The Daily Briefing Thursday, June 2, 2022

AROUND THE NFL

In a homage to its namesake, the cover of the Madden NFL 23 video game will have one person on it: John Madden.

Madden, the Hall of Fame coach who died Dec. 28, will be on the cover of all three editions of this year’s game, which will be released in August. It’s the first time in over two decades that Madden will be the focal point of the cover, which has trended toward using current athletes.

“We were thinking about this year’s game and who was going to go on it; it almost became an obvious answer,” Seann Graddy, the executive producer of Madden NFL, told ESPN. “I say that because we really wanted to celebrate Coach in the product this year and what he’s meant to us for the 30-plus years that we’ve been using his name in our game.”

Madden last was the main cover person for the 2000 edition of the game, which was released in 1999. He appeared in a small box in the next four editions of the game with his signature and the All Madden logo off to the side of the main cover athlete before disappearing from the cover for Madden NFL 06, which featured Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

EA then pivoted to using current athletes for each year’s cover. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady shared it last year.

Graddy told ESPN that putting Madden on the cover has been discussed only for this year’s game, but said, “Anything is possible, to be honest,” about putting the former coach on the cover in the future.

The All Madden cover — one of the three covers this year — is reminiscent of the original John Madden Football, released on June 1, 1988. That cover had a young, sandy-haired Madden holding a football and making a hole through a diagram of X’s and O’s on a chalkboard with the game’s name across the top of the box.

The cover for the All Madden edition has a similar-looking young Madden holding a football busting through what appears to be a paper full of X’s and O’s. On the side of the cover, in white lettering, is “Thanks, Coach.”

Chuck Styles, a Philadelphia-based artist who has created exclusive trading cards for Topps in its Project70 release as well as many works depicting NBA players, designed the cover for the All Madden edition.

The other two covers, not created by Styles, look at Madden as a coach and a broadcaster. The broadcasting cover has Madden in a blue shirt and tie appearing to draw on a telestrator, which he was famous for in his career. The coaching cover has Madden, who coached the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, lifted up by his players after beating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI.

“The thing that we wanted everyone to take away,” Graddy said, “is that we’re celebrating all three phases of Coach Madden’s kind of legacy.”

Madden was immersed in the game from the beginning, demanding it be 11-on-11 and handing over his old playbook to game developers to create more realism. As the game grew, so did its influence on players. Many current NFL players say Madden was part of their upbringing — Detroit Lions defensive back Jeff Okudah told ESPN in 2020 that he learned football by playing Madden — and that was always a prideful point for the game’s namesake.

“That gives you the satisfaction that you’re doing something worthwhile,” Madden told ESPN in 2021. “You and everyone involved are putting in the time, and it works and influences people to not only enjoy the game but to be able to play the game.

“It helps them become better players. And I think that’s true of high school, college and the pros. There’s a real satisfaction that you see when someone brings it up.”

While many of the gameplay features for this year’s edition haven’t been announced, Graddy said the opening experience will have two versions of Madden from the 1970s coaching against each other — one leading an NFC All Madden team and one an AFC All Madden team — at the old Oakland Coliseum.

“It’s just kind of a fun fantasy experience where it’s Coach Madden vs. Coach Madden,” Graddy said. “With a callback from the All Madden teams that he used to create and that we used to have in our game, a mix of both legendary players and current-day players.

“Honestly, the thinking of why we wanted Coach vs. Coach is we want Coach to win.”

During that experience, Graddy said, there will be lines spoken by Madden interspersed throughout the commentary about some of the players on the All Madden rosters.

As part of the cover announcement, EA announced its $5 million donation to the John Madden Legacy Commitment to Education will be split, with $2.5 million going to nonprofit organizations College Track, Girls Who Code, StreetCode Academy and Mission Bit to support five years of programming in the science, technology, engineering, art and math space. The other $2.5 million will help create the EA Madden Scholarship, which will work with the United Negro College Fund to provide scholarships for students at 12 Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

WASHINGTON

Congressional Democrats are salivating at the prospect of questioning Washington owner Dan Snyder and The Commish in a public hearing.  ESPN.com:

Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have been requested to testify at a congressional hearing on June 22.

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-New York), the chairperson of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois), the chairperson of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, announced Wednesday morning the committee sent letters to both men requesting their presence at the hearing.

With its announcement, the Committee on Oversight and Reform is broadening the scope of its congressional investigation to include the league. In a statement, the June 22 hearing will also examine “the NFL’s role in setting and enforcing standards across the League, and legislative reforms needed to address these issues across the NFL and other workplaces.” The committee has been investigating the Commanders’ hostile workplace culture since October.

“The NFL really needs to answer the question of why it conducted the investigation in the way it did and why hasn’t it brought transparency as to how the investigation was conducted,” Krishnamoorthi told ESPN.

He said if they declined to testify then, “all options are on the table. Subpoena and compulsory process are options available to the committee as well.”

Krishnamoorthi said the fact that there’s a lot of public interest in this — as well as public pressure — should highlight the urgency to testify.

“It’s in their best interest to come and tell their own side of the story in a manner they would find illuminating for us,” he said. “What I find often on Capitol Hill is that when a party comes forward voluntarily as opposed to being subpoenaed, it ends up having a better chance of being able to explain the situation rather than events overtaking it.”

The NFL and the Commanders said in separate statements that they would respond to the requests “in a timely manner.”

“The NFL has cooperated extensively throughout the Committee’s lengthy investigation of the Washington Commanders, including by producing more than 460,000 pages of documents and responding to numerous questions in writing and in conversations with the Committee’s staff,” league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in a statement.

The Commanders said: “The Commanders have assisted the NFL in cooperating with all prior requests from the House Oversight and Reform Committee. We look forward to responding directly to the Committee’s invitation in a timely manner.”

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California), who is a member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform and co-chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, said in a statement that the Common Interest Agreement signed by the NFL and the Commanders before the league took over the investigation into the franchise’s culture “suggests the NFL never intended the investigation to be independent or made public.” She said she looks forward to questioning Snyder and Goodell “about this coverup” and about “harrowing testimony” the committee heard from former employees at a roundtable in February.

“It’s time to shine the light of truth on this dark, sordid cesspool that passes for a pro sports organization,” she said.

ATLANTA

The Falcons will take advantage of a new NFL rule that allows a 2^nd helmet.  Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com:

Red helmets are coming back for the Atlanta Falcons — for at least one game this season.

The franchise announced the return of the iconic helmet on Wednesday night for the Falcons’ Week 6 game against the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The red helmet — which will have a gray face mask along with a black Falcons crest logo with white trim — will be worn with the team’s throwback black jerseys with white numbers and red trim. The helmet will also be similar to the team’s original, with a black stripe down the middle trimmed in white and gold.

The Falcons said in a release that this gold-streaked design was created to honor both of the major college programs in the state, the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech.

“Can’t wait to put this one on,” Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, who grew up in Atlanta, said in a video released by the team. “Definitely, like, looking at all the throwback uniforms, this one always comes to mind. It’s very rare seeing a red helmet with the gold stripe down the middle so I can’t wait to put this one on.”

Terrell was so excited about the helmet that he said he wanted to keep the one he modeled for the team’s social media feeds and website instead of giving it back. He had already started imagining putting his visor on the helmet to complete his look.

Atlanta can wear these helmets again because of a change in NFL policy in 2021 allowing for a second piece of headgear to be worn this season. The Falcons reintroduced the red helmets with this uniform in 2009 and wore them twice per season until 2013.

SAN FRANCISCO

RB FRANK GORE, one of the greats, especially for how he endured, is going to retire as a 49er.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Longtime NFL running back Frank Gore will sign a one-day contract with the 49ers and officially announce his retirement today.

Gore had confirmed he planned to retire as a 49er this offseason, and multiple reports say the ceremonial signing will be Thursday at 1 p.m. local time at the team’s facility.

The 49ers took Gore out of Miami in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft, and he played 10 seasons in San Francisco, being selected to five Pro Bowls.

After leaving San Francisco, Gore spent three years with the Colts and one each with the Dolphins, Bills and Jets. He was the oldest running back in the NFL in his final season, in 2020.

Gore finishes his career with exactly 16,000 rushing yards, the third-most in NFL history behind only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. Gore is also the 49ers’ all-time leader in rushing yards, with 11,073 rushing yards with the 49ers.

In retirement Gore has dabbled in boxing, recently winning a professional boxing match, and he has said he would like to work for the 49ers in some capacity.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Sean McVay with a positive take on DT AARON DONALD’s contract situation.  Cameron DeSilva of Rams Wire:

A lot of attention has been paid to Aaron Donald in the last few days after his somewhat surprising comments on the “I Am Athlete” podcast recently, saying he would be “at peace” with his career if he were to retire right now. He also indicated that if he and the Rams can’t come to an agreement on a new contract, he’d be done playing football after eight seasons – which is the number of years he set out to play when he first entered the NFL.

There’s some level of concern among fans due to the Rams’ inability to extend Donald yet, but Sean McVay doesn’t sound like someone who’s worried.

“We’ve had great dialogue,” McVay said Monday. “The goal all along has been to try to get this thing figured out, but also like I’ve said, if there’s anybody that’s earned the right to make the decision on their own terms after what he’s done, what he’s meant to me, to our team, it’s Aaron. Things are trending in the right direction. None of that is new news. We have regular dialogue with Aaron and the goal is to figure out how to get a contract done that he feels good about, that we feel good about and have him continue to do his thing for the Rams leading the way.”

Donald hasn’t been in attendance at organized team activities, which are completely voluntary. He’s not required to be there, and he’s not the only player skipping these workouts.

But when asked if Donald will be at mandatory minicamp next week, McVay said “I think so.”

“That’s the plan right now. So we’ll see. I sure hope so, so I don’t have to answer your questions next week about it,” McVay joked. “No, I think he’ll be here. That’s the plan.”

Donald still has three years left on his deal but he’s set to make just $14.25 million in 2022, so he’d like a raise for the job he’s done in the last few years since signing that deal.

DENVER

Rob Walton, of the Wal-Mart family, has been identified as the leader in the bidding for the Broncos.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

As more in the media seem to be realizing that the Broncos will indeed go for at least $5 billion, the question becomes how high above $5 billion will it be?

The next rounds of bids are due next week. Four groups, as recently identified by Mike Klis of 9News.com, are expected to submit proposals. Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal reports that bids are expected in the range of $4.5 billion or more.

Eventually, the key word will be “more.”

A league source with knowledge of the dynamics tells PFT that the franchise is WalMart heir Rob Walton’s to lose. But that he could. As the source put it, there are other credible bidders at the table. They have the ability to pay more than $5 billion — if they choose to. The real question is whether Walton will have competition that will inevitably force him to go above $5 billion, and whether that competition will finally drive up the price to the point where Walton bows out.

It’s an auction, plain and simple. The dynamics are the same as they’d be in any other auction. The asset being auctioned isn’t worth whatever the highest bidder is willing to pay, but whatever the highest bidder has to pay.

With the Broncos not having the option to walk away from the table and keep the team, the Pat Bowlen trust has to hope that at least one of the other groups bidding for the Broncos will push Walton to and above $5 billion. That’s why it’s important for the Broncos to have the numbers move gradually, with no one being scared away from the process. If, for example, the three other groups decide right now that they’re not going to pay more than $5 billion under any circumstances, Walton ends up getting it for a lot less.

One group to watch closely will be the faction led by Jose Feliciano. Todd Boehly, who just purchased the Chelsea soccer club for $4.5 billion is part of that effort. Earlier this year, Boehly and Mark Walter bought 27 percent of the L.A. Lakers from Phil Anschutz at an estimated amount of $1.24 billion. That puts the full value of the Lakers at just under $4.6 billion. If, as the source noted, Boehly was willing to acquire a non-controlling stake in the Lakers based on a franchise valuation of $4.6 billion, his group would surely go to $5 billion or more to get full control of the Broncos.

However it plays out, it’s going to be resolved in the coming weeks. And even if the eventual price hits $5.5 billion, the value of the Broncos (an every NFL franchise) will undoubtedly keep going up and up and up in the coming years.

CLEVELAND

EDGE MILES GARRETT with some nice thoughts about QB BAKER MAYFIELD.  Jake Trotter of ESPN.com:

Cleveland Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett said Wednesday that former Browns starting quarterback Baker Mayfield is going to “land on his feet” in the wake of Cleveland’s trade for its new quarterback, Deshaun Watson.

Garrett also said that he won’t be the “judge” or “jury” regarding allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct during massage sessions that have been made against Watson.

Garrett and Mayfield have played four seasons together in Cleveland, beginning in 2018 when Mayfield went No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, one year after Garrett, too, was selected with the top overall pick. In 2020, the Browns advanced to the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. But after Mayfield struggled last season while playing through a torn labrum to his non-throwing left shoulder, the Browns changed their plans at quarterback and traded for Watson in March. Mayfield remains on the Browns’ roster as the team works to find a trade partner for him, complicated by his almost $19 million fully guaranteed salary for the 2022 season.

“People come and go, and this is one of those changes,” Garrett said of Mayfield, who has not attended Cleveland’s OTAs so far. “I hope the best for him. I hope he moves on and he does well for himself. … He’s played well when he’s healthy. When he’s healthy, he can do some pretty good things for a team. Just has to find his niche again. I think he has to prove himself, has to get healthy.”

PITTSBURGH

LB STEPHEN TUITT is calling it a career.  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

After eight years in the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt announced his retirement Wednesday.

Tuitt, 29, didn’t play during the 2021 season following the death of his brother in a hit-and-run crash.

“After the tragic loss of my brother Richard, and upon completing my degree from the University of Notre Dame, I know I am being called to move beyond the sport of football,” Tuitt said in a statement released by the Steelers.

Selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft, Tuitt spent eight years with the organization. During his tenure, Tuitt was a regular starter at defensive end for six of his eight seasons. Tuitt’s status with the organization has largely been a mystery since the 2021 offseason. Following the death of Richard Bartlett III in June, Tuitt took time away from football to grieve. He also had knee surgery early in the 2021 season, but the Steelers elected not to start him on the physically unable to perform list to begin the season.

Still, the Steelers were optimistic he would return.

“We’ve been in contact with Stephon and we’re very open to continue to help him and we will continue to evaluate that position and his availability to us,” former general manager Kevin Colbert said earlier this year. “We just hope for the best for him as he tries to come back and be a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

With Tuitt’s retirement, the Steelers lose an important player in their defense. Though he didn’t play last season, when healthy, Tuitt was a force. He had a career-high 11 sacks in 2020 along with two forced fumbles.

BUFFALO

The first round pick of the Bills counts a Bill among his mentors – Bill Parcells.  Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com:

As the Elam family arrived in Buffalo hours after cornerback Kaiir Elam was selected No. 23 overall by the Bills, Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells shared details over the phone about Kaiir’s new home.

“[Parcells] was like, ‘These people come to these games on Friday night and tailgate [until Sunday],’” former NFL safety Abram Elam, Kaiir’s father, said.

Abram, who played seven NFL seasons, has his own memories of Highmark Stadium — he made his only career pick-six there on a 92-yard return when he was with the New York Jets in 2008.

Kaiir is the latest branch from a family tree of NFL defensive backs that includes his father and his uncle, Matt Elam, a 2013 Baltimore Ravens first-round pick. Kaiir looks to follow in their footsteps with a clear path to a starting role on last season’s No. 1 defense. On a team with few needs, he can fill the largest remaining hole.

Kaiir has relied on lessons learned from his father, uncle and even Parcells to get here. Their support played a part in the Bills adding him to the roster and prepared him to succeed at the next level.

“I’m very happy that he went to Buffalo, because I know [Bills defensive coordinator] Leslie Frazier, and I spoke with Leslie about Kaiir before the draft a little bit,” Parcells, a two-time Super Bowl-winning coach, told ESPN. “I just don’t think he could have gone to a better place.”

Kaiir is entering the NFL far more knowledgeable about the pro experience than most 21-year-olds thanks to Parcells’ feedback.

The Elam family is based in Riviera Beach, Florida and lives about 30 minutes from the Hall of Fame coach. Parcells watched Kaiir’s games with the Florida Gators and gave him notes afterward.

“He doesn’t care if I had the best game of my life,” Elam said of Parcells during his combine meeting with the Bills, according to video on the team’s YouTube channel. “He called me like, ‘You gave him too much cushion. I feel like you could have taken these guys out of bounds.’ Just little things like that to help me achieve my goals right here.”

Another way Parcells went out of his way to help Elam was to give a quick call to a certain quarterback in Buffalo.

“I know Josh Allen a little bit,” Parcells said, “And I did call Josh and ask him to kind of keep an eye on Kaiir for me and he said he would.”

What does Parcells like about Kaiir’s game? The former coach pointed to his length (6-foot-1, 30 and 7/8-inch arms), ability to run well and game-preparation skills. Those, Parcells said, come from his dad.

“It’s really not complicated,” Parcells said. “[Abram] was trying to give his son the proper direction, both educationally and athletically, and he’s tried to give him that. And fortunately, he has the experience to do that.”

When Kaiir was in elementary school, he’d go to The Swamp to watch his uncle play for the Gators. But Kaiir wasn’t allowed to play football himself until middle school. His parents wanted to keep him from getting injured, but also did not want to force him into the sport just because his family played it.

Matt said that allowed Kaiir to fall in love with football himself and find the motivation and discipline from a young age to put in the required work.

“He earned it. Kaiir was a chubby little kid, but he made sure he got his body right. When he got to high school … he locked in,” Matt said.

Said Kaiir: “I always begged to play, but it didn’t come true until eighth grade, and in order for me to play football, I had to run track. It’s something that I feel like it really paid off and helped me as a player and as a person. And I appreciate that from my dad.”

Abram came to the NFL as an undrafted free agent, signing with Parcells’ Cowboys in 2006. Abram started 71 games for four different teams over his career, including a second stint with the Cowboys in 2011.

He’s remained close friends with Parcells and the pair talk almost every day. Abram now works to help other players be successful on and off the field by consulting through The Elam Model, which extends to Kaiir using his family and others to support him instead of a traditional agent.

“They called me the blueprint,” Abram said, “but I say [Kaiir] and Matt, they took the plans [for success], and they enhanced it.”

THIS AND THAT

THE MATCH

From The Athletic, a recap of the epic golf match as veteran QBs AARON RODGERS and TOM BRADY prevailed over the whippersnappers.

Four of the best quarterbacks in the NFL got together Wednesday in Las Vegas, getting us a few hours closer to football season with an entertaining, if underwhelming, round of made-for-TV golf.

This edition of “The Match” on TNT saw old versus young at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas, with the Bucs’ Tom Brady and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers facing the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Bills’ Josh Allen. There were no pro golfers to save the day, and spectators were in constant peril, but at least the trash-talking early on was lively.

Brady and Rodgers won the first two holes, only to have Mahomes and Allen pull even by the fifth hole. On the 12-hole course just off the Vegas strip, Mahomes and Allen had the lead on the back six, but a Brady putt tied the match with two holes to play.

It came down to the final hole, and after Allen barely missed a long putt and Brady missed on a chance to win, Rodgers sank the final putt for birdie and the win for him and Brady. It was Brady’s first win in three tries on “The Match,” while Rodgers earned his second consecutive win.

With The Athletic’s Raiders writer, Tashan Reed, on hand to pass along anything he came across, three of our NFL beat writers — Matt Schneidman in Green Bay, Greg Auman in Tampa and Nate Taylor in Kansas City — were watching from home, taking particular notice of the golfing quarterbacks they cover.

Best lines

Taylor: For days leading up to “The Match,” the superstar quarterbacks offered their best jabs at one another in hopes of increasing the interest and TV viewership for TNT. But during the event itself, the true star in that respect was Charles Barkley, the former NBA superstar power forward and TNT commentator on “Inside the NBA.” Barkley, known for his longtime struggles to develop into a competent golfer, wasn’t impressed with most of the shots from the quarterbacks — and he made sure they heard, in their single headphone, his jokes at their expense.

The sixth hole was a par 3 at 190 yards. Allen’s shot was bad from the moment his club hit the ball, immediately fading to the right. The ball landed in the middle of a small gallery of fans, the first such moment of many. “Oh, Lord, we going to kill somebody on TV today,” Barkley responded, which drew laughter from his fellow commentators, Ernie Johnson Jr., J.J. Watt and Trevor Immelman. On the following hole, after another shank from Rodgers with his driver, Barkley advised the fans: “All these people need to go stand in the middle of the fairway,” he said. “They’d be safe.”

Schneidman: The banter between quarterbacks was at times forced, and that’s an understatement. These guys are paid to be quarterbacks, after all, not comedians. But the entertaining part when jokes did hit was that they weren’t serious — like when Rodgers said Brady was wearing pants because he had varicose veins, or when Allen teased Rodgers for being good at golf because he skips OTAs to hit the links.

My favorite jab came when Brady said he chunked a shot, saying: “A little chunky. I call that a little Josh Allen-y.” The Bills quarterback isn’t overweight, but a 44-year-old man isn’t expected to have too much diversity in his jokes, and Brady certainly stuck with ones like that throughout the afternoon.

Auman: I agree that Barkley had the best lines of anyone, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Perhaps the best gimmick of the event was each quarterback being granted a mulligan, though they had to throw a football and hit a giant cardboard cutout of Barkley’s head to earn the do-over shot. Allen’s shot took a small chunk out of the top of the Barkley head, and all of them hit the mark. “Don’t mess with the money-maker,” said Barkley, who’s so famously bad at golf but just as good when he’s self-deprecating on camera.

Best shot

Schneidman: We’ll go with two here, both from Rodgers on the same hole. From 167 yards on the par-3 12th hole (the last of the round) with the match tied, Rodgers rebounded from a rocky stretch to give the veteran quarterbacks a strong birdie chance with a pretty tee shot that came to rest just 15 feet from the hole. “I finally got something started a little left of the pin,” Rodgers said to Johnson when asked about the shot. Then Rodgers sunk the winning putt for the second straight year in “The Match,” guiding the ball in on a left-to-right putt and sealing the victory with a fist pump.

Taylor: An easy answer here: “The Match”-winning putt from Rodgers. Earlier on the 12th hole, Allen nearly made an incredible 70-foot putt. If it had gone in, it would have been a birdie, which would have forced Brady or Rodgers to make the 15-footer just to force a closest-to-the-hole finale.

Auman: Rodgers closed it out for the second year in a row, but Allen’s putt on 12 might have been more impressive, rolling to a stop maybe an inch from the cup. The best non-12 shot? Maybe Brady’s second shot on the second hole, which set up a putt for a two-stroke lead. Not the best shot? Brady sending one 45 degrees to the right, immediately after broadcast analyst and former pro golfer Trevor Immelman suggested he swing more to the right. “Trevor, that was some tip you gave me,” he deadpanned.

Favorite moment

Schneidman: Before the round even started, Rodgers said he’d let Barkley cut off his man bun later this summer under one condition: Barkley beats Rodgers in the American Century Championship, the annual celebrity golf tournament held in Lake Tahoe in July. Rodgers said he’d let Barkley do the deed on the 18th green. Though many Packers fans would rejoice at Rodgers shedding the man bun, it’s highly unlikely to happen given the vast crater between the golf skills of the four-time NFL MVP and NBA Hall of Famer. Barkley added that if Rodgers beats him, he’ll donate $25,000 to the QB’s charity of choice.

Taylor: Perhaps the company that benefited the most from “The Match” wasn’t Capital One, the event’s presenting sponsor. Instead, Coors Light was given some free promotion thanks to Mahomes, who found his rhythm after his first sip of the adult beverage before the start of the third hole. “You’ve got to change something up,” Mahomes explained as to why he started drinking once he and Allen were down two strokes after the first two holes. Mahomes then had one of his best drives on the third hole, which allowed the young gunslingers to turn the momentum. “It’s that Coors Light, baby!” said Mahomes, smiling. He finished the hole with a birdie. “Get this man another beer,” Allen said.

Auman: Brady was predictably well branded, wearing a white Brady polo and a black TB12 hat, starring in commercials over and over in between the golf itself. But there were a few genuine moments, like a break between shots when he talked about his childhood memories of golfing with his father and more recent memories of golfing with his son Jack. The trash-talking had already started to die down, but it was a sweet pause in the middle of a competitive round.

Better or worse without pro golfers?

Taylor: If you love watching golf, then of course this event will always be better when it includes professional golfers, whether they’re from the PGA Tour or LPGA Tour. This year’s version of “The Match,” though, was an entertaining mix of comedy, trash talk and the occasional nice shot. For football fans, this was an appreciative look at the competitive demeanor of all four quarterbacks while they also showed their relatability to viewers, who themselves have had plenty of shanks, embarrassing putts and balls land in the drink. It was also helpful that the last few holes offered plenty of drama.

Schneidman: I like “The Match” better without the pros. This edition allowed us to see more moments like Brady shanking one badly to his right from the middle of the fairway or Allen worrying about whether he hit a spectator with a drive on a par 3. We can watch pristine golf every week on the PGA Tour. Wednesday featured golf that at times looked like me hacking it around the course, which made it more relatable. “The Match” is supposed to be about entertainment, not quality, and feeling for five seconds like I could hang with some of these guys on the course is entertaining.

Auman: I didn’t mind the absence of real golfers. Some of the fun of this event is seeing elite NFL players doing something they’re not that good at and watching the competitive instincts override that lack of talent. So when good (but “mis-clubbed”) shots flew over the green and others sliced into crowds, it was a rare they’re-really-just-like-us glimpse. Phil Mickelson explaining how a putt should fall wasn’t as interesting as these quarterbacks being legitimately unsure how it might break and relying on reading the miss before them.

Final thoughts

Schneidman: My biggest takeaway from “The Match” is this: Always drink beer on the course if you’re not playing well … and even if you are (unless you’re driving home, of course!). The veterans won the first two holes, and Mahomes whipped out a couple of Coors Lights. The youngsters swiftly tied it up, and Mahomes was on to beer No. 4 by hole No. 7. That’s a solid pace. Then he stuck one near the pin on the par-3 eighth with the match all square. “I’ve already been lighting those things up the whole time. Don’t worry about that,” Mahomes said when Immelman suggested he crack another cold one after a spectacular shot on the ninth that sailed over trees and landed on the green before nestling next to the pin. When the mountains turn blue, the swing loosens up. That’s an indisputable fact.

Taylor: The event was a success, a close battle that offered plenty of fun, memorable moments. We saw Brady channel his anger and competitive spirit late once he and Rodgers were trailing, a trait we’ve seen on the gridiron for more than two decades. Once again in “The Match” history, Rodgers had his clutch moment at the end. Although Allen struggled for much of the event, he offered a pretty modest assessment of his performance before almost making the most astonishing shot of the day. And we saw Mahomes go on an impressive run, complete with Tiger Woods-esque fist pumps, to keep the competition close. Any opportunity fans can get to watch these quarterbacks compete, no matter the sport, I imagine they will always say yes.

Auman: There’s still way too long until football season is upon us, so this is a great summertime break as a tease to the real matchups we’ll see this fall. J.J. Watt, always underappreciated for his dry humor, made a point to call out Mahomes — whom he and his Cardinals will host in Week 1 in Arizona — and Brady, whom he’ll host Dec. 25. “Christmas Day,” he said, leaving it at that. So like that weird spherical arena scaffolded under construction like the Death Star in the background, you’re reminded that the best stuff is still a few months off.

MARION BARBER III

Marion Barber III, a 39-year-old former Cowboys running back, has passed away.  Todd Archer of ESPN.com:

Former Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber III has died at the age of 38, the Cowboys said in a statement Wednesday.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III,” the team said. “Marion was an old-school, hard-nosed football player who ran with the will to win every down. He had a passion for the game and love for his coaches and teammates. Our hearts go out to Marion’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

The cause of Barber’s death is unknown.

Police in Frisco, Texas, said in a statement that they responded to a welfare concern Wednesday at an apartment they believed to be leased by Barber. Police said they were investigating an unattended death at the location but didn’t identify the individual in their statement.

“The NFL mourns the tragic loss of Marion Barber III and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones,” the league said in a statement.

Barber was drafted by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft out of Minnesota. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007 despite not starting a game for a 13-3 team that finished with the best record in the NFC. He led the Cowboys with 975 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns that season.

BILL BARNWELL’S OFFSEASON RANKING

Last week, we had Bill Barnwell’s ranking of the 16 worst offseasons, including some like the Lions that we thought had been pretty good.  Here are his 16 best (with his lengthy commentary much edited):

1. Denver Broncos

What went right: After watching their playoff hopes collapse once Teddy Bridgewater went down injured in December, the Broncos had seen enough. With the Seahawks deciding to move on from Russell Wilson, general manager George Paton sent a significant package to Seattle to acquire the nine-time Pro Bowler. The Broncos will be thinner after sending two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-rounder and three players for Wilson and a fourth-rounder, but Wilson gives them a bona fide superstar at the most important position in sports. It’s one of the biggest upgrades any team made at any position this offseason.

Most of the other upgrades the Broncos made this offseason came on the defensive side of the ball. After nearly coming to terms with the Cowboys on an extension, Randy Gregory balked at a language change and joined Denver on a five-year, $70 million deal with $28 million guaranteed. Underrated defensive tackle D.J. Jones left the 49ers to take over as an interior lineman on a three-year, $30 million pact. And slot corner K’Waun Williams followed Jones on a two-year, $5.2 million deal, while the Broncos were able to re-sign Kareem Jackson to a one-year deal.

What went wrong: It’s hard to find too much fault with what the Broncos did this offseason.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

What went right: Blessed with cap space and draft assets after trading Carson Wentz and moving down in the 2021 draft, general manager Howie Roseman showed off this offseason. The Eagles signed star edge rusher Haason Reddick to a three-year, $45 million contract, brought back Derek Barnett on a reasonable deal and convinced Fletcher Cox to take a pay cut. When the Giants were unable to find a trade partner for James Bradberry, Philadelphia swooped and signed the talented cornerback to a one-year, $7.3 million deal, giving the team its best duo at cornerback on paper since the days of the Dream Team. Veterans Kyzir White and Anthony Harris are in the building on modest one-year deals.

That would be enough to have a great time, but the Eagles extracted a 2023 first-rounder from the Saints for moving down from No. 19 to No. 101 in the 2022 draft, a pick that could land higher than most people expect if the Saints crater post-Sean Payton. On draft day, they moved up ahead of the Ravens to draft Jordan Davis, then used their other first-round pick to trade for Titans superstar A.J. Brown, giving them a dynamic one-two receiving punch between Brown and DeVonta Smith. They even landed draft faller Nakobe Dean in the third round, which was good value even given concerns about Dean’s medical report.

As it stands, the Eagles addressed significant weaknesses at cornerback and receiver. They pushed one of their first-round picks into the future and opened up the possibility of a more valuable first-rounder, giving them more flexibility if they want to do something aggressive at quarterback next offseason. Jason Kelce came back for another year. Outside of not using their top picks to land a quarterback such as Russell Wilson, it’s difficult to poke many holes in what they did this offseason.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

What went right: After missing out on a trip to the postseason because they couldn’t stop a third-and-4 run for a first down, the Chargers committed to getting bigger this offseason. General manager Tom Telesco added Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson in free agency, hoping to find the players coach Brandon Staley needs to play his light boxes on defense without ceding the league’s third-most rushing yards for the second consecutive season.

On top of that, the Chargers added a second dominant edge rusher alongside Joey Bosa by trading a second-round pick to the Bears for Khalil Mack. The former Raiders star might not be at his peak after playing through and eventually missing time with injuries over his last couple of seasons with Chicago, but Mack still managed six sacks in seven games during his final season with the Bears. With just under $64.9 million to go on the final three years of his existing deal, the Chargers have some flexibility to either give him a new deal or move on once keeping quarterback Justin Herbert gets more expensive.

The biggest move, though, was adding J.C. Jackson from the Patriots on a five-year deal. The Chargers will more realistically commit two years and $40 million to the former undrafted free agent, but the acquisition gives Staley the closest thing he’ll have to Jalen Ramsey. Jackson can play inside and outside corner, and while he’s not the physical force Ramsey can be at his best, he’s an even better playmaker. Los Angeles should be much better on defense in 2022.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What went right: Whether it was the organization, the crypto crash or the horror of reintegrating into life as a civilian, Tom Brady dipped his toes into the waters of retirement and then changed his mind. A Buccaneers team that had been staring down a future with Kyle Trask as its quarterback had to be thrilled. Brady’s return was likely enough to get Ryan Jensen to re-sign with the Buccaneers, and the legendary quarterback then coaxed receiver Russell Gage to join from the rival Falcons.

It looked as though Tampa Bay would lose one of Carlton Davis or Chris Godwin, but it was able to bring back both. Godwin was franchised before signing a three-year, $60 million extension, while Davis inked a three-year, $44.5 million pact. Both deals are reasonable for two of the top players at their respective positions.

General manager Jason Licht & Co. must have been disappointed to lose star guard Ali Marpet to retirement, but they landed on a very solid alternative by sending a fifth-round pick to the Patriots for Shaq Mason. People around the league are naturally suspicious when the Patriots easily part ways with a player in his prime, but with Mason still only 28 years old and signed for just under $16 million over the next two years, the risk of losing the 170th pick seems worth the potential reward.

What went wrong: I wasn’t quite as enthused with Tampa Bay re-signing Leonard Fournette to a three-year, $21 million deal, especially when the Buccaneers were able to initially sign him to one-year deals for $2 million and $3.5 million as a free agent over the past two offseasons. It’s not egregious — they can get out of the contract after one year and $9 million — but it’s easier to imagine the Bucs finding a reliable running back on the cheap while using this money to address the defensive line.

What’s next: It seems inevitable that the Buccaneers will try to convince Rob Gronkowski — last seen partying in Las Vegas during the draft — to join the fold for one more go-around with Brady. Gronk was spectacular when healthy in 2021; the future Hall of Famer averaged 2.23 yards per route run, the fourth-best mark in the league among tight ends, while also serving as an impactful blocker. He has taken less than market value to play with Brady, so while he would get something like $15 million per season if he wanted to play elsewhere, expect him back on a one-year deal for something less.

5. Baltimore Ravens

What went right: After a wildly frustrating second half of the season, the Ravens went back to work and pulled off a very Ravens offseason. They made a big splash in free agency by signing safety Marcus Williams, shoring up the last line of defense in a secondary that couldn’t tackle a year ago. Williams’ deal is really a three-year, $44 million pact, but it’s for a talented player entering the prime of his career. Crucially, for a defense that lost multiple contributors to season-ending injuries a year ago, he has played at least 14 games in each of his five NFL seasons.

The Ravens also made impressive moves in the lower tax brackets. They brought in tackle Morgan Moses on one of the best deals in free agency, signing him to a three-year, $15 million deal with $5.5 million guaranteed. Veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell came back on what amounts to a one-year, $6 million deal. And nose tackle Michael Pierce returned to the organization after an ill-fated run in Minnesota.

Unsurprisingly, it was easy to love Baltimore’s draft. It stayed put at No. 14 and managed to land Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, who was regarded as one of the best players in the entire class, independent of position. One round later, the Ravens grabbed Michigan edge rusher David Ojabo, who projected as a possible top-15 pick before tearing his Achilles. Ojabo will join college coach and new Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who rejoins Baltimore after a year at Michigan.

6. New York Giants

What went right: After moving on from the much-maligned duo of coach Joe Judge and general manager Dave Gettleman, the Giants hired Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen from Buffalo and let them get to work. The team declined Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option. It moved on from veterans Logan Ryan, Kyle Rudolph and Devontae Booker. Gettleman acquisitions such as Jabrill Peppers, Will Hernandez and Evan Engram were allowed to leave in free agency, with the Giants projected to net two compensatory picks for the first time since 2020.

Following the path the Bills took to calm down Josh Allen in Buffalo, Schoen brought in multiple players to try to replenish the offensive line, signing Mark Glowinski, Jon Feliciano and Max Garcia. Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins were brought in to rebuild the tight end room. Tyrod Taylor, another former Bills player, was signed to back up Jones. New York opted for quantity, and while that’s not a guarantee of success, its additions all came on reasonable deals.

Most importantly, after years of ignoring positional scarcity, the Giants focused on critical positions in the draft.

7. New York Jets

What went right: It wasn’t quite as conspicuous as the work done by their rivals in Miami, but the Jets invested heavily in the players around their young quarterback this offseason, too. General manager Joe Douglas used a first-rounder on wideout Garrett Wilson and a second-rounder on running back Breece Hall. As a former Eagles executive, it should be no surprise that Douglas invested in big men up front, as the Jets signed guard Laken Tomlinson from the 49ers and added a trio of tight ends in Cincinnati’s C.J. Uzomah, Minnesota’s Tyler Conklin and third-round pick Jeremy Ruckert. With Braxton Berrios, Corey Davis, and Elijah Moore all returning, New York has just about everything it could want on paper for Zach Wilson.

With coach Robert Saleh’s defense struggling in 2022, Douglas also managed to shore up several key positions. The Jets used their own first-round pick on cornerback Ahmad Gardner, getting Saleh a No. 1 corner with prototypical size. D.J. Reed joins from the Seahawks to take over on the other side. With edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II falling out of the top 10 and all the way to the end of the first round, Douglas pounced and moved up to grab him with the No. 26 pick.

Again, there’s a huge margin of error on any draft pick. Gardner could struggle against top competition. Plenty of teams passed on Johnson. Wilson might not be a No. 1 wideout. Given how thin the Jets’ roster looked as recently as last season, though, it’s at least plausible to see a path where they take a significant step forward in 2022 because of the talent they added this offseason. That’s a major stride.

8. Los Angeles Rams

What went right: Everyone glows after winning a Super Bowl. The Rams are off filming movies and starring in commercials, and who can blame them? Their formula is clear at this point, and given that coach Sean McVay has gone 55-26 and made it to two Super Bowls over the past five seasons, it’s hard to argue with the results.

The best thing the Rams did this offseason might be getting many of their key players to return. Amid rumors that one or both could retire in the hours after the Super Bowl, it appears that neither Aaron Donald nor McVay is going anywhere. Veterans Eric Weddle and Andrew Whitworth both retired, but the Rams were able to bring back swing tackle Joe Noteboom for what will be either a one-year, $16.5 million deal or a two-year, $25 million pact. The former third-rounder will protect Matthew Stafford’s blind side in 2022.

What could have been a difficult negotiation with Stafford turned out to be easy. He held significant leverage after the Rams traded two first-round picks to acquire him and promptly won a Super Bowl, but after extracting significant deals when the Lions were cap-vulnerable in the past, Stafford left money on the table in signing a four-year, $160 million deal with $63 million guaranteed at signing. He’ll make up the difference in cell phone ads.

What went wrong: The Rams weren’t able to convince Von Miller to take a discount, as the future Hall of Famer signed a massive contract with the Bills.

I’m ambivalent about the addition of linebacker Bobby Wagner, whose five-year, $50 million contract is really a one-year, $10 million deal. There’s something fun about signing away a Seahawks legend — and players have a habit of playing better around Donald than they did in their former stops — but this is a lot of money to spend on a position for which the Rams have typically managed to find talent for cheap.

What’s left to do: Extend Donald. The future Hall of Famer still has three years and $52.3 million remaining on his existing deal, but when you win your team a Super Bowl, the usual rules go out the window. The 31-year-old will understandably want to be paid like the most valuable defensive player in the game, independent of position. I wouldn’t be surprised if he became the first defender in the league to hit $30 million per season on a new deal, with a three-year, $90 million extension allowing the Rams to reward their star and create cap space in the process.

9. Green Bay Packers

What went right: The Aaron Rodgers saga came to the best possible conclusion for all involved. The Packers signed Rodgers to a massive extension, as the back-to-back reigning MVP tacked on three years and $150.8 million to the two years remaining on his existing deal. The structure of the deal gives him the reassurance he needed to serve as Green Bay’s starting quarterback for years to come. The dalliances with 2020 first-rounder Jordan Love are over, at least for the next few years.

Green Bay used its newfound financial flexibility to bring back several key contributors. Journeymen Rasul Douglas and De’Vondre Campbell, each of whom had career years with the Packers, signed reasonable extensions. Douglas’ new deal is really a one-year, $6.8 million contract, while Campbell’s is a two-year, $21.5 million pact. The Packers cut Za’Darius Smith and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling to Kansas City, but they brought back Preston Smith and re-signed tight end Robert Tonyan, who had an 11-touchdown season in 2020 before tearing his left ACL last year.

What went wrong: The Rodgers move seemed to hint at an attempt to re-sign Davante Adams, but the Packers subsequently dealt their star wideout to the Raiders for first- and second-round picks. I don’t like the deal for the Raiders, but I’m also not sure it was a great move for the Packers, who needed a No. 1 wideout far more than Las Vegas.

10. Miami Dolphins

What went right: Well, nobody is going to accuse the Dolphins of leaving Tua Tagovailoa stranded in the backfield. They threw everything they had at the wall to try to build a dominant offense around their third-year quarterback this offseason. After importing Terron Armstead and Connor Williams up front, keeping Mike Gesicki around on the franchise tag and signing Cedrick Wilson and Chase Edmonds in free agency, Miami traded five picks to the Chiefs for wideout Tyreek Hill, who signed a record deal as part of the move.

It followed up by adding Sony Michel, Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold to its backfield. For a Dolphins organization that spent last year considering a Deshaun Watson trade and seemingly waffling about committing its future to Tagovailoa, there are no excuses left. New coach Mike McDaniel and the rest of Miami’s brain trust will find out what they need to know about the former Alabama star this season. I also liked the one-year, $6.5 million deal the Dolphins inked to sign Teddy Bridgewater, who might be a better quarterback than Tagovailoa in a fair competition.

The defense was mostly left alone, but Miami did manage to re-sign Emmanuel Ogbah to what’s really a two-year, $37.7 million contract before adding Melvin Ingram on a one-year deal with $3.3 million in guarantees.

11. Cincinnati Bengals

What went right: After the Bengals’ shocking run to the Super Bowl, just about everyone had the same offseason formula for Cincinnati. They wanted the Bengals to devote resources to fixing their offensive line. The Bengals devoted resources to fixing their offensive line. Things don’t have to be complicated!

12. Jacksonville Jaguars

What went right: The Jaguars cycled through a wide range of possible head-coaching candidates before landing on former Eagles coach Doug Pederson. Things didn’t end well in Philadelphia, but Pederson took over a dysfunctional franchise after 2015 and won a Super Bowl two years later with his backup quarterback. Pederson has experience and was able to coax the best work out of both Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. The goal for the Jaguars should be to get quarterback Trevor Lawrence comfortable and confident after the team-wide disaster that was the 2021 season. Pederson should be able to make that happen.

Lawrence should have more help than he did a year ago. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville’s other first-round pick in 2021, should return after missing his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury. The Jags opened up their pocketbooks and signed Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram. Up front, they added the top lineman available in guard Brandon Scherff, then franchised and eventually extended left tackle Cam Robinson. Andrew Norwell, A.J. Cann, and DJ Chark went out the door, but Lawrence will have more weapons and a star guard up front in 2022.

On defense, the Jags rebuilt their line, with the most prominent addition being No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. Foley Fatukasi joined from the Jets, while Arden Key came over on a one-year deal after a quietly impressive season with the 49ers. They made their latest swap at linebacker by replacing Myles Jack with Foyesade Oluokun. There’s more talent here, although you can poke a few holes in the contracts it took to get those guys to Jacksonville.

What went wrong: Virtually every one of the contracts the Jaguars handed out was a dramatic overpay.

13. Indianapolis Colts

What went right: Things looked pretty precarious for most of the offseason, but the Colts managed to have their cake and eat it, too. First, amid reports that they might be forced to cut Carson Wentz, general manager Chris Ballard sent the frustrating quarterback to the Commanders for a surprisingly large package of picks.

Then, after a couple of weeks without a starting quarterback, the Colts stumbled onto a solution when the Falcons alienated Matt Ryan. Indy eventually landed the former MVP for the 82nd pick in the draft. At 37, Ryan is on the tail end of his career, but he could still credibly be an upgrade on Wentz. Adding Nick Foles gave the Colts a competent backup in the case that Ryan gets injured. I’m not sure they could have predicted how their quarterback situation would work out, but they managed to upgrade under center and pick up draft capital in the process.

What they could have done differently: I was surprised to see the Colts respond to the departure of Matt Eberflus by hiring Gus Bradley as their new defensive coordinator. Bradley has fielded four top-10 scoring defenses over his 13 seasons as a head coach or defensive coordinator, and playing with a single-high safety, it should be no surprise that those teams featured superstars in center field. Bradley had Earl Thomas in Seattle and Derwin James with the Chargers, but when he hasn’t had a similarly talented free safety, his defenses have typically ranked in the bottom quarter of the league. (The exception is 2017, when the Chargers ranked third in scoring defense.)

Julian Blackmon is talented, but he’s not James or Thomas. We saw fellow former Seahawks assistant Dan Quinn reinvent himself after joining the Cowboys; after struggling with the Raiders, Bradley needs to do the same in Indianapolis. I wonder whether the Colts should have gone for a defensive coach more strategically aligned with Eberflus.

14. Kansas City Chiefs

What went right: Having seen their core of stars on defense age noticeably over the past couple of seasons, the Chiefs took major strides to get younger on that side of the ball.

The organization will miss Tyreek Hill, whose combination of speed and route running was unmatched in the league, but the Chiefs were able to get five draft picks from the Dolphins for a player who thrives on speed as he approaches 30.

15. Cleveland Browns

What happened: I don’t think I can classify this one as simply right or wrong, but we obviously need to talk about it when evaluating Cleveland’s offseason. It’s fair to say the decision of any team to compete in trade talks for Deshaun Watson qualifies as somewhere between distasteful and repugnant on a moral level. Watson is facing 23 lawsuits against him alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. The Browns won the trade negotiations only by essentially handing Watson a blank check. He and his representation returned that check with a five-year, $230 million deal that is fully guaranteed, one which offers no relief or ability to void guarantees if Watson is suspended by the NFL.

On a football level, the trade for Watson comes in on the high end of NFL trades. The Browns are sending their next three first-round picks to the Texans as part of the deal, the sort of haul that we almost never see NFL teams commit as part of a package. Then again, it’s hard to envision a 26-year-old quarterback with Watson’s track record on the trade market. Cleveland was willing to overlook Watson’s alleged behavior and the likelihood of a suspension in 2022 because it felt his upside was worth the PR hit and the draft capital.

Even if Watson didn’t have the off-field allegations over his head, three first-round picks and a fully guaranteed $230 million would be a staggering commitment to acquire any player. Watson has to be a superstar for the entirety of this deal to justify the move. He’s capable of playing at that level. On the field, it’s easy to understand why the Browns would see upgrading to a different class of quarterback as an easy victory. Off the field, the trade is difficult to stomach or regard as a success.

What went right: I thought Cleveland’s decision to move on from Jarvis Landry and use a fifth-round pick to acquire Amari Cooper on a salary dump from the Cowboys was a wise decision at the time, and after seeing Davante Adams, A.J. Brown and Tyreek Hill moved for first-round picks and new contracts, it only looks better.

Outside of the new quarterback and new wide receiver, the Browns mostly stayed put. They waited out the market for Jadeveon Clowney and then convinced him to return on a one-year deal, which is probably the right idea given his significant injury history. I also liked the trade for Chase Winovich, who was a productive pass-rusher for the Patriots in 2020 before landing in Bill Belichick’s doghouse.

What’s next: We haven’t even talked about Baker Mayfield, whose relationship with Kevin Stefanski and the organization seemed to collapse in real time as the season went along. Mayfield eventually requested a trade amid reports of the Watson negotiations, and while the Browns initially rejected that when Watson turned them down, their feelings suddenly changed once Watson agreed to the deal. With Jacoby Brissett in the fold to fill in during a possible Watson suspension, there’s no benefit to having Mayfield on the 2022 roster.

Mayfield is owed $18.9 million guaranteed for 2022, money the Browns would love to move to another organization. Naturally, everybody in the league knows they are desperate to trade away their deposed quarterback, and with most teams unable to absorb his cap hit in one fell swoop, the market for his services has been minuscule. Talks with the Panthers around the draft ended when Carolina moved up to select Matt Corral, and the Seahawks appear set on giving Drew Lock a clear path to the starting job.

Things change. If a team loses its quarterback to an injury, Mayfield might look more appealing. At some point, though, the Browns are going to move on from him and pay a significant portion of his salary as part of that process. The only question is how much.

16. Buffalo Bills

What went right: Outside of one significant move, the Bills mostly spent the offseason trimming the hedges and mowing the lawn of the league’s best roster.