The Daily Briefing Thursday, March 9, 2023

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Colton Pouncy of The Athletic with thoughts from the Lions Combine media session:

Needs versus Best Player Available

The Lions have two first-round picks. They also have needs. The defense could stand to improve, in an effort to match an offense that ranked top five in scoring and yards. On paper, it’s easy to see that and guess what they might be thinking. But Holmes is paid to think about the long-term health of the franchise.

“I think when you’re in those spots and you’re just drafting for need, you can make some mistakes,” Holmes said. “I’m not going to say we don’t look at that at all, but when you’re passing up really good football players that can help you and impact your football team, it might not be lined up with the exact anchored ‘hole’ you might have on the depth chart. Again, we’ve had that process started for a while and we’re continuing it here at the combine. We’re just going to look for two really good football players that fit what we’re all about and can hopefully impact us early.”

Holmes is the same GM who passed on a quarterback in 2021 to take Penei Sewell. It’s a move that took an already good offensive line and turned it into one of the best in the NFL, as he built from the inside out. A year later, Holmes traded up for Jameson Williams — a dynamic talent at wide receiver, but an injured one who would miss the first 11 games of the season. At midseason, he traded 2019 No. 8 pick T.J. Hockenson to a division rival in a move that improved the team’s draft capital. The Lions would go on to win eight of the final 10 games without Hockenson. Holmes took a bit of a victory lap discussing that trade Wednesday, remembering how some at the time viewed it as him waving the white flag. As we know now, it was all part of an effort to improve.

That’s why it’s no surprise that Holmes and Campbell will be looking at everything in the first round. Not just needs, and not just defense.

“I would say we’re not afraid to acquire talent even if we have a couple people already in that position,” Campbell said. “There is such a thing as talent that is hard to pass up, even though we may have a surplus of those players. … We’re looking for guys that upgrade us no matter what they are. If they can play, we’ll find a way to play them. We’ll put all of them out there in some form or fashion.”

Free agency approach

Even though this week is draft-focused, free agency is right around the corner, opening on March 15. The Lions have recently made some moves, like freeing up $10 million by releasing defensive tackle Michael Brockers, to create added spending power. More moves could be on the way. But even though the Lions will have some resources to add, don’t expect Holmes and company to go overboard. That’s not their style.

“We’ll always be selective and strategic in free agency,” Holmes said. “You’ve gotta be really careful in free agency. … It’s all about still finding the right guys. It’s not about how much money you have to spend. Regardless of how many resources, (we’re) always being selective and strategic in that process. We’re just trying to find the right guys.”

“I think, honestly, we both kind of came away and said, all right, here we go, we’re going into year three, yeah, we got a little bit more to play with, we got a little more wiggle room, but it’s like, man … let’s just get better,” Campbell said.

You’ll hear those messages repeated by both Holmes and Campbell around this time of the year, every year. “The right guys,” or “let’s just get better.” It’s how they operate. Improvement comes in all forms. DeShon Elliott was an inexpensive signing who helped stabilize the safety position. Who would’ve thought defensive end John Cominsky, a waiver-wire add rewarded to the Lions over seven other teams, would have such an impact? Even defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs offered value.

At the same time, Campbell’s right. It’s Year 3. With that in mind, do the Lions need to be more aggressive in targeting higher-quality free agents? If you consider yourself a playoff team, you have to field a playoff roster. Detroit has work to do in that regard.

But the Lions can get closer this offseason. And do it without breaking the bank.

The ‘it’ factor Campbell looks for

In their first draft together in Detroit, Campbell and Holmes added franchise pillars in Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Both made the Pro Bowl in their second seasons. They’re wired in ways to which the Lions were drawn. They’re all about ball. But the challenge, both this year and beyond, is finding more.

Campbell believes that process is under way.

“I don’t know how many guys we’ve met with at this point,” Campbell said. “Really, over these two to three days, let’s call it 30 guys, 35 guys. And I’ve check-marked four guys. And to me, they got the ‘it’ factor. Just when you sit in there and you hear them talk about football, there’s a fire burning in them. And they can’t sit in their seat. They got to get up to talk. They got to tell you what’s going on. … You can’t fake that. When you have that, you love ball. And you’ll eat and breathe it, do anything for it and do anything for your teammates. And you’re uber-competitive.”

As we learn more and more about the Lions’ regime, it’s easy to identify certain players as Campbell guys. Sewell, St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Malcolm Rodriguez and others come to mind. The guys that not only love football but live it. Meetings like the ones taking place in Indy this week oftentimes help solidify opinions more so than the on-field drills and events. Campbell shedding some light on what he looks for made for some notable insight from Wednesday’s session.

“To them, it’s a competition,” Campbell said. “Like, I’m about to show you how good I can do this. I’m about to show you what I can retain. I’m going to show you that I understand what you’re wanting me to do. And those guys are rare. If you can find those guys and they’ve got some ability — which most guys here do — it’s hard not to like them.”

It sounds like the QB position will be addressed

The way the Lions are currently constructed, the quarterback position will always be a topic of conversation. Jared Goff is the Lions’ starter, and Holmes doubled down on that sentiment Wednesday after publicly backing his quarterback in his January news conference.

But that doesn’t mean the team won’t look to add to the position. Especially as it enters a competitive window.

“I feel like last year, we kind of left training camp kind of sliding into home plate trying to fill that backup quarterback role,” Holmes said. “And that’s on me. I gotta do a better job of making sure that we’re not in that position again. So that is something that we’re gonna need to address, whether it’s here in free agency or upcoming in the draft. But that’s something that we’ve had a lot of conversations about.”

After letting David Blough and Tim Boyle battle it out for the backup job in training camp, Holmes ultimately moved on from both and brought in Nate Sudfeld as the backup. He didn’t see the field that often, thanks to a healthy season from Goff, but if Goff goes down in a year with playoff expectations, is Sudfeld a player who can keep Detroit on track? Or is it worth trying to upgrade?

The other part of this equation, of course, is the idea of drafting a young quarterback. Perhaps as high as No. 6.

Holmes didn’t care to get into the conversation, when asked if that was a possibility. He also didn’t quite rule it out.

“We’re going to get the best football players that fit us,” he said.

Campbell on his new-look staff

The Lions will enter the 2023 season with plenty of new faces. Running backs coach Duce Staley (Panthers), defensive line coach Todd Wash (Panthers) and senior offensive assistant John Morton (Broncos) all departed for other jobs this offseason. Campbell said all of those moves were for family reasons, which is one reason he allowed the coaches to leave.

“Listen, it’s tough,” Campbell said. “When a piece of them is not quite here, I don’t think that’s fair to them or us. And the other thing about it: I believe there are good coaches out there. You can find them. … And I believe we’ve done that. I really do.”

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Matthew Berry of NBCSports.com collects some Combine whispers about the Cowboys:

16. I wish I had more details for this one, but I think I don’t have great specifics yet because I don’t think Jerry Jones has specifics yet. However, I was told that “Dallas wants to make a splash on offense.” While they like Michael Gallup and think he’ll be better this year, they don’t feel like they have a true star in the passing game beyond CeeDee Lamb and Jerry “wants to make a splash.”  What that splash means remains to be seen, whether it’s trading up (or for) a big-name player, a splashy signing in free agency or what, but they definitely want a big headliner. I threw out to my source “What about DeAndre Hopkins?” And my source said “Yeah, something like that.” Again, it was my first thought, not my source’s and he didn’t bite beyond basically agreeing that would be a big splash, so I’m not even saying that’s a rumor. But I thought it was interesting.

17. More Dallas. I didn’t hear anything about Dalton Schultz, but others have reported that he potentially will not be back with the club next year. There are a lot of moving pieces but, add in the fact that Kellen Moore is no longer the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys, and my sense is Dallas’ offense is going to look a lot more different next year than people are currently thinking.

PHILADELPHIA

Matthew Berry:

Another running back departure, as two sources told me they expect the Eagles to part ways with Miles Sanders. They really like Kenneth Gainwell in his third down passing role but that’s about it. One thing that was interesting was both sources told me the “running back by committee” approach that Philly used the last couple of seasons was more about a lack of confidence in Sanders handling a massive workload, both from a health point of view and concerns on fumbling. If Philly were to land a “star running back” from the draft (like if they somehow wound up with Bijan Robinson) they would ride that guy in a big way. In other words, a RBBC is not Sirianni’s preferred way to deploy running backs but rather what he felt he had to do given who they had on the roster.

WASHINGTON

In the halls of Indianapolis, Matthew Berry heard enough to link the Commanders to QB LAMAR JACKSON:

I don’t know who the new owner of the Washington Commanders will be, just that there will be one. There’s been a bunch of crazy reporting around: Who will buy them? Who won’t? Is Jeff Bezos in the running or is he not? Is all this a bluff by Dan Snyder to take heat off him? And so on.

Well, Washington is my team, so you can only imagine how closely I have followed this story. And during combine week, my friend and former ESPN colleague Don Van Natta Jr. dropped an absolute doozy of a story on Snyder, alleging, among other things, that (another!) criminal inquiry of the team’s finances and Snyder’s dealings around a $55 million dollar line of credit is being investigated by the FBI and IRS. (My favorite tidbit? Snyder is accused of charging the team $4.5 million dollars to put the team’s logo on his personal private jet. Unreal. Just when you think there can’t be another terrible story… yep, here comes another! No team leads the NFL in lawsuits and investigations like my Commanders).

Anyways, highly recommended reading here.

Here’s what I can tell you, from both Washington team sources I spoke to and to NFL league sources, he’s selling. If he doesn’t do it on his own, he’s going to be forced to but it doesn’t seem like it will come to that. He will sell to someone, but that someone will NOT be Jeff Bezos. Aside from all the other reasons folks have given (Snyder hates the Washington Post, owned by Bezos) one person told me Snyder hates how it looks that Bezos would drive him from the NFL AND then get his team? Snyder would rather take less money than sell it to Bezos.

2. Snyder’s thought process is also, weirdly, tied to Lamar Jackson. But before we get there, let’s talk about what the Ravens will do with Lamar. There are many, many theories and reports out there, but my friend and colleague Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk put this out there during Super Bowl week (and I’ve since seen a lot of others much later echo this) that the most likely scenario is that the Ravens use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him.

The idea is very simple. Lamar doesn’t have an agent and the two sides have a had a lot trouble coming to anything close to an agreement. So, the thinking is that the Ravens say… “Hey, ok, Lamar, we’ll head to the sideline and we will let you and some other team figure out a deal.” And then once that deal is figured out the Ravens have a choice to either match it (“Great, finally a deal Lamar has agreed to!”) or they get two first round picks.

And this is where Dan Snyder and his mindset come into play. Florio has mentioned a few times on his radio/TV show the idea that one team that could sign him would be the Commanders. Lamar wants a fully guaranteed deal, similar to Deshaun Watson’s. A crazy deal that happened because, well, the Browns were desperate and it was the only way they could get Watson. But no other QB has that kind of deal. Not Josh Allen, who was drafted in the same class (2018). Not Patrick Mahomes. Only Watson has a fully guaranteed contract.

That fully guaranteed deal with Watson secretly drove a lot of other NFL teams crazy, as you might imagine. So, what if, on his way out, Dan Snyder gave Lamar Jackson what he wants? A fully guaranteed six-year deal. A deal he won’t have to pay off because he’ll be gone. As Florio said, “This would be the ultimate middle finger in the eye of the power structure if [Snyder] does it.”

Also, delivering Jackson would certainly help Snyder salvage his legacy. It’s a perfect win-win. Snyder sticks it to the rest of league by re-setting the QB market in an insane way, and also delivers a franchise QB to Washington.

People may dismiss the idea because Florio’s idea was later used to prank the Pardon My Take guys as PFT Commenter is a well-known Commanders fan and it went viral. But I’m told there is some actual smoke to that fire.

One last nugget on Lamar Jackson. One source said, “I think the Ravens are secretly really annoyed with Lamar and not just the contract stuff. There’s other stuff, including all the missed time. Don’t rule out a sign and trade.”

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

Whatever his name, this receiver is now an ex-Cardinal to go along with ex-Jet and ex-Panther.  Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com:

Sometimes, it’s not difficult to decipher specific moves a team might make on the roster as they move into a new season.

Such was the case Wednesday when the Cardinals released wide receiver Robbie Anderson – he recently changed his first name to Chosen, according to his Instagram account – after a disappointing half-season following a trade from Carolina. Cutting Anderson clears $12 million of salary cap space for the team, an obvious decision for new general manager Monti Ossenfort.

The move leaves the Cardinals with five wide receivers currently under contract for 2023: DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown, Rondale Moore, Javon Wims and Auden Tate. Hopkins could potentially be traded, although Greg Dortch is expected to return as an exclusive rights free agent.

Anderson, acquired for a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick, played in 10 games for the Cardinals. But he only had seven catches for 76 yards and never fit into the offense despite opportunities with injuries to Hopkins, Brown and Moore. Anderson had been brought in to fill a void with Brown hurting his foot.

With the new league year and free agency beginning next week, adding $12 million to the cap is important. According to overthecap.com, the Cardinals had about $15.8 million in cap space before releasing Anderson, a number that would be about halved after 2023 contracts kick in and the team signs its 2023 draft class.

– – –

As T KELVIN BEACHUM could be heading out the door, he has some candid comments on QB KYLER MURRAY:

The Cardinals are heading in a new direction after hiring head coach Jonathan Gannon and General Manager Monti Ossenfort since the end of the 2022 season and one of the questions that the franchise will have to answer is if their reboot will extend to the quarterback spot at some point in the near future.

Decisions to draft and extend Kyler Murray were made by people no longer in the organization and Murray’s play ahead of last year’s torn ACL didn’t do much to convince the world that he’s a sure thing as the face of the franchise.

Tackle Kelvin Beachum is set for free agency after helping to protect Murray the last three seasons and he shared his thoughts about the quarterback during an appearance on Arizona Sports on Wednesday. Beachum said quarterbacks “have to be able to lead an entire organization, you’ve got to lead a team” and that Murray is still going through the process of becoming that kind of a leader.

“It’s not a completed process,” Beachum said. “I didn’t say he lacks leadership, I just think he needs to grow up a little bit. I think if he has the ability and willingness to grow up, he’s going to be just fine. They paid him for a reason, they paid him because of his talent. He has the ability to lead. When you’re in that position, we need you to lead more. You’re the face of the franchise . . . you have to lead in every single capacity.”

Murray’s progress may be impacted by the need to focus on recovering from his torn ACL during an offseason that will also require him to learn a new offense, but the Cardinals will need him to show it if they’re going to continue on the same track after switching gears elsewhere.

AFC WEST

DENVER

Matthew Berry of NBCSports.com reports some rumors about the Broncos:

Speaking of big name QBs coming off down years, more than one person mentioned to me that Russell Wilson is basically on a one-year audition. There’s no way Denver can cut him this year, but next year, while the dead cap hit would certainly be bad, it could be spread out over two years and wouldn’t be franchise crippling. Said one source “I don’t think [Sean] Payton likes Russ. He’s got one year to prove himself or Payton will move on.” This source pointed out that Payton has said multiple times in public, on the record, how Russell keeps “bothering Drew Brees.” Payton tries to play it off for a laugh, but my source doesn’t think Payton actually think it’s funny.

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9. As long as we are talking Denver, I’m told the Broncos are quietly shopping Courtland Sutton. Not actively pushing him, but definitely trying to see if there’s a trade market for him and if they get a decent offer, would move him.

10. The most fascinating nugget about Denver (and possibly of the whole combine) was about Javonte Williams’ health and I’m told there is a VERY wide range of possibilities regarding his return. There is a chance he is healthy to start the year. There is a chance he misses multiple games. And there is actually a chance he misses all of next year. I was told he is currently a lot more hurt than the team is letting on publicly and that the Broncos are secretly nervous. Don’t be surprised if the Broncos wind up with Kareem Hunt when all is said and done. Mike Boone is likely gone but Latavius Murray is expected to be back and be in the “Mark Ingram” role for Sean Payton. But Hunt, who is not expected to be back in Cleveland, is said to be a target for Denver. If Hunt winds up in Denver, my source said, you’ll know Javonte Williams’ injury is a lot worse than they are letting on.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Paul Dehner, Jr. of The Athletic assesses the Bengals’ 2023 needs:

A week in Indianapolis filled with late nights, early mornings, prospects, agents and conversations with nearly everyone at the center of molding the next stage in this remarkable Bengals run.

This brought up a number of intriguing questions and answers, not to mention a few half-baked takes that should remain forgotten last-call sermons and nothing more.

With a weekend of testing and opinions heard, it’s time to reset the position priority for the 28th overall pick (as well as more than a few tangents based on those rankings).

Gaining more insight adjusted where I think the Bengals would focus premium draft capital this year. This doesn’t preclude them from taking one of the positions not at the top of the list and free agency outcomes will alter a few, but there will be a lean toward checking these boxes in one of the first two rounds.

Here’s my new top six then a significant tier drop after.

1. Offensive tackle. Free agency could push this down, but as of now, finding a match to secure the future and potentially serve as an option with whatever will transpire at right tackle this year is top of the mind. As we were reminded often by Bengals’ coaches last week, you can’t have enough linemen. Right now — and certainly into the near future — they do not. Nobody would fault them for selecting the top tackle on the board at 28 and figuring out the rest later.

In the same vein, the Bengals don’t value right tackle to the same degree as outsiders might think. Joe Burrow’s ability to observe the rush, get the ball out quickly and work the pocket masterfully makes it the least valuable on this line. There aren’t many great right tackles walking the planet these days and the Bengals have dealt with OK-ness there the last two years and have done well enough before injuries exposed the back of the roster. This pick would be more about the future (or present?) at left tackle.

2. Cornerback. Call this Cam Taylor-Britt, part two. Ideally, the Bengals replicate what unfolded this past season and find a corner of the future to pair with CTB for the long haul. But for the 2023 Bengals, it offers a significant investment in the fourth corner position that sits unfilled. There could be a third-wave bargain free agent in the mix here, but there will be an eye on this group.

Investment in cornerbacks early in the draft, even if they won’t play immediately, was a primary move of this front office during the luxury draft years from 2012-’16 (Dre Kirkpatrick, Darqueze Dennard, William Jackson III). They would not hesitate to replicate the strategy. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo values length and physicality with his corners, in particular, and the large number of tall, long-armed corners posting strong numbers this past weekend only increased the chances. There’s a reason you’ll continue to see the Deonte Banks, of Maryland, showing up in mocks.

3. Defensive line. Last year, the Bengals really liked George Karlaftis, of Purdue, only to see him snatched by the Chiefs right in front of them. They are still seeking explosiveness in the pass rush, even though Anarumo was fast to point out they led the NFL in opponent QB rating last year and did plenty of affecting the quarterback. This could come in the form of another edge defender or a three-technique to pair to B.J. Hill as he did with Larry Ogunjobi.

The name mentioned often will be Pitt defensive lineman Calijah Kancey. The comparisons to Aaron Donald continued rolling in, as unfair as it is to compare any 22-year-old to one of the all-time greats, even if their school, physical strengths and weaknesses align.

Remember, the Bengals took the original Donald, when undersized Geno Atkins took the league by storm in 2010. I do wonder if their plan would be to bulk Kancey up as they did third-round pick Zach Carter last year. A defensive lineman weighing 281 pounds has been a bit of no man’s land in Anarumo’s system.

4. Tight end. Two factors why this slipped down the list for me. One, I think Hayden Hurst ends up back in Cincinnati. This incredible tight end group in the draft will suppress his market and the money could end up about the same with the Bengals as elsewhere. If he returns, the pressure to use the first-round pick to find a player who comes in more polished and ready to make an impact in the first year lessens. Hurst’s presence would open up the preferred, more historically effective method of finding a traits-based tight end (Zach Kuntz, of Old Dominion, for instance, posted the top RAS score in combine history and Luke Schoonmaker, of Michigan, opened eyes with his athleticism) in later rounds.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah stated he had 11 tight ends with at least a third-round grade. The most tight ends drafted in the first three rounds ever is eight. The Bengals picked a good year to be starting from scratch and you could easily see them applying their favorite mid-round double-up strategy to the position as they did with Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah in 2015.

If Cincinnati comes into late April without a clear starting tight end, well, then they would have to open themselves to the idea of Michael Mayer, Dalton Kincaid, Darnell Washington or whatever version of the first-round tight end they feel the system demands. That’s unlikely. At least one veteran will end up signing, even if Hurst bolts. If needed, Mayer’s ability as a contested-catch king and all-around solid player make him a snug match for their philosophy more than just his stated “Who Dey Stadium” roots.

5. Wide receiver. They need an heir apparent to Tyler Boyd. Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan talked about how free-agent receivers have little interest in coming to Cincinnati because they won’t be seeing the field behind the big three. For that reason, as long as Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Boyd are here, the next generation should come from the draft. Plus, with the money that could be spent at this position, finding the surplus value of a quality receiver on a rookie contract feels like a must. This doesn’t need to come in the first two rounds, but the second-round receivers sure do have a long line of repeated success around these parts. The list over the last 30 years: Carl Pickens, Darnay Scott, Chad Johnson, Jerome Simpson, Boyd, Higgins. Not a bad hit rate.

The draft offers far too many light wideouts without blazing speed. You can’t enter this offense unwilling or unable to play physically as a blocker. That won’t be the deciding factor, but one to keep in mind.

The dream of Jaxson Smith-Njigba, of Ohio State, might have run away from the Bengals after he showed off his rare agility and movement this weekend. Considering less than spectacular weekends from other first-round prospects, the possibility Smith-Njigba falls to 28 looks even less likely.

6. Running back. Unless your name is Bijan Robinson and an unlikely slide occurs (PFF’s Sam Monson dubbed him the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson), it’s difficult to see the Bengals going running back in the first round. They prefer to use that pick on a premium position (see why tight end slides down to four). Also, one reminder of this weekend was how many running backs with explosiveness will be populating the middle rounds. Appears a sweet spot for both this draft and Cincinnati’s needs.

The need sets up from the expected conversation ahead with Joe Mixon. The line that stood out this week was director of player personnel Duke Tobin talking about his situation and stating “when you have a good player who is productive, you do what you can to keep them on your football team.” They won’t need to find a way to keep Mixon on the roster — he’s under contract. The obvious and implied comment being he just can’t play under that contract as a $12.8 million cap hit. A conversation will be coming down the line about taking a pay cut. This happened with Giovani Bernard, in early April of 2021. Bernard told the team thanks, but no thanks.

Should there be optimism Mixon obliges?

AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE

WR CALVIN RIDLEY is on the other side of a gambling suspension and a bout with depression.  The Jaguars hope that the top receiver remains. He’s written a long open letter about his battles, summed up here by Adam Stites of USA TODAY:

When Calvin Ridley makes his Jacksonville Jaguars debut in the fall, it’ll be his first time on an NFL field in nearly two years.

Before Ridley was suspended by the league indefinitely for gambling on sports, the former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver was on the non-football injury list while dealing with his mental health. Details of Ridley’s struggles have been vague, but the receiver opened up Wednesday in an open letter published on The Players’ Tribune.

“I would come into the facility and I just wasn’t myself,” Ridley wrote, in part. “I mean, for three years, all those guys in that locker room know how I’m coming. I’m walking in there to compete like hell. I’m trying to take people’s souls, every day. Ask Julio. Ask anybody. But all I wanted was to be at home with my wife and daughter. We were supposed to go play in London, and I just couldn’t leave them. That’s when I finally broke down and told the team that I needed help.”

Among the contributing factors to Ridley’s growing anxieties during the 2021 season was a broken foot that he says he played through during the 2020 season, and a home invasion he says occurred during the Falcons’ Week 1 opener in 2021.

Ridley later explained his decision to bet on NFL games, which earned him a year-long suspension that was lifted earlier this week.

I just f***ed up. Period. In a dark moment, I made a stupid mistake. I wasn’t trying to cheat the game. That’s the thing I want to make clear. At the time, I had been completely away from the team for about a month. I was still just so depressed and angry, and the days were so long. I was looking for anything to take my mind off of things and make the day go by faster. One day, I saw a TV commercial for a betting app, and for whatever reason, I downloaded it on my phone. I deposited like $1,500 total, literally just for something to do. I was going to bet like $200 on some NBA games that night, but then I just added a bunch more games to a parlay. I put the Falcons in on it. I was just doing it to root on my boys, basically. I didn’t have any inside information. I wasn’t even talking to anybody on the team at the time. I was totally off the grid.

Whenever people ask, “What were you thinking?” The only answer I can give is, “I wasn’t.”

Near the end of his letter, Ridley thanked the Jaguars for their faith in him as a person and he made some big promises.

Right now, I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt —  mentally and physically. On the field, I’m flying. Believe me, I’m flying. That GPS band don’t lie. On my daughter’s name, if I’m healthy? With Trevor Lawrence? I’m giving Jacksonville 1,400 yards a season, period.

Ridley, 28, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2023 and is currently due to become a free agent in 2024.

THIS AND THAT

2023 DRAFT

Dane Brugler of The Athletic drops this post-Combine Mock Draft:

The information during NFL Scouting Combine week hits you like a ruthless fire hose.

As I leave Indianapolis, which was (again) a tremendous host, the job now is to parse that information and separate what is least and most likely to happen come draft time. Easier said than done.

With free agency yet to come, the first-round outlook will continue to change. Based on what I heard and saw at the combine, however, here is a look at how Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft could play out:

1. Indianapolis Colts (from Chicago): C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State*

Projected trade: Nos. 4 and 35 and a 2024 first-round pick to Chicago for No. 1

The speculation during combine week wasn’t about whether or not the Colts will draft a quarterback, it was: Which QB they will take? And how much will it cost?

The members of the triumvirate in charge of that decision each brings a differing perspective. Shane Steichen is entering his first draft as a head coach, Chris Ballard knows this could be his final draft as general manager if the wrong pick is made, and owner Jim Irsay is the wild card (as usual). Stroud might be the quarterback that’s the most comfortable choice for each person there. He is ready to compete for the starting job from Day 1 and his natural accuracy gives him a high floor as an NFL passer. (The Athletic’s Zak Keefer had similar thoughts from the combine.)

Obviously, trading up to No. 1 is an expensive move. But if the Colts stay at No. 4, they might find themselves with only their second- or even third-best quarterback option available. That isn’t good enough for a franchise that has been compromising at the position since Andrew Luck retired.

2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Not everyone around the league is convinced the Texans will go quarterback here. With multiple first-round picks in next year’s draft, Houston could continue to build up its roster and look to nab a QB in 2024.

With Young still available in this scenario, though, it would be tough to pass up. A combination of DeMeco Ryans at head coach and Young at quarterback would bump the optimism levels in Houston sky high.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama

We don’t have a draft history for either Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon or general manager Monti Ossenfort, as they’re in their first year in those roles. Based on their previous stops, however, it is a reasonable bet that they will prioritize the pass rush, especially with it being such a need on the Cardinals’ roster. Not only is Anderson’s talent worth this pick, but his intangibles are also exactly what the organization wants with the first pick of the Gannon-Ossenfort era.

Anderson had a solid combine — whatever you thought of him going in, that is likely how you feel leaving Indianapolis. The average 10-yard split for the top-20 pass rushers in the NFL is 1.63 and Anderson posted a 1.61, a strong time at 253 pounds.

4. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago): Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida*

Projected trade: Nos. 9, 61 and a 2024 first-round pick to Chicago for No. 4

As expected, Richardson created a buzz with his on-field combine work. The interview portion was more of a mixed bag, but his natural talent will be too enticing. The word from other teams is that Panthers owner David Tepper is on a mission to invest in a young, exciting quarterback who gives the franchise a long-term direction. A Carolina quarterback room of Jacoby Brissett and Anthony Richardson is a plausible scenario for 2023.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

Given last week’s news that an arrest warrant had been issued for Carter back in Georgia, the potential No. 1 pick’s draft projection has become much more complicated. (Carter turned himself in, was released on bond and returned to the combine.)

Teams understandably love the player, but now they must exhaust every resource to ensure they can trust the person. Though Seattle has been burned in the past (see: Malik McDowell), every player is different and every situation is unique. Carter could end up looking like a steal here.

6. Detroit Lions: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

Tall, long and can run — that’s a great place to start with a cornerback. At 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds with 32-inch arms, Gonzalez ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine and added outstanding jumps (41.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-1 broad). The numbers are great; the tape is even better. Gonzalez’s fluidity, ball skills and toughness would match up well with what the Lions are looking for in a first-round cornerback.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

If this scenario plays out, it would be the first time in the Super Bowl era that four quarterbacks are drafted in the top seven picks.

The Raiders have been very open about their desire to draft a young quarterback, and Levis is a potential fit. The Kentucky passer has outstanding physical traits, smarts and toughness, which all would be appealing to head coach Josh McDaniels.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech

Unless general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith are absolutely blown away by a quarterback in this class, the Falcons are more than comfortable with the idea of Desmond Ridder as their starter in 2023.

The defensive line will be a priority for Atlanta this offseason, and Wilson has a disruptive package of length, power and quickness.

9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Lukas Van Ness, DL, Iowa*

For the Bears, this would be an outstanding scenario. By trading down twice, Chicago would own five picks in the top 64 this year (Nos. 9, 35, 53, 61 and 64) plus two additional first-rounders in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The storylines for this pairing would be fun. Van Ness grew up a Bears fan, living just outside of Chicago (Barrington, Ill.), and his girlfriend is the younger sister of Bears tight end Cole Kmet. More importantly, the Iowa defensive lineman is a promising player with the traits to be a disruptive force from multiple alignments.

General manager Ryan Poles believes in building for the long term, so adding an ascending talent like Van Ness and draft capital via multiple trade downs would fit the profile.

10. New England (from Philadelphia): Peter Skoronski, OT/G, Northwestern*

Projected trade: Nos. 14, 76 and a 2024 fifth-round pick to Philadelphia for No. 10

With multiple tackle-needy teams in front of the Patriots, they jump up a few spots here to get Skoronski.

As an organization, New England has never been tied down by size limitations, so Skoronski’s shorter arms shouldn’t be a roadblock. He is the top offensive lineman in this class and could be Bill Belichick’s new Matt Light. Regardless, his position versatility would give the Patriots options as they try to field their five best blockers.

11. Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

The Titans’ current offensive tackle depth chart is sparse. The good news is their need matches up well with the talent that should be available around this pick. Not only does Johnson fit the profile of what the Titans covet at the position, the Ohio State connection wouldn’t hurt. Adding Johnson would give Ohio State alum Mike Vrabel an all-Buckeye OT depth chart of Johnson, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Jamarco Jones.

12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland): Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia

Wide receiver is a popular pick for Texans here, understandably. Rather than reach on a pass-catcher, though, they could wait and still have plenty of options in Round 2.

Smith has the talent and character that would be an ideal fit for what Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio want to build on defense. Though he already figured to be in this range, Smith’s 1.52 10-yard split and 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine only helped his case.

13. New York Jets: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

The Jets are expected to have Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown under contract for the 2023 season, but the idea of both playing a full season feels farfetched. And, unless the Jets pick up Becton’s fifth-year option, this might be the final year for each in Gotham green. If Jones doesn’t win a starting tackle job in camp, he has the skill set to play guard early in his career before moving back outside long term.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (from New England): Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas*

Talking to league folks in Indianapolis, it was almost unanimous: No one sees the Eagles drafting a running back at No. 10. However, several mentioned the possibility of a trade back and how it would make the RB idea more palatable for general manager Howie Roseman.

Last year, Philadelphia used the No. 13 pick on a nose tackle (Jordan Davis), a position many believe can be found outside of the first round. The Eagles saw the value because of Davis’ unique talent. This could be a similar situation.

The value of a running back this early in the draft is a disputed topic, but a talent like Robinson alters the equation.

15. Green Bay Packers: Brian Branch, Nickel, Alabama

Though many will be hung up on his lackluster 4.58 40 time, Branch was outstanding during the combine positional drills and “stellar” in meetings, according to one NFL team source. He met with the Packers in Indianapolis, and his versatility would be a great fit in Green Bay’s scheme.

16. Washington Commanders: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

Although he doesn’t have ideal size (5-11 1/2, 181 pounds), Witherspoon plays much bigger than he looks and has the tape of an immediate NFL starter. Between the need on Washington’s roster and Witherspoon’s talent and play personality, the Illinois product wouldn’t be a hard sell to head coach Ron Rivera.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

As the son of an All-Pro in Pittsburgh, Porter Jr. grew up in the Steelers locker room and got his first taste of playing cornerback by going one-on-one with Antonio Brown. Aside from the personal connections, Porter Jr. is a physical press corner who would immediately improve the Steelers’ defense.

18. Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh

In his previous role, Lions general manager Brad Holmes was a driving force in the Rams drafting Aaron Donald. Fast-forward 10 years to the present and Pitt has produced another undersized defensive lineman that checks a lot of the same boxes. There is only one Donald, but Kancey has the quickness, play violence and work ethic that will appeal to Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson

Former first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka remains a work in progress and Shaquil Barrett is coming off an Achilles injury, making pass rusher a realistic possibility with this pick.

Murphy didn’t get a chance to show off his impressive traits at the combine, but there aren’t many prospects at his position that offer his size, length and athleticism.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the outside with Smith-Njigba in the slot? No defense would want to cover that trio of receivers. Smith-Njigba had a near-perfect positional workout at the combine, and he posted elite numbers in the three-cone (6.57 seconds) and short shuttle (3.93).

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

The Chargers had one of the most explosive passing offenses in the NFL last season, despite mediocre production at tight end. Mayer is ready for a steady diet of NFL targets, which would give Justin Herbert a chance for quick, easy completions. It’d also provide new play-caller Kellen Moore with a Chargers version of Dalton Schultz.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

“We’re going to keep swinging.” That was the short version of the answer by Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta when asked about drafting wide receivers.

Flowers is a smaller target (5-9, 182), which isn’t ideal, but he is a savvy and sudden competitor with the route pacing to create space for his quarterback.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

The 6-0, 197-pound Banks clocked a 4.35 in the 40-yard dash. He also posted elite results in his 10-yard split (1.49), vertical (42 inches) and broad jump (11-4). He is a physical, cover-and-clobber corner who is ready to step in and see starter-level snaps — exactly what Minnesota needs.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

At 264 pounds with 34.5-inch arms and 11-inch hands, Washington takes pride in being a sixth offensive lineman as a blocker. His 40-yard dash (4.64) and short shuttle (4.08) also confirmed his freaky athleticism at that size. Despite slapping the franchise tag on Evan Engram, the Jaguars will be in the tight end market this offseason.

25. New York Giants: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

On tape, Addison has some routes that give you flashbacks of Stefon Diggs. Giants head coach Brian Daboll had a front-row seat for Diggs’s game in Buffalo, so the hope would be to replicate that in New York.

At 173 pounds, Addison was smaller than expected at the combine, but he would add a different dimension to the Giants’ passing attack.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

The last time the Cowboys drafted a tight end in the first round (David LaFleur in 1997), Barry Switzer was still head coach. But the current Cowboys are looking for playmakers on offense and Kincaid offers a unique profile. He could give Dak Prescott quick wins, like the aforementioned Schultz, while also providing more explosive potential with his seam and run-after-catch skills.

27. Buffalo Bills: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

There is a good chance the Bills get a deal done with Tremaine Edmunds. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, though, this pick could be a potential contingency plan. In a lot of ways, Sanders is very similar to Edmunds as a prospect: big, athletic and versatile with the skill set to play SAM, MIKE or rush the passer.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

Harrison would be a pick for the present and the future. Because of his experience at both left and right tackle, he could serve as a swing tackle as a rookie while he continues to develop — especially his play strength. Then, with Jonah Williams in the final year of his deal, Harrison also would give the organization a long-term plan at left tackle.

29. New Orleans Saints: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

The Saints need to address the defensive line this offseason, and the draft might be their best chance to do that. At 6-5 and 298 pounds, Bresee has the size and athletic profile that will interest New Orleans. His tape is inconsistent, but injuries and personal circumstances are the main reasons for that.

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Darnell Wright, OT/G, Tennessee

The Eagles are going to draft a trench player with one of their first-rounders, right? Most would assume that move up front would come on defense, but don’t rule out an offensive lineman, if the fit is right.

Wright would be able to step right in and compete for starting reps at guard, while also being the long-term answer at right tackle. He checks a lot of boxes for what Philadelphia covets at the position.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Dawand Jones, RT, Ohio State

The Chiefs will be tasked with reworking their depth chart at offensive tackle this offseason, so they potentially could address the position with this pick. At 6-8 and 374 pounds with 36 3/8-inch arms, Jones (who is still only 21 years old) is a mammoth blocker and made tremendous strides over the last calendar year with his big-man balance.