The Daily Briefing Thursday, February 23, 2023

GREEN BAY

Time to explore the meaning of the word “bougie” as WR ALLEN LAZARD faces free agency.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

After spending the first five seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, free-agent receiver Allen Lazard has high expectations for his next destination.

A former undrafted free agent coming off the best year of his career, Lazard told SiriusXM NFL Radio Wednesday that he’s “excited” to see what awaits him in free agency but noted he’d be “bougie” in choosing his next club.

“I’ve been very spoiled the past four or five years to be in the Packers organization,” Lazard said. “I think they’re obviously a first-class organization just how they go about their relationship with the fans, how they treat the players. Just the whole experience there. Having coach (Matt) LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett there the past few years and obviously having Aaron (Rodgers) as the quarterback, I’m almost sort of bougie, I feel like, in what I’m going to be wanting out of an organization. I have such high expectations. But that’s only because I’ve seen that and I’ve experienced that, and I think the record — minus last year, the three years before that — it kind of shows you why they’re able to have that success.”

Lazard grew in the Packers organization from undrafted out of Iowa State — playing only one game as a rookie in 2018 — to the club’s leading receiver in 2022 with 788 yards and six TDs. After the Davante Adams trade last offseason, Lazard was the only veteran regular as Green Bay broke in a young receiver corps that included Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. With Rodger’s trust, Lazard saw 100 targets last season, catching 60 balls. The next closest Packers receiver had 67 targets.

Rodgers has already stumped for the Packers to bring Lazard back — if the QB himself returns. However, with a dearth of quality receivers hitting the open market and Green Bay’s salary-cap crunch, the 27-year-old could quickly price himself out of the Packers’ range.

Lazard said Wednesday he’d gotten no indication Green Bay will extend his contract before free agency opens.

“My agent, I believe, has started to talk to them a little bit in recent weeks, but they haven’t said anything as far as preventing me from going to the open market,” he said.

Lazard is an interesting free-agent case. With few options and a host of WR-needy teams, he could see a solid market. Or clubs might view his production as a byproduct of Rodgers, leaving him with short-term offers, like what we saw JuJu Smith-Schuster take the past two offseasons.

Is he saying he is “bourgeois” – coming into new money?

informal + usually disparaging : marked by a concern for wealth, possessions, and respectability : BOURGEOIS

PHILADELPHIA

WR A.J. BROWN moved himself out of Tennessee because he wasn’t going to make enough money for his taste.

Now, he attaches his presence to funding for QB JALEN HURTS.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

After one year in Philadelphia with quarterback Jalen Hurts, Eagles Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown realizes just how significant a contract extension is for the QB this offseason.

Thus, Brown didn’t hesitate to express his devotion to Hurts or put a little more pressure on Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to get a deal done.

“You gotta pay, bro,” Brown said on an episode of the Raw Room podcast posted on Tuesday. “I love Philly. What I’m about to say … You do not pay this man, just ship me off wherever he’s going to go. So, you talk about pressure, Howie, get it done.”

The podcast, which features NFL veterans Daren Bates and Jalen Collins, is largely conversational rather than an interview, and some of Brown’s comments could be seen as somewhat jovial. Nonetheless, it’s clear Brown believes the Eagles need to pay Hurts — and if for some reason they don’t, he’d be happy to follow Hurts elsewhere.

It’s unlikely it will come to that, though, as Roseman has made it clear locking up Hurts, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, on a second contract is his top priority of the offseason.

Still, Brown is stumping for Hurts after career-best seasons for the receiver and quarterback.

After he was traded from the Titans to the Eagles on Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft, Brown embarked on a debut season in Philly that saw him post 88 receptions, 1,496 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns. All of those numbers were career highs for Brown and his receiving yards were a single-season franchise record. Meanwhile, Hurts established himself as one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, racking up 4,461 yards of offense and 35 total TDs (22 passing, 13 rushing).

“They gotta pay him,” Brown said.

However, beyond the bravado, Brown seems confident a Hurts payday is imminent.

“They gonna get it done,” he said.

After Brown’s hopes for a lucrative new contract eventually led to him being traded to Philadelphia, he’s clear on the business of the game. Brown is hoping that the nucleus of him, Hurts and DeVonta Smith will stick together and collect a Super Bowl ring or two when the opportunity is present.

“I’m definitely going to try to do everything in my power to play as long with Jalen as I can,” Brown said. “Him and DeVonta. Me and DeVonta, we’re a great tandem. I’m definitely going to try to keep that going as long as I can. He’s up and rising — another level. At some point, he goin’ to be up. We’re definitely going to try to keep the team together and try to win when we’re together. They gotta give Jalen the house, the building, the state, the everything.”

Everything we’ve seen so far from Brown with Hurts has been sensational.

After coming up short in a run to a Super Bowl LVII, Brown is adamant that his QB needs to get paid and the winning time in Philadelphia carries on for seasons to come.

ARIZONA

UF Gators DC Patrick Toney is leaving Gainesville for a role with Jonathan Gannon’s young staff in Arizona.  Seth Cox of RevengeOfTheBirds.com:

The Arizona Cardinals continue to bring on young, innovative and highly regarded coaches.

Now the question is, will it work?

The newest addition to the Arizona Cardinals staff per reports is Patrick Toney, the Florida Gators defensive coordinator, who is considered one of the most impressive young coaches in the country.

Toney is a 32-year old college defensive coordinator who has been with the Florida Gators Head Coach Billy Napier for a number of seasons going back to their time with the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns.

He then followed Napier to Florida, where he was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

What position he takes with the Cardinals is to be seen, but he is considered a bright, innovative and energetic coach with experience working with defensive backs and outside linebackers.

It continues to show that whatever Gannon is building, people are buying, because this is another coach who is taking a chance leaving something established for something unknown in the desert.

We will see if it works, but it should have fans and players excited to see the product on the field.

Welcome to the desert, Coach Toney.

Let’s meet DC Nick Rallis – an NFL coordinator at age 29.  Doug Haller of The Athletic:

Don’t ask people who know Nick Rallis well whether they’re surprised at his coaching success. It’s a waste of time. With some, the path is clear long before it is traveled.

This week the Arizona Cardinals named Rallis their defensive coordinator. At 29, he becomes the youngest in the NFL to hold any coordinator position. Since the Cardinals moved to the desert in 1988, they haven’t had a defensive coordinator younger than 37.

Mike Sherels, Rallis’ position coach at the University of Minnesota, noticed friends sharing the Rallis news on Instagram over the weekend. The accompanying comments featured a similar theme: “Yeah, saw this one coming.”

Rallis played his final college season in 2016, not even seven years ago. Had someone told Sherels at the time that a Minnesota player one day would coach in the NFL, he said the answer would’ve been obvious.

“There wouldn’t be one person on staff or on that team as a player who wouldn’t have answered Nick,’’ he said. “Not one. I would bet everything on that.”

Rallis’ career has unfolded at lightning speed. After college, he spent a season at Wake Forest as a quality control coach, then three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings in similar roles. In 2021, Rallis was hired as linebackers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, working under coordinator Jonathan Gannon. On Feb. 12, the Eagles lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl in Glendale. Two days later, the Cardinals hired Gannon as head coach.

Around that time, Reed Boltmann, who had coached Rallis at Edina High School in Minnesota, talked with Rallis. He told him to keep working, bide your time, “you’ll be a defensive coordinator in a year or two.”

A week later, Gannon hired Rallis to run Arizona’s defense.

“His passion for it has always been there and his mind for it has always been there, so this is just the next step for him,” Boltmann said. “Moving up the ladder.”

Rallis grew up in a football family, the youngest of three boys. Stew Rallis coached his sons in youth leagues, letting Nick suit up for warmups when he was too young to play. Football was a passion for all three boys, but more so for Nick. While neighborhood kids played outside at night, he sat in front of the television, watching videos from the family’s library of NFL films.

“I just remember going, ‘Why are you watching the NFC championship game from eight years ago?’” Stew Rallis said.

At Edina High School, Rallis played everywhere, but he flourished at safety. Boltmann quickly realized that Rallis was different. He didn’t just want to learn his position — he wanted to learn every position. Offense, defense, special teams. During one practice, he told Rallis to sub in at left tackle. Another coach smirked, “He doesn’t know what he’s doing over there.”

Replied Boltmann simply, “Watch him.”

Matt Rallis, the oldest brother, coached Nick for three high school seasons. (The middle brother, Mike, would play football at the University of Minnesota and become a WWE wrestler named “Madcap Moss.”) From the first year, Matt Rallis noticed his younger brother not just learning the defensive calls but trying to understand the logic behind them. “I hardly ever had to correct him,” said Matt Rallis, adding that by the third season, Rallis probably could’ve just called the defense himself.

In 2011, Rallis was featured on the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s “Metro Area Dream Team.” Of the 6-foot three-star safety, the newspaper wrote, “Sure tackler with an excellent motor. Plays well in space and closes fast.” Also featured on the team was a linebacker/quarterback from Waconia named Maxx Williams.

Williams just completed his fourth season as a tight end with the Cardinals.

Rallis and Williams signed with the University of Minnesota. So did Jack Lynn, a linebacker from Lake Zurich, Ill. Over five years, Lynn learned something about Rallis, who shifted to linebacker in college.

“He was talented on the field, don’t get me wrong, but just his process and how he broke everything down, even training-wise, he was just far and away so much more superior than anyone on our team,’’ Lynn said. “Just the day-in and day-out grind of watching film, breaking things down, getting his body right … It was almost like he liked the process more than he loved the actual playing on Saturday.”

A former Minnesota linebacker himself, Sherels was learning the craft. He started as a graduate assistant before getting promoted to linebackers coach. He told Rallis and his group, “I’m a young coach. You’re going to make mistakes, I’m going to make mistakes, but we’re going to grow together.”

In 2016, Sherels had to leave the team because of a serious health matter. In his absence, Rallis and graduate assistant Adam Hippe ran the position room. By that time, the defense was used to Rallis taking charge. He had run offseason workouts. He had organized film sessions. In a game against Wisconsin in 2015, Rallis knew the Badgers’ offense so well he called out their plays before the snap.

“He clearly had the (linebacker) room’s respect, and the room knew he had my trust and my respect,” Sherels said. “It was kind of a foregone thing that Nick was in charge right now.”

On Nov. 5 that season, Rallis made a hard hit in the fourth quarter of a home win over Purdue. After a video review, he was ejected for targeting. That meant Rallis would have to sit out the first half of the following week’s game against Nebraska. His focus shifted to backup Thomas Barber.

The next week, Rallis waited for Barber after every practice. “Shower up, get some dinner, we’re going back up,” he told the freshman. The two then watched film for nearly an hour in the linebackers’ room. They studied tendencies of Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. They watched the offensive line.

“When I got to college, I considered myself decently detailed with the game, but Nick was just at another level,” Barber said. “He’d call out certain plays, certain things. He’d make all the checks. Safety checks, D-line checks, LB checks. It was something crazy to witness.”

In Arizona, Rallis inherits a defense with many questions. The defensive line lost J.J. Watt to retirement. Promising end Zach Allen is an unrestricted free agent. Linebackers Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons are talented but inconsistent. The secondary lacks depth.

Those closest to Rallis aren’t concerned about him earning the unit’s respect. They all describe him in a similar way. Quietly confident. Someone with a strong sense of self and purpose. Someone who knows who he is.

Tracy Claeys, the former head coach at Minnesota, said Rallis has proved he’s willing to work. He has learned from great coaches like former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. Perhaps age doesn’t matter as much anymore. Claeys said long-time offensive line coach Carl Mauck once told him that all pro players want to know is whether their coach can place them in positions to make plays so they can earn more money.

“And it wouldn’t take long to be around Nick to know that he’s going to put in the time and do everything he can to make them the best,’’ Claeys said.

Those closest to him have seen Rallis do it at every level. That’s why his rise in the NFL was never a matter of if, but when.

“He’s a kid that has worked for this spot his entire life, and I think he’ll do great things,” said Boltmann, the high school coach. “He’s very passionate and he has a way of bringing his energy to the guys around him. He did that as a player and I think he’ll do that as a coach.”

– – –

WR ROBBIE ANDERSON may have Chosen a new first name:

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Robbie Anderson appears to have changed his first name again, but this time it is more than a simple change.

Last year, Anderson changed the spelling of “Robby” to “Robbie” reportedly to go with his preferred spelling of the name growing up.

According to recent social media posts, his latest first name change is anything but simple.

Anderson recently shared on social media a post of what appears to be a text thread with his lawyer that appears to reveal that a name change had been granted to the wide receiver.

“Great news! Our motion for reconsideration worked! Name changes granted an official!” one of the texts said.

His social media pages now have his name as “Anderson R, Chosen,” leading many to believe that his new first name is “Chosen.”

Anderson’s social media handle is also @chosen1ra.

Anderson shared an Instagram post that seemed to indicate he was changing his first name for a fresh start.

“Those mistakes are part of my past,” he said in a video on the post.

The post included the message: “WITH GOD 1st Stay Righteous Heart Pure & Genuine I Will Always Prevail Stay Wise And Focused On My Purpose “

Anderson, 29, was traded to Arizona in October last season for a sixth-round 2024 NFL draft pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

He had seven catches for 75 yards in 10 games with the Cardinals last season.

DENVER

Does Matt Patricia still have a job in New England?  Conor Ryan of Boston.com:

After his failed tenure as the Patriots’ offensive play caller and O-line coach, Matt Patricia reportedly could be going back to his coaching roots on the defensive side of the ball.

And it might not be with New England.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Patricia interviewed with Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos for the team’s vacant defensive coordinator position on Wednesday. The tenured Patriots staffer is one of three former NFL head coaches vying for the vacancy along with Rex Ryan and Vance Joseph.

With Bill O’Brien returning to Foxborough to run New England’s offense and Adrian Klemm taking over the offensive line, Patricia has been in a state of limbo since the 2022 season concluded.

Patricia was not spotted with the rest of New England’s coaching personnel during the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl and his contract (which was technically the deal he signed as the Lions’ head coach in 2018) expires this offseason.

Add in the presence of both Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick at the helm of New England’s defensive units, and Patricia’s best option moving forward might be with another organization.

Even with Mac Jones and the Patriots’ severe regression offensively under his watch, Patricia is likely still valued across the league as a defensive coordinator. During his six seasons as New England’s DC, Patricia led a unit that won two Super Bowls and made it to another in 2018.

A team like Denver offers plenty of intrigue, especially given that the Broncos’ defensive grouping was far from their weak link last season. With Payton tasked with overseeing Denver’s offense and righting the ship for Russell Wilson, Patricia could get the keys to a defense featuring key players like Patrick Surtain II, Justin Simmons, and Dre’Mont Jones.

If Denver opts to hire Patricia, he will get the opportunity to scheme up against Mac Jones and the Patriots offense next season. New England will travel to Denver at some point during the 2023 campaign for a matchup at Empower Field.

BALTIMORE

Well-traveled on the college circuit, Willie Taggert has found his way to the NFL.

The Baltimore Ravens have hired longtime college coach Willie Taggart to oversee their running backs, the team announced Wednesday.

Taggart is the former head coach at Florida State, Oregon, Western Kentucky, South Florida and Florida Atlantic, which he led for the past three seasons before being fired in November. He had been set to join Colorado’s staff under coach Deion Sanders but instead will take on an NFL job for the first time.

Taggart will take over for Craig Ver Steeg, who has coached the Ravens’ running backs for the past three seasons. Ver Steeg, who has been on the Ravens’ staff since John Harbaugh’s first season in Baltimore in 2008, could get reassigned to a different role.

“We are excited to welcome Willie to the Ravens as our running backs coach,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “Willie has been a highly successful and respected college assistant and head coach. He has a proven track record for developing players as a position coach, as an offensive coordinator and as a head coach. A leader and a highly effective motivator, Willie’s reputation for building strong relationships with his players and fellow coaches will serve our offense well moving forward.”

The Ravens return top running back J.K. Dobbins, who is entering his contract season. After missing the 2021 season with a knee injury, Dobbins averaged 99.3 yards rushing and 7.0 yards per carry in his last four games this past season.

The Ravens also announced that wide receivers coach Tee Martin will now be the team’s quarterbacks coach.

Baltimore could make additional changes to its offensive staff under new coordinator Todd Monken.

Taggart, 46, went 15-18 at Florida Atlantic after a 9-12 record in less than two seasons at Florida State. He’s 71-80 overall as a college head coach, including a 10-win season at South Florida in 2016.

Taggart played for and later coached under Jack Harbaugh, the father of Ravens coach John Harbaugh, at Western Kentucky. He also worked for John Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, at Stanford from 2007 to 2009 before landing his first head-coaching job at Western Kentucky.

The 2009 season marked Taggart’s most recent as an assistant — he coached Stanford’s running backs that fall. A star quarterback for Western Kentucky, Taggart began his coaching career working with wide receivers at his alma mater in 1999.

TENNESSEE

Some big names, with big cap hits, are sent packing by the Titans.  Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report:

The Tennessee Titans cut longtime left tackle Taylor Lewan, wide receiver Robert Woods and kicker Randy Bullock on Wednesday.

Linebacker Zach Cunningham reportedly has also been cut by the Titans, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Tennessee has yet to confirm that move.

The moves took Lewan’s and Woods’ $14.8 million and $12 million salary-cap hits off Tennessee’s books for the 2023 season, per Spotrac, offering significant relief. Bullock’s release saved $2.1 million, while moving on from Cunningham will save $8.9 million, per Spotrac.

Given the cap implications, none of the three moves came as a shock. Lewan in particular, however, had become a fixture for the Titans over the years.

The 31-year-old was the team’s first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft and played left tackle. While injuries have limited him in recent years—he’s missed 34 games in the past four seasons—he was one of the better left tackles in the sport from 2016-18, earning three straight Pro Bowl bids.

Woods, 30, was acquired for a sixth-round pick by the Titans last offseason after Julio Jones was released and before the questionable decision to trade A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Alongside Treylon Burks, whom Tennessee drafted using the first-round pick it received in the Brown deal, Woods was expected to lead the passing attack.

That didn’t exactly pan out. Combined, Woods and Burks didn’t match Brown’s production:

So, after just one season with Tennessee, Woods is out the door.

Bullock, 33, spent the last two seasons with the Titans, hitting 43 of 51 field-goal attempts and 70 of 73 extra-point attempts. He struggled from 40-49 yards, however, missing seven in 21 tries.

MIAMI

Give credit to QB TUA TAGOVIALOA for trying to learn to fall better.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

In late December, after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his most recent concussion due to his helmet striking the ground, former U.S. Olympic judoka Jason Morris contacted us via email with a simple suggestion for Tua — try judo.

“I was watching your show with Peter King talking about Tua’s concussion situation and the fact he keeps hitting his head on the ground,” Morris said. “I have forever thought and wanted the NFL to employ an expert Judo player/coach to teach the football players a little Judo, which starts with learning how to fall properly as we take tons a falls everyday but know how to naturally take that fall without hitting our heads.”

His instincts were right. In a follow-up email from Jason last night, he pointed out that Tua is indeed working with Judo.

Frankly, we missed it in the days preceding the Super Bowl. Tua, as it turns out, explained on Up & Adams that he’ll devote one day per week to Judo training in an effort to learn how to fall in a way that doesn’t result in his head striking the turf.

“We’ve got a plan set up,” Tua said. “I’ll be doing Judo on Fridays just so that I can kind of figure out understanding my body and how to fall. . . . Just trying to help myself.”

It’s important that he does. He suffered at least two, and probably three, concussions during the 2022 season because his helmet struck the turf after being legally hit. As we’ve said all along, the physics are against him, given his size. He has to figure out how to protect himself, whether it’s finding a way to avoid those hits or, as he’s doing, finding a way to take those hits without hitting his head.

And it’s clear he’s moving forward with his career, hopeful that he’ll be able to avoid additional concussions in 2023.

“I’ve had all the information that I need to move forward with the decision that I made with me and my wife and my family,” Tagovailoa told Yahoo Sports during Super Bowl week. “You’re playing this sport understanding and knowing the precautions. These things can happen. It’s football. It’s a physical sport.”

He’s right. The problem is that, right or wrong, Tua has become the face of head injuries in football. And, at some point, his next concussion will be the one that will prevent doctors from clearing him to play again.

That’s why it will be interesting to see whether the Dolphins extend Tua’s contract or pick up his fifth-year option. Regardless of the fact that his play improved dramatically under coach Mike McDaniel, teams want and need their best quarterbacks to be available to play. Tua missed four games, left another one and returned, left another one and didn’t return, and remained in the Christmas Day loss to the Packers while, in hindsight, impaired by a concussion.

For Tua, the challenge becomes avoiding further head injuries. Specifically, it means learning how to either not take hits that knock him to the ground, or to land in a way that keeps his helmet from striking the turf, again.

Looking at the situation more broadly, Jason Morris seems to be right. Maybe more teams should be steering their players toward Judo, in order to teach them how to fall in a way that protects them against suffering head injuries. And if the teams aren’t doing it, maybe players should be doing it on their own.

NEW YORK JETS

Before QB MATTHEW STAFFORD found his way to the Rams, we don’t think most people viewed him as a future Hall of Fame enshrinee.  Now, we would say it is likely he will have a gold jacket and a bust in Canton.

The Jets are trying to sell QB DEREK CARR that the same transformation is possible if he comes to New York.  Tyler Sullivan of CBSSports.com:

Derek Carr is currently searching for a new home somewhere in the NFL. While those areas include New Orleans, New York, and possibly even Carolina, one of the interested clubs has a pitch that includes the quarterback looking beyond his playing days and ending up in Canton with a gold jacket.

The 31-year-old quarterback recently visited with the Jets, and New York apparently made a strong push to bring Carr aboard. That visit, per ESPN, went well from both sides, with the Jets selling Carr on their ready-made roster that will be able to not only contend for the playoffs upon his potential arrival in 2023 but for the Super Bowl right out of the gate. On top of pitching overall team success, this latest report notes that the Jets told Carr that they believe if he comes to their organization and wins, he could be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The Big Apple, a Lombardi Trophy, and a gold jacket?! Was the moon not available?

While Carr is a solid Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback and would certainly be an upgrade from the play New York received last year, projecting him to end up a first-ballot Hall of Famer would be a remarkable turn of events considering where he’s currently at in his career. He will be 32 years old by the start of next season and is without a single playoff win. For those wondering at home, Y.A. Tittle is the only Hall of Fame quarterback since 1960 who doesn’t have a playoff win.

Becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer may be a bit overzealous on the part of the Jets, but they are correct in their pitch when they say they’ll be a playoff contender with Carr at the helm.

Outside of the quarterback position, New York has a roster with budding stars on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they boast one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL in Sauce Gardner, who headlined a defense that ranked fifth in the NFL in DVOA last year. The offense struggled because of Zach Wilson and overall poor play at quarterback, but the unit does have intriguing weapons like Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, fellow wideout Elijah Moore, and second-year running back Breece Hall. Inserting Carr into that young core would make New York a legit contender in the AFC East and possibly even a sexy sleeper selection to win it all.

The roster alone makes New York a compelling landing spot for Carr. So, while talking about a first-ballot candidacy for the Hall of Fame may be getting too far ahead of themselves, the Jets do have arguably the best setup for him to even entertain those ideas. But let’s get a few playoff wins under his belt — with whichever franchise he ultimately picks — before we spark up that debate.

First year HOF?  Wouldn’t it be enough if he made it in his 3^rd or 5^th year of eligibility?

THIS AND THAT

MOST IMPROVED

Nate Tice of The Athletic has a Most Improved Team – players who upped their game in 2022.  Today, we bring you his offense:

I really wanted to have a Most Improved category for my “Thirdies Awards” column. In a league with such a large number of players, though, even my own hubris knows there’s a fallacy in attempting to name one singular player as most improved when hundreds make a notable leap forward throughout an NFL season.

Instead, let’s pick a player or two (or three) at each position for that Most Improved honor.

Some self-imposed restrictions on this list: All the players considered and selected were in at least their third NFL season. Why? Well, rookies are rookies and second-year players are expected to make strides as they become acclimated to the professional game.

(All data via TruMedia unless otherwise noted.)

Quarterback

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts’ running ability has never been in question, but his viability at consistently operating from the pocket remained a question mark entering the season — especially after the Eagles’ 2021 wild-card loss against the Buccaneers, when Hurts seemed to be at a loss attempting to find answers for Todd Bowles’ aggressive attack.

Hurts took a huge leap as a pocket passer in 2022, though, as the Eagles emerged as the NFC’s best team and stormed their way to the Super Bowl. He, of course, benefited from the A.J. Brown trade and strong offensive line play, but every passing metric you can think of showed Hurts’ underlying improvement.

For example: Hurts’ rate jumped on throws over the middle of the field past 5 yards (an area that requires timing and anticipation because of the tight spaces being attacked), while his rate of attempts outside the pocket or while holding the ball for three-plus seconds dropped. He showed development in expanding the areas of the field he could attack and did so within the rhythm of the offense.

Hurts also maintained his running ability, generating the fourth-most EPA (expected points added) off of scrambles and the most EPA off of designed quarterback rushes while racking up 13 rushing touchdowns. He did all this while ranking eighth in EPA per pass attempt and fourth in QBR (total quarterback rating). The accolades followed his strong play: Hurts was named second-team All-Pro and finished as runner-up for MVP.

The Eagles and their fans are hoping Hurts’ upward trend can continue, even as that level of improvement should make his contract negotiations a fascinating subplot of this calendar year.

Running back

Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts’ backfield running mate also got a boost from the Eagles’ strong offensive line, as well as from that talented quarterback we just mentioned. Sanders paid it off with career highs in every rushing category.

Yes, Sanders played a full season for the first time since his rookie year, but his rate numbers showed strong improvement. Sanders’ rushing success rate (44 percent) ranked third among running backs with 150 or more carries, behind only Josh Jacobs and Aaron Jones. He tied for second with Christian McCaffery in EPA generated per rush, behind only Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Sanders handled 80 more rushing attempts (259) than his previous career high.

And, while the situation around Sanders this past season was the best of his young career, he’s also honed his explosive-run style. He has become a more patient runner and started to limit his propensity for bouncing runs outside when they’re designed to stay between the tackles. His timing couldn’t have been better — he’ll enter free agency this spring.

D’Onta Foreman, Carolina Panthers

I wanted to throw an honorable mention to Foreman, a running back who seemed like roster-fodder as he entered his sixth NFL season on his third team in three years. Playing behind McCaffrey, Foreman had a combined 12 rushing attempts for 37 yards over the first six weeks of the 2022 season — a workload not entirely out of the norm for Foreman’s career.

But then, the Panthers traded McCaffery to San Francisco, and Foreman proceeded to shred the league behind the Panthers’ surprisingly robust offensive line. Over the final 11 games, Foreman rushed for 877 yards on 191 attempts (a tidy 4.6 yards per rush), while also ranking fourth in EPA per rush and sixth in rushing success rate over that timeframe.

Foreman, 27 in April, is about to hit free agency and has bounced around the league for a reason: He likely will never be a bonafide ace in the backfield. In a sound rushing attack and with a good offensive line, though, Foreman just proved he can be a useful, rotational contributor as an innings-eater who’s deserving of touches on the ground.

Wide receiver

Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots

Another pending free agent makes the list!

You might remember Meyers as the Patriots player responsible for the failed cross-field lateral attempt against the Raiders in December. Outside of that play, however, Meyers has emerged as an extremely useful player who churns the chains with the best of them. His standard box score stats aren’t overwhelming at first glance: He ranked 41st in targets per game and 32nd in receiving yards per game, while playing in a rudderless Patriots passing game. But Meyers is versatile, has grown his route-running ability and does a lot of things well.

Meyers aligned both in the slot and outside for the Patriots. He converted first downs on 9 percent of his routes run, ranking 25th among wide receivers, right above players like Brandon Aiyuk, DJ Moore, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans and Mike Williams. Meyers aligned in the slot on 59.9 percent of his snaps, but he was especially efficient on the outside and in high-leverage situations. He ranked fifth among wide receivers in first downs per outside route, behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tyreek Hill, Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs, and fifth in first downs per route run on third and fourth downs.

Meyers has added layers to his game every season he’s been in the NFL. After starting his career as an undrafted free agent in 2019, he now looks like he can be a solid No. 2 option in a good passing attack. He has earned a well-deserved pay raise this spring.

Tight end

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

Johnson is a classic jumbo wide receiver who attempted a transition to tight end in 2022. Not only did he manage to avoid the graveyard of tweeners from yesteryear, Johnson actually flourished at his new position, using his fantastic package of athletic traits to set career highs in every receiving category. He notched seven touchdowns on 65 targets, while also finishing above players like Dalton Schultz, Austin Hooper and Dawson Knox in yards and first downs per route run.

Johnson also displayed better inline blocking ability than one might have expected, another great development that should allow Johnson to keep his hand in the dirt and continue to grow as a matchup nightmare. He was just a pleasant surprise overall. I’m sure the Saints would love to keep him around and see what other gems he might drop with more playing time. He will be a restricted free agent this spring.

Offensive tackle

Kaleb McGary, Atlanta Falcons

McGary made the short list of most improved players in my first “Thirdies Awards,” after Week 6.

His progress from how he looked over his first three seasons (it starts with a “b” and rhymes with “rust”) to being a viable starting right tackle has been noted across the media landscape as McGary prepares to enter free agency. While he has weaknesses — I still wouldn’t want him straight-up pass protecting all too often — and benefited from a run/play action-heavy scheme in Atlanta, McGary has cleaned up his hand usage and his tendency to lunge at defenders. In the past, he would go for kill shots, which would cause him to lose his balance and ability to maintain blocks. His newfound patience led to more consistent play as both a run and pass blocker.

So, while McGary still doesn’t have the make-up of a Pro Bowler, he did show that he can play a whole season as a team’s every-week starter. Since there are more teams with questions than answers at right tackle, McGary’s agent should have his phone ringing off the hook this offseason.

Yosh Nijman, Green Bay Packers

Nijman started at both tackle spots for the Packers, while David Bakhtiari continued to work back from an injury he suffered at the end of the 2020 season (and the Packers played musical chairs with the rest of their starting spots along the offensive line). Nijman wasn’t always perfect, but his growth was notable once he settled in as a weekly starter on the right side. He stayed more patient and balanced in his pass sets, and also showed improved functional strength and an ability to use his long arms in the run game.

Nijman will be a restricted free agent this spring, and what the Packers do as far as tendering or extending him will be interesting. A second-round tender, for starters, shouldn’t keep other NFL teams from sniffing at a rapidly improving player with workable traits and experience starting at both tackle spots.

Interior offensive line

Tyler Biadasz, Dallas Cowboys

Biadasz had flashes as both a run and pass blocker over his first two seasons in Dallas, before showing more consistency this season and earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Biadasz cleaned up his footwork during his third year as a starter, which allowed him to use his size at center in more advantageous ways as a run blocker. He also took a huge leap in the mental side of the game, sorting out protections at a quicker rate to get the Cowboys’ line on the same page and take some of the load off Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys suffered a notable drop in efficiency after Biadasz suffered a high-ankle sprain late in the season, especially in the run game. His growth helped solidify the middle of a Dallas line that faced constant shuffling because of injuries at the tackle positions.

Cesar Ruiz, New Orleans Saints

A Round 1 pick by the Saints in 2020, Ruiz had an up-and-down first two seasons before bounding forward in 2022. He has experience playing both guard and center, and started using his explosive traits as a blocker. Ruiz was another interior lineman who benefited from cleaning up his eyes — he’d duck his head and get out of balance far too often — and hand placement.

Ruiz will be only 24 years old in 2023. I’d expect another tier’s worth of improvement from him.

BROADCAST NEWS

A new reality-based series is coming to Netflix with the endorsement of the NFL.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

As the NFL embraces streaming, the NFL has embraced a new streaming company.

Netflix announced on Wednesday its first partnership with the NFL. The end result is Quarterback, a docu-series that explores each season through the lens of an NFL quarterback.

The first season, coming this summer, focuses on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.

The announcement promises “exclusive, unprecedented access” to the players, both on the field and in their homes.

The three quarterbacks had microphones on them for every game of their seasons.

Mahomes newly-formed production company, 2PM Productions, will produce the series. He’s quoted in the release, as is Peyton Manning, because Omaha Productions is part of the project, too.

Omaha Productions is basically part of everything the NFL currently does. That makes Peyton Manning a wide-ranging freelancer for all things NFL, giving him far more influence than he’d have if he ever settled in to a specific job somewhere.

We’ll see whether that influence results in only the most manicured and sanitized moments making it to the show, or whether we’ll get something raw and real — like the true story behind Mariota abruptly leaving the Falcons after he was benched, or the steps taken during the AFC playoff game against the Jaguars to get Mahomes back on the field after suffering an ankle injury.

And is it possible that, at some point during the year, Cousins actually uttered a word stronger than dang, shoot, or frick? If he did, here’s hoping it makes the cut. (He probably didn’t.)

The next question becomes whether this is the beginning of a new relationship that potentially will culminate in Netflix broadcasting NFL games. The Amazon-NFL partnership began several years ago with the All or Nothing series, an in-season equivalent to Hard Knocks. Now, Amazon has the Thursday night package.

Quarterback could have landed anywhere. It’s not with one of the NFL’s current broadcast partners. The fact that it’s with a company with which the NFL hasn’t previously done business should not be underestimated as the NFL’s gears slowly churn into the future of TV or, as the case may be, not TV.

There should be no shortage of drama with Cousins – as we can’t wait to experience the great overtime win over Buffalo, the incredible comeback against the Colts and the tough playoff loss to the Giants among other excitement for the cardiac Vikings.

2023 DRAFT

At the 33^rd Team, Charles Davis breaks down the top six QBs in the draft based strictly on arm talent:

What we’re going to talk about today is arm strength more than anything, but that doesn’t mean that’s all there is to playing quarterback, and we’ll dive into that more as we get closer to the draft. So for now, I’m going to rank the draft’s top quarterbacks in different tiers largely based on arm strength.

Starters

Alabama QB Bryce Young

He’s a little outside the top gun, howitzer arms, but I believe Bryce Young is the best quarterback in this draft. “Bryce Cube” is the man, and what I mean is you name all the attributes you’re looking for in an NFL quarterback, and he has them. It starts with football intelligence, character, that moxy, leadership skills, toughness and footwork.

He also has the ability to move in and out of the pocket to keep plays alive and make the throws down the field. In fact, the one thing I’m looking for more on video is seeing him throw on schedule, and on time, which I know he can do. He has this ability to make those moves behind the line of scrimmage, challenge the line of scrimmage and then challenge the secondary downfield.

How much arm does he have? He has enough to make every throw out there, don’t worry about that part. If he needs to throw it deep or out to the sideline or the inside dig, he can. You name it, he can do it. He can feather it, drive it, loft it. He’s got it all. I think he’s the best quarterback in the class, but if we’re talking about the strongest arms in the draft, that wouldn’t be him. But as we all know, that’s not all that goes into playing quarterback.

Max Duggan, TCU

Duggan has a starter’s arm strength. When I was watching him on tape, I had a couple of questions about just how much he could actually fling it, and just what kind of strength he had to throw the deep outs and comebacks. Then, I had a chance to watch him at the Senior Bowl and was really impressed by his daily improvement daily. He got more comfortable all week long.

During his time at TCU, due to his running ability, defenses would crowd the line of scrimmage to take that away along with (the Horned Frogs’) run game. He had a chance to go off of play action and loft a number of passes over the top or find guys in the seam, and he didn’t have to drive the ball a lot. But you can find the throws where he’s driving it with deep in cuts, and at the Senior Bowl, he did a lot more of that.

This kid is a flat-out winner who took his team on a National Championship bid against Georgia. You name it, he did it. He wasn’t a starter at first, but became the starter his last year, and went on to an exceptional season. As far as arm strength itself, I think it’s starter level, but more than good enough.

All-Pro Level

Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

Hooker didn’t get a chance to finish the season because of a knee injury, but he was at the Senior Bowl all week meeting with scouts and coaches and sitting in on meetings. This kid doesn’t just play quarterback on the field, he plays quarterback off the field, finding a way to get better, learn more ball, and his football IQ is already really high.

When you watch him make his throws, and a lot of people want to question certain things because of Tennessee’s offense and how wide open receivers are — yeah, they’re wide open — but Hooker doesn’t miss. He makes great decisions about where the open receivers are and who’s going to come open at the proper times.

He’s got more than enough arm to throw the deep ball, and he lofts it in there well. He has great touch on seam passes down the middle, and when it’s time to drive it on the outs and deep digs, he can do that as well. He’s listed at about 218 pounds, but I think he’s going to get bigger and stronger as he gets to the NFL, which is only going to help him get bigger and stronger throwing the football.

CJ Stroud – QB Ohio State

Many people are split about C.J. Stroud in terms of arm strength. I think he’s got more arm than some of the people I’ve talked to give him credit for. I’ve watched him make every kind of throw. There are times his legs don’t get as involved because the pass rush is there, but the ball still gets there.

That tells me he’s got plenty of arm strength to make the throws you want. He’s played a bunch of big games at Ohio State, settles into the pocket well and reminds me of the dearly departed Dwayne Haskins in terms of playing the game from the pocket, with the ability to break out and make some runs when necessary.

I think that this kid is something else, and that last game against Georgia in the playoffs, where he showed some more off-schedule things, didn’t hurt his stock one bit.

Elite

Kentucky QB Will Levis

Will Levis is 6-foot-3, 232 pounds, and not afraid of the weight room. He’s a big, strong and physical guy who has the arm to match. When you watch him throw the deep ball downfield, his throws match the rest of the class.

Then you come back and watch him on deep slants, posts, digs, comebacks, outs to the opposite side, that ball comes off of his hand, and it gets there in no time. As a coach of mine used to say all the time, “I want it there with dispatch,” and that’s what he’s able to do.

He’s not a frequent runner but can be a powerful type of runner, but Levis from the pocket can stand in there, and shrug off some of those tacklers. He’s kind of a mini Ben Roethlisberger when it comes to that, but he’s still able to make the throws. I saw more than one throw where his legs were tied up by a pass rusher, and he still got the ball downfield accurately. He has an elite arm.

Florida QB Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson is listed as 6-foot-4, 232, but I suspect he’s bigger. He’s gifted, gifted, gifted. When he walks into the room your eyes go right to him. Then when you turn on the video and watch him play, you see all the throws I talked about with Levis — the big strong throws downfield, and the accuracy throwing when he’s able to set his feet and do it. There were times when his feet are tied up, and he still got it downfield.

He has the ability to get out of trouble when the pocket collapses, shrug some people off, have some vision and get upfield. He can step up into the pocket and oftentimes he can take off and go, and he hurts defenses because he has sub-4.5 speed as well.

The big thing with him is that he hasn’t played a ton of college football games. This was his one year as a starter, so he doesn’t have that full volume of work. We’re going to have to take a look at some of his mechanics.

I think he’s a great project, and one any team and coach is going to want to work with. Arm strength: Absolutely elite. It doesn’t matter what type of throw you want. He’s going to make it, and make it with ease.