The Daily Briefing Thursday, March 2, 2023

Despite a full recovery from the pandemic and the advent of unprecedented revenue levels, the NFL is keeping the belt tight.

Amid widespread chatter of no raises being implemented for league employees, the NFL has acknowledged a freeze in pay. The league says it is “limited to executives at a certain level.”

The league has declined to provide any further details.

When the pandemic began, the league eventually imposed layoffs. It becomes delicate, to say the least, to persuade employees who suffered through the bad times to not share in the good times, and by all appearances things are currently very good for the NFL.

On one hand, the NFL didn’t become so successful by giving money away. On the other hand, employees tend to expect periodic increases in their pay, if only to keep pace with the cost of living.

Again, the league calls it limited. But that could make it even more troublesome for the affected employees, since they may be confused as to how some qualified for raises and others didn’t.

FYI – the NFL counts 15 people with “vice president” in their titles, plus two others – Chief Football Administrative Officer Dawn Aponte and a Chief of Staff, Football Operations – in the Football Operations department alone.

DETROIT

Veteran RB JAMAAL WILLIAMS may not hit free agency.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Running back Jamaal Williams said in early February that he wants to remain with the Lions for the 2023 season and General Manager Brad Holmes shared the team’s view of things from the Scouting Combine on Wednesday.

Holmes said that he’s had discussions with Williams’ representatives since the end of the season and said that the team shares Williams’ desire to continue their working relationship.

“There’s a mutual interest to hopefully get him back,” Holmes said, via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News.

Williams led the league and set a Lions single-season record with 17 rushing touchdowns while setting a personal best with 1,066 rushing yards. Given that production, it’s easy to understand why both sides would be interested in running things back but they’ll still have to iron out the details to make it happen.

DALLAS

Mike McCarthy finally explains why OC Kellen Moore is now with the Chargers – he was too good at scoring points.  Or at least too interested.  Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy says he and his former offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, don’t always have the same vision for what an offense should do.

McCarthy says Moore wants to score points, but McCarthy thinks the Cowboys need to run the ball to win, even if that means scoring less.

“I’ve been where Kellen’s been,” McCarthy said. “Kellen wants to light the scoreboard up. But I want to run the damn ball so I can rest my defense. I think when you’re a coordinator you know, but you’re in charge of the offense. Being a head coach and being a play caller, you’re a little more in tune with [everything]. I don’t desire to be the No. 1 offense in the league, I want to be the No. 1 team in the league with the number of wins and a championship. And if we’ve got to give up some production and take care of the ball better to get that, then that’s what we’ll do because we have a really good defense.”

But if McCarthy wants to keep his defense off the field, the best way to do that is for his offense to gain first downs. And the Cowboys’ offense was more efficient when passing the ball than when running the ball last season, as is usually the case with NFL offenses after decades of rules and strategy changes have benefited the passing game. If McCarthy insists on running the ball more in 2023, that may result both in fewer points on the scoreboard and in fewer wins.

CAROLINA

Frank Reich on the Panthers and their engagement with QB DEREK CARR.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Count the Carolina Panthers as another team searching for a quarterback in 2023.

They’re already quite familiar with combing through the bargain bin in the hopes of unearthing a gem, cycling through Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker last season alone. Carolina drafted Matt Corral, too, but lost him to a season-ending injury before the regular season started.

Corral is the only quarterback under contract for 2023 as of now. Reich and general manager Scott Fitterer have work to do to change that fact, starting with a visit from veteran quarterback Derek Carr. Reich came away from their meeting impressed by the four-time Pro Bowler, who enters free agency for the first time ahead of the new league year after being released by the Raiders.

“Derek is an excellent leader. He’s an excellent passer,” Reich said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “He’s very accomplished. You look at the fit, how does he fit with our team and our locker room? He checks a lot of boxes, no question. That’s why he is where he is at this point in his career and the opportunity, it’s a unique opportunity to talk to someone of that caliber as a player and a person. So we didn’t take that for granted.”

At the center of Carolina’s quarterback conundrum are two competing schools of thought: Spend a high draft pick on a rookie passer, surround him with a quality supporting cast and hope he develops into a long-term solution, or sign a proven veteran who will allow the team to compete immediately, but won’t be around forever.

Theoretically, the Panthers could do both, although as Fitterer said Wednesday, it wouldn’t be financially prudent to both spend on a veteran and use valuable capital on a rookie in the same offseason. Essentially, it’s one or the other for Carolina.

This isn’t Reich’s first trip on the quarterback carousel. The former NFL signal-caller cycled through a number of quarterbacks in Indianapolis following the abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck, turning to Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan during his five years with the Colts. The results ranged from surprisingly productive (Rivers in 2020) to incredibly disappointing (Wentz in 2021 and Ryan in 2022). The last go-around cost Reich his job midway through the 2022 season, and he said Wednesday he feels fortunate to receive another head-coaching opportunity in the NFL.

This time around, he’ll take the lessons learned from Indianapolis and apply them as best possible to avoid another disastrous outcome. And it certainly sounds as if Carr might be Reich’s choice.

“Whatever decision we make is what is best, not just for this year, but you’re looking on the horizon,” Reich said. “Obviously, if you draft a guy, you’re looking on a very long-term horizon. If you go free agent, if you go Derek Carr, the nice thing with Derek, he’s going to be 32 years old. It’s kind of prime quarterback years. There’s still a good five-year window there.

“Sure, we’re like every team: We want to win the division next year. But you really have to look beyond that as well.”

Carr is coming off his worst season since 2017, completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,522 yards and a 24-14 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His total production wasn’t good enough to propel the Raiders to the playoffs in the AFC West, and by the time the final month of the regular season arrived, Josh McDaniels had seen enough, benching Carr in favor of Jarrett Stidham and effectively signaling it was time for Carr to stock up on moving supplies.

That doesn’t mean Carr can’t rediscover the magic that made him a Pro Bowler. Reich has enjoyed success with a veteran in the past, watching Rivers lead his Colts to a playoff appearance in 2020 before riding off into the sunset of retirement. But as Reich learned in the years that followed, it’s not as simple as plugging and playing a veteran at the position, especially one who was available only because his former team cast him aside.

Carr doesn’t quite fall in the same bin as Wentz and Ryan. He’s younger than Ryan and played at a more consistent level than Wentz did prior to Wentz’s move to Indianapolis. And naturally, it’s about more than quarterback, but the Panthers can’t proceed without first addressing the position.

The days and weeks ahead will provide us with an answer on Carolina’s future. Whether it impacts the immediate or long-term outlook remains to be seen.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

CB JALEN RAMSEY is said to be on the market and Adam Schein of NFL.com cobbles together nine teams that might be interested.

Two seasons ago, the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl with an Ocean’s Eleven approach that I loved. But last year’s attempt at Ocean’s Twelve bombed like Waterworld.

Now, Les Snead and Sean McVay are doing the right thing, tweaking and retooling the roster that just produced a 5-12 record. Consequently, the fabulous Jalen Ramsey is available. As my colleague Tom Pelissero reported last week, the Rams have had trade talks about the 28-year-old cornerback, and sources believe it’s very likely he’ll be dealt in the coming weeks.

A six-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, Ramsey is a playmaker, a leader, a culture changer. He still has three seasons left on the five-year, $105 million extension he signed in 2020, with a base salary of $17 million in the coming campaign. Even at that price, many, many teams could greatly use his services. With that in mind …

Here are my favorite potential trade fits, Schein Nine style.

1  Detroit Lions

2022 record: 9-8

The Rams and Lions executed the Matthew Stafford blockbuster, and both sides got what they wanted: Los Angeles nabbed the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy; Detroit loaded up on draft capital and found a new leader in resurgent quarterback Jared Goff. A true win-win trade. So … let’s make another deal!

Familiarity matters in deal-making, and these two sides are as thick as thieves. Lions GM Brad Holmes comes from the Snead tree. In fact, he spent 18 years with the Rams. Pick up the phone, y’all!

Los Angeles can recoup some of that draft currency from the Stafford trade, giving its roster a necessary infusion of youth. Meanwhile, Detroit can build on the inspired second half of last season and break through to the postseason. Honestly, the Lions could be NFC North favorites in 2023, seeing how the Vikings’ 13-4 record was fueled by an unsustainable 11-0 mark in one-score games, the Packers could be making a change at quarterback, and the Bears are knee-deep in a rebuild. Ramsey can help show Detroit how to get it done in the regular season and playoffs, giving a hard-nosed team even more edge. Ramsey would absolutely thrive in Dan Campbell’s culture.

2  New York Giants

2022 record: 9-7-1

I am obsessed with the Giants’ new leadership. Brian Daboll just earned Coach of the Year honors for his first season in the big chair. GM Joe Schoen is a savvy antidote to the ham-handed roster management of Dave Gettleman. No wonder Big Blue exceeded all expectations this past season and returned to the playoffs for the first time in six years. But the roster refinement continues, with New York set to release Gettleman signing blunder Kenny Golladay on the first day of the new league year. How about adding an actual difference-maker?

According to Over The Cap, the Giants currently have the fourth-most cap space in the NFL at just under $47 million. A portion of that grand sum could go to QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley, though I wouldn’t overpay for either. I would go after Ramsey, a stud cover man who’d give the G-Men swagger. His play and attitude would go over brilliantly in New York. And I think the versatile playmaker would flourish under aggressive defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

3  Jacksonville Jaguars

2022 record: 9-8

Could they? Would they? Well, I’d love to see it — and yes, they can!

The brass that traded a disgruntled Ramsey to L.A. is gone. Let’s get this man back to Duval County! The Jacksonville fan base would love it. And it’d make sense for a Jags squad on the rise.

Fresh off an AFC South title and an epic playoff win over the Chargers, Doug Pederson’s team is ready for big things. With quarterback Trevor Lawrence really hitting his stride down the stretch of last season, the offense is poised to take another big step forward in 2023. The defense has a bunch of young talent, but Ramsey would give the unit a true alpha dog — and one of the league’s best cornerback duos, alongside rising star Tyson Campbell.

Jacksonville took Ramsey with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Seven years later, it’s time for the Jaguars to boldly go after their man once again.

4  Baltimore Ravens

2022 record: 10-7

Ramsey is one of those guys who just “plays like a Raven,” as the expression goes in Baltimore. He has the practice habits, the game-day domination, the unrelenting passion and uncanny focus of Ravens legends like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

Obviously, Baltimore has to figure out the Lamar Jackson situation, first and foremost. My opinion on that matter remains the same: The Ravens should do everything they can to reach a long-term deal with the former MVP. He’s a franchise-changing talent. You PAY for those guys — guys like Ramsey. It’s easy to envision the edgy corner in purple and black. It just feels right.

5  Minnesota Vikings

2022 record: 13-4

I previously touched on the 2022 Vikings’ fluky win total. But before you completely rake me over the coals, Vikes faithful, know that I was the one who gave Kevin O’Connell a first-place vote for Coach of the Year. He worked wonders in his first season as a head man. The Vikings just didn’t have the dudes on defense, which finally sunk them in the playoffs.

Well, Ramsey would be THAT DUDE in Minnesota, giving the defense the brashness — and greatness — it sorely lacked over the past few seasons. The Vikings haven’t finished above 24th in scoring defense or total D since 2019, back when Ramsey moved from the East Coast to the West Coast. How about another relocation to the Midwest?

6  Cincinnati Bengals

2022 record: 12-4

Remember, this list is based on what I’d most like to see, within reason. The Bengals currently have $35.5 million in cap space, per Over The Cap, but they’re working on a long-term extension for Joe Burrow. That’s gonna cost a whole lotta money, and rightfully so: Burrow is worth every penny. I’d also like to see a new deal for Tee Higgins, who, along with Ja’Marr Chase, gives Burrow one of the best WR tandems in football.

Long story short: The Bengals have money to spend, but they need to take care of their own first.

That said, if you want to talk about how Cincy can get back on top of Kansas City in the highly competitive AFC, this is the move. Adding dynamic defenders like Ramsey is how you approach the cheat code who goes by the name of Patrick Mahomes. Ramsey and Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo would make sweet music together.

7  Las Vegas Raiders

2022 record: 6-11

I’d really like to see Las Vegas draft feisty Illinois cover man Devon Witherspoon. This team is so desperate for major upgrades at cornerback, a longstanding problem area for the Raiders. Add Witherspoon and Ramsey, and CB instantly becomes a strength. Which would be huge in the division that houses Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

I said above that it’s easy to envision Ramsey as a Raven. Same story here with Ramsey as a Raider. Can you see this cat donning silver and black? I sure can, and it looks glorious.

8  Carolina Panthers

2022 record: 7-10

Jaycee Horn + Jalen Ramsey = LOCKDOWN

What a dreamy duo that’d be. And it’d provide a strong veteran leader to a defense with an enticing array of growing talents, including Horn, DE Brian Burns, DT Derrick Brown, LB Frankie Luvu and S Jeremy Chinn. In a wide-open division, Carolina could ride this defensive core to the top of the standings.

The Panthers nailed it with new head man Frank Reich, who put together a fabulous coaching staff. Now it’s time for a fresh influx of star power. With a reputation for boldness, owner David Tepper presumably craves the big name. Ramsey checks that box.

9  Dallas Cowboys

2022 record: 12-5

Speaking of owners who crave the big name … Say hello to Jerry Jones! As a potential Cowboys blockbuster acquisition, Ramsey is straight out of central casting.

Remember, back in 2016, there was a lot of buzz that Dallas would select Ramsey with the No. 4 overall pick. In fact, Ramsey, who grew up a Cowboys fan, said on a podcast last offseason that Dallas brass told him prior to the draft that the team would take him if he were still on the board. He was, but the ‘Boys opted for Ezekiel Elliott instead. It’d be pretty ironic if Dallas were to add Ramsey and subtracted Zeke this offseason.

For all of the reasonable Dak Prescott criticism, Dallas’ defense was good — but not truly great — this past season. Ramsey could change that. Pairing him with ballhawking cover man Trevon Diggs would give the Cowboys some real back-end juice to complement a front that just finished third in sacks.

INDIANAPOLIS

The consensus of draftniks has been that the Colts are well-positioned to trade up, at considerable cost, three spots to assure themselves of the top QB in the draft.  GM Chris Ballard wants you to think he is not convinced that is necessarily the way to go.  Zak Keefer of The Athletic:

A few years into his tenure, I asked Chris Ballard what his biggest regret was.

Back then — this was in the middle of the 2020 season — it felt like he’d spent the bulk of his first three years as Colts general manager weathering storms. First, it was a star quarterback who couldn’t get his shoulder right. Then, the tragic death of a linebacker. A head coach who walked out on him at the 11th hour. Then, most stunning of all: that quarterback’s retiring in his prime 15 days before the season opener.

It was a lot. What had he wished he’d done differently?

He thought about it for a minute, then laughed.

“My first year,” he finally said, “I would’ve drafted Patrick Mahomes.”

Same goes for just about every executive in football. Before the 2017 draft, Ballard couldn’t have known the curveballs that were coming. He had a 27-year-old franchise quarterback in place. Two years later, he was gone, and the Colts have been swinging and (mostly) missing on replacements ever since. Imagine how much drafting Mahomes — who went 10th that year, five spots ahead of where Ballard took Ohio State safety Malik Hooker — would’ve changed things.

So much would be different.

But no matter now. No need to look back. Now Ballard’s tenure will be defined by the next pick he makes, the highest for this franchise in 11 years, and (presumably) the first-round quarterback he’s long resisted taking. It’s not an accident the Colts hired a first-time head coach with an impressive record of working with QBs, either. Shane Steichen’s here, among other reasons, because they want him grooming the future face of the franchise.

Ballard on Wednesday spent most of his media availability at the NFL Scouting Combine pushing back on the narrative that his team needs to trade up to land its next quarterback. To hear him tell it, the GM likes his spot — the Colts own the fourth pick — and no matter the need, no matter the Texans are picking two spots higher, Ballard’s still not convinced he has to send a haul of picks to Chicago or Arizona to improve the Colts’ chances of landing the player they hope will transform their franchise.

And even if he believes that, he’s not saying it.

“I know all the speculation out there,” Ballard said. “I know everybody in America has just automatically stamped that you gotta move up to (No.) 1 to get it right. I don’t know if I agree with that. I don’t.

“When we meet as a staff and we say, ‘OK, this is what we need to do. This is the guy for the next 10 to 15 years and we think he’s the right guy.’ Sure, we’ll do it. But who’s to say we won’t get one at 4?”

Ballard knows what’s being said about his team, the speculation that’s swirling, the assumptions being made about his thinking and the franchise’s desperation to find its next QB after missing badly on two straight veterans. He knows his comments in January about potentially trading up — “I’d do whatever it takes,” he allowed — created a life of its own, especially in Chicago, where the Bears own the top pick and are open to trading it.

He knows his owner, Jim Irsay, casually mentioning “that Alabama guy doesn’t look bad, I tell ya,” during Steichen’s introductory news conference did much of the same.

Ballard knows all of that, and whether grounded in reality or not, knows it won’t help his leverage. If teams are aware that the Colts are anxious to move up, the cost will climb. The internal battle Ballard will face: balancing the discipline that’s defined much of his tenure in Indianapolis with the overwhelmingly obvious need to nail this pick and steer his team from the quarterbacking abyss.

That’s what the next two months are about.

And that’s what his run as general manager will ultimately be about.

“Let’s just say we stay at 4, and I can just see the headlines …” he joked. “Like, it would be easy for us just to take one to get you all off our ass.”

Wednesday, then, was about Ballard’s downplaying that desperation. He wants everyone to hit the pause button.

There’s no slam dunk in this draft, he hinted at one point. At least not one the Colts have settled on.

“There’s gotta be a guy worthy of it,” Ballard said of potentially moving up. “Each guy’s got special qualities, OK? And is there a separating factor within their play that you think, ‘OK, no doubt, this guy fits what we want to do and he’s worthy of moving up for.’ I’m not ready to say that yet. I’m not ready to say that there’s one that stood out.”

The consensus top quarterback in this class remains Alabama’s Bryce Young, but concerns over his smaller size have muddied prognostications (Young’s under 6 feet and reportedly 190 pounds). Among the other QBs figuring to grade out as first-round talents: Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson, all of whom have obvious physical gifts but are less refined prospects than Young.

The Colts will dig extensively into each. “(We’re) vetting the heck out of these guys,” Steichen promised.

Ballard added that his personnel staff is already well into the evaluation process, but “the cement won’t be dry” until the day of the first round, April 27. Steichen was a late hire in the coaching cycle and still hasn’t finalized his staff; once that’s in place, the coaches will have their say. This week, remember, is less about on-field work — the QBs throw Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium — and more about the medical testing and interviews. Steichen repeatedly referred to the “it” factor when evaluating quarterbacks, that hard-to-define intangible quality that separates the good ones from the greats.

On that front, here’s what Ballard revealed about what he’s looking for in his next QB:

• The GM didn’t want to box himself in on a particular type of quarterback, mindful that questions were going to come about Young’s size. Ballard’s long leaned on the physical traits he feels essential at each position, but vowed Wednesday “there are always exceptions.” Steichen brought up Drew Brees, who’s just 6 feet tall but is headed for the Hall of Fame, several times.

“We’ve had guys that have been under 6-foot be successful,” Ballard said. “And I mean, I know there’s been times I’ve grabbed some guys that can be too tall … so I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And who do you believe in? Who do you believe you can build an offense around? And I do know this: You don’t fit the offense to the quarterback; you fit the offense to what the quarterback can do well. I think that’s what Shane would and the staff will do.”

“Look, you want a guy who’s got a fast mind and who’s accurate,” Ballard continued. “Like we get caught up in arm strength, but is that guy accurate? And who makes plays when the game’s on the line? … I think we’re seeing today they come in all different shapes and sizes, some tall, some short, some athletes, (some have) the ability to move, navigate the pocket, escape from the pocket, create plays with your feet. I mean, all those are things that we’re seeing in our league. Not that we haven’t seen them before, but I think it’s even become more prevalent.”

• As for mobility, Ballard seemed juiced at the likelihood the Colts will have a dual-threat quarterback under center in the coming years. He knows how the league has evolved in recent seasons, and he’s witnessed firsthand how dangerous a mobile quarterback can be. The Colts defense has routinely had trouble stopping them.

“They’re going to be much different than what we’ve had in the past,” he said. “You know, we’ve had almost pure pocket guys … most of (these QBs) can run and escape. So that changes the dynamic.”

• An interesting part of the evaluation process, Ballard noted, is how the prospects handle their media availability. He feels like he can glean more from it than most assume: hundreds of reporters, lobbing questions at each player, mining for details on their game, their personality, their life.

It’s a preview of the spotlight that will greet them the minute they’re drafted.

“I’ll tell you where you get something from is watching these media sessions,” Ballard said. “How do they handle you? How do they handle the process? How do they handle the stress of what’s going on? That just gives you a preview of what you’re going to see when they get into our league.

“Automatically, he gets deemed the face of the franchise, right or wrong,” he said of the first-round quarterbacks. “That’s what happens. And they gotta be able to handle that. … They can’t become above the team.”

That’s what the Colts will weigh over the coming months, the discussions they’ll have internally. All four quarterback prospects at or near the top of this draft — Young, Stroud, Levis and Richardson — have enviable physical traits. Ballard and Steichen repeatedly emphasized everything else that goes into excelling at the position, starting with the pressure that never ceases. And though so much will center on who the Colts’ next quarterback is, the story only starts on draft day: Ballard is a firm believer that the team is responsible for cultivating that player’s development over the coming years, and that’s partly why so many fail. Teams simply think drafting the QB solves the problem.

THIS AND THAT

THE PUSH SNEAK

Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic explores the topic of the “Push Sneak” and whether or not it should be banned.

At the Super Bowl, I asked a Chiefs defensive coach about the Eagles’ stunning success rate on quarterback sneaks, particularly the new-look sneak they wound up running six times in the Super Bowl, including two for touchdowns. It’s a play that I’ve coined the two-cheek sneak, when two, and sometimes even three players line up behind Jalen Hurts to push him forward.

“That’s a gray area,” said Alex Whittingham, a defensive quality control coach for Kansas City. “Not a rule that they’re breaking right now, but they are pretty much unstoppable when they do that.”

This take turned out to be some astute foreshadowing, as the NFL competition committee met at the NFL Scouting Combine this week with a long list of items to discuss, including the two-cheek sneak. On Sunday, the first of four days of competition committee meetings, the group had their initial conversation about the future of the play. The committee will revisit the topic later this month at the league meetings in Phoenix, where they’ll decide whether to put it in front of the owners for a vote.

One person briefed on the matter said the committee watched several examples of the push sneak, mainly the Eagles’ variations of it, then discussed whether this play that closely resembles a rugby maul belongs in the NFL game. This person and another briefed on the matter said the league office put the play on the competition committee’s agenda this week mainly because of how it looks.

“It’s an ugly play,” the first person said.

“It’s not football,” said a person who works in analytics for an NFL team.

The competition committee makes rules changes with the entertainment value of the product in mind, so the interest of the fans is the top priority when the 32 owners ultimately vote on any proposals. There is no specific rule proposal associated with the push sneak; it was on the agenda as a topic for review and conversation.

The second person and a third briefed on the matter said that they don’t anticipate any change to the pushing this year because no one in the room has voiced a strong enough opinion yet, and the competition committee is typically slow to move on an issue the first time it is raised. “We’re not losing sleep over this,” said the second person briefed on the matter.

But the play is bothering enough people that the second person said there were multiple teams that listed the two-cheek sneak as a top-three most important issue on the competition committee survey that teams submit to the league office following the Super Bowl. One team staffer told me that their team put the push sneak on their three-item list, citing the play’s nearly automatic, predictable result as the reason why it isn’t “good for the game.” He compared it to owners voting to increase the difficulty of the extra point by moving the kick back from the 2-yard-line to the 15-yard-line.

Pushing an offensive teammate has been legal in the NFL since 2005, when the league clarified blocking rules to help officials with their judgments in games. The second person briefed on the matter said when the league removed the language that prohibited pushing, it never anticipated the unintended consequence that teams would design plays around pushing players forward. And no team has schemed up the push quite like the 2022 Eagles did, with 41 sneaks for a 90.5 percent conversion rate. By season’s end, the Bills, Ravens and Bengals had all lined up in a push formation or had run a variation of the push themselves.

In January, I reported that some teams around the NFL had complained to the NFL officiating department during the season about the legality of the Eagles’ revolutionary pushing, and the officiating department responded by circulating a video after Week 8 that confirmed the Eagles were in fact following the rules in pushing (barring the two times this season when they pulled).

Following that reinforcement of the rule, what is the issue with this perfectly legal play? NFL coaches have an established pattern whenever a team exploits an advantage in the rulebook a little too well: Complain, then copy. This play had seemingly entered the copy stage but is still facing scrutiny.

From conversations with coaches around the NFL, the main reason I heard for the questioning of this play was game aesthetics, that the players lining up so close together and pushing each other forward is somehow offensive to the viewer, that it looks too different from football, too much like rugby, although last time I checked, football is a product of rugby.

NFL owners have always been concerned about optics and the entertainment value of their product. Look no further than the emphasis on taunting penalties and the stringent uniform sock specifications. But when I asked scouts, coaches and NFL club staffers at the combine, none could remember a play that had been banned mainly because of the way it looked.

Another aspect of the play that the competition committee discussed and will watch is the injury risk. There isn’t any injury data related to the play, as no player has been hurt on a push sneak. Commanders head coach and competition committee member Ron Rivera said in his combine news conference Tuesday that injury potential is one of the “ramifications” of the play.

“I don’t know if people are necessarily against it as much as people are trying to see what the ramifications are going to be going forward,” Rivera said. “But you have to have a full discussion, and that’s what we’re looking forward to once we get to Arizona, is to have a full discussion with the entire membership.”

Later that day, as Rivera left a competition committee meeting, I asked which way he leaned on the play. “I’m right down the middle,” he said.

Nick Sirianni, the head coach responsible for this controversial play, stressed Tuesday that the two-cheek sneak is not just the same play every time. It’s not boring, or predictable, because the Eagles proved several times this season that they can threaten the push sneak and run a completely different play off of it.

“That’s kind of what football is, right?” Sirianni said at his combine news conference. “The defense thinks it’s this play, so we run the exact opposite play, and it ended in a touchdown, right? …

“Some of the wrinkles that were off of it, I thought it was good for the game.”

Sirianni found a supporter in Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who appreciates rugby’s influence on football and who said if there is no change, his team will be designing plays like the push sneak.

“This is an opportunity for the game to evolve,” he said. “ … Other people might think it is such a departure from what we have done in the past, like, oh we can’t do that! I don’t think like that. I think it could be a really cool thing.

“It would change the game, though. The fact they are entertaining the thought of not allowing it to happen, I can get that. We cling to what we know and not go into areas we don’t know. I was excited about it, and I thought it was cool. I felt like it was worth praising their initiative to go that far. It looked like rugby, and rugby is a great game, and it has a lot to do with what football is all about.”

“I’m a little jealous we didn’t come up with the idea,” new Broncos coach Sean Payton said Tuesday at his press conference.

Several NFL club staffers I spoke to argued that getting to 24 votes to ban pushing on sneaks will be challenging. As the victims of rules changes typically do, the Eagles are working their connections to the committee, and former Eagles offensive coordinator and competition committee member Frank Reich is known to be an ally of the two-cheek sneak.

Some free advice for the Eagles, if they want to preserve the power of the push sneak for the long term future: Stop running it on first and second down, and stop running it multiple times in a row. Multiple people briefed on the matter pointed out that if this play was a more significant part of a team’s offense, such as it being called on first down or on consecutive plays, that would create some stronger opinions and push the committee to act.

Once this past season, the Eagles ran three consecutive sneaks, converting two of the three, the third for a touchdown.

“All I know is everything we’re doing is legal and it works, and just because people do something that’s really good, doesn’t mean it should be outlawed,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said Tuesday at his combine news conference.

And there’s the catch. If the Eagles were a little worse at this play, or ran it a little less often, it wouldn’t even be on the agenda at all.

FLORES TO COURT; OTHER COACHES TO ARBITRATION

A New York federal judge will allow Brian Flores to seek a favorable judge and jury.  His co-plaintiffs must go to arbitration. Chantz Martin of Fox News:

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ discrimination claims against the NFL and three teams will be allowed to move to court after a federal judge ruled against arbitration.

Judge Valerie Caproni’s decision clears the path for Flores to have his claims heard out in a trial. The two other coaches who joined the lawsuit will be required to submit to arbitration.

The league had tried to move the Flores claims to arbitration, citing contracts that coaches had signed.

Last year, Flores sued the NFL and said the league was “rife with racism,” especially as it pertains to its coaching hiring and promotion practices

Caproni wrote that the descriptions by the coaches of their experiences of racial discrimination in a league with a “long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers — are incredibly troubling.”

The judge also noted it was “difficult to understand” how there was only one Black head coach at the time Flores filed his lawsuit — longtime Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

After the latest hiring cycle, there are currently three African-American head coaches: new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, while Tomlin and Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles retained their respective positions. There are 32 teams in the NFL and African Americans make up an overwhelming majority of rosters — an estimated 70%.

The judge said Flores can let a jury decide the merits of his discrimination claims against the league, Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Houston Texans, but he must pursue his claims against the Miami Dolphins through arbitration.

“We are pleased that Coach Flores’ class claims of systematic discrimination against the NFL and several teams will proceed in court and ultimately before a jury of his peers,” attorney Douglas Wigdor said in a statement.

He added, “We are disappointed the court compelled arbitration of any claims before Mr. Goodell as he is obviously biased and unqualified to rule on these matters. We expect him to delegate those matters to a truly neutral arbitrator as a matter of fundamental fairness.”

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league was pleased with Caproni’s ruling, which “correctly holds that the vast majority of claims in this case are properly arbitrable by the Commissioner under binding agreements signed by each plaintiff.”

He said the NFL planned “to move forward promptly with arbitrations as directed by the Court and to seek to dismiss the remaining claims.”

He added: “Diversity and inclusion throughout the NFL make us a better organization. We recognize there is more work to be done and we are deeply committed to doing it.”

Mike Florio doesn’t see Flores getting his trial anytime soon:

All parties will have appeal rights, and that could serve to delay the case even longer. For now, Judge Caproni has set a pretrial conference for March 24, at which various dates and deadlines for the litigation will be set.

It would be a surprise if the NFL doesn’t exercise its appeal rights. Even if it loses, the appeal process delays indefinitely the discovery phase of the case, during which owners and other key witnesses (including Commissioner Roger Goodell) would be questioned aggressively under oath in a case that, as Judge Caproni’s ruling says in the opening sentence, “shines an unflattering spotlight on the employment practices of National Football League teams.”

2023 DRAFT

ESPN.com gets reports from its correspondents for the teams with the top 10 picks:

The 2023 NFL combine is in full swing, which means that the NFL draft is swiftly approaching. This year’s draft will offer plenty of excitement, starting right at the top. The Chicago Bears are “leaning toward” trading the No. 1 pick, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. And with multiple quarterback-needy teams in the top 10 of this year’s draft, there’s a lot at play here.

Most draft decisions will be made after the combine and free agency, but all 32 teams are already putting together their draft boards and starting to figure out their plans for Round 1. Today, we’re just focusing on the first 10 teams set to pick in April, all of which have a lot of intrigue surrounding them. We asked each of our NFL Nation reporters for those 10 teams one big early question, including positions the teams could target and how they might approach their Day 1 picks.

Which top prospect fits best with the Bears’ plans? Will the Lions use both of their first-round picks on defense? Are the Falcons potentially in on one of the top quarterbacks? Let’s dig in.

Chicago Bears, No. 1 overall

Taking the trade-back possibility out of it, does Will Anderson Jr. or Jalen Carter fit better with the Bears’ defensive plans?

Either would well fit in coach Matt Eberflus’ 4-3 defense, as Chicago ranked last in sacks (20) and quarterback hits (43) in 2022. But Eberflus said the 3-technique defensive tackle — the position Carter plays — is the “engine that makes everything go,” and he had a similar type of player with the Indianapolis Colts in DeForest Buckner. Game-wrecking under-tackles don’t become available in free agency all that often, so the draft is likely the best path for Chicago to address this position.

Anderson, on the other hand, could replace what the Bears had on the edge with Khalil Mack. The Alabama product was one of college football’s best edge rushers and run-stoppers, and he could provide an immediate boost at defensive end. But Carter in the middle of the defensive line seems like the better fit at this point, and edge rusher should be a top priority for the Bears in free agency.

A Wednesday morning update here, though: The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has secured arrest warrants for Carter stemming from his alleged involvement in a fatal crash involving a teammate, and he will be arrested for reckless driving and racing. Chicago will obviously monitor this situation. — Courtney Cronin

Houston Texans, Nos. 2 and 12 overall

How can the Texans set up whichever QB they draft for success?

Houston has to add more targets, and it has a second first-rounder at No. 12 overall. The receiver spot is a question, especially since there’s still uncertainty whether Brandin Cooks, who was the team leader in receiving yards (699), will be traded or return after demanding a trade during the 2022 season.

But regardless of what happens with Cooks, the Texans must add another receiver or two through the draft. They were 28th last season in WR receiving yards at 2,154. A wideout like USC’s Jordan Addison, Boston College’s Zay Flowers, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba or TCU’s Quentin Johnston could make the new quarterback’s life easier. — DJ Bien-Aime

Arizona Cardinals, No. 3 overall

Is it safe to assume GM Monti Ossenfort and the Cardinals will go with the best defender on their board here?

You know what they say about assuming. There are some glaring needs on defense, so a pass-rusher wouldn’t be a shock at No. 3, especially since Arizona finished with 36 sacks (tied for the seventh fewest in the NFL). Losing J.J. Watt to retirement and the possibility of losing Zach Allen in free agency should put a sense of urgency on rebuilding a pass rush that was consistently one of the best in the NFL for years before last season’s drop-off.

Arizona will move away from the “best player available” approach under Ossenfort and focus on drafting for need. But “best defender available” could make sense, especially since one or both of Anderson and Carter should be on the board when the Cardinals pick. — Josh Weinfuss

Indianapolis Colts, No. 4 overall

What’s your early gut feeling on the likelihood that the Colts a) stay home at No. 4 and draft a QB, b) trade up to get a QB, or c) go another route?

It’s a tough call because we don’t yet have a great read on the Colts’ evaluation of the available quarterbacks, which makes it difficult to understand how motivated they might be to make a move. But in the end, I lean toward the Colts staying at No. 4 overall.

General manager Chris Ballard has not made a trade up the board in the first round in the six previous drafts he has overseen. In fact, he’s far more likely to trade down. Staying at No. 4 will still afford the Colts one of the top QBs — a group that includes Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson — while protecting other picks necessary to help build around that new QB. — Stephen Holder

Seattle Seahawks, Nos. 5 and 20 overall

Seattle is one of five teams with two first-round picks. How would its ideal Round 1 play out in April?

Let’s start with the assumption that the Seahawks will either sign quarterback Geno Smith to a multiyear deal or franchise-tag him before the March 7 deadline, freeing them up to devote their early-round draft capital to improving the front seven of their defense. If they like Carter and Anderson as much as draft analysts do, then an ideal scenario would be the Bears trading the No. 1 overall pick to a quarterback-needy team that’s currently outside the top five, improving the odds that three QBs are taken in the top four and leaving at least one of those two defenders available at No. 5.

The 20th overall pick is right around the part of the first round where Seattle could be tempted to trade back, though there might be less urgency since the Seahawks already have three Day 2 picks. Ideally, the best player on their board at this point would align with whatever remaining needs they have. That could include defensive tackle, edge rusher, inside linebacker or center. — Brady Henderson

Detroit Lions, Nos. 6 and 18 overall

Will the Lions use both of their first-round picks on defense, and which positions need the most help?

After ranking near the bottom of the league in most defensive stats for a second consecutive year, it makes sense for the Lions’ front office to address that aspect immediately. Detroit’s offense has proved it can thrive with quarterback Jared Goff running the show, ranking as a top-five unit, but the Lions have to strengthen the defense to build off their first winning season since 2017. They gave up more than 6 yards per play in 2022, and only two teams allowed more points (25.1 per game).

The Lions could use a defensive end and a cornerback to take the next step in their rebuild, and the first round should offer multiple options for both positions at each of their pick slots. — Eric Woodyard

Las Vegas Raiders, No. 7 overall

If Las Vegas addresses quarterback in free agency, what becomes the focus for this pick?

Well, it depends on whether GM Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels favor need or best player available. A veteran quarterback could join Las Vegas with the primary condition of the Raiders upgrading the offensive line, too. That means a plug-and-play offensive tackle would be in play.

Otherwise, it’s all defense. I expect the Raiders to seriously consider adding another pass-rusher or a shutdown cornerback with their No. 7 pick. Yeah, you’ve heard this before, but the Raiders allowed 7.3 yards per pass attempt (25th) and managed just six interceptions (tied for last) in 2022. — Paul Gutierrez

Atlanta Falcons, No. 8 overall

Are the Falcons confident enough in Desmond Ridder to pass on a quarterback if one of the top guys falls to them at No. 8?

Who can say with extreme confidence right now whether Levis or Richardson is better than Ridder, last year’s third-round pick? If Young or Stroud were somehow available at No. 8, it would certainly be worth a conversation inside Atlanta’s draft room, but even then, it would depend on what the Falcons did pre-draft at the spot. Atlanta liked Ridder’s work ethic and improvement as his rookie season went along, and he threw two touchdown passes and zero interceptions in four games. Considering the big needs on defense and potentially the offensive line, the Falcons would likely pass on a quarterback here.

Here’s one other thing to watch, though: Can the Falcons convince another team to trade up to get the No. 8 pick if a QB is there, giving them more capital to help rebuild the roster? — Michael Rothstein

Carolina Panthers, No. 9 overall

Could Carolina spend big on a quarterback in free agency and draft one here?

No, spending big on a quarterback in free agency is almost out of the question with the team’s salary cap situation. The Panthers’ cap room currently ranks in the lower half of the league. In all likelihood, they will sign a veteran who has the potential to be a bridge at a backup price. And don’t be surprised if the Panthers trade up into the top three or four picks to get their choice of quarterback. GM Scott Fitterer has been adamant in the past that the best long-term solution for building a championship-caliber roster is with a quarterback on a rookie deal. — David Newton

Philadelphia Eagles, Nos. 10 and 30 overall

The Eagles just went to a Super Bowl but have a lot of players hitting free agency. What are their biggest offseason needs?

Eight of their 11 defensive starters from 2022 are pending free agents, and three of those players are defensive linemen: Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave and Brandon Graham. Even if one or more of them are re-signed, the front office places a high priority on the trenches and will want to replenish that area.

Cornerback is another position to watch, especially if James Bradberry signs elsewhere when free agency opens in mid-March. — Tim McManus