AROUND THE NFL

Daily Briefing

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA

DL EVERSON GRIFFIN will be joining the ranks of ex-Vikings.  Andrew Krammer in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Just hours after receiver Stefon Diggs posted his farewell to Vikings fans after this week’s trade to Buffalo, the team’s longest-tenured player did the same on Friday afternoon.

Defensive end Everson Griffen announced on his Instagram account he was leaving the Vikings after a decade in Minnesota. Griffen’s agent, Brian Murphy, clarified in a statement that he was breaking off contract talks with the Vikings because “they have to spend their money elsewhere.”

“Could not be more grateful for the unconditional support and love I received from SKOL Nation,” Griffen wrote on Instagram. “While it is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye, I leave Minnesota in the best physical and mental shape I have ever been and have many Pro Bowl seasons to come! Wherever my next stop is, I will always be grateful to and cheering for the Vikings. Thank you all for the love, support and memories.”

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

QB TOM BRADY wasn’t the only elite player in decline to take his talents to the NFC South on Friday.  Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com:

Running back Todd Gurley agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, a day after he was released by the Los Angeles Rams.

Gurley agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He had already been paid $7.5 million by the Rams before he was released and with $2.5 million subtracted from his Falcons deal due to offset language, his total earnings will be $11 million in 2020, keeping him as one of the NFL’s three highest-paid running backs.

The deal won’t be finalized until he passes a physical.

The Falcons had released starting running back Devonta Freeman on Monday. It’s a homecoming for Gurley, who played in college at the University of Georgia.

Gurley will join former Rams teammate Dante Fowler Jr. in Atlanta. The star pass-rusher agreed to a three-year, $48 million contract with the Falcons earlier this week, a source told ESPN.

NEW ORLEANS

And yet another huge NFC South signing on Friday.  ESPN.com:

Veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders has agreed to a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, he told ESPN’s Josina Anderson and Ed Werder.

Sanders had appealing NFC options. He spoke with the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers but preferred to wind up with the Saints, where Sanders landed a $16 million deal worth up to $19 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“Still got to take a physical, but it’s a done deal,” Sanders told Anderson.

A No. 2 wide receiver has been the Saints’ most glaring need for the past two years, with the team kicking the tires on the likes of Antonio Brown, Dez Bryant, Brandon Marshall and Cameron Meredith during that span.

All-Pro wideout Michael Thomas had 119 more catches than any other wide receiver on the Saints’ roster last year. That No. 2 option, Ted Ginn Jr., is now a free agent who will turn 35 next month.

Sanders seems to be an ideal fit for the Saints, as he lines up frequently in the slot and quarterback Drew Brees thrives on accuracy with a heavy dose of short and midrange passes. Sanders is known as a terrific route runner, and he could help fill the type of role that former Saints wide receivers such as Lance Moore and Willie Snead IV held.

Sanders made quite an impression on the Saints in December, when he caught seven passes for 157 yards against them in the Superdome, including a 75-yard touchdown. Sanders also completed a 35-yard touchdown pass in that thrilling 48-46 victory for the San Francisco 49ers that helped decide the pecking order in the NFC playoffs.

The Saints are extremely low on cap space now and could require some additional roster moves to free up more space from this point forward.

Acquired before the trade deadline by the 49ers last season, Sanders walked into the team’s wide receiver room and was instantly the most accomplished player there. For a squad in need of a reliable veteran, Sanders proved the perfect midseason addition.

This seems ideal for the Saints, who also announced a key OL extension.

Offensive lineman Andrus Peat agreed to a five-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.

While general manager Mickey Loomis announced the deal was being finalized on Friday, USA Today reported the deal is worth up to $57.5 million.

Peat, 26, has played guard and moved to left tackle in emergencies since being drafted 13th overall in 2015.

In five seasons with the Saints, Peat has played in 65 regular contests (60 starts) and was twice named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate. He has played every offensive line position except center for the Saints.

Last season, Peat missed six games with a broken arm. He had a broken hand in late 2018 but was able to play with a cast.

A couple of related tweets – first from Adam Schefter:

@AdamSchefter

Emmanuel Sanders had appealing NFC options. Sanders spoke with the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers, but preferred to wind up with the New Orleans Saints, where he land d a two-year, $16 million deal worth up to $19 million.

The other from Katherine Terrell of The Athletic:

@Kat_Terrell

Saints fans just went from raging to absolutely ecstatic in the span of a few hours

TAMPA BAY

When it happened, it came on Instagram. 

Excited, humble and hungry …if there is one thing I have learned about football, it’s that nobody cares what you did last year or the year before that…you earn the trust and respect of those around through your commitment every single day. I’m starting a new football journey and thankful for the @buccaneers for giving me an opportunity to do what I love to do. I look forward to meeting all my new teammates and coaches and proving to them that they can believe and trust in me…I have always believed that well done is better than well said, so I’m not gonna say much more – I’m just gonna get to work! #Year1 p.s. Jack Brady with the photocred 😀

Over 1.1 million likes.

Jenna Laine of ESPN.com:

Signed, sealed and delivered — Tom Brady is officially the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new starting quarterback.

The six-time Super Bowl champion, who had spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, took to social media Friday morning to announce that he had signed his contract.

Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that it is a two-year deal worth $50 million that is all guaranteed. It also includes another $9 million in incentives — $4.5 million in incentives per year — and the contract prohibits tags and trades, per sources.

Brady, 42, leaves New England with six Super Bowl rings and 41 playoff starts since 2001. He will now go head-to-head with Drew Brees and Matt Ryan twice a year in the NFC South.

In recent years, Brady has repeatedly said that his goal is to play until he is 45, but he and the Patriots couldn’t come to an agreement on a contract extension last offseason. That created a path for Brady to explore his options as a free agent.

The Bucs jumped on it quickly, offering one of the most talented young receiving tandems in the league in Pro Bowlers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, who both eclipsed 1,100 yards last year despite not playing full seasons, along with two 6-foot-5 tight ends, Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard.

“Tom Brady is an icon and a winner,” said linebacker Lavonte David, whom many consider the heart and soul of the Bucs’ locker room. “Excited to have a guy with that type of pedigree in our locker room. Looking forward to the upcoming battles.”

The Buccaneers added some offensive line protection for Brady on Friday, reaching an agreement with former Indianapolis Colts tackle Joe Haeg.

“Tom is a proven champion who has achieved greatness on the field because he demands the best out of himself and his teammates,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht said in a statement. “I’ve known Tom since we drafted him in New England 20 years ago and through this process it became very clear that his desire to be a champion burns as strong today as it ever has. He possesses the type of rare natural leadership qualities that will immediately impact our entire organization.”

The NFL and Buccaneers are selling thousands of jerseys, site unseen.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Tom Brady means big business.

The Buccaneers already are cashing in from their relationship with the greatest quarterback in NFL history, both in the form of increased ticket sales and increased jersey sales. Even though the Buccaneers have yet to unveil new jerseys. And even though Brady has yet to be issued a number.

According to Fanatics, Brady instantly has become the top-selling players across all sports today, and the top-three selling produces have been Tom Brady jerseys, both men’s and women’s.

His jersey sales have spiked by 900 percent in one day, and the Buccaneers are the top-selling NFL team across the Fanatics network. (The Patriots, coincidentally, are No. 1.)

Get ready for more of the same, especially once there’s an actual jersey and an actual number to be seen and to be purchased.

Chris Godwin currently has No. 12 for the Buccaneers. No. 10, which Brady wore at Michigan, has been issued to receiver Scotty Miller.

One intriguing Brady-related number currently is unclaimed: No. 6.

But no, he will in all liklihood wear his familiar #12 in 2020.  ESPN.com:

Now that Tom Brady has officially signed his new deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one question that remains is what uniform number the future Hall of Fame quarterback will wear next season.

He spent his two decades with the New England Patriots wearing No. 12, but that number belongs to Pro Bowl receiver Chris Godwin, who said Friday he has spoken with Brady but that the number didn’t come up in their conversation.

“Obviously, if he doesn’t want it, or if he’s not making a big deal out of it, I’m definitely going to keep it. We’ll see how that goes,” Godwin said in a video interview with the Buccaneers’ website. “I think just out of respect for what he’s done, what he’s accomplished, just kind of the career he’s built for himself, you have to lean into that respect.”

Godwin also talked about his number in an interview Friday with ESPN’s NFL Live, saying he was “passionate” about the number, which he has worn since high school. He again said he would defer to Brady out of respect for everything the six-time Super Bowl champion has accomplished during his career.

“He’s the GOAT,” Godwin said.

Brady wore No. 10 at Michigan and has said that No. 12 wasn’t his first choice of uniform number when he entered the league.

“I was 10 in college, and when I got here, [former Patriots punter] Lee Johnson was 10,” Brady told reporters two years ago. “So whatever number was on my locker, which was 12, that was the one that [former Patriots equipment manager] Don Brocher gave me.”

When New England released Lee, Brady said he thought about switching to No. 10 but ultimately decided to stay with No. 12.

Rookie wide receiver Scotty Miller currently wears No. 10 for the Bucs.

Tom Fornelli of CBSSports.com makes the case that the signing of QB TOM BRADY will not pay off:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially signed Tom Brady to a two-year, $50 million deal on Friday, with every single penny of that $50 million being guaranteed. The agreement also came with a full no-trade clause. Brady can even earn more money in incentives, which is all fantastic news for Tom Brady, but I’m not sure it’s great news for Tampa Bay.

Brady might be the greatest quarterback in NFL history. If he isn’t, he’s at least in the top three. He was also incredibly generous during his 20 seasons with the New England Patriots while winning six Super Bowls. Brady routinely reworked his contract and accepted less money than he was worth to help ensure that the Patriots could continue surrounding him with a competitive roster. Now the Bucs are going to foot the bill for the money Brady didn’t get when he deserved it at a time when he’s unlikely to live up to the price tag.

While Brady might be the greatest, he is not immune to time, and while he has yet to fall off a cliff performance-wise, he has started to show the signs that the time is coming when he will. Even for an athlete as renowned for taking care of himself as Brady is, the end will come eventually. When we consider that Brady will be 43 years old when the next NFL season begins (fingers crossed!), betting on sooner rather than later is the smarter play.

Before we even get to Brady, let’s take a look at the NFL quarterbacks who have played in the league at the age of 43 or older. All in all, since 1920, there have been six NFL seasons played by QBs at 43 or older. Those six seasons are split between four players: Vinny Testaverde, Warren Moon, Steve DeBerg and Doug Flutie. Of those four, only Testaverde and Moon played in two separate seasons, with Testaverde’s career coming to an end after the 2007 season when he was 44 and Moon hanging his cleats up following the 2000 season at 44.

Of the six individual seasons between the four quarterbacks, none of them started more than six games in a single season. They were mostly hanging on as backups, but Testaverde was forced to start six games for the Panthers in 2007. He completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 952 yards while throwing five touchdowns and six interceptions. He averaged 5.53 yards per attempt and 4.55 adjusted yards per attempt.

Only DeBerg and Moon are the other two to start a game at the age of 43 or older. Here’s a table that shows how these four fared in the NFL from the age of 43 and up.

Not exactly promising! Of course, while Warren Moon is a Hall of Famer, none of the other QBs on the list can hold a candle to the career of Brady. So it’s reasonable to expect that TB12 will perform better than any of them. The problem is that’s a low bar to clear, and signs suggest that Brady might not be much more than an average QB during his two seasons with Tampa.

Let’s look at Brady’s numbers over the past five seasons. You should notice a trend in his performance.

While Brady’s completion rate has dipped over the last few seasons, what worries me more is the drop in his on-target rate combined with the decline in his yards and air yards per attempt. When you put those together, you see that Brady’s not only losing accuracy, but he’s doing so while throwing shorter and shorter passes. That’s not something that bodes well for future performance.

What worries me further about Brady in Tampa is the fit. Bruce Arians loves veteran quarterbacks, and Brady certainly fits that criteria. The problem is that Arians also loves to push the ball down the field in a vertical passing game. The numbers suggest that’s not a style of play that suits Brady’s strengths at this point.

Last season, the Tampa Bay offense threw 158 passes of 15 air yards or more. Not only was that 18 more such attempts than the next closest team (the Chargers threw 140), it was also the highest rate. Tampa’s passing attack included throws of 15 air yards or more on 25.08 percent of its throws, a full 1.63 percent more often than the next highest rate (again, the Chargers). The 2020 Patriots offense, with Brady at the helm, attempted these kinds of throws 16.94 percent of the time. Only five teams (Washington, Oakland, Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco) threw such passes less often than the Patriots did with Brady.

None of this is a new phenomenon with Arians’ teams. During his final three seasons in charge with the Cardinals (Sports Info Solutions database for these numbers only goes back to 2015), Arians’ Arizona offenses never threw passes of 15-plus air yards fewer than 22.3 percent of the time. That’s more often than Brady did in any of the last five seasons in New England.

What could be more worrisome than how often Brady did it is how he performed while doing so. In 2019, 26 NFL QBs threw at least 75 passes of 15 air yards or more. Of those 26, Brady ranked ninth in completion rate at 47.1 percent but was 18th in on-target rate at 58.7 percent. His 11.9 yards per attempt ranked 16th. So, what we see here is that he’s still Tom Brady, so he isn’t horrific, but he’s not performing at a level that’s all that different than Jameis Winston did in these situations.

Essentially, the one area that Brady was clearly better than Winston in this scenario last year was taking care of the football. And that’s important! If Winston’s interceptions and pick-sixes hadn’t become a running gag, he’d still be in Tampa, and Tom might still be in New England. But that’s not what happened, and I’m not sure spending $50 million for two seasons of a guy you’re hoping will be a better game manager is the right move. Particularly when that QB is going to be 43 and could see his turnover numbers climb as he’s asked to throw downfield more.

So, as you’ve clearly figured out by now, I’m not optimistic this move will prove to be a good one for the Buccaneers. It’ll give the franchise a higher profile than it has had at any time since Jon Gruden was patrolling the sidelines, but I’m not sure it’ll lead to many more wins.

Tom Brady might be the greatest of all time, but he’s not the greatest of right now. Tampa’s just paying him like he is.

But they really aren’t paying him like he is.  $25 million per year is the low end of new contracts for a starting QB.

While Arians likes to push downfield, we do think he is smart enough to modify that trend to his new QB and his remaining skills. 

NFC WEST

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Southern California construction workers aren’t lounging at home.  They’ve been deemed essential.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Initially, California’s “stay at home” order didn’t include an exception for construction. It now does, and construction at the new Rams and Chargers stadium in Inglewood will proceed.

“These are unprecedented times, and the health and safety of our workers and their families is of the utmost importance to us,” reads a statement issued by SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “In accordance with the recently released directives by the State of California, the County of Los Angeles, and the City of Inglewood . . . the construction at Hollywood Park continues moving forward, with an increased emphasis on the already existing elevated health and safety protocols put in place last week.

“All non-essential workers are working from home. For those that wish to remain on site, we are working with our general contractors . . . to increase the health and safety measures we already have in place. . . .

“We are also in regular contact with the State Building & Construction Trades Council of California and the Los Angeles and Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council. . . . [T]he trade councils and Hollywood Park are committed to continuing to provide work at a safe job site for all construction workers who can remain onsite and wish to continue working.”

The venue is due to open later this year, and it is expected to host Super Bowl LV in early 2022.

AFC WEST

DENVER

RB MELVIN GORDON stays in the division, signing with Denver.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Chargers signed former Broncos cornerback Chris Harris as a free agent earlier this month and the Broncos signed a former member of the Chargers on Friday.

PFT has learned, via a league source, that running back Melvin Gordon has agreed to a two-year deal with his former AFC West rivals. Gordon and Harris each wore No. 25 for their former clubs, should anyone be in the market for more symmetry.

The deal is worth $16 million with $13.5 million in guaranteed money.

Gordon reportedly turned down a deal with the Chargers last year in the neighborhood of $10 million per season before holding out through the first four weeks of the regular season. Gordon ran 162 times for 612 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 42 passes once he did report for duty.

The Broncos said before free agency that they’d see about an extension for running back Phillip Lindsay after free agency. Gordon’s deal may make that less likely, but it will be some time before we know which way things break for the Broncos’ leading rusher in the last two seasons.

$8 million per sounds like a lot for Melvin Gordon.  We’ll see.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com explains why T JACK CONKLIN won’t be playing on his new contract at its scheduled end in five years:

The Cleveland Browns announced on Friday the deal that brings tackle Jack Conklin from the Titans, a big splash made by a team that needs to strengthen its offensive line in the hopes of getting back to the playoffs for the first time in 18 years.

On paper, Conklin signed a five-year deal. By its language, however, the contract voids to three years in February 2023, allowing Conklin to get back to the market again.

Over the next three years, Conklin will earn $42 million, with $30 million of it guaranteed.

He gets the money in the form of a $15 million signing bonus, a fully-guaranteed 2020 base salary of $5 million, and a fully-guaranteed 2021 base salary of $10 million.

So it’s a two-year, $30 million deal with a team option to extend the deal to a third season at $12 million. If the Browns make it a three-year deal, Conklin will earn on average $14 million per year.

PITTSBURGH

Looking like a mountain man, QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER communicates from isolation and says he is doing great.  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

Six months removed from elbow surgery on his throwing arm, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he has no doubts that he’ll be able to come back and play well this season.

In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger expressed confidence in his ability to return from the elbow injury that ended his 2019 season in Week 2.

“I’m throwing without pain for the first time in years,” Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette. “Some games, I would have a little pain. Some games, I would have a lot of pain. But in the New England game and the Seattle game [last season], it got to be too much. To be able to throw without pain now? That feels nice. That’s a nice feeling. I know I’m not getting any younger, but I feel younger because I don’t have any pain.”

His personal assessment backs up the confidence general manager Kevin Colbert expressed at the NFL scouting combine last month.

“The thing that’s exciting about it is we might have a better Ben Roethlisberger coming out of this surgery,” Colbert said in Indianapolis. “He sat for a year. Didn’t have wear and tear on his body for a year. Sure, he had a significant surgery, but we’re optimistic he might be better.”

Roethlisberger, 38, got the green light to begin throwing a football a month ago, and the Steelers posted a video on Twitter of him throwing on Feb. 22.

“I had thrown a Nerf ball a little bit before that to my kids in the living room and my arm felt pretty good,” Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette. “I knew it was going to be OK.

“But still, it felt so neat to throw a football. It had been a long time. I guess it was like riding a bike a little bit. You get back on and go. It’s not like it had been a year. It has been months. I never throw much in the offseason, anyway, so I looked at the time I had off like it was my offseason.”

Roethelisberger said he’s throwing the ball twice a week, 40 times a day for about 20 yards. Next week, he said, he plans to ramp up to throwing three times a week. He throws both from his knees and from a flat-footed stance to practice getting his spin back. He also had a throwing session with teammate Ryan Switzer earlier this week when the wide receiver came over to his house in search of an open gym.

We missed it at the time, but longtime Steelers OL RAMON FOSTER announced his retirement on Monday.  An undrafted signee in 2009, he played 11 seasons for Pittsburgh.

Roethlisberger will have a new target at tight end.  Josina Anderson of ESPN.com got the story from TE ERIC EBRON:

The Pittsburgh Steelers have reached a deal with tight end Eric Ebron, he told ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Friday.

The two-year deal is worth $12 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and it fills a major need for the Steelers.

“[Steelers coach Mike Tomlin] told me he’s been on me since I was a Tar Heel, and he’s happy to get one of the guys he wanted out of college,” Ebron told ESPN’s Anderson. “He said being a defensive coach, he knows I’m hard to game plan against, and I’m excited to come.”

The Steelers needed a tight end who could be a threat in the receiving game, something they lacked last year. In addition to 2019 draft pick Zach Gentry, the Steelers retained fellow tight end Vance McDonald for another season, but he had an underwhelming 2019 season with just three touchdowns and 273 yards on 38 receptions.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

LB DAN VITALE will be moving from one hallowed franchise to another.  Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal:

The Patriots run game suffered last season when the team lost fullback James Develin and his backup, Jakob Johnson, to injury. It looks like the Patriots are being proactive this offseason to provide even more depth to the fullback position.

According to a source, veteran fullback Dan Vitale has agreed to a contract with the Patriots. Vitale, 26, spent the past two seasons in Green Bay and the previous two in Cleveland. Last season, was Vitale’s most productive in the NFL. He caught a career-high seven passes for 97 receiving yards.

– – –

The Patriots had interest in Vitale prior to the 2016 NFL Draft. They met with the fullback at the NFL Combine and Nick Caserio also went to Vitale’s Northwestern Pro Day. Vitale was eventually drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round. He started his career on the Bucs practice squad before signing with the Browns active roster. After being released in 2018, Vitale signed with the Packers practice squad. He ended up appearing five games with Green Bay that season.

By signing Vitale, it could be a sign that the Patriots are worried about the health of Develin. Last season, the 31-year-old’s year ended due to a neck injury. Develin, a 2017 Pro Bowler, played a big role in the Patriots run game. Perhaps, Vitale will next season.

THIS AND THAT

2020 DRAFT

Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com offers a Mock Draft in the aftermath of free agency’s first wave:

Welcome back, everyone. A lot has changed since I saw each of you last week. The Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers each gained a second first-round pick from the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts, respectively. I’ve got new selections in those spots, and make picks for the entire first round. Plus, for the teams that do not possess a first-round pick, I will make their first selections below the table as well.

1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 221 LBS

There have been no murmurings that Cincinnati might be considering other options. Burrow is still the choice.

2 – WASHINGTON

Chase Young EDGE

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 264 LBS

After considering a quarterback at No. 2 overall, Washington sticks to the board and adds the draft’s top overall prospect.

3 – LA CHARGERS (Mock Trade from Detroit)

Round 1 – Pick 3

Tua Tagovailoa QB

Los Angeles has its eyes set on adding a young quarterback to help sell seats. The Chargers move up for the right to select the Hawaii native.

4 – NY GIANTS

Tristan Wirfs OL

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

The Giants have addressed some positions on defense, but the offensive line remains a need. Wirfs could be the team’s long-term answer at right tackle. Then, they would not have to add two offensive tackles next offseason.

5 – MIAMI

Justin Herbert QB

OREGON • SR • 6’6″ / 236 LBS

With Burrow and Tagovailoa off the board, Miami is faced with a decision to add either Jordan Love or Herbert. Miami has been linked to Herbert for a while.

6 – DETROIT (Mock Trade from LA Chargers)

Jeff Okudah CB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

After moving Darius Slay, Detroit slides back, picks up some additional draft capital and still adds the player who they would have targeted at No. 3 overall.

7 – CAROLINA

Isaiah Simmons LB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 238 LBS

Carolina has been piecing out their roster over the past few months, but they take a rare opportunity to add a young defensive star.

8 – ARIZONA

Mekhi Becton OL

LOUISVILLE • JR • 6’7″ / 364 LBS

Arizona retained D.J. Humphries, but it needs more from the position. Whether he plays left or right tackle, Becton is an important addition to protect mobile quarterback Kyler Murray. The addition of DeAndre Hopkins frees the Cardinals up to make some different choices here.

9 – JACKSONVILLE

Derrick Brown DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 326 LBS

Jacksonville has ended the relationship with several veterans from last year’s team, which signals a re-build. However, the Jags added linebacker Joe Schobert on a big deal. The addition of Brown would help solidify them up the middle.

10 – CLEVELAND

Jedrick Wills Jr. OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 312 LBS

Cleveland added Jack Conklin in free agency, which solved some issues on the right side. However, they still have to fill a need at left tackle. At No. 10 overall, they have their choice of Wills, Thomas or trading down and potentially selecting one of the other top options.

11 – NY JETS

Andrew Thomas OL

GEORGIA • JR • 6’5″ / 315 LBS

New York has invested in its offensive line through free agency, but not enough. The Jets still have some concerns and, until those are filled, offensive tackle remains a need for them.

12 – LAS VEGAS

Jerry Jeudy WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 193 LBS

Las Vegas has spent on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, but it has hardly touched the offense. Jeudy makes a lot of sense here given Mike Mayock’s appreciation for the traditional powerhouse colleges and his technique.

13 – SAN FRANCISCO (from Indianapolis)

CeeDee Lamb WR

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 198 LBS

San Francisco acquired No. 13 overall this week in a deal for DeForest Buckner. After pursuing some top flight receivers via trade over the past few years, they finally land one through the draft.

14 – PHILADELPHIA (Mock Trade from Tampa Bay)

Henry Ruggs III WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’11” / 188 LBS

Denver looks like a likely landing spot for Ruggs so Philadelphia jumps them, similar to what they did last year to secure Andre Dillard. After landing Darius Slay, their list of needs is dwindling quickly.

15 – DENVER

Javon Kinlaw DL

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’5″ / 324 LBS

Denver still needs to add to its defensive line despite the addition of Jurrell Casey.

16 – ATLANTA

Kenneth Murray LB

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’3″ / 241 LBS

Atlanta brought Tyeler Davison back and signed Dante Fowler Jr. but the Falcons need to continue building out the linebacker unit. Murray is an active player that can bring some fire to that Falcons defense.

17 – DALLAS

CJ Henderson CB

FLORIDA • JR • 6’1″ / 204 LBS

After losing Byron Jones in free agency, Dallas is in a bit of a quandary. The Cowboys move to select Henderson to fill in the hole.

18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

Josh Jones OL

HOUSTON • SR • 6’5″ / 319 LBS

Miami parted with both offensive tackles last offseason, so it is imperative that they add one or two in the first round. They drafted Justin Herbert with the first of three first-round picks and now they add Jones for some protection.

19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Kristian Fulton CB

LSU • SR • 6’0″ / 197 LBS

Las Vegas is signing Eli Apple in free agency, but that does not solve the Raiders’ need at the position. Fulton, another player from a championship caliber program, can add some physicality to that unit.

20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Xavier McKinney S

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 201 LBS

McKinney is the best player on the board. He can slide into a nickel role or play safety. His versatility is eerily reminiscent of Minkah Fitzpatrick.

21 – TAMPA BAY (Mock Trade from Philadelphia)

Austin Jackson OL

USC • JR • 6’5″ / 322 LBS

No. 14 overall was too early for Tampa Bay to dive into the second wave of offensive tackles, so they traded back a bit and still landed a quality player. Jackson is trending up after being less than 100 percent in 2019.

22 – MINNESOTA (from Buffalo)

Trevon Diggs CB

ALABAMA • SR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

After dealing Stefon Diggs to Buffalo, Minnesota selects his brother to fill some needs at cornerback. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander have either agreed to terms with another team or have been released. It is a big position of need.

23 – NEW ENGLAND

Jordan Love QB

UTAH STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 224 LBS

New England is pumping out the narrative that they are happy with Jarrett Stidham. They may be happy with Stidham, but it would also make sense for them to act happy so no one got anxious to take a quarterback they like in the draft.

24 – NEW ORLEANS

Justin Jefferson WR

Michael Thomas gets to team up with Jefferson to form a dynamic duo at wide receiver. Jefferson does not have to travel far to join his new NFL team.

25 – MINNESOTA

Patrick Queen LB

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 229 LBS

Minnesota needs to start preparing for the future. They have a highly paid linebacker room and some changes need to be made if they hope for any future flexibility.

26 – MIAMI (from Houston)

A.J. Epenesa EDGE

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 275 LBS

Miami sticks to its board and takes the best player available. Epenesa is a strong player who can help reset the expectations in that locker room.

27 – SEATTLE

Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

As of writing this, Seattle has not yet signed Jadeveon Clowney, so it makes sense that Gross-Matos might be an option.

28 – BALTIMORE

K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE

LSU • SOPH • 6’3″ / 254 LBS

It remains to be seen whether or not Baltimore will move Matt Judon to create some cap room. Baltimore has done well at keeping its shelves stocked with pass rushers. It is unreasonable to think it will be any different post-Ozzie Newsome.

29 – TENNESSEE

Neville Gallimore DL

OKLAHOMA • SR • 6’2″ / 304 LBS

Tennessee has Jeffery Simmons but it moved on from Jurrell Casey. The addition of Gallimore gives the Titans a youthful piece to push the pocket and create opportunities for the linebackers.

30 – GREEN BAY

Brandon Aiyuk WR

ARIZONA STATE • SR • 6’0″ / 205 LBS

Green Bay has Davante Adams but it can add another explosive, underneath option for Aaron Rodgers. The Packers have not taken a wide receiver in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002.

31 – SAN FRANCISCO

Grant Delpit S

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 213 LBS

The Jimmie Ward situation remains unresolved so San Francisco is tapping into the safety market for now. Delpit has first round ability, but certainly presents some risk.

32 – KANSAS CITY

D’Andre Swift RB

GEORGIA • JR • 5’8″ / 212 LBS

Kansas City has gotten by without investing in the running back position, but the days of Priest Holmes and Jamaal Charles were awesome. It is time to give the Chiefs another explosive weapon in the backfield.

Teams that do not have a first-round pick

Colts: No. 34 overall – Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

Texans: No. 40 overall – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

Bears: No. 43 overall – Cesar Ruiz, OG/C, Michigan

Steelers: No. 49 overall – Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M

Rams: No. 52 overall – Netane Muti, OG, Fresno State

Bills: No. 54 overall – Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia