DETROIT

More bad news for WR JAMESON WILLIAMS.  Colton Pouncy of The Athletic:

Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams might not touch the field again until October as there’s a “good chance” a hamstring injury will sideline him for the rest of the preseason, coach Dan Campbell said in a Thursday news conference. Williams is already suspended to open the regular season. Here’s what you need to know:

Williams sustained the injury during Wednesday’s training camp practice while running a route. He left the session after the injury.

Williams was among several Lions players to receive suspensions from the NFL in April for violating the league’s policy on sports betting. He received a six-game suspension for betting on non-NFL games from an NFL facility.

Meanwhile, fellow wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown shouldn’t miss significant time after injuring his ankle Wednesday. Campbell said St. Brown will likely be back to practice at some point next week.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

More disappointment for Williams

This news is yet another unfortunate break to what’s been a disappointing offseason for Williams. You can’t control injuries, but the timing certainly isn’t ideal. These were valuable reps that Williams very much needed considering he missed all offseason workouts as a rookie as he recovered from a torn ACL. At practice, he’s been inconsistent at best — struggling with drops while flashing off the traits that made him the No. 12 pick in the 2022 draft. — Pouncy

Banged up Lions WRs

The Lions’ WR depth has taken a hit in recent weeks. Williams is the latest, but St. Brown went down in Wednesday’s practice and won’t return until Monday at the earliest. Denzel Mims, Maurice Alexander and Trinity Benson have all missed parts of camp, too, which could explain why Campbell says the Lions are looking into adding another WR. In the meantime, expect the Lions to lean on Dylan Drummond, Antoine Green and Chase Cota — three of their younger receivers who are all vying for a spot on the roster. — Pouncy

Backstory

Williams, 22, spent much of last season recovering from a knee injury he suffered in the College Football Playoff national championship game with Alabama prior to the draft. He played in six games and finished with 81 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown last season.

GREEN BAY

Veteran OT DAVID BAKHTIARI is singing the praises of QB JORDAN LOVE, while mentioning the lack of mobility of last year’s QB.  Bobby Kownack of NFL.com:

Packers quarterback Jordan Love passed his first in-game test of 2023, however small the sample size, completing 7 of 10 passes for 46 yards and a score in his preseason debut on Friday.

His blindside protector, David Bakhtiari, has been impressed with the overall showing since camp began, though, even as he’s intent on a grading curve that takes into account Love’s years of learning behind Aaron Rodgers.

“Definitely a higher standard,” Bakhtiari told The Jim Rome Show on Tuesday when asked if he was evaluating Love as a first-year quarterback or something more. “He’s had three years to understand the math of the offense, which is very fortunate for any first-round quarterback to get to watch and see how a first-ballot Hall of Famer and generational talent and a guy who borderline changed the quarterback position and how it’s played. And even the mechanics of even throwing the football. You’re able to see that for three years and then now coming in, so yeah, his baseline for me is way higher.

“I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen from him. And I think he’s also understanding that he’s not going to be judged, either, by a first-year quarterback, which is great. I think he’s going to be competitive right out of the gate. I’ve seen his development in practice. I’m really excited to see it translate into the game, and him to get those game time and hours logged in. And really see how he adapts and corrects himself mid-game and game to game.”

Love exhibited one of the adjustments Bakhtiari is looking for in between his only two drives against the Bengals. The 24-year-old was to blame for the end of Green Bay’s first possession when he rocketed a ball far out of the reach of tight end Luke Musgrave, who was wide open on a third-and-7. It was the lone throw by Love on the night that looked truly poor.

He followed it up by completing the last four passes of his second drive, including a touchdown toss with perfect touch to wide receiver Romeo Doubs in the back of the end zone.

It was exactly the type of course correction Bakhtiari is hoping to see take place when the games start to count during the regular season.

Love playing close to the realm of his 2020 first-round peers, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, as opposed to someone in the first year in charge of an offense, is a big ask — especially considering none of his wide receivers have played more than two years, and his most experienced tight end, Josiah Deguara, remains on a rookie deal.

But teammates like AJ Dillon and Elgton Jenkins have been singing his praises throughout the offseason, and Bakhtiari feeling optimistic about his new QB after nine years watching Rodgers is surely a positive sign.

“There’s a lot of little nuances. A lot of pre-snap reads. There’s also certain checks. There’s abilities to work cadences and snap counts,” Bakhtiari said of what’s impressed him most. “A lot of things I’ve seen Aaron do at a very high level, and seeing the growth from [Love’s] rookie year to now is exponential. And that’s why I’m excited to go see him execute that in a game. There’s so many little things that the fans don’t get to see or notice that happen. The game within the game, so to speak. That’s what I’m really excited for him, and that’s why I definitely don’t view him a [first-year] quarterback.

“Not to mention, he can throw the ball and do a lot of things that I’ve been impressed with. But you also understand that I was watching Aaron every day for a decade. So [Rodgers] would make one jaw-dropping throw at least every practice. It’s hard to come off of that, but I’m very pleased with what I’ve been able to see with him. And at times, I’m like, ‘OK, that is a quality throw. That is a quality check. That’s a good job, man.’ I’m pumped about what I see.”

Bakhtiari also recently told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Love provides Green Bay with an athletic quarterback who can move around, compared to Rodgers, who the lineman described as “slow as s—.”

It was a joke, but if Love starts out fast and maintains momentum with what he’s learned waiting in the wings, the Packers could get serious about making a run at the NFC North.

MINNESOTA

WR JORDAN ADDISON, last seen driving 140 mph due to a dog emergency, is in the concussion protocol.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Vikings likely won’t have one of their key rookie receivers for the rest of the week.

First-round pick Jordan Addison has been placed in concussion protocol, head coach Kevin O’Connell said in his Wednesday press conference, via multiple reporters. Addison had been experiencing minor symptoms after going to the ground during practice earlier this week.

But, O’Connell said, Addison may be able to return to practice by Monday.

Addison officially caught one pass for 22 yards in his preseason debut last week — though he arguably would’ve had another sideline catch if the play had been challenged. He was on the field for 27 offensive snaps.

The Vikings are hosting joint practices with the Titans this week before the two teams play a preseason game on Saturday night.

TAMPA BAY

The Buccaneers lost WR RANDALL GAGE on Wednesday, probably for the season.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage suffered a potentially devastating injury during Wednesday’s joint practice with the New York Jets.

Gage suffered a non-contact knee injury, with the belief heading into exams that the severe injury will end his season, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported, per sources informed of the situation.

Gage went down during practice and was visibly upset before he was carted from the field.

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles confirmed after practice that Gage suffered a “pretty serious” injury.

“We wish him the best,” Bowles told reporters. “I can tell by the way he was sitting on the truck that it’s probably something that happened pretty bad. Our hearts go out to him and we’ll see how it goes.”

If tests confirm the initial diagnosis, it would be a blow for Gage and the Bucs’ WR depth.

ARIZONA

Drew Pretzig is the name to know as the new OC of the Cardinals.  He hasn’t figured out whether he will be downstairs or upstairs yet.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Cardinals’ new coaching staff is using the preseason for more than installing schemes and assessing how different players fit on the roster.

They are also figuring out the best way to do their jobs. Drew Petzing is in his first year working as an offensive coordinator and he is still figuring out where he wants to station himself during games.

Petzing called plays from the sideline in the team’s preseason opener last week, but he will be upstairs in the booth against the Chiefs this week to see if that proves to be the right spot.

“I think it’s important to try both and make sure that I’m making an educated decision bout what’s best for the team and best for the offense,” Petzing said, via Jess Root of USAToday.com.

Petzing’s perch is unlikely to be as important to the team’s offensive success as Kyler Murray’s health or many other on-field developments, but it is a piece of the puzzle that the Cardinals are trying to put together under their new management.

SAN FRANCISCO

Another sign that QB SAM DARNOLD is impressing (or that QB TREY LANCE is unimpressing).  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

The plan is not yet finalized, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave an indication as to what he’s thinking for playing time at quarterback in the second preseason game.

Shanahan said on Wednesday that after Trey Lance started last week against the Raiders, Sam Darnold is likely to get the first snaps against the Broncos on Saturday.

“[It’s] not set in stone,” Shanahan said, via Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “What I said last week, we wanted Trey to get the majority of the first half so Sam could get the next week.

“So that’s what we’re planning on, but we’ll see how the next two practices go before we decide for sure.”

While starting quarterback Brock Purdy’s throwing schedule has ramped back up, the 49ers don’t seem inclined to play him right now. Shanahan did say he hadn’t decided yet how much the starters would play, if at all, this week.


Darnold was on the field 19 snaps against the Raiders, finishing 5-of-8 passing for 84 yards. Lance played the entire first half and was 10-of-15 for 112 yards with a touchdown. He was also sacked four times, as San Francisco began the contest with three three-and-outs.

DENVER

That QB RUSSELL WILSON, always upbeat.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The impact of head coach Sean Payton’s arrival in Denver is one of the biggest questions heading into the 2023 season and most of the focus is going to be on the offensive side of the ball.

Payton was hired because last year’s partnership of quarterback Russell Wilson and former head coach Nathaniel Hackett was a total disaster and the first glimpse at the first team offense came last week. The starters went scoreless on three drives that included two missed field goals before Wilson was able to close on a high note with a touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy.

Saturday brings a date with the 49ers and Wilson told reporters on Wednesday that he thinks things are falling into place for the unit.

“The biggest thing is trying to get the ball to our playmakers’ hands, in whatever way that is,” Wilson said, via the team’s website. “We’ve got a lot of ways to do that. Coach Payton really knows how to do that and dial it up. I think that it’s all coming together and we’re working our butts off.”

Preseason outings can build promise or stoke doubts, but they’ll be forgotten as soon as the Broncos take the field against the Raiders in Week One. That will be the first true referendum on this year’s direction, so the Broncos have a few weeks to make sure all their ducks are in a row.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

The Chargers have a player who had never played a game of organized football until last weekend.  EDGE BASIL OKOYE is tied for the team lead in sacks.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports on one of the most unexpected pass rushing exploits since Rudy Ruettiger had a sack for Notre Dame on November 8, 1975:

As part of a group of eight players added to NFL clubs through the NFL International Pathway program, Basil Chijioke Okoye’s arrival to the Los Angeles Chargers was announced on May 4.

Just more than three months later, CJ Okoye, a defensive lineman, played a football game for the first time in his life and came away with a sack of a national champion that elicited hardy cheers from his teammates.

It was the latest announcement that Okoye has arrived.

“It was an amazing moment for me,” Okoye said Tuesday, via team transcript, of his fourth-down sack of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett to wrap up the Chargers’ 34-17 preseason win.

Okoye’s sack came on the Chargers’ final defensive play in a game that had long been decided. But it was a moment to remember, and one his new teammates rejoiced in then and in the days following it.

“Watching it is like putting all this together, in one, it was a moment for me,” Okoye said. “It was [an] amazing moment seeing my teammates, see my D-line room go crazy like that. I wish to go back there again.”

CINCINNATI

A jury has found that RB JOE MIXON was not a menace.

As Paul Dehner, Jr. of The Athletic explains, a jury found that when Mixon pointed a gun at a woman and said he was going to “pop” her, she did not really feel afraid.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon was found not guilty of an aggravated menacing charge Thursday after a four-day trial in Hamilton County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court.

In April, Cincinnati police refiled a misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing against Mixon following the discovery of new evidence during the investigative process. The charge stemmed from an alleged Jan. 21 incident in Cincinnati, and a February affidavit alleged Mixon pointed a gun at a woman and stated: “You should be popped in the face, I should shoot you.”

A Hamilton County judge dismissed a charge of aggravated menacing against Mixon in February at the request of the Cincinnati Prosecutor’s Office. At the time, the office said in court it requested dismissal because additional investigation was needed.

Mixon pleaded not guilty after police refiled the aggravated menacing charge.

“Since he joined the organization in 2017, Joe Mixon has been a valuable part of the Cincinnati Bengals,” the team said in a statement after Mixon was found not guilty. “Joe has been a top level running back with multiple 1000-yard rushing seasons, and he has been an even better teammate enjoying real popularity among his peers. During the past seven years, Joe has been active with the community, and his constant smile and energy have made him a favorite among thousands of fans.

“The organization is pleased that this matter is now behind everyone, and we look forward to an exciting season with Joe being an important part of the football team.”

In 2014, while Mixon was a player on the University of Oklahoma’s football team, he was charged with misdemeanor assault and suspended for the 2014 season for punching a woman, Amelia Molitor. Mixon entered a plea deal and was given a year of probation.

He was also suspended for a game in 2016 for violating Oklahoma’s team rules after a reported incident between Mixon and a parking attendant in which he allegedly tore up a citation and threw it in the attendant’s face, then intimidated the officer with a vehicle.

What the verdict means for the Bengals

Not much. The team essentially cast its vote in this case when it restructured Mixon’s contract last month. The veteran took a pay cut, but in exchange locked in security to stay with the club this season.

President Mike Brown stated confidently in July he stood behind Mixon as a player and “we’ll see” what came out at the trial. They knew the facts of the case and opted contractually to stay in the Mixon business. — Dehner

What this verdict means for Mixon

Perhaps he feels vindicated having his side of the story out there and legally exonerated. Yet, the public airing of facts over the course of this week doesn’t land well in the court of public opinion. Neither does the visual of Mixon sitting in the courtroom or airing his testimony.

He’s spent his career trying to rehabilitate an image tarnished by the video of his punch of Molitor while at Oklahoma — being back on trial for allegedly threatening a woman with a gun sets back years of perceived progress. — Dehner

What happened in the case?

This case came down to the technical definition of the aggravated menacing charge. The charge doesn’t stem from whether or not Mixon flashed a gun or was aggressive toward the victim. Aggravated menacing comes down to if the victim felt scared for her life in the process of those facts.

The defense spent every day painting the victim as not scared, rather angry and the aggressor after Mixon initially cut her off. Despite the scary language and allegation of showing a gun, the defense proved to the judge that the victim wasn’t scared, an emotion she never stated in her initial police report. That was enough to clear Mixon despite the allegations he said “I should shoot you” and “the cops can’t get me.” —

So even though Mixon was pointing a gun at her, her anger at Mixon’s bad driving was deemed to have negated the fear required for the conviction.

INDIANAPOLIS

RB JONATHAN TAYLOR is out of Colts camp – for a personal matter.  Andrew Moore ofSI.com:

At this point in the saga between the Indianapolis Colts and former All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, no news would be good news.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Amid Taylor’s trade request due to the lack of a contract extension, the running back spent the last week away from the team to continue rehab on his surgically repaired ankle. The rehab occurred at an out-of-state facility.

However, Taylor did return to the team this week and was confirmed to be back in Indianapolis. Although he had reportedly returned to the team, Taylor had not been spotted at practice. Even with all the drama surrounding Taylor and his situation with the Colts, the running back has been present, watching his fellow running backs at practice.

We now know why Taylor has not been on the sidelines over the past few days. The Colts released a statement on Wednesday night detailing the reason for Taylor’s absence.

“Jonathan Taylor returned to Indianapolis to continue his rehab, however he had a personal matter arise,” the Colts said in their statement. “He is not currently with the team and his absence is excused.”

The team did not go into further detail about the personal matter Taylor is dealing with. While it seems like the reason Taylor is away does not have anything to do with the Colts, it does add another layer to the situation between the two parties.

TENNESSEE

A cart removed WR TRAYLON BURKS, the 2022 first round pick, from a joint practice with the Vikings on Wednesday.

The Tennessee Titans got a scare when wide receiver Treylon Burks went down during a joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday.

Burks got open in the secondary and caught a deep pass from quarterback Ryan Tannehill during the team period. After making the catch, Burks’ forward momentum caused him to stumble before losing his balance and somersaulting into the end zone.

He got up and spiked the ball in frustration. The Titans trainers came over to him and helped him off the field. They had Burks lay on the ground as they looked at his left leg before carting him off the field.

Teammates DeAndre Hopkins and Derrick Henry, along with general manager Ran Carthon, came over to console Burks as he was being placed on the cart.

“You hate seeing that. We’ll find out more information and see what’s really going on, but hopefully he’s going to be all right,” Tannehill told reporters. “He seemed obviously upset and understandably so. Our thoughts and prayers are with him right now, and hopefully it’s not too bad.”

Burks had 33 catches for 444 yards and a touchdown in 11 games as a rookie last season.

MIAMI

Uh oh.  T TERRON ARMSTEAD rides a cart on Thursday.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead’s bid to be ready for the start of the regular season may have been dealt a serious blow at Thursday’s practice.

Armstead had to be carted off the field during the team’s joint session with the Texans. Reporters at the session said Armstead injured his right leg and was avoiding putting any weight on it when he was being loaded onto the cart.

Armstead said on Wednesday that he was “still working through that process” of getting ready to play against the Chargers in Week One after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee this offseason.

NEW YORK JETS

A fight during joint practice with the Buccaneers sent Jets coach Tony Oden to the hospital!  Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com

New York Jets senior defensive assistant/cornerbacks coach Tony Oden exited practice on a cart after he went down on the sideline during Wednesday’s joint session with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN. Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Oden went to the hospital after catching a little “friendly fire” during a skirmish between the two teams, and that he’s expected to be fine.

Oden was seen on his knee after the fight began to dissipate, according to one account from SNYtv. Medical personnel tended to him for a few moments as the cart was brought out. Players took a knee, but Oden was reportedly able to walk off on his own power before riding back to the locker room in the front seat.

The Cleveland native has spent 20 years in the NFL as an assistant coach, including the past four with Robert Saleh in San Francisco and now New York.

It is not uncommon for fights to break out, particularly among linemen, during joint practices. It is a more private setting than actual games and it often is a break from beating up on their own teammates during the other days of training camp. Joint practices are taking place across the country during the month of August.

– – –

Charles McDonald of YahooSports.com explores how great WR GARRETT WILSON will be this year:

The best passing offenses in the NFL often pair a top-flight quarterback with a dominant target in the passing game. The New York Jets appear to have that with future first-ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers and second-year emerging superstar Garrett Wilson.

Wilson was borderline unguardable during the Jets’ Wednesday joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making several big plays against what projects to be one of the better defenses in the league.

The Rodgers-to-Wilson connection already looks advanced in the limited time that they’ve spent together and their potential to raze the NFL is apparent as they continue to stack practices and reps from day to day. In particular, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year gave Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III fits in team work and one-on-ones.

Rodgers worked with a handful of great receivers throughout his time with the Green Bay Packers and seems to think that Wilson is next up on the list.

“The talent is really impressive. He makes difficult things look easy,” Rodgers said. “Just the person that he is too. Receivers are an interesting personality. They are usually the most talented guys on the team, athletically. Everybody wants the football, everybody wants to be on the field, everybody thinks they’re open all the time. I’ve had some great ones over the years who are great people as well, and he’s one of those guys. He’s a great person.”

As much as Rodgers and Wilson have hit the ground running to start this new football season, Rodgers noted there are still things he and Wilson need to work on before they reach the level of chemistry that Rodgers has had with other great receivers.

“The talent is there, it’s just the communication, the non-verbal stuff that’s starting to come,” Rodgers said. “We had a mishap in the two-minute [drill] today, which is a good learning experience, but we haven’t made the same mistake twice … He’s so eager to learn and so talented with the football.”

It appears that, with time, Rodgers plans on featuring Wilson a lot through the distribution of his passing targets, alluding to his relationship with former Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.

“I used to have a rule with Davante [Adams] where I would give Davante a little extra tick,” Rodgers said. “I know if I did that, he’s going to get open. He’s really difficult to cover and I have to give that to Garrett, too.”

The hype Wilson is receiving has been earned based on his performance, and he isn’t lacking for confidence. (Did he troll Sean Payton with his sideline outfit during Saturday’s preseason game? Wilson said he was advised not to talk about it.)

Still, he’s taking everything in stride and staying grounded about how he and the rest of the Jets’ offense are performing right now, which was generally a mixed day against a stout Buccaneers defense.

“I don’t want to overcomplicate, I just want to do my job,” Wilson said. “I feel like we got a special group, a great play-caller, a great quarterback and all the pieces in place. For me, I’ll do my job and when February and January comes we’ll see where we’re at. I feel like if I’ve done my job and I can look at the film and say I’ve done my job, we’ll be in a good place.”

Wilson doesn’t seem too fazed at the idea of playing in a new offense in his second year in the league. Having a quarterback like Rodgers helps accelerate any learning process, but veteran wide receivers like Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb who have played with Rodgers before have been giving Wilson tips on how to further his on-field relationship with the quarterback, and help him out in learning the ins-and-outs of Nathaniel Hackett’s offense.

“Having Allen and Cobb, they make it easy on me too,” Wilson said. “I’m able to bounce my thoughts off of them, I have like a translator for Aaron and some of the lingo he uses. Cobb and Allen work as those translators sometimes. I’m in a blessed situation right now to not have too much pressure on me to learn stuff all at once and to have some people around me that know the offense.”

Wilson was the best skill player on the Jets last season, racking up 83 receptions for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns during his first year in the NFL. With a beefed-up supporting cast and Rodgers throwing him the ball, he could go nuclear this season and cement himself as one of the best wide receivers in the league on one of the best teams in the league.

There’s that much room to grow.

“That’s the exciting part of it,” Wilson said. “It’s cool, you know. I’ve been on both sides of the ‘on-paper’ teams and you gotta go play. Right now, we’re not in a spot to do what we aspire to do, but that’s the beauty of it. It doesn’t happen overnight, it doesn’t happen just by a snap of the fingers. You gotta put in the work and you gotta find purpose in each and every day to go make that happen.”

THIS AND THAT

HALL OF FAME FINALIST COACH PICKED

The Hall of Fame’s Coach/Contributor Committee’s system produced a Buddy for the Class of 2024.  After considering 12 candidates for enshrinement, including Bob Kraft (looking to join friend and rival Jerry Jones in the Hall) and several prominent recent coaches like Tom Coughlin and Mike Shanahan, the Committee reached back into the fog of history for its selection.  Buddy Parker, who died 41 years ago, won two championships with the Lions 70+ years ago.

The AP on Buddy Parker:

Buddy Parker, who coached the Detroit Lions to back-to-back NFL titles in the 1950s, was picked as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2024.

Parker was announced Wednesday as the candidate from a group of 12 coaches and contributors after multiple votes were needed from the 12-person committee. He will get into the Hall if he is supported by at least 80% of the full Hall of Fame panel of voters in January.

The committee considered 11 other candidates along with Parker: Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Dan Reeves, Art Rooney Jr., Marty Schottenheimer, Mike Shanahan, Clark Shaughnessy, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten.

Coughlin, Shanahan and George Seifert are the only retired coaches to have won multiple Super Bowls who are not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Parker had a 107-76-9 record as a head coach for the Cardinals, Lions and Steelers, but his greatest success came during his six years at the helm in Detroit.

After spending one year as co-coach of the Chicago Cardinals in 1949, Parker was hired to take over the Lions in 1951 and ushered in the only sustained period of winning in franchise history.

Detroit had the most losses in the NFL in the six seasons before Parker took over as coach, with the only success in franchise history coming when the Lions won the title with Parker as a player in 1935.

Parker helped develop quarterback Bobby Layne into a Hall of Famer and was credited with popularizing the “two-minute offense” by having Layne rush the offense to the line to catch defenses off guard.

That helped the Lions quickly become an NFL power, going 28-7-1 during a three-year period from 1952 to 1954, with each season capped with a championship game against Paul Brown’s Cleveland Browns.

Detroit won the first two meetings before losing the title game in 1954. The Lions fell just short of the championship game in 1956.

Parker finished his career with eight seasons as Steelers coach. While he never had the success in Pittsburgh that he did in Detroit, he did lead a franchise that had just three winning records in its first 24 seasons to four winning seasons in eight years. He resigned just days before the start of the 1965 season.

Parker died in 1982 at age 68.

A 12-person committee will pick up to three senior candidates next week from a list of 12 semifinalists to advance to the final stage of voting. The selection committee could also vote in up to five modern era candidates from a pool still to be determined.

The Class of 2024 will be formally enshrined next summer in Canton, Ohio.

THE ALL-FADE TEAM – DON’T DRAFT

Kate Magdziuk of YahooSports.com says don’t draft these guys for your Fantasy Football team.

One of the top fantasy football draft weekends is right around the corner. That means it’s time for you to make some decisions regarding which players are worth an investment.

Every player will have their cost in fantasy football drafts. That doesn’t mean they’ll always return value for your fantasy rosters, however. Here are six players with bust potential based on their current ADPs.

Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns

The upside of Deshaun Watson as a fantasy quarterback has been firmly established, as he posted three consecutive top-five finishes across the 2018-2020 NFL seasons. However, he struggled both on the field and as a fantasy producer after a 700-day absence from the sport.

In his return, Watson averaged just 15.1 fantasy points per game, performing as a top-12 quarterback in just two of his six games. Among quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks, Watson ranked 30th with a 79.1 passer rating, 32nd with a 1.7% big-time throw rate per PFF, 28th with 6.5 yards per attempt and 28th with a 1.4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Ouch.

If Watson was, in fact, knocking the rust off in the 2022 season, then he could pose a value at his current ADP of QB11. However, given that high-end ADP following a disastrous 2022, paired with the fact that a Kevin Stefanski-led offense has yet to rank top-20 in passing volume, I’m out.

J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens

There’s something odd happening in Baltimore, folks, and it has me worried that we are headed for just another season of disappointment when it comes to running back J.K. Dobbins. Though Dobbins has been incredibly efficient in his time on the field, his health has been a true limiting factor in the fantasy production fantasy managers have actually seen on the aforementioned field.

Now, entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal, Dobbins entered the preseason on the PUP list for the second consecutive season while dealing with a knee injury. The team announced Monday they activated him, but his injury history remains concerning, having played just eight games in the last two seasons with complications stemming from the torn ACL suffered in the 2021 preseason.

Despite averaging 5.86 yards per attempt dating back to his rookie season (second among RBs in that span), he’s not necessarily been a superstar for fantasy football. Dobbins has averaged just 10.3 fantasy points per game across his career, having had just two total fantasy finishes ahead of RB10 to his name since being drafted.

More incredible, perhaps, is the fact that Dobbins has never finished inside the top five for a given week since drafted in 2020. He’s played just eight games over the last two seasons and is already starting this year off with an injury. Fantasy managers buying into Dobbins at his current ADP of RB17 are gluttons for punishment.

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

After the Seahawks drafted Zach Charbonnet, I was quick to back veteran Kenneth Walker III with the belief there was room enough for both to see work. However, as training camp dwindles down and the preseason heats up, I can’t help but have some concern this workload split may be too much to overcome at his current ADP of RB18.

Walker’s home-run hitting ability is among the best in the league, with his 4.38 40-yard dash ranking in the 95th percentile for RBs. It’s what differentiates him from Charbonnet in a big way. While Charbonnet is more of a grinder with the ability to force missed tackles and play through contact, Walker’s speed allows him to avoid it altogether.

However, as Walker continues to miss time in training camp with a groin injury, Charbonnet continues to earn reps with the first team.

Charbonnet was selected 53rd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, just one year after Walker was selected 41st overall in 2022 — a negligible difference in draft capital — and boasts a diverse skill set that includes productivity as a receiver, which Walker has historically lacked. Charbonnet’s 4.2 yards after contact per attempt ranked 14th among FBS running backs with 26 total carries of 15+ yards, showing plenty of explosion despite the fact he’s not quite the athlete that Walker is.

The more time that Walker misses, the more concerned I grow that Charbonnet could shake up this workload more significantly than initially projected coming out of the NFL Draft.

Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals receiving duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins ranks among the best in the NFL. Regardless of their effectiveness, however, it’s still worrisome to see Higgins with an ADP of WR14 given his standing as the team’s clear-cut WR2 and unknowns surrounding a calf injury for QB Joe Burrow.

Over the past two seasons, Higgins has finished just over 23% of his games performing as a top-12 WR (26th among wide receivers). In 2022 specifically, Higgins posted just four total WR1 finishes, with two of them coming while Chase was out of the lineup with a hip injury. Over the past two seasons, Higgins has averaged 7.3 targets per game, tied for 38th among receivers, but his efficiency has kept him at the top of the league in terms of total receiving yards. A 14.8% red zone target share in comparison to Chase (25.4%) could continue to limit his overall upside as well, despite the high-end draft capital.

DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

I promise I’m not just here to spend this entire article pounding on the Seahawks.

I am here, however, to discuss players whom I do not think will finish highly enough for fantasy in 2023 in comparison to their ADP. Though DK Metcalf finds himself among the elites in terms of upside, athleticism and skill set, a plethora of weapons for the Seahawks leave me concerned that he might not outperform his ADP.

In addition to another year of veteran WR Tyler Lockett, the team also drafted Jaxon Smith-Njigba, widely regarded as the 2023 NFL Draft class’ top receiving prospect, with the 20th overall pick. They then went on to draft the aforementioned Charbonnet, a productive receiving back at UCLA, creating more competition for targets than ever in Seattle’s offense.

Despite being considered such a favorable fantasy draft pick for his upside, Metcalf has finished just 6% of games as a top-five fantasy receiver and 24% of games as a top-12 receiver since 2020. For context, Lockett finished as a top-five receiver in 14.58% of games and 29.17% of games as a WR1 — and he’s being drafted two-to-three rounds later.

Metcalf is coming off career lows in yards per reception (11.6), yards after the catch per reception (2.6), average depth of target (12.1) and passer rating when targeted (89.9) for his lowest fantasy production since his rookie season despite a career-high 139 targets. Pass.

George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

To be clear, this is not an indictment on George Kittle, his abilities as a tight end or what’s expected from the 49ers offense as a whole. I do have concerns, however, that projected touchdown regression and lack of consistency as a fantasy producer could make his current ADP of TE4 (43rd overall) a trap.

Kittle’s been one of the most high-upside tight ends in the league for fantasy, having had seven games of 20 or more fantasy points since the 2021 season — the third most among all tight ends. However, with that upside comes a lower floor than would be considered ideal for a top-flight fantasy tight end, with six games of five or fewer fantasy points over the last two seasons.

That’s one more than Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have had in that span combined.

Further exacerbating concerns for his volatility is Kittle’s declining target volume and likely touchdown regression in the 2022 season. Last season, Kittle averaged just 5.73 targets per game — his lowest total since his rookie season in 2017. Despite that low target volume, he was incredibly efficient, scoring a career-high 11 touchdowns; that’s very likely due to regress moving forward.

In his first five seasons, Kittle averaged 16.75 receptions per touchdown compared to the uber-efficient 5.45 he posted in 2022. Buyers beware!

BOUNCEBACK CANDIDATES

From Joel Corry of CBSSports.com – 10 candidates to bounceback from the offensive side of the ball.

Every season, a different set of players face a crossroads or have something to prove for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons are related to age, contract or salary cap concerns, injury, poor performance or off-the-field issues.

Tight end Evan Engram is a prime example of capitalizing when there’s something to prove. He signed a one-year, $9 million deal worth up to $10 million though incentives with the Jaguars in March 2022 after a disappointing 2021 campaign for the Giants. Engram had a career year in Jacksonville last season. He had 73 catches, 766 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

The Jaguars designated Engram as a franchise player for $11.345 million in March. He received a three-year, $41.25 million contract (worth up to $42 million with incentives) right before the mid-July deadline for franchise players to sign long term.

Here are 10 offensive players — who aren’t quarterbacks and who fit into one of those categories — to keep an eye on in 2023.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. missed the entire 2022 season recovering from tearing the ACL in his left knee for a second time during Super Bowl LVI. Beckham signed a one-year, $15 million contract worth up to $18 million through incentives with the Ravens despite his injury history. $13.835 million of the $15 million is a signing bonus, with the remaining $1.165 million in base salary.

Surprisingly, Beckham’s contract doesn’t contain any per game roster bonuses. By contrast, the two-year, $26 million deal DeAndre Hopkins signed with the Titans at the start of training camp has $1.02 million of per game roster bonuses ($60,000 each game active) annually. The per game amount is only payable if the player is on active list for that particular game, which would have been appropriate given Beckham’s circumstances. Beckham should be a leading candidate for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award if he can develop chemistry with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and stay on the football field.

Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor has asked for a trade because the Colts aren’t willing to have discussions about a new deal. He is scheduled to make $4.304 million in the final year of his four-year rookie contract. Colts owner Jim Irsay is adamant that Taylor won’t be traded.

Taylor is coming off a career-low 861 rushing yards in 11 games behind an inconsistent offensive line while being slowed by a right ankle injury, which required offseason surgery. He was easily the league’s best running back in 2021 when won the rushing title by 552 yards averaging 5.5 yards per carry. The 2021 first-team All-Pro led the NFL with 2,171 yards from scrimmage, 1,811 rushing yards, 20 total touchdowns and 18 rushing touchdowns. Since entering the NFL in 2020, Taylor ranks third in yards from scrimmage (4,643), fourth in rushing yards (3,841) and fourth in touchdowns (36).

Once Taylor passes his physical, he is going to have to play for the Colts this season in a “marriage of convenience” unless Irsay changes his stance on a trade. Taylor probably needs to demonstrate that his down 2022 season (by his standards) was an anomaly because of the ankle injury.

It’s conceivable that a return to his previous form could convince the Colts to give him a new deal near the top of the running back market early next offseason. The more likely outcome is Taylor getting a franchise tag in 2024. The non-exclusive franchise tag for running backs next year projects to 4.653% of 2024 salary cap. Assuming the 2024 salary cap is set in the $245 million neighborhood, this number would be right around $11.4 million.

Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas took a substantial pay cut in March to remain with the Saints after only playing 10 games in the last three seasons because of foot and ankle injuries. There was plenty of speculation that Thomas would be released instead. He is making $6.46 million in 2023 on a one-year deal worth a maximum of $11.46 million because of incentives.

A discussion about the NFL’s best wide receiver couldn’t occur without Thomas prior to his injuries. In 2019, the last time Thomas was healthy for an extended period of time, he set the single-season record for receptions with 149 and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Ezekiel Elliott

The Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott in March after 2022 was the worst season of his seven-year NFL career. Elliott had 231 rushing attempts for 876 rushing yards with 3.8 yards per carry, all career lows. He caught 17 passes for 92 yards, which were more career worsts.

Elliott had been trending in the wrong direction statistically ever since becoming the first running back in the league history to sign a $100 million contract shortly before the start of the 2019 regular season to end a lengthy holdout. The two-time rushing champion signed a six-year, $90 million contract extension, which made him the NFL’s highest-paid running back at $15 million per year, with two years remaining on his rookie contact.

Elliott just signed a one-year contract with the Patriots with a base value of $3 million. The deal is worth up to $6 million through incentives. Elliott will need to perform better than last season to earn any of the incentives.

Calvin Ridley

Calvin Ridley returns after being suspended for the 2022 season under the NFL’s gambling policy. His contract tolled during the suspension, so he’s playing this year under his $11.116 million fifth-year option from the 2022 season.

Ridley is getting a change of scenery as the Falcons dealt him to the Jaguars during the middle of last season for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick. The 2024 pick can elevate to either a third-round pick based on Ridley’s 2023 playtime or a second-round pick if he signs a new deal with the Jaguars.

Ridley had a breakout season of 90 catches for 1,374 yards with nine touchdowns in 2020. He only played five games in 2021 because of personal problems. Getting back on track by becoming Jacksonville’s primary wide receiver would likely mean the Jaguars would have to pay Ridley more than Christian Kirk (four-year, $72 million contract averaging $18 million per year and worth up to $84 million through incentives for a maximum value of $21 million per year) in order to keep him in the fold.

Allen Robinson

A disappointing contract year in 2021 didn’t dissuade the Rams from signing Allen Robinson to a three-year, $46.5 million contract (worth up to $48 million through incentives) with $30.75 million fully guaranteed. Things went from bad to worse last season in Los Angeles. Robinson had 33 catches for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games before being sidelined for the rest of the season with a left foot injury.

The Rams were so motivated to get rid of Robinson that $3.4 million of 2023 salary cap space was lost in his April trade to Steelers, which was a swap of 2023 seventh-round picks. Robinson’s 2023 salary cap number was $18.05 million. The Rams have $21.45 million of dead money, a cap charge for a player no longer on team’s roster, for him. A willingness by the Rams to eat $10.25 million of Robinson’s $15.25 million 2023 salary made the trade possible. For his brief stay in Los Angeles, Robinson made $25.75 million from the Rams.

Robinson reworked his contract in connection with the trade. He’s scheduled to make $10 million in 2024 instead of $15.75 million. If the 2023 season is a continuation of Robinson’s last couple of years, the Steelers won’t hesitate to release him next offseason because the $10 million isn’t guaranteed.

Mike Gesicki

Mike Gesicki wasn’t a great fit in Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense last season because blocking isn’t his strong suit. 2022 was Gesicki’s worst season since his rookie year in 2018. He had 32 catches, 362 yards and five touchdowns. His playtime went from 71.73% in 2021 to 45.17% last season.

Gesicki signed a one year, $4.5 million deal worth up to $9 million through incentives with the Patriots. Proving last season was anomaly could put Gesicki in position to follow in Engram’s footsteps.

Jonah Williams

Jonah Williams tying for the league lead with 12 sacks allowed last season according to Pro Football Focus prompted the Bengals to sign Orlando Brown, Jr. to a four-year, $64.092 million deal in free agency. A trade request which Williams has rescinded was made because of displeasure with Brown replacing him at left tackle. Williams, who is making $12.604 million this season on a fully guaranteed fifth-year option, has shifted to right tackle. Faltering in the transition would likely result in La’el Collins resuming last year’s right tackle role after he returns from the left ACL and MCL tears he suffered late last season.

Mekhi Becton

The Jets rightfully passed on a fully guaranteed $13.565 million fifth-year option for Mekhi Becton in 2024 because he can’t stay on the field. Becton only played 48 snaps over the last two seasons because of injury. Exchanging first-round picks with the Packers in a trade for four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers cost the Jets a shot at taking a left tackle with their first selection of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Steelers moved up to the 14th spot, one place ahead of the Jets, in a trade with the Patriots, to pick Georgia’s Broderick Jones. Working his way back from his knee injuries, Becton is currently second on the depth at left tackle behind Billy Turner, who signed a one-year, $1.65 million deal worth up to $3.15 million with incentives in March as an unrestricted free agent.

Alexander Mattison

Alexander Mattison has big shoes to fill as a lead running back because the Vikings released Dalvin Cook from his five-year, $63 million extension with three years remaining in June. Cook has four straight seasons of rushing for more than 1,100 yards. Mattison, who backed up Cook during those seasons, remained in Minnesota on the two-year, $7 million deal worth a maximum of $8 million through incentives he received in free agency.

We would quibble that Mattison is more of a “bounce” candidate than “bounceback.”  A loyal roleplayer, he never was up to comeback from.  Now, he has his shot.