AROUND THE NFL

Daily Briefing

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

A new team for LB BARKEVIOUS MINGO.  NFL.com:

The Bears added depth on defense with a pair of moves, signing safety Jordan Lucas and outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo to one-year deals, per Rapoport. Lucas, who played for the Chiefs the past two seasons, is set to earn $1 million. Mingo, who played for the Texans last year, is reunited with DC Chuck Pagano, whom he played for while with the Colts in 2017.

Barkevious – whose first name has all five vowels in alphabetical order – was the 6^th overall pick by the Browns in 2013.  After three years with Cleveland, he will now be on his fifth team in five years with the Patriots in 2016, the Colts in 2017, the Seahawks in 2018 and the Texans in 2019.

– – –

Peter King on the QB NICK FOLES trade:

Everyone wants to know where this leaves Mitchell Trubisky. That’s easy. Trubisky will have his shot this year (assuming there is a football season), and Foles, one of the best teammates ever to roam an NFL sideline, will support him. If Trubisky is better, he’ll play and he’ll stave off Foles. I don’t see that happening, Trubisky being better. And I bet the Bears don’t either.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Peter King on the Cowboys cap:

The cap numbers of the top six offensive players on the Cowboys in 2020:

Dak Prescott: $28.6 million*

Zack Martin: $15 million

Tyron Smith: $13.5 million

Amari Cooper: $12 million

Travis Frederick: $12 million

Ezekiel Elliott: $10.9 million

Total: $92.0 million

Cap number in 2020: $198.2 million.

Percentage of Dallas’ 2020 cap devoted to top 6 offensive players: 46.4 percent

Percentage of 2020 cap left for remaining 57 players (47 active, 10 on practice squad): 53.6 percent.

It gets worse in 2021, with Cooper’s cap number rising to $22 million. As current contracts stand, the top six players on offense will consume about $110 million on the cap next year.

*The scheduled 2020 exclusive-rights franchise number for a quarterback will be $28.6 million, per Mike Florio.

PHILADELPHIA

Why the time is now for the Eagles, as Peter King notes a comment from Daniel Jeremiah:

I think of all the things I heard this week that never occurred to me in a crazy time, this was the most interesting: Daniel Jeremiah told me, So Doug Pederson and Jim Schwartz are in their fifth year running the offense and defense for Philadelphia. The three other teams in the NFC East all have new coaches, with new offenses and new defenses. Has there ever been more of a competitive advantage for a team entering a season than the Eagles have? Jeremiah was quick to add that Kellen Moore returns at offensive coordinator for Dallas but likely it’s Mike McCarthy’s offense the Cowboys will run. Amazing thought, particularly in a season when chemistry could well be in short supply.

– – –

This on CB DARIUS SLAY and his new number from Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Cornerback Darius Slay will be changing more than teams this offseason.

Slay was traded to the Eagles last week and he revealed plans to make a change to the uniform number he wore while with the Lions. Slay said he is turning in his No. 23 and replacing it with No. 24 to honor the late Kobe Bryant, who was born and went to high school in the Philadelphia area.

“I’m going Kobe mode,” Slay said in an Instagram video, via NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com. “Black mamba. Rest in peace to the GOAT. One of my favorite players. I will look good in 24.”

Slay won’t have to pay another one of the team’s players to facilitate the change. Running back Jordan Howard wore the number last season, but he’s now in Miami after signing with the Dolphins as a free agent.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

WR LAQUAN TREADWELL’s bus to Bustville makes a pit stop in Atlanta.  Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com:

The Atlanta Falcons are taking a flier on a former first-round pick, as WSB-TV’s Zach Klein reported Sunday that the Falcons are signing former Minnesota Vikings wideout Laquon Treadwell. Treadwell was selected by Minnesota with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, but he’s had some trouble getting his career off the ground.

Treadwell showed great promise at Ole Miss, recording 202 receptions for 2,393 yards and 21 touchdowns in three seasons with the Rebels. After recording 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns in his junior season, Treadwell was named First-team All-SEC and decided to declare for the draft. He struggled to make the adjustment to the NFL, however, and recorded just one catch for 15 yards in his rookie season.

Last May, the Vikings declined Treadwell’s fifth-year option, then ended up releasing him in late August. Treadwell remained unsigned until the Vikings approached him in late September with an offer to rejoin the team. In 53 career games, Treadwell has caught 65 passes for 701 yards and two touchdowns.

NEW ORLEANS

Peter King checks in with quarantined Sean Payton:

Sean Payton, coronavirus patient, self-quarantined in his house in New Orleans on Sunday night, ordered a cheesesteak for delivery from a favorite eatery. “I am blessed for many reasons,” the Saints coach said over the phone just after the food arrived. He sounded chipper. “Unfortunately, this disease hasn’t cost me my appetite.”

The delivery people know to leave food at the doorstep. They know Payton is that guy you don’t want to come in contact with. He’s the guy a week into Covid-19. He knows he’s lucky, because he has no underlying illnesses, he’s 56, he’d been working out daily (until this), and he can afford, at this time of year, to nap and take care of himself and let the virus run its course. He’s been almost exclusively in the house for eight days—leaving only to be tested last Monday—and plans to sequester himself for at least another week.

He’s the only NFL coach, or top NFL official, to test positive for coronavirus. Yet. Ominously, he knows that might not last. “When all is said and done, a third of every group in the country might get it,” Payton said. “And we’ve got to be careful about spreading it, of course. [Saints offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael has diabetes, so we’ve got to be careful about him, and everyone really.”

Payton has no idea how he contracted it. Three weeks ago, he’d just left the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, teeming with 2,500 NFL people and media in close contact. The next weekend, he went to New York to see a couple of Broadway plays. Crowded theaters. Then he golfed with friends in Naples, Fla. “Then, last Friday [10 days ago] I was talking with Bill Parcells. He had a horse, Three Technique, running in a race in Arkansas on Saturday. Bill wasn’t planning to go, but I like the races. I said I’ll go. So I went to the race. Back home, on Sunday, just a week ago today, I felt cruddy, a little feverish and just weak. Had the chills. Woke up Monday with the chills. Achy. I called our team doc, described the symptoms. It’s not flu season down here, so he thought there was an 85 percent chance I had [coronavirus]. I went over to a hospital, drove up the little ramp there, and they came out to test me. They had all their protective gear on. I rolled down my window. Just like you’ve seen—they did nostril one, then they did nostril two. That was it. On Thursday, he texted me. ‘Tested positive. Call me.’ I wasn’t nervous about it, because I was feeling good.”

Payton feels better, but still weak. Today, he’ll join his NFL Competition Committee peers on a teleconference to discuss potential rules changes. He finds himself empathizing with so many people now that he’s seen and felt what the virus can do.

“Look, I feel well. I’ll get better, and we’ll go on, and we’ll have the draft in some way, shape or form,” Payton said. “That’s not what’s important right now. What’s important is our health-care workers, our doctors and nurses, on the front lines of this thing. We’ve got to take care of them.

“For now, this is our life, and we’ve got to be prepared for it. Some basic stuff in all of our lives is going to be threatened. We’ve all got to exercise a little more social responsibility. We all felt invincible at some point in our lives, as young people do now. But think of the person you might be affecting.”

Payton, when he feels up to it, plans to figure which cause affected by the virus he can help through his Play It Forward Foundation. Consuming media these days, he’s found himself thinking, How can I help? It’s a good question for all of us these days.

We note the visit to New York. 

– – –

WR EMMANUEL SANDERS can make history this year.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

When Emmanuel Sanders signed with the Saints, he put himself in a position to do something unique in NFL history: Sanders can become the first player ever to play in the Super Bowl for four different franchises.

Sanders played in Super Bowl XLV with the Steelers, Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos and Super Bowl LIV with the 49ers. Now he’s with the Saints, who are among the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LV.

No player has ever played in the Super Bowl with four different franchises, but Sanders is among seven who have played in the Super Bowl with three. Preston Pearson, Bill Romanowski, Rod Woodson, Darrien Gordon, Harry Swayne and Joe Jurevicius are the others.

No matter where he’s been, Sanders has been a part of winning teams. And there’s every reason to believe he’ll be on a winning team again this year in New Orleans.

TAMPA BAY

Peter King does his thing on QB TOM BRADY’s path to Tampa Bay:

When coach Bruce Arians spoke to Brady by phone from Arians’ home last Wednesday evening, he came away with the impression that the legendary quarterback intends—as he has said in the past—to play till he’s 45 years old. Brady will turn 45 a month before opening day 2022, which means that Brady may be thinking of three more years, not two.

It should surprise no one that he is not looking at his two-year deal with the Bucs as his victory lap around the NFL. To replace Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay chose the sugar-rush deal with Brady over a more secure long-haul signing of the 27-year-old Teddy Bridgewater for two reasons: The team believes Brady has a couple of Super Bowl-contending seasons left, and GM Jason Licht and Arians believe there are pieces in place in Tampa to help him win his seventh championship. They also think Brady’s never-ending search for perfection—as a player and in his personal and physical lives—will live on in his teammates at One Buc Place after Brady leaves.

Regardless of all the good signs, no quarterback in history, playing every down, has excelled well into his forties. Brett Favre was a Pro Bowler at 40, Warren Moon a Pro Bowler at 41; both crashed the next season. Drew Brees seems primed to play well this year at 41. Brady will take the field for the Bucs—assuming there is an NFL season—at 43. Being great at 43 has never been done by an NFL quarterback. But the game has never seen a player this well-preserved at this age. Brady’s passer rating in his twenties: 88.4. Brady’s passer rating in his forties: 96.0. Though this is a gamble for Brady, and for the Bucs, those inside the organization are comfortable staking their reputations on it.

When Brady finally talked to the Buc braintrust on Wednesday—Licht first, then Arians, in a call that lasted longer than an hour—the strongest impression he left with them had a Belichickian tone. However long he stays in Tampa Bay—two years, three years or more—Brady wants to help the organization push one common goal. “The standard,” he called it. Brady wants to help Arians reinforce his standard of excellence in Tampa. At times during the call, it almost felt like Brady was recruiting them, not the other way around.

Later that evening, Brady FaceTimed with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, to begin to get the lay of the land in Tampa Bay. (Which just might become his new normal.) As someone who knows Brady well told me Saturday: “No one knows what this off-season is going to look like because of this virus. Tom’s going to want to spend the absolute most time he can with his teammates and his coaches, because he’s a perfectionist and he never had to learn another system. That’s just going to add to the challenge here. So much of that stuff was taken care of for Tom in New England with Bill and Josh [Belichick and McDaniels]. Now he’s going to have to learn to trust new guys.” He’ll have to manage that in what’s sure to be the most unconventional offseason of his career.

ESPN’s Seth Wickersham on Sunday jigsaw-puzzled a smart story about Brady’s continuing dissatisfaction with the Patriots contractually and with the joyless atmosphere inside Bill Belichick’s domain. I agree that those things matter—a lot. But part of this decision, a big part I believe, is Brady wanting to see football from another point, with another coach, with another team, to see another football life. What’s the world like outside of Foxboro? Eight years from now, or whenever the gold-jacketed Brady walks into Canton, he’ll hug Belichick for 15 seconds and mean it; yes, the Patriots owe him for the six Super Bowls. But he owes Belichick too. It’s fair to say that sometimes, a new start is better for everyone.

The end of Jameis Winston didn’t happen suddenly. Winston has been, by all accounts, a model citizen since the sexual-groping charge against him by an Uber driver in 2016, and the resulting three-game NFL suspension. A month into the 2019 season, it was much more likely than not that the team would sign him to a rich extension as their quarterback of the future. In London in Week 6, Winston threw for 400 yards against Carolina, the Bucs held Christian McCaffrey to 31 rushing yards . . . and Tampa lost by 11. Winston threw five interceptions and fumbled twice in an embarrassing display that—with the time difference—probably made Buc fans surrender their breakfasts. On the long flight home, a collective Uh-oh settled over the team, a sort of sick feeling that the interception bug was back. Winston was now officially on trial. He might have salvaged his future till the last two weeks of the season. The Bucs had won four in row to get to 7-7, and they outplayed Houston and Atlanta in those final two games—except at quarterback. Six more Winston picks in those two games cost the Bucs two wins, and cost Winston most of the faith coach Bruce Arians had in him.

After the London game, scouts got to work in earnest dissecting tape of any quarterbacks who might be available after the season. Teddy Bridgewater. Andy Dalton. Ryan Tannehill. Marcus Mariota. Philip Rivers. And Tom Brady. It’s work they might have done anyway; the London game was a spur. The last two games gave the search immediacy, and the four QB-braintrust of offensive coaches (Arians, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, QB coach Clyde Christensen, offensive analyst Tom Moore) began their analyses after the season. Several commented that they’d never seen a market with this many starters available. That’s because there never has been.

As for Brady, both Arians and Licht thought the fact that Brady would be allowed to be free after the season smelled funny. The way Brady set up the contract—to be a free agent after the season—is not the way you write a contract if you want to stay somewhere, they thought. But who would let the greatest quarterback of all time get away? Then, when they watched the New England wild-card loss to Tennessee (Arians in particular), it was notable that Jim Nantz and Tony Romo talked openly about this could be the end in New England for Brady. “He is not done,” Romo said on TV. “He needs help around him. Now, where is he gonna play? Is it here?” Could it be that the clues that Brady was fishing for a new team were hiding in plain sight? Perhaps. But the Bucs wouldn’t be high on his list. Right? (Playoff wins since 2003: Brady 27, Bucs 0.)

Brady did a great job keeping a lid on all of it. I sat with him for 10 minutes after his last game as a Patriot, and he played his future very straight. I left Foxboro that night not having a great feel what he’d do, but thinking it was 50-50 at least that he’d play somewhere else in 2020. The thing that surprised me that night? That he was not remotely surprised the Patriots lost, or that they played very poorly on offense.

“First time in 20 years you’re truly a free man,” I said to him in a small room off the New England locker room. “How do you feel about that right now?”

“I think I’m just . . . I’ll explore those opportunities whenever they are. If it’s the Patriots, great. If that doesn’t work, I don’t know. I just don’t know. I love playing football. I still want to play football. I think I still can play at a championship level. I’ve just got to go do it. I’m motivated to get back to work and training.” Poker face.

Tampa Bay sure didn’t seem likely 11 weeks ago. In Arians’ five seasons as a Cardinals and Bucs head coach, per Pro Football Focus, the average throw in his passing offense traveled a league-high 10.7 yards past the line of scrimmage. He was the happy bomber. His quarterback aired it out. But when the Bucs watched the 2017 Brady, with burner Brandin Cooks averaging 16.6 yards per catch, they saw Brady had plenty enough arm; New England threw it an average of 9.5 yards past the line in ’17. With no Cooks and with Rob Gronkowski retired, and no deep threat in the house, the passing game flatlined. That’s what we saw last season, and Brady was miserable. Arians’ offense will play to one of Brady’s strengths—hard play-action—and we’ll see how much of an adjustment Arians and Leftwich have to make in play-calling based on Brady’s arm strength. One other PFF note that will interest Arians: the majority of Winston’s completions last year came on throws that were between 10 and 20 yards downfield, and over the past five seasons, PFF’s top-rated quarterback on such throws is Tom Brady.

By the end of February, the Bucs had prioritized their top three quarterbacks, in order:

Brady.

Bridgewater.

Winston.

Why Winston, still, at three? Because Arians loved him as a worker and competitor, and he had hope that he could be saved, and he knew the locker room loved him. Arians was still optimistic he could get Winston to buy into the art of the checkdown if they had to, and the teaching of Moore, who preached, “You never go broke putting money in the bank.” But it was clear to those around the building that the Bucs needed to try to get Brady—and if it looked like a shot in the dark by the legal tampering period, then they’d move on to Bridgewater. They were optimistic they could get Bridgewater if they whiffed on Brady.

Licht talked to agent Don Yee on Monday, the first day of the legal tampering period (Oxymoron of the Week). According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, money was the last thing on the Brady priority list that Yee discussed with Licht. The Bucs’ GM felt he was in the game, and told Arians this was no long shot. It was real.

What the Bucs didn’t know was the homework Brady had done on them. He watched tape of their offense, he loved outside weapons Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and the security blankets at tight end, and he had great respect for the pass-rush and few young defensive pieces the Bucs had. Geography helped. Though the Brady camp had interest in Indianapolis, the Colts seemed to be set on Philip Rivers on a shorter deal. All other teams in his universe (the Chargers most notably) were further from Brady’s New York home. (Though, of course, he will live in Tampa while he’s a Buc.) What I’m told happened Tuesday: The Bucs, by mid-afternoon, had a shell of a deal with Yee for Brady. They hadn’t been told that Brady was theirs, but Bridgewater needed an answer; he had another option in Carolina. The Bucs felt good enough about their shot with Brady that they let Bridgewater go Tuesday afternoon. Adam Schefter broke the Bridgewater-to-Carolina story Tuesday at 6:39 p.m. Shortly afterward Schefter and ESPN colleague Jeff Darlington had Brady to the Bucs.

I’m told Arians and Licht did not speak to Brady till early Wednesday evening. Even then, it was the formality of a phone interview. The physical was arranged with a physician the Bucs’ medical staff used in New York. The contract—pretty simple and reasonable for a player of Brady’s stature: two years, $50 million, with a total of $9 million in incentives—was done. When the physical came back positive, Licht and Arians got the word Thursday afternoon for the first time: Tom Brady was a Buc.

TE CAMERON BRATE takes a re-structuring to get to play with QB TOM BRADY.  Eduardo Encina in the Tampa Bay Times:

The Bucs have restructured tight end Cameron Brate’s contract for this upcoming season, allowing the team to keep one of its top red-zone targets over the past several years while gaining added salary-cap flexibility.

Sunday marked an important day for Brate and his future with the Bucs. He was slated to earn $6 million in 2020, and $4 million of that would have become guaranteed Sunday.

With less than $20 million remaining in cap space following a week full of free-agent signings — none bigger than the addition of quarterback Tom Brady — there was uncertainty whether the Bucs would keep Brate or be forced to trade or release him. Restructuring terms were not immediately available, but the Bucs will end up with more cap space.

Brate ranks fourth in touchdown receptions among tight ends since 2015 with 27, trailing only Travis Kelce (32), Kyle Rudolph (30) and Zach Ertz (28). Twenty-four of those catches have come with the Bucs in the red zone. Along with O.J. Howard, the sure-handed Brate gives the Bucs one of the top pass-catching tight end duos in the league.

“I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to return to Tampa for my seventh season,” Brate said in a text message to the Times. “I look forward to getting back to work with my teammates in pursuit of a Super Bowl title here in our home stadium. Go Bucs!”

Retaining Brate allows Brady to inherit another safety valve in his new offense. His days in New England show that he certainly likes to utilize the tight end as a valued part of the passing game.

Brate had 36 receptions for 311 yards and four touchdowns last season, and his 8.6 yards-per-reception average was the lowest of his career. He played just 38 percent of the team’s offensive snaps last year, the least amount since his first full year in the league in 2015. But when he did get the chance for regular playing time, he performed well, including a 10-catch, 73-yard game against New Orleans when he received a season-high 75 percent of offensive snaps.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

Two signings for the Cardinals, including the return of QB BRETT HUNDLEY.  NFL.com:

The Arizona Cardinals are re-signing their best special teamer, safety Chris Banjo, a source tells Pelissero.

The Cardinals also announced the re-signing of quarterback Brett Hundley on a one-year deal.

SAN FRANCISCO

Peter King on what might have been:

With Steve Young on the verge of retirement in early 2000 because of a series of concussions, the beloved team of Brady’s youth, San Francisco, scouted for Young’s heir prior to the draft. The Niners, with the 65th overall choice in the 2000 draft, picked Giovanni Carmazzi of Hofstra (which dropped football in 2009). Just 134 picks later, Brady was picked by New England. Carmazzi never played a snap in the NFL.

AFC WEST

DENVER

Peter King makes a point:

People saying, Poor Todd Gurley. Or, Poor running backs. Todd Gurley, should he survive this season in Atlanta, will be 26 years old and have made $49.4 million. Don’t tell me about short shelf lives for star running backs who don’t get paid. Now, I’ll tell who the system really kills. Phillip Lindsay. Undrafted in 2018. Makes the Broncos. Rushes for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Not only has he made just $1.065 million in two years, he’s on track to make $750,000 this year—and the Broncos signed Melvin Gordon to take some of his production away.

LAS VEGAS

This on TE JASON WITTEN from NFL.com:

The Las Vegas Raiders are giving veteran tight end Jason Witten a one-year, $4 million deal that includes $3.5M fully guaranteed and a max of $4.75M with playtime incentives, according to Tom Pelissero.

– – –

Vic Tafur of The Athletic says the Raiders had stealth interest in QB TOM BRADY, but that shouldn’t damage the status of QB DEREK CARR:

Well, here we are. Tom Brady is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Derek Carr is the unquestioned starting quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nothing to see here.

Business as usual.

All that smoke about the Raiders being in the running for Brady has blown away and general manager Mike Mayock and coach Jon Gruden can fall back on their comments from a month ago supporting Carr.

Doesn’t mean they weren’t interested in signing arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.

Doesn’t mean they bowed out last month at the NFL Scouting Combine, as some recent reports incorrectly suggested.

The Raiders were indeed sniffing around Brady as late as this week, according to league sources, and while it is true they never made him an offer, some ballpark numbers were made known to him at some point. The Raiders weren’t going to go as high as the guaranteed $25 million per year for two years that the Bucs gave the 42-year-old quarterback — the game film the last two years just didn’t warrant that in the Raiders’ minds.

But my understanding is that it was more about fit than money for Brady, and the Raiders never got that nod from Brady that they were a serious finalist. If they had, they would have started shopping Carr, who even his critics should agree is a top-16 quarterback with a very friendly pay-as-you-go contract for the next three years.

There shouldn’t be any real fallout. Basically, the Raiders “might” have replaced Carr with a top-5 player in the history of the NFL — otherwise they were good. They didn’t want Philip Rivers or Teddy Bridgewater. They are not going to suddenly pursue Jameis Winston or Cam Newton or trade up to draft Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa.

There really weren’t any other options considered, other than Brady. And if you don’t consider adding Tom Brady when you’re coming off 4-12 and 7-9 seasons, then something is very wrong.

That’s why you can’t blame Raiders like Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams and Josh Jacobs for making comments about how cool it would be to play with Brady when pressed the last two months. They all respect Carr, they tried to tiptoe around the questions … but we’re talking about a guy with six Super Bowl rings.

Not one, not two, not three … six.

I think Carr’s teammates, as well as many people in the organization, feel that he deserves a third year in Gruden’s system after Carr’s No. 1 receiver last season — Antonio Brown — self-combusted and Carr’s No. 2 target — Williams — went down with two burning feet in Week 5. Carr definitely made strides in extending plays and he improved his completion percentage from 68.9 to 70.4 percent and his yards per attempt from 7.3 to 7.9.

Do Gruden and Carr get frustrated with one another at times? Sure, but Carr still hasn’t turned 29 yet (he will in two weeks), can make all the throws, is very smart and works very hard. Many teams would love to have him.

And it’s not like Carr won’t be pushed in 2020 — for the first time in seven seasons.

The Raiders agreed to terms with former Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota on Monday. The Heisman Trophy winner lost his starting job with the Titans to Ryan Tannehill last season but is still only 26 and Gruden has fond memories from when he had Mariota on his old “Gruden’s QB Camp” TV show.

Mariota is a very athletic read-option quarterback who will come in as a clear-cut backup. He and Carr get along well, and everyone in Tennessee raved about Mariota’s leadership skills — there will be no drama. But on the small chance that Carr doesn’t take another step up next season, or if he gets injured, Gruden will have a backup he won’t hesitate to turn to and will have confidence in.

(Nathan Peterman and DeShone Kizer are also currently on the roster, though I wonder if the Raiders just forgot to cut Kizer or are thinking they can get a late-round pick for him.)

As far as the upcoming draft goes, the Raiders definitely like Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts — we have covered that in depth — but I don’t think they were happy to see him do so well at the combine. He went from a fourth-round to a second-round projection, and the Raiders have three third-round picks but none in the second.

Hurts would not be in the mix to play in 2020, anyway. Neither would Utah State’s Jordan Love, but I no longer think the Raiders are considering Love with either of their two first-round picks at 12 or 19. And LSU’s Joe Burrow, Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert — the top three quarterbacks on the board — should be long gone by the 12th slot.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Peter King on why QB ANDY DALTON has not been traded:

I keep hearing no one will trade for Andy Dalton and pay him $17 million this year in the last year of his deal. If he’s on the street, Dalton at $7 million for a year in New England makes the most sense to me. Hard to see Dalton going unloved, but he fits New England either short or long-term the best. I still expect the Patriots, after signing Brian Hoyer on Sunday, to look into signing a veteran.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Peter King:

In 2018, I thought Hopkins was the best receiver in football. In 2019, he had one fewer target, one fewer catch . . . but was less explosive. Why? His average depth of target (per PFF) was a yard and a half less than in 2018, but it’s hard to say whether one year is a trend or a snapshot. I do know that Hopkins wanting a new contract with three years left would be a real turnoff if I were running the Texans. Now, whatever the side details, it’s ridiculous that Houston got the 40th pick in the draft and a commoner running back for a top three receiver in football.

TENNESSEE

The Titans have landed DE VIC BEASLEY, the former Falcon.  NFL.com:

Defensive end Vic Beasley received a one-year, $9.5M fully guaranteed deal from the Tennessee Titans, Pelissero reported. He added that Beasley can earn up to $2.5M more with sacks.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

The DB saw a lot of praise to the Bills for the WR STEFON DIGGS trade.  Peter King thinks otherwise:

I like Diggs a lot, but he’s not the game-changer that Hopkins is, and Buffalo traded, in effect, a one, four and five for him. Pretty rich, I thought, particularly in a year when so many top receivers will be there for Buffalo, who entered the week picking 22, 54 and 86.

We tend to think like King on this one.

NEW ENGLAND

Peter King:

Let’s keep one thing in mind. Tom Brady was a Patriot (if you count the last two months) for 19 years, 11 months and four days; for 20 football seasons. Before we devolve into a blame game for why he’s not a Patriot anymore after being one for 20 percent of NFL history, let’s consider that one of the reasons Bill Belichick is great at his job is that he’s cold and calculating and unsentimental; he cares about what’s ahead, not the victory lap behind, and he cares most about the fate of the 2020 Patriots right now, not the fate of 2020 Tom Brady. Now, Brady is an enlightened person who is ecstatic that the football fates made him land in Foxboro on April 16, 2000. But how many people leave college, take first jobs, and do those jobs in one place till the end of their professional lives? Brady might want more out of life than to do one thing in one place forever. This is a man who texts Chinese proverbs to friends. I do not fault Belichick for this. I do not fault Brady for this. There is no fault. There is just life.

NEW YORK JETS

NFL.com:

The New York Jets have agreed to terms with former Colts cornerback Pierre Desir on a one-year deal, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported, per a source. Desir was cut by the Colts on Saturday. Rapoport added that the 29-year-old’s contract is worth up to $5.5 million, via an informed source.

THIS AND THAT

JAMEIS

Rob Goldberg of Bleacher Report on the market, or lack thereof, for QB JAMEIS WINSTON:

After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed quarterback Tom Brady, fellow free agent Jameis Winston now has limited options in free agency.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, a general manager with a need at the position said the market for Winston is “ice cold.”

The 2015 No. 1 pick led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards last season but also had a league-high 30 interceptions.

In addition to the turnovers, Darlington noted Winston “comes with a lot of controversy,” and the lack of visits due to the coronavirus could hurt him.

The quarterback was suspended the first three games of the 2018 season after being accused of sexually assaulting an Uber driver. He also settled a prior lawsuit for sexual assault from 2012. The inability to explain himself in person could limit his options.

“Until a team can really sit down with him and make that decision for themselves, it could be tough for Jameis,” Darlington said.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the quarterback isn’t expected to land a starting job this offseason, via B/R Gridiron.

Winston could still have options on the open market, but it will likely have to be as a backup on what should be a much smaller deal than he might’ve expected.

Like Ryan Tannehill this past season, Winston will hope to get another chance to show what he can do before earning a bigger contract in the future.

Winston is a better guy than the reputation created in the media.  But teams have to be scared off by the way Bruce Arians could not mold him.

Peter King has a thought:

I might be way wrong. But I think Jameis Winston is a great gamble to take as a 2020 backup and a prospective 2021 challenger for a job. Teammates love him, good deep arm . . . just terrible judgment. Not sure it can be fixed. I know the Steelers won’t do it, but man, I’d rather have Winston in reserve for Big Ben than Duck Hodges.

THE SCHEDULE

As we sit in self-exile, the DB was thinking if we just make it another two weeks, the release of the NFL schedule will provide us something to mull over in our seclusion.  Now, Peter King throws cold water on our aspirations.

I think you should file this under “The Thousandth Thing You Should Be Thinking About Today,” but because I’m a bit of a schedule nerd it’s been on my mind. The NFL should seriously consider moving the release of the schedule from the third week in April to May, a couple of weeks after the draft. A couple reasons:

• The NFL begins to look at schedule alternatives in early January. In early January, the league almost certainly wasn’t thinking about Tampa Bay in a premier prime-time window; last week, it’s likely the NFL began thinking of Tampa Bay with Brady three to five times in prime time, and maybe in a big spot on opening weekend—Sunday night or Monday night. Though I’m thinking Dallas at the Rams on that first Sunday night, if the new L.A. stadium is open.

• Which brings me to another reason for the delay. The Rams/Chargers stadium has about three months of construction to go, and if the site is shut down because of Covid-19 (which I am told is not imminent, at least at the moment), it could be that the new stadium won’t be ready on time. Add the Tampa Bay-as-a-national-team monkey-wrench, as well as the fact that we may not know who will quarterback New England by mid-April (and thus how many national windows to schedule the Patriots for), and it may just be best to delay this till the league has max information.

The DB was on this last week, but this from King:

I think one other byproduct of the Brady signing, as odd as this sounds, is the continued television strengthening of the NFC. With Brady moving from the AFC to NFC, that makes the FOX Sunday product better, theoretically, because 12 of Tampa Bay’s 16 games are against NFC foes, and FOX is the NFC network. Think of the AFC minus Brady, and think of the NFC plus Brady. This is a wild guess at the most attractive TV teams in 2020—a guess mostly because if the Bucs are 2-4 in late October all of a sudden their attractiveness plummets.

1 Kansas City (AFC)

2 Dallas (NFC)

3 New England (AFC)

4 San Francisco (NFC)

5 Green Bay (NFC)

6 Tampa Bay (NFC)

7 Pittsburgh (AFC)

8 Baltimore (AFC)

9 Philadelphia (NFC)

T-10 New Orleans (NFC)

T-10 Seattle (NFC)

That’s seven of the top 11 in the NFC. I do not list them in order of how many wins I think they’ll have. I list them in order of most attractive to TV people in 2020, in terms of schedule and national attractiveness. If that’s the case, and this is just my guess, then after the Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night packages get their premium games, and after the Chiefs get their five national games and Steelers and Ravens their four or five, I wonder how many great CBS doubleheader matchups will be left? This might be a year for the schedule-makers to maximize the cross-flex games, with some traditional NFC games moving to CBS.

The NFL has already stolen from the NFC to prop up quite a few games.

In 2019, the following were CBS, yes CBS, doubleheader games:

New Orleans at Seattle

Minnesota at Chicago

Dallas at Jets

Green Bay at LA Chargers

All would have been in a traditional NFC package.

2020 DRAFT

Three rounds of Mock Draft goodness from Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com:

ROUND 1

1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 221 LBS

This isn’t going to change. The biggest question now regarding the Bengals QB situation is where Andy Dalton will end up.

2- WASHINGTON

Chase Young EDGE

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 264 LBS

Chase Young is the best player in this draft class and the Redskins have needs up and down the roster.

3 – DETROIT

Jeff Okudah CB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

The team traded Darius Slay and signed Desmond Trufant. Trading out of this pick would be ideal, but it’ll be hard to pass on Okudah here if they stay put.

4 – NY GIANTS

Jedrick Wills Jr. OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 312 LBS

Wills was dominant last season for Alabama and he’ll solidify the right side of the Giants’ O-line, which is great news for Daniel Jones.

5 – MIAMI

Tua Tagovailoa QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 217 LBS

The Dolphins reportedly tried to have Tagovailoa in for a visit before the NFL shut down during the coronavirus outbreak and you’d have to think that if he’s healthy, Miami will gladly take him here.

6 – LA CHARGERS

Justin Herbert QB

OREGON • SR • 6’6″ / 236 LBS

The Chargers reportedly won’t look for a QB in free agency, which means Tyrod Taylor is the man … for now, anyway. But the team will have a decision to make at No. 6, and Herbert, Tagovailoa and Jordan Love could all be options here.

7 – CAROLINA

Isaiah Simmons LB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 238 LBS

Even though the team signed Teddy Bridgewater — and is looking to move Cam Newton — QB could still be a possibility here. But the Panthers also released Eric Reid last week, and Simmons, who plays safety, linebacker, slot corner and edge rusher, would be a natural replacement.

8 – ARIZONA

Tristan Wirfs OL

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

The Cardinals gave D.J. Humphries a three-year extension and Wirfs would solidify the right tackle position on an offense that now includes Deandre Hopkins.

9 – JACKSONVILLE

Mekhi Becton OL

LOUISVILLE • JR • 6’7″ / 364 LBS

The QB job is now Gardner Minshew’s. Knowing that — and with Cam Robinson entering the final year of his deal — the Jags are going to need to protect the second-year passer. Becton is a left tackle who will bookend 2019 second-rounder Jawaan Taylor on the offensive line.

10 – CLEVELAND

Andrew Thomas OL

GEORGIA • JR • 6’5″ / 315 LBS

The team signed RT Jack Conklin in free agency. Chris Hubbard could move from RT to RG and Andrew Thomas would be the Browns starting LT on Day 1. Maybe this is the year it all comes together for Cleveland.

11 – NY JETS

CeeDee Lamb WR

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 198 LBS

The Jets re-signed guard Alex Lewis and inked center Connor McGovern and tackle George Fant in free agency. That frees them up to get Sam Darnold some weapons and CeeDee Lamb is arguably the best WR in this draft class.

12 – LAS VEGAS

Henry Ruggs III WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’11” / 188 LBS

The Raiders spent the first days of free agency stocking up on defensive talent and it frees them up to get a big-play wideout for Derek Carr and/or new QB Marcus Mariota. Ruggs can score from anywhere on the field and he had just one drop last season.

13 – SAN FRANCISCO (from Indianapolis)

Javon Kinlaw DL

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’5″ / 324 LBS

DeForest Buckner is now in Indy and he, Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa played at least 75 percent of the 49ers’ defensive snaps last season. Kinlaw, who is the best pass-rushing defensive lineman in this draft class, is also stout against the run. He’ll seamlessly fit right in in San Francisco.

14 – TAMPA BAY

Derrick Brown DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 326 LBS

Ndamukong Suh is currently a free agent and Brown is a top-10 talent who slips down the board because of the run on QBs and OL. Tampa Bay’s defense was quietly very good a year ago and now it’s even better.

15 – DENVER

Denzel Mims WR

BAYLOR • SR • 6’3″ / 207 LBS

Mims was the only show in town for Baylor’s downfield passing game and he was still dominant. He’s a freak athlete who consistently wins with speed, athleticism and physicality.

16 – ATLANTA

CJ Henderson CB

FLORIDA • JR • 6’1″ / 204 LBS

The Falcons released Desmond Trufant and while they signed edge rusher Dante Fowler, they need to address the secondary. Henderson is the second-best CB in this class.

17 – DALLAS

K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE

LSU • SOPH • 6’3″ / 254 LBS

Robert Quinn signed a huge deal with the Bears and Chaisson, who needs to add a few pounds, is explosive off the edge. He’ll have the added benefit of playing on the other side of the line from Demarcus Lawrence.

18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

Josh Jones OL

HOUSTON • SR • 6’5″ / 319 LBS

Jones had an outstanding season for the Cougars and that carried over to the Senior Bowl. He has the type of strength and athleticism that translates well to the NFL. In Miami, he’d be part of a rebuilding effort that would begin with protecting the new face of the franchise, Justin Herbert.

19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Kristian Fulton CB

Daryl Worley is a free agent and even though the Raiders signed Eli Apple, they still need depth at cornerback. Fulton is a physical cover corner who would’ve been a first-rounder had he come out after the 2018 season.

20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Jordan Love QB

UTAH STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 224 LBS

If Love is here the Jags will think long and hard about taking him. He’s a special talent, the Nick Foles experience lasted just a season and it’s unclear if Gardner Minshew is anything other than an NFL backup.

21 – PHILADELPHIA

Jerry Jeudy WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 193 LBS

It’s hard to imagine Jeudy as WR4 and lasting until the 22nd pick, yet here we are. This is more about the talented WR class and less about Jeudy, who was the best route runner in college last season. Either way, the Eagles get a much needed playmaker for Carson Wentz.

22 – MINNESOTA (from Buffalo)

Noah Igbinoghene CB

AUBURN • JR • 5’10” / 198 LBS

Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander are now in Cincinnati, and Xavier Rhodes, who struggled for much of the season, was released earlier this month. Adding help at cornerback will be a priority this offseason. Igbinoghene quietly had a strong 2019 season, followed it up with a great combine and has shown the ability to match up with NFL WRs.

23 – NEW ENGLAND

Zack Baun LB

WISCONSIN • SR • 6’2″ / 238 LBS

Jamie Collins, Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts are all gone (they landed in Detroit, Miami and Miami — all home of former Pats assistant coaches) and Baun, who can play on the edge or at the linebacker position, has the type of versatility and smarts that makes it easy to connect him to New England.

24 – NEW ORLEANS

Trevon Diggs CB

ALABAMA • SR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

The Saints let Eli Apple walk and PJ Williams is on the open market. Janoris Jenkins has one more year left on his deal but with Tom Brady now in the division, it might be wise to stock up on physical, play-making cornerbacks.

25 – MINNESOTA

Justin Jefferson WR

LSU • JR • 6’1″ / 202 LBS

Stefon Diggs is now in Buffalo and Jefferson was a monster out of the slot last season for LSU. He would quickly become a favorite target of Kirk Cousins in Minnesota.

26 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Xavier McKinney S

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 201 LBS

The Dolphins released Reshad Jones and the plan seems to be to stockpile defensive backs. Miami signed Byron Jones and McKinney’s versatility means he can line up all over the field.

27 – SEATTLE

Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

Jadeveon Clowney is a free agent and 2019 first-rounder L.J. Collier isn’t a pure pass rusher. Gross-Matos is raw but he’s only going to get better.

28 – BALTIMORE

Patrick Queen LB

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 229 LBS

The Ravens defense improved as the 2019 season progressed, and while Josh Bynes played out of his mind, he’s 30 and now a free agent. Queen had an impressive year for LSU and he has the type of athleticism to excel in Wink Martindale’s system in Baltimore.

29 – TENNESSEE

Jeff Gladney CB

TCU • SR • 5’10” / 191 LBS

Logan Ryan and Tramaine Brock were two of the Titans’ top three cornerbacks and both are now free agents. Even if Tennessee brings back one (or both), you can never have enough defensive backs on the roster. Gladney quietly had a standout season for the Horned Frogs and he might be one of the best cover corners in this draft class.

30 – GREEN BAY

Neville Gallimore DL

OKLAHOMA • SR • 6’2″ / 304 LBS

Kenny Clark was the Packers’ best interior defensive linemen last season, but after that the group is in need of some depth. Gallimore’s strong combine came on the heels of a great Senior Bowl and a solid 2019 season for the Sooners.

31 – SAN FRANCISCO

A.J. Terrell CB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’1″ / 195 LBS

Terrell was lost in the mix the last month or so while other CBs moved up draft boards. But he was the best cornerback in the ACC and he has a chance to be better than former teammate and Raiders 2019 second-rounder Trayvon Mullen.

32 – KANSAS CITY

Cesar Ruiz OL

MICHIGAN • JR • 6’3″ / 307 LBS

The Chiefs’ offense has few holes but it could stand to upgrade the interior O-line. Ruiz is the best center in this class and he’ll have a chance to earn the starting job on Day 1.

ROUND 2

1 (33) – CINCINNATI

Kenneth Murray LB

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’3″ / 241 LBS

The Bengals found a new leader of the offense in Round 1, and here they get one for the other side of the ball.

2 (34) – INDIANAPOLIS (from Washington)

Brandon Aiyuk WR

ARIZONA STATE • SR • 6’0″ / 205 LBS

After trading their first-rounder for DeForest Buckner, the Colts circle back at the top of the second round to get one of the most explosive wideouts in this draft. Aiyuk is a four-down player who is only going to get better with experience.

3 (35) – DETROIT

D’Andre Swift RB

GEORGIA • JR • 5’8″ / 212 LBS

The Lions add one of the top backs in the draft, lifting some of the load at the running back position off Kerryon Johnson’s shoulders. A 1-2 punch of Swift and Johnson should be tough for opposing defenses.

4 (36) – NY GIANTS

Antoine Winfield Jr. S

MINNESOTA • SOPH • 5’9″ / 203 LBS

The Giants add a talented safety with NFL pedigree to their secondary.

5 (37) – LA CHARGERS

J.K. Dobbins RB

OHIO STATE • JR • 5’10” / 209 LBS

The Chargers locked up Austin Ekeler long-term, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to load him up with 300-plus touches. Dobbins can help contribute to what could be one of the league’s best RB tandems.

6 (38) – CAROLINA

A.J. Epenesa EDGE

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 275 LBS

Epenesa falls out of the first round after a mediocre combine, but that makes him a great value here for a Carolina team in the midst of a rebuild.

7 (39) – MIAMI

Jonathan Taylor RB

WISCONSIN • JR • 5’10” / 226 LBS

The Dolphins threw a ton of money around in free agency, and here they get a new lead back to help make the offense go.

8 (40) – HOUSTON (from Arizona)

Jalen Reagor WR

TCU • JR • 5’11” / 206 LBS

The Texans got this pick as the main asset for trading away DeAndre Hopkins, and they turn right around and use it on another difference-maker at the receiver position.

9 (41) – CLEVELAND

Ashtyn Davis S

CALIFORNIA • SR • 6’1″ / 202 LBS

The Browns need to do some work on each level of the defense, and here they get one of the draft’s most talented safeties to play a key role.

10 (42) – JACKSONVILLE

Marlon Davidson DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’3″ / 303 LBS

The Jaguars watched a ton of defensive talent leave over the last year-plus, and now it’s time to build the next version of the unit. Davidson will look to fill the large space left by Calais Campbell’s trade to Baltimore.

11 (43) – CHICAGO (from Las Vegas)

Jacob Eason QB

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’6″ / 231 LBS

Yes, the Bears just added a QB, but Nick Foles can’t be the only long-term plan at the position. Eason doesn’t have to be rushed as the team looks to develop him into a franchise QB.

12 (44) – INDIANAPOLIS

Robert Hunt OL

LOUISIANA • SR • 6’5″ / 323 LBS

The Colts offense is strong up front, but the depth behind the starting unit is suspect. That’s where Hunt comes in.

13 (45) – TAMPA BAY

Lucas Niang OL

TCU • SR • 6’6″ / 315 LBS

The Bucs have their quarterback, and now it’s time to protect him. Niang should stick at one tackle spot long-term for the team.

14 (46) – DENVER

Ezra Cleveland OL

BOISE STATE • JR • 6’6″ / 311 LBS

Cleveland saw his stock rise after an excellent combine, and he’d be a great fit for the Broncos in a role they can figure out down the road.

15 (47) – BALTIMORE (from Atlanta)

John Simpson OL

CLEMSON • SR • 6’4″ / 321 LBS

The Ravens use the main pick they received in the Hayden Hurst trade to grab a guard, helping an offensive line that won’t have Marshal Yanda for the first time in a long time.

16 (48) – NY JETS

Julian Okwara EDGE

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’4″ / 252 LBS

The Jets have to do something about their pass rush, and here they land some edge help to get more pressure on opposing QBs.

17 (49) – PITTSBURGH

Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB

LSU • JR • 5’7″ / 207 LBS

James Conner has had his moments for Pittsburgh, but more talent needs to be added moving forward. Edwards-Helaire is a well-rounded player who can serve as a feature back long-term.

18 (50) – CHICAGO

Jaylon Johnson CB

UTAH • JR • 6’0″ / 193 LBS

The Bears strengthen a defense that took a step back in 2019 by adding talent at cornerback in the form of Johnson, who could go as early as the first round.

19 (51) – DALLAS

Cameron Dantzler CB

MISSISSIPPI STATE • JR • 6’2″ / 188 LBS

Dantzler isn’t going to come in and make anyone forget about Byron Jones, but he helps the cornerback position get deeper for Dallas and he could emerge as a starter quickly.

20 (52) – LA RAMS

Austin Jackson OL

USC • JR • 6’5″ / 322 LBS

The Rams brought Andrew Whitworth back at left tackle. Jackson can come in and lock down the other side on the offensive line.

21 (53) – PHILADELPHIA

Jeremy Chinn S

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS • JR • 6’3″ / 221 LBS

The Eagles pick up a versatile back-seven defender who will likely settle at linebacker.

22 (54) – BUFFALO

Terrell Lewis EDGE

ALABAMA • SR • 6’5″ / 262 LBS

The Bills lost Shaq Lawson in free agency and signed Mario Addison, but Lewis provides even more edge rush presence for a talented defense.

Pick 23 (55) – ATLANTA (from New England)

Josh Uche EDGE

MICHIGAN • SR • 6’1″ / 245 LBS

The Falcons need to do everything they can to upgrade their pass rush, and Uche can play some linebacker while also attacking the gaps and getting to the QB.

24 (56) – MIAMI (from New Orleans)

Lloyd Cushenberry III OL

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 312 LBS

The Dolphins have to find all the talent they can for the offensive line, and here they nab one of the best interior linemen in the class.

25 (57) – HOUSTON

Cam Akers RB

FLORIDA STATE • JR • 5’10” / 217 LBS

The Texans just added a running back in the Hopkins trade, but Akers provides good value here after he tore it up the combine and can help to open up Houston’s offense.

26 (58) – MINNESOTA

Jonah Jackson OL

OHIO STATE • SR • 6’4″ / 306 LBS

The Vikings are looking to beef up the offensive line, and they do it by picking up some guard help here.

27 (59) – SEATTLE

Laviska Shenault Jr. WR

COLORADO • JR • 6’1″ / 227 LBS

The Seahawks land a steal at receiver late in Round 2 yet again after Shenault suffered an injury at the combine and saw some of his buzz wear off.

28 (60) – BALTIMORE

Jonathan Greenard EDGE

FLORIDA • SR • 6’3″ / 263 LBS

The Ravens bring in some pass rush help to serve as a companion to Matthew Judon or serve as a backup plan if the franchise-tagged pass rusher is traded.

29 (61) – TENNESSEE

Ross Blacklock DL

TCU • JR • 6’3″ / 290 LBS

The Titans get great value here with Blacklock, who can help fill the void after the team traded away Jurrell Casey.

30 (62) – GREEN BAY

Michael Pittman Jr. WR

USC • SR • 6’4″ / 223 LBS

The Packers are well-positioned to take advantage of the depth at receiver this year, and here they pick up a nice complementary option for Davante Adams.

31 (63) – KANSAS CITY (from San Francisco)

Bryce Hall CB

VIRGINIA • SR • 6’1″ / 202 LBS

The Chiefs have a big need at cornerback with Bashaud Breeland and Mo Claiborne hitting free agency, so expect them to attack the position early in the draft.

32 (64) – SEATTLE (from Kansas City)

Isaiah Wilson OL

GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’7″ / 350 LBS

The Seahawks brought in Brandon Shell with Germain Ifedi hitting free agency, but Wilson provides a higher ceiling as someone who can lock down the right side long-term.

ROUND 3

1 (65) – CINCINNATI

Darrell Taylor EDGE

TENNESSEE • SR • 6’4″ / 267 LBS

The Bengals have been busy in free agency shoring up their defense and they add an edge rusher at the top of the third round.

2 (66) – WASHINGTON

Tee Higgins WR

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 216 LBS

The Redskins found a gem in the middle rounds last year in Terry McLaurin, and they’ll try to do it again with Higgins, who could go as high as Round 1 or slip to Round 3.

3 (67)- DETROIT

Terrell Burgess S

UTAH • SR • 5’11” / 202 LBS

The Lions picked up Duron Harmon to help their safety depth, and here they find more talent for the position in Burgess, who would likely play early for Detroit.

4 (68) – NY JETS (from NY Giants)

Prince Tega Wanogho OL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 308 LBS

The Jets have made some upgrades to the offensive line, and here they get a potential cornerstone at tackle they’ll try to develop.

5 (69) – CAROLINA

Jalen Hurts QB

OKLAHOMA • SR • 6’1″ / 222 LBS

Teddy Bridgewater takes over as the team’s QB1, but his past health issues and limited playing time in recent years mean the Panthers should fortify the position with the talented Hurts.

6 (70) – MIAMI

KJ Hamler WR

PENN STATE • SOPH • 5’9″ / 178 LBS

The Dolphins add some speed to the receiver position, getting great value as the depth at receiver pushes good talent to the third round.

7 (71) – LA CHARGERS

Matt Peart OL

CONNECTICUT • SR • 6’7″ / 318 LBS

The Chargers have to upgrade at tackle, and here they pick up a rising talent coming off a strong combine.

8 (72) – ARIZONA

Malik Harrison LB

OHIO STATE • SR • 6’3″ / 247 LBS

Haasan Reddick is entering the last year of his rookie deal, and Harrison is a middle-of-the-field thumper who could see playing time right away.

9 (73) – JACKSONVILLE

Damon Arnette CB

OHIO STATE • SR • 6’0″ / 195 LBS

The Jaguars continue to replace departed talent on the defensive side with Arnette, who’s among a group of corners that could go anywhere from Round 1-3.

10 (74) – CLEVELAND

Justin Madubuike DL

• JR • 6’3″ / 293 LBS

The Browns brought Andrew Billings in for depth at defensive tackle, but the talented Madubuike is too good to pass up in Round 3.

11 (75) – INDIANAPOLIS

Cole Kmet TE

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’6″ / 262 LBS

The Colts said goodbye to Eric Ebron, but they’ll have options to fill that void on Day 2 or possibly later. Here, they pick up arguably the top tight end in the class.

12 (76) – TAMPA BAY

Van Jefferson WR

FLORIDA • SR • 6’2″ / 200 LBS

The Bucs have two outstanding receivers but must improve their depth, especially if Breshad Perriman isn’t brought back.

13 (77) – DENVER

Troy Pride Jr. CB

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’0″ / 193 LBS

The Broncos swapped out Chris Harris for A.J. Bouye already this offseason, but they’re still in need of more talent at the position.

14 (78) – ATLANTA

Jordyn Brooks LB

TEXAS TECH • SR • 6’0″ / 240 LBS

The Falcons keep attacking the defensive side of the ball, and here they pick up an off-ball linebacker to pair with Deion Jones.

15 (79) – NY JETS

Michael Ojemudia CB

IOWA • SR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

The Jets finally admitted defeat by parting ways with Trumaine Johnson, and Ojemudia will help recoup some of their depth at the position.

16 (80) – LAS VEGAS

Grant Delpit S

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 213 LBS

Delpit entered the season as a potential early first-round pick, but a mediocre showing has seen him slip all the way to Round 3, where he could be a steal for the Raiders.

17 (81) – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Curtis Weaver EDGE

BOISE STATE • JR • 6’2″ / 265 LBS

The Raiders again get good value for their defense in Weaver, who can help boost the pass rush.

18 (82) – DALLAS

Raekwon Davis DL

ALABAMA • SR • 6’6″ / 311 LBS

The Cowboys added Gerald McCoy to the defensive front but shouldn’t stop there, and Davis has the upside to pay off considerably.

19 (83) – DENVER (from Pittsburgh)

Davon Hamilton DL

OHIO STATE • SR • 6’4″ / 320 LBS

The Broncos keep retooling the defensive front with Hamilton.

20 (84) – LA RAMS

Matt Hennessy OL

TEMPLE • JR • 6’4″ / 307 LBS

The Rams’ Super Bowl squad was led by strong play up front, and selecting a talented interior blocker like Hennessy would go a long way to recapturing the magic.

21 (85) – DETROIT (from Philadelphia)

Jordan Elliott DL

MISSOURI • JR • 6’4″ / 302 LBS

The Lions keep scooping up talent for the defensive side by getting a good interior player in Elliott.

22 (86) – BUFFALO

Kyle Dugger S

LENOIR-RHYNE • SR • 6’1″ / 217 LBS

Dugger is a small-schooler who brings versatility to the table, and he should fit in well on Sean McDermott’s defense.

23 (87) – NEW ENGLAND

Chase Claypool WR

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’4″ / 238 LBS

The Patriots felt like they had no passing-game weapons at times last year, and now they don’t even have a QB. Claypool can come help the former, and he should stick at receiver after blowing the doors off the combine.

24 (88) – NEW ORLEANS

Antonio Gandy-Golden WR

LIBERTY • SR • 6’4″ / 223 LBS

The Saints added some much-needed veteran help in the passing game with Emmanuel Sanders, and here they select a small-school prospect with a ton of upside to develop at receiver.

25 (89) – MINNESOTA

Darnay Holmes CB

UCLA • JR • 5’10” / 195 LBS

The Vikings had to say goodbye to several key defenders due to cap concerns this offseason, so expect them to attack those holes on the roster early in the draft.

26 (90) – HOUSTON

Benito Jones DL

OLE MISS • SR • 6’1″ / 316 LBS

The Texans pick up a big presence inside for the defense after losing D.J. Reader in free agency.

27 (91) – LAS VEGAS (from Seattle, via Houston)

Damien Lewis OL

LSU • SR • 6’2″ / 327 LBS

The Raiders have to start getting younger on the interior of the offensive line, and Lewis is a player who can come in and be developed for a starting role.

28 (92) – BALTIMORE

Bryan Edwards WR

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’3″ / 212 LBS

The Ravens should look to maximize Lamar Jackson by giving the offense as many weapons as possible.

29 (93) – TENNESSEE

Alton Robinson EDGE

SYRACUSE • SR • 6’3″ / 264 LBS

The Titans continue to beef up the front seven, and here they pick up someone to contribute off the edge.

30 (94) – GREEN BAY

Hunter Bryant TE

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’2″ / 248 LBS

The Packers parted ways with Jimmy Graham, and Bryant can come in and compete with Jace Sternberger for playing time while strengthening the depth at the position.

31 (95) – DENVER (from San Francisco)

Jason Strowbridge DL

NORTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’4″ / 275 LBS

The Broncos grab some more help for the defensive front as they look to recapture the upside of the Super Bowl-winning unit from a few years ago.

32 (96) – KANSAS CITY

Amik Robertson CB

LOUISIANA TECH • JR • 5’8″ / 187 LBS

The Chiefs keep grabbing talent at the cornerback position due to their expected losses in free agency.

Round 3 – Pick 33 (97) – CLEVELAND (from Houston)

Shane Lemieux OL

OREGON • SR • 6’4″ / 310 LBS

The Browns should use all avenues to upgrade the offensive line, from FA to trading to finding talent throughout the draft, and here they get someone to compete on the interior.

34 (98) – NEW ENGLAND

Adam Trautman TE

DAYTON • SR • 6’5″ / 255 LBS

The Patriots land a small-school sleeper at the tight end position that they hope can fill the void left by Rob Gronkowski’s retirement last offseason.

35 (99) – NY GIANTS

Alex Highsmith EDGE

CHARLOTTE • SR • 6’3″ / 248 LBS

The Giants need to find some pass-rush help off the edge, and Highsmith is the type of prospect who can have an early impact.

36 (100) – NEW ENGLAND

Jake Fromm QB

GEORGIA • JR • 6’2″ / 219 LBS

The Patriots take a QB in the middle rounds for the second straight year as they adjust to life after TB12.

37 (101) – SEATTLE

Tyler Biadasz OL

WISCONSIN • JR • 6’4″ / 314 LBS

The Seahawks keep landing value on Day 2 of this draft, and here they get an interior offensive lineman to help overcome their losses during the offseason.

38 (102) – PITTSBURGH

Saahdiq Charles OL

LSU • JR • 6’4″ / 321 LBS

The Steelers are strong up front, even after the retirement of Ramon Foster, but their depth has to be improved.

39 (103) – PHILADELPHIA

Khalid Kareem EDGE

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’4″ / 268 LBS

Another pick for the Eagles and another defensive player added to fix that side of the ball.

40 (104) – LA RAMS

K’Von Wallace S

CLEMSON • SR • 5’11” / 206 LBS

The Rams lost Eric Weddle to retirement and need to add more talent at the safety position.

41 (105) – MINNESOTA

Ben Bartch OL

ST. JOHN’S (MIN) • 6’6″ / 309 LBS

The Vikings continue to strengthen the offensive line with a local small-school sleeper in Bartch.

42 (106) – BALTIMORE

Antonio Gibson WR

MEMPHIS • SR • 6’0″ / 228 LBS

The Ravens add more pieces to the offense with the versatile Gibson, who can play on all four downs and line up in the backfield or out wide.