Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com on a new proposal for the kickoff that we didn’t see coming.  Kickoffs from the plus 40-yard line, not the tradition 40-30 range in the scoring team’s own area.  Teams required to try short tactical kickoffs to avoid a touchback to the 35.

NFL special teams coordinators have made a proposal that if approved would drastically change the kickoff in 2024, according to NFL Media.

Here are the three biggest nuggets from the proposal, which would need 75 percent approval from league owners to be put into effect:

Onside kicks: Teams can attempt onside kicks only in the fourth quarter and if they are trailing.

A new setup zone: Kick and return teams would line up on the receiving team’s 40 and 35-yard-line, respectively. Neither team could leave on the kickoff until the ball reaches the “target zone,”

which is the 20-yard-line to the goal line. This is similar to the kickoff the XFL employed in 2023.

Touchbacks: Teams will get the ball on the 35-yard-line if the ball is kicked in the end zone. They’ll get the ball at the 20-yard-line if the ball is kicked inside the “target zone” and rolls into the end zone.

Regarding onside kicks, teams may possibly be allowed to have an unbalanced formation, which is currently not permitted. That would likely increase the rate of onside kick attempts.

Ultimately, the NFL wants to encourage more returns while reducing high-speed collisions. Only 22 percent of kickoffs were returned in 2023. None of the 13 kickoffs in Super Bowl LVIII were returned.

The league wants to increase kickoff returns without increasing the concussion rate. Concussions on kickoffs was the reason why the NFL recently changed its kickoff model in the first place.

– – –

Good for Michigan Man Braylon Edwards.  ClickOnDetroit.com:

Former Michigan Wolverines football legend Braylon Edwards rescued an 80-year-old man who was being assaulted inside a locker room at the YMCA in Farmington Hills.

The incident occurred on Friday (March 1) at the Farmington Family YMCA when a 25-year-old man was assaulting the 80-year-old man.

Edwards, who is being lauded as a Good Samaritan, said the man fought him as well as he tried to stop the assault.

“I walk into the locker room after work, and basically, I hear about four rows behind me arguing about music and how it was being played too loud,” said Edwards. “So I’m not paying attention, and I was just minding my business.

“The noise escalates, and then you can hear some pushing and shoving, so you know what fighting sounds like, but once I hear a thud, that’s when I got up and turned around,” Edwards said.

Edwards, known for his offensive prowess as he is the all-time Wolverines and Big Ten receiving record holder and NFL star, played defense Friday morning for the safety and health of the elderly man.

“And then I see the guy for what I was thinking was reaching for a phone underneath the victim grabs the back of the victim’s head by the hair, and he was about to slam it down on the counter,” Edwards said.

Officials say the 25-year-old was beating the 80-year-old man before Edwards stepped in with the life-saving move.

“I didn’t know it was that serious, I mean the victim probably had a serious concussion by nature but It wasn’t until I talked to the detective Jacobs down in Farmington who told me that if I didn’t step in but at the end of the day that’s what you do.”

Officials say the 25-year-old who initially fled on foot has been arrested and remains in custody.

And More Michigan Men are headed to the NFL.  Charean Williams ofProFootballTalk.com:

University of Michigan players have done their pre-draft training all over the country, but 18 of them came back together only weeks after winning the national championship.

The Wolverines set the Scouting Combine record by sending 18 prospects to Indianapolis.

“It feels like Schembechler Hall around here,” Michigan edge rusher Braiden McGregor said. “Everywhere I’ve looked, you see everybody. It’s awesome. Everybody’s saying, ‘Wow, you guys roll deep,’ so it’s pretty cool.”

Michigan’s 18-player contingent of invitees breaks the 16 players LSU sent in 2020 after the Tigers won the national championship.

A total of 321 prospects were invited to Indianapolis this year, so Michigan had 5.6 percent of the attendees, and only five other schools had at least 10 players invited.

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA

While there is mutual interest in the services of QB KIRK COUSINS, the Vikings have yet to meet his contract requirements.  That’s the sense of ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler:

Will Cousins go back to the Vikings or hit free agency?

Graziano: The sense I’m getting is Minnesota still wants quarterback Kirk Cousins to return, but Cousins has a very specific idea in mind for what he wants in a new contract, and the Vikings so far have not made an offer that matches it. The ball might be in the team’s court at this point. Cousins and his family like Minnesota and would be happy to stay and finish his career there, but it doesn’t sound like he’s willing to offer the team a hometown discount.

If the Vikings don’t sign him to an extension before the final four years of his contract void on March 12, they will carry a $28.5 million dead money charge on their salary cap and Cousins will be an open-market free agent for the second time in his career. Should that happen, I expect the Falcons to make a strong pursuit. I have been told by multiple sources this week that signing Cousins — not trading for Justin Fields — is the Falcons’ top QB solution, assuming Cousins makes it to free agency.

Fowler: The Cousins-Minnesota negotiation is nuanced, due in part to history. Cousins has spent six seasons with the club — that’s a lot of shared experience. Just 10 days from the new league year, Minnesota is at least loosely bracing for Cousins to test the negotiating window that begins on March 11, though there’s a lot of time left for the sides to continue talking. This close to free agency, waiting might be Cousins’ logical play — and one that essentially puts the team’s broader free agency plans on hold.

Does Minnesota go younger at certain positions for long-term strength, or should it load up on immediate roster help now? The answer could depend on whether Cousins re-signs. As one high-ranking exec with another team said, the feeling is that Minnesota wants to extend Cousins but won’t live or die by that desire. It will have limits. And as you said, Dan, some people in the league believe Atlanta will pursue Cousins. As one NFL exec put it, that’s probably one of the best overall free agent fits out there.

But if the Falcons are going after Cousins – where else could he land – Las Vegas?  Denver?

And this:

What’s next for Jefferson, Hunter in Minnesota?

Graziano: The Vikings are trying to get a contract extension done with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and they’ve also made an effort to re-sign edge rusher Danielle Hunter. Jefferson is likely to set the top of the receiver market whenever he signs, and his deal is certain to pay him more than $30 million per year. The question is how much more.

Hunter, who had 16.5 sacks last season and 27 total over the past two years, could be the top edge rusher on the market and would likely generate interest from multiple teams. The Vikings’ attention has been focused on finding out whether they can keep Cousins, but he’s not the only significant piece of business they have to address.

Fowler: Yeah, not as many numbers floated around Indy as usual, but it’s safe to say teams are expecting Hunter to be in — or at least searching for — a pretty massive price range, something well north of $20 million per year. And the production might just justify it: Hunter has averaged 14 sacks over his past four healthy seasons.

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

The Giants may be in the market for a rookie QB.  Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report on a report in turn by Connor Hughes of SNY:

The New York Giants seem ready to select a quarterback in this year’s NFL draft, but they might also be looking to trade up to get one, per SNY’s Connor Hughes.

“The worst-kept secret of the NFL Combine might not just be the Giants’ desire to select a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft, but their willingness to trade up to go get a quarterback in this year’s draft,” Hughes said. “The problem, though, is just is there going to be one for them to go up there and take?”

The Giants have the No. 6 pick in this year’s draft, but it seems like quarterbacks will be the first three players off the board, meaning New York would likely have to make a move to be in the mix for Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels.

Hughes did note that the Giants could still land a solid quarterback if they are outside of the top three, perhaps settling for Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.

Bleacher Report’s 2024 NFL Mock Draft has Williams, Maye and Daniels being drafted in succession by the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, respectively, so the Giants would likely have to make a lofty bid to get in on one of the top quarterbacks.

Still, Nix and Penix could be reliable options if New York doesn’t want to give up too much by trading up.

Penix, the Heisman runner-up, is considered to be the No. 66 player and the fifth quarterback on Bleacher Report’s NFL Draft Big Board. The Washington quarterback had 4,903 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season.

Nix, also a Heisman finalist, is the No. 70 player and the sixth on Bleacher Report’s Big Board. He had 4,508 passing yards and 45 touchdowns with Oregon last year.

Another candidate for the Giants could be Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, who is the No. 55 player and fourth quarterback on Bleacher Report’s Big Board. On his way to a national championship, McCarthy had 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2023.

More from Dan Duggan of The Athletic:

A key point has been raised in discussions with team and league sources this week: There’s a real concern about Jones’ injury history.

Jones’ poor play in six starts last season can be explained away by pointing to the porous offensive line, injured skill players and the level of competition. But even the most ardent Jones supporters can’t dismiss that he’s suffered two significant neck injuries and a torn ACL in a three-year span.

The durability concern is what makes taking a quarterback early in the draft a realistic possibility just 12 months after giving Jones a four-year, $160 million contract with $82 million guaranteed.

There are a variety of avenues for the Giants to address the quarterback position in the draft. They could trade up into the top-three to ensure they land Williams, Maye or Daniels; they could hope one of those quarterbacks slides to No. 6; they could take Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy at No. 6; or they could pick a QB later.

The Giants are exploring the cost of trading up, although it’s not believed the Chicago Bears or Washington Commanders will make the first or second picks available. The swing team is the New England Patriots, who have the No. 3 pick.

New England needs a quarterback as it kicks off the post-Bill Belichick rebuild. But the Patriots have significant roster-wide needs, so a trade back to acquire more assets is viewed as a potential first step by Eliot Wolf in his debut calling the personnel shots in New England.

It would be costly for the Giants to jump from the sixth pick to No. 3 — it cost the Jets three second-round picks in an identical trade up for quarterback Sam Darnold in 2018 — but league sources believe Schoen would pull the trigger on such a bold move. The sense around the league is that this regime feels urgency to add a quarterback entering a pivotal third season.

A trade up the board likely wouldn’t happen until closer to the draft — and possibly not until the Patriots are on the clock — since Schoen and coach Brian Daboll will want to get as much exposure as possible to the top quarterbacks before making such a consequential move.

If Schoen can’t swing a trade for one of the top three quarterbacks, the focus would shift to McCarthy. There’s debate about his worthiness for the sixth pick, but the expectation is that a quarterback who had a 27-1 record as a starter at Michigan will win over teams during the pre-draft process.

The other option would be using the No. 6 pick on a player who can make a greater impact immediately, such as top wide receivers Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze. The Giants could then take a second-tier quarterback like Oregon’s Bo Nix with their second-round pick or after a trade back into the first round. That quarterback could then sit behind Jones, who will be on the roster this season due to his guaranteed $35.5 million salary.

It’s hard to nail down the Giants’ plan because there are so many contingencies at this stage. But the quarterback decision is looming over everything as they chart their course forward with far more uncertainty than expected when they signed Jones coming off a playoff berth a year ago.

Jordan Raanan of The Athletic chimes in with more:

If the New England Patriots’ top two options are off the board and they aren’t crazy about QB3, that could be an opportunity for Schoen and Co.

The quarterback who several scouts and executives believe would really pique the Giants’ interest in this scenario is Maye.

“He’s a stud,” said a scout who has seen him play several times and knows the Giants well. “I would take him over Daniels. He would fit what [coach Brian Daboll] does. I can see that happening.”

The likelihood remains that if the Giants land a quarterback in this draft, it would be from the second tier. The combine, pro days and official visits will go a long way in determining if McCarthy, Penix or Nix are ideal fits.

“It’s a good quarterback draft. It’s not just at the top,” Schoen said.

The reason quarterback is on the table in the first place is not because the Giants don’t believe in Daniel Jones, who signed an extension worth $40 million a year last offseason. They didn’t change their opinion based on the four games he started behind a weak offensive line last season.

It’s more that Jones’ injury history is something that can not be ignored. He has three notable injuries in the past three years: two neck injuries and a torn right ACL that he is still rehabbing.

The reality is that the deal they made with Jones last season allowed the quarterback to reach the financial benchmark he wanted. The Giants, in return, got the structure they desired. They’re able to reasonably get out of the deal after the 2024 season.

WASHINGTON

This from Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com:

Will the Commanders, Patriots trade their Day 1 picks?

Fowler: Washington has received trade inquiries from teams on the No. 2 pick. While they might not be hard, actionable offers, the interest in moving up is there. Among teams that could be on the QB radar are the Giants (No. 6), Falcons (No. 8), Vikings (No. 11) and Raiders (No. 13). That said, I would be surprised if Washington moved off the pick.

Graziano: There’s a lot of speculation about what the Patriots will do with the No. 3 pick. Some thought early in the week that a trade down was possible, but by the end of the week, the sense seemed to be that the Pats would stay put and take one of the top three quarterbacks. That wouldn’t preclude New England from pursuing a veteran such as former Patriot Jacoby Brissett in free agency, in case it decides it doesn’t want to rush the prospect it selects at No. 3.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

The Buccaneers are not going to get WR MIKE EVANS wrapped up before he opens up Door Number 2 in free agency.  Diana Russini and others in The Athletic:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans plans to test free agency for the first time in his career, league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Friday. The Buccaneers and Evans are in discussions, but he wants to explore his options.

This does not mean Evans’ time in Tampa Bay is over, according to sources, but he plans on hearing from all teams before making a decision.

Evans, a Super Bowl LV champion, started all 17 regular-season games for the Buccaneers last season, notching 1,255 receiving yards on 79 receptions and 13 receiving touchdowns. He was tied with Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill for the most touchdown receptions in the league last year.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Interesting – former Chargers head coach is joining the 49ers staff – but not as the DC.  Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

After a deliberate search involving both internal and external candidates, the San Francisco 49ers have their new defensive coordinator. And that’s not the only significant addition to the team’s coaching staff.

Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler on Saturday that the Niners are promoting Nick Sorensen, the team’s defensive pass game specialist and nickel cornerbacks coach, to defensive coordinator, a role that was open after the dismissal of Steve Wilks on Feb. 14. The team also is expected to hire former Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley as assistant head coach, sources said.

At the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this week, 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team was in “no rush” to hire a coordinator but reiterated what coach Kyle Shanahan said when he announced Wilks’ firing that San Francisco didn’t want to stray far from what it has done defensively for the past seven years.

“We know who we are, who we’re going to be, and that’s not going to make a wholesale schematic change there,” Lynch said. “We feel good about where we’re at.”

Lynch’s words seemed to point to the likelihood of an in-house hire given that one reason Shanahan moved on from Wilks was his struggles to adapt to the defensive scheme San Francisco had used in previous years under former coordinators Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans.

In Sorensen, the Niners should be able to retain the continuity Shanahan and Lynch have sought. Although this will be Sorensen’s first time as a coordinator, he has been with the Niners since 2022 when he joined the staff as a defensive assistant. In his second season, he was promoted to defensive pass game specialist and put in charge of the nickelbacks.

Sorensen’s previous duties with the Niners have included running the team’s weekly meeting called “The Ball,” which puts an emphasis on winning the turnover battle.

Before his arrival in San Francisco, Sorensen spent the 2021 season as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ special teams coach. Before that, Sorensen was assistant special teams coach, assistant defensive backs coach and secondary coach for eight years (2013-20) with the Seattle Seahawks.

Sorensen’s history working with Pete Carroll in Seattle was perhaps most valuable considering the Niners run a version of that defensive scheme, which is focused on an attacking front four paired with mostly zone coverage on the back end.

In Staley, the 49ers are adding another experienced voice to their staff. As assistant head coach, Staley would replace Anthony Lynn, who left San Francisco after two seasons to become the run game coordinator and running backs coach of the Washington Commanders.

Staley spent the past two-plus seasons as the Chargers coach but before that was the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2020 and had previously worked as the outside linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears (2017-18) and Denver Broncos (2019).

While Staley’s defensive background is different from what the Niners do schematically, Lynch said in Indianapolis that wouldn’t preclude Staley from being a potential addition to the staff.

“He’s a really bright dude,” Lynch said. “We have an open mind, but we do know there’s certain core principles that we’re going to always be on the defensive side. … I wouldn’t rule him out because of that.”

Along with Sorensen, Staley was one of five known interviews for the defensive coordinator job. The Niners also spoke with secondary coach Daniel Bullocks, Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt and Las Vegas Raiders safeties coach Gerald Alexander.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

The Bills have released RB/KR NYHEIM HINES per Adam Schefter with this further report from Adam LaRose of Pro Football Rumors:

Nyheim Hines was forced to miss the 2023 campaign, and his preparation for the coming season will now come with uncertainty. Buffalo plans to release the veteran running back this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Schefter adds that Hines – who suffered a torn ACL during a jet ski incident in July – is expected to be healthy in time for training camp this summer. That positive health note could help his market to a degree, but the missed campaign will still no doubt hinder his ability to land a lucrative agreement with a new team.

This move will create $4.66MM in cap savings while incurring only $500K in dead money. It will therefore help the cap-strapped Bills in their effort to achieve compliance. Buffalo entered today in the worst financial shape in the league, on track to check in roughly $41MM over the cap ceiling. One year remained on Hines’ contract, but he will now hit the open market early.

The 27-year-old was traded from the Colts to the Bills at the deadline in 2022, and he was used sparingly on offense while serving as the team’s primary kick returner. Hines scored a pair of touchdowns in the latter respect, providing relatively high expectations for the 2023 season. His roster spot appeared to be in doubt to an extent even before suffering the injury, however.

As a result, it comes as no surprise Buffalo will move on. The team has James Cook safely atop the depth chart after he delivered a Pro Bowl season in his first opportunity as a starter. Latavius Murray, Ty Johnson and Damien Harris filled out the RB room during the season, each seeing limited opportunities. A number of players handled return duties, meanwhile, with Johnson running back the most kicks and Deonte Harty serving as the primary punt returner. A similar setup will likely be employed moving forward.

As his recovery continues, Hines will now turn his attention to free agency. A plethora of high-profile backs are set to reach the market, and it would come as a surprise if the position’s market saw a rebound from the past few years. Given his return experience and ability as a pass-catcher, though, Hines will likely have the opportunity to latch onto a roster in the hopes of carving out a role for himself. Further cost-shedding moves on Buffalo’s part will be needed as the new league year (March 13) draws nearer.

NEW ENGLAND

The Patriots are positioned to dominate free agency.  Chad Graff of The Athletic:

In a move that sets up the New England Patriots to have more cap space than any team in the NFL, the franchise announced Friday it has released Super Bowl champion cornerback J.C. Jackson.

The Patriots traded for Jackson from the Los Angeles Chargers in the middle of last season after a disastrous stint there. He had become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL after a dominant 2021 season with New England, which set him up to ink a five-year, $82.5 million deal in Los Angeles.

But Jackson didn’t yield nearly the success he did with the Patriots, which led the Chargers shipping him back to New England for a late-round pick swap.

The Patriots hoped he might be the latest example of player who struggled outside their system but re-found success once back with former New England coach Bill Belichick. That never happened. Jackson struggled in the second half of the season and he was benched at one point for missing curfew.

All of that culminated in the Patriots cutting Jackson in a move that cleared up more than $14 million in cap space, leaving them with more than $100 million under the cap – the most of any team in the NFL.

Free agency begins in two weeks and New England is expected to be quite busy then, looking to upgrade its roster by focusing on wide receiver, offensive tackle and tight end. They’ll likely need additional cornerback depth now, too.

THIS AND THAT

18 GAMES?

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com was among the most ardent opponents of the 18-game season.  And now a key ally, Peter King, is retired.

And the 18^th game is far from dead, Florio finds:

When immersed within the NFL universe for multiple days, you pick up a few things. Here’s one thing I picked up this time around.

The push to 18 regular-season games hasn’t been abandoned, health and safety concerns be damned.

The first hint of it came when Browns G.M. Andrew Berry explained on PFT Live that Cleveland and other teams are proposing a delay of the trade deadline by 14 days, from the Tuesday after Week 8 to the Tuesday after Week 10. Berry said that one week was aimed at accounting for the extra week created by the 17th regular-season game — and that the second week was in anticipation of further expansion of the regular season, to 18 games.

That happened on Tuesday. In talking to folks after that, I mentioned Berry’s plan, with the anticipation of another game. The reaction was, basically, “Yeah. That’s coming.”

It likely won’t come until the next labor deal. And the league will likely have the same determination then that it had four years ago, when it was clear that the league wanted an extra game badly enough to lock out the players, like the NFL did in 2011.

On one hand, the players share in the extra money that comes from playing extra games. On the other hand, how many more games can the human body endure?

At one point when the NFL wanted to go straight from 16 to 18, someone floated the idea of 18 games with players appearing in a maximum of 16 each. Maybe the 18th game comes with a caveat that, in addition to a bye, no player can play more than 17 regular-season games. (There probably would be an exception for quarterbacks, kickers, punters, and long snappers.)

Regardless, the NFL has good reasons to increase inventory. It’s another weekend of TV windows — which means another weekend of TV money. Also, it’s more stuff on which folks can bet, bet, bet. Which further feathers the nest of owners, both through sponsorships and their ability to own up to five percent of any. company with sports betting operations.

So, ready or not, here it comes. Eighteen regular-season games. Two preseason games.

The question then will be whether the league will eventually if not inevitably try to go with 20 games and no preseason.

MORT

It’s not clear if Chris Mortensen succumbed after an eight-year battle with cancer or some other affliction, but the respected longtime ESPN reporter and commentator has passed away.  Bryan Fonseca of the New York Post:

Chris Mortensen’s colleagues and peers took to social media to commemorate his life and pay their respects following his death at the age of 72.

The longtime NFL insider died Sunday morning, his family announced, per his longtime professional home at ESPN.

On the NFL Network, Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah tearfully celebrated Mortensen while broadcasting the NFL combine on Sunday afternoon.

“I met Chris Mortensen when I was 26 years old, when [Mortensen] was the GOAT (Greatest Of All-TIme) in the making for the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN,” Eisen recalled. “One of the best football reporters we’ve ever known.”

Jeremiah added, while fighting tears, “He’s my mentor. He’s one of my best friends… he’s a sweet, sweet person with a sweet family, and that’s who I’m thinking about right now.”

Mortensen took a leave of absence from ESPN in 2016 after being diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer and left the Worldwide Leader in September 2023.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and ESPN colleague Peyton Manning posted a tribute to Mortensen on Instagram.

“Heartbroken. We lost a true legend,” Manning wrote. “Mort was the best in the business and I cherished our friendship. I trusted him with my announcement to sign with the Broncos and with the news of my retirement. I will miss him dearly and my thoughts and prayers are with Micki & his family. Rest in peace, Mort.”

Mortensen worked very closely with fellow NFL Insider Adam Schefter, who also took to X.

“An absolutely devastating day,” posted Schefter. “Mort was one of the greatest reporters in sports history, and an even better man. Sincerest condolences to his family, and all who knew and loved him. So many did. Mort was the very best. He will be forever missed and remembered.”

Ian Rappaport, an Insider for the NFL Network, referred to Mort as one of his “idols growing up.”

He added, “His contributions to our world will never be matched.”

Longtime Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer posted his own tribute.

“Mort… I will ALWAYS love and appreciate everything I learned from you, all our battles, all our talks, but the most cherished voice mail I ever got, which I will save forever, came from this man about being of service!” he said. “I love you brother and can’t wait for you to drop alllll sorts of scoopage in heaven.”

The recently retired Peter King, an NFL reporter for more than over 40 years, added on Mort, “A giant in our business, and a terrific person. Will miss you, Mort.”

Being a scoopmeister can make you enemies, but somehow Mortensen showed you can get more than your share of exclusive stories and still be beloved.

Richard Dietsch of The Athletic:

For NFL watchers and readers of a certain age, Chris Mortensen was the defining insider of his generation. He first joined ESPN at a time when most sports information brokers such as Mortensen plied their trade for local newspapers. His work ultimately helped develop an entire cottage industry that is ubiquitous today — the sports television insider.

Mortensen, who joined ESPN in 1991, was ever-present on the network’s programs and platforms, from “Sunday NFL Countdown” to “SportsCenter” to ESPN Radio to the NFL Draft to Super Bowl coverage to offseason features. He covered every Super Bowl since 1985, except for Super Bowl 50 when he was forced to take a leave of absence in 2016 after being diagnosed with Stage IV throat cancer. He announced on social media in September 2023 that he was stepping away from ESPN.

Peter King, who retired last week from full-time NFL writing and whose career aligned with Mortensen’s time, said in an interview on Sunday afternoon that Mortensen’s career was a testament to doggedness.

“He belongs next to Will McDonough on the Mount Rushmore of NFL information people,” King said. “They are the two guys. He did it for so long and did it so incredibly well that it was the sort of thing that for years no matter where I was, I would make sure that I watch every one of his segments on the ESPN pregame show. I’m a little emotional about it because after I retired the other day he called me. He sounded great. He called me and he said a bunch of nice things. I just always appreciated my relationship with him and appreciated his vigor.”

Fred Gaudelli, the longtime producer of Sunday Night Football and a former lead producer of Monday Night Football and ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage, called Mortensen one of the five most influential hires in ESPN’s history.

“He was the first true insider that ESPN hired,” Gaudelli said. “All of a sudden, we were breaking NFL stories left and right and they were all accurate. He revamped our draft coverage. When I hired Chris for the draft, I’d been reading him in The National, which a lot of people may not even know what that is now. But it was a daily sports paper that had some tremendous writers that unfortunately didn’t last very long. He really taught me and so many other producers and so many other talent about reporting and about stating things with precision.”

As an insider, it was inevitable that he would anger some fan bases. His reporting in 2015 drew the ire of Patriots fans during the Deflategate scandal, in which the league said the Patriots conspired to manipulate footballs to give quarterback Tom Brady an advantage for the 2014 AFC Championship Game. The story was massive for its time and Mortensen eventually in a long interview with King years later acknowledged some errors.

King said the story that he will always remember Mortensen was involved in was breaking Peyton Manning’s retirement in 2016.

“The guy is sitting in the MD Anderson Cancer Center in March 2016 having very recently, within the last six or seven weeks, been told that you have Stage Four throat cancer, and we have to start attacking this right now,” King said. “Then one morning that month we all wake up and see that Chris Mortensen has tweeted out that Peyton Manning is going to announce his retirement tomorrow from pro football. I think most people probably knew Manning thought he was probably going to retire, but for Mort to break the story while being in a hospital getting intensive treatment for something that was threatening to kill him, that is my story about Chris Mortensen.”

Mortensen’s last X/tweet was on February 28^th, praising King:

@mortreport

Peter and I have been discussing this for more than a year so he didn’t catch me off guard.

Just to echo emotions expressed by readers and colleagues, what he has done as a writer and story teller all these years has been an unmatched, remarkable treasure.

His final column today is fitting and PK didn’t shy away from the things he loves, his reasons on the timing and things that appropriately concern him.

A better person, there is not. Happy for him, his wife Ann and his girls. ❤️✍️🏈⚾️

Here’s how he described himself in his X/Twitter heading:

Jesus follower. Matthew 22:36-40. Husband, Father, Veteran. Cancer journey. Son of Honduran immigrant. Avatar: son Alex as a Razorback QB. Opinions are my own.

Here is Matthew 22:36-40:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

This in 2012:

@mortreport

Happy 88th Birthday to my Mom, toughest woman Ive ever known. Honduran immigrant. Raised 4 boys. Endured much. Makes me laugh. Love you Mom!

Such a good man.  Gone too soon.

2024 DRAFT

Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com has these thoughts on the QBs at the Combine:

Grading the top QB prospects

Caleb Williams, USC: N/A

Williams was asked some difficult questions over the course of the week, but he handled all of them with grace. He showed a bit of his personality, jumping in the media scrum of his teammate, wide receiver Brenden Rice. Williams did not take part in athletic testing or on-field drills.

Jayden Daniels, LSU: N/A

Daniels was a rare prospect in the sense that he did not do measurements at the NFL Combine. He also did not take part in athletic testing or on-field drills. His LSU Pro Day will be the first live exposure key NFL decision-makers have of him and his teammate, wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Drake Maye, North Carolina: N/A

Maye did not take part in any athletic testing or on-field drills. He is opting to wait and perform at his Pro Day later this month.

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan: B+

There were some outbreaking routes to the left that McCarthy sailed, but he was impressive otherwise. He got his footwork down and was ripping some balls over the middle. McCarthy registered the second-highest velocity on the day, and that showed on deep balls.

Michael Penix Jr., Washington: B+

Penix was on target for most of the night. He had one errant throw but refused to leave the throwing line and corrected himself on the following throw. Penix has good arm strength and was able to push it downfield as well as anyone.

Other winners

Devin Leary, Kentucky

Leary threw with timing and touch on Saturday. His senior season at Kentucky may not have gone as hoped, but Leary was able to re-establish some positive momentum in Indianapolis. He was accurate to all three levels and had the third-highest velocity throw among the first group of quarterbacks.

Kedon Slovis, BYU

Slovis’ collegiate career began at USC and then he transferred out to Pittsburgh. His day began with a 4.55-second 40-yard dash. He struggled to find consistency in college, but threw with touch and accuracy in Indianapolis. He got the ball up and down on deep throws.

Sam Hartman’s hair

The Notre Dame quarterback was a part of the festivities this week in Indianapolis, but it is possible no one would be able to pick him out of a lineup because of the attention drawn by his silky flow. Few are blessed to be involved in a slow-motion video from the NFL Combine, but Hartman’s hair is one of those lucky few.

Other losers

Bo Nix, Oregon

It was not a bad day for Nix, but he did not gain ground on McCarthy or Penix in my opinion. On the in-breaking routes to start the day, it took him some time to get back in his ground. As the day progressed, he really settled in to show the solid level of play that has come to be expected of Nix.

Michael Pratt, Tulane

I was one of the first to drive the Pratt bandwagon this year. His decision-making can be a roller coaster ride but it looked as though he had the athletic potential to be a starter in the NFL. He was inconsistent with his accuracy Saturday. On the go-routes, he was off the mark on the first one and then over-corrected on the second by throwing it flat.

More thoughts on the QBs from a trio of folks from The Athletic:

Dane Brugler:  This is a boring answer, but nothing really happened on the field at the combine that will drastically alter how I view these quarterbacks. I set up shop at the 30-yard line and had a good view of every throw — there wasn’t anything too surprising.

The seven-step roll out and pocket-movement drills are especially interesting to get a sense of a player’s on-field mobility and how the ball comes off their hand, and I thought Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy had a strong outing. You have to go back five years to find a quarterback who posted a better three-cone time at the combine than his 6.82-second mark.

Nick Baumgardner: We saw some solid performances from McCarthy, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. Some of the throws with which McCarthy was inconsistent Saturday, like intermediate corners and outs to his left, show up on tape. But his deep throws (and middle shots) were mostly on the money. He also hit 61 miles per hour on the radar gun, just behind Tennessee’s Joe Milton (62 mph), and that three-cone time confirmed his movement skills.

The drills helped verify that McCarthy’s a better athlete than Nix, who is a better athlete than Penix. QB-needy teams outside picks 1-3 are looking for reasons to draft McCarthy in the top half of the first based on his size, age and athletic traits. It’s hard to say he gave them a reason not to.

Diante Lee: I wouldn’t say it “moved the needle,” per se, but I enjoyed Penix’s throwing session. His timing and accuracy were mostly on point. There were other QBs clearly aiming the ball or throwing late/inside to ensure completions, so it was nice to watch a guy be clean, without apprehension, while working with new faces.

I’m usually the wet blanket with quarterbacks, though, so I don’t mind being that guy again. I don’t think anyone had expectations that Sam Hartman would blow up at the combine, but you can see a pretty clear difference between his arm talent and the guys I’d expect to be selected in the top 100 or 150. His resume is still enough to get him drafted, and he can carve out a career like Nick Mullens, but watching him in comparison to the others did stand out.

– – –

As for the wide receivers, WR ROME ODUNZE dominated.  Charles Robinson ofYahooSports.com:

Earlier this week, when it became clear that Rome Odunze was the highest rated prospect who would actually participate fully in this week’s NFL scouting combine, the Washington Huskies wideout fielded a question that has essentially become a defining North Star for the elite players at this year’s event.

Why do it?

All three of the top quarterbacks declined to do on-field work, with LSU’s Jayden Daniels refusing to even be weighed or measured. The top tight end, Brock Bowers, skipped all of his positional drills and the 40-yard dash. Same for the draft’s presumed top two wideouts, LSU’s Malik Nabers and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., who no-showed his scheduled media appearance. By Saturday, it effectively left the combine with Odunze as the last elite standing after he committed to doing literally everything.

By the end of Saturday night, he not only showed up — he starred. And in a twist, he did it longer than anyone realized.

After the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Odunze put up superb scores in the vertical leap (39 inches) and 20-yard shuttle (4.03), he ran a strong 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He followed that up with an impeccable slate of drills, highlighted by a near-perfect gauntlet, showcasing his ability to stay on a line while running at full speed and catching passes in rapid succession. Then he did something that caught the eyes of NFL talent evaluators.

With Lucas Oil Stadium nearly empty, Odunze was on the field repeatedly re-running his three-cone drill. Despite already notching the fourth-highest score (6.88) of his receiver class, he had clipped a cone while attempting to get a better score. So he went again. And again. And again. Five times in all, until NFL Network cameras noticed he was doing a drill in a stadium that was effectively abandoned.

It was a moment that caught the eyes of evaluators, too.

“Wow,” one scout said. “Damn. Yeah, he’s a stud. The safest pick in this draft, I guess besides [Harrison], but Marvin probably wouldn’t have tested like Odunze did. Also an insanely good kid.”

“Unanimous All-Juice Team,” another scout texted.

Without question, it was a telling moment to end a great day — and great week — for Odunze, who has also drawn rave reviews in his interviews with teams. So much so, there now seems to be a rising possibility that he could unseat Nabers as the presumed second wideout of the board after Harrison. That wouldn’t be a massive upset, given that Odunze has been a first-round pick in waiting since his 2022 season with the Huskies.

As for that question about why Odunze did everything — when he easily could have joined Harrison and Nabers in doing nothing — he answered it himself earlier this week.

“That’s what it’s about — saying you’re the best and going and competing for it, right?” Odunze said. “I do feel that way, so of course it’s a competition. But also, all these dudes are ballers. I’m just super honored to be a part of the conversation and super grateful to be able to compete against guys like that. I’m fans of their game as well.”

“For me, [this is] about being able to compete against generations before, generations to come and be able to see where I stack up against all those people. I feel like it’s a one-time thing, a thing you can only do once in your life, so I just wanted to do it to the fullest. It’s something I feel like I can excel at, so that’s why I decided to do it.”

He lived up to that Saturday. But what has been most interesting about him this week is that teams have finally been able to absorb his personality. Not to mention see how he has mingled with other stars. One personnel man noted that he has seen USC quarterback Caleb Williams gravitate toward Odunze on more than one occasion this week, a reality that has likely fed into some buzz over the course of the combine that has suggested the Chicago Bears could take Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, then attempt to move up from their No. 9 spot to pair Odunze with him.

That might be a little more difficult after Saturday, when Odunze easily cement himself inside the draft’s elite wideout trio with Harrison and Nabers. Early in the week, he’d met with the Bears, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, although that list had likely doubled by Saturday. How far he can climb in this draft remains to be seen, especially given that he’s already potentially inside the top six overall. But as Odunze said earlier this week, he believes he’s the best wideout in this draft and he came to Indianapolis prepared to prove it.

“I just think my versatility on the field [is why I’m the best],” Odunze said. “I think I’ve shown all the skills that can translate to the NFL at a high level in different facets of my game. And I think who I am as a person, who I will be to a locker room, who I will be in the community, are all A-plus. … I’m always willing to learn, always willing to understand that there’s room for improvement regardless of where I’m at in my career.”

Even if that point in his career is on a Saturday night at the combine, running a drill for the fifth time inside a stadium that is ready to turn out the lights.

But for pure speed, it was record-setting WR XAVIER WORTHY.  Callie Lawson-Freeman of YahooSports.com:

Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy is the fastest man the NFL scouting combine has ever seen.

He was clocked at a lightning time of 4.21 seconds on his second attempt, besting John Ross III’s all-time record from 2017 by .01 seconds. Worthy reached 24.21 mph, according to Next Gen Stats.

The historic run came after the 20-year-old opened up with a 4.25 to beat anyone else in the field, recording a 10-yard split of 1.45 seconds that was the fastest split of the weekend. It was only right that he went for it again, and his second run was initially measured at 4.22. It was updated a hundredth of a second faster when made official.

Ross’ draft stock took a major boost after the combine, and the Cincinnati Bengals selected him ninth overall in 2017. He went on to have an abbreviated career, retiring last offseason after being hampered by multiple injuries. He recorded 62 receptions for 957 yards with 11 touchdowns over his career with the Bengals and New York Giants.

For Worthy, the attention was pouring in before he even tied the record. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive end Charles Omenihu took to social media to express awe at his first run.

The back-to-back Super Bowl champions will have the last selection in the first round of this year’s draft, but they weren’t the only ones to give props.

Former longtime NFL receiver DeSean Jackson ran a quick 4.35 seconds at his combine, while Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill posted a 4.29 at his Pro Day. Hill and Jackson’s reactions work together to prove that all you can really say in response to a run like Worthy’s is some variation of “sheesh” or “crazy.”

During this past season for Texas, Worthy posted 75 receptions for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns en route to the Big 12 title and the team’s first College Football Playoff appearance. He’ll be a name to watch for in the first round of this year’s draft, which will take place April 25.

– – –

Chad Reuter of NFL.com has this to report on the offensive linemen in Indy:

Below, I’ve listed five players who undoubtedly impressed the league’s personnel decision-makers with their on-field performance. I also list two players who could use a strong effort at their school’s pro day to leave the most favorable impression possible before the draft.

Stock up

Cooper Beebe

Kansas State · G

The two-time Big 12 Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year might have silenced concerns about his athleticism with a strong 1.75-second 10-yard split on his 5.03 40 at 322 pounds. He fared well in the position drills, getting out of his stance and mirroring better than most guards because of his experience at tackle. He is not the longest lineman here (31 1/2-inch arm, 78 1/8-inch wingspan) but the measurements are similar to those of former Pro Bowl lineman Chris Snee, to whom Beebe compares favorably.

Tanor Bortolini

Wisconsin · C

At 6-foot-4 1/4-inch, 303 pounds, Bortolini ran a 4.94-second 40 with an exceptional 1.69 10-yard split (and strong 32 1/2-inch vertical and 9-foot-4 broad jump). He also had the best time among offensive linemen in the 3-cone drill (7.16 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.28 seconds). In fact, Bortolini joined Jason Kelce as the only OL at the combine since 2003 to have a sub-4.3 20-yard shuttle and a sub-7.3 3-cone drill, per NFL Research. The two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference selection looked like a professional center coming out of his stance during drills, snapping the ball and smoothly stepping in either direction. A coach on the field complimented his balance and body control in a pass protection drill. I agree with that assessment of his performance.

Troy Fautanu

Washington · OT

Fautanu impressed when he ran (1.71-second 10-yard split, 5.01 40-yard dash) and jumped (32 1/2-inch vertical), but he also showed his excellent movement skills in the position workout. The left tackle’s lateral movement and low pad level shined during pass protection drills. His explosion out of his stance also impressed, and his quick hands hit pads in concert with his footwork. Some teams might try to move him inside because of his height (6-foot-3 3/4) but he has the length (34 1/2-inch arm) to be effective outside. He should lock up a top-25 draft spot with his combine performance.

Mason McCormick

South Dakota State · G

South Dakota State’s Garret Greenfield and McCormick performed well on Sunday, but McCormick really stood out to me. His 5.08-second 40 included an excellent 1.71 10-yard split and he jumped very well for his size (35 1/2-inch vertical, 9-foot-9 broad). The athleticism translated when he was asked to move in space during drills, though he could improve his quickness out of his stance. Teams are often interested to see prospects from outside the Power Five conferences prove their athleticism in the neutral, highly competitive environment that the combine provides. McCormick was up to the challenge on Sunday.

Roger Rosengarten

Washington · OT

The 6-foot-5 3/8-inch, 308-pound Rosengarten was a valuable blindside protector for left-handed Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. the past two seasons. He jumped well (30-inch vertical, 9-foot-5 broad), led the offensive line group with a 4.92-second 40 (with a good 1.73 10-yard split) and was fluid in his pass protection work and second-level blocking drills. Rosengarten’s length is average for the position (33 1/2-inch arm, 80 3/8-inch wingspan) but it looks like he has more than enough athleticism to translate to the next level.

Stock down

Olumuyiwa Fashanu

Penn State · OT

I believe Fashanu needed a strong combine to ensure a top-10 selection. Unfortunately, his day ended with a right thigh injury after his first 40-yard dash run (5.11 seconds; 1.77 10-yard split). His hand measured 8 1/2 inches, which is unusually small for a tackle prospect. Fashanu’s a good player with upside and he put up fair jumps (32-inch vertical, 9-foot-1 broad) before his workout concluded, but now his pro day and private workouts become more important in his quest for a single-digit draft slot.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger

Georgia · C

Van Pran-Granger was a solid starter for the past three seasons and helped Georgia win two national titles. However, there have not been many top players in recent years with his combination of short arms (31 3/8 inches) and a smaller wingspan (78 5/8 inches) with a weight of less than 300 pounds (298). His 5.20-second 40 and 1.77 10-yard split were OK and his movements skills in drills were fair. He’s going to need to stay lower than he did in drills if he’s going to maintain leverage on the move and at the line of scrimmage, though. Choosing not to perform the jumps also forces teams to wait until his pro day to test his explosiveness. It would be tough for me to project him as a top-125 player at this point in the process.

– – –

Is Florida State WR KEON COLEMAN this year’s WR PUKA NACUA?  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Timing of players at the Scouting Combine isn’t just done with stopwatches. It’s also done with chips worn by every player, that tracking their speed during every drill. And last year, that player tracking data showed off the talents of Puka Nacua, a relatively unknown receiver out of BYU who went from fifth-round pick of the Rams to the most productive rookie receiver in NFL history.

Nacua wasn’t great in the traditional tests of athleticism that the NFL has relied on for decades, recording a 4.57-second 40-yard dash. But the player tracking data showed he was the fastest receiver at last year’s Combine in running through the gauntlet drill, in which a receiver runs across the field and catches seven passes in rapid succession. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Nacua reached the fastest speed of any wide receiver during last year’s gauntlet drill at 20.06 mph. That tipped teams off that Nacua plays faster than he runs, something that Nacua proved in his rookie year.

This year, Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman was similar to Nacua: Coleman ran a disappointing 40 time of 4.61 seconds, but he reached the fastest speed in the gauntlet drill, topping out at 20.36 mph — even faster than Nacua last year. Coleman also reached the second-fastest speed of any wide receiver in his group while running a go route, reaching 21.71 mph.

The player tracking data is new, and there’s not a long history of being able to study how well it correlates to NFL success. But it may prove that players who show elite speed during the on-field drills that more closely approximate what they do on a football field prove to be better players than the ones who run the fastest in a straight line for 40 yards.

In hindsight, teams wish they had paid more attention to Nacua’s player tracking data than to his stopwatch time. Coleman will hope teams remember that during this year’s draft.