NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Add deposed Atlanta GM Thomas Dmitroff to the Lions interview list.  Kevin Patra ofNFL.com:

The Detroit Lions’ interview pool for their open general manager position continues to widen.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Thursday that Detroit plans to interview former Atlanta Falcons GM Tomas Dimitroff next week, per sources informed of the situation.

Dimitroff is the third known outside candidate on Detroit’s docket. The club already spoke with ESPN analyst Louis Riddick on Wednesday and will interview ex-Houston GM Rick Smith next week. The Lions previously interviewed a trio of internal candidates last week.

The 54-year-old Dimitroff led Atlanta from 2008 until his dismissal earlier this year. Dimitroff was a two-time NFL Executive of the Year award winner with the Falcons.

Dimitroff’s first full-time NFL gig came as a Lions area scout in 1994. From there, he moved to Cleveland as a college scout from 1998-2001. Dimitroff then traveled to New England, where he rose from a national scout to director of college scouting (2003-2007), helping the Patriots win two Super Bowls.

In his 13 years in Atlanta, Dimitroff proved to be a fearless draft-day manipulator with a keen eye for talent. Famously, Dimitroff engineered a trade from No. 27 overall to the sixth pick in the 2011 draft to snag Julio Jones.

Dimitroff helped the Falcons to Super Bowl LI and compiled a 113-92 record in Atlanta.

As a veteran GM, Dimitroff could fill new Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp’s expressed desire to find experienced leaders in her first big hires in charge in Detroit.

With the current interviews scheduled, Hamp is smartly casting a wide net in her search.

Detroit must wait until after the regular season to interview any candidates currently under contract with one of the other 31 clubs.

GREEN BAY

Kevin Patra of NFL.com on WR DAVANTE ADAMS and his TD numbers:

When the Green Bay Packers get to the red zone, it’s Davante Adams’ time.

The star receiver has been the deadliest scoring threat this season, unmatched in his ability to win inches off the line of scrimmage and dust defenders in close quarters to hit pay dirt.

Adams has 14 touchdowns on the season, tied for most in the NFL despite missing two games due to injury. He’s caught a score in each of the past eight games. The eight-game streak is a Packers record, passing the mark of seven set by the great Don Hutson, and puts him one behind A.J. Green for second-most all time.

Adams could pull even with Green on Saturday night against the Carolina Panthers, but the Packers star is aiming for a bigger-picture goal.

“At the end of the day, I want to be great and I want this team to be great,” Adams said Wednesday, via The Associated Press. “The awards or minor achievements along the way, the weekly things, hearing stuff like that makes me feel good obviously but that ain’t what drives me. What drives me is getting the Super Bowl and ultimately trying to be the best receiver to play this game.”

Since early-career ankle injuries hindered his play, Adams has become an unstoppable force alongside Aaron Rodgers. The deft route-runner has the unique ability to carry a passing offense no matter who the opposing corner or defense might be.

“He’s one of those transcendent, generational-type players, that it doesn’t matter the era or the offense,” Rodgers said. “He could be productive in any of those decades or any of those offenses.”

Adams’ innate ability to get free off the line of scrimmage with impeccable footwork, and his technician route skills provide him the ability to get separation in any condition. Combine his route-running with natural athleticism and you have a receiver who can win anywhere on the field. In the strict confines of the red zone, he can get open for scores where other wideouts might struggle.

Adams is a rare touchdown machine who wins even when defenders know the ball is coming his way. Jerry Rice owns the single-season record of most consecutive games with a TD reception at 12, set in 1987. Adams can get close this year by closing with another flurry.

“I think about scoring touchdowns a lot,” Adams said. “I definitely think about that. But records, I let those come. I let [Packers communication manager Tom Fanning] text me or catch me after the game and let me know if anything interesting has happened. I tend to just think about the touchdowns themselves, score and then go from there on all that stuff.”

Adams has averaged 1.3 rec TDs per game this season, most in the NFL. Only Rice (1.8 in 1987) and Randy Moss (1.4 in 2007) averaged more in a single season in the Super Bowl era.

Adams needs two more receiving TDs this season to be the 11th WR since the 1970 merger with 60-plus TD catches within his first 100 career games. The second-rounder would join Hall of Famer Terrell Owens (3rd round) and five-time Pro Bowl selection Mark Clayton (8th round) as the only WRs not selected in the first round to hit the mark.

Adams has averaged 104.0 receiving YPG this season, most in the NFL. Only HOF Hutson (110.1 rec YPG in 1942) has averaged more receiving YPG in a single season in Packers history.

Despite the superlatives he’s racking up, Adams isn’t focused on the minutia. He noted he’d like a Larry Fitzgerald-type long career and to add a few Lombardi Trophies to his case along the way.

“It’s pretty awesome, obviously, but I want the all-time records,” Adams said. “That’s what my mind’s set on. When we look back, when we have a Fitz-like career as far as duration, hopefully I can look back and say we got a lot of boxes checked with a couple Super Bowls to add to that. That’s where my mind is.”

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

You can’t make this up – he’s back.  Freddie Kitchens will call the Giants plays against the Browns!  Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com:

Drew Brees has been designated to return to practice, but New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said the quarterback still has “a ways to go” in his recovery from 11 broken ribs and a punctured lung.

“We haven’t ruled anything just because we don’t have to,” Payton told reporters after Wednesday’s practice when asked if there is a chance that Brees could play Sunday. “He’s got a ways to go still, and he’s someone we’re not gonna just hurry back and just put him in the game.

“I think the significance of the injuries are such that you’ve gotta make sure he can function and feel confident.”

That matches what league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday: that the Saints would not rush to bring Brees back in Week 15 unless he made a full recovery, was able to throw without limitations and had complete range of motion.

Brees, however, suggested that he is getting closer to a return in his weekly Sunday night interview with Cox Sports Television.

“Each week I feel better,” Brees told CST. “I obviously have a plan in place as to the benchmarks that I need to hit in order to get to where I know that I can play and play effectively for this team. And all I can say is I’m close.

“There’s a recovery element. There’s a strength element. And I’ll know when that time comes.”

Wednesday’s official designation to return from injured reserve is a positive sign in Brees’ recovery. It means he can resume practicing with the team, and it starts a three-week clock for the Saints to return him to the active 53-man roster.

Brees has missed four games because of the injury, with backup Taysom Hill going 3-1 as the starter in his place. Hill’s first loss came this past Sunday at Philadelphia — and put the Saints (10-3) behind the Green Bay Packers (10-3) in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed because of a head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Saints will have two games in six days in the next week. They are scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

Sean Payton hints that QB DREW BREES will not be back for the Chiefs game.  Mike Triplett of ESPN.com:

Drew Brees has been designated to return to practice, but New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said the quarterback still has “a ways to go” in his recovery from 11 broken ribs and a punctured lung.

“We haven’t ruled anything just because we don’t have to,” Payton told reporters after Wednesday’s practice when asked if there is a chance that Brees could play Sunday. “He’s got a ways to go still, and he’s someone we’re not gonna just hurry back and just put him in the game.

“I think the significance of the injuries are such that you’ve gotta make sure he can function and feel confident.”

That matches what league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday: that the Saints would not rush to bring Brees back in Week 15 unless he made a full recovery, was able to throw without limitations and had complete range of motion.

Brees, however, suggested that he is getting closer to a return in his weekly Sunday night interview with Cox Sports Television.

“Each week I feel better,” Brees told CST. “I obviously have a plan in place as to the benchmarks that I need to hit in order to get to where I know that I can play and play effectively for this team. And all I can say is I’m close.

“There’s a recovery element. There’s a strength element. And I’ll know when that time comes.”

Wednesday’s official designation to return from injured reserve is a positive sign in Brees’ recovery. It means he can resume practicing with the team, and it starts a three-week clock for the Saints to return him to the active 53-man roster.

Brees has missed four games because of the injury, with backup Taysom Hill going 3-1 as the starter in his place. Hill’s first loss came this past Sunday at Philadelphia — and put the Saints (10-3) behind the Green Bay Packers (10-3) in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed because of a head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Saints will have two games in six days in the next week. They are scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day.

TAMPA BAY

Bruce Arians, who has seemed to criticize QB TOM BRADY, wonders why anyone would do such a thing.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Before the bye week, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians had made a cottage industry out of calling out his quarterback. Now, Arians is singing a different tune.

“I don’t know why anyone’s criticizing Tom,” Arians told reporters on Wednesday. “What he did at the end of the half and to start the second half [against] Minnesota — very, very few teams can score 17 points in a matter of five or six minutes. If we finished the half with 17 points, I don’t [care] how we start. He’s not getting enough credit for what he’s doing.”

Regardless of whether he’s getting enough credit, he’s not getting more credit because Arians hasn’t been bashful when it comes to blaming Brady for mistakes, and for creating the impression that he’s fully and completely responsible for an offense that has at times underachieved.

Then there’s the fact that the Buccaneers under Brady have struggled on big stages, losing to the Bears, Saints, and Rams in prime time, and falling to the Saints and Chiefs in the late-afternoon window.

“Offensively, I think Tom [Brady] has had a Pro Bowl year,” Arians said Wednesday.

Given that three quarterbacks from the conference make the Pro Bowl team, Brady likely has had a Pro Bowl year. But Brady, who would avoid the Pro Bowl if there actually was one this year, is far more concerned about the playoffs. That’s where he thrives, and that’s where the periodic struggles of the regular season quickly could be forgotten.

NFC WEST

SEATTLE

TE GREG OLSEN will be back sooner than later and sooner than expected.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Greg Olsen could return soon from a foot injury.

The Seattle Seahawks tight end was activated from injured reserve four weeks after a ruptured plantar fascia threatened to end his season prematurely.

“He’s made an extraordinary recovery to get to this right now,” coach Pete Carroll said, via the team’s official website. “So we’re going to practice him during the week and see what happens, see how he does.”

Carroll was asked Wednesday if Olsen might be able to play Sunday in Washington. His response:

“It’s possible. … We’ll see. We don’t have any idea,” Carroll said. “He’s been working out with the guys. We’ve got to see how he does on the practice field.”

When Olsen suffered the non-contact injury in Week 11, it looked like something that could end the 14-year tight end’s career prematurely.

Less than a month later, Olsen is back at practice and pushing to get back for a playoff run.

“He’s the real deal,” Carroll said. “He’s such a great football player. He loves this game so much. He loves competing so much. I mean, there is no space other than he is the top of the list in all of those character principles about who he is and what he’s all about and what you can expect from him. He’s amazing. I don’t even know how he got well this fast. I don’t have a clue how that happened, but he did. He’s dying to play right now. He just wants to get out there-he’s a perfect competitor to have in your club.”

AFC WEST

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

How depleted will the Chargers be when they face the Raiders tonight?  Michael Baca ofNFL.com:

Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Keenan Allen (hamstring) and Mike Williams (back) are true game-time decisions on Thursday night vs. the Las Vegas Raiders, sources tell NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

While the Chargers may be without their top wideouts, running back Austin Ekeler (quad) is expected to play, according to Pelissero.

All three were given questionable designations for the Week 15 divisional matchup vs. Las Vegas. Per Pelissero, Allen and Williams were sore after last Sunday’s victory over the Falcons. Both wideouts were limited participants in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the short week going into Thursday has compromised their availability.

The Chargers will already be without offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga (concussion) while safety Nasir Adderley (shoulder) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (back) are officially doubtful to play.

AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH

Jason LaCanfora thinks the 2020 Steelers and QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER are in decline.

Football is a young man’s game. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

And please don’t stop if you’ve read this column before — because heaven knows I have written a derivation of it about Peyton Manning and Eli Manning and Philip Rivers in recent years. And now it is Ben Roethlisberger’s turn.

Father time. Undefeated. You know the drill.

One’s football mortality is never all that far behind in a sport this brutal by nature, and Big Ben’s seems to be closer than ever. Having watched this team closely all season and talked to several opposing coaches or scouts who have faced them, and hearing voices from within the building, too, it is fair to ask a question all the greats faced at one point or another. Perhaps, at age 38, coming off major elbow shoulder, with an offensive line that is no longer pristine and lacking any downfield thrust of attack and with one of the worst running games in the NFL, we have seen the best we are ever going to see from this first ballot Hall of Famer.

I’d posit that we have, and that a year from now, for a franchise measured by Lombardi Trophies, to expect anything better to what we have witnessed the past four weeks would be naive. In the past, when Roethlisberger has waxed nostalgic about retirement I’d shrug my shoulders; now I’m leaning in.

“If I don’t play good enough football I need to hang it up,” he opined after another grizzly Steelers offensive performance Sunday night.

Based on this Steelers team, as presently comprised, with all of its limitations on offense and a defense slowly being drained by attrition, I’d suggest we’ve already seen the best that Pittsburgh can muster, and January will be even more cruel than what December has already offered.

What will the NFL playoff matchups look like? Brady Quinn joins host Will Brinson on the Pick Six Podcast to break it all down; listen below and be sure to subscribe for daily NFL goodness.

The Steelers scored twice Sunday, once courtesy of a very short field off a turnover. They went 1-for-10 on third down (despite never being in more than third-and-nine), held the ball for just 24:45 and mustered all of 224 yards against a Bills defense that has been getting ripped most of the season for not being up to its own standards. Yes, it may be peaking now, but stifling it has not been. Should the Steelers somehow sputter against the Bengals this weekend — the NFL’s path of least resistance defensively — and this potential crisis will be full bore.

Sunday night was yet another instance where the Steelers passed more than twice as much as they ran — they average 47 passes (!!!) to 19 runs over the past five games — with Roethlisberger tossing a crippling interception that coach Mike Tomlin implied was the difference in the game. Expecting Ben to throw deep much doesn’t make much sense — ask Tom Brady how that is going in Tampa — but they do it so little and without impact, and running for just 3.7 yards per, they have become far too easy to defend.

When Baltimore’s suspect defense, with a COVID-riddled roster that Tomlin referred to as “the JV,” nearly won in Pittsburgh with Trace McSorley at quarterback, much was exposed. It wasn’t much of a shock that Washington’s front ate them alive the following week, and when WFT edge monster Chase Young expounded that the Ravens “exposed some things,” he wasn’t lying.

The Steelers have lived in empty set, or pistol with a back offset and four wide, pretty much since halftime of their first meeting with Baltimore in Week 8, when Ben authored a wild second-half comeback. It barely carried them past the lowly Cowboys, and checking into so many quick passes at such a high rate will invariably lead to drops, turnovers and receivers constantly making tough catches in traffic near the line of scrimmage. Ben isn’t checking into so many of them out of any motivation, but survival and trying to give the team the best to win … But it’s not working and it won’t in January, either. Couple that with a knee that has been howling for a few weeks now, and it’s not a pretty picture.

Roethlisberger has attempted a staggering 187 passes in the last four weeks alone (only perpetually-trailing rookie Justin Herbert has thrown more), for just 1,025 yards, a stunning 5.45/attempt, with seven touchdowns and five picks (tied for second most in that span). His rating of 82.85 is 26th in that span, and to put that yards per attempt in perspective, it is dead last (even Alex Smith, with all of his and his team’s limitations, is at 5.75/attempt); the NFL average in that span is 7.05.

There is no easy way out of this, and should the Steelers continue down this singular road of offensive attack, with one season left on the quarterback’s contract, I can’t help but wonder what the offseason holds for them. A year ago general manager Kevin Colbert had zero inclination to grab an Andy Dalton or Cam Newton for a million here or there even with Roethlisberger coming back from season-ending surgery. Will they be content to roll the balls back out with Ben and Mason Rudolph in 2021, despite the QB market in trades and free agency likely to be heavy on supply and team-friendly contracts again?

The rest of this division has its shiny young thing at QB. The game is evolving with mobility and moving pockets and athleticism more prized now than ever. Nothing lasts forever. Watching Josh Allen roam and rumble, as Roethlisberger did so well for so long, the dichotomy was impossible to escape. We’ll find out soon enough if the Steelers see it the same way.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

GM Brandon Beane on why he drafted QB JOSH ALLEN, even though Allen has attracted supporters that Dominique Foxworth of ESPN does not approve.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

When Bills General Manager Brandon Beane chose Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, plenty of people had doubts. Allen has proven the doubters wrong, and that’s a big part of the reason that Beane just signed a five-year contract extension.

Now that Beane can look back on that decision as a home run, he says that what really sold him on Allen was what he learned about Allen the person as the Bills researched what people at Wyoming thought of him.

“You’ve got to talk to teammates. You’ve got to talk to obviously coaches. You’ve got to talk to people in the school,” Beane said, via NewYorkUpstate.com. “How does this person treat an intern? How does this person treat a classmate? How does this person treat the lowest guy? You know they’re going to treat their head coach well. But how do they treat a position coach?”

Beane said the Bills heard unanimously that Allen was the kind of person they’d want as the face of a franchise.

“Whether you thought he was going to be a good player or not, if you’re around this young man, you knew that he was going to leave no stone unturned to be the best player he can be,” Beane said. “And I was willing, and we as an organization were willing, to live or die with that. And Josh has done everything we’ve asked him.”

Beane made the right choice, and he and Allen should have many years together in Buffalo.

Apparently Beane did not ask Foxworth, a former player who aspired to head the NFLPA.  Joe Kinsey of Outkick.com:

Imagine what would happen if an NFL analyst went on a national podcast and said he gets a happy feeling inside whenever Lamar Jackson does something dumb in a game because of what Jackson supporters post on their social media accounts.

Now take a listen to what ESPN’s Domonique Foxworth said on the Bomani Jones podcast. The former NFL defensive back pulled no punches in how he reacts whenever Josh Allen does something “dumb.” Foxworth gets happy because Allen supporters supposedly have American flags, dogs and skull and crossbones on their social media accounts.

The Patriot Project pointed out how Foxworth uses his biases to root against Allen.

“I am fully aware that I have biases. And my biases are not based on Josh Allen. It’s based on the people that are defending Josh Allen. I would be 100 percent lying if I said that when Josh does something dumb, a little part of me doesn’t get happy. And it’s not because I don’t want Josh to succeed,” Foxworth said.

“It’s because the people who are telling me that Josh is the second coming and Josh is better than everybody are people with American flags and dogs and skulls and crossbones. … If you go just take a dip into their tweet history, it’s some really concerning retweets and likes. … It’s not about Josh,” he concluded.

“Generally, I’m pro-player and I’m looking for ways to understand a player’s position and defend a player. But in Josh’s case, it’s not about him. He is the ground on which we are fighting.”

The interesting part in all this, besides Foxworth’s reasoning, is the fact that it’s unclear where or how Foxworth encounters so many Bills fans.

If you go into a Twitter advanced search for “Josh Allen” mentions where Bills fans tag Foxworth, it’s not exactly a murderers row of hate tweets. Go take a look and see for yourself.

It’s clear what we have here: Foxworth is baiting a fanbase that’s going to the playoffs and has a fresh, new target in the Bills and Allen to latch onto. Bait in the Bills fans and create a feud as a ratings play.

Bills players have come to the defense of their leader.  Larry Brown Sports:

A few Buffalo Bills players took aim at ESPN analyst Domonique Foxworth for his criticism of Josh Allen fans.

Foxworth, who played cornerback in the NFL from 2005-2011, said on a recent podcast appearance that he roots for Josh Allen to fail. Why? Not because he dislikes Allen, but because he takes pleasure in seeing Allen’s fans upset. He doesn’t like Allen’s supporters because he claims they like the American flag and dogs.

Bills guard Jon Feliciano defended the charitable nature of Bills fans and said Foxworth was trying to get attention.

ay @Foxworth24  are you talking about the fans that just raise over 700k for a hospital during a pandemic? Ppl do/say the corniest things to try n get ahead

Feliciano was referencing Bills fans recently raising money in honor of Allen’s late grandmother.

Bills safety Jordan Poyer told Foxworth he has to “do better.” He also said this sort of comment isn’t something people should let slide.

Hold up bruh… 🧐we not jus letting this slide, yeah?! @espn  this what we on now in the sports world!? @Foxworth24  we gotta do better my brother… cause this ain’t it

When asked about Foxworth’s comments, ESPN offered no comment to OutKick.

Foxworth falls back on saying his comments have “been taken out of context.”

THIS AND THAT

RANKING THE JOBS

If you were THE hot coach, which job opening, real or possible, should you want.  Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com is on the case.

Let’s evaluate the various coaching opportunities that might come available this offseason and rank how desirable they would be for a qualified candidate. I think there are 12 total teams that could have vacancies, but I’m leaving out the Bengals, Cowboys and Vikings, who seem less likely to fire their coaches than the other franchises. Each of those three jobs would rank in the upper half of this list if they were to come available.

I’m evaluating these jobs based on several criteria. Most important, of course, is whether the team has a talented roster and a star quarterback. After that, we’re looking at things like future cap space and draft capital, the difficulty of each team’s respective division and how patient the present ownership group has been when its team has struggled. Also, note that we’re looking at this exclusively from the perspective of a possible coach as opposed to that of a new general manager.

I’ll start with the least desirable opportunity of the nine and work my way up to the most tantalizing job:

9. Chicago Bears (6-7)

Pros: core talent

Cons: lack of cap space, no long-term quarterback

Over the next three weeks, the Bears could run the table and make it into the playoffs or lose two of three and spark a regime change. Regardless of what happens, it’s clear that the all-in moves general manager Ryan Pace made before 2018 didn’t work. Mitchell Trubisky hasn’t developed into a great passer, in part because coach Matt Nagy doesn’t appear to be any sort of quarterback whisperer. (The fact that he was playing the defenses ranked 26th and 30th in pass defense DVOA might have something to do with Trubisky’s recent hot streak.) Pass-rusher Khalil Mack is a great player, but he hasn’t been enough for the Bears to net a playoff win, let alone compete for a Super Bowl.

It’s hard to be enthusiastic about what’s left. The Bears have $2.5 million in cap space next year before re-signing players such as wideout Allen Robinson, defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris and safety Tashaun Gipson, let alone addressing the quarterback position. They project to have the 14th pick in the 2021 draft, which could leave them too late in the hunt for quarterbacks. After making the Mack deal and repeatedly trading up in drafts past, Chicago also isn’t in position to make another all-in move for a young quarterback. It has a more competitive roster than most of the other teams on this list, but its ceiling is severely capped.

8. Detroit Lions (5-8)

Pros: quarterback

Cons: lack of cap space, core talent

The Lions can have cap space or they can have Matthew Stafford, but unless they want to hand their veteran quarterback a new deal, they can’t have both. They have $1.2 million in cap space in 2021 and are locked into deals for two disappointing free agents: defensive end Trey Flowers and offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Detroit’s recent drafts have mostly been dispiriting, so the hope has to be that a new coaching staff will be able to come in and unlock the talents of cornerback Jeff Okudah and linebacker Jahlani Tavai. One of the few stars the organization has developed is wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who is set to become a free agent after the season.

Regardless of who comes in to take over as coach and general manager, it’ll probably be ownership that ends up deciding what to do with the 32-year-old Stafford, who has two years and $42.1 million remaining on his deal. Trading Stafford would free up $10.1 million and push the Lions into yet another rebuilding phase; extending him would free up valuable short-term cap space to add defensive help for the next coach. The Broncos and 49ers, two potential trade suitors for Stafford, are projected to pick below the Lions at Nos. 11 and 13, respectively.

If Detroit can package its own pick and a first-rounder from one of those teams to swap with, say, the Bengals at No. 3, it could try to kick off a rebuild. If that’s not possible, the organization seems more likely to kick the Stafford can down the road and stick with its longtime starter. The Stafford decision should influence what sort of coach the Lions try to hire.

7. Denver Broncos (5-8)

Pros: young talent, cap space

Cons: quarterback, tough division, ownership uncertainty

There’s a lot to like about what the Broncos have added around Drew Lock, but after an uneven 2020 campaign, it’s unclear whether general manager John Elway thinks his second-year passer is the team’s quarterback of the future. Any new hire will undoubtedly have to be on the same page with Elway about that decision. The Broncos could choose to be active in the quarterback market, given that they have $25.5 million in cap room and could free up more than $40 million in additional space by cutting veteran defenders Von Miller, Jurrell Casey and A.J. Bouye.

The most difficult part of the equation to gauge here is the Broncos’ ownership, which is being run by a temporary trust as the children of deceased owner Pat Bowlen fight over control. The league threw a shot across the organization’s bow last month, with Roger Goodell able to fine teams that don’t have one owner with a minimum amount of equity in the team or final say over voting matters up to $10 million per season. The possibility might have led the Titans to resolve their ownership questions last weekend, but there has been no movement on the Denver front.

While ownership might not seem like a big deal, that sort of uncertainty can prevent a team from piecing together a stable long-term plan or having the sort of budget they might want each year. (Losing $10 million from that budget also wouldn’t help matters.) When the Broncos’ situation is resolved, it’s unclear whether a new owner will want to run things the same way or retain the existing coach. If you’re a coach with options elsewhere, the lack of a known hand with control of the checkbook or a steady hand under center makes this job less appealing.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1)

Pros: quarterback, easy division, stable ownership

Cons: quarterback, lack of cap space

Different coaches might see Carson Wentz as either a positive or a negative, though I suspect more will find themselves in the former camp. Wentz, after all, was widely regarded as a franchise quarterback before his disastrous 2020 campaign. There are few things coaches love more than rehabilitating a highly regarded quarterback, and there will be some who think that a healthier offensive line and a system refresh might be enough to turn around the 27-year-old Wentz. These would be the same people who try to fix anything electronic by turning it off and on again, and sometimes they’re right.

As I wrote about Monday, though, even getting the Eagles under the 2021 cap will be an arduous endeavor. This roster is seriously flawed; now imagine it after letting safety Jalen Mills and offensive lineman Jason Peters leave and cutting tight end Zach Ertz, wideouts DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery and several other players without having any money to sign replacements. With more favorable cap situations, some teams might consider moving on from oft-injured players such as right tackle Lane Johnson and safety Rodney McLeod this offseason. Instead, the Eagles will be relying on them to return and stay healthy. Next season will likely be a retooling year for Philly, if not a straight year of rebuilding.

The good news is that Jeffrey Lurie has generally been one of the NFL’s most patient team owners, with the short tenures of Ray Rhodes (as coach) and Chip Kelly (as football czar) as exceptions. If this job comes available, the new Eagles coach should get a few years to reshape the roster. Unless the Eagles have given up on their franchise quarterback, though, he’ll probably need to believe he can fix Wentz, and then actually pull it off.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-12)

Pros: high draft pick, patient ownership, cap space

Cons: core talent

Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, on the other hand, gave Mike Mularkey one year before letting Gus Bradley and Doug Marrone combine for nine years at the coaching helm with all of one winning season to show for it alongside deposed general manager Dave Caldwell. The Jaguars are in the middle of yet another rebuild, but if the team fires Marrone after what might end up as a one-win season, the new coach should expect to get three full years to turn things around.

If the Jaguars were to somehow land ahead of the Jets in the race for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at the top of the draft, this job would go even higher. As it is, the Jags, projected to be No. 2 overall, should still be in position for Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. The organization’s decision to draft and then prop up Blake Bortles for years ruined what could have been a Super Bowl-caliber peak; whomever Khan hires to take over the two key roles in the organization will need to be on the same page as the Jags draft their next franchise passer.

Jacksonville also has extra first- (Rams) and second-round (Vikings) picks in 2021 and more than $78 million in cap space to spend this offseason. There’s not much here, but whoever takes over will have the opportunity and the time to build something special.

4. New York Jets (0-13)

Pros: path to Trevor Lawrence, cap space, low expectations

Cons: bereft of talent, ownership

If the Jets and Jaguars swapped spots at the top of the draft, the Jags job would be No. 3 on the list, while the Jets job would be eighth or ninth. The Jets are this high because of the possibility that they’ll end up taking Lawrence with the first overall pick. Lawrence could break Jets fans’ hearts by staying at Clemson, but they would still be in position to draft a quarterback with the top pick. In 1996, when Peyton Manning decided to stay at Tennessee, New York ended up drafting wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

This assumes the Jets end up with Lawrence, and while he profiles as a superstar quarterback, this team might have the worst roster in the league. General manager Joe Douglas will have more than $82 million to work with as the Jets potentially move on from quarterback Sam Darnold, but it might take a year or two before players want to actually join this organization. Any new coach will be a fan favorite solely by virtue of not being Adam Gase, but this ownership group was also dysfunctional enough to hire Gase in the first place, let alone all the other stuff that’s happened with the Jets over the past few seasons. This seems a lot like a “wouldn’t want to be part of any club that would have me” situation, but the lure of Lawrence is real.

3. Atlanta Falcons (4-9)

Pros: solid core, ownership

Cons: lack of cap space

Arthur Blank’s tenure running the Falcons has generally been associated with stability. After Bobby Petrino’s disastrous season at the helm in 2007, Blank has had two permanent coaches over the ensuing 13 seasons in Mike Smith and Dan Quinn. Falcons fans might wish that Blank were more aggressive to make moves, but that patience has generally been a good thing for coaches.

At the same time, this is a job for a veteran coach who thinks he can win a Super Bowl with this roster over the next couple of years. The Falcons are $25 million over the projected cap in 2021 and locked into a core of quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, offensive tackle Jake Matthews, pass-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and linebacker Deion Jones.

Third-year receiver Calvin Ridley is coming up for an extension, but the ideal coach here would be able to rebuild the defense on the cheap, something neither Smith nor Quinn was able to do for an extended period. With the Panthers in the middle of a rebuild and the Bucs and Saints starting quarterbacks in their 40s, the Falcons might see 2021 and 2022 as their final Super Bowl window before blowing things up. I would expect Blank’s coaching decision to reflect that possibility.

2. Houston Texans (4-9)

Pros: Deshaun Watson. They have Watson.

Cons: … everything else?

The Texans are $12.7 million over the projected salary cap for 2021. Many of the deals that former coach/general manager Bill O’Brien and front-office executive Jack Easterby negotiated were significantly over market value and contained 2021 guarantees, making it difficult for the organization to rebuild the roster. New owner Cal McNair appears to have been manipulated by O’Brien and then by Easterby in succession, leaving the Texans as an organization in which any coach or general manager worth their salt would be worried about their short- or long-term job security.

After spending a league-high $252.4 million in cash this year, McNair might not be willing to even sanction significant investment into the team. On top of all that, the Texans were missing significant draft capital in 2018 and 2020 (reducing the possibility that they’re going to develop an unexpected young star on the cheap) and don’t have their first- or second-round picks in 2021.

Watson, though! They have a 25-year-old superstar quarterback, and while we’ve seen that he alone isn’t enough to carry a team to the playoffs in 2020, any sort of rebuild will be easier with him around. The Texans desperately need depth, and they’re going to feel the impact of the 2019-20 mismanagement for years to come, but Watson is the sort of building block no other team on this list has.

1. Los Angeles Chargers (4-9)

Pros: young core, quarterback, low expectations

Cons: possibly cursed, the division in which they play

The Chargers don’t have Watson, but with Justin Herbert putting together a promising rookie season, they appear to have a long-term solution at quarterback. And even once you get past the quarterback position, this team has a solid group of players with which to build around. General manager Tom Telesco has put together a championship-caliber core, although we have to acknowledge how frequently the players in that core seem to get injured. Defensive end Joey Bosa and safety Derwin James have both been superstars when healthy, but the two have combined to play just 529 snaps together since the Chargers took James in the first round in 2018.

On one hand, some of the fixes here should be easy. A replacement-level head coach would be expected to manage late-game situations better than Mike McCoy or Anthony Lynn, who cost the team three points just before halftime in Sunday’s win over the Falcons. Lynn has taken over as the team’s de-facto special-teams coach, the third person to serve in that role this season, but the Chargers have the worst special-teams unit of the past 10 years. Even if they are the worst special-teams unit in the league again in 2021, they should be better than they were during this disastrous campaign.

Some of the fixes are more difficult. The Chargers will need to add as many as four new offensive linemen this offseason. Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram and tight end Hunter Henry are free-agents-to-be, and the team has only $7.5 million in cap space. It’s unclear whether there’s any sort of long-term fan base for the team in Los Angeles, which could reduce or eliminate its home-field advantage. At the same time, any coach is going to take a talented roster over those concerns. None of the other teams likely to go after a new coach this offseason can promise what the Chargers can to their next coach. Now, if that coach can reverse curses, it would certainly help.

THE FUTURE OF PRESEASON

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

For years, the NFL justified a potential expansion of the regular season from 16 to 18 games by explaining that the preseason would be reduced from four games to two games, keeping the total number of games played at 20 per team — just like it was when the NFL played 14 regular-season games and six preseason games.

Now that the NFL has secured the ability to play 17 regular-season games, the question becomes whether to keep the total number of games at 20.

Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com reports that Commissioner Roger Goodell favors shrinking the preseason from four games to two. Some owners, including very influential ones like Robert Kraft of the Patriots, Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, John Mara of the Giants, and Art Rooney II of the Steelers, want three games.

The CBA allows the NFL to play up to three preseason games per team, in any year during which the regular season has 17 games. The question becomes whether teams will surrender the revenue from a third preseason game.

There’s a collective-bargaining component to this as well. Why voluntarily play two preseason games when the NFL has the right to stage three? That should be the carrot, frankly, to increasing the number of regular-season games to 18.

Maybe that’s where it all ends up, and maybe that’s where it needs to end up given the damage done by the pandemic. Eighteen and two, with at least 19 weeks of action and perhaps an effort to expand the number of windows, with maybe Sunday morning games, Monday doubleheaders, and prime-time games on Tuesday or Wednesday.