The Saints and the Dolphins are cited as being compliant to the desires of the NFL in terms of vaccination.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Saints head coach Sean Payton said recently that he is confident that the team would reach the threshold of 85 percent of players fully vaccinated and a report on Thursday indicates he had good reason to feel that way.

Albert Breer of SI.com reports and PFT has confirmed that the Saints are one of two teams that have 85 percent of their players either fully vaccinated or on the way to reaching that status. The Dolphins are the other team in that category.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said this week that he didn’t know the exact percentage of the team’s players that have been vaccinated, but said “what I understand we’re tops in the league in terms of this process.” Based on Thursday’s report, the Steelers wouldn’t be at the very top of the list but word this week was that there are three teams with 70 or more players with at least one dose of the vaccine.

Teams that have 85 percent of their players fully vaccinated are expected to have relaxed protocols this summer and during the season, although the full nature of those relaxations have not been announced. The league did announce that there will be much greater restrictions on unvaccinated players than their vaccinated brethren this week.

Those who resist vaccination will be tested 14 times as much as those who comply.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The training camp and preseason (and presumably regular season) protocols for the NFL and NFL Players Association will result in daily testing for players who have not been fully vaccinated. For players who have been fully vaccinated, the frequency of testing will be dramatically reduced.

According to the NFL, fully vaccinated players will be tested only once every 14 days.

That’s it. Once every two weeks. So in a five-month season from training camp until the end of the regular season, a vaccinated player will be tested roughly 11 times. A non-vaccinated player will be tested at least 150 times.

Players who haven’t been vaccinated and who don’t intend to be vaccinated may not like this, but that’s the practical impact of being vaccinated. Setting aside all other benefits to those who have chosen to receive the shot(s), players who have received the vaccination won’t have a swab jammed up their noses every day, every day. Every. Day.

That surely will cause any non-vaccinated players who are on the fence to go ahead and get stuck once or twice between now and late July, in order to avoid getting tested repeatedly.

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

“One plan” is the mantra from Coach Matt LaFleur on his intentions moving forward no matter who might be the quarterback.  Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com:

When the Green Bay Packers return for training camp next month, it will be with one approach.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love at quarterback.

“We’ll have one plan,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Thursday in his last scheduled press conference before training camp. “We’ve kind of pretty much laid that out. Just going to fine-tune some things over the next few weeks in terms of the logistics of our schedule and whatnot. We’ve got what we feel is a pretty good blueprint in terms of how to get our guys ready to play. Obviously, it is a little bit different this year in terms of the number of preseason games and then you compare it to last year, so you’re kind of leaning back on the 2019 season. We feel confident with what we’ll have in place with the guys. We’ll look forward to getting them back July 27.”

The Packers don’t know if Rodgers will end his holdout and return to the team after an offseason in which he’s stayed away from all team activities.

He hasn’t denied any of the reports, which began with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting in April that Rodgers is so disenfranchised that he doesn’t want to play for the Packers again. His only public comments indicated his beef is with management.

Meanwhile, LaFleur dedicated the offseason to Love, who took the majority of the snaps in OTAs and last week at minicamp.

“It’s the same message it’s been all the time is you’re only one play away, so you always have to prepare like you’re the starter,” LaFleur said when asked what his message was to Love at the end of the offseason program. “And just to be very intentional about the work that you put in, to go out there with a purpose. To be mindful and in the moment. Every rep for him is so critical, whether it’s on air, on his own or it’s with us in 11-on-11 situations and he’s getting that constant coaching. And I think he’s done a great job of embracing just the whole situation, embracing learning from every rep.

“One thing we talked about after Tuesday’s practice is, ‘Hey man, you’re going to have some great days and you’re going to have some days that aren’t as great. And you’ve got to be able to ride that wave. You’re never too high, you’re never too low and just making sure that you learn from each and every rep.’ And I think he’s done a really good job of that.”

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

The Ravens are waiving an immense amount of compensation at QB LAMAR JACKSON, so they are confident he won’t cause problems like QB DAK PRESCOTT did in Dallas. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Lamar Jackson will get a long-term deal with the Ravens at some point. But until the contract is signed, sealed and delivered, the quarterback, General Manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh will receive questions about the extension.

So when are the Ravens going to complete a deal with Jackson?

Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports the Ravens consider Jackson’s extension “priority No. 1 and are aiming to get it done prior to training camp before moving on to several other orders of business.”

Harbaugh called an extension for Jackson a “done deal,” meaning the sides will come to terms at some point in the near future, and insists ongoing talks won’t affect the former NFL MVP.

“Look what he’s done. He’s going to get paid. He knows that,” Harbaugh said. “The question becomes: What’s he going to do? What’s his legacy going to be as a quarterback? That’s what he focuses on. That’s what’s so great about him. The other thing is a done deal.”

Jackson, 24, continues to shrug off questions about his contract. Jackson is scheduled to make $1.771 million in base salary this season and $23.106 million under the fifth-year option in 2022.

A new deal will make Jackson one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

“I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not really focused on that right now,” Jackson said when asked whether he preferred a deal before training camp. “I’m focused on getting me a Super Bowl. I’m focused on getting better. I’m focused on working with my teammates right now.”

Jackson’s “agent” or “manager” is Felicia Jones, his mother.  We found this aomamama.com from back in January:

She might not be a celebrity, but the NFL star Lamar Jackson’s fans know his mom Felicia Jones as the ultimate momager of the sports world. The mother and son are constantly in the public eye and yet they live a super-private life.

Sources close to the duo say that Jones has her son’s best interest at heart. She famously replaced a traditional agent to become his son’s representative during the NFL draft process.

No one really knew how that would work out, but Jackson got selected in the first round by the Ravens. Jones always knew her son had what it takes to be a quarterback and she would not have it any other way.

When Jackson played for the Louisville Cardinals, someone on the coaching staff decided to ask him to field a punt. They were struggling to find a punt returner at the time and Jackson seemed to be a great fit.

Soon the practice ended and the members of the coaching staff got a call from Jones. She was not happy to see her son as a punt returner. The team’s head coach had assured her that her son would only be a quarterback.

Jackson once told ESPN that his mother was an athlete and used to play basketball.

From that day on, Jackson did not go back as a punt return in practice. Much of the narrative is in the shadows since the mother and son duo are pretty tight-lipped about their personal life. Here, we have compiled 5 fast facts about Jones.

SHE IS A FIERCE MOMAGER

Instead of hiring an agent for the NFL pre-draft, Jones decided to become her son’s manager. At first, it was reported that she was his acting agent, but Jackson confirmed during an interview that she was his manager.

Jackson did not want an agent because he did not want them to take a cut off his first contract. He felt like he deserved his paycheck since he had worked pretty hard to get there.

SHE’S JACKSON’S FAVORITE COACH

In an article for The Player’s Tribune, Jackson called his mother the best coach he has ever had. He did not just say that because Jones looked out for him, but because she made him a better player.

SHE PLAYED FOOTBALL WITH HER SONS

Jackson once told ESPN that his mother was an athlete and used to play basketball. She would also play football with her sons in an effort to make them tougher by challenging them, and clearly, it worked.

SHE’S A SINGLE MOM

When Jackson was merely 8 years old, he reportedly lost his father to a heart attack. Previous reports said that he died in a car accident, but since Jackson does not have much memory of him, no one really knows what the truth is.

SHE IS JACKSON’S IDOL

Jones and her son have been through some tough times in life. One might think that she is too controlling, but according to sources, that is far from the truth. She and Jackson are just used to doing things together.

With a strong mother by his side, Jackson learned how to own up to difficult situations and stay strong. Even when things do not go his way, he remembers what it was like for his mother and carries on.

PITTSBURGH

Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review checks in with QB DWAYNE HASKINS who is now a Steeler:

Dwayne Haskins has never whistled a football through a car wash – like Ben Roethlisberger recently wondered – to see whether it would get wet.

The metaphor, though, could be an apt description of Haskins’ young NFL career.

After his two-year experience in Washington left him covered with dirt on the exterior, Haskins is looking forward to brushing off the grime and getting a cleansing experience with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers are affording a fresh start to Haskins, who is one of four quarterbacks competing for one of three jobs on the 53-man roster.

“Just coming here to Pittsburgh I want to prove to the coaching staff and teammates how much I love football, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here,” Haskins said Thursday. “Show my mind is in the right place, that I’m willing to work and show my talents and work to earn a spot here.”

Haskins’ interview on the final day of mandatory minicamp represented his first public comments since he signed with the Steelers on Jan. 21 – little more than three weeks after Washington cut the former first-round draft choice following several violations of covid-19 protocol.

Haskins didn’t speak negatively of his experience in Washington or his relationship with coach Ron Rivera, who recently said he regretted anointing Haskins as his starter before the 2020 training camp. Haskins was benched four starts into the season and sat for eight consecutive games before he resurfaced for three games late in the year.

“It’s all about perception,” Haskins said when asked whether he got a bad rap. “Things were taken the way they were taken. I can’t go back and change it or tell people what really happened or how it was. It’s in the past now. I have to make sure I’m doing what I can looking forward.”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was willing to take a chance on the strong-armed Haskins, who is 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and is still just 24 years old.

Conversations, though, have focused more on life and less than football, Tomlin admitted.

“I’m more concerned about Dwayne the person, kind of getting to know him and getting an understanding of what he’s been through and how that’s shaped him, affected him positively and negatively, how it’s affected the growth and development of his game.

“I think more than anything Dwayne and I are just trying to get to know one another. I think it starts there, and then we can focus on some things relative to the game itself.”

In Washington, Haskins didn’t flash the potential he showed at Ohio State – he finished third in the 2018 Heisman Trophy voting — when he emerged as the No. 15 overall pick of the 2019 draft class. He was a favorite of Washington owner Dan Snyder, but he underwent a coaching change after his rookie season with Rivera taking charge.

Haskins lost his final five starts, and he was 3-10 in two seasons. He threw seven interceptions and just one touchdown in his final five games and was benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke in a Week 16 loss to Carolina.

He was released the following day.

“I was for sure humbling,” Haskins said. “I don’t want to get into it as far as how things went down.”

The week prior to his release, photos surfaced of Haskins attending a large birthday party gathering without a mask, a violation of covid-19 policies. Because it was his second violation of covid-19 protocols, Haskins was fined $40,000 and stripped of the captaincy he was given in training camp.

“I want to let the past go,” he said. “The person Dwayne is I didn’t feel was highlighted enough. I’m a person that takes time to learn to know people and be a great teammate. I want to be able to take the time to learn from the coaches and show my love of football.”

With the Steelers, Haskins is guaranteed of nothing aside from a chance to compete with Joshua Dobbs for the third spot on the roster behind Roethlisberger and backup Mason Rudolph. Haskins knows Dobbs from college and spent part of the offseason working out with Rudolph. Haskins also was a regular attendee of the three-week organized team activities that preceded minicamp.

It was during OTAs that Roethlisberger marveled at Haskins’ mechanics, prompting the 18th-year veteran to say that his new teammate could chuck a football through a car wash without it getting wet.

“I definitely did see that,” Haskins said. “Whenever I was seven years old, Ben won the Super Bowl. I tell him all the time how old he is.”

THIS AND THAT

THE MADDEN COVER

Michael Rothstein on how QBs TOM BRADY and PATRICK MAHOMES came to share the cover of this year’s Madden:

The last time the NFL played a game, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes were on opposite sidelines in Super Bowl LV. Now, before the 2021 season kicks off, those quarterbacks will be together again — on the latest Madden cover.

Mahomes and Brady are sharing the cover of Madden 22, the EA Sports video game that has become part of the NFL culture. It’s the first time two players are on the game’s front in more than a decade.

“Whenever you first get on the cover, that’s a special moment,” Mahomes told ESPN. “So to be on it again, twice, with an all-time great like Tom Brady, it’s a special moment that I’m glad that I’m able to do so soon after I had done it the first time.

“I’ll be able to have it for the rest of my life and be able to show my kids and my kids’ kids that I was on it two times.”

Mahomes was first on the cover of Madden 20. Brady’s first cover — despite all his years in the NFL as one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game — came in Madden 18. Now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks are the first players on the same cover since Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu in Madden 10.

Mahomes was a kid growing up playing Madden when Fitzgerald and Polamalu were on the cover. Brady was in the league, almost a decade into his certain Hall of Fame career. Still, being on the cover is “surreal” for Brady, who grew up in San Mateo, California, near where the Electronic Arts studios used to be located.

One of Brady’s neighbors as a kid worked at EA, and he used to play basketball near their offices. Just being in the vicinity of the game he grew up playing — never thinking he would be on the cover — was a thrill.

“To think that now, almost 30 years later, 25 years later, since the mid-’90s, here I am representing EA on the cover of Madden with one of the other great players in the NFL right now,” Brady told ESPN. “And just thinking how fortunate I’ve become over the years to put myself in this position to have these experiences in my life that I’m very grateful for.

“So it’s a really cool thing. It’s definitely a huge honor, and getting to do it with Patrick and the career he’s had has been exceptional.”

Brady and Mahomes met in Tampa, Florida, one day to get the cover shoot done. Both were recovering from injuries — Brady had knee surgery, Mahomes foot surgery — so Brady said, “It wasn’t like it was a skills competition out there,” but it was enjoyable for the two to spend time together.

Mahomes said he asked Brady various questions, and Brady, entering his 22nd season, offered a couple of tips about how he worked and has continued to play as long as he has. They talked about how to build winning teams consistently and the preparation it takes to be able to perform at the levels they have.

It was football talk between two of the best to ever do it, with Brady seeing it as a way to pay it forward.

“For me at my age, I’ve seen a lot of great players kind of come and go, and he’s definitely not one that is the type to come and go,” Brady said. “I think he’s going to be around for a while, and I think it’s about how can people maximize their opportunity for what they want in their life and any way that I can give them some tips that they might be able to use.”

And this from Rothstein on the duo’s actual experiences with the iconic game:

Patrick Mahomes spent hours in the game room in the back of the house he grew up in, trying over and over to figure out how to do the thing he couldn’t: beat his dad.

This wasn’t in a real-life competition, but rather a virtual one. Mahomes and his father, Pat, would play EA Sports’ Madden video game franchise often, and as much as he tried, the future Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Madden 20 and 22 cover athlete couldn’t win.

“My dad used to beat me with Randy Moss and Daunte Culpepper and the Vikings,” Mahomes told ESPN during an interview about his selection as a Madden 22 cover athlete. “He would just throw like, just, bombs for touchdowns, and I would be like crying in the game room.

“It was a lot of fun, and I always used to try to get better when I played it, and I still play to this day.”

Mahomes, a Dallas Cowboys fan as a kid, tried using every team to beat his father but with little success. He even tried using the team of fellow cover athlete Tom Brady, who has had his own Madden adventures. Using Brady or anyone else, Mahomes would log hour after hour practicing the game, but Culpepper-to-Moss was unstoppable.

Playing also taught Mahomes some of the basics of football, helping him understand different routes and formations. The game has evolved since those days, but Mahomes still plays and, when he can, he’ll use himself and the Chiefs. And when he is the Chiefs, he often imparts his father’s old strategy: Mahomes-to-Tyreek Hill can be as crushing as Culpepper-to-Moss.

Often, he’ll play teammates. But the gamer he is, sometimes he’ll jump online and just play random people who have no idea they are facing a guy who is actually a 99 overall in last year’s game.

“I definitely do for sure,” Mahomes said. “I’m not giving out my gamer tag or anything like that, but I’ll play online every once in a while.

“For the most part I usually play guys on the team, and I’ll tell you what, there are guys on the team that are the real deal. I get my butt beat sometimes, but I try to hang in there.”

Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are the first pair of Madden cover athletes since Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu for the 2010 edition. Courtesy EA Sports

Brady — Mahomes’ cover counterpart for Madden 22 — doesn’t lose at much. But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback can share in Mahomes’ feeling of not winning at Madden. Not by playing random opponents online. But by playing his children.

Like Mahomes, Brady played Madden against friends as a kid. He also loved playing the old NCAA Football games. And when his kids were old enough, he introduced them to Madden.

At first, he would beat them.

“And now I have zero chance,” Brady told ESPN. “I mean, it’s not even close. Unfortunately, they don’t even want to play with me much anymore. You know, they’d rather just play with their friends, but yeah, they are definitely into it and I still have fun playing it.”

When Brady plays now, he uses guys he knows. His kids will sometimes play as virtual Brady, but Brady said sometimes they choose to use Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Mahomes instead. And when Brady is playing with them, he will commandeer his virtual self before they can.

As he plays, he notices things that are incredibly realistic and some things that are less so. But it has grown a lot from when he first started playing multiple generations of consoles ago.

Like many parents, Brady tried to limit the amount of time his kids played games. But then his kids’ friends were on so much he had no choice but to relent a bit.

TOP OFFSEASONS

Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com looks at the 10 teams that did the best job this offseason.

The NFL offseason is kicking into high gear. Minicamps are wrapping up, and training camps are on the horizon. Before long, real games will be upon us. A lot can still happen between now and then, especially if another blockbuster deal goes down (we’re looking at you, Aaron Rodgers). But for the most part, teams have their respective core pieces in place for September. Which of the 32 teams, then, currently stand above the rest? Which clubs have fared the best up to this point?

We’re glad you asked. Here’s how we’d rank the top 10 offseasons by team heading into the summer:

10. Indianapolis Colts

Key additions: QB Carson Wentz, OT Eric Fisher

Key rookies: DE Kwity Paye

This all hinges on Wentz. It’s unlikely he’ll revert to 2017 MVP-caliber form, but it’s also unlikely he’ll be nearly as self-destructive as he was in 2020. Either way, all things considered, the Colts deserve props for the way they seamlessly filled a void at the game’s most important position. Without mortgaging the future, they managed to get coach Frank Reich’s handpicked pupil at QB, perhaps ensuring their playoff ceiling is even higher than with Philip Rivers. As long as the line holds up, Wentz should be improved and the Colts should be right in the thick of the AFC race.

9. Tennessee Titans

Key additions: WR Julio Jones, WR Josh Reynolds, DE Denico Autry, OLB Bud Dupree, CB Janoris Jenkins

Key rookies: OT Dillon Radunz, CB Caleb Farley

Before landing Jones, the Titans’ offseason was just fine — if not concerning. By letting both Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith walk, they threatened to undermine their own offensive balance. Julio, however, is that big of an addition. Opposite A.J. Brown, he reinforces the Titans’ commitment to toughness and instantly boosts Ryan Tannehill’s stock. Autry and Dupree, meanwhile, are probably a bit underrated despite their price tags. They should help make up for a weaker secondary and keep Tennessee squarely in the AFC South mix, so long as Derrick Henry also holds up.

8. Buffalo Bills

Key additions: QB Mitchell Trubisky, RB Matt Breida, WR Emmanuel Sanders

Key rookies: DE Gregory Rousseau, DE Carlos Basham Jr.

This was not a splashy offseason for Buffalo; certainly not on par with 2020 when Stefon Diggs was the big catch. But the Bills were already built to contend. Their latest additions are like cherries on the sundae. Trubisky is a perfect fit as Josh Allen’s new backup, Breida is another low-risk, high-reward reserve, and Sanders is exactly the kind of savvy complement to Diggs and Gabriel Davis they needed after losing John Brown. Beefing up the pass-rushing rotation should bode well for them down the stretch, too.

7. Los Angeles Rams

Key additions: QB Matthew Stafford, WR DeSean Jackson

Key rookies: WR Tutu Atwell, LB Ernest Jones

If you look at all their moves individually, their offseason was just OK. Even the notable names here — Jackson, Atwell, etc. — are risky gambles, considering both receiver additions are either small, injury-prone or both. But the impact of the QB cannot be overstated, and the Rams somehow not only dumped the albatross that was Jared Goff’s contract but also landed a perennial top-12ish talent in Stafford. We must be careful not to over-hype Stafford’s ceiling considering how often he was good, not great, in Detroit. But in this system, with the Rams’ weapons, he’s bound to do well — if not guide Los Angeles to a serious playoff run as long as the O-line stays intact.

6. Minnesota Vikings

Key additions: DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Sheldon Richardson, CB Patrick Peterson, CB Bashaud Breeland

Key rookies: QB Kellen Mond, OT Christian Darrisaw, LB Chazz Surratt

We’re not going to argue if you put a cap on their ceiling so long as Kirk Cousins is under center, but it’s hard to find much wrong with what Minnesota did in prep for a potential make-or-break year at QB. Mond may not challenge until 2022, but his presence should at least motivate Cousins. Better yet, the defense feels like a safe bet to return to form. Tomlinson and Richardson instantly improve the D-line alongside a healthier Danielle Hunter, and both Peterson and Breeland bring stability to a young secondary. Do we smell an NFC sleeper?

5. Washington Football Team

Key additions: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR Curtis Samuel, WR Adam Humphries, CB William Jackson III

Key rookies: WR Dyami Brown, OT Samuel Cosmi, LB Jamin Davis

There are red flags with Fitzpatrick: He’ll be 39 by December, he hasn’t played a full season since 2015, and he’s just as prone to turnovers as jaw-dropping scores. So is he guaranteed to return Washington to the playoffs? No. But you can’t do much better if you’re trying to capitalize on a short window. Fitz is a clear upgrade on Alex Smith, and both Brown and Samuel should be versatile complements to Terry McLaurin. Jackson and Davis also figure to be key starters on Ron Rivera’s stingy defense.

4. Kansas City Chiefs

Key additions: OT Orlando Brown Jr., OG Joe Thuney, DT Jarran Reed

Key rookies: C Creed Humphrey, LB Nick Bolton

It would’ve been nice to see the reigning AFC champions pull off another Clyde Edwards-Helaire (i.e. adding a new luxury weapon). But they had one priority after the Super Bowl: improve Patrick Mahomes’ protection. Even if one or two of their additions up front doesn’t pan out, they’re already better off than they were. Acquiring Brown via trade was a creative way to fill the long-term left tackle need. The only thing they could really use is more pass-rushing help, as evidenced by their attempt to use Chris Jones on the edge.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

Key additions: TE Jared Cook, C Corey Linsley

Key rookies: OT Rashawn Slater, CB Asante Samuel Jr.

It remains to be seen how first-time coach Brandon Staley will fare, especially considering he’s got a defensive background and will be tasked with shepherding one of the game’s top young QBs in Justin Herbert. But the Chargers got better in all the right places, adding a long-term blind-side blocker and All-Pro center for their hotshot signal-caller, an underrated safety valve in Cook, and a promising play-maker at corner in Samuel. As long as Herbert stays upright and Staley’s touch resonates with the talent on “D,” they have the makings of a sneaky challenger.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Key re-signings: RB Leonard Fournette, WR Chris Godwin, WR Antonio Brown, TE Rob Gronkowski, DT Ndamukong Suh, OLB Shaquil Barrett

Key rookies: OLB Joe Tryon

Like the Chiefs, it would’ve been nice to see a luxury addition here, or at least more luxurious than Giovani Bernard. But goodness, you couldn’t have asked for a better follow-up to a title run than a welcome-back party for literally every core free agent from the Super Bowl lineup. The best part about Tampa’s cap finagling is that guys like Godwin and Barrett aren’t just short-term ingredients, either. It helps that the Bucs have also drafted and developed really well to supplement the veteran additions.

1. Cleveland Browns

Key additions: DE Jadeveon Clowney, DT Malik Jackson, CB Troy Hill, S John Johnson III

Key rookies: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, CB Greg Newsome II

The pendulum has officially swung all the way from “laughingstock” to “powerhouse,” or at least close to it. Yes, the Browns still need to prove themselves deep into the playoffs, but their roster was already incredibly balanced going into the offseason. Then they loaded up on defense, where Clowney’s presence alone should aid Myles Garrett and guys like Hill and Johnson should bring confidence to a young and oft-banged-up secondary. Cleveland aced the test and still has plenty of cap space. This team, complete with a healthier Kevin Stefanski offense, is primed to contend not only for the AFC North but beyond it.

Honorable mention

New York Giants: GM Dave Gettleman actually delivered on his promise to give QB Daniel Jones more play-makers (WR Kenny Golladay was a smart, if expensive, gamble), and his draft-day maneuvering was solid as well. But Jones is still set to start behind an iffy offensive line in a crucial year three. You also can’t rely too much on the health of additions like Kadarius Toney or Adoree’ Jackson.

Denver Broncos: They certainly doubled down on their commitment to feisty defensive football. Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby and Patrick Surtain II give them a deep cornerback room. Teddy Bridgewater also raises their floor at QB. Unless another shoe is set to drop under center or Drew Lock takes a seismic leap, however, they’re destined for a wild-card hunt, at best.

Miami Dolphins: Adding both Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle should help expand Tua Tagovailoa’s scope, but they shuffled parts on defense without necessarily getting much better. Now star corner Xavien Howard is reportedly unhappy with his deal, too.

Chicago Bears: They moved up for QB Justin Fields, so that’s certainly something. But they’re also inexplicably adamant about stopgap Andy Dalton’s hold on the No. 1 job. Worse yet, their depth at WR, OL and CB is still lacking. Fields could certainly change their entire franchise if he explodes onto the scene, but it’s tough to give this regime the benefit of the doubt.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Only because of Trevor Lawrence.

TOP 10 TIGHT ENDS

And here are the top 10 tight ends per Jordan Dejani of CBSSports.com:

The tight end position is one of the most interesting positions in the game of football. On certain downs they are expected to be a physical run blocker. On others, they are expected to serve as the security blanket for quarterbacks who can’t get a good look at their receivers downfield. Still, on other plays, they are expected to be a playmaker who can catch a 50-50 ball 20 yards down the field.

Tight ends don’t get the credit that they deserve, so a few of them have created “Tight End U,” which is expected to be an annual meeting of the minds in Nashville, Tennessee with the greatest tight ends in the world. They want to further the position, and the NFL world has definitely started to realize how important a good tight end is to an offense. Below, we will rank the top 10 tight ends in the NFL when it comes to their outlook this season. We factor in their abilities as an athlete, a blocker and of course how dynamic they are in the passing game. Some names may surprise you this year, so let’s go ahead and jump in.

10. Mike Gesicki

Gesicki is an up-and-coming star in this league, and he put up career numbers across the board in 2020 with 53 receptions for 703 yards and six touchdowns. He also had the longest reception of any tight end in the NFL last year, with a 70-yard gain off a double move against the San Francisco 49ers. Additionally, he showed off the ability to make tough catches, and incredible one-handed grabs.

One weakness Gesicki has had to deal with is blocking, and it’s something that we have to address as we break down the best tight ends in the NFL because it’s in their job description. Still, it’s an aspect of the game that he has improved on as time has gone on, and his home-run hitting ability makes up for it. While the Miami Dolphins added some speedsters on the outside such as Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle, that could actually open up the middle of the field for Gesicki in 2021. He also has proven very effective from the slot, so Miami can move him around wherever they’d like.

9. Hunter Henry

We struggled in deciding which New England Patriots tight end would make this list, but we opted to take the player who has consistently been one of the best players at his position — even though Jonnu Smith is an intriguing weapon. Henry has struggled with injury issues in the past, but also has proven to be a dangerous weapon in many different situations. He caught a career-high 60 passes for 613 yards and four touchdowns in 2020, and now will be coached by Bill Belichick, who knows a little something about how to get the most out of star tight ends. Henry ranked fifth in receptions per game for tight ends, and was a top 10 tight end when it came to fantasy points per game last year. I would expect that to again be the case in 2021.

8. Noah Fant

Fant is going to be a star in this league, and should be higher on this list when we publish our 2022 edition. Just 23 years old, he caught a career-high 62 passes for 673 yards and three touchdowns last season. He was top 10 in targets per game and receiving yards per game among all tight ends, and came in at No. 7 among all at his position with 62 catches. Even while the Denver Broncos made it a point to try to get the ball to rookie wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in 2020, Fant led the Broncos in receptions and in YAC as well with 372 yards. While he works well underneath, you can never rule him out downfield or for the Broncos to mix things up and get him in the open field on a screen.

Some may be wary of Fant because of the Broncos’ quarterback situation, but it’s also possible this could help him. Fant will serve as both a security blanket for either Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater, and also someone offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will use as a focal point in his scheme.

“A lot of people look at that as a negative, like it’s going to be hard to get people the ball or things like that,” Fant said about the Broncos weapons, via The Denver Post. “But Pat (Shurmur) does a great job with spreading the ball around. Those guys on the outside of me are going to open me up so much more than if it was just me trying to get open by myself.”

7. Dallas Goedert

Goedert is seen as a solid tight end by NFL fans, but he may have a chance to explode in 2021. The biggest reason for this is Zach Ertz, who appears to be on his way out of town. The 30-year-old has been a legendary member of the Philadelphia Eagles for the last eight seasons, but it’s time for Goedert to take over. In fact, if you’re a fantasy football fan, Goedert is already a top 10 tight end, as he finished No. 9 when it came to points per game. He also came in fifth among all tight ends with 47.64 receiving yards per game, and that figure could grow in 2021.

Another reason Goedert comes in at No. 7 on our list is his blocking ability. He takes that aspect of his game seriously, and can impact matchups even when he’s not running routes. Goedert isn’t the fastest tight end or the most athletic, but he has great size and continues to find ways to get open and make life easier on his quarterback.

6. Mark Andrews

If Lamar Jackson didn’t have Andrews to throw to, we may think of him very differently as a quarterback. In Jackson’s MVP campaign, Andrews led the Baltimore Ravens in receiving with 852 yards and 10 touchdowns on 64 receptions. While Marquise Brown was Baltimore’s leading receiver this past season, Andrews was by far the more consistent target, and still caught 58 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns.

While the Ravens added some wide receivers to help Jackson in 2021, it will be up to the quarterback to accurately get them the ball. According to ESPN, Jackson ranked 19th in attempted throws 20 yards or longer downfield (45) and 24th in completion rate on those passes (37.8%) last season. We haven’t seen Jackson be able to hurt teams downfield on a consistent basis, but the versatile Andrews will always be there working the middle of the field.

5. T.J. Hockenson

Hockenson is not a household name just yet, but that could change very soon. The Detroit Lions weren’t fun to watch in 2020, but in his first full season, Hockenson caught 67 passes for 723 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked fourth among all tight ends in receptions, third in yards and tied for ninth in touchdowns. Hockenson was dangerous working the middle of the field and effective in the red zone. Additionally, he’s a solid run blocker.

Some may think Hockenson’s stock could drop a bit in 2021 considering he lost quarterback Matthew Stafford, but you have to remember the Lions downgraded in a big way at the wide receiver position. Breshad Perriman, Tyrell Williams and then maybe the rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown are going to be the top wideouts, which leaves the door open for Hockenson to be Detroit’s leading receiver in 2021. The best is yet to come for Hockenson, and he’s going to be a top tight end for years to come.

4. Kyle Pitts

I can sense the shock on your face as you read this. Pitts enters the NFL with sky-high expectations, but the thing is he’s talented enough to make that kind of impact in his first season. Pitts caught 43 passes for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games last season for the Gators. He was a unanimous All-American and was honored as the best tight end in college football with the John Mackey Award. Pitts fits the new generation of tight end, as he runs routes and makes catches like a wide receiver and possesses athleticism that will allow him to stand out immediately. He won’t be an elite blocker in his first season, but he’s a hard worker who will put in the work.

So why do I have Pitts so high on this list? I feel like the Atlanta Falcons will make him a focal point of their offense if they used the No. 4 overall pick on him, so his receiving stats could be impressive. Atlanta also parted ways with Julio Jones, so maybe first-year head coach Arthur Smith will look to fill that hole with what Pitts can do on offense. Pitts probably won’t be able to exceed the expectations set for him or turn the Falcons around by himself, but when we take a step back following the 2021 season and examine his stats along with his highlight-reel plays, maybe it won’t be preposterous to claim he was a top five tight end in his first professional season. 

3. Darren Waller

The former wide receiver broke out in a big way during his first full season with the Oakland Raiders in 2019 with 1,145 receiving yards and three touchdowns, but he took his production to a new level in 2020. He led all tight ends in receptions with 107 and came in second with 1,196 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He came in at No. 10 overall in the NFL in receiving yards when you throw in wide receivers — one of only two tight ends. Waller has been the Raiders’ leading receiver for two seasons now, and he could make it three in 2021.

Waller also has improved as a blocker, and is dangerous when he’s charged with doing so in the open field. Anyone who is this athletic standing at 6-foot-6 is capable of really anything on offense, that’s why he’s so high on this list. When Waller is lined up on the inside and covered by a linebacker, it’s usually a mismatch due to his speed. When he’s split out wide — especially near the goal line — a cornerback will be hard-pressed to win in a jump-ball situation. Waller the walking mismatch.

2. George Kittle

Kittle is dominant as both a receiver and a blocker. A playmaker when called upon, but not above doing the dirty work to help San Francisco’s run game excel. Kittle was limited to just eight games played in 2020 due to injury, but expect a big bounce-back season. The two-time All-Pro had what was a record-breaking season for a tight end in 2018, when he caught 88 passes for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns. Kittle then caught 85 passes for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns in 2019, as he helped the 49ers get to Super Bowl LIV. An argument could be made for Kittle to come in at No. 1 on this list, but after what our next selection did in 2020, it’s hard not to tab him as the best tight end in the NFL.

1. Travis Kelce

It wasn’t the speedy Tyreek Hill, it was actually Kelce who has led the Kansas City Chiefs in receiving over the past two years. Blocking, catching, creating the big play, saving the broken play — Kelce can basically do it all. A big reason he tops our list is because he just doesn’t slow down. Even after four straight seasons of posting more than 1,000 yards receiving, Kelce turned in his best campaign ever in 2020. In 15 games last year, he caught 105 passes for a record-breaking 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns. All three figures set career highs. Kelce then took his game to another level in the postseason, as he caught 31 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns in three games. He set the record for most receptions in a conference championship game with 13, and passed Rob Gronkowski for the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single-season in NFL history including playoffs.

A pro through and through, Kelce told us this offseason he’s more motivated than ever to win a Super Bowl in 2021. So don’t expect any drop-off.