GREEN BAY

Could QB JORDAN LOVE have a capacity other than QB?  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Jordan Love gets his chance as a full-time starting quarterback this season after backing up Aaron Rodgers for three seasons. The Packers have a plan for getting him ready and that plan includes preseason action, more than a QB1 would expect to play.

Love needs snaps and lots of them before the season opener.

He has started only one career regular-season game, and Love has played only 157 regular-season snaps. But he’s also played only 212 preseason snaps in his career, with the pandemic having wiped out the 2020 preseason.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN, that there’s “a pretty good chance” Love and the offensive starters play “in some capacity” Friday against the Bengals.

Love expects to play at least a couple of series.

“It gets your mind back in the [game] mentally,” Love said, via Demovsky.

– – –

Meanwhile, G ELGTON JENKINS is sent to the showers early.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Packers left guard Elgton Jenkins made an early exit from Wednesday’s joint practice with the Bengals and it was not because of injury.

Jenkins was involved in two fights with Bengals defenders during the session. The first came after Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt took issue with a block from Jenkins and the Packers briefly pulled Jenkins from drills to cool down. He returned, but was escorted off for good by team personnel after another scrap with Bengals defensive lineman D.J. Reader.

Jenkins did not speak to reporters, but Reader did and referred to Jenkins with an acronym for “just another guy” in his media session and on social media.

“He’s a jag, man,” Reader said, via Jason Wilde of Madison.com. “I don’t know that guy. No idea who he is. I mean, I see he made two Pro Bowls, so good for him. But he blocked for Aaron Rodgers. That don’t make you nobody.”

Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari said Jenkins was “totally was in the right the first time” and noted that players “know you shouldn’t [fight], but you also know there’s no consequences” for doing so in a practice. There aren’t penalties, but there is a potential for someone to get hurt when emotions boil over and that’s why coaches usually make a big deal about keeping their players from fighting in any setting.

WASHINGTON

Sounds like OC Eric Bienemy erupted when he heard Ron Rivera’s comments about how he erupts all the time.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Ron Rivera offered a mea culpa Wednesday following Tuesday’s comments regarding the transition to new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s approach.

The Washington Commanders coach offered a lengthy opening statement to his press conference, noting that his comments “took on a different life” than he intended and that he wasn’t as straightforward as needed.

Rivera said he spoke to Bieniemy about his comments.

“I basically told him I put my foot in my mouth,” he said. “I think what I said wasn’t as clear as it needed to be. I think the understanding of it is just the fact that I think everybody’s making, in my opinion, a little bit more than needs to be made of this. Because again, the results are what you’re looking for on the field, and so far, the last couple days have been outstanding. I think Eric has done a great job of communicating his message now that guys have opened up, talked with him, he’s opened up to them. It’s been a great bit of growth the last couple of days that guys are starting to have the a-ha moments.”

On Tuesday, Rivera said certain offensive players have struggled to adapt to Bieniemy’s coaching style. On Wednesday, he noted that every coach has a different approach.

“As I’ve said many times since I’ve hired Eric, I love the overall message that he gave to the team his first day, and that was basically we’ve got to learn to be comfortable when we’re uncomfortable,” Rivera said. “And I think what’s happened is for those guys on that side of the ball, things are uncomfortable. There’s been a lot of change, and the entire way of doing things has changed on the offensive side. Change is hard, and I’ve always encouraged our players to have great dialogue and build relationships with our staff. Since those conversations took place with Eric and the players, I’ve seen the improvements, and I can honestly say the last couple of practices probably have been the best of training camp, which I think is great. To me, that displays the team is beginning to embrace the message and approach to how he does things and how we want things done.”

Rivera’s comments Tuesday included comparing Bieniemy’s approach and how defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio handles his side of the ball. Rivera clarified that he wasn’t trying to pit the two against each other.

“I was just trying to convey that we all have our own way of doing things,” he said Wednesday, “and neither one’s better than the other.”

The 61-year-old played nine seasons with the Chicago Bears (1984-1992) under Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan. He compared Bieniemy’s style to those former coaches.

“I’ve probably played for two of the toughest throwback guys that you could have, and to me, Eric is a little bit of a throwback,” he said.

It’s normal for players to take time to adjust to a different coaching style and even gripe about the changes during the rigors of training camp. But moving forward, the Commanders believe everything will smooth out as we hit the 2023 campaign.

“I think the biggest thing is that we’re all on the same page — everybody,” Rivera said. “I’m fortunate to have an experienced staff with guys like Eric and Jack and a roster of players who want to help this franchise take the next step. We’re all working to build a culture where players and staff can respect each other’s point of views and the way that we do things and continue to be very professional with one another. At the end of the day, we’re all a family, and we’re working towards a same goal, and that’s to win. I just wanted to get that out there so that everybody understands I wasn’t as clear as I probably needed to be, and I own that, and that’s on me.”

TAMPA BAY

Mike Jones of The Athletic on Bucs Coach Todd Bowles and QB BAKER MAYFIELD, whose fates may be linked:

As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare to embark on a new era, with that brief but memorable Tom Brady-led chapter now complete, Todd Bowles makes one thing abundantly clear.

“I don’t look at it as big shoes to fill,” the Bucs’ second-year head coach told The Athletic from his office at AdventHealth Training Center four days into training camp. “Those shoes can never be filled. We just bought a different pair altogether.

“Nobody will ever come behind the greatest of all time,” Bowles continued. “That’s already etched in stone. But we can win in different ways. We have a different scheme. We have two different types of quarterbacks and we’re not trying to ask them to be nobody but themselves, and we have guys around them who can make plays. And that’s what we’re building it off of.”

Those quarterbacks Bowles referenced are Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield. Trask is Tampa Bay’s 2021 second-round pick, with one game appearance and three pass completions to his name in two seasons. Mayfield, of course, is the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner, first pick of the 2018 draft and the odds-on favorite to win the starting job after signing with the Bucs this offseason.

The competition has tightened in recent weeks, though. The Bucs open the preseason at home against the Steelers on Friday, and while Mayfield will start against Pittsburgh, Trask will get the start next week against the New York Jets. The unofficial depth chart released by the team earlier this week listed “Mayfield -OR- Trask” as QB1.

Once heralded as the face of the Browns, Mayfield now finds himself with his fourth team since 2021 and fighting to prove he remains that dangerous dude who in 2020 ended Cleveland’s 18-year playoff drought and also led the team to its first postseason victory in 26 years.

An injury-plagued 2021 and frictions between Mayfield and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski led to Mayfield’s unceremonious finish in Cleveland and trade to the Carolina Panthers, kicking off a nomadic 2022 season.

But now, hope springs eternal for Mayfield. In Tampa, he has joined forces with Bowles, whose own career as a head coach features parallels to Mayfield’s NFL journey.

In 2018, Bowles was head coach of the Jets, who owned the third pick of the draft. They likely would have used it to select Mayfield had Cleveland not taken him with the top selection. New York instead drafted quarterback Sam Darnold, who went 4-9 as a rookie in what turned out to be Bowles’ last of four seasons with the Jets.

Now, five years later, Bowles and Mayfield have finally united. Their NFL futures may hinge on how both fare in their respective roles this season.

For Mayfield, Tampa Bay likely represents his last legitimate shot at becoming an NFL franchise quarterback. He’s 31-38 in five seasons, with a winning record in just one year (2020, when he went 11-5). With success in 2023, he can prove that his fizzle in Cleveland and inconsistencies while on the quarterback carousel in Carolina were due to circumstances beyond his control. He gets a chance to show he can be a high-level field general capable of directing Super Bowl pursuits.

Bowles, meanwhile, gets his best — and possibly final — chance to show he can improve on his struggles in four seasons with the Jets and last year with the Bucs. That the head coach can build, develop and lead a winning team.

Bowles said he and Mayfield hit it off during those pre-draft evaluation days in 2018 and maintained communication over the years. That made Bowles “very comfortable” bringing Mayfield in to Tampa Bay.

“He had a lot of moxie, you know? A lot of leadership skills,” Bowles recalled of Mayfield, the rookie. “He knew how to make plays with his feet or with his arms, and he really just likes to win and compete. I saw that in him then and I see that in him now, and that’s one of the reasons that attracted us to him.”

Mayfield couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of the partnership coming to fruition all these years later. His respect for Bowles, and Bucs general manager Jason Licht’s track record as the builder of well-rounded rosters, made his decision to sign with Tampa Bay “a no-brainer.”

Yes, Brady’s shadow still looms. And his retirement following last season’s arduous 8-9 campaign and disappointing first-round playoff exit has few fans believing the Bucs can finish in the NFC’s upper echelon.

But internally, Bucs coaches and players still have weighty expectations, no matter the significant roster changes since the team’s successful Super Bowl campaign during the 2020 season.

The opportunity at hand and the vibe within the organization excites Mayfield, who perpetually embraces opportunities to defy naysayers.

“Everybody talks about Tom’s gone. Yes, he is the greatest quarterback to ever play,” Mayfield said in an interview with The Athletic after a recent practice. “But football is the greatest team sport in the world. And so it takes a lot more than just one person. And there’s a lot of good pieces here. And, yeah, they were banged up last year. I think everybody’s hungry and ready to go.”

In terms of mental makeup, the Buccaneers probably couldn’t have found a more ideal candidate to lead them into the post-Brady era than Mayfield, a player unabashedly comfortable in his own skin.

“I’ve always been myself. That’s kind of why people either love or hate me,” Mayfield said, laughing. “So I do it my own way. And I enjoy doing it. I have fun while I’m doing it. … I respect (Brady) completely, but I’m not going to ever try and be him. I’m not built like him. I don’t play like him. So just, yeah, try to be the best version of myself.”

Mayfield has never found a task too daunting.

A projected backup as a junior at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, Mayfield was thrust into the starting role four plays into the season and took control, posting a 25-2 record over two years and winning a state championship. He walked on at Texas Tech and won Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. He and former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury had some differences, so Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma, walked on there too, and capped a decorated career with the Heisman Trophy.

That’s largely why Mayfield has refused to let the misfortunes he has encountered in the NFL shake his confidence. Instead, they have only fortified the chip on his shoulder.

“There were definitely times where I could have gotten down,” he said. “But I just stayed ready for my chance and my moment, because that’s kind of how I got to the college level from high school anyway. It was just being an undersized guy with my chance and taking advantage of it when I get the opportunity. I revert back to that. … This is a game where you never know what’s going to happen. Precious moments, so you’ve got to love it.”

That mindset and approach were attractive to Bowles and his assistants.

This offseason, Bowles embraced the opportunity to surround himself with a hand-picked staff. He had inherited Bruce Arians’ assistants last year following Arians’ unexpected retirement on March 30 — late in the offseason by NFL standards.

Seeking a fresh offensive approach, Bowles parted with coordinator Byron Leftwich and appointed former Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales to the position. Mayfield proved to have the skills necessary for the Bucs’ new offense.

After Mayfield’s rocky six-game tenure in Carolina last season, he was released and subsequently claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Rams, with whom the quarterback rediscovered his playmaking ways in Sean McVay’s offense. That four-game stint helped Mayfield get a head start on learning Tampa Bay’s new playbook, since there are similarities between McVay’s and Canales’ systems.

Befitting of the Mayfield journey, the path to Tampa Bay’s starting job has not unfolded effortlessly. He has made impressive throws in training camp, and he has turned the ball over more than he or anyone else would like.

Through two weeks, Mayfield and Trask have alternated work with the first team, and although Mayfield opened the preseason practices with an edge because of his experience and knowledge of the offense, Canales said the competition has tightened as the bigger Trask has shown off his arm strength while also demonstrating an ability to take care of the football.

Despite this, Mayfield maintains belief that he will not only win the starting job, but lead Tampa Bay back to the playoffs this season. He reminds himself that this is a process, and that developing chemistry with new teammates takes time. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at his disposal, Mayfield has perhaps the best wide receiver tandem he has worked with in the NFL. Bowles wants him to remember that he doesn’t have to force things. Instead, Mayfield must strike that balance of embracing high-pressure situations that require big throws while also knowing when to serve merely as a facilitator.

“We’ve got a complete team,” Bowles said. “I know quarterback’s one of the most important positions and probably the most important position on the field, but we got a team around him where he doesn’t have to go win the game all by himself. You need somebody that can fit in well, understand they have to win games when need be and then they have to do things the right way when we need it. So we’ve got guys around him that can do that so he doesn’t have to rely on himself all the time.”

Mayfield may wind up being one of — if not the — most important pieces added to the Bucs this offseason. But to position themselves for a third straight NFC South title and fourth consecutive postseason appearance, Bowles said it was important to get younger and faster at other key positions as well.

Rampant injuries to aging veterans derailed Tampa Bay’s championship hopes last season. The oldest roster in the league coupled with a debilitating salary-cap situation forced the Bucs to cycle out a number of veterans for younger alternatives this offseason. Now the Bucs field a training camp roster that includes 27 rookies as Bowles and Licht seek improved balance, explosiveness and effectiveness.

Along with improved comfort with his roster, Bowles also feels more at peace in general heading into his second year as Bucs head coach. He had to scramble to catch up after Arians’ surprise retirement and confessed he often felt like he was coaching on the fly for much of last season.

Once Tampa Bay exited the playoffs with that 31-14 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Bowles did a deep-dive evaluation of the season, starting with himself.

He recognized the need for more balance. Although he’s a respected defensive mind, Bowles believed he needed to be more hands-on in the structuring of offensive practices. He also saw areas in which he could better delegate defensive direction. Bowles said those changes and the ability to start the review and planning process earlier have helped position him for greater effectiveness as a head coach in 2023.

“I think as a coach, when you stop trying to learn and teach, I think that’s when you need to retire, and I don’t think I’m done learning or teaching,” Bowles said. “I’m a little bit calmer this year. … Although the outside world can’t see that, I can feel that for me.”

Mayfield has found Bowles’ poise both impressive and inspiring. A fiery personality, Mayfield has often relished the role of the villain, hesitating at nothing to clap back at opponents or critics. But as he has matured, Mayfield has sought a more measured approach to life on and off the field. The quarterback believes that Bowles just may rub off on him, particularly during game periods when poise is needed the most.

“His calm nature is definitely good for me to see,” Mayfield said. “Just situationally, how calm he is, and knowing that … he’s going to control the clock and do all the right things, it’s great for us. … It’s going to be good for me.”

Growth and evolution are the names of the game for the Buccaneers on all fronts this season. And if Bowles and Mayfield have indeed achieved the growth necessary to reach their full potential, this pairing — a long time in the making — could position Tampa Bay for a new chapter of success.

ARIZONA

He no longer is LB ISAIAH SIMMONS.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Isaiah Simmons’ NFL career began with big dreams of his potential.

Arizona selected Simmons, an incredible athlete without a traditional fit, because of what might be possible. After three seasons, though, Simmons is changing positions under new coach Jonathan Gannon, moving from linebacker to safety after requesting the switch.

“I told them I didn’t want to play linebacker,” Simmons said Monday, via the team’s site. “I felt more comfortable getting back to things I had done in the past.”

The past saw Simmons begin his collegiate career at Clemson as a safety. He eventually transitioned to linebacker, where he thrived, thanks to his rare blend of size and speed. He hasn’t found the same success in the NFL, though, and with a new regime providing a fresh start, Simmons is taking advantage of the timing.

“If they came here and said, ‘You’re going to be a Mike linebacker,’ I would’ve done it to the best of my ability,” Simmons said. “I think they understood that’s maybe the designed position I was supposed to be at, and I’m happy they let me come in and lock in on one position.”

Visually, it’s clear Simmons isn’t like most safeties. At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, he’s larger than most defensive backs, but with receiver-quality speed, he’s uniquely capable of filling the role — even if it’s unorthodox.

Simmons has flashed a nose for the ball in his first few seasons, recording four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), 16 passes defensed and seven forced fumbles. He did so while playing linebacker, too, which might end up being even more impressive in hindsight, if he’s able to become a standout at safety.

For Simmons, it’s about comfort and familiarity. Because Arizona declined Simmons’ fifth-year option, his fourth season will be crucial to his future, so it’s best to place him where he’ll be most confident.

“He’s been reliable back there, which is the first trait of a safety to me,” Gannon said. “He’s in the right spot all the time. He shows range and some hitting ability, a little bit of coverage ability, downhill striking ability. Long way to go, but I like where he is at.”

A blueprint for Simmons’ fit might already exist in Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton’s 2022 tape. Hamilton earned Pro Football Focus’ top grade among all NFL safeties despite not filling the traditional safety role in Baltimore as a rookie. Simmons could find similar success in Arizona’s defense if it wants to take advantage of his versatility.

He’s not the only former first-round pick who is changing roles. Gannon is also overseeing a shift for 2021 first-rounder Zaven Collins, who is moving from inside linebacker to an edge-rushing position.

But Collins still has time to prove his worth. Simmons is running out of it. He’s encouraged by the results from his change, and hopes it will produce positive results.

“Doing what’s best for me is actually best for the team,” Simmons said of moving to safety. “I think now why it looks like I feel a little more free, more like myself in my game.”

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

WR KEENAN ALLEN didn’t like the way he was slotted by former Chargers OC Joe Lombardi.  Alex Insdorf of USA TODAY:

Wide receiver Keenan Allen had some interesting comments at his Tuesday media availability regarding his role with the current Chargers’ offense. Most of the attention was on his remarks regarding usage under former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi vs. Kellen Moore:

“With Lombardi, I was stuck at the slot the whole time,” Allen said. “I’m inside and outside now, we’re all kinda inside and outside now, playing everything.”

Allen did play significantly more slot snaps in 2022 under Lombardi than he did under previous offensive coordinators for the Chargers. Allen’s percentage of pass snaps in the slot jumped from 51.7% to 64.3% when comparing Shane Steichen’s 2020 vs. Lombardi’s 2022. The percentage of snaps out wide tells a similar story. Under Steichen, Allen lined up out wide 47.7% of the time. With Lombardi, that dipped to 35.1%.

It’s hard to tell precisely what Moore’s split will be, but the plan seems to be cross-training all receivers to play inside and outside, as Allen suggested.

Allen was also asked how often the Chargers’ receiving room watches Dallas tape. For their offensive installs under Moore, Allen says the team “pretty much watches them (the Cowboys) every day.”

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was the name Allen brought up when asked about which player he “mimics” from Moore’s Dallas team:

“He [CeeDee Lamb] moves around a lot, slot, inside and outside. He is a change of direction guy, going left or right.”

Looking at the usage of Lamb in his last two seasons yields interesting results. Lamb spent 52.5% of his snaps in the slot vs. 46.3% out wide when looking at the previous two years on average. That’s much closer to the previously mentioned Steichen split than the Lombardi split.

Allen seems to allude to the fact that Moore will be slightly less set on always following a specific offensive structure instead of consistently seeking out mismatches.

BALTIMORE

The Ravens are courting former number one overall pick EDGE JADEVEON CLOWNEY.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney visited Baltimore on Tuesday. He left without signing a deal with the Ravens, but Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports that the Ravens have presented Clowney with a contract.

Anderson adds that Clowney is taking some time “to think it through.”

He has signed four consecutive one-year contracts that averaged almost $10 million a season, but he didn’t sign his one-year, $12.25 million deal with the Titans until Sept. 6, 2020.

He isn’t likely to get anything close to that this season as he has had no interest until now.

Clowney, 30, totaled only 14 sacks and 42 quarterback hits the past four seasons combined, while missing 19 games.

Clowney’s 2022 season ended unceremoniously when he was sent home from practice on the Friday before the season finale and told not to return. It came after he harshly criticized the organization, the coaching staff and teammate Myles Garrett in an explosive interview.

Since the Texans made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, Clowney has spent five years in Houston, one in Seattle, one in Tennessee and two in Cleveland. He has $81.8 million in career earnings but has never had a double-digit sack season while averaging five sacks a season.

He made three Pro Bowls with the Texans, the last coming in 2018.

INDIANAPOLIS

RB KAREEM HUNT has been in New Orleans and Indianapolis this week – and still no contract.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

Running back Kareem Hunt’s free agency tour will continue.

According to multiple reports, Hunt is departing Indianapolis without striking a deal with the Colts. While Indianapolis made Hunt an offer, the two sides could not come to terms.

Hunt still has interest from other teams on the market.

One of those teams is the Saints, as Hunt had a visit with New Orleans on Tuesday.

With Marlon Mack tearing his Achilles this week, the Cardinals could also emerge as a team with some interest in Hunt’s services.

Hunt, 28, rushed for 468 yards with three touchdowns for the Browns last year. He also caught 35 passes for 210 yards with a TD. He was on the field for 42 percent of Cleveland’s snaps.

BUFFALO

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus is making bold predictions.  Here is what he boldly prognosticates for the Bills:

BUFFALO BILLS

1. The Bills fail to win the division

Buffalo has been one of the best teams in football in recent years, winning the AFC East for three straight seasons after the decline of the New England dynasty. But they’ve failed to take advantage of that dominance and have yet to appear in a Super Bowl, let alone win one over that time.

This season, the division figures to be as competitive as it has been for a long time, and it wouldn’t take much for the Bills to fail to retain their division crown, even if they still make the playoffs. There’s a solid chance that one of these AFC East teams can challenge Buffalo.

2. Dalton Kincaid becomes only the third rookie TE to eclipse 1,000 yards in NFL history

Rookie tight ends typically don’t have huge production right out of the gate, but a big part of that is the blocking responsibility that limits their use. With Dawson Knox already in place, the Bills have the rare luxury of being able to deploy Dalton Kincaid with very little in-line blocking responsibility, essentially turning him loose as a big-slot weapon.

Kincaid’s 2022 PFF receiving grade (91.8) was the best in the nation, and he averaged 2.4 yards per route run. Buffalo’s offense is already elite, but there’s a clear and obvious role for him inside and he has the skill set to capitalize on it right away.

3. Buffalo’s defense bounces back to a top-five unit

Last season, Buffalo’s defense ranked ninth in expected points allowed per play. The year prior, the unit placed second. A lot of the focus in 2022 was on Von Miller and his impact, but the Bills’ secondary was banged up virtually from start to finish. If they can have a healthier season on the back end in 2023, the unit could be dramatically improved even without significant changes to personnel.

The expected development of young players such as Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam — both rookies a year ago — and the potential bounce-back of Tre’Davious White another year removed from injury could also move the needle in a major way.

MIAMI

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus is making bold predictions.  Here is what he boldly prognosticates for the Dolphins:

MIAMI DOLPHINS

1. Jaelan Phillips has an All-Pro-caliber season

Phillips had a quietly excellent season in 2022, sacking the quarterback 10 times and notching 77 total pressures on a little more than 500 pass-rushing snaps. He finished with a 90.1 PFF pass-rushing grade and an 88.8 overall mark. This year, the system around him should be better and the third-year talent could really lay down a marker and place himself among the league’s best defensive linemen. Phillips ended his 2022 season with back-to-back games of seven pressures and has the versatility to line up all over the defensive front.

2. Miami misses the playoffs

Despite losing Tua Tagovailoa last season, the Dolphins still made the playoffs and scared Buffalo in the wild-card round more than a Skylar Thompson-led team had any right to. With the moves they have made this offseason and Tua coming back healthy, Miami is a popular pick to take the next step and really make noise in the AFC playoffs.

There are still concerns about the roster overall, however, and Tagovailoa remaining healthy is by no means a guarantee. If he goes down, Mike White should provide a significantly better backup option than a season ago, but the AFC is such a gauntlet that losing a couple of games could easily drop a playoff contender out of the postseason entirely.

3. Vic Fangio oversees a top-five defense

Vic Fangio is the father of the defensive scheme currently sweeping the NFL. His brand of split-safety defense, heavy on quarters and Cover 6 has been very successful at limiting the explosive plays that became the hallmark of the best offensive schemes in football, and that also gave the Shanahan-based offenses the most trouble.

Miami brings Fangio in to help improve a defense already moving in the right direction with a lot of talent. The Dolphins’ defense ranked 16th last year in expected points allowed per play but could leap into the top five with Fangio on board.

Monson says the Dolphins miss the playoffs and the Bills don’t win the division.  But, trust us, he does not have a bold prediction that either the Jets or Patriots are the AFC East champ.

– – –

Eliminating pre-snap penalties is a huge focus of the 2023 Dolphins.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Dolphins led the NFL in pre-snap penalties last season, and head coach Mike McDaniel says that’s unacceptable.

“We’re very aware we’re on the heels of being the worst,” McDaniel said, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “That’s not acceptable. It doesn’t matter if there are quarters that are good if you jump three times in the third quarter.”

McDaniel said that cleaning up the pre-snap process has been a top priority this year.

“We couldn’t have emphasized it more this offseason,” McDaniel said. “The facts are the facts. ‘You’re the worst. I’m the worst.’ When we false start, it’s not something people are very comfortable about. You show it in front of the team. You pride yourself as a coach to produce a clean product for the fans to watch.”

Still, the message may not be getting through, as McDaniel acknowledged that the Dolphins committed some pre-snap penalties during their joint practice with the Falcons. It remains a work in progress and a major point of emphasis for McDaniel.

NEW YORK JETS

If you wondered what the Jets candidly felt about the anti-Paul Hackett rant of Broncos coach Sean Payton, you didn’t find out if you watched the first episode of “Hard Knocks.”

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Officially, it’s Hard Knocks. Unofficially, the first episode felt a lot like the second season of Quarterback.

This year’s edition of the NFL Films/HBO focused heavily on Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The producers even brought “voice of God” Liev Schreiber to camp for the first time, given Rodgers’s stated affinity for the show’s narrator.

There was other content (but not much) amid the relentless praise of and focus on Aaron Rodgers. Briefly, the show focused on the controversy that sprang from Broncos coach Sean Payton’s controversial comments about former Broncos coach (and current Jets offensive coordinator) Nathaniel Hackett.

Hard Knocks engages in a perfunctory box-checking acknowledgement of the situation, including public comments from Rodgers, Hackett, and head coach Robert Saleh. Hard Knocks provided no insight regarding the true, actual, behind-the-scenes reaction to Payton’s remarks. We’ve heard enough to know it was spirited and emotional. We’ve heard enough to know that it nearly got very interesting, both in press conferences and on social media.

None of that made it to Hard Knocks. Because of course it didn’t. The Jets didn’t want to do the show. They obviously and undoubtedly exercised fully and completely their ability to shape what did and didn’t make it into the show.

And that’s fine. But let’s not kid ourselves. It’s not a documentary. It’s an infomercial. It always has been, it always will be.

The unvarnished truth will remain hidden, concealed. That’s the way it goes. Still, as to the reaction to Payton’s assault on Hackett, there was much more to the story than the highly sanitized version that made its way to last night’s episode of Hard Knocks.

Today’s activities in joint practices with the Panthers could make good fodder for next week’s episode.  Rich Cimini of ESPN.com:

Aaron Rodgers, facing a different team for the first time as the New York Jets’ quarterback, got a little sampling of what playing the position was like for his predecessors.

Rodgers, who was pressured by the Carolina Panthers’ pass rush in a joint practice Wednesday, ended a spotty day for the Jets’ offense with an ugly three-and-out in a two-minute drill.

Perhaps for the first time, Rodgers’ teammates sensed frustration from their new quarterback.

“I sensed frustration from everybody — everybody on the O-line, Aaron, the coaches,” center Connor McGovern said. “You can’t go three-and-out in a two-minute drive like that. … I think there was disappointment from the whole team.”

Before a larger-than-usual crowd at Wofford College — 10,217 tickets were distributed — Rodgers was flushed from the pocket on his final two plays and threw incomplete passes, an abrupt end to the day for the Jets’ first-string offense.

Meanwhile, Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young marched the length of the field in the two-minute drill for a field goal against the Jets’ defensive starters.

Trying to maintain an even keel, Rodgers didn’t sound concerned after practice, although he noted that the pass protection wasn’t up to par.

“I thought we maybe didn’t have the same type of energy [as Carolina], for whatever reason, at the start of practice,” Rodgers said. “But I thought there were some good things — a lot of learning tape out there. I thought it was good to be out there against a different defense. I thought we handled the front pretty well in the run game. Pass game, there were some issues.”

Since arriving in April, Rodgers has been patient and encouraging with his new teammates as they try to learn a new playbook, according to players. He’s one of only four players with experience in offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s offense.

At some point, though, Rodgers’ patience might start to wear thin.

“I could see that changing, yeah,” wide receiver Corey Davis said. “He’s been real patient, real lenient with us, and working with us and making sure we get everything down, which is what we need. But I could imagine it going the other way if it doesn’t pick up.”

The Jets were without three injured starters on offense: wide receiver Garrett Wilson (ankle), running back Breece Hall (knee) and left tackle Duane Brown (shoulder). They’re also dealing with some moving parts on the offensive line, which is considered the biggest question mark on the team.

The Jets are rotating tackles on a daily basis, with Max Mitchell and Billy Turner switching sides. Brown eventually will step into the left tackle job, but New York isn’t saying when he will be activated from the physically unable to perform list. Coach Robert Saleh said, however, that there’s “no question” that Brown will be ready for Week 1.

“I feel like the interior has been a bright spot, pretty consistent for us, both the first and second group,” Rodgers said. “We just need a little more consistency on the edge.”

Rodgers, who didn’t play last week in the Hall of Fame Game, also won’t be playing in Saturday’s game against the Panthers. The four-time MVP might not play at all in the preseason, making it imperative that he get practice reps with his starting line to build chemistry. Although he downplayed that notion, calling it “overrated,” Rodgers did say he’d like to solidify a lineup in the near future.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “There are a few jobs up for grabs, for sure. It will be nice to see somebody [in the] next couple weeks to grab one of those.”

Rodgers had kind words for Young, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, calling himself a fan of the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner’s playing style and offering some career advice when asked by a reporter.

“Be gentle with yourself — it’s a long journey,” Rodgers said. “It feels like every little snap and practice is the end of the world if it doesn’t go right.

“It’s just not true. It’s a long, long journey. It’s about holding on to your confidence and enjoying the ride, enjoying the little things every day. But I think he’s got a great head on his shoulders, and he’ll be just fine.”

Young said he met Rodgers for the first time during pre-practice warmups.

“When you talk about Aaron Rodgers, he’s had so much success for so long,” Young said. “Any advice that he gives, I’ll definitely be receptive to and listen to.”

THIS AND THAT

UNDISPUTED

Who will FOX pair with Skip Bayless in the post-Shannon Sharpe world?  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Richard Sherman is the first. He won’t be the last.

Others will join FS1’s Undisputed in its post-Shannon Sharpe existence, with Skip Bayless joining a revolving door of co-hosts.

They include Sherman, Lil Wayne, Rachel Nichols, and (per John Ourand of Sports Business Journal), Michael Irvin or Keyshawn Johnson. An NBA-focused panelist also will join the show.

Irvin continues to be in limbo with NFL Network and ESPN. Suspended in February after allegations of misconduct by a hotel employee, he has not been reinstated by either network. He potentially will be hired by FS1.

BASHAUD BREELAND CHARGED

ESPN.com on the legal peril facing former NFL CB Bashaud Breeland in Mecklenburg County, NC:

Former NFL cornerback and Super Bowl champion Bashaud Breeland was arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina, after a traffic stop earlier this week and hit with a slew of charges, including possession of a stolen car, guns and drugs, according to a police report obtained by multiple outlets Wednesday.

Breeland, 31, who last played in the NFL in 2021, was booked into Mecklenburg County jail early Tuesday, according to those outlets citing a police report. Breeland was released a few hours later after posting $30,000 bond.

Breeland was pulled over by police Monday driving a Mercedes-Benz SUV, which was found to be reported stolen in Florida, according to the reports. Multiple guns were found, including two AK-47s and two AR-15s, and police discovered 5.45 pounds of marijuana and 62 grams of illegal mushrooms, the reports said.

Jail records show he was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, altering serial numbers, altering a title, possession of marijuana, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and possession of a stolen firearm.

Breeland started 13 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. He was released by the Vikings in December 2021 and signed to the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals in January 2022. He earned $12.3 million for his career, per Spotrac.

Breeland won a Super Bowl title with the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the 2019 season, starting 15 of the 16 games he played during the regular season. He played in and started six postseason games for the Chiefs in 2019 and 2020.

A fourth-round selection by Washington in the 2014 draft, Breeland had 16 interceptions and 86 passes defensed in 107 career games (101 starts) with four teams. He had 439 tackles for his career.

5 TRADES THAT SHOULD HAPPEN NOW

Seth Walder of ESPN.com thinks that the Buccaneers should pursue SF QB TREY LANCE – but he wouldn’t have WR MIKE EVANS to throw to – plus three other proposed deals:

With NFL training camps underway, the draft is long gone and free agency is essentially over. So if a team wants to make a roster upgrade in August, it might instead look to the trade market.

The trade scene has been quiet for a bit now — there hasn’t been a deal since the Jets traded wide receiver Denzel Mims to the Lions last month — so we decided to kickstart things, play matchmaker and throw out some ideas that might make sense for both teams. We came up with five deals that would be mutually beneficial and theoretically could happen in the final weeks before the regular season.

Let’s dive in, starting with giving the Buccaneers another candidate to replace Tom Brady.

Buccaneers trade for QB Lance

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receive: QB Trey Lance, 2024 second-round pick, 2024 sixth-round pick

San Francisco 49ers receive: 2024 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick

The Bucs aren’t contenders in 2023, so their moves should be focused on saving money and acquiring draft assets. But there’s one exception to that framework: chasing quarterback upside. They might as well use the upcoming 17 games as a testing ground for a potential future QB — even if he’s a long shot. That precisely describes Lance. If there’s a 10% chance that Lance can become a long-term solution for the Bucs, that’s still a lot higher than Baker Mayfield’s chances to be that guy.

In the event that Lance — who is only 23 years old — pans out, the Bucs would retain control in 2024 for cheap and have the right to exercise Lance’s fifth-year option in 2025. Injuries have limited him to eight games over the two seasons since he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft, so there is still a lot of unknown to his game.

The 49ers would gain a 2024 third-rounder (while giving back a seventh) and essentially trade up in the second round. (While we don’t know any team’s 2024 draft position yet, that could be a substantial jump given the forecasts for both teams.) This deal arms the Niners with more draft capital for next season while retaining Sam Darnold as their backup signal-caller to Brock Purdy for 2023.

Ravens trade for DE Young

Baltimore Ravens receive: DE Chase Young

Washington Commanders receive: 2024 third-round pick, 2024 fifth-round pick

It’s hard to imagine the Commanders will want to pay all four of defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (already paid), defensive tackle Daron Payne (already paid), defensive end Montez Sweat (on fifth-year option) and Young (final year of rookie deal). That, plus the team deciding not to pick up Young’s fifth-year option, means there’s a pretty decent chance that Young’s time in Washington is numbered.

Assuming that’s right, the Commanders could have Young play out the season. If he plays well, the Commanders will get the benefit of that performance plus a potential compensatory pick if he walks in free agency. The problem is that the Commanders currently sit with almost $82 million in cap space in 2024, the third most in the league, per Roster Management System. And they figure to be players in free agency, which could make them ineligible for comp picks.

Hence, the idea of trading Young now. This is a great time to invest in Young, and I doubt I’m alone in thinking that. His value is dramatically depressed from when he entered the league as the No. 2 overall pick in 2020 or even from after his rookie season. Since that 2020 season, Young has played in only 12 games, torn his ACL midway through the 2021 campaign and recorded a mere 1.5 sacks.

But Young’s underlying numbers are solid. He had a 22.5% pass rush win rate at edge in 2020, seventh best in the league — as a rookie. He then had an above-average 19% rate in 2021 despite limited sack production, though he had an awful 5% rate last season in a tiny sample following his return from injury.

His ability to beat blocks and get pressure is why I could see Baltimore taking a swing. The team just extended defensive tackle Broderick Washington to help solidify the interior of its defensive line, but edge rusher is a weakness, with Tyus Bowser, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo at the top of Baltimore’s depth chart. Young gives the group instant upside and costs very little to the Ravens financially — only an approximate $1 million salary, per Roster Management System.

If Young works out, Baltimore gets the value of his play and can consider re-signing him or letting him go for a compensatory pick (which it has a better shot of getting than the Commanders would if Washington kept Young this year). But even if he doesn’t work out, the Ravens would probably still get some sort of compensatory pick if Young signs elsewhere next March.

Jets trade for WR Evans

New York Jets receive: WR Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receive: 2024 fourth-round pick, 2025 second-round pick

A pretty good rule of thumb is that it’s hard to win the Super Bowl without two good-to-great receivers … unless your quarterback is Patrick Mahomes. Garrett Wilson checks one box for the Jets, but neither Allen Lazard nor Corey Davis is a suitable No. 2 option.

Yes, the Jets have what looks like a great defense on paper, but offense is crucial to winning championships, and if you’re all-in with Rodgers, you might as well be all the way in. Presumably, this is the kind of move that Rodgers had in mind when he took a $35 million pay cut over the next two years.

Evans turns 30 later this month and while he has maybe shown slight decline, he’s still incredibly consistent. Evans is coming off his ninth straight 1,000-yard season. In fact, he has never not reached 1,000 receiving yards. Evans would cost the Jets $13 million in salary this season and is in the final year of his contract. New York will be pretty cap strapped next offseason, so it would be more likely to add a compensatory pick for Evans should he sign elsewhere.

For the Bucs, this is recognition that they need to be in rebuilding mode. Paying $13 million to put another year of wear on Evans in a season in which they are +800 to win the worst division in football (per Caesars Sportsbook) does not make sense. They can save money and gain draft capital by accepting that reality now.

Jaguars trade for OL Mekari

Jacksonville Jaguars receive: OL Patrick Mekari, 2024 seventh-round pick

Baltimore Ravens receive: 2024 third-round pick

I admit this deal is a little unorthodox. A third-round pick for a backup offensive lineman? Let me explain.

For all the good vibes the Jaguars have after reaching the divisional round of the playoffs last season on the back of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s breakout, their offensive line still ranked 31st in pass block win rate in 2022. Then their best pass-blocking tackle, Jawaan Taylor, left in free agency. Their other tackle, Cam Robinson — who ranked 59th out of 64 tackles in pass block win rate — is suspended for the first four games of the season. Behind him on the depth chart are a pair of unproven players in Walker Little (2021 second-round pick with a poor 81% PBWR in his 249 career pass blocks) and Anton Harrison (this year’s first-round pick).

The interior isn’t much better. While Brandon Scherff holds down one guard spot, the other is held by Ben Bartch, who was below average in PBWR last season in a limited five-game sample at guard. But more concerning is center, where Luke Fortner ranked last among qualifiers in pass block win rate.

The reason we’re talking about the entire line in relation to Mekari? He can play everywhere, and his pass protection numbers are pretty good, too. In 358 snaps across both tackle spots last season, he recorded a slightly above-average 90% pass block win rate that would have ranked 28th had he qualified. The year before, he was slightly better in more than 700 snaps at right tackle. And across 2019 and 2020, Mekari mostly played center and guard and was well above average in PBWR at both spots in a limited sample.

Simply put, Mekari can play tackle at the start of the season if Little and/or Harrison aren’t cutting it, then move inside once Robinson is back.

So why a third-round pick for a non-starter? Because I’m not sure the Ravens would do it for anything less. All the reasons I just described, plus team control for two years at around $4 million, make him pretty valuable to Baltimore. But he’s a little more valuable to the Jaguars, for whom he could assuredly start at some position. I can’t imagine Baltimore wants to let him go, but a third-round pick is a third-round pick.

Titans trade for WR Renfrow

Tennessee Titans receive: WR Hunter Renfrow, 2024 sixth-round pick

Las Vegas Raiders receive: 2024 fourth-round pick

The Titans looked like a potential rebuild candidate going into the offseason, but quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry remained on the roster, and the team recently signed wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, clearly signaling its intention to win in 2023. Hopkins was a start to fixing a deficient receiving group that featured Treylon Burks, a 2022 first-round pick who was just OK in his rookie season (444 receiving yards in 11 games), and not a whole lot else.

Renfrow would likely be a significant upgrade in the slot over Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who finished with the second-worst overall score in ESPN’s receiver tracking metrics (RTMs) last season, or Kyle Philips, a 2022 fifth-rounder who had eight receptions in an injury-shortened rookie campaign. Yes, Renfrow never found his footing during an injury-marred 2022 campaign, his first in Josh McDaniels’ system with Las Vegas. He managed just 1.2 yards per route run. But as recently as 2021, Renfrow managed 2.0 yards per route run and had a 70 overall score in the RTMs — 13th best among WRs.

The Titans would pay a modest $6.5 million salary for Renfrow this season and then have the choice on whether to pay him $11.2 million in 2024.

From the Raiders’ perspective, I don’t think they need to trade Renfrow. But the slot WR spot is a little crowded there, with free agent signee Jakobi Meyers (58% in slot last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats) and rookie Tre Tucker (93% of routes in slot at Cincinnati last year) added to the roster. If Renfrow isn’t going to be on the roster in 2024, dealing him now gives the Raiders a little draft compensation and light salary cap relief.