NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

Rookie WR TYLER SCOTT thought he had been stuck with a huge bill.  Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com:

The expression on the face of Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Tyler Scott said it all.

How am I going to pay for this?

Scott was looking at a restaurant bill for $20,501.81, and he wasn’t happy about it.

But there was more to the story.

Wide receiver DJ Moore organized the dinner for his position group on the team’s night off last Friday before Chicago’s second preseason game in Indianapolis.

First-year players were going to pick up the tab at Tony’s in downtown Indy, but Scott, a fourth-round pick from Cincinnati, is the only rookie receiver on the Bears roster.

Scott thought he knew what to expect. After he was drafted, the receiver crafted a budget with his financial advisor, who knew of the rookie dinner tradition and had set aside a portion of Scott’s earnings for the wide receiver to take out his teammates.

Scott was initially planning to hang back at the team hotel and told Moore to take his credit card and keep the bill under $5,000. For 10 receivers (excluding himself) and two quarterbacks — Justin Fields and PJ Walker tagged along — Scott thought for sure he’d stay within budget.

Daurice Fountain, Scott’s teammate, sent a text around 5 p.m. urging him to come along.

“I’m like, ‘Hey man, trust me. It’s going to be fun,’” Fountain recalled.

Scott did the math in his head as he and his teammates ordered. Two steaks here, a couple appetizers there, three bottles of red wine, a salmon entrée for himself.

Then came time to pay the bill.

“Once I saw Chase [Claypool] get the bill and go ‘oh, it’s not that bad,’ I knew it was bad,” Scott said.

The laughs were abundant from his teammates as Scott looked at the bill. He couldn’t figure out how they had spent that much.

“I was like, all the bridges are burned, I’m not talking to every single person in this vicinity,” Scott said with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘I’m not talking to any of you guys for the rest of the year. I don’t care if it’s going to be miserable for me, I’m not talking to any of y’all.’”

Little did he know Moore had planned everything, and the restaurant was in on the prank.

“They told the restaurant people to boost the bill up,” wide receiver Darnell Mooney said. “I don’t think Tyler knew that they had paid the bill already. We were like, ‘Yeah, we just gonna dine and dash. C’mon let’s get outta here.’ He had no idea. He was like, ‘Nah, I gotta pay, man.’”

As his teammates filed out of their private section of the restaurant, Scott reluctantly threw his credit card down and attempted to pay the tab. He was confused when the waiter told him he was free to go without having run his card.

It wasn’t until he got back on the bus with his teammates to go to the hotel that he learned it was a prank. Moore had picked up the entire tab and everyone knew about it ahead of time.

Everyone except the rookie who got pranked.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Jimmy Johnson will put DeMarcus Ware in his Ring of Honor this year, contradicting the reason he gave for not putting Jimmy Johnson in.  Chris Cwik of YahooSports.com:

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones continues to leave Jimmy Johnson in limbo. Jones announced Wednesday that DeMarcus Ware will be the only person inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2023.

Ware, now 41, spent nine of his 12 NFL seasons with the Cowboys. He is more than deserving of the honor. Ware made six Pro Bowls and was a four-time All-Pro with the franchise. He was formally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this month.

While Ware deserves recognition, Johnson’s absence will draw the most attention. Johnson helped lead the team to two Super Bowl titles in the ’90s. He posted a .550 winning percentage in five seasons with the team.

Johnson and Jones haven’t been on the best terms since Johnson left the team after the 1993 NFL season. For years following that split, the two publicly ripped each other. Jones called out Johnson for being disloyal, and Johnson called Jones a “rich a**hole.”

Things started to get better around 2017. The two reunited during the Cowboys’ 25th Super Bowl anniversary. Jones eventually admitted he messed up the relationship.

During a Fox broadcast in 2021, Jones said Johnson would one day be inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Jones appeared on the broadcast just days before Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When asked, Jones said Johnson would eventually be a member of the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Johnson quipped, “While I’m alive?”

Things have gone only downhill since then. In 2022, Johnson said he hadn’t heard anything about a potential induction. Jones defended his inaction by saying Johnson’s “sniveling” wouldn’t help his case.

Wednesday’s announcement proves Jones will continue to do things on his own terms. Johnson may eventually get the call, but one wonders whether his quip about being alive when that day comes wasn’t meant to be funny.

Jones said in 2021, when Johnson went into the Hall of Fame, that he didn’t want to detract from that honor by putting Jimmy in the Ring in the same year.  He is not using that reasoning with Ware.

Is there any other team, with a Ring or Hall of its own, that doesn’t have one of its Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrines in the team’s Hall?

Johnson will go into the University of Miami’s Hall of Fame this year.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

LB JAYLON SMITH is trying to resuscitate his star-crossed career with the Saints.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Saints linebacker Jaylon Smith may have to prove he can contribute on special teams to keep his NFL career alive.

New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said Smith played well in his first preseason game in a Saints uniform, but that doesn’t mean Smith has earned a roster spot yet.

“I thought it was a good first exposure out there in a game-like situation,” Allen said, via USA Today. “We’ll get another chance this weekend to continue the evaluation process. But I like what I’ve seen over the last week or so from the player. He’s smart, he’s tough, highly instinctive, there’s a lot of things to like.”

So what does Smith have to do to earn a roster spot? It may come down to special teams?

“I think with him, part of the equation is going to be where does he factor in on special teams? It’s not something he’s done a lot of,” Allen said of Smith. “I think he’s going to embrace that challenge and hopefully he’ll perform well on teams.”

Smith was considered a Top 5 overall prospect in the 2016 NFL draft before he suffered a severe knee injury in his final game at Notre Dame. That injury dropped him down to the second round, and he’s had an up-and-down career, playing very well at times for the Cowboys but more recently bouncing around from the Packers to the Giants and now to the Saints, where he’s trying to prove he belongs in the NFL for another year.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

In his third year, QB TREY LANCE is still third string.  The 49ers have confirmed that QB SAM DARNOLD has moved behind QB BROCK PURDY on the depth chart.  Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

The competition to be the San Francisco 49ers’ backup quarterback is over.

The 49ers are rolling with Sam Darnold as the No. 2 behind Brock Purdy, coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday. The team will explore all options with Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, a source told ESPN.

Shanahan told KNBR radio in San Francisco that he hopes Lance will remain with the 49ers even as a potential No. 3 option.

“I’m really hoping so. I mean, this isn’t a thing that we’re giving up on Trey,” Shanahan told KNBR. “This is more of how Brock played in his seven games. … They both looked good, but we do have to make a decision here and you only get so many reps at it, and we feel, starting about 10 days ago, that Sam really separated himself. We got to keep it real in that way.”

Lance did not participate in Wednesday’s practice after he and Shanahan discussed the situation earlier Wednesday.

“These are conversations I have to have with guys a lot and they’re never easy. They’re really tough,” Shanahan said, acknowledging that Lance missed practice because he was upset about the news from their conversation in the morning. “But it’s also always tough when the spotlight is on it as much as it is with this situation, with it being Trey, with our quarterback, his pick in the draft. So, I knew that was hard on him. We had such a light practice today and watching how Trey was when we talked, we just thought it was better, ‘Hey, take the day off, get away a little bit, clear your head some and we’ll talk later in the afternoon and we’ll get you back in here tomorrow… Just felt it was the best thing for him.”

With Purdy handling most of the starting duties since his return from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Darnold and Lance have been locked in a battle for the backup role throughout training camp.

On Tuesday, Shanahan indicated he wasn’t ready to announce his No. 2 quarterback until closer to the start of the regular season, even going as far as to say he could alternate between backups depending on the week.

Now, the depth chart has taken shape with Purdy at the top, Darnold in the backup spot and a bit of uncertainty after that with Lance and veteran Brandon Allen still on the roster.

The Niners don’t plan to keep more than three quarterbacks on the active roster, which means one of them will have to go. That player could be Lance, who a year ago at this time was heading into the season as San Francisco’s starter.

Lance suffered a broken right ankle in Week 2 and missed the rest of last season, allowing for Purdy’s ascent after leading the team to a 7-1 record as a starter and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.

“I do think he’s going to have a lot of success in this league,” Shanahan said of Lance on KNBR. “It’s been a tough road for him because the times he has gotten an opportunity, he ended up getting hurt and missed that window and now he’s in this position and we’ll always try to do right for Trey.

“If there’s a better situation that his heart’s in and something like that, we’re going to make sure not to do something that hurts him in that way. … Trey knows how I feel about him and I hope he ends up being able to be here and that’s the best thing for him. But we got to see what is the best thing from now until then.”

Shanahan said he still plans to play Lance in the last preseason game Friday against the Chargers. After Purdy and Darnold, of course.

“Yes, I do. He comes back here and we get all this situated, I plan on Trey going in right after Sam.”

Niners general manager John Lynch said before the NFL draft in April that he’d received interest from other teams about a possible trade for Lance. At the time, Lynch said it would take something “substantial” to part ways with Lance.

“Yeah, I think there’s a lot of smoke really,” Lynch said in April. “It hasn’t been extremely active and it’s not like we’ve put it out there that, ‘Hey, we’re taking offers for Trey.’ That’s not been the process. … It hasn’t been that substantive.”

But with Darnold stepping into the backup role, that smoke is likely to reappear. To this point in the preseason, there haven’t been any notable quarterback injuries elsewhere but teams have a better feel for the signal-callers on their roster.

If the 49ers trade Lance, he will count $5,540,956 in dead money over each of the next two seasons, and the team will save $3.76 million in 2023 and $5.31 million in 2024 against the salary cap.

If the Niners release Lance, he will count $14.61 million in dead money with no savings against the cap.

Another option would be for the Niners to keep Lance as the No. 3 quarterback. Since Shanahan and Lynch arrived in 2017, the team has had only one quarterback make it through an entire season healthy — Jimmy Garoppolo in 2019.

Which is at least partially why Shanahan insisted Wednesday that keeping Lance with Purdy and Darnold is his preference.

“I feel very fortunate to have both of them here,” Shanahan told KNBR. “I really hope when it’s said and done, that all three of these guys are here. You never know when that’s going to come up. We needed four guys last year. Doesn’t happen much, but if we can have Trey as an option here, I would feel extremely happy about that.”

Purdy began last season as the No. 3 option behind Lance and Garoppolo, and the Niners had Josh Johnson as their fourth quarterback for the NFC Championship Game but still ran out of options because of injuries. If the 49ers trade Lance, Allen could fill the No. 3 role.

After recovering from the ankle injury, Lance spent the offseason working to refine his mechanics with private quarterbacks coach Jeff Christensen. He came back with a quicker release but had his ups and downs in camp and the preseason.

In last week’s exhibition game against the Denver Broncos, Lance started slow, throwing an interception on a screen pass, but finished strong, going 8-of-10 for 142 yards and a touchdown on the final two drives to set up a winning 32-yard field goal by rookie kicker Jake Moody.

On Tuesday, Shanahan noted the improvements he has seen from Lance.

“This offseason was just kind of getting healthy again and redefining how he throws, getting his balance,” Shanahan said. “I think Trey from when he got hurt to where he is now, I think it helped him.”

The 49ers signed Darnold early in free agency in March partly because they were unsure where Purdy’s recovery would take him and because Lance had started just four games with 102 pass attempts in the NFL and was also coming off a significant injury.

Like Lance, Darnold is a former No. 3 overall pick (2018). Darnold struggled in previous stops with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, throwing 55 interceptions in 56 games as those teams went 21-34 in his starts.

Darnold and Lance have taken turns with the backups throughout camp and the preseason, but Shanahan has been encouraged by what he’s seen from Darnold in terms of ball security and getting the ball where it needs to go.

“He’s been real consistent in everything,” Shanahan said. “… He didn’t come in the first day just owning it all because you can’t when you don’t have the experience. But each day that he’s done it, he’s gotten better and better and he just looks more and more comfortable in everything he is doing.”

NFL Network first reported the news of the Niners exploring options with Lance.

Lance has $5.1 million guaranteed that complicates San Francisco’s options.

@49erscap

If the 49ers do trade Trey Lance, they’ll only save $940,000 for 2023, due to him already being paid a $2,820,478 training camp roster bonus, and would save $5,310,717 in 2024, while having dead money hits of $8,361,434 in 2023, and $5,540,956 in 2024.

 Kyle Posey of NinersNation:

Lance was not seen at Wednesday’s practice. Who knows if this is Lance acting on his own accord, or if this is a coaching decision. Another reasoning is that the team will hold out Lance for a potential trade.

They could also release Lance, which would be surprising considering what the team gave up to acquire Trey to begin with. Lance has a fully guaranteed contract since he was a first-rounder. It would cost $5.3 million in dead money to cut Lace, so we can take that off the table.

Trading Lance is far more plausible, as the 49ers would save $3.8 million in cap space for the duration of his contract. But, they wouldn’t save over $1 million this season:

Some are likely wondering if a Lance trade would free up money for Nick Bosa’s deal to get done. But, judging by how the 49ers have constructed contracts in the past, a Bosa deal wouldn’t impact the salary cap in 2023.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted that Minnesota is an option. Kirk Cousins’s contract voids after this season.

New England has Mac Jones. Tampa Bay has Baker Mayfield. Atlanta has Desmond Ridder. There will be teams who come calling, or at least show interest in Lance.

Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com identifies three spots that Lance might land:

“We gave [Lance] a big chance to win that 2-spot this year … it was a very tough fight, but in the long run, Sam ended up winning it,”  Shanahan said Wednesday. 

It remains to be seen how much Lance can improve at the NFL level, and now it appears unlikely he’ll ever be able to tap into his potential as a member of the 49ers. With the team moving in a different direction at both the starter and backup positions at quarterback, let’s examine some potential landing spots for Lance if he is, in fact, dealt. 

Minnesota Vikings

According to Pro Football Talk, the Vikings and 49ers had discussions about Lance leading up to the draft at the NFL Scouting Combine. With Minnesota not making any long-term moves at the quarterback position throughout the draft, it would stand to reason that they could rekick the tire on potentially acquiring Lance from the Niners.

Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract with the Vikings and both sides don’t appear to be rushing to the negotiating table before the start of the regular season, which opens up the possibility that this is the QB’s last year in Minnesota. It wouldn’t be the worst strategy for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to bring in Lance and allow him to serve in a backup role while leaning Kevin O’Connell’s offense as a potential successor to Cousins for 2024.

Los Angeles Rams

At this point, it’s hard to imagine any team trading for Lance to be their immediate starter. The best he can hope for is that he lands with a team with an aging quarterback that looks at him as a potential success, similar to what we highlighted with Minnesota above. The Rams could also fall in that category, but it remains to be seen if the Niners would even consider trading him within the division. That said, if they view him as a third-string option, maybe that takes the pressure off and they simply don’t see a risk of him potentially burning them twice a year down the lead.

Matthew Stafford is entering his age-35 season and retirement could be knocking on the door over the next few years. Getting a talent like Lance within Sean McVay’s system with zero pressure to start anytime soon could be his best chance at someday ascending and being a long-term option for Los Angeles.

Miami Dolphins

How comical would this be? It was the Dolphins who the 49ers traded up with to get to the No. 3 overall selection to take Lance in 2021. San Francisco shipped out a boatload of assets to go up that high in the draft which Miami ultimately turned into Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb. Imagine after all that, they also get the quarterback taken with that pick!

But it’s not just comedic value why we’re putting the Dolphins on this list. There is a relationship between the two franchises with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel now serving as the Dolphins head coach. He was with Lance during his rookie season and, in theory, should know plenty about the quarterback. Now, it’s important to note that this could go both ways: McDaniel’s inner knowledge of Lance could be looked at as a good thing with the coach believing he could tap into his potential or it could be looked at as a negative with McDaniel knowing full well that Lance isn’t a future starter. If it’s the former, Lance would be a fascinating project for McDaniel and possible insurance for Tua Tagovailoa, who dealt with a number of head injuries last season which is cause for concern for his availability in the seasons to come.

Maybe McDaniel loves Lance, but maybe he’s seen too much up close.  And the Dolphins have a pretty good three-deep at the moment with Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White and Skyler Thompson.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

It is already time for a second contract for RB J.K. DOBBINS.  And hence, some absences from training camp practices.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins returned to practice Friday. The reason for his absence from the mandatory minicamp in June and the first 14 practices of training camp remain a mystery, and Dobbins wasn’t revealing anything Wednesday.

“That’s a tough question,” Dobbins said when asked about his absence, via Jameson Hensley of ESPN.

It’s actually an easy question. It’s the answer that’s complicated.

Coach John Harbugh admitted as much at the start of training camp when he said Dobbins’ absence had “some complexity to it.”

The Ravens placed Dobbins on the active/physically unable to perform list to start camp but never specified an injury. In fact, Harbaugh once said it was “a J.K. question” about when the running back would return.

All signs point to a hold-in by Dobbins, who expressed frustration with his contract this offseason.

“I was just being cautious,” Dobbins said Wednesday. “I want to be there for my teammates, and that’s all it was. My teammates understood what was going on. So, it’s all good now. I’m out here.”

Dobbins is entering the final year of his rookie deal scheduled to make $1.391 million this season. He avoided talk of his contract but praised Harbaugh, the Ravens’ front office and ownership.

“Mr. Eric [DeCosta], he’s the best G.M. — the best G.M. in the game,” Dobbins said. “He’ll get it worked out. Whatever happens, happens. He’s going to get it worked out. We have good conversations.

“It is what it is. In the time being, I’m going to go out there and play and do good. Hopefully, I’m playing for the Ravens for the rest of my life, in my football career.”

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS

The Colts have set an artificial “deadline” of Tuesday for a trade of RB JONATHAN TAYLOR.  Stephen Holder of ESPN.com:

Jonathan Taylor could be a step closer to getting his wish, but time is of the essence.

The Indianapolis Colts have given Taylor until Tuesday to find a suitable trade after authorizing the star running back earlier this week to engage with other teams in search of a trade partner.

Six teams have inquired about Taylor’s availability, and two of them have engaged the Colts with offers, including the Miami Dolphins, a source told ESPN on Wednesday.

The situation remains fluid, and it is unclear whether a team is willing to meet the Colts’ trade demands, which have been described by sources as being a first-round pick or a package of picks worth similar value.

Tuesday is a significant day in the NFL, as teams are required to trim their rosters to the regular-season limit of 53 players. It’s also the day the Colts must decide on Taylor’s status going forward. He is currently on the active/physically unable to perform list and must be activated or placed on reserve-PUP by Tuesday. Players on reserve-PUP must sit out for at least the first four weeks of the regular season.

For the Colts, the prospect of a trade offers a chance to conclude four tense weeks between the organization and Taylor, whose contract standoff with the team has overshadowed its training camp and preseason. Taylor has not practiced since reporting for training camp on July 25. He was placed that same day on the PUP list because of an ongoing issue with his ankle, according to the team.

The weeks since have been marked by uncertainty about the future of the 2021 NFL rushing leader, who underwent ankle surgery in January after missing six games last season.

It’s been an unusually ugly saga for the parties involved. Owner Jim Irsay and Taylor’s agent, Malki Kawa, were involved in a public back-and-forth on X, formerly known as Twitter. Irsay and Taylor also had an awkward meeting in the middle of a team practice, and Irsay later made comments to reporters that did not sit well with Taylor.

Taylor’s trade demand, issued to the Colts on July 25, soon came to light, and the situation grew more uncomfortable. That is perhaps why the Colts reversed course and allowed Taylor to seek a trade partner after Irsay initially adamantly rejected a trade request.

Taylor has twice departed training camp in the past two weeks, first to seek treatment at an off-site medical facility for his ankle injury and last week to attend to an unspecified personal matter.

When Taylor returned this week, a source told ESPN, he was told he needed to accompany the team to Philadelphia, where the Colts conducted a joint practice with the Eagles on Tuesday. The teams are scheduled to meet in a preseason game Thursday night.

While the Colts have made it known they will hold firm on their price tag in a potential trade, they also face a delicate situation if Taylor remains in Indianapolis. They first declined Taylor’s request for an extension in May, a source said, and that position hasn’t changed.

Taylor, meanwhile, still wants out, according to multiple sources, so reintegrating him into the lineup could present challenges. The Colts do not seem willing to budge on an extension.

Mike Florio suggests that the deadline means the Colts will take the Dolphins offer, if indeed there is one, if they don’t get better.

Wednesday’s news regarding the effort to trade Colts running back Jonathan Taylor carried an interesting wrinkle. As reported by Stephen Holder of ESPN.com, the Colts have given Taylor until Tuesday, August 29 to find a “suitable offer.”

Why Tuesday? Why not just keep him until they get the offer they want? All it takes is, for example, a Week 1 injury to a starting running back on a contending team to create a demand that might not exist.

What happens if Tuesday comes and goes without a “suitable offer”? Taylor plays for the Colts, without complaint or concern? He forgets about wanting out, even after he had a chance to escape?

It’s almost seems as if the Colts have decided to take the best offer they get by Tuesday, and move on. That the deadline isn’t for Taylor but for anyone else who might be thinking time is on their side. The message, quite possibly, is that the Colts will be making a deal on Tuesday. So Tuesday is the day to make a move.

Holder also added that the Colts have offers from two unnamed teams. Some in league circles would say in response that, if the teams aren’t named, they don’t exist.

The substance of the offers hasn’t been reported. The Colts reportedly want a first-round pick. The biggest unknown is what does Taylor want? Unless his new team addresses that issue, they’ll potentially inherit the same issues the Colts might be trying to shed.

We’ll see how it plays out. Apparently, it will all end within the next six days — one way or the other.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

So far so good for RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT in Patriots camp.  Mike Reiss of ESPN.com:

Veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott kept flashing smiles during his introductory news conference with New England Patriots reporters. At one point, he winked.

It reflects how Elliott, after spending the first seven years of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, has quickly felt at home as a Patriot.

“I think if you look at my play style and the culture of this team, it’s a good match. I think I’m a good fit,” he said Wednesday.

“I was at home for a long time, so I thought I definitely should come in and be kind of an energizer boost. The transition has been good. I’ve been getting along with the team. Love the coaches, love the atmosphere and love this program. Just having fun.”

As for the idea of proving doubters wrong, he said: “I don’t think any outside entity could put more pressure on me than any pressure I have for myself. So, it’s not really to go out and prove anything to anyone but just go out there and show what kind of player I am.”

The Patriots officially announced Elliott’s signing on Aug. 16, and as part of coach Bill Belichick’s preference to limit hype, Elliott wasn’t made available to speak with reporters until seven days later.

The 28-year-old player referred to Belichick as a “great coach” and “funny guy” Wednesday, adding that he “demands excellence of his team and knows how to get it out of it.”

Belichick has gradually increased Elliott’s workload over the past week, and, in Wednesday’s full-pads practice, Elliott’s presence at the goal line was notable when he showed impressive vision and decisiveness to cut back between the right guard and right tackle for a would-be touchdown.

Elliott has been taking snaps behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson, with whom he shares the same agent. The two met in 2021 after a Patriots-Cowboys game and have remained close.

“He’s a back that has a similar running style as me, so I think we’ll be able to complement each other very well,” Elliott said.

Teammates have noted Elliott’s transition over the past week, which began when he traveled with the club to Green Bay last week for practices with the Packers.

“He looks good. You can tell he’s a guy that’s hungry, and motivated, and wants to prove he’s still Zeke,” veteran safety Adrian Phillips said. “I think he is, and it’s been fun to have him.

NEW YORK JETS

Something is going on with Jets WR COREY DAVIS, who may not have a role in the re-constituted 2023 Jets passing attack.  But Rich Cimini of ESPN.com has the Jets saying all the right things:

New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis, excused from team activities for the last 10 days, announced Wednesday he’s “stepping away” from football.

The 28-year-old Davis, a high-priced free agent addition in 2021, released a statement on his Instagram account, saying he had been mulling the decision for “some time now.” He did not use the word “retirement” or give a reason for walking away. The Jets placed Davis on the reserve/retired list, meaning they retain his rights through this season, which is the final year of his contract.

Davis, who skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason program, was due to make a non-guaranteed $10.5 million in the final year of his contract. With the offseason additions of Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb, Davis’ role in the offense was uncertain.

“For some time now, I’ve been contemplating stepping away from the sport of football,” Davis said. “This decision has not been easy. Although I am a deep person, I am a man of few words. I’ve been searching my heart for what to do and I feel that stepping away from the game is the best path for me at this time.

“I have more blessings than I ever could have imagined — I have an amazing family, a beautiful wife and two healthy children that I look forward to spending more time with. I am truly grateful for all the opportunities that I have had and will continue to have on my journey. Thank you to my family and friend and the Jets organization for supporting me through this process.”

Davis played 17 snaps in the second preseason game, Aug. 12 at the Carolina Panthers. Afterward, he was excused by the team for what it described as a “personal” reason.

Davis told teammates several weeks ago, well before training camp, that he was mulling this decision, a source said.

Earlier Wednesday, coach Robert Saleh was vague when asked about Davis’ status, declining to say whether he’d be back before the season opener. Saleh said Davis would be excused for “however long it takes.” The Jets released statements from Saleh, general manager Joe Douglas and owner Woody Johnson, all of whom thanked him for his professionalism.

Saleh, speaking to reporters after the announcement, said the organization knew that Davis was mulling his future during his absence from the team.

“We were aware of it and just trying to support him and his family and any decision that they decided to go with,” Saleh said. “Selfishly, obviously, we’d love for him to play. He’s an unbelievable man, he’s an unbelievable player.

“At the same time, he’s also an unbelievable father and an unbelievable husband and friend. Excited for him in this new journey. “At the same time, [we] always want him to know he always has a family here.”

Asked whether Davis would be welcomed back, Saleh said, “The door is always open if guys want to play football.”

Douglas called Davis a “true professional on and off the field. He was a great example to our young players of how to come to work every day and put in a complete and consistent day of work.”

The Jets’ wide receiver depth could be tested. About an hour before the announcement, Lazard left practice for an undisclosed reason. After the Jets traded Denzel Mims (6-foot-3) and lost Davis (6-3), Lazard (6-5) is the only experienced receiver over 6 feet tall. The Jets also have Malik Taylor (6-3) on the roster, but he is currently sidelined by an injury. The top four roster spots are set with Garrett Wilson, Lazard, Cobb and Hardman, but there’s a drop-off after them.

THIS AND THAT

THE VETERANS COMMITTEE NAMES 3 HOF FINALISTS

It looks like the long HOF waits for Randy Gradishar, Art Powell and Steve McMichael are over.  The AP:

Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael, key members from dominant defenses in the 1970s and ’80s, and game-breaking AFL receiver Art Powell are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

Gradishar, McMichael and Powell were announced Wednesday as the three senior candidates for next year’s Hall of Fame inductions from a list of 12 semifinalists. They will get into the Hall if they are supported by at least 80% of voters next January.

Gradishar was a key part to the Denver Broncos’ “Orange Crush” defense in the 1970s, making the Pro Bowl seven times in 10 seasons, being selected as an All-Pro in 1977 and ’78 and winning Defensive Player of the Year in 1978.

A tackling machine at inside linebacker, Gradishar also intercepted 20 passes and recovered 13 fumbles in a 10-year career and never missed a game. He was a modern era finalist for the Hall in 2003 and ’08 but didn’t get elected.

While the Broncos fell one game short of winning it all in 1977 when they allowed only 10.6 points per game, McMichael was part of an even more dominant defense that won the Super Bowl in the 1985 season.

McMichael controlled the interior of the line on the Chicago Bears famed “46 defense” that is considered by many to be the best ever after leading Chicago to an 18-1 record and allowing only 10 points in three playoff wins.

McMichael joined Chicago in 1981 after being cut following his rookie season in New England. After two years as a reserve, he established himself as a star in 1983 in the Bears’ second season under coach Mike Ditka.

McMichael had 95 career sacks as a defensive tackle, was selected as an All-Pro in 1985 and ’87 and was second-teamer two other times.

While McMichael was often overshadowed by Hall of Famers Richard Dent and Mike Singletary, he was instrumental to the Bears’ success and was called by Ditka the toughest player he ever coached.

Powell was a prototypical AFL receiver with the combination of size and speed that made him one of the game’s most prolific deep threats and the perfect fit for then-Raiders coach Al Davis’ vertical offense.

He led the AFL with 1,130 yards receiving for the New York Titans in 1962 and again the following year for the Raiders with 1,304 yards when he also had a league-leading 16 TD catches.

He was a first- or second-team All-Pro in the AFL in six of his first seven seasons. His 81 touchdowns rank second best in AFL history behind Don Maynard, and his 8,015 yards receiving were third behind only Maynard and Hall of Famer Lance Alworth.

Powell was also outspoken on racial issues. He refused to play in an exhibition game in the segregated South for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 1960 and soon joined the New York Titans of the newly launched AFL.

He boycotted a preseason game for New York in 1961 on the same grounds and was set to do the same for the Raiders in 1963 before Davis refused to allow the Raiders to play in Alabama and moved the game to Oakland.

The committee considered nine other candidates: Ken Anderson, Maxie Baughan, Roger Craig, Joe Jacoby, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor and Al Wistert.

Last week, a separate panel picked former Detroit Lions coach Buddy Parker as the finalist in the coach and contributor category.

The full 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.

McMichael’s candidacy was perhaps influenced by his ALS diagnosis in 2021.

Quarterback Ken Anderson is among those who continue to wait.