CHICAGO

However they were picked, rookie QB CALEB WILLIAMS is one of eight, yes eight, Bears captains.  Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com:

The Chicago Bears named eight captains for the 2024 season Monday, including rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

The selection process for team captains has historically been based on player voting. The No. 1 draft pick is the first rookie to earn the distinction since Bears coach Matt Eberflus was hired in 2022 and is believed to be the only first-year player in franchise history to be named a season-long captain since the team officially began appointing captains in 2007.

Williams’ leadership has been a hot topic throughout the offseason after the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner replaced quarterback Justin Fields, who was traded to Pittsburgh in March. The rookie’s ability to win over the locker room since arriving in May is among the highlights of his early Bears career for general manager Ryan Poles.

“It’s fairly natural,” Poles noted of Williams’ leadership. “It’s not forced. We’ve all been in teams before, but like there’s people that come into those situations and they try too hard. It’s like, man, it’s awkward. It’s hard to buy into that. Then there’s guys that they can navigate that so naturally because they’re authentic and it’s real, and that’s what he’s done. Then on top of that, just as a professional player, you have to perform, you have to do some things that guys [are] like, ‘OK, there’s something different about you.’ And then pair that with a good natural, just good social skills, some cool things happen and then leadership starts to blossom and that’s what you see now.”

Williams is among the youngest on the Bears roster to be named captain, while 40-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis is the oldest. Wide receiver DJ Moore, tight end Cole Kmet, linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Kevin Byard III were also selected.

PHILADELPHIA

The Eagles captains do not include WR DAVONTA SMITH.

Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith had a “C” on his jersey last year. This year, he won’t.

A captain in 2023, Smith has been omitted from the 2024 roster recently announced by the team.

The seven captains for 2024 are receiver A.J. Brown, kicker Jake Elliott, defensive end Brandon Graham, quarterback Jalen Hurts, tackle Lane Johnson, tackle Jordan Mailata, and cornerback Darius Slay.

On Sunday, coach Nick Sirianni was asked about the omission of Smith.

“There were a lot of guys that got votes,” Sirianni said. “I had to go with the guys that got the most votes there. Just because DeVonta didn’t have as many votes as some of the other guys does not mean he’s not still a leader on this football team.

“That goes for a lot of guys. That goes for Saquon [Barkley], who has been a captain for many years [with the Giants]. Again, Chauncey [Gardner-Johnson], all these guys. So just because they aren’t the captain and have the ‘C’ on their chest doesn’t mean they’re not the leaders of this football team. You just can only have so many.”

Last year, the Eagles had nine captains. Sirianni acknowledged that they had “a couple too many.”

“Where do you cut it off?” Sirianni said. “It’s always a tricky thing. There are a lot of guys deserving of it.”

NEW ORLEANS

With the addition of Randy Mueller, the Saints current GM Mickey Loomis now has three former GMs working for him.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Randy Mueller is returning to the Saints.

Jeff Duncan of nola.com reports that the Saints are hiring their former General Manager as a full-time advisor in the team’s front office.

Mueller served as the Saints’ GM from 2000-01 and later was the GM of the Dolphins from 2005-07. He most recently was director of player personnel with the Seattle Sea Dragons.

He joins his longtime friend, current General Manager Mickey Loomis, in the front office working primarily in the club’s pro and college scouting departments and assisting in strategic planning initiatives, according to Duncan.

Mueller advised the Saints unofficially during the NFL draft and he attended the team’s training camp in Irvine, California, earlier this month.

He becomes the third former General Manager in the Saints’ front office, joining Dave Ziegler and Jeff Ireland. Ziegler, hired as a senior personnel advisor earlier this year, was the Raiders’ General Manager from 2022-23. Ireland, who is the Saints’ director of college scouting and assistant GM, was the Dolphins’ GM from 2008-13.

TAMPA BAY

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on the peace and happiness permeating QB BAKER MAYFIELD as he leads the Buccaneers into 2024:

It was almost game time, and the uniform had to look just right. The trademark black headband was stretched tight. The white shirt fit snugly, with “MAYFIELD” stenciled above the familiar No. 6.

Baker Mayfield lifted his 4½-month-old baby girl, Kova Jade, and lightly kissed her on the forehead.

Dressed like her famous quarterback father, daddy’s girl stole the spotlight before the Bucs played the Dolphins Aug. 23 in their final preseason game.

“It’s very sweet, and he is wrapped around her finger, and he’s been saying that since she was born,” said Mayfield’s wife, Emily. “But now that she’s giggling and staring at him and now she just started doing that lower-lip thing, and he’s so screwed when that happens. He’s natural. He really is a natural.”

Mayfield has always been poised under pressure, although he admits he’ll need some adjustments to his schedule this season.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s unbelievable. Obviously, I have to be more time-efficient with work and get everything done so I can come home before bedtime. Yeah, it will look different, but it’s so awesome to see so many teammates with families. It’s fun to watch.

“Moms are superheroes, and it’s fun to have a little extra motivation. It’s the reason why I’m doing it. If I’m doing anything, I’m going to give it 110%. But now, it’s setting an example.”

A year ago, Mayfield joined his fourth team in 18 months when he signed a one-year, $4 million, prove-it deal with the Bucs. He had to win the starting job in a battle with Kyle Trask, then win enough games to resurrect his vagabond career. Since 2022, Baker and Emily had lived in Cleveland, Charlotte and Los Angeles before moving to Tampa.

Had he not won last season, Mayfield says he likely would have been fighting for a No. 2 job somewhere.

“Honestly, winning is the most important thing for a quarterback,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how you get it done. It doesn’t matter what it looks like. However you get that done, however you get that turned around from where we were at is the most important part.”

To complicate matters, Mayfield was replacing Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time who had led the Bucs to three straight playoff appearances, two NFC South titles and a Super Bowl 55 championship.

n some ways, Mayfield was the perfect quarterback for it. For starters, he has always met the moment. He walked on as a true freshman at Texas Tech and started seven games, playing well enough to be named the Big 12 Conference’s offensive freshman of the year.

Then he transferred to Oklahoma with plans to walk on with the Sooners. He not only won the job, he won the Heisman Trophy and went on to become the No. 1 overall pick by the Browns in 2018.

But Mayfield was also some things Brady was not. For starters, he was 17 years younger. Although he had achieved some renown as an NFL quarterback and from those “At Home with Baker Mayfield” Progressive insurance commercials, he wasn’t married to an international supermodel or filling up tabloid covers.

The truth is, while Brady put a Super Bowl ring on everyone’s finger, he wasn’t much fun to be around during his final season. The Bucs started 3-5, his messy divorce became final and he left the team during training camp for 11 days.

“I mean, obviously following Tom is hard,” said left tackle Tristan Wirfs, Mayfield’s best friend on the team. “But I think that’s what he kind of used to his advantage.

“We couldn’t hang out with Tom. I mean, me and (center Robert) Hainsey didn’t go hang out with Tom. We didn’t go to dinner with him. It’s no knock on him, it’s just that Tom is a celebrity and a superstar. Just being able to hang out with Baker outside the facility and do things together, for us, it was something we didn’t have before and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome. This is fun.’”

Head coach Todd Bowles knew what he was getting in Mayfield, having struck an accord with him prior to 2018 draft. Bowles knew Mayfield wasn’t the brash, sometimes mouthy kid he once hoped would fall to his Jets team with the third overall pick.

Mayfield had grown up since then. Battled through injury. Won a playoff game, then went on a league tour.

“The league humbles you and you mature, and he sees things the right way,” Bowles said.” But sometimes you’re just in the wrong system. It wasn’t all his fault. It was a mix of everybody. I saw the system we had in place, and I knew he could be himself.

“And he was the complete opposite of Tom, which is a good thing. Because if you get somebody similar, they’re going to be comparing him and you’re screwed. He came in the first day, he was himself. We made him feel at home, and he made us feel comfortable and he was working from Day 1.””

Mayfield’s chameleon nature may at times be intentional, but it isn’t forced. It also was instrumental in helping keep the team together when a 3-1 start was followed by six losses over the next seven games.

Mayfield continued to improve. A lot rested on his right arm, since the team was last in the league in rushing for the second straight season. He also was saddled with a first-time play-caller in offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

“You really saw the leadership in the middle of that dip,” Mayfield said. “It was, like, just a few plays here or there that could’ve gone either way, but to get out of that is hard. And for the guys that haven’t been in that before, you don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. We took it one game at a time, and that’s when you really saw the leadership step up and the team came together. We found our identity.”

Mayfield finished the season with career highs in passing yards (4,044), touchdowns (28) and completion percentage (64.3), and the Bucs won the NFC South with a 9-8 record. Despite badly damaged ribs, he led the Bucs to a 9-0 victory at Carolina in the season finale to clinch the division title.

Mayfield passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns the next week in a wild-card win over the Eagles. He then helped the Bucs drag the Lions into the fourth quarter tied before a season-ending loss in the division round.

When the Bucs walked out of Ford Field in Detroit in January, they were emotionally conflicted. Proud of their accomplishments, because so many pundits had dismissed them. But disappointed that they were about 13 minutes from having a chance to play to go to the Super Bowl.

Mayfield, who was due to become a free agent, also faced another offseason of uncertainty. The Bucs wanted to secure their future with Wirfs, receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., linebacker Lavonte David and others.

“For us, it was a matter of timing,” Mayfield said. “In the moment, yes, I wanted to get the deal done. But being on the business side of this thing a couple times and on the bad end of it, you want to make sure you get taken care of. So for me, yeah, I was a little anxious. But I wasn’t worried.

“I knew that based on 2023, getting a fresh start in Tampa, I knew that I had put enough stuff on tape. I knew that I was a starter, but now I knew that other people viewed it the same way. I wasn’t worried, but I wanted it to be Tampa. I knew the culture and that was a place where I could be myself. Genuinely.”

Mayfield in March was rewarded with a three-year, $100 million deal. He and Emily have a home on Davis Islands, remarkably just a block away from where Brady lived in Derek Jeter’s former mansion.

Will Mayfield lose his edge? Bucs general manager Jason Licht makes sure when he or anyone reads a story underestimating the Bucs or their quarterback, it gets sent to Mayfield. Fuel for a distant fire.

Emily is happy, Kova Jade is healthy. “We lucked out,” Emily said. “We are in love with the city. We are so excited to raise our girl here. It’s nice, to have a house year-round.”

And now, Mayfield has another reason for his madcap style of play: a lesson for his daughter.

“If you want something, just go get it,” he said. “Fight for it until you achieve your dreams.”

SAN FRANCISCO

Miraculaously, WR RICKY PEARSALL took a bullet to the chest, the chest, and is out of the hospital the next day.  ESPN.com:

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was shot in the chest Saturday afternoon during an attempted robbery in central San Francisco, was released from the hospital Sunday.

Pearsall, 23, had been listed as “serious but stable condition” on Saturday and upgraded to “fair condition” earlier Sunday before being released from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

Pearsall’s mother said Sunday in a social media post that the bullet exited out her son’s back and missed his vital organs, adding that he is “extremely lucky.”

The suspect, a 17-year old male from Tracy, California, was arrested Saturday, according to San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.

Pearsall was walking alone shortly after 3:30 p.m. Saturday when a suspect attempted to rob him with a gun on Geary Boulevard in the Union Square area.

According to the San Francisco Fire Department, a 911 call at 3:38 p.m. PT reported shots fired at the corner of Geary and Grant streets, a block away from San Francisco’s Union Square. Police arrived shortly after.

Pearsall was signing autographs at an event center earlier in the afternoon and had headed to Union Square afterward, according to ABC 7 San Francisco.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, a physical altercation between Pearsall and the suspect ensued during the attempted robbery and both were injured. Pearsall and the suspect were later transported to San Francisco General Hospital.

“A struggle between Mr. Pearsall and the suspect ensued and gunfire from the suspect’s gun struck both Mr. Pearsall and the subject,” Scott said Saturday during a news briefing.

The condition of the alleged gunman was not immediately disclosed.

Scott said there was “no indication” that the suspect had targeted Pearsall because he is a professional football player and added that there was one gun involved with multiple shots fired during the attempted robbery. Scott said that the suspect was acting alone “as far as we know” but said that the many surveillance cameras in the area would be checked as the investigation continues.

Scott said Pearsall had been alert enough to speak to police about the shooting but there would be further dialogue as Pearsall recovers.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said a charging decision on the suspect, whom she noted is a juvenile, will be made Tuesday or Wednesday.

“Thankfully, our hard-working officers made a swift arrest in this case and we will do everything within our power to ensure justice is served,” Scott said in a statement.

Pearsall was drafted in the first round in April by the 49ers with the 31st pick but has been slowed by injuries since joining the team. He missed time during training camp because of hamstring and shoulder issues before returning to practice this past week with a noncontact blue jersey while his shoulder heals.

Pearsall began his college career at Arizona State and transferred to Florida for his final two seasons. He had 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Gators and finished his college career with 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 TDs.

The Niners have hoped Pearsall could contribute as a rookie as a backup to starters Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel Sr.

“He’s good …Thank god,” Samuel posted to X about Pearsall following the shooting.

Aidin Vaziri and Catherine Ho of the San Francisco Chronicle try to explain how he survived, without any mention of divine intervention:

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was released from San Francisco General Hospital less than 24 hours after being shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in Union Square on Saturday afternoon.

It’s a lucky outcome for people shot in the chest, doctors say — and a reflection, in part, on the course of the bullet, which avoided major organs.

The bullet went through his chest and out the back, according to a since-deleted Facebook post by the athlete’s mother Erin Pearsall. “Thanks be to GOD it missed his vital organs,” she wrote.

It appears Pearsall managed to escape injury to the heart and spine, two of the most serious injuries from gunshot wounds to the chest. In a video from the scene on Saturday, he was seen clutching a large bandage on the right side of his chest as he walked to the ambulance. A responding SFPD officer had helped keep him calm and cover the wound in the minutes after the shooting. He was in serious but stable condition when admitted to the hospital, according to the 49ers.

Surviving a gunshot wound to the chest involves several critical factors. These include the bullet’s trajectory, the firearm used, the speed of medical response, and the victim’s overall health. Injuries to the chest can damage crucial structures such as the heart, lungs, or major blood vessels, making timely and effective trauma care essential.

It seems that Pearsall’s first reaction was to resist the attempt to take his Rolex, he wrestled with the thief and the perpetrator was able to be captured due to the wounds inflicted in his struggle with Pearsall.  The Chronicle’s Rachel Swan wonders if that was the right choice:

Police investigating the attack on San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall believe he fought back against a gunman — a move that defies the advice often given by law enforcement to submit to an armed person’s demands.

But some public safety experts who spoke with the Chronicle said it’s difficult to second-guess Pearsall’s actions in a complicated, fast-moving situation.

“You need to go with your gut,” said former Oakland and San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer.

A teenage boy had tried to rob the star athlete Saturday outside luxury stores in busy Union Square, apparently targeting him for an expensive watch. The teen, who police identified as a 17-year-old from Tracy, confronted Pearsall as he carried shopping bags to a car. In the ensuing scuffle Pearsall was shot in the chest, while the boy was shot and wounded by his own handgun before police arrived and arrested him.

Both the NFL player and the boy were treated at  San Francisco General Hospital, from which Pearsall was released Sunday. A bullet had entered and exited his body without harming any vital organs, according to his mother.

How the exchange unfolded, and escalated so quickly, remains unclear. Many agree it could have ended much worse.

While police gather evidence, some observers have already praised Pearsall for reacting quickly in a moment of intense stress. Others try to be circumspect – if all a person wants is a watch, it’s better to cooperate and emerge peacefully, public safety officials say.

“If it’s about a Rolex, then forget it – don’t risk your life over a piece of property,” Manheimer said. ”But we don’t know what Pearsall felt the threat was, or what was going through his mind in that moment. Maybe he thought he was going to get shot even after giving up (the watch). Maybe the suspect was nervous. Maybe a big crowd was forming. These things go sideways and south all the time.”

Pearsall, a “trained professional tackler,” was “probably doing what he does in practice every day,” Manheimer added: “defending himself and getting away.”

Manheimer was also once the victim of a robbery, by a man who held a knife to her then-two-year-old daughter’s neck and demanded money, she said. Like Pearsall, she had to act in a split-second – by throwing $1 bills on the ground to distract the perpetrator, so that she could grab her daughter and flee.

“There’s so much information that your brain is processing in a millisecond,” said Lt. Tracy McCray, president of the San Francisco Police Officers’ Association. McCray and others noted that victims of surprise attacks may not be aware of all the calculations they are making, assessing their surroundings and the attacker’s demeanor. Tiny details matter.

“Normally if someone has a gun, you say, ‘yes, take my wallet,’” said Don Cameron, a Martinez-based police trainer in use-of-force. “But maybe the guy looks hinky and the gun is shaking back and forth. Then you have to make a snap decision.”

Retired San Francisco police captain Croce Casciato echoed that point.

“A lot of self-defense classes will talk about fighting back in the appropriate circumstances,” he said. Casciato noted, however, that in a fight-or-flight scenario, victims don’t have time to think about whether they can physically overpower an attacker.

“It’s just instinctive,” he said.

Emotions play in as well, said McCray, who has seen people respond angrily when they are robbed.

“Definitely the norm has changed,” McCray said. “It used to be, ‘Give up your stuff, live to see another day. Now it’s more, ‘How dare you?’”

– – –

Back to football as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com turns his attention to the hold out of T TRENT WILLIAMS:

The 49ers had a hold-in, and a holdout. The hold-in has signed his new contract. The holdout remains out of pocket, a week before Week 1.

Will the 49ers, after finally getting receiver Brandon Aiyuk signed, get tackle Trent Williams back in the fold?

On August 21, coach Kyle Shanahan said of the talks with Williams, “Hopefully, it’s getting close.” At about the same time, former Williams teammate in Washington, DeSean Jackson, strongly suggested that Williams would be showing up soon.

As August has become September, Williams still hasn’t agreed to terms.

Rarely will players under contract skip game checks. Williams once sat out an entire season, due to his discontent with Washington. He has shown he’s not one to bluff. He’s proven that, when he takes a stand, he stands firm.

Williams is due to make $20.05 million this year. As new-money average goes, he’s currently sixth among all tackles, at $23 million. With three years left on his contract, he has no remaining guarantees.

Of course, if he’s on the Week 1 active roster, his 2024 salary becomes essentially guaranteed, due to the CBA rules for vested veterans. If he’d be released at any point during the season, he’d be entitled to the full amount of his salary, as termination pay.

This shows it’s about more than guaranteed money, at least for 2024. It’s about dollars, too. And the 49ers haven’t offered him enough.

After the Aiyuk deal was done, some suggested that the 49ers had focused on the receiver and would now turn their attention to Williams. Beyond ignoring the fact that the 49ers had been talking to Williams, that message presumes the front office can’t negotiate two deals at the same time.

They can. They have. As to Williams, they haven’t done enough to get him to show up. Without him, 2021 fifth-round Jaylon Moore would step in. He might hold his own, but he’s not Trent Williams. And if the 49ers hope to finally win their sixth Super Bowl exactly 30 years after their last one, they’ll need Williams.

Williams knows it. More importantly, he’s willing to stay away until he gets what he wants.If that means he doesn’t play at all this year, well, he’s already shown that he’s willing and able to do it.

KANSAS CITY

Patrick Mahomes says that Taylor Swift is all-in on mastering football.  Mike Puleo in The Athletic:

With a mastermind play designer in coach Andy Reid, the Kansas City Chiefs haven’t been lacking in creative offensive calls. But if they ever need another, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes thinks Taylor Swift could be of some help.

“She’s really interested in football, and she asks a lot of great questions. She’s already drawing up plays, so we might have to put one in,” Mahomes joked in an interview with NBC.

Swift, of course, is more likely to continue filling her role of superfan, rather than offensive coordinator, thanks to her relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift rose to Kansas City supporter stardom last season as her private box appearances drew national attention, often alongside Mahomes’ wife Brittany.

But the 14-time Grammy Award winner and a 40-time American Music Award winner isn’t a casual girlfriend observer, Mahomes said.

Swift’s a diehard, and Mahomes loves it.

“I think it’s been cool to see the girls and the women that have really embraced watching football,” Mahomes said. “I know being a girl dad, how cool it is for me to see like these little girls — these daughters — and how much they’re loving to spend time with their dad, watching football.

“And then meeting Taylor, realizing how genuine and cool she is. I think that’s been special to me because she’s, like you said, the most famous person in the world, she could not be (genuine).”

Mahomes’ praise of Swift came during a 25-minute conversation with Chris Simms previewing the Chiefs’ season and reflecting on the quarterback’s career.

When the topic of Swift was brought up at the end of the interview, Mahomes credited Reid’s locker-room management style for helping the team embrace the increased exposure while staying focused on football.

The two-time MVP quarterback also praised Kelce’s genuineness and unwavering hard work for leading the team. That Mahomes-Kelce leadership duo has paid off in the form of three Super Bowl rings for Kansas City and near-certain Hall of Fame plaques in their post-retirement futures.

But when it comes to who will be making the final calls on Chiefs play calls, Kansas City fans don’t have to worry about Reid being usurped by any pop star. Mahomes had nothing but enthusiastic acclaim for his legendary coach.

BALTIMORE

The Ravens haven’t forgotten that they lost the AFC Championship Game at home – as they prepare to invade Kansas City on Thursday night.  Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

The Ravens were the best team in the NFL during the 2023 regular season, but that came to an end when the Chiefs came to Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game and upset the Ravens on the way to their second consecutive championship. Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith is eager to show on Thursday night who the better team really is.

Smith said the Ravens are excited about the huge platform they’ll have in the opening Thursday night games, one of the most-watched games of the season every year, and he and his teammates plan to impress.

“What way to have a bigger show than when the whole entire world is watching you? Regardless of what happened last year, that’s last year. This is a completely new season,” Smith said. “The whole world is going to be watching, people from all over. I’m very excited about our defense, and our offense, special teams as well, to put a show on in front of the entire world, and look good while we’re doing it.”

The Chiefs are attempting a historic Super Bowl three-peat, but the Ravens can make a statement by going to Kansas City and pulling off the upset.

INDIANAPOLIS

The Colts season rests on whether or not QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON is ready.  Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com:

The Indianapolis Colts’ 2024 season hinges on quarterback Anthony Richardson. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft flashed his potential as a rookie in four starts, but a shoulder injury ended his first NFL season prematurely. After an up-and-down performance against vanilla defenses in the preseason, what should Colts fans be expecting in 2024?

The talent Richardson possesses is evident — and he’s 6-feet-4, 244 pounds. The former Florida broke QB athletic records at the NFL Scouting Combine, and became just the fourth player in NFL history to throw three touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in his first four career games. The other players were Daunte Culpepper, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III.

So, is Richardson going to be Newton or RG3? Or maybe something in between? There’s considerable hype around Richardson entering his second season, and what happens over the next four months will directly affect how we view him as a franchise quarterback. Should the Colts and their fans have some concern mixed in with that optimism?

Can he develop quick enough?

Despite some of the splashy plays in 2023, Richardson was not the most polished thrower of the football. That’s expected from any rookie, but the 22-year-old is one of the most raw first-round quarterbacks we’ve ever seen. He made six starts in high school, 13 in college and then just four in his first professional season.

Richardson completed just 53.8% of his passes in his final collegiate season and completed 59.5% of his passes in 2023. The issue isn’t arm power, but accuracy and consistency on touch throws. Richardson has shown the ability to convert the tough throws every starting quarterback needs to make, but it’s clearly a work in progress. He attempted just 84 passes in four games, but Richardson’s 21% bad throw percentage ranked second-worst among all quarterbacks who started Week 1 in 2023 (h/t Pro Football Reference).

I’m sure you saw the headlines about the Cincinnati Bengals taunting Richardson during their joint practices. Telling him to stop holding the ball and throw it. Asking if “all he does is run?” and that he “doesn’t see his receivers.” While joint practices are full of this kind of talk, some of those criticisms ring true.

In Richardson’s first preseason action against the Denver Broncos, he completed 2 of 4 passes for 25 yards. On his first drive, Richardson threw a bad pass ahead of tight end Kylen Granson that should have been picked off by Damarri Mathis. On his second drive, Richardson threw another bad pass to Granson on third down, this time behind him on a crossing route, which prohibited the tight end from making it across the sticks for a first down. The Colts picked up 30 yards on the seven plays Richardson ran at quarterback.

Against the Bengals in preseason Week 2, Richardson completed 7 of 8 passes for 65 yards and completed an easy underneath touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell on his first possession. He came out throwing immediately, completing a nice pass to Alec Pierce downfield for a gain of 18 yards off play action.

However, after that impressive opening drive, Richardson completed just 1 of 6 passes for 21 yards and one interception, which was a pick-six.

We don’t have to analyze the interception to death. It was either a bad throw or a miscommunication on the route. But that wasn’t the only bad play Richardson had after his opening drive. Following the pick-six, Richardson also missed a wide-open Mitchell on third-and-6 high. This came right as Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit were discussing Richardson’s need to improve in the passing game when it came to both accuracy and touch.

The Colts picked up a total of 24 yards on Richardson’s final three drives against Bengals backups running vanilla coverages. It was referred to by many people as “the full Anthony Richardson experience.”

The question is how much improvement Richardson can make as a passer in 2024. Just because he possesses a rocket for an arm does not guarantee all of the intricacies of the passing game will click for a young player who hasn’t played much football.

Injury concerns

This is actually the main reason I have concerns about Richardson moving forward. If real life were like “Madden” and we could turn off injuries, I would feel much better about him as my franchise quarterback.

You know by now that Richardson played just four games in 2023 before the shoulder injury landed him on injured reserve. But did you know he finished just one of those contests healthy? He had to exit the season opener vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars due to a foot injury, and then he suffered a concussion in Week 2 that also cost him Week 3. Richardson finished the 29-23 loss to the Los Angeles Rams successfully, but then suffered his season-ending injury vs. Tennessee the following Sunday.

Yes, Richardson needs to be smart about the hits he takes, but he’s also going to have to take some hits. Richardson’s ability to run and his athleticism are what makes him an X-factor as a quarterback, and with that naturally comes the risk of taking hits. Richardson playing 100% of offensive snaps just one time in his rookie season leads to questions about being injury prone. I’m sure I wasn’t alone in being immediately afraid Richardson was going to be injured when he was strip-sacked from behind in the second quarter vs. the Bengals.

In conclusion

Richardson did enough in his first four NFL games to supply enough coal for his hype train to keep rolling all offseason. His stock is so high that all three of our CBS Sports NFL fantasy experts have Richardson as a top-six quarterback to draft this upcoming season. But what exactly are his expectations in 2024? I would argue they are to stay healthy and to do enough to prove that he’s the future of the franchise — that he’s clearly making strides as the “Cam clone” fans hope he can be.

Richardson does have one incredible thing going for him in head coach Shane Steichen, whom I believe is an underrated offensive mind. Without his QB1, the first-year lead man took the third-worst scoring offense to No. 10 in the league, and the No. 27 offense in total yards per game to No. 15. He’s someone who can get the most out of Richardson’s potential. But it remains to be seen how quickly he can develop in this league, and if he can stay healthy.

MIAMI

An extension, presumably with a nice raise, for the NFL’s most interesting coach.   This from three writers at The Athletic:

The Miami Dolphins signed coach Mike McDaniel to a new contract, keeping him with the franchise through 2028, a person briefed on the matter said Friday.

McDaniel, 41, has coached the Dolphins since 2022, leading them to a 20-14 record and two playoff appearances. Miami hired the then-San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator on a four-year contract a month after firing coach Brian Flores. It marked McDaniel’s first head-coaching job in the NFL after working 15 seasons in the league and two in the UFL.

Flores’ firing in early 2022 came after the Dolphins opened the 2021 season 1-7 with a seven-game losing streak after winning in Week 1. The team stormed back to win seven straight games and finish 9-8, but the franchise appeared to lack direction.

Miami had only been to the playoffs twice in 20 years until McDaniel led the team to a wild-card matchup against the Buffalo Bills in 2023. The Dolphins lost to the Bills and returned to the playoffs last season but lost to the eventual champion Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round.

How McDaniel turned the Dolphins around

There is way more than meets the eye (or goes viral on the internet) with McDaniel, whose initial arrival in Miami in 2022 presented him with a few tasks: Rebuild the quarterback, establish a culture, install your offense and scheme — and by the way, what would that look like?

McDaniel’s vision and his seemingly endless ideas quickly became clear. He collaborated with the front office to build the fastest and among the most innovative offenses in the NFL and helped quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reach a level of play and confidence many believed he might never achieve.

McDaniel’s players love him because he reaches them on a human level and his teaching style gives them the answers to the test. He quickly became a coach other offensive coaches across the NFL copy every year, and that is no small thing to a team owner. The vibes are good in Miami — but an extension can hold a double-edged meaning, too: The trial years are over. It’s time to start winning some playoff games. — Jourdan Rodrigue, NFL staff writer

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It looks like WRs TYREEK HILL and JAYLEN WADDLE will be good to go for the opener. But nothing on WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr. in this report from ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques:

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle returned to practice Monday, a positive sign for the Miami Dolphins’ top wide receivers from a season ago.

Waddle has battled undisclosed injuries throughout the summer, did not play in any of the preseason games and wore a red non-contact jersey during the final week of the preseason. Hill, too, was held out of the three preseason games while also missing the team’s joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a thumb injury.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said there weren’t any setbacks for either player. Neither wore a non-contact jersey during the portion of Monday’s practice open to the media.

Aaron Brewer also returned to the practice field Monday after missing the past three weeks with a lower arm injury. His status for Miami’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 has yet to be determined, but McDaniel said he’s confident in either scenario.

“I feel great about our starting offensive line,” McDaniel said. “I also feel great about the contingencies that we have in place, should we have a different version of that this week.”

Jevon Holland and Jalen Ramsey were both present for the stretch portion of Monday’s practice. Ramsey left the field shortly after media arrived, but Holland appeared to participate in full.

THIS AND THAT

FANTASY RUNNING BACKS

Dave Richard of CBSSports.com on how Fantasy managers have to chase running backs all year long:

Do you prefer hunting for running backs all season long, or loading up on the position on Draft Day with the hope that you don’t have to chase them?

It’s a trick question.

If you’re worth your salt as a Fantasy manager, you’re always going to be on the lookout for running backs off the waiver wire (and in trade) all season regardless of who you draft. That’s even if you’re one of the very lucky ones who don’t have to replace an injured or underperforming running back during the year.

So if you’re chasing running backs all year in all ways possible, you might as well not over-prioritize the position on Draft Day.

I think one thing you should count on is a majority of your league taking one running back with their first two picks. Almost everyone will begin their draft with one receiver and one running back. That’s because more and more people are gravitating toward taking the elite-level wide receivers earlier than ever (especially in PPR — they score more and aren’t as fragile). Taking one of each, usually with the receiver first, offers flexibility for your next few picks and balance for how you build your roster.

Does this mean the Hero-RB strategy (one RB with your first four or more picks) is the right approach? No. It’s going to be popular, but I wouldn’t overlook another running back slipping into Round 2 or 3 and becoming a value pick for your roster.

So then Heavy-RB (two RBs with your first two or three picks) is still reasonable? It is if the value matches up. You will see at least two managers in every draft take two running backs with their first three picks, and it might even be with their first two picks. I wouldn’t blame them for it if there weren’t wide receivers they valued when they were up in the early rounds.

Then is the Zero-RB strategy worthless? No way. You should be thrilled if you can get two elite-tier receivers with your first two picks and then follow it up with excellent values at non-RB positions with your next two picks. There will be running back values in Round 5 and beyond — but you have to be OK with the realization that you won’t begin the season with consistent stat producers.

The keyword in all three of those answers? VALUE. That’s the name of the game in Fantasy drafts, regardless of position. You should never pass up a value, a bargain, or a steal. 

That’s why it doesn’t make sense to commit to one of the three common running back strategies before your draft. You should know about them and be open to all three of them, and maybe prefer one of them to the others, but let the draft dictate which path you take.

Regardless of these scenarios, I still think it’s worth it to finish your draft with as many as seven running backs on your squad. Take as many shots as you can on runners who can become starters. You’d rather begin the year with them on your team than the waiver wire.

Pre-draft homework:

* Do receptions count for a full point? If they don’t then you should prioritize running backs immediately. You could do the same in half-point PPR, too.

* Figure out where the elite running backs end in your mind and the startable-but-not-as-good running backs begin. For me, Tier 4 is where the first big drop-off is, then another at Tier 6 in PPR, Lottery Tickets in non-PPR. You’re going to want running backs before these tiers run out … unless you don’t because you love Zero-RB.

* Take some time to target three or four late-round running backs. Look for guys in strong offenses who have an older runner in front of them, or an unproven runner in front of them. Some of my faves: Ty Chandler, Jordan Mason, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Trey Benson and Ray Davis.

Running back PPR tiers

Round 1 Tier 1

Christian McCaffrey  SF

Breece Hall  NYJ

Bijan Robinson  ATL

Jonathan Taylor  IND

Saquon Barkley  PHI

Round 2 Tier 2

Jahmyr Gibbs  DET

Kyren Williams  LAR

Isiah Pacheco  KC

Travis Etienne  JAC

Derrick Henry  BAL

Josh Jacobs  GB

Round 3 Tier 3

Rachaad White  TB

James Cook  BUF

Kenneth Walker III  SEA

Alvin Kamara  NO

Joe Mixon  HOU

De’Von Achane  MIA

Rounds 5-6 Tier 4

James Conner  ARI

David Montgomery  DET

Zamir White  LV

Najee Harris  PIT

Javonte Williams  DEN

Brian Robinson Jr.  WAS

Round 7 Tier 5

Aaron Jones  MIN

Tony Pollard  TEN

Rhamondre Stevenson  NE

D’Andre Swift  CHI

Raheem Mostert  MIA

Round 8 Tier 6

Chase Brown  CIN

Zack Moss  CIN

Tyjae Spears  TEN

Jaylen Warren  PIT

Rounds 9-10 Lottery Tickets

Jonathon Brooks  CAR

Devin Singletary  NYG

Gus Edwards  LAC

Chuba Hubbard  CAR

Rico Dowdle  DAL

Nick Chubb  CLE

Jerome Ford  CLE

Ty Chandler  MIN

Austin Ekeler  WAS

J.K. Dobbins  LAC

Round 11+ Fantasy Backups

Ezekiel Elliott  DAL

Jordan Mason  SF

Jaleel McLaughlin  DEN

Blake Corum  LAR

Tyrone Tracy Jr.  NYG

Trey Benson  ARI

Ray Davis  BUF

Bucky Irving  TB

Jaylen Wright  MIA

MarShawn Lloyd  GB

Zach Charbonnet  SEA

Kimani Vidal  LAC

Dalvin Cook  BAL

Tank Bigsby  JAC

Carson Steele  KC

Audric Estime  DEN

Imagine seeing RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT as a “Fantasy Backup.”

DON’T DRAFT

Scott Pianowski of YahooSports.com has a list of players he’s not enamored with as Fantasy Draft Picks:

Here are some big-name players I am unlikely to select as we navigate through the teeth of fantasy football draft season.

RB Saquon Barkley, Eagles

Barkley is headed to a better team at a key time, as he enters his age-27 season. But how much of Barkley’s explosion is left? He’s averaged an ordinary 4.4 yards per touch the last four seasons. Jalen Hurts could also be a problem for Barkley’s value, as Hurts carries a ton of goal-line equity and he usually doesn’t throw much to his running backs.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions

Gibbs is perhaps my most difficult incision on this list, as I love the Lions offense, especially with the team retaining all key members (including play designer Ben Johnson). But Gibbs routinely falls around the 12-13 turn in many leagues and that feels early for a player who’s never guaranteed to lead his team in touches or goal-line opportunities. If you’re open to an explosive player with those caveats, note you can probably land De’Von Achane about a round later.

WR Davante Adams, Raiders

Adams has already punched a Hall of Fame ticket in my eyes, but things could go sideways in Las Vegas this year as the Raiders try to navigate an offense that doesn’t really have a bonafide quarterback. Gardner Minshew won the starting job this summer, for now, despite a paltry 48.5 completion percentage in the preseason, compiled largely against backup defenders and vanilla defenses. Adams will turn 32 in December, which allows for some modest skills erosion.

TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Kelce might as well be a pitcher for the Dodgers these days; he’s a back-nine player on a juggernaut team who’s already planning for the playoffs even before the season starts. The Chiefs used Kelce as a load-management player last year — take it easy in-season, turn it on for the playoffs — and now, with Kelce heading into his age-35 campaign and coming off another championship, it’s doubtful that plan changes. The Kansas City receiver room has also been improved, the most impressive it’s looked since the departure of Tyreek Hill. I see the blank space on your roster, but don’t write Kelce’s name in it.

WR Mike Evans, Buccaneers

Here’s another Canton-bound receiver who’s not in my 2024 plans. Offensive guru Dave Canales is fully in my circle of trust — at this point, I’d follow the guy into a burning building. He coached up career years from Geno Smith two years ago and Baker Mayfield last season.

But note that Smith had a collapse season last year (due to many things, but one of them was Canales leaving), and ask yourself just how much you trust Mayfield without his offensive wizard behind the curtain (Canales, of course, is now skippering the Panthers). Evans is also entering his age-31 season, and I’d prefer to trend younger with most of my early picks.

RB Alvin Kamara, Saints

I’ve been banging this drum all summer, so it’s probably a review at this point. Kamara’s another aging player with efficiency hissing out of the balloon — he didn’t even have a run over 20 yards last year. The Saints offensive line is considered one of the worst in the league, and when New Orleans gets close, it doesn’t prioritize Kamara for the easy touchdowns — he’s spiked just 10 times in his last 28 games. (Close your eyes, can’t you see Taysom Hill plunging in from the one?).

Derek Carr will help prop up Kamara’s value with a bundle of short passes, even as they’re not really useful anymore. But given Kamara’s career arc and declining skills, I can’t target him in drafts this year.

WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers

Often times a fade will be more about the situation and circumstance than the player involved. Aiyuk was always a candidate to give up some of last season’s dreamy efficiency, and he obviously wasn’t happy all summer after a contract battle that finally ended with an extension Thursday. The ADP between Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel has been close all summer — I’d rather focus on the versatile Samuel if I’m looking for a receiver in that pocket.

QB Anthony Richardson, Colts

Maybe Richardson is ready to pay off his expectant ADP, which has him pushed up to the QB6 in Yahoo drafts. But you can land Jayden Daniels about 50 picks later, and his upside feels just as exciting to me (and Daniels had considerably more reps in college).

Even if you miss both of these quarterbacks, what’s the worry? The position is as deep as ever. If you miss a train in New York, you catch the next one, seven minutes later.

WR DK Metcalf, Seahawks

While conceding that most receivers have boom-and-bust flow to their profile, Metcalf feels like a player who’s especially wired that way. I’m hopeful that new OC Ryan Grubb can get the Seattle passing game cooking again. But when I consider the Seahawks receiver room, I want to leave an open spot for a later pick on ascending Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as opposed to the leveled-off shape of Metcalf’s career.

RB Nick Chubb, Browns

He’s long been one of my favorite players, and it’s no fun to play fantasy football like an actuary. But Chubb’s coming off a monstrous left-knee injury, and that’s the same left knee he also blew out in college. It’s simply not practical to project him to be a dynamic runner in 2024, and of course we don’t even know when Chubb’s debut will come (he’s on the PUP list for now, meaning he’ll miss at least four games). Jerome Ford has been available as a cheap fantasy option all summer; consider him.

TE T.J. Hockenson, Vikings

Here’s another shot at the misguided Injury Optimism concept. Hockenson tore his ACL and MCL around Christmas last year, so his rehab still has a ways to go. And when he does come back, he’ll be stepping into an offense probably helmed by journeyman QB Sam Darold.

I know a lot of fantasy managers will pitch for Hockenson, noting the presence of their IR slots. However, eventually the real games will start, and you’ll have more important players demanding those slots. Hockenson is completely removed from my 2024 plans.

Other players I’m likely to fade:

WR George Pickens, Steelers: I don’t trust Arthur Smith or the Pittsburgh quarterbacks, though Justin Fields would probably run to fantasy relevance if they call his number, but for now we’ll get Russell Wilson.

RB Rashaad White, Buccaneers: White needs tons of volume, and Tampa Bay’s offense is likely to regress.

RB Zamir White, Raiders: White is an ordinary talent who will share time, and the offense might be headed nowhere.

WR Curtis Samuel, Bills: Samuel suffered a turf toe injury at the wrong time, and familiar WR Khalil Shakir has always been my preferred answer in this room.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots: He’s a fine player, but he’s tied to the team with the lowest win expectancy in the league.