So that would be right up there,” McCaskey said in January when asked about Warren’s experience with building US Bank Stadium in Minnesota.

Coming in under budget and the six-fold spike in the triennial assessment of the Arlington Racecourse property has now put Warren and the Bears on this path to make the “why” clear for Arlington Park.

“Once they closed on the property, then they did have an opportunity to talk to other potential suitors, including the city of Chicago,” Arlington Heights mayor Thomas Hayes told NBC Chicago in an interview Friday moments after the team released an announcement. “Everyone is looking out for their best interests.”

The Bears closed on the purchase of the 326-acre property at Arlington Racecourse in February, paying $197.2 million for the property. The previous assessed value for the property was $33 million, but Cook Country reassessed the value at $197 million, which could lead to a massive spike in property taxes.

That’s now the center of the Bears’ dalliance with other municipalities.

However, after all the politics and saber-rattling have finished, the Bears and Arlington Heights will both “find the why.”

“I always look at what are the assets on the chessboard,” Warren said. “And the unique thing about Arlington is it has some different unique factors. One is the space. You don’t get many times to have over 300 acres close to the city. So it’s some unique aspects.

“Like I said early on, be very methodical to make sure that we get that process done first and see what happens next. But it is a very attractive, unique stadium site.”

The Bears will be hard-pressed to find another 300-acre plot of land to house a multi-purpose entertainment district. That fully finished product would generate an influx of revenue for Arlington Heights.

Getting NFL stadiums built is all about deal-making. Warren reshaped the Big Ten, bringing in UCLA and USC while orchestrating a $7 billion TV deal.

The Bears hired him because he’s a deal-maker. Now that he has been under the hood, the floor is Kevin Warren’s to find the why and make the deal.

MINNESOTA

Mike Florio with a long take on whether or not the Vikings should dispose of RB DALVIN COOK:

Throughout the 2023 offseason, the writing has been on the wall regarding the eventual trade or release of running back Dalvin Cook. Last week, there were indications that, once June 1 came and went, Cook could (would) be traded.

But then he wasn’t traded. Or released.

So what happened? It’s possible that some in the organization are asking questions about whether the analytics-driven desire to move on from Dalvin Cook makes good football sense. It’s also possible that the anti-Dalvin crowd senses that they might lose this one, and that they have taken their position to one of the leading newspapers that cover the Vikings.

That was my first thought when reading the Sunday column from Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The popular take among fans is to keep Cook around. Souhan opted for the opposite narrative, making the case for cutting (or trading) Cook.

Souhan compared the team to the Rams in the early years of Sean McVay’s tenure, when running back Todd Gurley was the centerpiece of the offense. The Rams pivoted from Gurley to the passing game, ultimately building a passing attack built around a high-end receiver.

“He won the Super Bowl . . . with an inexpensive running back rotation, and a three-receiver set that highlighted a superstar, Cooper Kupp,” Souhan writes.

Without Cook, that’s what the Vikings will be doing, redirecting cap dollars to other positions.

Souhan argues that Cook has begun to show signs of wear. Really? He has been playing with one shoulder, and he finally has gotten the injured one fixed. He should be even better this year, barring any new injuries.

The Rams/McVay comparison doesn’t really hold water. First, the Rams overpaid Gurley, before his knee was shot. Second, the Rams eventually upgraded from a middle-of-the-road quarterback to a franchise-caliber passer who pushed the team over the top. Third, the Vikings don’t have Aaron Donald, the true MVP of L.A.’s Super Bowl win.

In many respects, the Cook conundrum becomes a water’s edge issue for analytics. The numbers and the formulas can easily support moving on from Cook. But it’s one thing to study charts. It’s another thing to watch games.

Cook is a difference maker. A home-run hitter. A leader in the locker room. A guy whose absence will be missed, and not simply because of yards per carry or whatever metrics would support moving on.

To the extent that the Vikings view Cook as a luxury they don’t need to afford because they aren’t true contenders this year, baloney. Things can change dramatically once the season gets going. The Eagles could regress. The 49ers could be injury-riddled. The Lions might not be able to carry the mantle of contender.

A door could open for the Vikings to be better than they were last year, given that the Kevin O’Connell offense is entering year two and the defense can’t be worse than it was last season.

Why surrender the ability to contend at a high level over the economic realities of the running back position? With the contractual right to convert most of Cook’s salary to a guaranteed payment, millions in cap dollars could be pushed to future years — and the Vikings could keep Cook around for one more season.

With no ability to upgrade in the short term to a short-list franchise quarterback, why wouldn’t the Vikings want to keep a guy who played a major role in multiple Minnesota wins last year?

One of the most important things about using analytics is knowing when to ignore them. For the 2023 Vikings, who are more likely to thread the needle to an unexpected Super Bowl appearance with Cook than without him, this is one situation where qualitative needs to trump quantitative.

Unless the team truly is committed to the one-and-done, just-good-enough purple purgatory in which it has resided for most of the last 40 years.

DALLAS

WR JALEN TOLBERT is a name to know from Cowboys camp.  J.R. DeGroote of Heavy.com:

Jalen Tolbert is already putting a rough rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys behind him.

The second-year pass-catcher has been “making waves” at OTAs as he battles for his spot on the depth chart, per Patrik Walker of the Cowboys’ official site.

“Jalen Tolbert is already making some waves in the war for WR4, and that’s a good sign that he’s mentally ready to challenge who appears to be the frontrunner at the moment: Simi Fehoko,” Walker wrote in his recap of OTAs.

Tolbert was a third-round pick last season and came in with significant expectations. The Cowboys were hoping he could be an immediate producer and help fill the void left by the departures of Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson. That never played out, with Tolbert struggling to adapt to the speed and complexities of the NFL game. He appeared in just eight games, catching two passes for 12 yards.

Tolbert is ready to leave that disappointment in the past as he looks to earn the trust as a reliable target for quarter Dak Prescott.

“I’m excited to turn the page,” Tolbert said. “Obviously OTA’s, going to training camp and continue to improve. I’m looking forward to it. It can’t come fast enough. Right now just being able to put a helmet on and run routes and compete to a certain extent, it’s fun.”

There was some scuttlebutt this offseason that the Cowboys could pull the plug and move on from Tolbert after the acquisition of Brandin Cooks. But Cooks landing in Dallas has helped Tolbert progress as a player, with the well-traveled veteran taking him under his wing.

“He’s been a big part of the offseason for me,” Tolbert said. “We go eat, talk ball, we work out together, all the little things. He’s been in the league for a while, and he’s had six 1,000-yard seasons. We talk, and he sees in me what I see as well, and he told me ‘I’m gonna look out for you.’

“I’m so excited to go with him and learn more about the stuff he sees. Having guys like that, that I’ve never had before in my football career, is positive and big for me, and I’m gonna continue to grow off that.”

Tolbert had a couple of monster years at South Alabama. He finished his time in college with 178 catches for 3,140 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Tolbert’s growth has caught the attention of the Cowboys’ top pass-catcher CeeDee Lamb, who complimented him on his progress.

“Oh, he’s gotten better,” Lamb said. “His route-running, his ability to catch in traffic, his confidence is growing, you can see it. Day by day, as we go, he’s continually asking questions, he’s staying late after meetings. You can tell the determination is there.”

The Cowboys have their top three receivers set with Lamb, Cooks and Michael Gallup. Tolbert being able to chip in would be a nice bonus but he’ll have to fight off Fehoko for the spot. The former fifth-round pick is coming off an injury and has just four catches for 24 yards in his career.

PHILADELPHIA

We were thinking that QB JALEN HURTS had already become a pretty accurate passer, but the Eagles see room for improvement.  Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com:

In the span of one season, the Philadelphia Eagles went from a borderline playoff team to one of the best teams in the NFL. It’s true that Philly made several big additions on both sides of the ball last offseason, but the Eagles couldn’t have won the NFC in 2022 if it weren’t for the kind of year quarterback Jalen Hurts had.

The former second-round pick out of Oklahoma went 14-1 as the starter while completing 66.5% of his passes for 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Hurts’ impact on the ground last season was considerable as well. He rushed for 760 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, then added 143 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the postseason — including three touchdowns on the ground in Super Bowl LVII. Hurts’ 18 total rushing touchdowns were the most recorded by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history.

Hurts has established himself as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the game, but the Eagles reportedly believe he can make another jump in 2023. A jump centered around being an elite pocket passer.

“They also expect that Hurts can make another major jump,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said recently on “Get Up!” “He’s done it every year. They believe he can be one of those elite precision-type pocket passers.”

While Hurts finished in the top 10 in multiple passing categories last season, there’s naturally still some room for the 24-year-old to grow. The Eagles are confident he can do so, and proved it by inking him to a five-year extension worth $255 million this offseason. The deal reportedly includes $179.304 million in guarantees, making Hurts the highest-paid player in NFL history in terms of average annual value before Lamar Jackson agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens on his record-breaking contract.

CLEVELAND

Connor Orr of SI.com is adamant that the Browns need to sign WR DeANDRE HOPKINS:

So, as it turns out, the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes is a little bit less like a sweepstakes and a little bit more like a used boat sale. Buying the boat could be great. It could get you exactly where you want to be (presumably, tied up with a bunch of other boats in the middle of a hot lake talking about how great it is to be on a boat).

It also represents a bit of a financial gamble without a ton of perceived upside, and one that most people aren’t willing to take. Teammate Albert Breer did a nice job breaking this whole process down, explaining why Hopkins wasn’t able to be traded and why he remains, in essence, a boat for sale.

Throughout the week, though, I’ve been wondering why seemingly everyone is talking about only the Chiefs and Bills as prospective buyers. Sure, Hopkins has a lot to do with this. If he is going to have to take a massive pay cut, he’s going to want to do it in a place where he’s competing for a Super Bowl title. There are about six or seven teams this year good enough to compete for a Super Bowl, with the Bills and Chiefs most certainly among them.

However: Why aren’t the Browns positioning themselves in the same manner? While other teams certainly make more sense for Hopkins, the Browns have already completely debased themselves for the privilege of signing Deshaun Watson. Clearly their groveling skills are elite.

Are they so confident in a combination of Amari Cooper (soon to be 29), Nick Chubb (530 carries over the past two seasons, turning 28 in December), Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Njoku and Elijah Moore that they are finished making calls? Moore was deemed expendable by the Jets last year.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Cleveland is, which is what a coach is supposed to say. But what about a person complicit (albeit less so than GM Andrew Berry) in signing Watson in the first place?

Let’s remember something: If Watson plays average (or worse) football this season, it would unquestionably top the list of most embarrassing moments in Browns history. Drafting a small QB, or an old QB, or a wild card with a penchant for ignoring play calls is one thing (Cleveland has a long list of draft busts for a variety of reasons). Willingly signing Watson at the time the Browns did, and paying the money they paid, has made this a completely binary set of outcomes. If Watson is excellent, the Browns can justify (to themselves) and ultimately bury the circumstances under which they signed him. If Watson is not excellent, the Browns will have to answer for their decision-making processes for a generation.

In fairness, Peoples-Jones is an underrated talent. FiveThirtyEight’s in-depth wide receivers project noted he was one of the best receivers in the NFL at actually coming down with footballs (the project graded receivers on their ability to get open, their ability to secure the ball and their ability to gain yardage after the catch). We also don’t know who Hopkins will be going into his age-31 season, which is a bit of a dicey threshold for players at the position. Julio Jones was never really the same beyond that point. The same could be said for A.J. Green. However, other elite wide receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald, Julian Edelman, Steve Smith and Anquan Boldin (to name a few) had much better twilights.

But if you’re running the Browns, how much does that really matter? Shouldn’t you be in complete and total self-preservation mode at this point? Remember, Watson and Hopkins were teammates in Houston, and Hopkins had three All-Pro seasons catching passes from Watson. If Hopkins is great and he helps Watson at least become comfortable in an NFL pocket again, isn’t that worth it? If Hopkins is bad, don’t you at least want to be able to say that you did absolutely everything in your power to make it work?

The Browns have already purchased waterfront property. They already have a dock. They already dress like Boat Guys. They are at the point when, no matter how nonsensical acquiring a used boat may be, it is the only decision now.

BUFFALO

A four-year extension for DT ED OLIVER.  Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com:

The Buffalo Bills will finally have a defensive tackle under contract past the 2023 season. The Bills have agreed to terms with 2019 first-round draft pick Ed Oliver on a four-year, $68 million extension, including $45 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal will keep Oliver under contract through the 2027 season, per the source.

The $45 million guaranteed is tied for eighth-most most among active interior defensive line contracts, per ESPN Stats & Information research. With his $10.753 million fifth-year option included, Oliver is set to average $15.75 million in salary over the next five years, currently 16th among interior defensive linemen. Prior to reaching an agreement with the former ninth overall pick on the extension, the Bills did not have a defensive tackle signed for the 2024 season or beyond.

“I would like to not end the season and be at zero [defensive tackles under contract in 2024],” general manager Brandon Beane said during the team’s rookie minicamp. “That would be my hope. But it would have to make sense. If it’s somebody that’s here, now, it would have to make sense to do an extension with any of those guys, so we’ll see. You know me well. We’ve found a way to sometimes do an extension or two in training camp, so maybe we look at it at that point, see where the guys are at, who’s all in, who’s looking good, and if there’s a chance to get one extended, we might look to do that.”

The team has a number of veterans at the position but did not address it in the draft despite Beane saying afterward that he had hoped to do so. The team signed Poona Ford to a one-year, $2.25 million deal, including $1.5 million guaranteed, in the days after the draft. Among the returning veterans at the position are DaQuan Jones, Jordan Phillips and Tim Settle.

Oliver, 25, was set to play on his fifth-year option in 2023. He is coming off a mixed 2022 season that began with a right ankle injury in the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Oliver went on to miss the next three games and slowly increased his participation, with Beane describing that he “wasn’t himself for a while,” even after returning.

He finished the season playing 13 games with 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and six pass breakups. Oliver was second on the team with a 41.5% run stop win rate (behind Jones). His season-best performance came in a Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions. Oliver finished the game with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a safety, six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

“I think you have to weigh when did you think he was healthy? And what did that look like? And how did he affect the whole group,” Beane said in March on evaluating Oliver. “And, you know, he definitely didn’t have the production he wanted, but how much of that was affected by missing games or he was playing at 85% versus being 100%?”

Oliver has shown the ability to make splash plays over his four years in Buffalo, but coach Sean McDermott said that he would like to see him have a “real good, consistent season” and that the team had the confidence in him to do so. Senior defensive assistant/defensive line coach Eric Washington noted that Oliver’s speed of processing is one area they are working on.

“When you have the kind of talent that Ed has, you gotta understand situations, that could mean the difference in separating yourself from the opponent,” said Washington, who also noted he has seen Oliver being more vocal and confident this offseason. “I’ve gotta be able to process very, very quickly and, so that I can win my one-on-one, so I can play ahead of a play as opposed to playing with the sequence of that particular play. So, with where Ed is, from an experience standpoint, we need him to anticipate and play ahead as opposed to playing with the tempo of the play.”

Oliver joins tight end Dawson Knox, who received a four-year extension in September, as the only members of the team’s 2019 class still on the roster.

NEW YORK JETS

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com weighs in on QB AARON RODGERS’ recent explanations for his lack of conversations with the Packers:

For reasons obvious only to former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, he recently went on the record recently with TheAthletic.com for another airing of Green Bay grievances.

Among other things, Rodgers continues to cling to the clunky notion that his failure to be responsive to efforts to reach him were not intentional.

Yes, he’s sticking with the “bad cell coverage” cover story.

“I have zero or one bar at the house, so you call me — sometimes it goes through, most of the time it drops and doesn’t go through,” Rodgers told Matt Schneidman. “Everybody who knows me, when I’m out west, they know that’s how to get a hold of me. So you can say whatever you want about that, but that’s the fucking truth.”

Through his latest comments Rodgers has deftly pivoted to a new narrative regarding his final days with the Packers. He has gone from claiming that they wanted him back and then suddenly didn’t to claiming that they decided to move on simply because they couldn’t get in touch with him.

“Did Brian text me more than I texted him?” Rodgers told Schneidman. “Yeah, but did I ghost him? No. I texted him back. There was back-and-forths that we had and so this is the story you wanna go with? You’re gonna stand on this hill of austerity and say that arguably in the conversation of the best player in your franchise history, you’re gonna say I couldn’t get a hold of him and that’s why we had to move on?

“Like, come on, man. Just tell the truth, you wanted to move on. You didn’t like the fact that we didn’t communicate all the time. Like, listen, I talk to the people that I like.”

That’s definitely not how this issue entered the discussion regarding why Rodgers left the Packers. In March, Rodgers tried to sell the narrative that, when the 2022 season ended, the Packers told him that they wanted him to remain with the team and that, after he emerged from his darkness retreat, he learned out of the blue that they had been shopping him.

Packers G.M. Brian Gutekunst later pushed back on the notion that the team simply ignored Rodgers while making plans for 2023. Gutekunst said that the Packers tried to contact Rodgers “many times,” and that after he failed to respond to them, Gutekunst had to do his job.

The next volley came from Rodgers, who trotted out the no-bars story in his introductory press conference with the Jets.

Again, the whole thing started because Rodgers originally wanted people to believe that: (1) the Packers had left a light on for him; (2) he entered the darkness retreat “90 percent” leaning toward retirement; and (3) he learned for the first time after emerging from the darkness that the Packers had been shopping him.

It doesn’t hold up, for reasons unrelated to phone calls and footlockers. It doesn’t hold up because the notion that Rodgers went into the darkness fully believing that everything was fine with the Packers is not factually accurate.

That wrinkle actually emerged when Rodgers first told his “Packers wanted me until they didn’t” story, during a March 15 appearance with Pat McAfee. After painting the picture of pre-darkness utopia and post-darkness dystopia, Rodgers conceded that he sensed things were amiss during the 2022 season. That cuts against his own version of how it all ended.

In the more recent comments to Schneidman, Rodgers further undermined his own story. “Before I went in the darkness, I hit them up and said, ‘Hey, there’s some stuff swirling around here. We should get together, you, me and Matt [LaFleur].’”

So Rodgers wasn’t blindsided after deliberately blinding himself for multiple days. He knew things weren’t going well, and he wasn’t making things better by being aloof and standoffish.

This all started as an effort by Rodgers to make himself into the victim of a Green Bay switcheroo. As holes emerged in his first story, he scrambled to plug them. Now that the original attempt has fallen apart, the victimization effort has pivoted to complaints regarding the Packers standing on a “hill of austerity” by claiming that they decided to trade the best player in franchise history simply because they couldn’t get in touch with him.

The truth is that the Packers wanted to move on, and Rodgers wanted to move on. The idea that his desire to defect for the Jets happened only after the Packers misled him about their desire to keep him simply doesn’t survive the simplest amount of analysis and scrutiny. Especially since he has repeatedly contradicted himself on that point.

So why does he keep talking about it? Why did he grant an on-the-record interview during which he unloaded on his former team?

When Brett Favre left, all he wanted to do was kick his old team’s butt a few times. Rodgers seems to want to poison the well to the point where he finally gets his wish for Gutekunst to be fired.

Consider this line from Rodgers: “Like, listen, I talk to the people that I like.”

Those 10 words really say it all, in more than 10 different ways.

THIS AND THAT

NEWS

Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com offers five players he thinks will elevate their game in 2023 to earn a big contract:

You know what motivates players unlike anything else? Simply being in a contract year. It’s the one season upon which financial futures hinge for hundreds across the NFL. Have a down contract year, and you could be looking at the vested veteran minimum or a cheap one-year “prove it” contract.

Erupt in your contract year, and you’re fielding a variety of multi-year deals with signing bonuses that eclipse all the money you’ve made to date.

Which players are bound to ascend in their contract years this season in the NFL? Below I’ve listed my five favorites.

You won’t find players who’ve already experienced a breakout. Franchise-tagged players weren’t included, either.

Last year’s article was highlighted by Dre’Mont Jones and Tony Pollard, who are now much wealthier than they were entering the 2022 season.

Laviska Shenault Jr.

CAR • WR • #5

Shenault has a legitimate case as the NFL’s best yards-after-the-catch receiver. I’m serious. In 2021, he forced 20 missed tackles on just 63 receptions as a member of the Jaguars. Then, in 2022, he forced 15 missed tackles on a mere 27 grabs. Preposterous. He simply needs more opportunity and steady quarterback play.

While the former isn’t guaranteed, he should get mostly consistent play from No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, who proved to be a capable point-guard type passer at Alabama, routinely distributing the ball to all of his Crimson Tide targets and specializing in getting the ball out quickly. Plus, Frank Reich and Co. will design a QB-friendly system for Young that accentuates plenty of short, high-percentage passes — precisely when Shenault will step in and become a household name for his super-powerful, tackle-breaking skills. I love him as a complement to the vertical, perimeter game of D.J. Chark and the nifty route-running talent of Adam Thielen.

Teair Tart

TEN • DT • #93

Tart was an obscure undrafted free agent in 2020 after a collegiate career that included stops at three schools across four seasons and finished at Florida International.

And he’s more than just beat the odds by making the team — in a rotational, low-volume role, Tart’s been a stud upfield rusher. At times, he’s been borderline unblockable. After seeing the field for just under 500 total snaps in his first two seasons in Tennessee, Tart received 520 in 2022 and gave the Titans ample return on investment with 26 pressures on 305 pass-rushing snaps, which featured nine contests with at least two pressures.

Tart and Jeffery Simmons are a load on the inside of Tennessee’s defensive front. Simmons got a well-deserved extension a few months ago. Tart will be next — and the deal could come during the season.

Bryce Huff

NYJ • DE • #47

Huff is so damn disruptive. Why he hasn’t played more for the Jets through two seasons is beyond me. Last year — his third season in the NFL — Huff registered 36 pressures on 173 pass-rush snaps, equivalent to a 20.8% pressure-generate rate, which extrapolated out is in the Micah Parsons range.

Of course, with a lower sample, reaching that rarefied air of 20% pressure-creation rate is easier than across a full season, yet Huff has essentially been as productive as human possible with the opportunities he’s been given, so he deserves — and will likely get — a more sizable role in Gang Green’s pass-rush rotation, even with the presence of two first-rounders on the edge.

He’s primed for a dynamic season thanks to his burst, bend, and tenacious hand work. He has the goods to beat tackles in a multitude of ways, which will spark his breakout campaign.

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Mykal Walker

ATL • LB • #3

Walker is the best linebacker in football you’ve likely never heard of unless you’re a faithful Falcons fan. A former fourth-round pick from Fresno State, Walker’s production has swelled in each of his first three seasons in Atlanta, culminating with a 107-tackle, six pass-breakup, four tackle-for-loss, two-interception campaign without much defensive line help — outside of Grady Jarrett — in front of him in 2022.

Now, the Falcons are formidable in the trenches, particularly with no-nonsense masher Calais Campbell next to Jarrett. Newcomer David Onyemata brings it on every snap too at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds. Walker will be “kept clean” much more frequently than in the past. He’s a sneaky-good coverage linebacker at a rather sleek 6-3 and 230-ish pounds.

Walker will piece together his finest season to date in the NFL and earn a monster payday in free agency after the season. Remember the name.

Bryan Edwards

NO • WR • #11

I can’t quit Edwards. He was a draft crush of mine in 2020 class, a prospect I had a first-round grade on but realized he’d be picked later because of a pre-draft foot injury. The ailment ultimately sunk Edwards’ stock to the third round but, when presumably fully healthy, the former South Carolina star had a 34-grab, 571-yard, three-score 2021 in his second year in the league catching passes from Derek Carr.

Now Edwards is reunited with Carr in New Orleans after a cup of coffee with the Falcons. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, I remember a complete wideout in the SEC playing with Deebo Samuel. Tremendous ball skills, plus capability after the catch and enough athleticism and nuance to get open on route-running alone.

Yes, there’s Chris Olave and Michael Thomas in the Saints wideout room. But not much else. I expect Edwards to finally get the chance to play like the pass catcher he was in college in 2023 and earn a lucrative albeit not super-expensive contract next offseason.

BROADCAST NEWS

The NFL has yet to persuade one of four possible teams to host “Hard Knocks” this summer.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com breaks it down:

This year, four teams are eligible to be drafted to serve as the focal point of Hard Knocks. To date, the NFL has yet to publicly declare the winner.

Or, depending on perspective, the loser.

As noted by Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, the league hasn’t announced this year’s Hard Knocks team. Last year, the league announced that it would be the Lions in late March.

The teams that can be compelled to do it under the formula the NFL previously developed are the Bears, Saints, Jets, and Commanders. Those are the franchises that remained after exempting any team with a new head coach, any team that has been to the playoffs in the last two years, and any team that has done it within the past 10 years.

The Bears have said they don’t want it. The Jets are the most compelling selection; chances are they’re not interested, either. (If they were, it likely would have been already announced by now.)

That leaves the Saints and Commanders. Of the two, the Commanders are more compelling given the looming ownership change. But coach Ron Rivera, who realizes that he needs to make a solid impression on new owner Josh Harris, likely would prefer not to have an extra variable in a situation already chock full of them.

That said, it could be an ideal time for 345 Park Avenue to gently jerk a few arms among current management, since current management might need a big favor or two from Big Shield once new ownership takes over.

Our guess? They really want the Jets to want to do it. So they’re waiting and hoping and maybe persuading, knowing that the Commanders could be the fallback option.

Which obviously means it will be the Saints.

Regardless of who it is, we’ll find out soon enough, since it debuts on HBO in early August.

BOLD PREDICTIONS

Adam Schein of NFL.com says these are nine “bold” predictions.  Sometimes we see “bold” predictions and don’t think they are particularly bold.  Like, if one of them were to be, “the Chiefs will make a strong defense of their Super Bowl title.”  That is not bold.  So here they are, if we think they are solidly bold, we will highlight them in green.  If they are somewhat bold, we leave them black.  If they are actually quite timid, they get a failing red.

Heading into the summer, here are my boldest predictions for the coming season, Schein Nine style.

1) Sam Darnold beats Jets in Super Bowl

This is an attention-grabbing prediction, to say the least. But it’s not unreasonable. At this point in time, it’s what I feel. Allow me to explain …

The 49ers are the best roster in the NFL, 2-53. They just need to find that No. 1. Who’s poised to man the game’s most important position for San Francisco? Well, Brock Purdy is currently recovering from major elbow surgery, while Trey Lance is still struggling with the forward pass. So, in the moment, that leaves Sam Darnold as The Guy. And I see that as a golden opportunity.

I’ve always loved Darnold’s raw talent. But he was dealt a raw hand in New York and Carolina. Just ask Le’Veon Bell about Adam Gase’s development — or lack thereof — of the former No. 3 overall pick. I always wanted to see what Darnold could do with better support. Now he’s under the watchful eye of offensive genius Kyle Shanahan, flanked by immense talent on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the 49ers boast an assortment of playmakers at running back, receiver and tight end, as well as a stout O-line. Defensively, San Francisco just finished first in points and yards allowed. I think Darnold has a real chance to take this opportunity and run with it. Therefore, there’s a realistic chance I ultimately pick the Niners to win the whole damn thing with my official predictions in September.

On the AFC side, I’ve been debating between the Bills and Jets as the conference’s Super Bowl LVIII reps. But last week, I scored an exclusive interview with Aaron Rodgers on my SiriusXM Radio show, “Schein on Sports.” And with that chat still fresh in my mind — particularly Rodgers’ visualization of his Jets winning it all like the ’86 Mets — I am indeed drinking the Gang Green Kool-Aid. The Jets have an all-time quarterback, explosive weaponry and a top-five defense. It’s not hard to envision a magical season reaching into February.

So there you have it: 49ers over Jets in the Las Vegas Super Bowl. Pencil it in. And pencil Darnold into the starting lineup. Is there a chance Purdy eventually is good to go and retakes the reins? Sure. But at the outset of summer, Darnold’s in the catbird seat. And I still believe he has the natural talent to take advantage of an enviable situation.

2) Saints earn NFC’s No. 1 seed

On paper, the Eagles, 49ers and Cowboys are better than the Saints. But as my colleague Eric Edholm spotlighted following the schedule release, New Orleans has a spectacularly favorable schedule. That’s what happens when you play in the NFC South and get to play the AFC South. Look at the sked: 13-4 feels viable for the Saints.

New quarterback Derek Carr is going to have a huge bounce-back season in the Big Easy. It’s why I picked New Orleans as my Cinderella team of 2023 back in March. And as time has gone on, I’ve become even more bullish on these Saints. If Carr gets a healthy Michael Thomas across from second-year stud Chris Olave, this offense can fly. Dennis Allen’s defense remains stout — and could be a true force with better injury luck than last season.

Last year, the NFC South winners had a losing record (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8-9). This year, the division could produce the conference’s best record. That’s the NFL for you.

3) Cardinals don’t win a game

Immediately following the schedule release, one tweet caught my attention:

So 0-17 isn’t just my bold prediction here, but at the moment, it’s what the betting markets expect.

OK, at first blush, a Week 1 game against the Sam Howell-led Commanders doesn’t seem too daunting. But outside of the notable question mark at QB, Washington’s roster isn’t bad at all. This team has some real dudes on both sides of the ball. Not to mention, the season opener will take place at FedExField, in front of a pumped-up fan base with a new lease on life now that Daniel Snyder is on his way out. Meanwhile, the Cardinals appear poised to start Colt McCoy at quarterback — and he’ll no longer have the DeAndre Hopkins security blanket. Consequently, Jonathan Gannon’s first game as a head coach could be a long one, setting the tone for the rest of the season.

But in the long run, maybe this isn’t a bad thing.

In his first six months on the job, general manager Monti Ossenfort is clearly playing the long game. In addition to rebuilding maneuvers like the release of Hopkins, Ossenfort brilliantly managed his first draft, significantly boosting Arizona’s draft capital for 2024. Oh, and by the way, next year’s draft could have some generational talent at the quarterback position. Might Kyler Murray’s days be numbered in Arizona? Well, there’d certainly be some substantial contract hurdles to get over. But the QB, who’s currently rehabbing from a torn ACL, hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype. So, if the Cardinals do secure the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft, it could be an interesting spring in the desert.

4) Packers post second-worst record

Imagine telling Packers fans a few years ago that Green Bay would trade Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers in back-to-back offseasons. WOOF. This all-time talent drain will ultimately lead to a long 2023 in Titletown.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur is already preaching patience with Jordan Love. That underscores my worst fears about a quarterback who seemed like a reach as a first-round pick: At best, Love is green; at worst, he’s inept. Green Bay’s fragile offensive line sure doesn’t ease concerns, either. And Joe Barry’s defense took a step back in 2022.

The 2022 Packers were eliminated from the postseason in the NFL’s regular-season finale. The 2023 Packers will be cooked in November.

5) Josh Allen wins MVP

The dynamic dual-threat quarterback is locked in.

“I’ve seen a different Josh this offseason — not that it was bad before, but he’s got a new sense of focus and determination, which is good,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said to the assembled media last week.

The quarterback agrees with this assessment.

“Just understanding our window, and I want to give everything that I have for as long as I play,” Allen said. “I’m not saying that I haven’t done that in the past, but there’s always new ways that I can find to get better and not being complacent with what I’m doing on the field, understanding that there’s a lot of plays that we left out there.”

After falling short of the AFC Championship Game in each of the past two seasons, Buffalo heads into the 2023 campaign with a healthy sense of urgency. And in a highly competitive AFC East — and a loaded AFC as a whole — the Bills need elite play from their 27-year-old superstar week in and week out. My prediction: Allen puts the team and city on his back, authoring his best season yet.

The first-round pick of TE Dalton Kincaid helps, giving Allen a dangerous middle-of-the-field weapon to go between Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. And the second-round pick of O’Cyrus Torrence gives Buffalo more oomph up front, especially in the run game. Speaking of which, I think James Cook will flourish as a feature back.

With an improved supporting cast, Allen will carve up the league with his arm, legs, leadership and knack for the moment. Even among the AFC’s staggering cadre of superstar quarterbacks, Allen will stand out. And thus, he’ll take home the top individual award.

6) Myles Garrett wins Defensive Player of the Year

I nailed this award in this space last year, correctly predicting Nick Bosa would hoist the hardware. Honestly, Bosa could go back-to-back. He’s a force of nature, and the 49ers — as detailed above — figure to be highly relevant. But I’m really feeling a monster season from Garrett.

The trade for Za’Darius Smith and free-agent signing of Ogbo Okoronkwo gave Garrett some much-needed support in the edge-rushing department. Inherently, with opposing offenses facing more pass-blocking challenges, I could see Garrett hitting 20 sacks. Cleveland should be vastly improved in 2023, too, helping the premium QB hunter draw more of the attention he deserves.

7) Justin Jefferson makes NFL history as first 2,000-yard receiver

No wide receiver has ever hit 2K. Calvin Johnson’s come the closest, posting an NFL-record 1,964 yards in 2012. Nine years later, Cooper Kupp reached 1,947 yards. In 2023, Jefferson makes history.

Shoot, it’s just the natural progression of Jefferson’s NFL production, from 1,400 yards in Year 1 to 1,616 yards in Year 2 to 1,809 yards last season. To reach 2,000, he needs to average just under 118 yards over 17 games. Jefferson is the kind of unstoppable force who can make that happen, especially in Year 2 of Kevin O’Connell’s offense. And his new WR running mate in Jordan Addison — Minnesota’s first-round pick in April — will help the cause by commanding more attention than the Vikings’ complementary targets last season.

The Griddy will be on full display in 2023, with No. 18 dancing his way into the record books.

8) Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs leads all running backs in touchdowns

I lauded the Lions’ draft a few weeks ago, specifically stating my love for the controversial Gibbs pick. Was a running back at No. 12 overall too rich for your blood? Not mine! And Gibbs is not just a running back; with legit pass-catching ability, he’s a true offensive weapon with breakneck speed. He’s a home run hitter, and savvy offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will exploit this to the fullest.

Jamaal Williams — last year’s NFL rushing TD king — and D’Andre Swift are gone. While free-agent signee David Montgomery is a solid power back who could vulture some scores, Gibbs is the first-rounder. The electric playmaker will prove Lions brass correct while helping lead Detroit to big things this year.

9) Bill Belichick’s final season in New England is playoff-free

I think the Bills and Jets each win at least 11 games, while the Dolphins hit double digits. The Patriots? Feels like 7-10 or 8-9, and that’s actually a credit to Bill Belichick’s brain. No disrespect to the best coach in football history, but this roster is a distant fourth in the AFC East. Mac Jones is average, at best. His receiving corps is subpar. Belichick’s defense will be typically solid, but you need firepower in this stacked AFC.

Back in March, New England owner Robert Kraft said it’s “very important” the Patriots return to the playoffs. What happens when they finish in the AFC East cellar for the first time since Belichick’s first season in New England? It becomes his last season in New England.

Schein actually played the game pretty well, no red ones, although Josh Allen didn’t seem all that bold.