Who are the top quarterbacks in the 2025 class?

Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst: The start of the 2025 class’ evaluation is a three-headed monster. Carson Beck (Georgia) is the hot name among NFL scouts, but he’ll be challenged by Quinn Ewers (Texas) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) if those two can take the next step in their games in the 2024 season. Beck’s command of the Georgia offense is impressive, and he also shows the soft touch and driving arm strength that NFL teams love. He threw for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions last season. His lack of mobility might be questioned, but his pocket movement is superb.

Another player to keep an eye on is Riley Leonard, now at Notre Dame after transferring from Duke. Scouts love his raw ability, but he needs a huge jump in production and consistency. However, we’ve seen that happen before as a quarterback gains experience in college.

Field Yates, NFL draft analyst: The three who have my attention based off 2023 film study are Sanders, Beck and Ewers — in that order for me. I actually think Sanders feels like the early leader to be the first pick in the draft, as his elite pocket passing is beyond impressive. In his first season at Colorado, Sanders completed 298 passes for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns. How he can carve up a defense when given time and space is legit.

Adam Rittenberg, national college football reporter: The 2025 QB class doesn’t project like its predecessor, but Beck, Sanders, Ewers and Miami’s Cameron Ward all have first-round potential, especially after the run on quarterbacks we saw in Detroit. Beck and Ewers will enter the season as top Heisman Trophy candidates. Sanders is seeking better protection and more balance on offense but showed downfield precision and plenty of toughness in 2023.

Ward briefly entered the 2024 NFL draft before withdrawing and transferring from Washington State to Miami, where he will lead a talented offense that includes running back Damien Martinez, another interesting prospect. Ward is coming off a strong 2023 season, where he threw for 3,735 yards and 25 touchdowns.

GREEN BAY

LT JORDAN MORGAN, the Pack’s first round pick, wasn’t in every Mock Draft.  He has short arms.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com on how Green Bay believes he still is a left tackle.

Jordan Morgan was a three-year starter and All-Pac 12 player while manning the left tackle spot at Arizona, but there was some chatter heading into the draft that he could be better suited for guard.

That chatter came about because Morgan’s arms are a little shorter than what NFL teams ideally look for at the position, although it doesn’t look like the Packers have any doubts. They took Morgan in the first round and he’s playing left tackle at their rookie minicamp this weekend with an eye on remaining there for the long run.

Morgan told reporters in Green Bay that he heard his arms were too short heading into college, but “just didn’t care” about it then and he hasn’t started caring about it now.

“I get that a lot — the short arms stuff,” Morgan said, via Paul Bretl of USAToday.com. “It’s like you obviously haven’t watched film. I use them pretty well. I move people off the ball. I pass set really well, protect the quarterback. You see the stats. That doesn’t bother me, though. I’m just gonna prove everybody wrong.”

The Packers won’t be setting anything into stone until they see how all of their linemen look as a group, but it seems likely that the Packers took Morgan in the first round with the idea of putting him on Jordan Love’s blind side for an extended run.

DALLAS

Austin Gayle of The Ringer:

Just how old is Jerry Jones?

Eighty-one. The famed Dallas Cowboys owner, president, and general manager is 21 years older than the NFL’s next-oldest GM and more than 30 years older than the average age for today’s GMs. Hell, he’s a month older than Joe Biden. Way back in Jones’s first year as a Cowboys executive, he drafted future Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman with the no. 1 pick in 1989. Aikman led the team to three Super Bowl wins, the last coming at the end of the 1995 season. Dallas hasn’t made it through the divisional round in any year since. Jones is stuck in the past, and it seems like it is costing the Cowboys their future.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence, and guard Zack Martin—all careerlong Cowboys—enter the 2024 season on expiring contracts. Phenom wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who caught an NFL-high 135 passes for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to a first-team All-Pro nod in 2023, also isn’t under contract beyond this season. Lamb and star pass rusher Micah Parsons should be in line for multiyear, top-of-market extensions, and their price tags are only going up as others at their respective positions get new contracts (like receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown, and edge rushers Josh Allen and Brian Burns).

That the Cowboys are in this future contract hell shouldn’t surprise anyone. Jones told reporters in January the team is “all in” for 2024 and “not building for the future.” He said “all in” three times in a row in his predraft press conference last month. Stop pretending his doodles have any hidden messages; Jones is telling us exactly how he views this upcoming season. Jones’s chips are in the middle of the table, and his cards are laid out. Could he reverse course, reach into his billion-dollar pockets and make sure his core stars—particularly Prescott—are locked in beyond this season? Sure. But Jones sure feels dug in—and 2024 is looking like a farewell tour for the most recent era of Jones’s Cowboys, like a ride off into the sunset, win or lose. Jones even re-signed Ezekiel Elliott off the least-productive year of the running back’s career just to come along for the ride. Jones is all in, but who does that leave out in 2025? Prescott? Lamb? Jones himself? I guess we’ll all find out when the Cowboys inevitably collapse in embarrassing fashion in January.

PHILADELPHIA

GM Howie Roseman on the signing of RB SAQUON BARKLEY.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Teams have often avoided making big investments in veteran running backs in recent seasons, but the Eagles went the other way in free agency this year.

Saquon Barkley signed a three-year deal to leave the Giants for their NFC East rivals and the deal has the fourth-highest average annual value at the position. During an interview with Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio, Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman was asked about weighing Barkley’s talent against his injury history and the overall picture at the running back position.

Roseman noted Barkley’s ability to do everything asked of a running back and said the team asked itself “is something being undervalued” when considering a run at signing Barkley. They ultimately decided that there was “a way to zig when everyone’s zagging” at the position.

“It’s hard to find difference-making players and people, and it’s hard to find them for a cost,” Roseman said. “Those guys, they go for a lot of money, and we felt like there was an opportunity to get one of those guys in Saquon and bring him to the team. There’s risk in every decision you make, but we don’t think there’s any risk on the talent. We don’t think there’s any risk on the person. And we also feel like maybe — not that it wasn’t anywhere else — but we have a good situation here with us in Philly to kind of maximize him. I don’t think there’s anyone when he came out of the draft that didn’t think he wasn’t a Hall of Fame-caliber talent and person. He’s still young, and we’re really excited to have him.”

The Eagles ended the 2023 season with a sour taste in their mouths. If Barkley helps push them back to where they want to be, plenty of others will be excited about the decision as well.

WASHINGTON

John Keim of ESPN.com with some good insights as to how and why QB JAYDEN DANIELS is now a Commander:

With the Chicago Bears on the clock holding the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters gathered scouts, coaches, executives and other Commanders personnel in the team’s makeshift war room to share the announcement many had long anticipated.

Many in the organization had expected they would select LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. But nobody knew for certain. And now, after telling members of the ownership group separately earlier in the day, Peters made it official.

He told them, according to one person in the room, they are getting a “young man who loves football” and would help them “change this franchise forever.”

Then, according to the source, Peters finally said: “We’re going with Jayden.”

The room erupted with cheers, clapping and high-fives.

“It was like a room of joy,” said a person who was there. “It put everybody at ease.”

The announcement ended months of speculation from those outside of Peters’ inner circle about who Washington, with the No. 2 pick, would tap to front a new era of Commanders football. Though many internal signs pointed to Daniels, there was still wonder before Peters, leading his first draft as a general manager, informed the room of his pick.

He liked Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy more than presumed second choice Drake Maye, the North Carolina star QB, according to multiple sources. But Daniels — due in part to his experience, polish, resilience and game-changing ability — became the organization’s top pick early in their evaluations and never lost ground as Peters & Co. finished out the process.

While every No. 2 pick is of huge importance, this pick could alter the trajectory of a franchise trying to establish a new identity under new owner Josh Harris — who purchased the team last summer — new coach Dan Quinn and first-time GM Peters. Washington is attempting to get beyond more than two decades of futility under previous owner Dan Snyder, and solving its decades-long quarterback quest with a long-term answer at the position would go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Washington has started 33 quarterbacks since last winning the Super Bowl after the 1991 season; the Commanders started eight in the past four years; no quarterback has served as the No. 1 guy for more than three years since Mark Rypien from 1989-93.

They needed to make sure they had the right guy. In the end, their process led them back to where they began: Daniels.

“We knew it was Jayden for a while,” Peters said. “It would have taken a lot for it to not be Jayden. The whole building I would say was unanimous on that one. It’s easy to see why.”

ALL ALONG, MULTIPLE SOURCES said Daniels was the guy with whom they were smitten. Someone needed to knock him off the mountaintop; no one did.

Before joining the Commanders in January, Peters spent the 2023 regular season as the assistant general manager for the San Francisco 49ers — a team that was not looking to draft a quarterback in the first round — and had not begun studying film of the 2024 QB class.

According to multiple sources in Washington, Peters was also high on McCarthy. Others in the building were, too. The 2023 national champion was efficient, had a strong arm and moved well. Washington’s decision-makers also loved how personable he was.

Many in the NFL said McCarthy had untapped potential because of Michigan’s run-heavy offensive approach, but many in the organization thought he needed more experience. Washington also heavily scouted Maye as well as Michael Penix Jr. All four quarterbacks visited Washington before the draft. In the end, McCarthy was second on its list of options.

It did not take long to develop a strong opinion of Daniels once team officials started watching his film after the season. In fact, one source said, the game that set Washington on the Daniels’ path was LSU’s season-opening 45-24 loss to Florida State. Daniels threw for 346 yards and ran for 64 more, but one Commanders source said, in addition to his polish and arm talent, they liked how he responded after suffering multiple big hits in the game.

There were questions about Daniels, however: Though he measured 6-foot-3 5/8 and weighed 210 pounds at his pro day, some wondered about the big hits he took in games, owing in part to his running ability. Would he protect himself well enough to last in the NFL? His high pressure-to-sack rate was also viewed as a concern in the analytics community. He was sacked 24.5% of the time when pressured in his five seasons (three at Arizona State, two at LSU). At LSU, he went from 30.8 his first season (2022) to 20.2 last year. His career number was higher than the other prospects in the first round. Also, Daniels attempted just 68 passes between the hashes, the 55th most in the NCAA last year.

Most evaluators in the NFL pegged USC’s 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams as the best quarterback because of his dynamic ability and excellence on off-schedule plays. He was considered the obvious choice for Chicago at No. 1.

Peters, meanwhile, said he could not believe how good Daniels was when he finally watched the tape.

“The way he can process, the way he can see the field, the way he goes through his reads, the way he delivers [the ball] on time. He’s the best deep-ball thrower in the draft,” Peters said, “and that’s even before we start watching him run and the way he runs he just takes your soul as a defense. You think you got him and then all of a sudden, he rips off a 40-yard run. And this is against the SEC, the best of the best.”

Peters said Washington never considered trading back in the draft, though he later told Big 100 Radio in Washington that they received only one offer and “it didn’t move the needle.” But even though all signs pointed to drafting Daniels, Peters was determined to finish the evaluation process — just in case.

At the scouting combine in February, Peters told an assembled group that included offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Harris, front office consultant Bob Myers and Quinn that “something has to happen to not be Jayden.”

During the team’s 15-minute interview session with Daniels at the combine, those in the room said the laid-back Daniels was not oozing excitement.

Until they turned on the game film.

“He sat up in his chair and he was dialed in,” one person in the room said. “He knows his stuff. It was his body language. He perked up.”

Another person said, “You could see Jayden just lights up when the tape comes on. You can’t fake that. He just goes, ‘Yeah, let’s talk football.’ It was authentic.”

After drafting Daniels last Thursday, Peters referenced other selling points that led Washington to the decision, including his use of virtual reality, which Daniels claims helped him improve by “70 to 80%” for his final year.

At the combine, Quinn revealed his desire for Daniels — perhaps unintentionally — one team source said. While playing a word association game during an appearance on D.C.-based 106.7 The Fan, Quinn referred to Daniels as a “game-changer”. No other quarterback, including Williams, received such praise.

DANIELS HAD ADVOCATES outside of Washington as well. Former Arizona State coach Herm Edwards, who recruited Daniels and coached him for three years, told Peters that Daniels “was a man; don’t let his youth fool you.” One source said San Francisco receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a close friend of Daniels’, sang his pal’s praises to Peters. And San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan, with whom Peters worked for seven years, also gave Daniels a glowing review.

From that Florida State film on, nothing changed Washington’s opinion of Daniels. The Commanders spoke to people from Arizona State, where Daniels played three years, and LSU. One source checked out his high school transcripts. They asked about his character.

Peters also liked that Daniels had the passcode changed at an LSU facility so he could enter after hours for more work. He also organized 5 a.m. workouts with his receivers; Washington’s officials were impressed that he could cajole his teammates to attend at that hour. That, one source said, resonated as much as anything with Peters.

The boxes kept getting checked in Daniels’ favor.

But the interest still went back to his on-field exploits. Like Peters, Quinn said Washington liked the level of competition Daniels played in the SEC, and the sophistication of the defenses he faced.

“They had looks and different things that Jayden has been able to really process things quickly,” Quinn, a former defensive coordinator, said. “He has a real decision-making process that’s fast.”

Quinn also liked his experience. Daniels played in 55 games over five seasons and started 26 more games than McCarthy and 29 more than Maye.

“That’s a big deal, man, because they’ve seen the s— , they’ve made the mistake,” Quinn said. “You don’t want to take somebody that doesn’t have a lot of snaps.”

They viewed his transfer to LSU as a positive.

“You could make a case and say he’s already had to go through a new system and new people and new experiences,” Quinn said.

Daniels felt the Commanders’ love and, after his top-30 visit ended on April 17, Daniels’ agent, Ron Butler, said Daniels excitedly told him, “I’m Quinn’s guy.”

Although Daniels finished at LSU and last year’s number two pick C.J. STROUD went to The Ohio State, the two number twos hail from California’s Inland Empire.

In fact, the 2024 pick Daniels is actually two calendar years older (24 to 22) and was one school year ahead of Stroud.

As a senior at Cajon HS in San Bernardino, Daniels was the Inland Empire Player of the Year per the Sun/Bulletin.

It’s been a month since Cajon senior quarterback Jayden Daniels became the all-time leader in career passing yardage and touchdowns in CIF-Southern Section, but it still hasn’t resonated with him yet.

Daniels finished his career with 14,007 passing yards, 170 TDs and 25 interceptions on 921 of 1,389 passing in 54 starts. Daniels – who is a highly rated dual-threat quarterback that already finished high school and starts attending classes Arizona State in January – also carried the ball 562 times for 3,645 yards and 41 rushing TDs.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Daniels said. “It’s like surreal. I didn’t expect any of this.”Lost in the career numbers was Daniels’ senior season. He threw for 4,515 yards and 60 touchdowns with four different receivers catching at least 10 TDs and he ran for a career-high 1,536 yards and 16 TDs on the ground, as the Cowboys reached a section title game for the second year in a row. It earned him the honor of The Sun/Bulletin Player of the Year.

And if you scroll down to the Second Team All-Area selections:

Sun/Bulletin Second Team Offense

QB: J.P. Andrade, Bonita, Sr.,

QB: C.J. Stroud, Rancho Cucamonga, Jr.

RB: Marshawn Buchanan, Adelanto, Jr.

RB: Zaquand Irby, Ganesha, Sr.

RB: Walter Carl III, Chino Hills, Sr.

WR: Xander Witt, Apple Valley, Sr.

WR: Cade Cadam, Bonita, Sr.

WR: Taj Davis, Sr., WR, Upland

TE: Jacob Albertini, Damien, Sr

OL: Anthony Guevara, Kaiser, Sr.

OL: Nofoafia Tulafono, Oak Hills, Jr.

OL: Kuna Taufahema, Colton, Sr.

OL: Daniel Lintz, Chaffey, Sr.

OL: John Egan, San Dimas, Sr.

PK: Sundhi Upri, Colony, Jr.

It is 18 miles from Rancho Cucamonga High School to Cajon in San Bernardino, but the two schools did not play each other in 2018.

SEATTLE

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on the arrival of DT BYRON MURPHY in Seattle:

The Seahawks have to be thrilled that defensive tackle Byron Murphy slid all the way to them at No. 16. And if Murphy is pissed that he fell that far, even better.

Murphy, who has signed his rookie contract, is participating in the team’s rookie minicamp. On Saturday, coach Mike Macdonald shared his first impression of the potentially dominant defender.

“Tough to really truly evaluate because of the tempo, but overall, a good start,” Macdonald told reporters. “We’re not going to crown him right now like he’s the next best defensive tackle of all time, but we’re really excited about it. He shows all the bend and the strength at the point of attack and acceleration. Need to get in a little bit better shape, so we can get through a whole practice and fly around like we expect him to but he understands that just like the rest of these guys, it’s so hard to stay in this elite shape the way the calendar is set up. So he’ll get there but we’ll be pushing them in the meantime.”

It’s always a challenge to balance expectations with reality, given that the incoming players train for the Scouting Combine and then spend a lot of time hopscotching the country before the draft.

Regardless, the Seahawks surely will bring Murphy along at the right pace. And they’ll likely see a benefit from it, sooner than later.

LAS VEGAS

The Raiders may be returning to California for training camp.  Levi Damien of USA Today:

For years the Raiders held their training camp in Napa in Norther California. But since the Raiders arrived in Las Vegas for the 2020 season, they have held training camp at their facility in Henderson, facing daily temps that often surpassed 110 degrees. As of this year, they could be sending camp back to California.

The City of Costa Mesa has announced that they are in discussions with the Raiders to hold this year’s training camp at their Jack Hammett Sports Complex.

The proposed agreement would have the Raiders paying the city $165K in rent along with providing $600K for field upgrades. And the Raiders have committed to holding public practices.

The City Council will discuss the plans on Tuesday, May 7. but the City Manager and Mayor both sound very confident it’s happening.

“Costa Mesa is proud to be one of only two cities in the country to host an NFL team’s summer training camp in a publicly owned facility,” City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said. “Jack Hammett is a treasure and we are excited to potentially have a new NFL team training here.”

Mayor John Stephens agreed.

“I’m pleased to welcome the Las Vegas Raiders and their loyal fans, ‘Raider Nation’ to the great city of Costa Mesa for training camp this summer,” Mayor Stephens said. “The Raiders and Costa Mesa share a commitment to excellence, and our partnership will greatly benefit the community. Many thanks to Newport-Mesa School District, especially Costa Mesa High School, for collaborating with us in this endeavor. To quote Al Davis, ‘Just win, baby!’”

The upgrades would be to fields three and four with camp taking place from mid-July through August

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

A WR MAQUES VALDEZ-SCANTLING sighting per Ari Meirov:

@MySportsUpdate

Source: Former #Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is scheduled to visit with the #Chargers on Monday.

LA has been seeking veteran receiver help and has had MVS on their radar for weeks.

BALTIMORE

The phones were humming on draft day, but the Ravens held on to the 30^th overall pick.  Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com:

About 15 minutes before the NFL draft started, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh was talking with a handful of defensive coaches when a dreamlike scenario came up.

One coach suggested, “What if Nate Wiggins falls to us? Wouldn’t that be something?”

The other coaches in the room responded, “Nah, that’ll never happen. That couldn’t happen.”

The Ravens received one of their bigger draft-day surprises when Wiggins, the speedy corner from Clemson, fell to Baltimore at the bottom of the first round. A historic run of offensive players in the first round made the possibility of one of the top defenders falling to No. 30 a reality.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta called Wiggins the best cover corner in the draft. Baltimore defensive coordinator Zach Orr declared Wiggins as the best defensive player in the draft.

As for Wiggins, he sees himself as the most motivated player in this draft class. His mission is as much about proving the doubters wrong as shutting down the game’s best wide receivers.

“I’ve been having up-and-down moments in the draft process. But, I’m here now, and I’m about to make everybody pay who looked over me,” Wiggins said. “They’re going to see what they passed up.”

At the start of the draft, there was a 35% chance that Wiggins would be available at the 30th overall pick, according to ESPN Analytics. Then, 26 teams passed on Wiggins. Two of them selected other cornerbacks — the Philadelphia Eagles chose Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell at No. 22 and the Detroit Lions traded up six spots to take Alabama’s Terrion Arnold.

The Ravens showed how much they wanted Wiggins by turning down eight trade offers from other teams looking to move up.

“For us, it was always, ‘If Nate [is] there, we [are] going to pick,'” DeCosta said. “In our opinion, [he’s] a guy that can be a true shutdown-type corner.”

Wiggins apparently wasn’t convinced about the Ravens’ desire to draft him, even though Orr had told him exactly that. During Wiggins’ pre-draft visit to Baltimore, Orr expressed doubt that Wiggins would be there at the bottom of the first round but told him that he would “fight on the table for you” if he was.

When the Ravens were about to be on the clock, Wiggins was finished with his hourslong wait of staring at his phone.

“Actually, when they called me, I was in the bathroom,” Wiggins said. “I’m not going to lie, I was mad. Then, I saw my phone ring, and everything just went crazy.”

MIAMI

The Dolphins are inking WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr. to a one-year deal.  Sean Leahy of YahooSports.com:

Odell Beckham Jr. is reportedly signing with the Miami Dolphins, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The 31-year-old wide receiver is expected to a sign a one-year, $3 million deal, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Incentives can push the total value up to a maximum of $8.25 million.

Beckham played 14 games with the Baltimore Ravens last season. He did not play in 2022 after suffering a torn ACL during Super Bowl LVI when his Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Dolphins were one of the teams Beckham visited after NFL free agency opened in March. General manager Chris Grier said before the NFL Draft that there was “nothing imminent” in regards to a contract.

“We always look at opportunities and work through it,” Grier said. “We’re always looking to add to the roster and have the most competitive roster we can to make the team better, as we’ve always talked, competition is what breeds excellence. For us, we’ll keep looking like we’ve said post-draft like we’ve done here in the past. We’ll keep looking and talking to people and see what happens.”

Grier added wide receivers Malik Washington and Tahj Washington in the draft, but now with Beckham Jr. in the fold, the three-time Pro Bowler will slide in as the third option out wide for Tua Tagovailoa after Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Before Beckham played his first game in Baltimore, he admitted that he was contemplating retiring when the season ended. That didn’t happen and he recorded 35 receptions for 565 receiving yards and three touchdowns during the regular season and caught four passes for 34 yards during the Ravens’ two playoff games. He didn’t mention hanging up the cleats once the postseason ended.

Beckham spent his first five professional seasons with the New York Giants, who drafted him with the 12th overall pick. He notched 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns during his tenure there, earning 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

He went on to play for the Cleveland Browns in 2019, tearing his ACL midway through the 2020 season. Beckham was released in November 2021, less than a week after his father criticized the team via social media. He landed with the Rams and caught 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns over eight regular-season appearances.

More from Jori Epstein, also at YahooSports.com:

Barely a year after the Baltimore Ravens signed Beckham to a deal worth $15 million guaranteed, the Miami Dolphins are signing him to a deal worth $3 million guaranteed, per multiple media reports. Incentives reportedly could bump the deal to $8.25 million maximum.

To say that the Dolphins view Beckham as 20% the player he was a year ago is an oversimplification of how contract terms correlate to perception and production. But Miami makes something clear with this deal: Beckham is no longer the player who merited the New York Giants’ 12th overall draft pick nor the player who strung together three Pro Bowl seasons to begin his career.

He also isn’t the player who posted five 1,000-yard seasons in his first six years, the final season with the Cleveland Browns.

Beckham returned from the Super Bowl ACL tear that sidelined him for the 2022 season to catch 35 of 64 targets last season in Baltimore, with his 565 receiving yards ranking second and his three receiving touchdowns ranking fifth on the team. He caught just one pass in the Ravens’ 34-10 divisional win over the Houston Texans and struggled still further in the AFC championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, in which Beckham caught three of six targets from Lamar Jackson for 22 total yards.

Even so, the Dolphins confirmed in March that they’d extended an offer to Beckham.

“Business takes time, especially with players like Odell, who’s had a phenomenal career and still has really good football in front of him and has options,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said March 25 after confirming the offer. “I think those conversations will be ongoing. We’ll see where they go. I don’t live in the world of crystal-balling, and I do stay in my lane as a coach. I’m definitely ready to coach him if we can come to an agreement.”

How will McDaniel coach Beckham? Perhaps that’s the most interesting part of the news — the tantalizing potential of how one of the league’s best offensive minds and most creative systems might incorporate a veteran such as Beckham.

Beckham was productive in the regular season before struggling to produce in the postseason. But that was in an offense with a heavier slant toward the run and lighter emphasis on speed. Is Beckham an obvious fit to slide in with speedy threats such as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?

Some around the league questioned the decision, with one NFC executive expecting to see Beckham schemed underneath as Hill and Waddle execute their vertical threats. An AFC assistant thought working in the confines of another vertical threat wouldn’t play to Beckham’s historical strength.

“It’s not like he’s like a bigger possession-type receiver anyway. He’s always been the stretch-the-field type guy,” the assistant coach said. “I don’t know why they signed him.”

Dolphins teammates, meanwhile, were excited. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey posted a picture of himself and Beckham celebrating a Super Bowl victory with the Rams, when they were last teammates. Waddle tweeted four fire emojis along with “OBJ that’s tough!!!” Hill added: “It’s about to get ugly in Miami.”

NEW YORK JETS

QB AARON RODGERS will have no restrictions when he goes back to work.  Garrett Podell of CBSSports.com:

Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets regular-season debut was cut short four snaps into the 2023 season after he suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. However, New York is anticipating Rodgers, 40, will be a full participant eight months and nine days removed from the injury for their first organized team activities (OTAs) workout on May 20.

“He is here. He is working. The guy can still sling it. Obviously, he is still working through his rehab, but no issues on the trajectory which he is going,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said Friday. “Once Phase 3 hits [OTAs], we’re not anticipating any restrictions from what we can and can’t do with him.”

As the offseason activities ramp up, Rodgers will begin getting to know his new teammates a lot better. Especially one in particular.

Jets rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley, their third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Western Kentucky, was New York’s second pick of their incoming draft class as the Packers had possession of their second-round choice as part of the team’s compensation package used to acquire Rodgers.

The rookie spoke to his new quarterback on draft night, but they have since struck up a friendship through texting in the days since.

“I only talked to him [Rodgers] on draft night. I’ve texted him the last couple nights,” Corley said Friday. “I’m just like a little kid. He’s the adult. He’s the MVP, Hall of Famer and all those types of things. I’m just like a little kid talking to him all the time, texting him and trying to see what he’s done to remain consistent in the league. The things he’s done to work on his mental health, how he’s kept his body alive so long. I’ve had conversations with him.”

Their chats have even progressed to the point where Rodgers has now invited Corley to live in his guest house.

“He said I could stay in his guest house with him if I wanted to, so, yeah me and him are close,” Corley said. “That’s going to be my dawg while I’m here. No doubt.”

Corley and Rodgers will certainly have plenty of room for activities, some of which will certainly include tossing the football around the yard.

– – –

Rookie QB JORDAN TRAVIS wants to follow QB AARON RODGERS as the Jets starting QB:

– The first goal is to play football again. After that, New York Jets rookie Jordan Travis — only five months removed from a gruesome leg injury that ended his college career — hopes to become Aaron Rodgers’ heir apparent at quarterback.

It might take some time before that happens, but the former Florida State star acknowledged that the idea of succeeding 40-year-old Rodgers has crossed his mind.

“Yes, sir, I do think about that a lot,” Travis said Saturday at the Jets’ rookie minicamp. “But right now, I’m just focused on where my feet are, just getting healthy and getting everybody around me better, being a great teammate.”

The Jets drafted Travis with the first of three picks in the fifth round (171 overall) because they love his long-term potential. They have no intention of playing him this season, not with Rodgers — a future Hall of Famer — and veteran backup Tyrod Taylor ahead of him on the depth chart.

Rodgers said recently that he might play “two or three or four” more seasons, depending on how his body holds up. Travis could be waiting a while for his shot, but he believes he can be a starter in the NFL.

“One hundred percent,” he said. “Yes, sir.”

Travis, a record-setting, program-elevating quarterback for the Seminoles, still is rehabbing his surgically repaired left ankle. He was in uniform for rookie camp, but he was strictly a bystander. He rode the stationary bike and watched drills from the side, holding a football and looking antsy. On Friday, he tried to join the stretch line and was promptly removed. Easy does it.

“I’m just thankful to have a ball in my hand again and have a helmet on my head,” said Travis, who is looking forward to meeting Rodgers and Taylor.

Travis was leading Florida State to a storybook season until last Nov. 18, when his lower left leg was severely injured against North Alabama. His college career was over, and the Seminoles, despite an undefeated regular season, were excluded from the College Football Playoff, sparking a major controversy.

Travis, 24, said he never doubted he’d get back on the field.

“Never,” he said. “I mean, I love adversity. I love waking up every single day and having to make a choice. It just makes the story a whole lot cooler. I’ve always had that from the day I broke my leg until now. So I love it. So there’s never been a doubt.”

The Jets are hopeful that Travis will be ready to participate in training camp in late July. He will be in catch-up mode, having missed the on-field work in the spring. The team has the luxury of bringing him along slowly, letting him learn from Rodgers and Taylor, who have 32 years of combined experience. The only other quarterback on the roster is Peewee Jarrett, an undrafted rookie from Division II West Florida.

Coach Robert Saleh said the Jets view Travis as “a ball of clay,” a player with exciting potential who needs to polish his throwing mechanics and footwork.

“I think he hasn’t even scratched the surface,” Saleh said. “He was winning games, doing things that were just pure athleticism. If we could tie in the football part to it, I think we’ve got ourselves a pretty damn good football player.

THIS AND THAT

BRADY ROASTED

We’re not sure why he agreed to it, but Tom Brady allowed himself to be brutally roasted by a gaggle of people from his past and some professional comedians.  Chad Graff of The Athletic does a good job of compiling the lowest blows from roasters that included Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft:

They certainly didn’t pull any punches.

In a live show on Netflix that lasted over three hours, a roast of Tom Brady didn’t spare any jokes at the expense of the seven-time Super Bowl winner. Everything from his divorce from Gisele Bündchen, Spygate, Deflategate and Brady’s relationship with Alex Guerrero were all on the table.

“Before I got to the New England Patriots, we heard about Spygate. Then after I left, we heard about Deflategate,” Randy Moss said. “So I only got one question for you, Tom: ’Why the f— didn’t we cheat when I was there?! I wanted to cheat, too. My kids always ask me, ‘Daddy, why does everyone have a ring but you?’ You know how hard it is to look your kids in the eyes and say, ‘They just don’t trust me enough to cheat’?”

A wide array of former teammates and comedians spent a few hours trading barbs with each other — but especially Brady.

“A lot of people assume I have a lot of animosity toward Tom Brady,” Drew Bledsoe joked. “So I’m here tonight in front of millions of people to tell you — they’re correct.”

And then, toward the end of the night, Bill Belichick, the uber-serious, seldom-joking former head coach of the Patriots, crushed with a 10-minute set.

“People have said it — Tom and I butted heads a lot,” Belichick said, setting up his joke. “And in a way that was true. But it was hard to butt heads with Tom — because he was so far up Alex Guerrero’s ass.”

At first, Brady sat in good spirits and tried to laugh off the relentless (and often ruthless) jokes — even if there were some uncomfortable moments. Here are some of the highlights from the roast.

Jokes from Brady’s former teammates (and Belichick)

Moss: “Even though we didn’t win it all, I still got everything that I wanted because I got to play with the greatest quarterback that ever lived. And for three years — it was a short time — we scared the entire National Football League. Tom, you’re still my quarterback — even though you did not want me to be your accomplice.”

Bledsoe: “There were rumors that coach (Bill) Belichick was going to be here tonight. Turns out he has some time on his hands. At least when I got fired, somebody else wanted me.”

Belichick: “I’m honored to be here at the roast of Tom Brady on Netflix. Not to be confused with the roast of Bill Belichick on the 10-part Apple-TV series.”

Julian Edelman: “Alex Guerrero is the snake oil salesman that turned Tom into a complete weirdo.”

Rob Gronkowski on the similarities between Brady and Belichick: “You’re both hard asses that hate fun. You both live and breathe football. Neither of you are married anymore. You’re both even divorced from football — and both of you take full credit for the dynasty.”

Howe: It was never Bill Belichick or Tom Brady: They carried the Pats to glory together

Best one-liners from the comedians

Comedian Jeff Ross: “Tom was drafted 199th in the NFL draft. He sat there for days waiting and waiting and was finally picked in the sixth round when Bill Belichick’s dog stepped on the keyboard by accident.”

Nikki Glaser: “You have seven rings — well, eight now that Giselle gave hers back.”

Some uncomfortable moments

It wasn’t all just laughs. It seemed Brady learned pretty quickly that this wasn’t going to be some light-hearted, good-natured ribbing. That started with Kevin Hart’s opening monologue, which went heavy on jokes about Bündchen and her reported new boyfriend, who has a background in jiu-jitsu.

But the most awkward moment may have been after Ross made a joke about Robert Kraft and massages. Afterward, Brady stood up from his seat and seemed to say to Ross, “Don’t say that s— again.”

Belichick’s roast

The best set of the night probably goes to Glaser, though Belichick’s bit was great and hit on everyone from comedians (joking that Hart can’t say no to an opportunity) to Danny Amendola’s career highlights (that’s “what Randy would call a decent first half”) to, of course, Brady (“Really, Tom, why are all these people so hard on you? Do you miss me?” Belichick joked.)

With Belichick back in the fold, he opened himself up to ribbing, including from Edelman who noted that Belichick for several years used to say in team meetings that players at Foxboro High School could’ve done what the Patriots messed up.

“(Now) Foxboro High is the only job offer you have,” Edelman said. “… Do your job? More like need a job, coach.”

Robert Kraft’s quips

With the rift between Kraft and Belichick well known, the Pats owner figured he’d quickly address it when he got the mic while Belichick was seated next to Edelman on stage.

“Like many family reunions, there’s some people here I’m desperately trying to avoid — coach Belichick, good to see you,” Kraft joked.

Then he turned toward Brady’s impending purchase of a share of the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Tom, good luck buying the Raiders,” he said. “They did your favorite thing for you already — they got rid of Jimmy Garoppolo.”

And in a turn that would’ve been nearly impossible to foresee (and at the urging of Hart), Kraft and Belichick took a shot together while Kraft praised Belichick as the greatest coach of all time.

How did Brady take the roasting?

Finally, at the end of a long night with some brutal jokes, Brady cracked a few jokes of his own while displaying a cocky version of himself fitting of a roast.

He said that Gronkowski was a great tight for the Patriots —“Although the bar for Patriots tight ends was pretty low back then.” He joked that the NFL could’ve saved the $20 million it spent on Deflategate “and I would’ve just told you I f—-ing did it.” And Brady added that he’s trying to buy a share of the Raiders because, “I’m tired of owning just the Colts and the Bills.”

At the end, Brady turned toward Belichick, the coach with whom he’s had a turbulent relationship.

“I’ve been out of the game for a minute so I’m curious,” Brady said, “how many Super Bowls have you won since I left? … When I go to the Indy 500 I don’t ask, ‘Hey, who gassed up your car.’”

BROADCAST NEWS

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com with news of ESPN/ABC’s plans for 2024:

Hollywood strikes provided an unexpected boost for Monday Night Football in 2024, with all games simulcast on ABC and ESPN.

This year, that won’t be happening.

Via LarryBrownsSports.com, John Ourand of Puck recently reported that MNF will return to its pre-labor unrest schedule, with only five or six games simulcast on ABC and three exclusive ABC games. (The exclusive games presumably will be part of overlapping of simultaneous doubleheaders, which some love and others — me included — do not.)

The end result will be smaller audiences for Monday Night Football.

How it’s presented will be a different issue. The P.R. pros at Disney, whose primary job duties are to put out fires and spin ratings, might try to compare ESPN apples to apples for the non-simulcast weeks. Those numbers generally will be higher, however, since anyone who would have watched on ABC in 2023 will have to watch on ESPN in 2024. Another strategy would be to compare 2024 to 2022, treating 2023 like the aberration it was. (Of course, it wasn’t an aberration last year, when Disney was touting the year-over-year gains without clearly pointing out oh-by-the-way-last-year-the-comparable-game-wasn’t-on-a-three-letter-broadcast-network-too.)

The biggest question could be the impact of the non-simulcasts on the ManningCast, a media darling that frankly isn’t a needle mover. Everyone in the business is required by force of international law to believe the ManningCast is the greatest TV innovation since the remote control. The numbers do not support that view.

And the numbers have been slipping.

The other bump this year could come from Bill Belichick’s recurring appearances. Whiile it’s not easy to calculate the number of times we’ll see a part-time contributor to a part-time show, people who don’t watch the ManningCast because they prefer, you know, the actual game could be more inclined to get real-time insights from one of the greatest coaches who ever lived. Which will be far better than hearing low-hanging “catch the ball!” commentary from whatever celebrity happens to be a fan of one of the two teams.

ST. LOUIS SERVES NOTICE

Mike Florio notes that the most successful UFL team in terms of attendance is in St. Louis under coach Anthony Becht:

The UFL is struggling to put fans in the stands in seven of the cities where it plays. In one, the stands are packed.

For the third time in three home games, the St. Louis Battlehawks attracted more than 30,000 fans.

Via Mike Mitchell of SI.com, 32,969 showed up for Saturday’s 22-8 win over the Houston Roughnecks. It was the fifth win in a row for the Battlehawks.

Separately, 38,559 went to a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium on Saturday.

It raises the question of whether St. Louis should have an NFL team again. In 1960, St. Louis attracted the Cardinals from Chicago. After the Cardinals left for Arizona in 1988, St. Louis got the Rams to come to Missouri in 1995. Twenty years later — after persistent lying by the Rams and the NFL regarding the team’s intentions — the Rams went back to L.A. And St. Louis secured a $790 million settlement due in part to the tangled web of untruths.

More time might need to pass before the NFL would ever want to return to St. Louis, because anyone that ever has to pay that kind of money finds a way to blame someone other than themselves for the outcome. In turn, St. Louis might not yet be in the mood to welcome back the NFL, given its experience in the final days with the Rams.

At some point, St. Louis should be an option. Especially if St. Louis loves football enough to support the devotion of taxpayer money to the construction of a stadium.

They were willing to do it with the Rams, but owner Stan Kroenke was hellbent on moving to L. A. They might not be willing to do it again, in part because no city currently seems to be willing to do it.

Regardless, if the NFL wants to play in a place where asses will be in seats, it needs to be taking St. Louis seriously.

2024 DRAFT

More draft grades, the top three and bottom three from

Best NFL Draft Classes of 2024:

Nate Davis, USA Today

Chicago Bears: A+

Nate Davis writes, “[The Bears] got this draft’s best player, USC QB Caleb Williams, off the top and – perhaps – its next best in Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9. Kudos to GM Ryan Poles for the forward-looking trade of the No. 1 pick last year to Carolina, a deal that ultimately netted the franchise-shifting selection of Williams – opportunity being the convergence of luck and preparation and all that.”

Pittsburgh Steelers: A+

“After HC Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan upgraded their quarterback options via Groupon during free agency, the team proceeded to conduct what looks like a monster rookie haul. Top picks Troy Fautanu (Round 1, Washington) and Zach Frazier (Round 2, West Virginia) – along with 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones – should immediately remediate an offensive line that will be expected to refuel the run game new OC Arthur Smith will doubtless lean on.”

Philadelphia Eagles: A

“They got, arguably, the draft’s best defensive back (Toledo first-rounder Quinyon Mitchell). They got, arguably, the draft’s most athletic and versatile defensive back (Iowa second-rounder Cooper DeJean). Third-rounder pass rusher Jalyx Hunt is an intriguing project, and fourth-round Clemson RB Will Shipley could maximize the plays Saquon Barkley takes off. Michigan G Trevor Keegan and Florida State WR Johnny Wilson are high-ceiling Day 3 picks, and fifth-round Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. puts the cherry on top with the sentimental homecoming factor … at a position that’s seemingly been unsettled since dad left.”

Danny Kelly, The Ringer

Chicago Bears: A+

Danny Kelly writes, “Chicago nabbed a potential franchise cornerstone in quarterback Caleb Williams (my top-ranked player) with the top overall pick before turning around and getting Williams a long-term no. 1 receiver in Rome Odunze (my no. 6 player overall) with the ninth pick.”

Arizona Cardinals: A+

“The team made the right choice in sticking and picking at no. 4 overall to take receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is my second-ranked player overall. Harrison will be a force multiplier for the offense and give Kyler Murray a true no. 1 target for years to come. Arizona turned around later in the first round and grabbed a long and powerful defensive lineman in Darius Robinson, who brings versatility and disruptiveness to their defensive front.”

Philadelphia Eagles: A+

“Philly somehow managed to land Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (my no. 12 player) at 22nd overall before turning around in the second round and trading up to nab Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean (my no. 17 player) at 40th overall. Not shabby!”

Leger Douzable, CBS Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers: A+

Douzable writes, “This was a home run draft, and every pick they made just screamed Steelers. First-round offensive lineman Troy Fautanu will make an immediate impact.”

Washington Commanders: A+

“Jayden Daniels is the most dynamic QB in this draft. Getting Johnny Newton and Mike Sainristil in the second round were home run picks. Watch out for the Commanders this year.”

Los Angeles Rams: A+

“The Rams have locked in their starters on D-line for the next 3-4 years with the Florida State duo of Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.”

Worst NFL Draft Classes of 2024:

Nate Davis, USA Today

Cleveland Browns: D

Nate Davis writes, “View the deal however you choose, but they’ve finally paid off their Watson debt…though its aftermath continues to loom over the franchise from football, financial and fan-relation vantage points. The top picks they made – second-round DT Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State) and third-round G Zak Zinter (Michigan) – don’t seem ready to contribute meaningfully in 2024, Zinter recovering from a major leg injury and parked behind established Pro Bowl guards (Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller) anyway.”

Dallas Cowboys: D

“An organization that’s allegedly ‘all in’ uses its first-rounder on a tackle (Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton) with tremendous upside but who may or may not be ready to play immediately. And while Dallas needed help in the trenches (second-round DE Marshawn Kneeland, third-round G Cooper Beebe) and potentially filled a hole with third-round Notre Dame LB Marist Liufau, what’s the plan at tailback? Run it back with Ezekiel Elliott? All…in?”

Tennessee Titans: D

“Not their fault that the Chargers took Alt two spots ahead of them, but could they have moved back and added assets rather than sticking and picking Alabama OT JC Latham? The risk is magnified by the decision to move him to second-year QB Will Levis’ blind side – Latham played exclusively on the right side in Tuscaloosa – though if anyone is going to make it work, it’s legendary O-line coach Bill Callahan. Second-round DT T’Vondre Sweat could be a reach personally and professionally – very possibly a limited two-down player who can’t get onto the field to affect games late.”

Danny Kelly, The Ringer

Carolina Panthers: D+

Kelly writes, “Carolina traded up into the first round to take my 81st-ranked player at no. 32, landing a raw-but-explosive pass catcher in Xavier Legette. Carolina nabbed my second-ranked running back in Jonathan Brooks in the second round, and he should be a solid addition for them and give the team a future three-down playmaker at the position. They took a toolsy linebacker in Trevin Wallace in the third, then nabbed a chess piece tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders in the fourth. I did like that Carolina traded back in the second round to pick up an extra second rounder in 2025 from the Rams, but I can’t help but feel very underwhelmed by this haul.”

New York Jets: C

“The Jets did the right thing, avoiding the siren song of a playmaker like Brock Bowers and instead drafting a position of massive need with my top-ranked tackle, Olu Fashanu, picking up a couple of Day 3 picks next year by trading down one spot with the Vikings. Past that pick, I’m skeptical about the value New York picked up the rest of the draft.”

Green Bay Packers: C

“The Packers hit for contact in this draft—adding a couple of potential future starters at positions of need—but I’m not sure I see any home run picks.”

Leger Douzable, CBS Sports

New York Giants: D

Douzable writes, “Not taking a QB will haunt the Giants, but getting Malik Nabers [at 6] is a good consolation prize.”

Las Vegas Raiders: D

“Taking Brock Bowers [in the first round] made no sense. Also the Raiders didn’t take a shot at a QB.”

Denver Broncos: D

“Taking Bo Nix at 12 was a reach. Also, not taking a WR until the fourth round was concerning, even though it was Nix’s teammate in Troy Franklin.”