AROUND THE NFL

Daily Briefing

The sports world braces for the reveal of a Washington pro team name on Thursday.  It’s not in D.C. though, but rather in the Pacific Northwest in the state still identified by the last name of the first U.S. president. Seattle’s expansion NHL team will reveal their name – expected to be fishy to which a team video that surfaced Wednesday added credence.  Kraken or Sockeyes (a type of salmon) are the two favorites. – – – Questions about player compensation remain before the NFL season will get a final go-ahead.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com thinks that those questions will be surmounted As the NFL and NFL Players Association continue to haggle over whether and to what extent players will be paid in the event that games are canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, some are suggesting that, if the league and the union can’t reach a deal over money, there will be no football in 2020. That’s simply not the case.   The NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement — ratified by the NFLPA after the pandemic began — already addresses the situation. Because the CBA contains no force majeure clause, the players currently are entitled to full pay in 2020, even if games are canceled. The league’s only argument regarding reduced pay comes under the Standard Player Contract, which suggests that the duty to pay base salary does not arise until at least one game has been played.   In other words, if there are no games, the players get no pay. If, however, there is only one game, the players get full pay.   Through these negotiations, the league is trying to create a force majeure clause on the fly, getting players to agree to be paid only for games that are played, even though the league has had the ability within the confines of every single CBA negotiation that ever has occurred to ask for a force majeure clause. The league’s sole protection in the event of a pandemic comes from the mutual duty to negotiate in good faith as to the impact of lost 2020 revenues on the 2021 salary cap.   Nothing stops the players from agreeing to a force majeure clause in order to reduce the overall 2020 losses that would need to be addressed in the future, but the players don’t have to agree to one. And if the two sides don’t strike a deal as to player pay in 2020, the current CBA will control. Most importantly, the absence of a deal on money won’t allow the owners to lock out the players.   That said, there’s a chance (in theory) that the league would be more inclined to pull the plug on the entire season, if faced with the possibility of owing the players full pay even if only one game is played, but no pay if no games are played. As one league source remarked yesterday, some teams would likely prefer to scrap the season than to risk owing the full amount of the 2020 player payroll even if only a handful of 2020 games ultimately are played.   Regardless, the league can’t take the position that there will be no football in 2020 if the players don’t agree to modify the CBA when it comes to the issue of player compensation. As the NFL would say (and has said) when it comes to aspects of the CBA that the players don’t like, it’s a collectively-bargained issue.   Which is a tactful way of saying, “Tough crap.” More from Charles Robinson of YahooSports.com: As the NFL and players union continue to hammer out what essentially amounts to a one-season collective bargaining agreement for 2020, sources on both sides of the negotiating aisle told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday night that two significant hurdles remain to getting football back on track in the coming weeks: A financial agreement on how and when players will share in the burden of inevitable revenue shortfalls and a set of guidelines that would cause individual teams — or the entire league — to be shut down by COVID-19.   For the season to kick off in September, both of those issues have to be resolved.   A league source close to the negotiations expressed optimism at the progress in talks, while a union source told Yahoo Sports that 99 percent of health and safety issues have reached some common ground. However, both sources agreed independently that a stoppage prior to the season’s kickoff still hangs in the balance if the two sides can’t agree on the sharing of revenue loss, as well as what could trigger the league to halt or shorten the 2020 season.   If NFL season is halted in 2020, how much will players be paid? On finances, the NFL and union have taken opposing stances on how players should share in the burden of revenue loss. Both have expressed a need to find a resolution somewhere in the middle.   First, the finances:   If a season should be halted or shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic, the league’s team owners want player salaries to be adjusted according to the number of weeks in the 17-week slate that are in the books at the time of the stoppage. Essentially, in the NFL’s view, player salaries would be paid according to the prorated amount of the regular-season games that took place during the season.   The NFL Players Association has conversely taken the stance that collectively bargained language guarantees players will be paid in full regardless of the number of games played once the 2020 season kicks off.   Multiple sources across the spectrum of the league, including some team executives, say that if an agreement can’t be reached prior to a stoppage during the season, the NFL could choose to stop paying players from the moment games are halted. That would most likely leave the matter to be resolved in a long court battle.   For such a contentious situation to be avoided, both sides will need to agree to a middle ground on what happens with players’ salaries if a stoppage occurs.   How much will next salary cap drop? $40 million vs. $70 million Another pressing financial issue is how the two sides will spread out the potential revenue shortfall that could cripple the 2021 salary cap. As it stands, even the projections from each side aren’t close, with the NFL putting the potential cap loss in 2021 at $40 million per team, while the union has said that number could be as high as $70 million per team.   Whatever the loss, the two sides have not been able to agree on how to spread out the hit. As of Wednesday, the NFL had proposed spreading the hit out over three seasons (2021-2023). The union has proposed spreading the loss out evenly over nine seasons (2021-2029).   This variance continues to be one of the biggest impediments to getting a deal finalized, leading some frustrated franchise owners to suggest in negotiations that it needs to be remedied prior to the Tuesday full-squad training camp kickoff, or teams should decline to allow players to report on that day. Both sides expressed doubt to Yahoo Sports that an agreement on the spreading of lost revenue would be complete by Tuesday, leaving club owners to make a decision about starting camp on time or delaying it to continue working on finances.   What has to happen to trigger 2020 NFL season stoppage? Regarding the potential stoppage of a season:   As of Wednesday, neither the NFL nor the union had come to an agreement on what would trigger the stoppage or shortening of the 2020 season. A source from the union told Yahoo Sports that the NFLPA has requested the stoppage or shortening guidelines in written form in hopes of erasing ambiguity about standards while also preventing the NFL from “creating” scenarios as the season progresses.   A league source from the NFL said arbitrarily creating hardened guidelines for “unknowable” scenarios is virtually impossible, particularly when the advice of the league’s medical advisers could change over the the coming months.   As the league source framed it, “There are any number of scenarios that could present themselves that teams can’t see right now, and [the union] can’t see the future, either. It’s not a matter of being evasive. It’s a matter of being flexible. It’s important to be fluid [based on] what the medical experts say in real-time — which is what we’re doing every week, by the way.”   The league is expected to brief team owners on the latest progress in talks before the weekend, while the NFLPA held a call with some of its membership on Wednesday night.

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA The Vikings are apparently re-upping Mike Zimmer for a longer run.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com: Mike Zimmer won’t enter a lame-duck season in Minnesota.   NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that the Vikings are finalizing a multi-year contract extension with the 64-year-old coach, per sources informed of the situation.   Zimmer was entering the final year of his contract.   With a 59-41 record, including playoffs, Zimmer is the third-winningest coach in Vikings history behind Dennis Green (101-70) and legendary Bud Grant (161-99). The Vikings defense has been among the best units in the NFL since Zimmer took over in 2014, never ranking lower than 11th in points per game allowed and inside the top 10 each of the past five years.   In his six seasons as coach of the Vikes, Zimmer’s squads have made the playoffs three times, including winning two NFC North Division crowns.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO Bills DT ED OLIVER walks from alcohol and firearms charges in Montgomery County, Texas – north of Houston.  Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com: The Montgomery County, Texas, district attorney has dismissed the charges against Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver stemming from his May 16 arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.   Oliver was pulled over on State Highway 242, and according to police, he had an open beer between his legs and failed a sobriety test. The officer who administered the test noted that Oliver might have been under the influence of something other than alcohol.   No drugs were found in Oliver’s vehicle, but police discovered a pistol and charged him with unlawfully carrying a weapon.   Oliver’s blood tests came back “totally negative,” according to his attorney, Gary Patterson of Houston. Because of those results, Patterson said, the DWI charge was dismissed due to lack of evidence.   The weapon charge was automatically dismissed because having a pistol in a vehicle is illegal in Texas only if the driver is intoxicated or is charged with another criminal act, Patterson said. Without the DWI charge, Oliver’s possession of a pistol was lawful.   No further prosecution is expected, Kelly Blackburn, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, said Wednesday.   “It begs the question as to why he was arrested in the first place,” Patterson said in an email to The Associated Press.   The Bills posted a statement on social media, saying that Oliver “can now turn his full attention on the upcoming training camp and season.”   “We are pleased with the ruling today regarding Ed Oliver. We supported and worked with Ed throughout the offseason program as it was a priority for us to allow the legal process to play out,” the team said. “We appreciate Ed’s honesty and communication with us.”   Oliver tweeted a link to a story about his arrest Wednesday and said: “Now y’all go back and read this article knowing that all my blood work came back clean!!!but I had a beer can between my legs get the f— out of here how does a 5’8 officer [see] inside a window above his head anyway. … how do 5 cop cars show up before I take a sobriety test huh.” Montgomery County was where RB ADRIAN PETERSON was arrested for punishing one of his children by hitting them with a tree limb/switch in 2014.

NEW ENGLAND Joe Kinsey of Outkick.com on the arrival of QB CAM NEWTON at Logan Airport: The big question when Cam Newton signed with the New England Patriots was if and when he would embrace The Patriot Way® and the answer seems to be when he landed in Boston via a commercial flight and the Boston media started asking questions. Game over. Cam is officially embracing the Hoodie Doctrine and you can’t blame the guy a bit at this point.   (video of Newton responding “I’m not talking” to a reporter)   Remember, Cam is on a one-year contract with $550,000 guaranteed. That’s it. Yes, there’s $6.45 million in incentives and bonuses dangling out there for him to earn, but he’ll need to be starting to make that money. In other words, Cam needs to roll into Patriots camp ready to win a job, win games and then the massive contract negotiations begin with a new team(s) in 2021.   Hence, the “I’m not talking” response to a Boston reporter.   Does this look like a guy who wants to disappoint Hoodie and cost himself $20+ million in 2021? Full business and hydration mode.   (Newton looks like the old Invisible Man character with a high hat, long sleeve top, swathed masking)   Meanwhile, you have Jarrett Stidham out here thinking he’s the next Tommy Brady. This is going to be the training camp battle to watch. Don’t forget that Jarrett was a 4th round pick and how Hoodie loves him some late-round draft picks. Also keep in mind that Stidham spent last year learning from Tommy. One other thing: Brian Hoyer is back in Patriots camp. No pressure, Jarrett.

NEW YORK JETS Woody Johnson denies the anonymous reports from within the Deep State that he said things those who determine our culture find “racist” and “sexist” and otherwise icky.  The UK Independent: Woody Johnson, US ambassador to the UK, has denied accusations that he made racist and sexist comments to White House staff and used his position to further Donald Trump’s business interests in Britain.   Mr Johnson, the owner of the NFL’s New York Jets team, was reportedly investigated by the US Senate after making “generalisations” about black men and “cringe-worthy” comments about women.   Johnson was named ambassador to the UK after Mr Trump assumed officer in 2017.   The billionaire businessman was referred to the Senate watchdog after asking aides if there would be a “whole bunch of black people” in the audience at Black History Month event in 2018, according to a report by CNN.   He also reportedly held official events at the men only White’s club in London, excluding female embassy staff. Johnson also allegedly pushed back on holding an event on gender-based violence because he is “not a woman”.   According to CNN and The New York Times, Johnson, at the request of Trump, lobbied then UK Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, to hold the British Open golf tournament at Turnberry.   Trump is the owner of Turnberry, having bought the course in 2014 for a reported $60m (£47m).   Mr Johnson hit back at the allegations in a tweet on Wednesday evening. “I have followed the ethical rules and requirements of my office at all times,” he wrote.   “These false claims of insensitive remarks about race and gender are totally inconsistent with my longstanding record and values.”   So far – no one on the record, no video or audio, no acusations of behavior, just unrecorded allegations characterizing conversations with adjectives like “cringeworthy” that might, might say more about a hypersensitive listener than the comment. But the Fritz Pollard Alliance, and Mike Florio, are upset. The allegations of inappropriate workplace comments made by Jets owner Woody Johnson in his capacity as the U.S. ambassador to Britain are not going to quickly dissipate, notwithstanding comments made by the league and the team calculated to achieve that result.   The Fritz Pollard Alliance, which “exists to champion diversity in the National Football League . . . through education and providing its membership with resources that will help them succeed at every level of the game,” has issued a joint statement on the situation from chairman Harry Carson and executive director Rod Graves.   “The Fritz Pollard Alliance is deeply troubled by allegations of insensitive remarks about race and gender made by New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson while serving abroad as a U.S. Ambassador,” Carson and Graves said in a statement issued early Thursday. “Allegations of this nature, if true, are damaging to the social fabric of our country and cannot not be tolerated. While only allegations at this point, they are serious. We call on the NFL to carefully monitor this situation and, if the allegations have merit, to take appropriate action and work toward rooting out such sentiments from the NFL community.”   The statement stops short of contending that Johnson should be forced to sell or prevented from being actively involved in the management of the team after his stint as an ambassador ends. But former L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling lost his team for racially charged comments made in a private setting. Johnson’s alleged remarks happened in a workplace setting. Sterling’s comments were recorded and indisputable; Johnson’s comments are based on accounts from those who allegedly heard them, and Johnson disputes making them.   CNN reported that Johnson, according to multiple sources, “made racist generalizations about Black men and questioned why the Black community celebrates Black History Month.” Regarding a 2018 event for Black History Month, Johnson reportedly “appeared agitated and asked if the audience would be ‘a whole bunch of Black people.’” Three unnamed sources told CNN that Johnson “argued that Black fathers didn’t remain with their families and that was the ‘real challenge.’” One source told CNN that an official who heard the comments was “stunned,” and that the incident was documented and reported. Jason Whitlock of Outkick.com defends Johnson for being punished for speaking, in some of the examples, an objective truth: Today I will not quote from the Bible. Instead, I’ll use the prophetic words of a celebrated and brilliant atheist to prove the danger of labeling New York Jets owner Woody Johnson a racist because he thinks black fatherhood is a “real challenge.”   The Fritz Pollard Alliance, the NFL racial diversity watchdog, issued a statement Wednesday stating the organization is “deeply troubled” by allegations that Johnson made insensitive remarks about race and gender while serving as U.S. ambassador to Britain.   According to CNN, the State Department investigated complaints that Johnson commented on the attractiveness of women, said women worked harder and cheaper than men, wondered why black people celebrate Black History Month and opined that the absence of black fathers in the home was a real challenge. A source told CNN that an official who overheard the black father remark was “stunned” and immediately reported the incident.   I’m “deeply troubled” that a State Department official was “stunned” by Johnson’s comment on the importance of black fathers. I don’t know a single black person unconcerned with the general state of the black family. Seventy-five percent of black children are born to unwed mothers and raised in homes with an absent father.   Johnson’s “real challenge” statement is as controversial and insensitive as observing water’s ability to produce wetness.   But somehow Johnson is being analogized to disgraced and bigoted former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. ProFootballTalk founder and NBC Sunday Night Football contributor Mike Florio, who has never hired a black contributor to his website, raised the possibility of Johnson being forced out of the NFL.   It’s Orwellian. As in George Orwell, the famous atheist writer/pundit from the 1940s. Orwell wrote the dystopian novel 1984 and popularized phrases such as thought police, thoughtcrime, Big Brother and Newspeak.   In the book 1984, Newspeak is the language invented by the totalitarian government to get people to embrace English Socialism. Newspeak reduced complete thoughts to catchphrases. It dumbed down communication. Newspeak changed the way we referred to political organizations. For example, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union became Politburo.   The goal of the language was to inhibit freedom of thought, expression and identity.   Twitter is modern-day Newspeak. “Systemic racism” has been turned into a catchphrase that news organizations dependent on Newspeak/Twitter can use to define any communication or action that might make a minority group uncomfortable.   “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” — George Orwell   By demonizing the truth and glorifying lies, the mainstream media intentionally deny black people liberty. The media limit free thought and expression. The media act as the enemy of black people.   It’s racist to regard 75 percent of black pregnancies ending in children being raised without a father in the home as a real challenge. But it’s righteous to regard less than .0001 of police encounters ending in murder as proof of systemic racism.   “Power is in tearing down human minds and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” — George Orwell   Our minds are being deconstructed by Newspeak/Twitter. We’re being programmed to desperately fight to avenge the lives of a dozen ex-cons who resisted arrest while ignoring thousands of lives taken annually by street violence, hundreds of thousands taken annually by abortion and millions of lives compromised annually by parental neglect.   Woody Johnson is the racist? What does that make the architects of modern Newspeak? What does that make the media manipulators toying daily with the emotions of black people? What does that make the New York Times?   “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” — George Orwell   The New York Times 1619 Project that reduces America’s entire narrative arc to slavery is an Orwellian rewriting of history. Every organized and unorganized civilization on the planet has history with human slavery. And every racial group has been a slave and enslaver. But we’re supposed to believe America is the lone country defined by that history.   “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” — George Orwell   Black people, we’re being set up and used. We’re pawns in a global political game. The attack on Woody Johnson is really an attack on Donald Trump. Johnson’s real crime was allegedly asking a British official about the possibility of The British Open Golf Championship being played at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland.   Johnson is a Trump supporter, and Newspeak/Twitter has reduced Trump support to “systemic racism.”  Anti-black racism is now just a political ploy used by white liberals to grab political power. It’s the Democratic Northern Strategy.   Trust me, the purple-haired white liberals holding up Black Lives Matter signs and rioting in Portland and Seattle don’t give a f–k about black people. Those aren’t George Floyd’s friends or family members. Those are people chasing power they were denied in junior high and high school. Only a fool would think they’re going to share their new-won power.   “We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.” — George Orwell   Woody Johnson’s concern about black fatherhood makes me view him as a revolutionary ally more than a foe.

THIS AND THAT

COPING WITH CORONA Interesting – and presumably headed to the NFL. @darrenrovell Fox will be using Silver Spoon animation to put virtual crowds in the MLB ballparks, per @Ourand_SBJ. Silver Spoon can control everything from the percentage of the crowd that is wearing the home team colors to how they cheer.

THE EFFECT OF WOKENESS Kneeling is spreading to baseball’s anthems and the Boston Red Sox just put up a big Black Lives Matter sign facing the Mass Turnpike. Stephen Kruzer on what might happen if teams and leagues continue to send a political message: Major League Baseball is back today and anyone who has been reading the Briefing during the plague knows what that means to me. Baseball is far and away my favorite of all the sports, and I want to be ecstatic today. Unfortunately, tedious wokeness has invaded MLB just as it has every other sport.   The anthem kneeling that’s been infecting the NFL for a few years has spread like a cultural cancer to other sports and is threatening to permanently ruin what was once a relaxing escape for millions of Americans.   Perhaps sports fans should feel lucky simply because it took politics and the wokescolds longer to start bothering us than it did Hollywood. Movies and television have been full of cringe-worthy wokeness seemingly forever now. For the most part, we fan types have still had our favorite sports to retreat to when we wanted to avoid the madness of turning all entertainment into a political statement.   It was super fun while it lasted.   I have always despised the mixing of politics and sports. In the early Twitter days, I would spend Sundays blissfully tweeting about football, commiserating with other Steelers fans when they’d have a Mike Tomlin day, and trash-talking with other fans. On the rare occasions when someone would make something political I would launch into my “no politics and sports” rant, then usually block the person.   The peril in those days came from fans politicizing sports. We didn’t have to worry about the players much then.   Good times.   While it’s true that athletes have made political statements in the past, it was never this rampant. The huge difference this year, obviously, is that the leagues are now involving themselves. That, my friends, is very, very problematic for any number of reasons.   Just as with movies or television shows, once one political side is endorsed, at least half the audience is offended. In entertainment, the split is probably around 50/50. In sports, however, that may be even more weighted to one side, and it is not the side that’s getting all of the political love from the leagues. The politics that the pro-sports leagues are cheering on right now may be alienating more than half of their audiences, especially in the NFL.   Of the four major pro-sports leagues in America, the NHL has been the least affected by the current drama. MLB — both players and the league itself — had been relatively benign until recently. The ChiCom favorite NBA has been the worst league thus far, opting to paint “Black Lives Matter” on its courts. The fear of many NFL fans is that the league is about to have a “hold my beer” woke moment.   The NFL recently announced that it would allow social justice decals on players’ helmets this season. This is the league that just a few years ago fined a player for wearing different colored shoes to honor his recently deceased mother.   Of all the major American sports, the NFL is probably taking the most risk with the league-sanctioned wokeness. There was quite a lot of backlash from fans in 2017 when the kneeling fever ran through the league like wildfire. Many, like me, just stopped watching games. I belong to a demographic that the NFL has just recently begun to win back.   They obviously don’t care.   Sports fans who just want to watch sports are obviously going to have to suffer through this season. I’m actually glad that the baseball season is going to be shorter now. The best we can hope for is that this is a phase. If it isn’t, it will be RIP sports and the COVID-cancel-riot plague year will have claimed another victim.

MOST IMPROVED According to ESPN’s experts, the Dolphins are the NFL’s most improved team. The 2020 NFL offseason was far from normal, but all 32 teams entered it with the same goal: to improve. Some teams did it better than others. Who improved the most during the past six months? Who got worse? Who is pretty much the same as when we last saw them?   We ranked all 32 teams’ net change from the end of last season to now. Keep in mind that this does not consider how good or bad a team actually is, but rather only how the roster changed since last season. Miami isn’t likely to top many lists this season, but the improvement bests the rest of the pack.   Here is our ranking of how each NFL team improved — or didn’t — during the 2020 offseason, based on votes from NFL writers Dan Graziano, Kevin Seifert, Jeremy Fowler and Mike Clay. Considerations include free-agent signings, trade acquisitions, draft selections, coaching changes and even, in some cases, long-term injuries or retirement.   1. Miami Dolphins Big additions: CB Byron Jones, QB Tua Tagovailoa, OT Austin Jackson, DE Kyle Van Noy, DE Shaq Lawson, RB Jordan Howard, RB Matt Breida, DE Emmanuel Ogbah Key losses: S Reshad Jones   When you have three first-round draft picks and spend close to $200 million in free agency, you’d better be at or near the top of this list. There were some big spends on defense, including the top prize on the cornerback market in Byron Jones and a former Patriot in Van Noy to help lead former Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense. But all of that pales in comparison to Tua mania, which gives Dolphins fans hope for the future as the team builds a roster around the former Alabama superstar QB. — Graziano   2. Cincinnati Bengals Big additions: QB Joe Burrow, WR Tee Higgins, DT D.J. Reader, CB Mackensie Alexander, CB Trae Waynes, S Vonn Bell Key losses: QB Andy Dalton, CB Darqueze Dennard, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, G John Miller   Dalton took the Bengals to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, more than anyone in the previous four decades of team history. But he slipped enough in the last four seasons that Burrow — and his higher ceiling — is an upgrade at the most important position on the field. The Bengals also revamped their secondary in a much more ambitious manner than most observers expected. — Seifert   3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Big additions: QB Tom Brady, TE Rob Gronkowski, OT Tristan Wirfs Key losses: DE Carl Nassib, DT Beau Allen, WR Breshad Perriman   The Bucs added top-shelf talent at quarterback and tight end, but this roster didn’t need a savior. Tampa Bay is well-stocked at nearly every position, and the franchise worked overtime to retain key defensive free agents Shaquil Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh. Chris Godwin, Vita Vea and Sean Murphy-Bunting are young draft picks the Bucs really like. Running back and secondary might be slight weaknesses, but there’s enough strength elsewhere to offset any issues. And as one exec told me, watch out for relative unknown Jaydon Mickens to be the next slot receiver Brady makes famous. — Fowler   4. Indianapolis Colts Big additions: DT DeForest Buckner, QB Philip Rivers, RB Jonathan Taylor, CB Xavier Rhodes, WR Michael Pittman Jr. Key losses: CB Pierre Desir, TE Eric Ebron, DE Jabaal Sheard, S Clayton Geathers   The Colts’ high grade is more a product of quality than it is quantity, especially considering that these are moves that can get Indianapolis back into contention for an AFC South title. Rivers is 38 years old but a significant upgrade over Jacoby Brissett. His line will be much better than what he had with the Chargers, and he’ll have new weapons in the form of Pittman, Taylor and tight end Trey Burton. Buckner was arguably the best player on the NFC champion 49ers’ roster last season and is a major upgrade at 3-technique. — Clay   5. Cleveland Browns Big additions: Head coach Kevin Stefanski, OT Jack Conklin, OT Jedrick Wills Jr., TE Austin Hooper Key losses: LB Joe Schobert, LB Christian Kirksey, S Damarious Randall   The Browns entered the offseason believing they needed to get better in two key areas: coaching staff and offensive tackle. The one-year Freddie Kitchens experiment didn’t even make it all the way home from the season finale, and the hope is that Stefanski can bring some calm to the proceedings. Big free-agent bucks spent on Conklin and a top-10 pick on Wills should, they hope, solve the tackle problem. Oh, and by the way, Cleveland also added another passing-game target for Baker Mayfield in Hooper, who was the top tight end in free agency. No more excuses in Cleveland. — Graziano   6. Denver Broncos Big additions: RB Melvin Gordon, G Graham Glasgow, DE Jurrell Casey, CB A.J. Bouye, WR Jerry Jeudy, WR KJ Hamler Key losses: CB Chris Harris Jr., S Will Parks, DE Derek Wolfe, C Connor McGovern   The Broncos infused their offense with a bunch of new playmakers to help Drew Lock in his first full season as a starter. A backfield of Gordon and Phillip Lindsay, and the additions of Jeudy and Hamler to a group of targets that already included Courtland Sutton, should diversify the Broncos’ offense — provided the offensive line holds up. — Seifert   7. Arizona Cardinals Big additions: WR DeAndre Hopkins, LB Devon Kennard, DE Jordan Phillips, LB Isaiah Simmons Key losses: DE Rodney Gunter, DT Zach Kerr   Hopkins instantly changes the Cardinals’ offense with his ability to work both outside and in the slot, as well as on broken plays, which are a Kyler Murray specialty. Phillips is a key add at defensive tackle, but the Cardinals could use one more piece along the defensive front to help dominant edge rusher Chandler Jones. The Cardinals had to address a defense that lacked balance and worked hard to do just that. Expect at least one more signing closer to training camp, though. More competition is necessary overall. — Fowler   8. Baltimore Ravens Big additions: DE Calais Campbell, DE Derek Wolfe, LB Patrick Queen, RB J.K. Dobbins Key losses: G Marshal Yanda, DT Michael Pierce, S Tony Jefferson, CB Brandon Carr, TE Hayden Hurst   As if already having one of the NFL’s best defenses wasn’t good enough, Baltimore added one of the league’s best linemen in Campbell, improved one of its few weak spots by drafting Queen in the first round and put the cherry on top by signing impact veteran Wolfe. Oh, and slot cornerback Tavon Young will be back from a neck injury. The big defensive moves help offset the loss of eight-time Pro Bowler Yanda. — Clay   9. Las Vegas Raiders Big additions: LB Cory Littleton, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, DT Maliek Collins, S Damarious Randall, CB Prince Amukamara, WR Henry Ruggs III, TE Jason Witten, CB Damon Arnette Key losses: S Karl Joseph, CB Daryl Worley   It’s a total overhaul on defense as Jon Gruden’s squad moves from Oakland to the desert. Of the Raiders’ 11 projected defensive starters, five were drafted in the past two years and four joined the team this year via free agency. Not a lot of change on offense, though newly signed Marcus Mariota could be the league’s most intriguing backup if Derek Carr struggles. — Graziano   10. Buffalo Bills Big additions: WR Stefon Diggs, DT Vernon Butler, DE Mario Addison, DT Quinton Jefferson, CB Josh Norman, LB A.J. Klein Key losses: DT Jordan Phillips, DE Shaq Lawson, RB Frank Gore, LB Lorenzo Alexander   The Bills swung big to acquire Diggs to provide a home run threat for quarterback Josh Allen. But the real issue is Allen, who had the NFL’s fourth-worst QBR (65.2) on passes that traveled more than 15 yards in the air. Did Allen just need a big-time receiver? Or does he need to independently improve his accuracy? — Seifert   11. New York Jets Big additions: OT George Fant, C Connor McGovern, WR Breshad Perriman, OT Mekhi Becton Key losses: WR Robby Anderson, OT Brandon Shell   GM Joe Douglas’ plan is clear: Work inside-out by rebuilding the offensive line. The league’s worst total offense had to give Sam Darnold and Le’Veon Bell a fighting chance, and this reconfiguration will feature at least four new starters. Receiver is still an issue, and though Perriman showed major growth in Tampa Bay last season, he’s not a No. 1. Expect a lot of two-tight-end sets as a result. I like that New York didn’t overreact on defense or to the Jamal Adams trade request, knowing C.J. Mosley is back to stabilize the middle and Quinnen Williams needs to make a jump. They seem intent on letting this play out in camp. — Fowler   12. Pittsburgh Steelers Big additions: TE Eric Ebron, DT Chris Wormley, G Stefen Wisniewski, WR Chase Claypool Key losses: G Ramon Foster, DT Javon Hargrave, LB Mark Barron   It’s not exactly an addition, but the Steelers will get a big boost from the return of Ben Roethlisberger, who missed all but two games last season. He’ll have new weapons in the form of Ebron and the second-rounder Claypool. Foster retired after manning one of the guard spots for nearly every one of the team’s games over the past decade. Hargrave is a tremendous player, but a stacked defense (and the arrival of Wormley) should help cover up for his departure. — Clay   13. Dallas Cowboys Big additions: Head coach Mike McCarthy, WR CeeDee Lamb, DT Gerald McCoy, CB Trevon Diggs, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DE Aldon Smith Key losses: C Travis Frederick, CB Byron Jones, DE Robert Quinn, WR Randall Cobb, DT Maliek Collins   The Cowboys have lots of questions on defense, but the loss they’ll feel the most is that of Frederick, who was an anchor on their outstanding offensive line and decided to retire this offseason. Can Joe Looney be an adequate replacement, or will they spend the season trying to find the right fit? The big move was re-signing wide receiver Amari Cooper, but Lamb falling into their laps in the first round of the draft makes only things brighter for Dak Prescott and the offense — as long as the line holds up. — Graziano   14. Tennessee Titans Big additions: LB Vic Beasley Jr., CB Johnathan Joseph, OT Dennis Kelly Key losses: OT Jack Conklin, QB Marcus Mariota, DE Jurrell Casey, RB Dion Lewis, DE Cameron Wake   The Titans’ primary offseason effort was to retain the combination that spurred them to the 2019 AFC Championship Game: quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry. The Titans signed both to multiyear deals. Kelly is a lower-priced, and perhaps less skilled, replacement for Conklin. — Seifert   15. Chicago Bears Big additions: QB Nick Foles, DE Robert Quinn, TE Jimmy Graham, OL Germain Ifedi Key losses: LB Nick Kwiatkoski, DE Nick Williams, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix   Knock Mitchell Trubisky all you want, but a maligned offensive line contributed mightily to a struggling Bears offense. Signing Ifedi and moving him to guard will help but is hardly a cure-all. The Bears need more firepower there. Foles or Trubisky will need easy throws over the middle, which means a 33-year-old Graham and second-round pick Cole Kmet must produce at tight end. Don’t discount the addition of Quinn, who can anchor one pass-rush side and make life easier for Khalil Mack. Those two with a healthy Akiem Hicks inside will be dangerous. — Fowler   16. Detroit Lions Big additions: LB Jamie Collins Sr., CB Desmond Trufant, CB Jeff Okudah, S Duron Harmon, RB D’Andre Swift, OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, DT Danny Shelton Key losses: CB Darius Slay, DT Damon Harrison, G Graham Glasgow, OT Rick Wagner, S Tavon Wilson, LB Devon Kennard   Collins, Harmon and Shelton are the latest additions to the “NFC Patriots,” after combining to play 1,856 snaps for the league’s best defense in 2019. Trufant and third overall draft pick Okudah revamp a much-improved secondary. Harrison is a big loss (literally), and the offensive line takes a hit with Vaitai in and Glasgow and Wagner out on the right side. — Clay   17. Philadelphia Eagles Big additions: CB Darius Slay, DT Javon Hargrave, WR Jalen Reagor, QB Jalen Hurts Key losses: G Brandon Brooks, S Malcolm Jenkins, OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, RB Jordan Howard, CB Ronald Darby   Not to be an interior-offensive-line nerd, but the loss of Brooks to injury could hurt the Eagles as much as or more than the loss of Frederick to retirement hurts the Cowboys. Jenkins will also be tough to replace on the back end of the defense. Reagor will have to be an instant contributor to an already underwhelming WR corps. And while Slay is surely an upgrade at cornerback, he’s going to have to be pretty amazing to justify the contract the team gave him. Philly fans … they notice these kinds of things. — Graziano   18. New York Giants Big additions: Head coach Joe Judge, CB James Bradberry, LB Blake Martinez, LB Kyler Fackrell, QB Colt McCoy, OT Andrew Thomas Key losses: QB Eli Manning, WR Cody Latimer, S Deone Bucannon   Manning’s retirement stole the headlines, but the decision to draft Thomas at No. 4 could have the biggest impact. Thomas will help settle an offensive line that allowed quarterback Daniel Jones to be sacked at a rate of 7.3% per dropback, seventh highest in the NFL last season. The Giants’ hopes for improvement in 2020 are based on the presumed improvement of Jones and the skills of new coach Judge. — Seifert   19. Washington Big additions: Head coach Ron Rivera, DE Chase Young, LB Thomas Davis Sr., CB Ronald Darby, S Sean Davis Key losses: CB Josh Norman, OT Trent Williams, G Ereck Flowers   Washington might surprise some fans with a stout front seven that will find ways to get off the field on third downs. The team is loaded with top-shelf talent up front. But the addition of a 37-year-old Davis, a Ron Rivera favorite, at linebacker feels uninspired. And on offense, neither quarterback — Dwayne Haskins or Kyle Allen — will have major firepower downfield. Tight end is thin, and Terry McLaurin, despite a big rookie year, could use an outside threat on the other side for balance. Like most Washington seasons, this one will leave you impressed and wanting more at the same time. — Fowler   20. New Orleans Saints Big additions: S Malcolm Jenkins, WR Emmanuel Sanders, C Cesar Ruiz, QB Jameis Winston Key losses: S Vonn Bell, CB Eli Apple, G Larry Warford, WR Ted Ginn Jr., LB A.J. Klein   The Saints come in slightly below average, but their offseason activity made it clear that they are in win-now mode in what will likely be Drew Brees’ final season. New Orleans re-signed or retained a majority of its key players, while Jenkins, Sanders and Ruiz are all probable upgrades on Bell, Ginn and Warford, respectively. A stacked Saints roster has a legitimate shot to be playing in Tampa Bay in February. — Clay   21. Kansas City Chiefs Big additions: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire Key losses: CB Kendall Fuller   How much really needed to change? The last time we saw this team, it was winning the Super Bowl. The biggest headline it’s made this offseason is the signing of megastar quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a contract that runs half as long as he’s been alive. Edwards-Helaire could be a fun, exciting addition to an already unstoppable offense. With Chris Jones back to anchor the front of the defense, there’s no reason to think the unchanged Chiefs can’t win the whole thing again. — Graziano   22. Los Angeles Chargers Big additions: OT Bryan Bulaga, DT Linval Joseph, CB Chris Harris Jr., QB Justin Herbert Key losses: QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Travis Benjamin, S Adrian Phillips   As they begin the eventual transition from Rivers to Herbert, the Chargers oddly signed three veteran free agents — Bulaga, Joseph and Harris — who are each 31 years old. Perhaps they wanted to load up for one run with veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor before turning the offense over to Herbert. It might be the Chargers’ best play under the circumstances of the pandemic, but it’s not easy to argue that the Chargers have a better team than they did in 2019. — Seifert   23. Atlanta Falcons Big additions: DE Dante Fowler Jr., TE Hayden Hurst, RB Todd Gurley II Key losses: TE Austin Hooper, LB Vic Beasley Jr., CB Desmond Trufant   The Falcons have little excuse this year. Nearly the entire offensive depth chart is first-round pedigree, Fowler will elevate a sagging pass-rush and injury problems should be behind them. A big question is whether the secondary holds up. Safety Keanu Neal has missed most of the last two years, and first-round pick A.J. Terrell will be expected to contribute right away at starting corner opposite Isaiah Oliver. The contracts of Ricardo Allen and Damontae Kazee (who has 10 picks the last two years) are up in 2021. — Fowler   24. Houston Texans Big additions: RB David Johnson, WR Brandin Cooks, WR Randall Cobb, DT Ross Blacklock Key losses: WR DeAndre Hopkins, DT D.J. Reader, CB Johnathan Joseph, RB Carlos Hyde, S Tashaun Gipson Sr.   Coach Bill O’Brien & Co. dropped a lot of jaws during the offseason when they shipped one of the league’s best players (Hopkins) to Arizona for a package highlighted by the Cardinals’ 28-year-old backup running back (Johnson). The loss at wideout was somewhat offset by the acquisitions of Cooks and Cobb, but second-rounder Blacklock will have his hands full trying to replace Reader, who has been one of the league’s premier interior defensive linemen in recent seasons. Houston’s defense isn’t quite as intimidating as its been in years past. — Clay   25. Carolina Panthers Big additions: Head coach Matt Rhule, QB Teddy Bridgewater, WR Robby Anderson, OT Russell Okung, DT Derrick Brown Key losses: QB Cam Newton, LB Luke Kuechly, TE Greg Olsen, G Trai Turner, DT Gerald McCoy, DE Mario Addison, CB James Bradberry, S Eric Reid   Wow. That’s a lot of changes. Just look at the first four names in the “key losses” section. The organization is in a period of transition under new coach Rhule, and the switch from Newton to Bridgewater at QB is the one that’s likely to have the most significant short-term impact. Can Teddy be a full-time starter? He’s certainly got the offensive weaponry to succeed. The loss of Kuechly to retirement creates an unfillable hole on the defensive side of the ball — the side on which the Panthers used all seven of their draft picks. — Graziano   26. San Francisco 49ers Big additions: DT Javon Kinlaw, WR Brandon Aiyuk, OT Trent Williams Key losses: WR Emmanuel Sanders, DT DeForest Buckner, OT Joe Staley   To be fair, it’s not easy to significantly improve a team that went to the Super Bowl. The 49ers did a good job finding replacements for all three of their key losses, however. If nothing else, they gave themselves an excellent chance to be as competitive in 2020 as they were in 2019. — Seifert   27. Green Bay Packers Big additions: LB Christian Kirksey, WR Devin Funchess, OT Rick Wagner Key losses: OT Bryan Bulaga, LB Blake Martinez, TE Jimmy Graham, LB B.J. Goodson   If the Packers can clean up a 26th-ranked rushing defense, that side of the ball has a chance to be special. Jaire Alexander might be a top 10 cornerback right now, playing alongside several high draft picks. The Smiths will rack up more sacks up front, and Kirksey, if healthy, can thrive under defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who helped draft him in Cleveland in 2014. The lack of offensive playmaking is a yearly discussion — Aaron Rodgers has to make the pieces fit, once again — but don’t be surprised if Funchess produces. He is two years removed from an eight-touchdown season in Carolina. — Fowler   28. New England Patriots Big additions: QB Cam Newton, S Adrian Phillips, DT Beau Allen, LB Josh Uche, S Kyle Dugger Key losses: QB Tom Brady, LB Kyle Van Noy, LB Jamie Collins Sr., S Duron Harmon, DT Danny Shelton, TE Ben Watson, OT Marshall Newhouse, C Ted Karras, K Stephen Gostkowski, WR Phillip Dorsett II   The loss of a six-time Super Bowl champion and three-time league MVP at quarterback cannot be understated, but that’s not where the story ends for New England’s roster turnover. Van Noy, Collins, Harmon and Shelton combined to play 2,622 regular-season snaps for a team carried by its dominant defense last season. They’ll be replaced by rookies (Uche, Dugger and Anfernee Jennings) and journeymen (Allen, Phillips and Brandon Copeland). Watson, Newhouse, Dorsett and Karras all played at least 450 offensive snaps last season, though David Andrews’ return to health offsets the latter. — Clay   29. Jacksonville Jaguars Big additions: CB CJ Henderson, LB K’Lavon Chaisson, LB Joe Schobert, TE Tyler Eifert, WR Laviska Shenault Jr. Key losses: DE Calais Campbell, QB Nick Foles, WR Marqise Lee, CB A.J. Bouye, DT Marcell Dareus   This ranking could actually get worse if the Jags end up losing franchise player Yannick Ngakoue, who has said he wants a trade out of Jacksonville. The Jags are turning the offense over to new coordinator Jay Gruden and second-year QB Gardner Minshew II, but the biggest questions are about what’s left of a once-dominant defense that’s bleeding star power. — Graziano   30. Seattle Seahawks Big additions: TE Greg Olsen, LB Bruce Irvin, OL Cedric Ogbuehi, WR Phillip Dorsett II, CB Quinton Dunbar Key losses: OL Germain Ifedi, OT George Fant   The Seahawks did re-sign defensive tackle Jarran Reed, and some of this analysis is based on the continued uncertainty around free-agent pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney. But Dunbar was arrested on armed robbery charges, and Olsen’s age (35) and injury history have him projected as a part-time contributor. — Seifert   31. Minnesota Vikings Big additions: DT Michael Pierce, WR Justin Jefferson, CB Jeff Gladney Key losses: WR Stefon Diggs, CB Trae Waynes, DT Linval Joseph, LB Stephen Weatherly, CB Mackensie Alexander, CB Xavier Rhodes   The Vikings are gambling on an infusion of young talent to offset the loss of serious veteran personnel. But Minnesota has enough cornerstones on the roster to get away with it. Diggs wanted out and had to go. A healthy Adam Thielen should have a monster year, and Jefferson is a threat from the slot or outside. Several NFL executives love the Pierce signing and feel he’s an upgrade inside. The biggest question lies at cornerback, where Gladney has to produce in a hurry, because the other projected starter, Mike Hughes, has battled neck issues. The Vikings are putting a lot of stress on the safety tandem of Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris to get a young secondary organized. — Fowler   32. Los Angeles Rams Big additions: DT A’Shawn Robinson, LB Leonard Floyd, RB Cam Akers, WR Van Jefferson Key losses: RB Todd Gurley II, WR Brandin Cooks, S Eric Weddle, LB Cory Littleton, DE Dante Fowler Jr., CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, LB Clay Matthews   The Rams enter 2020 without three of their top four defensive players (and five of their top eight) in terms of 2019 snaps. The losses leave the cap-strapped Rams with holes and/or major depth issues at edge rusher, linebacker and cornerback. Gurley is coming off a rough year but has scored 20 more touchdowns from scrimmage than any other NFL player over the past five seasons. Losing Cooks leaves Sean McVay, who’s heavy on the “11” personnel package, with his shakiest wide receiver corps since his arrival. – Clay.