AROUND THE NFL

Daily Briefing

NFLers are balking at invading fellow employees homes/having fellow employees invade their homes in preparation for the virtual draft.  Adam Schefter is fear rumormongering as reported by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

It’s not quite carnage in the streets, but there’s a concern regarding the presence of IT workers in NFL homes.

That’s the latest from Adam Schefter of ESPN. He reports that a “concern has emerged in recent days” regarding “certain coaches and front-office staffers [being] reluctant to have their IT employees in their homes for fear of the virus spreading.” The reverse also applies; Schefter says that some IT employees are concerned about going into homes to equip them for the draft.

It’s a legitimate concern, and frankly it’s an issue that potentially violates “stay at home” orders and other applicable local restrictions. If a given state or county has no exception allowing NFL employees to go to team facilities for the purposes of working the draft, there’s also likely no exception allowing IT employees to leave their own homes and enter the homes of others.

If this concern has legs (and it quite possibly does), it’s another consequences of the league’s ready-fire-aim approach to conducting the draft. While there are real benefits for the millions who are stuck at home having something to anticipate for the next two weeks followed by something to spend three days distracted by, there are real challenges to compliance with the rules that are in place in many of the area where the NFL does business.

How this one gets resolved remains to be seen. But even if the IT employees ultimately don’t enter homes, the NFL will find a way to get draft done, even if it comes down to 32 tin cans with string leading to 345 Park Avenue.

Surely the scout types could go to another part of their house.  The IT folks could wear gloves and masks.  After their work is done, they could disinfect anything they touched.  After they leave, the scout guys could wipe things down after waiting a few minutes for rogue infected particles to fall to the ground.

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

The DB has long thought that the Lions are in the perfect spot to drop back, even if it is just a few spots (remember the Bears paid a ransom to move up one spot with the 49ers to draft QB MITCHELL TRUBISKY).  Why wouldn’t the Dolphins, with an abundance of picks want to make sure they get the QB they want and move up?  And why wouldn’t the Lions be willing to drop to #5 and still get either CB JEFF OKUDAH (or if the Giants take him) another high quality player?

Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Bengals are apparently set on their quarterback, and Washington’s sending signals that Chase Young could be the second pick.

That means the third spot is suddenly the interesting one, and don’t the Lions know it.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Lions have “had discussions with teams about potentially moving back,” and that there seems to be some interest.

The market for quarterbacks should dictate that they have a scarce commodity, and anyone wanting to get their hands on Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert (or anyone, really), should be calling Detroit.

It doesn’t hurt for the Lions to put the “For Sale” sign out two weeks ahead of the draft, giving them plenty of time to gauge the value of the pick as opposed to taking a player for themselves there.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on RB TODD GURLEY’s situation.  Presumably he’s a Falcon, but he hasn’t had a physical and the Rams still owe him a huge chunk of change.

Running back Todd Gurley is no longer a Ram, but his business with the Rams apparently hasn’t concluded.

Gurley took to Twitter on Wednesday to send a message to the Rams, telling them that they are “past due” and to “[s]end me money.”

Although the Rams cut Gurley before the third day of the league year, avoiding another $10.5 million in fully-guaranteed obligations, the Rams already owed Gurley a fully-guaranteed roster bonus of $7.55 million on the third day of the league year.

The Rams will be entitled to a partial offset based on Gurley’s one-year deal with the Falcons, if/when that deal becomes official. But that’s money they’d get back from the Falcons later (the contract between Gurley and the Falcons still isn’t official); the Rams still owe Gurley the $7.55 million — if that’s the payment Gurley is referring to.

Then there’s the possibility that the Rams will owe Gurley the $10.5 million that was avoided when he was cut. Although the money never became fully guaranteed, it was guaranteed for injury. If Gurley fails his Falcons physical, a fight could be in the offing between Gurley and the Rams as to whether he was injured at the time he was released.

TAMPA BAY

A nice gesture by Buccaneers WR MIKE EVANS.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has joined the list of NFL players donating to COVID-19 relief efforts.

Evans has decided to help out in the city where he plays football as well as in his hometown of Galveston, Texas. He’s donating $50,000 to United Way Suncoast and another $50,000 to efforts in Galveston.

“These critical dollars will do so much to help families who are struggling in this crisis,” United Way Suncoast CEO Jessica Muroff said in a statement provided by the Buccaneers.

United Way Suncoast is working with 53,000 individuals in need across 31,000 households who are serviced by nonprofits that do things like provide meals for children and childcare for people working essential jobs during the pandemic.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Santa Clara County hears from a medical expert anxious to keep Californians under lockdown until after the election.  Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com:

Even as California sees glimmers of hope amid the coronavirus outbreak, authorities warn that the Golden State won’t be getting back to normal anytime soon.

Officials expect months more of some social distancing policies and warn that lifting the strict rules too early could worsen the health crisis.

The public should realize that coronavirus cases are likely to rise when stay-at-home orders are eased, officials said.

“There will definitely be individuals who will get sick. And because there are individuals who get sick, there will be individuals who die after the order is released, unless we come up with a foolproof immunization, which is highly unlikely,” said Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Santa Clara County executive officer.

Smith on Tuesday told that county’s Board of Supervisors that he did not expect there would be “any sports games until at least Thanksgiving, and we’d be lucky to have them by Thanksgiving. This is not something that’s going to be easy to do.”

In fact, it’s unlikely the new coronavirus will be completely eradicated, and the disease could become seasonal, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CBS this week.

That would make it unlike a different deadly coronavirus scare of the past, the virus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, which killed 774 people worldwide and was fully contained within months.

More on Dr. Smith’s pronouncements from Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com:

While just about all prognostication regarding the resumption of sporting events and just general normality is educated conjecture, Smith’s opinion is of interest because he resides in a county home to an NFL football team in the San Francisco 49ers. Smith, who earned his medical degree at the University of Southern California, anticipated infections would rise again in California if distancing restrictions were loosened without the ability to inoculate the population.

“There will definitely be individuals who will get sick,” Smith said. “And because there are individuals who get sick, there will be individuals who die after the order is released, unless we come up with a foolproof immunization, which is highly unlikely.”

There are still too many unknowns to say definitively what will come to pass in the coming months. Washington and California have both started to see new infections slowly reduce due to their stay-at-home orders. However, if significant progress isn’t made to quell the transmission rates of the virus or the severity of its infections along with widespread testing, Smith’s projection could certainly be a reasonable outcome as a vaccine isn’t expected until next year at the earliest.

California currently has about 500 deaths attributed to COVID19 out of a population of 40 million.  About 70 of the deaths are among the 8 million people in the San Francisco Bay area.  California currently has 487 cases per million and 13 deaths per million, both among the lowest totals in the U.S. 

This from Roger Goodell per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been conspicuous in his presence during the pandemic. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been conspicuous in his absence.

Goodell spoke on camera for the first time earlier this week, in a FaceTime call with Ankur Jain, the founder and CEO of Kairos.

Among other things, Goodell reiterated the league’s intent to play football games in 2020.

“The NFL is planning to play,” Goodell said. “That’s our hope, and that’s our planning to date.”

Similar to the league’s views regarding the upcoming draft, Goodell believes that football will be beneficial during these trying times.

“We can help our country heal,” Goodell said. “We can help bring our communities together. We can provide hope. We can provide a distraction from the everyday issues and show people that there is a future out there and that we’re all going to be part of that.”

He’s right. Even though playing the games directly advances the financial interests of the NFL, it also advances the broader interests of a society that is caught in a Groundhog Day existence, slowly climbing a mountain with no idea where the top may be — and whether there’s even a top at all. Having events like the draft and football games will help people who are staying at home pass the time until the time comes for normalcy.

But there’s a balance. Goodell made it clear that the league will, in deciding when to play, put public safety first.

“We have to put the general public safety but also the safety of all those workers [at stadium],” Goodell said. “The hope here is that the steps that our leaders are taking are going to help end this pandemic as soon as possible.”

While we wait for it to end, Goodell has provided a message of optimism.

“We’re gonna get through this,” he said. “We’re gonna get through this together as a country and as world and that this is something that we’re going to overcome. People should keep that hope, because we’re going to get back to doing the things that we were doing and hopefully creating a great future for so many people, and I hope everyone stays involved and does what’s best in our communities in the short term but more importantly keeps focusing on the future, because it’s going to be a bright future for us.”

For the millions of football fans who currently feel lost, a simple expression like that from the man who runs the NFL can make a big difference. Here’s hoping we get more messages of hope like this from Goodell, and from others who occupy a high profile in pro sports.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

The Ravens are not likely to jump on a first round receiver, even though there are several outstanding prospects.  GM Eric DeCosta thinks he can go shopping at that position later in the draft.

The Baltimore Ravens continue to search for options to upgrade the wide receiver corps, but don’t expect a giant leap to snag one of the big-name first-rounders.

The 2020 NFL Draft receiving group is expected to be extraordinary, with as many as six or seven wideouts potentially going in the first round. It’s the depth of the group that could make it historic.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta told reporters Thursday morning that he sees starters coming off the board well into Day 3 of the draft.

“We think this year that there’s a really good chance to get a guy that can probably be a starter for you in the fifth round of the draft,” he said, via Ryan Mink of the team’s official website.

The belief in the depth of the WR crew could potentially lead some teams to pass in the first round, feeling they can get value in the later rounds on a player who can start.

While Baltimore has a need at receiver, DeCosta’s comment suggests he won’t be trading up to grab one of the big three — CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III. Asked specifically about Lamb, DeCosta noted the Oklahoma product will be “long gone” by the time the Ravens pick at No. 28. After using last year’s first-round pick on receiver Marquise Brown, the Ravens seems destined to spend early selections to fill holes on defense or the interior offensive line.

It’s a good year for NFL teams in need of receiver help — which is one big reason the free-agent wideout market was stagnant. Unearthing starting-caliber players on Day 3 is what separates great GMs from the rotating middling crew of hobby horses. We shouldn’t be surprised to hear several fourth- and fifth-round receivers celebrated as potential starters this offseason. The draft is just that good at the position.

The DB is thinking they are talking about guys like Texas WR DEVIN DUVERNAY:

In his senior season for the Longhorns, Duvernay led the nation and caught 103 passes (most in NCAA) for 1,249 yards and eight touchdowns, played in and started in 12 games, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was named to the Biletnikoff Award’s midseason watch list. He led all Big 12 receivers in catches, catches per game, receiving yards, receiving yards per game and was third in receiving touchdowns.

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein described Duvernay as a “straight-line speedster with a fireplug build who needs to close the ability gap between when the ball is in his hands and when it’s not.” Zierlein said Duvernay was a slot receiver with tight hips and below-average route running, but praised his hands and yards after the catch (YAC) ability.

THIS AND THAT

PLAYER PROFILE – TRISTAN WIRFS

So when the DB first googled the unusual name of Tristan Wilfs, we got hits for an actor named Tristan Wilds.  He is a 29-year-old who was on “The Wire” and he was busted last summer for driving with a suspended license in Manhattan.

The football player is an offensive lineman from Iowa, Mt. Vernon to be precise.

Mt. Vernon, population about 4,500, is an exurb of Cedar Rapids.

Tristan and his sister, Kaylia, are mixed race and grew up with their single mother Sarah.

This from a profile of Wirfs in the Cedar Rapids Gazette by Mark Morehouse:

Sarah Wirfs is a single mom of two. The family, which includes Tristan’s sister, Kaylia, a junior at Mount Vernon High School, lived in a trailer park outside of town for awhile before moving to a house in Mount Vernon when Tristan was 5.

Sarah has worked hard over the years to afford her children opportunities to be involved in whatever activity they wished to participate.

“Being a single mom was never the plan,” she said. “I always told my kids they would have everything they needed, but probably not everything they wanted.”

The axiom that it takes a village to raise a child sure is true in this case. Sarah has a tight-knit extended family that has lended invaluable help, with Tristan listing his uncle, Rich, as a very important male role model in his life.

So were all of his friends’ dads growing up, guys who would go out and have a game of baseball catch with him from time to time. And then there were his teachers and coaches at Mount Vernon High School.

“It all starts at home with his mom and sister. They do an amazing job of putting the family first,” said Mount Vernon football coach Lance Pederson. “She really sacrifices hard for both of her kids, does a great job. I think her extended family and the community both kind of filled in the gaps and have done a great job of rallying around Tristan and that entire family. That’s really exciting to see. Everybody feels like they have a hand in it, and everybody is excited to see what Tristan has accomplished.”

What he accomplished in high school were all-state honors in football and a state championship in wrestling. He won state track and field and Drake Relays titles in the throwing events.

– – –

Gentle giant fits here. By most accounts, he’s 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds of teddy bear.

“It has been like that since day one,” his mother, Sarah Wirfs, said. “As the mom, you are always like ‘Smile’ when you’re taking pictures. ‘Smile for the camera, Tristan.’ He was always happy to do that. I did not have to coax him much, ever. That smile always came.”

Which brings up a conundrum. It’s hard, pretty much impossible to play at a high level when you’re nice, especially on the offensive line.

Football is not a nice game. You’ve got to have a whole bunch of snarl, and it can be difficult when it’s not in your nature.

“It’s kind of funny,” Tristan said. “My mom doesn’t know a lot about football. I mean, she loves watching and stuff. But she’d always say I had to flip that switch, to get mean during a game. I’d be like ‘Yeah, I know, mom. I know.’”

“He has always been competitive, but never in a mean way,” Sarah Wirfs said. “So we’re like ‘It’s OK to be mean now. It’s time to let it out.’ I would always tell him he had to find a way to flip the switch if he was out on the wrestling mat or on the line in football. It has become a lot more apparent at the college level.”

Mark Emmert of HawkCentral.com with more on Wirfs’ aspiration to be a physical education teacher and his amazing growth process:

Tristan Wirfs is a big man with a big plan for his future, and it’s not the one you might think.

“I want to be an elementary school physical education teacher,” Wirfs proclaimed in an interview with the Des Moines Register last month.

“I’ve always loved kids. I’ve always been very good with kids.”

Wirfs, at 6-foot-6, 320 pounds, also happens to be very good at moving large men backward. So it’s likely that his PE dreams will have to wait until his NFL career is behind him.

But his professional aspirations reveal much about the character of Iowa’s gifted junior offensive tackle: Wirfs never seems to realize just how special he can be as an athlete, and he carries himself with a wide-eyed sweetness that makes a career spent cavorting with children in a gymnasium seem like a perfect fit.

Wirfs latched on to his idea at Mount Vernon High School, when an assignment included a stint helping out with the elementary school gym class. He hadn’t thought about what job he might do as an adult until then.

“I just had a blast over there,” Wirfs said. “If I can do anything working with kids, that would be perfect.”

Everyone who knows Wirfs has heard him say this. But they are all also aware that Wirfs is already projected as a potential first-round NFL draft pick — perhaps as early as next spring if he chooses to go pro a year early. They just don’t want to talk about that yet.

“One step at a time,” said Sarah Wirfs, sitting in the living room of the home on First Avenue, where she raised Tristan and daughter Kaylia, a high school senior. “It’s hard to look that far forward when you haven’t even played the season yet.”

Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs is aiming to be a consensus all-American in his junior season. The Mount Vernon native certainly has the physical gifts to get there.

Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs is aiming to be a consensus all-American in his junior season. The Mount Vernon native certainly has the physical gifts to get there. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press)

A large challenge for a mother

Tristan entered the world Jan. 24, 1999, weighing 8 pounds, 10 ounces. His life has been marked by growth spurts that sound like tall tales.

As an infant, he was the size of a toddler. As a toddler, he was the size of a kindergartner. Sarah said she used to get funny looks when changing his diaper, strangers wondering why someone that large wasn’t potty-trained.

Tristan was wearing adult-sized shoes by the time he hit elementary school. He’s at a size 17 now.

Tristan’s best friend, Jamie Parker, tells a story that he swears is true. Parker and Tristan were always the two biggest kids in school growing up. They were 6-feet tall as high school freshmen. Then Wirfs went home one night and came back the next day three inches taller.

“He got his growth spurt,” Parker said. “It was never just steady. It was boom! One day, he’s biiiiig.”

Sarah said she knew when her son was about to expand when he had his “episodes.”

“He would come home from school just completely exhausted. He could not stay awake. Everything hurt — his bones hurt,” she recalled. “He would go to bed and he would sleep from 6 p.m. to 10, 11 o’clock the next day and he would just sweat like he was sweating out every ounce of water in his body.

“And shortly after that, he would put his pants on and I would say, ‘What on earth happened?’”

This happened about twice a year, she said.

Sarah would do what parents have done for generations: Stand him up by the white wall in the living room and put a pencil mark where the top of his head rested. The marks are still there, the latest from 2016, when Tristan reached 6-5.

Then she would do what most parents never have to: Go online to order shoes and pants that would fit her son. It was a constant struggle. Sarah called it “scavenging.”

Groceries were another challenge. Sarah has worked for Target for 28 years. She would buy a large volume of groceries once a week, but was always picking up spare items after clocking out — eggs or bread or peanut butter. She would buy $1.99 gallons of milk at Aldi’s and watch as Tristan consumed six or eight of them a week. She made plenty of casseroles. One with chicken and corn remains Tristan’s favorite.

Now that Tristan is in college, where he eats on the Hawkeye football program’s dime, Sarah says her grocery bills have fallen by 75 percent.

Tristan was a frequent visitor to the Parker household in nearby Martelle. Every Saturday in the fall, he watched the Iowa football games there with Jamie and his father, Alan.

Jamie Parker joked that there might have been another reason for all the visits.

“I think that’s why Sarah let Tristan come over here so much — because my mom and dad had to feed him, too,” Parker said. “Every hour, the kid was into the cupboards getting chips, anything he could get his hands on. He felt bad. I said, ‘Dude, I know you’re growing.’”

Wirfs is the only true freshman ever to start at offensive tackle for Kirk Ferentz in his 21 years at Iowa.  Now, after three years on campus, at the age of 21, he is the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and heading for an early first round selection.

Wirfs starts out with an amazing combination of size and athleticism.  Here are some typical reports.

Jeff Smith, SI.com:

Wirfs is nothing short of a spectacular athlete. He set explosion records at the combine with his jumps and his speed is incredible. His agility isn’t as good, but it’s more than adequate. His height isn’t quite prototypical and he looks like a guard in terms of his body, but he’s an elite athlete and there’s nothing that prevents him from being a top of the line tackle. His age is another factor in his favor.

Jacob Infante, USA TODAY:

Wirfs garnered a reputation for being a weight room animal at Iowa, and when you turn on his tape, that’s not surprising to hear.

The three-year collegiate starter has a lengthy and muscular frame that is well-built with ideal proportions for an offensive lineman. His bulk translates to power on film, as he plays with powerful grip strength once he latches onto a defender. Wirfs has the raw upper-body strength to manhandle smaller defensive linemen and knock them off balance. Combining that power with a motor that runs high on every down, he has made his fair share of pancake blocks on the field.

Wirfs tested incredibly well at the Combine, leading all offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump. That athleticism translates on tape. He has above-average lateral quickness in pass protection, showing flashes of dynamic explosion coming out of his stance to nullify speed rushers off the edge. He has also shown improvement in terms of his ability to get inside hand placement over the course of his collegiate career.

Former NFL defensive lineman Stephen White:

Sometimes I’m as guilty as anybody when it comes to putting qualifiers on a prospect’s athletic ability. I might say this guy is fast “for a defensive tackle” or that guy is strong “for a wide receiver,” just to try to be clear about how good they are without overselling it.

Well, Tristan Wirfs doesn’t need any qualifiers — that dude is an athlete period!

Sure, he’s an offensive lineman and every bit of 6’5 and 320 pounds, but he looks like a small forward running around on the field. His tape at Iowa tells you everything you need to know about Wirfs’ speed, quickness, explosion, and agility. But if you had any lingering doubts, his combine performance should’ve smashed them all to smithereens.

Wirfs is a clean prospect.  If you’re looking for something to knock him on, he did have an OWI (Operating a motor vehicle While Intoxicated in Iowa) arrest in 2018 and sometimes his play is not quite as dominating as it should be. 

Although he has mainly played on the right side, he still could be the first offensive tackle off the board.  Nick Farabaugh at ProFootballNetwork.com:

In a loaded offensive tackle class that features top prospects such as Jedrick Wills, Andrew Thomas, and Mekhi Becton, there is a lot of competition among those guys of just who the best tackle in this class is. The opinions among draftniks everywhere range on all of these guys, with all three of those mentioned above getting nods from some as the best tackle this class has to offer. The five words that have been put together all draft season, though, have been ‘Tristan Wirfs’ and ‘top offensive tackle.’

Now, at the NFL Scouting Combine, Becton ran a 5.10 40-yard dash at 364 pounds, which is extraordinary, and that should make it all the more impressive that the talk of the day was not Becton, but what Wirfs did. He had one of the most impressive offensive line combines in recent memory. Wrifs put up a 4.86 40-yard dash, a 36 1/2 inch vertical jump, and a 121-inch broad jump. Each of those metrics measured in the 98th percentile or higher for offensive tackles. His combine mirrored elite athletes such as Trent Williams on its scale. Just to put into perspective how insane his vertical was, he outjumped star Oklahoma wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb.

But really, Wirfs only confirmed what he had put on tape over the years.

– – –

I will say, Tristan Wirfs is an enjoyable prospect to watch. There are always things to work on, but he has a mostly complete toolbox at his disposal. The athletic tools are great, but he is rather technically sound. Some want to move him to guard, but he can thrive at right tackle just fine. His film shows precisely why he has a very serious case to be rated as the top offensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft.

CHRIS JOHNSON

We had forgotten about the drive-by shooting that nearly killed former NFL running back Chris Johnson, but apparently he didn’t.  TMZ:

Ex-NFL star Chris Johnson is accused of funding murder-for-hire shootings that left two men dead in 2016 — this according to explosive court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

FYI, Johnson has NOT been formally charged with a crime — and ADAMANTLY DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS — but officials are clearly laying out their case against the running back … and it’s compelling stuff.

Long story short, officials believe CJ2K rewarded a gang member with cash after the guy allegedly killed two men who were suspected of gunning down Johnson’s friend in 2015.

Here’s the backstory … Johnson nearly died in a shooting in Orlando, Fla., back on March 8, 2015 … when Orange County Sheriff officials say someone opened fire on a Jeep that Chris was in at around 4 AM.

Johnson suffered a bullet wound to his shoulder and made a full recovery … but the driver of the vehicle, his friend, Dreekius Johnson, did not survive the attack.

In new court docs … law enforcement officials say “intelligence gathered suggested [the shooting] was a gang related murder attempt on Chris Johnson.”

Officials also say … months later, a noted Florida gang member named Dominic Bolden shot and killed two men — one on Jan. 19, 2016 and one on July 24, 2016 — who were believed to be the shooters in the March 2015 incident.

In the court docs, officials claim an informant told them as a reward for Bolden’s alleged actions … Chris helped the guy become a leader of a famed drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Florida.

The informant told officials that Johnson supplied Bolden “with funds and an individual who could continually supply Dominic Bolden with as much narcotics as needed to supply the DTO.”

The informant also told officials the “murder for hire elevated Dominic Bolden’s rank, reputation and power within the DTO” — eventually making Bolden the org’s de facto leader.

At the time of the March 2015 shooting, Chris was tagged in a social media post that appeared to be a threat directed at the gunmen … but Chris denied he was seeking revenge, saying, “I don’t live that life.”

In the docs, 34-year-old Johnson is also accused of helping with day-to-day operations of the DTO … but court records show he has NOT been formally charged with any crimes.

We’ve reached out to prosecutors at both the state attorney’s office and the attorney general’s office in Florida for comment on the investigation … but so far, no word back yet.

We also reached out to Chris — and a rep for the former NFL star tells us he strongly denies the allegations … saying, “There’s no validity to any of these accusations.”

Chris is considered one the NFL’s most exciting players EVER — recording 9,561 rushing yards in his 10-year career.

He famously earned the nickname “CJ2K” after rushing for 2,006 yards in 2009.

2020 DRAFT

Michael Lombardi is either reporting news or trying to drive down the value of QB TUA TAGAVIOLA.  Hal Habib in the Palm Beach Post:

Former GM and NFL analyst Michael Lombardi says two teams have told him that Tua Tagovailoa failed their pre-draft physicals.

In what could either be prophetic or a smokescreen, former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi said on his podcast that two teams have flunked former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in their pre-draft physicals.

Lombardi did not name the teams on his “GM Shuffle” podcast, so it’s not known if one is the Dolphins, who own the No. 5 overall pick.

“Two teams I’ve talked to have flunked him,” said Lombardi, adding that one of the teams is in the top 10. “They flunked him on not just the hip. It’s the multitude of injuries. The risk far outweighs the reward.”

Tagovailoa’s collegiate career ended when he suffered a hip injury that required surgery, but his camp has repeatedly insisted he is back at 100 percent. A message left for Tagovailoa’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, was not immediately returned.

– – –

But there is good news on the health of WR BRYAN EDWARDS.  Nick Shook of ProFootballTalk.com:

Bryan Edwards’ NFL chances recently received a boost.

The South Carolina wide receiver, who fractured his fifth metatarsal before the NFL Scouting Combine, has moved on from wearing a protective boot and is moving around well, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.

Teams were sent updated images and scans of Edwards’ foot very recently, Rapoport added. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting how prospective teams can examine players dealing with injuries, this is a positive step for Edwards.

Edwards, South Carolina’s all-time receiving leader in both yards and receptions, is considered a Day 2 prospect who carries a healthy amount of upside thanks to his combination of height, weight and speed. The 6-foot-3 highlight-making target caught 22 touchdowns over four seasons, including 6 in 2019, and demonstrated a knack for consistent production during his time in Columbia.

– – –

We have a Mock Draft from Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com.  It clearly is his guess on what will happen, not what should happen.  There is a lot of “they should do X, but they will do Y.”

In my Mock 5.0, I changed a few things around, but not a lot. I have some new faces in the bottom of the round, but the same names make up the top 20 or so picks.

In this mock, I have the Detroit Lions taking Ohio State corner Jeff Okduah with the third pick, a change for me, and I have the Miami Dolphins passing on Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to take Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. I have the Chargers taking Tagovailoa one pick later with the sixth pick.

There is also a run on offensive tackles in this mock, with four going consecutively from picks 8-11. That’s how good a class it is at that position. Of course, Joe Burrow is still going first to the Cincinnati Bengals.

So eat it up. Two weeks to go. Then the real draft is finally here. 

1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 221 LBS

This is a lock. Even if they were to get wowed by a team with an amazing offer, I think they stay put and take Burrow.

2 –  WASHINGTON

Chase Young EDGE

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 264 LBS

Why not take the best pass rusher in this class? Young will be a force for new defense.

3 – DETROIT

Jeff Okudah CB

They should take Derrick Brown in this spot, but I think they might be leaning to the corner. Okudah is clearly the best of this class.

4 – NY GIANTS

Isaiah Simmons LB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 238 LBS

They should take an offensive tackle, but instead they take a playmaking defender. The big concern is where to play Simmons.

5 – MIAMI

Justin Herbert QB

OREGON • SR • 6’6″ / 236 LBS

I just think there are too many injury concerns about Tua Tagovailoa for the Dolphins. They take Herbert, a big power passer who is raw.

6 – LA CHARGERS

Tua Tagovailoa QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 217 LBS

The Dolphins pass on Tua, but the Chargers don’t. They take the risk on Tagovailoa being healthy.

7 – CAROLINA

Derrick Brown DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 326 LBS

They have to get a power player in the middle of their defense. Brown will be a force once he learns how to use his hands as a pass rusher.

8 – ARIZONA

Jedrick Wills Jr. OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 312 LBS

They need a right tackle and he fits with what they want to do. He will be a day one starter.

9 – JACKSONVILLE

Mekhi Becton OL

LOUISVILLE • JR • 6’7″ / 364 LBS

He is a big, talented tackle who would give them a nice pair of bookends with second-year player

Jawaan Taylor.

10 – CLEVELAND

Andrew Thomas OL

GEORGIA • JR • 6’5″ / 315 LBS

He would fill a major need at left tackle and pair with Jack Conklin to give them a major upgrade from a year ago. Thomas gets the edge over Tristan Wirfs.

11 – NY JETS

Tristan Wirfs OL

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

The run on tackles continues here as the Jets take Wirfs, who can play both sides. They need an upgrade in front of Sam Darnold.

12 – LAS VEGAS

CJ Henderson CB

FLORIDA • JR • 6’1″ / 204 LBS

They have to get an upgrade at corner. The defense has made strides in free agency, but a top corner is lacking. Henderson is an outstanding cover player.

13 – SAN FRANCISCO (from Indianapolis)

Jerry Jeudy WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 193 LBS

The 49ers need help outside and Jeudy is the most-polished of the receiving group. He would be a nice addition to Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

14 – TAMPA BAY

Javon Kinlaw DL

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’5″ / 324 LBS

They brought back Ndamukong Suh on a one-year deal, but adding another big body makes sense with the four top tackles off the board.

15 – DENVER

CeeDee Lamb WR

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 198 LBS

They have to get help for the passing game and Lamb is a polished receiver who will step in and help Drew Lock right away.

16 – ATLANTA

K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE

LSU • SOPH • 6’3″ / 254 LBS

With both Okudah and Henderson off the board, they opt to help the pass rush to add to Takk McKinley and Dante Fowler. They do need a corner.

17 – DALLAS

Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

They need to get help for DeMarcus Lawrence rushing the passer. They can’t rely on Randy Gregory and Aldon Smth.

18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

Henry Ruggs III WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’11” / 188 LBS

This might not seem like a need, but why not take a speed receiver to grow with your young quarterback?

19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Jordan Love QB

UTAH STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 224 LBS

We hear Jon Gruden doesn’t really want Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota sure isn’t the answer. So why not take a quarterback who can sit and wait?

20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Noah Igbinoghene CB

AUBURN • JR • 5’10” / 198 LBS

They need help at corner and this kid has a lot of coverage ability. He was much more physical on tape than I expected.

21 – PHILADELPHIA

Justin Jefferson WR

LSU • JR • 6’1″ / 202 LBS

They have to get help at receiver. Jefferson would add some much needed speed to a group that has questions.

22 – MINNESOTA (from Buffalo)

Kristian Fulton CB

LSU • SR • 6’0″ / 197 LBS

They have little left after free agency at the position, so landing a cover player like Fulton makes sense. Could also go pass rusher here.

23 – NEW ENGLAND

Zack Baun LB

WISCONSIN • SR • 6’2″ / 238 LBS

They love players who are versatile and Baun is that. He can play the edge and some teams think he’s a middle linebacker. He fits the Patriots way.

24 – NEW ORLEANS

Kenneth Murray LB

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’3″ / 241 LBS

They need an upgrade at linebacker and Murray is a perfect player to do that. He can run and cover.

25 – MINNESOTA

Austin Jackson OL

USC • JR • 6’5″ / 322 LBS

They need to get bigger up front. By taking Jackson they could move Riley Reiff inside to guard. They got manhandled up front at times last season.

26 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Ezra Cleveland OL

BOISE STATE • JR • 6’6″ / 311 LBS

They need to get a left tackle. So after taking a quarterback and a speed receiver, Cleveland is the pick. The offense is on its way to being better.

27 – SEATTLE

Isaiah Wilson OL

GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’7″ / 350 LBS

The guys they have on the roster right now to play right tackle are not long-term starters. This kid would be.

28 – BALTIMORE

Patrick Queen LB

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 229 LBS

They need to get a young linebacker to play behind their big front. Queen would be a perfect fit in their defense.

29 – TENNESSEE

Ross Blacklock DL

TCU • JR • 6’3″ / 290 LBS

They need another power player up front to go with Jeffrey Simmons. Blacklock is a name I hear often from personnel people at the back end of the first round.

30 – GREEN BAY

Brandon Aiyuk WR

ARIZONA STATE • SR • 6’0″ / 205 LBS

They have to get more help outside in their passing game. Aiyuk only did it for one year for the Sun Devils, but he can play. He did have core muscle surgery recently.

31 – SAN FRANCISCO

A.J. Terrell CB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’1″ / 195 LBS

Terrell was outstanding in 2018, which is why scouts like him. He is a player who can hold up in man coverage and would fill a need for the 49ers.

32 – KANSAS CITY

Cesar Ruiz OL

MICHIGAN • JR • 6’3″ / 307 LBS

He could play guard for them early in his career, but he has a chance to be a star center.