DETROIT

Seth Walder of ESPN.com thinks the Lions should be looking for a competent back-up and envisions a deal for QB TAYLOR HEINICKE:

Lions get QB insurance with Heinicke

Lions receive: QB Taylor Heinicke

Falcons receive: 2025 seventh-round pick

As soon as the Falcons used the No. 8 overall pick on Michael Penix Jr., Heinicke became expendable. And when you spend that much draft capital on your (for now) backup QB, any draft asset you can get for your third-stringer is worth securing.

While Heinicke is not an amazing quarterback, he’s a palatable backup. He has a 46 QBR over 38 career games (29 starts) and had a 51 QBR in five games with Atlanta last season — though he also posted a minus-9% completion percentage over expectation in that span, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

He’s an appealing option for Detroit, considering that the Lions are currently relying on 2023 third-round pick Hendon Hooker to be their backup. While Hooker, who missed all last season recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in college, certainly has more upside than Heinicke, he’s also an unknown. If Hooker isn’t ready and Jared Goff misses a few games, the Lions would need someone like Heinicke who can navigate them to a win or two and keep them in the running. That type of QB insurance is important, especially considering the Lions’ status as a Super Bowl contender.

DALLAS

Seth Walder of ESPN.com has some proposed trades and one of them gets some RB help for the Cowboys:

Cowboys get an RB upgrade

Cowboys receive: RB Elijah Mitchell, 2025 sixth-round pick

49ers receive: 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick

You knew the Cowboys’ running back situation was tough when team COO Stephen Jones started talking up Royce Freeman. Dallas’ running back room consists of veteran journeyman Freeman, a 29-year-old Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and some other contenders. As much as running backs have correctly become devalued, those players probably aren’t good enough right now to lead a backfield for a Cowboys team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Mitchell could be the answer, though. He is the presumed backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco, though Kyle Shanahan recently indicated that Jordan Mason could also be in the backup mix. Plus, the 49ers drafted Isaac Guerendo in the fourth round and recently added Matt Breida. If San Francisco feels good about its running back depth, might it be willing to deal Mitchell — who enters the final year of his contract — for some draft compensation? Perhaps.

Mitchell would have a good argument to be the Cowboys’ best running back. He has averaged 0.4 yards over expectation per carry in his career, per NFL Next Gen Stats. While not an overwhelming figure, it is much better than what we can expect from Elliott, who has had negative RYOE per carry in each of the past three seasons. Dowdle’s RYOE per carry was slightly negative last season, too.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Will a true number 1 receiver elevate QB DANIEL JONES to an acceptable level?  Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com:

— It took a three-play span in the brutal summer heat at Friday’s New York Giants practice to see what rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers was all about.

The Giants were in a one-on-one period, with Nabers matched against Deonte Banks on every rep. Banks is the best cornerback the team has to offer.

First play, Nabers created several yards of separation at the line of scrimmage as he ran a slant. Easy completion.

Second play, he accelerated downfield and stopped on a dime. Nabers worked his way back to the quarterback for another catch.

Finally, Banks had Nabers blanketed in the red zone. But Nabers managed to keep his body perfectly positioned between the defender and the quarterback to make a tough, contested catch as he went to the ground.

Three plays, three catches, three different ways of achieving a similarly effective result.

“I feel like [this summer is] just an evaluation of what I can do, what I can’t do. … There is not a lot that I can’t do. So as many times as I make plays there are more opportunities that will come my way” Nabers said.

“I think what surprised me with him was, really when I watched his film, he didn’t really have any weaknesses,” fellow Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson said. “Watching him, he catches the ball, moves like a running back. He has great hands. Doesn’t do a lot of body catches, great routes. He doesn’t just do speed, speed, speed. He works his releases, he’s explosive. There’s a lot of things that he’s good at.

“The only thing with him is we just need to keep adding confidence to him, get him to learn the plays. He’s getting there. And once he gets all that down, the sky’s the limit for him.”

If the early portion of training camp is any indication, Nabers is going to make an immediate impact for the Giants. He was targeted eight times on Monday during the first day of joint practices with the Lions and caught all eight passes (although it’s debatable if one deep ball downfield was inbounds). In total, he caught 17 passes on 18 targets over the two days with the Lions and started a brawl on the one that fell incomplete.

Quarterback Daniel Jones lofted the ball to the right pylon and allowed Nabers to run under it on the Monday play in question. Jones and Nabers celebrated as if it was a touchdown. Nabers walked over to the Lions sideline and stared them down to flaunt his dominance. It shows what Jones has learned about his new receiver already.

“When the ball is up in the air, he expects it to be his,” Jones said afterwards. “He’s going to go get it. So he’s got all the physical ability in the world — size, strength, speed, quickness, great hands — and he’s got the attitude that he’s going to get the ball and it’s going to be his. We have to keep working and keep building our chemistry. He’s had a good camp.”

This summer is suggesting Nabers’ workload this upcoming season is going to be massive. A healthy 150-plus targets isn’t out of the question if he plays 17 games. That gives him a chance to be an immediate star.

Most impressive perhaps has been his ability to seemingly hit zero to 60 in one smooth stride. Combine that with everything else he has going for him, and it’s as solid an explanation as any about why he’s consistently creating significant separation at practice against the Giants, and Lions, cornerbacks.

Nabers has been the Giants’ No. 1 wide receiver this summer. The Giants are featuring him in their offense, scheming to get the ball in his hands whenever possible. Daboll even had him call a play during one practice. That’s not a reward generally handed to a rookie.

“He was over by the water cooler. We were getting ready to do a call-it period, so I just walked over, I said, ‘What do you want to run?'” Daboll said last week. “He said, ‘Give me a go ball,’ and I called a go ball.”

The play went for a 50-yard completion from Jones to Nabers down the right sideline. It was one of five downfield connections between the two during the first 10 practices of the summer.

The Giants still don’t think this is the finished product.

“Yeah, I think [the chemistry is] growing every day. Again, Malik’s a rookie. Daniel’s coming back from his surgery,” Daboll said. “Those guys work hard in individual routes. Obviously, in team periods, I think each day it’s gotten better and better. There’s a lot of nuances to the passing game. We ask [Nabers] to do a lot. Maybe it’s a couple of different routes each day to make sure that we’re getting the timing and the rhythm down, and if we need to get it again, we go back to another practice or the practice after that to make sure we’re continuing to build that chemistry.”

The Giants have clearly made it a priority to get Nabers integrated into the offense this summer. Being that it’s imperative for Jones and Nabers to be on the same page, Jones has taken every first-team snap at training camp — despite being cleared days before camp after rehabbing from a torn ACL in his right knee this offseason. Offseason quarterback acquisition Drew Lock hasn’t even sniffed first-team action.

The time on task matters. It’s why Jones and Darius Slayton have worked so well together over the years. Slayton has been the Giants’ top receiver in four of the past five seasons, in part, because of the natural chemistry he has with Jones. The two came in together in the 2019 NFL draft and worked that entire spring and summer on the second-team offense (with Eli Manning still around as the starting quarterback).

That alliance has led to a strong working relationship. This is the kind of connection that Jones and Nabers are looking to build. To this point, Slayton probably has been the best wide receiver that Jones has worked with.

If the early part of the summer has shown anything, that is likely to change.

WASHINGTON

OC Kliff Kingsbury is setting our expectations high for QB JAYDEN DANIELS.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is blown away with how hard rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is working on the mental side of becoming an NFL quarterback.

“I love the process,” Kingsbury said of Daniels. “I love how he approaches each day, how he handles the good, the bad, all the installs. He must study it like crazy at night, because every morning when we get here and he walks through with us, he nails it. And so, you just appreciate the work he’s putting in. He’s paying the cost to try and get where he wants to get. And that’s all you can ask from a young player.”

No one who watched Daniels win the Heisman Trophy at LSU last year could doubt his physical talents, but Kingsbury said what is setting apart Daniels in the three months he’s been in Washington is that he is demanding excellence of himself.

“I think he is just putting in the work to reach the level that he expects himself to play at this year, which is probably higher than what any of us could imagine,” Kingsbury said. “But I just see day in, day out, its consistency in his approach, his consistency in how he treats people and how he studies, how he works. And when you continue to do those things and stack those days, you’re going to get the results you want.”

The Commanders are counting on Daniels to be their Week One starter. Kingsbury sounds confident he’ll be ready.

NEW ORLEANS

The DB admits that we haven’t thought much about the Saints this year, but it turns out they were 9-8 last year, just like the Buccaneers and Packers who are deemed to have had successful seasons.  Darrion Gray of YahooSports.com with this from S TYRANN MATHIEU:

Tyrann Mathieu sat down with Rich Eisen this week and was asked the perception of where the New Orleans Saints stand in the NFC South. He understands why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons are picked as favorites in the division, but Mathieu made it clear the Saints shouldn’t be slept on.

The safety acknowledged Tampa Bay’s three straight division titles and the arrival of a new quarterback in Atlanta have those squads looked at as the class of the NFC South. He deemed both of these qualifiers as valid but that doesn’t diminish New Orleans’ chances.

Mathieu says the Saints are “a motivated team. We’re itching for it. We want the challenge and we’re looking forward to it. I wouldn’t turn an eye to us too much.”

The Saints haven’t lived up to their own expectations, and that has resulted in being disregarded nationally. Their own failures are a motivating factor going into the season.

“We’re pretty mad about it,” Mathieu delivered with a smirk. “You can expect an angry bunch, a team that plays with attitude, plays with an edge.”

It’s been a few years since the Saints have made the playoffs. Mathieu hasn’t made the playoffs since joining the team and is ready for the Saints to “get back to who we are.”

SAN FRANCISCO

Veteran Bay Area scribe Tim Kawakami, writing in the New York Times, isn’t impressed that the 49ers won’t be able to sign WR BRANDON AIYUK:

What a failure this would be. What a massive misreading and misplaying of the entire negotiation with Brandon Aiyuk, from his cryptic comments last spring all the way to the stark clarity of this situation right now.

The 49ers’ leaders, from Jed York to Paraag Marathe to John Lynch to Kyle Shanahan, missed something here. They underestimated the wide receiver market and Aiyuk’s commitment to getting what he feels he deserves. They fumbled away the moment when it seemed like this deal was very close in May. They miscalculated the economics.

The 49ers are the ones responsible for putting together this roster and managing the finances, not Aiyuk, and they messed this up. Which could merely cost them their best shot at throwing a parade in February.

If the 49ers trade Aiyuk — as seems close to imminent — because they couldn’t go up to $28 million a year or $30 million or whatever, what a devastating step backward for a team that supposedly is all-in for a Super Bowl title. What an admission: Well, gee, I guess the 49ers are almost all-in?

Of course, it’s still possible that Aiyuk’s hard-ball tactics (ask for a trade, report to camp but decline to practice, set a price too high for the 49ers to meet) are all meant to squeeze the most out of the 49ers at this exact moment. That he’ll eventually sign a long-term deal if the team budges a little more. And it’s still possible that the 49ers’ hard-ball tactics (agreeing to trade terms with Cleveland and New England, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, if Aiyuk can come to contract terms with those teams) are designed to shove Aiyuk back to the negotiating table once and for all. Maybe hardball plus hardball is the only way this could’ve worked.

But it sure doesn’t feel like that’s the way this is headed. It doesn’t even seem like the 49ers’ principals feel that way. They understand the reality. This star negotiation has gone off the rails in a way they haven’t experienced in this era.

Shanahan wasn’t quite talking about Aiyuk’s 49ers career in the past tense Tuesday, but it was something close to that.

“It’s been at this point for a little bit,” Shanahan said, when asked if this needs to be resolved soon. “So it’s nothing really new to me. You’re always disappointed when you can’t keep hold of all your players or it’s not going exactly right. I don’t like losing anybody. So that’s why I’m hoping it does work out here. But right now, we don’t have that solved yet.”

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Aiyuk has been a grueling negotiating partner, that the 49ers have made multiple offers, raising the value each time, and that Aiyuk’s camp hasn’t lowered the asking price and has only raised the number as other receivers have reset the market multiple times. That doesn’t seem far-fetched.

Big-time negotiations often take perilous turns. The 49ers’ negotiations with Nick Bosa last year, which stretched into the week before the regular-season opener, were full of problems. But the 49ers gave in and did what it took to get Bosa signed to the richest contract for a non-quarterback at that time, so they did not lose him. And why wouldn’t Aiyuk try to test the 49ers like Bosa did, since he just watched how well it worked?

Aiyuk isn’t at the same level of value as Bosa, but the 49ers will be worse if they trade him now, because you never get equal value back for a star when you trade him in August. That’s panic time. Teams have put together their rosters. The draft isn’t for another eight months. There is no way the 49ers will get true market value from the Patriots, Browns or the Steelers (presumably Aiyuk’s favored destination, now part of the trade talks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

As Bosa said Tuesday, when asked what the 49ers would lose if Aiyuk is traded: “I trust John and Kyle, but he’s a very tough player to replace.”

The time for the 49ers to have made this kind of decision would’ve been in April, when they admitted they were taking calls from other teams on Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel but didn’t like what they were offered. They would’ve gotten more for Aiyuk back then (a top-30 draft pick they could’ve immediately turned into a player who they would have had right now in camp) than they will now. And they wouldn’t have gone through all these months of uncertainty, disconnect and strain.

If Aiyuk was not signable by the 49ers, they should’ve realized that in April. That’s the timeframe in which they traded DeForest Buckner in 2020, by the way. Instead, the 49ers concluded they could negotiate this out. Aiyuk showing up for camp as a “hold-in” probably affected the 49ers’ thinking. But he apparently hasn’t budged. The 49ers will only go so high. And both sides are at the brink.

If the Patriots, Steelers and Browns are theoretically ready to meet Aiyuk’s price, why is it too high for the 49ers? If the 49ers could’ve signed Aiyuk by just going a little higher in May, why didn’t they realize what they’d be risking if they didn’t move up one last time? If Aiyuk is a disposable asset for the 49ers, can you picture what this offense is going to look like on third down when Brock Purdy is scrambling around and it’s Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings or Chris Conley trying to break free from press coverage, not Aiyuk? And can you picture what happens if the 49ers try to replace Aiyuk with a high draft pick in the future, maybe Dante Pettis 2.0? Or the next Danny Gray?

The 49ers’ offense will still be formidable without Aiyuk, presuming the top guys stay healthy and the 49ers eventually come to contract terms with holdout superstar left tackle Trent Williams. But it won’t be as good as it could be. Probably not as good as it has to be to win a championship.

“I mean, Brandon’s a great player, so it’s real hard to be better when you lose a great player,” Shanahan said of the trade talk. “So you’ve gotta look at anything, you’ve gotta understand the situation we’re in, what that looks like. And that does take time. Hopefully it’ll work out best for him and best for us in the long run.”

Think of it in the context of the 49ers’ top NFC rivals. What did the Lions do all offseason? Give extensions to all of their top guys. No panic trades. The Eagles have been tossing out rich contracts to their stars for the last several years. Green Bay just gave a massive new deal to Jordan Love. The Rams just re-did Matt Stafford’s deal.

Good teams accumulate a lot of talent; the great ones keep that talent around as long as possible. And the 49ers are getting ready to — or bluffing that they will — trade Aiyuk, who has great chemistry with Purdy and does every large and little thing Shanahan wants a WR to do. This feels reckless. Short-sighted.

And let me poke a hole in the general argument that the 49ers have to be disciplined with their salary-cap situation because of the looming $200 million-plus deal coming for Purdy next offseason. Yes, that will be a massive contract that will affect the 49ers and York’s pocketbook for years. Yes, that eventually will have a major impact on the 49ers’ salary cap. But any future Purdy deal won’t really unbalance the 49ers’ cap until 2026 at the earliest because these large contracts are always structured to drastically limit the hits in the first few years.

For instance, Trevor Lawrence just signed a five-year, $275 million contract ($55 million a year) with Jacksonville, but his cap number this year is a relatively moderate $15 million, and $17 million in 2025. The deal Jalen Hurts signed in April 2023 is an even closer parallel to the Purdy situation, because both Hurts and Purdy weren’t first-round picks with first-round-pick salary structures. Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million contract ($51 million a year) with the Eagles in April 2023. His cap number that season was just $6.1 million, and it’s $13.6 million this season.

So Purdy’s new deal almost certainly won’t push his cap hit past $20 million until 2027. The 49ers have room and time to maneuver around that figure. They also have $31.5 million in available cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, and the NFL salary cap goes up by 10 to 14 percent every year.

If the 49ers trade Aiyuk, it will mostly be about the team trying to beat another star in a negotiation and it blowing up on them. Hey, all owners have a limit to what they want to pay. The Yorks have committed a lot of money to this very talented roster and it’s their right to decide where the boundaries are. But if it costs them a 26-year-old All-Pro receiver who has great chemistry with Purdy, what are the 49ers really gaining by this? And if they lose him, do the 49ers realize how much it’ll cost to try to replace him — and what they might lose out on while they try?

But this report from Bryan De’Ardo of CBSSports.com seems to indicate that the 49ers expect pre-draft style compensation for Aiyuk.

No verbal agreement has been made between the Steelers and the 49ers on a possible trade as of Wednesday evening, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which added that any potential deal would not involve the Steelers giving up a player. The 49ers have asked the Steelers for two first-round picks for Aiyuk, according to Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider.

An update on negotiations from The Athletic:

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still engaged in trade talks with the San Francisco 49ers involving receiver Brandon Aiyuk, although the two sides have yet to reach an agreement, league sources told The Athletic on Wednesday.

The 49ers, to this point, haven’t been satisfied with the Steelers’ offers and would like a receiver in return for Aiyuk as part of a trade, a league source said.

The Steelers have an obvious need at wide receiver after dealing former Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson this offseason. The depth chart currently features George Pickens at the top and a lot of question marks behind him.

On Wednesday, coach Mike Tomlin was asked if the Steelers could still be interested in adding a receiver to round out the room.

“I’ll let you guys speculate on that,” he said, with a grin.

Aiyuk made it clear in late June on “The Pivot Podcast,” hosted by former Steeler Ryan Clark, that Pittsburgh would be one of his preferred destinations if he doesn’t return to San Francisco. But the big question is whether Pittsburgh has the right return to make a deal work.

If the San Francisco 49ers are looking for a receiver to replace Aiyuk and help them win in this window, the Steelers don’t have a ton to offer unless they’re willing to include Pickens, who is entering the third year of his rookie deal and just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. While Pickens and his rookie contract would fit well into the 49ers’ salary cap, subtracting him from the Steelers wouldn’t necessarily solve Pittsburgh’s problems at the position.

Behind Pickens, Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III are the two most promising receivers. Austin, a 5-foot-9 former college track athlete, might have the higher ceiling. However, Shanahan’s offense typically favors bigger, more physical receivers who are good blockers and reliable over the middle. Austin doesn’t fit that mold.

Jefferson is a bigger target at 6-1 and did run a 4.39 40-yard dash out of college. However, after a breakout second season in 2021, during which he tallied 50 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns, he hasn’t come close to matching that production. He’s coming off a 20-reception, 209-yard season with the Falcons and the Rams.

In terms of other receiving threats, tight end Pat Freiermuth hypothetically would have the talent to add value to a trade package. He’s entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal and is currently in contract talks about his own extension in Pittsburgh. Considering how often new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith likes to feature tight ends, he would be a significant player to remove from the roster, as well.

So, a three-way deal with the Patriots sending WR KENDRICK BOURNE to the 49ers and the Steelers sending draft picks to the 49er and Patriots?

SEATTLE

What was the penalty for Cleveland EDGE MYLES GARRETT when he swung a helmet at Pittsburgh QB Mason Rudolph?  Because Seahawks WR D.K. METCALF was flailing away with one in practice.

Most coaches like to see a little fighting from their players, as long as no one gets hurt.

On Wednesday, there was plenty of fighting in Seahawks camp. Fortunately, no one got hurt. As far as we know.

The multiple skirmishes included, via TheAthletic.com, receiver DK Metcalf removing a teammate’s helmet, swinging it, and hitting another teammate’s helmet with it.

Cornerback Tre Brown reportedly punched receiver Jake Bobo in the face, after Bobo lost his helmet. Later, Brown got into it with Metcalf, who removed Brown’s helmet and swung it. He missed Brown but hit safety K’Von Wallace on his helmet, which was covered by a Guardian Cap. Wallace was apparently not injured and continued to practice.

Appearing on NFL Network, coach Mike Macdonald said the players are “tired of going against one another.”

“We’re right on the line right now,” Macdonald said. “I think the guys realize that. Hey, let’s take care of one another. Definitely don’t want people fighting out here, especially against our own teammates. Then DK gave a great message at the end of practice, just kind of putting everything in perspective. The guys finished it out the right way. So, proud of our guys.”

Fighting shows that players have an edge. It also speaks to a potential lack of discipline, which can result in 15 yards of field position during games. And players can get injured.

So there’s a sweet spot where guys show fire but avoid getting a dose of brimstone.

For practices, any discipline seems to be confined to the team. The memo that the league recently sent regarding training-camp fighting apparently applies only to joint practices.

Arguably, the league should exercise jurisdiction over all fighting in training camp, since teams can hardly be trusted to take serious action against their most important players. And, even more arguably, anyone who removes a helmet and swings it should get something more than a stern talking-to.

We looked and it seems to be that Garrett received an “indefinite suspension” that lasted seven weeks before he was re-instated at season’s end.

KANSAS CITY

After winning a Super Bowl with a less-than-stellar offense, the Chiefs have re-tooled for the run at the three-peat.  Albert Breer of SI.com is on the scene:

The back-to-back Super Bowl champs were winding down a challenging two-week start to training camp with a spirited Wednesday practice ahead of the preseason opener. Here’s what I saw through my morning with the Kansas City Chiefs in St. Joseph, Mo. …

• The offense is going to look a lot different. Patrick Mahomes has spent the summer trying to hone his unit’s ability to bring the deep ball back in a very big way, and for good reason. Free-agent pickup Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and first-rounder Xavier Worthy add that element back into what had become a bigger, more physical, but slower receiver group post-Tyreek Hill. And, ideally, Worthy and Brown will create space for guys such as Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice (who showed up to camp in tremendous shape after a tumultuous offseason) to make big plays after the catch underneath, in a Randy Moss–Wes Welker kind of way.

• One of the biggest questions facing the Chiefs is who’ll play left tackle, and rookie Kingsley Suamataia is trending toward becoming the answer. Talent has never been the question with the second-round pick—he arrived at Oregon out of high school as a five-star recruit, only to transfer home to BYU after a redshirt year. The questions were why the tape didn’t always match the talent, and whether there was an entitlement/maturity issue with the big man. Fortunately for the Chiefs, their head coach is a BYU alum. And as such, Andy Reid had connections to the family (Suamataia counts a raft of NFL players past and present as relatives, with Penei Sewell and Puka Nacua among them). That, in turn, has helped the Chiefs get the most from Suamataia, who’s shown no such problems since joining the team. Which is to say the 63rd pick in April’s NFL draft might end up being a steal.

• On defense, the biggest question is probably what’s next at corner after L’Jarius Sneed was traded to Tennessee in the offseason. Trent McDuffie gives the team an All-Pro anchor to the position group. Beyond that, a lot still needs to be hashed out. Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, 2022 rookies, have played a lot for the Chiefs, and the two were on the field for 42 combined snaps in the Super Bowl. But their draft classmate Nazeeh Johnson—a converted safety who was on the practice squad, then the active roster as a rookie before losing last year to a torn ACL—won’t go quietly in that competition.

• One thing a team with few questions might address in the coming weeks is the pass rush. Charles Omenihu, who tore his ACL in the AFC championship game, isn’t expected back until November, which leaves a bit of a void opposite George Karlaftis that could be filled—via a signing or trade—by some of the interesting names out there on the veteran edge-rusher market. The other business that could be done would be to take care of some of the 2021 draftees who are coming up for contracts like Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and Nick Bolton. Since Kansas City drafted really well the past few years, it might be tough to hang on to everyone, which is a pretty good problem to have.

• Finally, here’s some appreciation for Kelce, and what he’s brought to the team. Last year, he had his ups and downs. He’s been beat up. He’s accomplished everything a guy at his position can. And yet, at 34 years old, he hasn’t missed a single day of practice in St. Joe, when he could easily go to Reid and the coaches and ask for veteran days here and there to recharge. That, in turn, sets a tone for everyone else in camp on the importance of being on the field each day as the season nears. And given that the Chiefs run one of the NFL’s most demanding camps, and Reid believes deeply in callousing his team, Kelce setting that tone is invaluable to having everyone locked in, as the team prepares for a run at becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

He may have bolted back to the NFL, but the NCAA is not done with Jim Harbaugh.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

If things don’t work out for Jim Harbaugh in L.A., he won’t be going back to college football. Not for at least four years.

The NCAA has imposed a four-year “show cause” order on the former Michigan coach. The punishment stems not from the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal but from recruiting violations during the COVID deal period.

From the press release: “Throughout the investigation, Harbaugh denied his involvement in the violations, which were overwhelmingly supported by the record. Harbaugh also refused to participate in a hearing before the committee. . . . Harbaugh’s violations of the COVID-19 recruiting dead period are Level II violations, but his unethical conduct and failure to cooperate with the membership’s infractions process — specifically, his provision of false or misleading information — is a Level I violation.”

The “show cause” order means that, if any NCAA program hires Harbaugh during the four-year period, it will be required to show cause as to why it should not be disciplined for doing so.

It remains to be seen whether the situation prompts the NFL to take action. It imposed a suspension (sort of) on former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, when he took a job with the Colts. The league also imposed a suspension on former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, after he was picked by the Raiders in the 2011 supplemental draft.

Harbaugh continues to face NCAA discipline over the sign-stealing situation.

Last year, NFL Media reported that the league could discipline Harbaugh if/when he leaves Michigan for the NFL.

We’ve asked the NFL for comment. For now, all we know is that the NCAA has attacked Harbaugh with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

Tom Mars, who was Harbaugh’s attorney at the time, has this to say per SI.com:

After the NCAA issued a four-year show-cause penalty against former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh, his lawyer offered his response to the decision. Well-known attorney Tom Mars didn’t much care for hearing the NCAA’s opinion on Harbaugh, or anything.

“The way I see it, from Coach Harbaugh’s perspective, today’s COI decision is like being in college and getting a letter from your high school saying you’ve been suspended because you didn’t sign the yearbook,” Mars said.

“If I were Coach Harbaugh’s shoes and had an $80 million contract as head coach of the Chargers, I wouldn’t pay any attention to the findings of a kangaroo court which claims to represent the principles of the nation’s most flagrant, repeat violator of the federal antitrust laws,” he added.

Mars has been known to give his unfiltered opinions of the NCAA in the past. To that effect, rumors emerged this offseason that the NCAA threatened to suspend Harbaugh for his lawyer’s “satirical social media comments” targeting the body.

BALTIMORE

WR RUSSELL GAGE is now a Raven.  Glenn Erby of USA TODAY:

The Ravens are always looking to add talent to the depth chart, and after working out two receivers on Monday, the team announced the signing of Russell Gage.

The veteran wide receiver is in Baltimore and will participate in a practice session on Tuesday afternoon at the Under Armour Performance Center.

Gage signed a three-year, $30 million contract in March 2022 but only played 13 regular-season games in two years with the Buccaneers. He missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon last August.

Gage has 244 career receptions, 2,491 yards, and 14 touchdowns. During the 2022 season for the Buccaneers, he logged 51 catches, 426 yards, and five touchdowns.

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Ely Allen of Pro Football Rumors with an update on CB ARTHUR MAULET:

The Ravens were thrown for a loop last year when starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey missed the opening four games of the season; this after watching their other starter, Marcus Peters, depart as a free agent. This forced the team to rely on some unexpected contributors like free agent addition Arthur Maulet. This year, it’s Maulet’s turn as a knee injury has the veteran set to miss the start of the regular season, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.

Head coach John Harbaugh reports that the injury is not a long-term one and doesn’t expect it to end Maulet’s 2024 campaign. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Maulet is due to undergo a knee scope procedure to take care of the situation. They intend to revisit his status closer to the beginning of the regular season.

Maulet was part of a group of veteran cornerbacks the Ravens brought in as free agents to improve their depth at the position last year. They had already planned on replacing Peters with the versatile Brandon Stephens, who was a nice surprise, starting 16 games and grading out as the 50th-best cornerback out of 121 graded players at the position, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

To replace Humphrey, though, Baltimore utilized a combination of Maulet, Ronald Darby, and Rock Ya-Sin. Ya-Sin was expected to be a huge contributor as one of the team’s bigger free agent signings over the 2023 offseason but ended up being a relatively minor character in their campaign. Darby took over as the starter across from Stephens.

Maulet found himself playing early and often off the bench as the team’s primary nickelback when the expected slot starter, Ar’Darius Washington, suffered a near-season-ending chest injury. Maulet composed himself well as an injury replacement, with PFF ranking him as the 44th-best cornerback in the league and the team’s second-best.

In 2024, Maulet was likely to open the season as the team’s top slot corner. Washington, a formerly undrafted player that has seen time at both safety and corner, had seen his role expand back to safety a bit with the departure of Geno Stone in free agency. Stone helped Baltimore field three safeties often with Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams. The recent signing of veteran Eddie Jackson likely means the can return to exploring Washington’s use in the slot.

Behind them, the Ravens are still waiting on young cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams to make their impact on the defense. The arrivals of talented rookie draft picks Nate Wiggins and T.J. Tampa will push Armour-Davis and Williams even more this season. The Ravens will take all the help they can get from their young cornerbacks as they are forced to deal with Maulet’s injury to start the season.

CLEVELAND

The Browns offense will have “NASCAR plays” as part of their repertoire this year.  Jori Epstein of YahooSports.com:

The 2024 Cleveland Browns are shooting their shot — and not just in trade conversations for receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

The Browns are shooting their shots on offense as they retool their scheme for this season under head coach Kevin Stefanski and new-to-Cleveland offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey.

And they want to shoot shots often.

Allow general manager Andrew Berry to explain.

“If we were in a free-throw contest against Steph Curry, if the free-throw contest was three shots, we’d have a chance to luck into maybe winning the match,” Berry told Yahoo Sports in a Monday sitdown interview. “If it’s 100 shots, there’s just no shot. I think the same thing holds if you play at a pace or run enough plays where you have more offensive possessions, assuming you have a good offense.

“If you can get more opportunities, [it’s] not only going to give you more chances to score, but it’s gonna allow you to try to create that margin relative to your opponent.”

In a sport in which games are played just weekly and playoff rounds are decided by a single contest rather than a series, NFL teams win not only on the basis of talent but also typically with some luck in a game of variability.

The Browns know that and are factoring the analytics into their offensive system build. After running a league-high 1,187 offensive plays in 2023, Cleveland hired Dorsey to run an offense capable of hammering tempo. Enter one-word plays to help the team assemble more quickly at the line of scrimmage.

“We call them ‘NASCAR plays,’” receiver Amari Cooper told Yahoo Sports. “We have so many one-worders so we can get lined up as fast as possible.”

Speed between plays isn’t only about catching the defense off guard. It’s also about increasing the volume of plays thrown at a defense.

The idea: If some plays won’t work due to the opponent and others won’t work due to the influence of chance, give a talented group of players more chances and the impact variability has on the game’s outcome decreases.

Spend less time on structured West Coast routes and more on option routes that empower receivers to read the defense. Add in more drop-back passing and run-pass options, and the Browns believe quarterback Deshaun Watson can better leverage athleticism and mobility to make plays in space.

“He’s a dynamic drop-back passer,” Berry said. “He has a very instinctive feel to the game and we want to really build an environment where he can play fast, play reflexively and … create more matchup problems, whether it’s through the air or ground.”

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The Browns have revealed plans for a new stadium – well out of downtown out by the airport on the west side of Cleveland.  The AP says it is clear that is their preference:

The Browns appear poised to move out of their lakefront home.

While they’re considering a $1.1 billion plan from the city of Cleveland to renovate their 25-year-old downtown stadium, the NFL team made it clear on Wednesday that its preference is to build a $2.4 billion dome in Brook Park, Ohio.

In a letter to season-ticket holders that included renderings, the Browns outlined plans for the a state-of-the-art facility, which they believe will allow Cleveland to attract and host other major events such as the Super Bowl and Final Four.

The team’s lease at its current stadium expires after the 2028 season.

“Similar to other markets in the Midwest, this proposed domed stadium would catalyze our region in a major way,” David Jenkins, chief operating officer of Haslam Sports Group, wrote in the letter. “The stadium’s year-round activity would anchor a large-scale lifestyle and entertainment district, including experiential retail, residential space, hotels and other unique products, drawing visitors throughout the year and driving substantial fiscal impact for our region.

“While significant work remains, the more we have explored the Brook Park option, the more attractive it has become.”

Last week, the city proposed funding $461 million — splitting the cost with the Browns — to upgrade the current stadium and re-develop its surrounding property along Lake Erie.

The Browns have only been in their stadium since 1999, when they returned as an expansion team after owner Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore four years earlier following a squabble with city officials.

Mayor Justin Bibb has asked the Browns for a response by Aug. 12. He believes keeping the team downtown is vital to the city’s identity and growth.

As part of a counter argument, Jenkins wrote the current stadium needs “substantial improvements” for sustainability. The Browns often cite traffic and parking issues among the main reasons to consider a new stadium location.

Jenkins said the team has considered other locations for a proposed dome, but Brook Park, about 12 miles south of Cleveland, makes the most sense. The team has an agreement to buy 176 acres near Cleveland Hopkins Airport for the project.

“The Brook Park site is the most compelling option for a dome for several reasons: its central location for our regional fan base, its proximity to downtown, the RTA and the airport, and its strong existing infrastructure,” Jenkins wrote. “The large footprint is also ripe for major economic development and supports ample parking and optimized ingress/egress for our visitors.”

Funding remains an obstacle. The Browns are seeking a public/private partnership for the $2.4 billion project. They’re proposing bonds to cover the public portion.

The Browns don’t want to abandon Cleveland, and believe a dome would benefit the entire region.

“The City of Cleveland and the success of its downtown remain incredibly important to us,” Jenkins said. “We acknowledge that a move to Brook Park may have a near-term impact on downtown, but we believe that the year-round activity of a domed stadium can still positively impact the downtown economy, particularly when coupled with the possibilities of a reimagined lakefront absent the stadium.

“Developing the lakefront without the stadium could be the best way to maximize the long-term success of our underutilized North Coast waterfront asset.”

INDIANAPOLIS

It’s a high ankle sprain for WR JOSH DOWNS per Nick Shook of NFL.com:

An ascending receiver is on the mend in Indianapolis.

Josh Downs suffered a high ankle sprain when he was taken down by safety Nick Cross during a 7-on-7 drill during Colts practice Wednesday and is estimated to miss 4-6 weeks while recovering, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source.

Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters after practice that they “have to be smart” regarding Cross’ takedown.

Downs proved himself as a steady slot receiver for the Colts as a rookie, catching 68 passes for 771 yards and two touchdowns despite running routes for both Anthony Richardson and backup Gardner Minshew in 2023. He was expected to play an even larger role in Steichen’s offense in 2024, but the injury will hamper his progress toward that goal.

A third-round pick out of North Carolina in 2023, Downs has manned a reliable role opposite Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce in Indianapolis. His absence will force the Colts to find another answer at the slot receiver position in the next month or so.

We’ll see how Steichen adjusts — that is, after processing the frustration that comes with seeing a key contributor go down in a non-contact drill.

BUFFALO

QB JOSH ALLEN on life without WR STEFON DIGGS.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Bills quarterback Josh Allen didn’t give a direct answer when asked if he misses wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Allen noted that Diggs, who was traded to the Texans this offseason, did a lot for the Bills’ offense. But Allen also said he’s pleased with the direction the Bills’ offense is going in this year, without Diggs.

“Stef’s a great player, and what he brought to this team was special,” Allen said. “Miss? I don’t know if I’d say miss. He was a guy that was reliable, you can look to, he’s going to have the juice every day. I’m sure he’s bringing it every day in Houston. So definitely. You can’t say you don’t miss that. But I’m very happy with what we have going on here and how hard the guys have been working.”

Diggs’ on-field production was impressive, but the Bills ultimately decided they were better off without him. Allen knows there are pluses and minuses to losing a player like Diggs.

Seth Walder of ESPN.com proposes a trade to bolster Allen’s receiving corps:

Bills make a big swing for WR Adams

Bills receive: WR Davante Adams

Raiders receive: 2025 second-round pick (acquired from Texans/Vikings)

Raiders fans might not like this, and the team itself certainly doesn’t — otherwise, it would have dealt Adams by now. But this exercise is finding trades that make sense for each team involved, and this one satisfies those requirements, despite Las Vegas’ stubborn hold on its WR1.

My lack of belief in the Raiders is a big part of why I think they should make this trade. Perhaps I’ll be proved wrong, but ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives them a 17% chance to reach the playoffs and less than a 1% chance to reach the Super Bowl, let alone win it. Adams is 31 years old and due to make only $17.5 million in cash this season. He’ll not only be older next year (and might be showing some initial signs of decline), but he’ll also be scheduled to make $36.25 million at that point. If the Raiders don’t deal Adams before the trade deadline this year, they might never be able to trade him.

The rational move would have been to do this last year or earlier this offseason, but there’s still time for the Raiders to salvage value from Adams. They should move him now for draft capital that will help the team down the road, even though Adams’ trade value has already regressed a bit.

The need for Buffalo is obvious. The Bills are in a prime Super Bowl-contending window with the second-best quarterback in the NFL but lack a No. 1 wide receiver. While rookie Keon Coleman has that potential, it’s unlikely to happen right away. While some might argue the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl without a No. 1 wideout last season is a case against the Bills making such a move, I’d contend the lesson from Kansas City is the opposite: The Chiefs had the 11th-best offense in the regular season with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Without adding a topflight receiver, the Bills would likely allow another year of Josh Allen’s prime to slip away. The Bills are seventh in FPI’s chances to win the Super Bowl (5.7%), but a move for Adams — who had more than 100 catches for a fourth straight season in 2023 — would instantly make them a top contender again. A second-round pick for what would likely — though not definitely — be a one-year rental is a hefty price. But the change in Super Bowl odds would be worth it. It would be close to even in terms of assets when factoring in the Stefon Diggs trade that Buffalo made this offseason — and I’d rather have Adams than Diggs.

Cap-wise, this would be tight for Buffalo, which currently has a little less than $11 million in cap space in 2024 and is a little less than $11 million over the 2025 cap. But it’s doable with a restructure, converting Adams’ 2024 salary into a signing bonus.

NEW YORK JETS

MIKE WILLIAMS, the former Chargers WR, has been activated of the PUP lists.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Mike Williams took a big step in his return from an ACL tear with more than a month to go before the New York Jets kick off the season.

The team announced Wednesday that Williams has been activated off the physically unable to perform list.

The 6-foot-4 receiver suffered a torn ACL in September 2023, playing in just three games last season.

The Los Angeles Chargers released Williams after he declined to take a pay cut this offseason. He subsequently signed in New York as a field-stretching No. 2 opposite Garrett Wilson.