The Daily Briefing Thursday, May 5, 2022

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

It looks like elite members of the media have got a Bears scouting executive fired for making what he thought was a compliment about the team’s second round pick.  Gabe Angieri of OnwardState.com:

The same night the Chicago Bears selected Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, team scout Chris Prescott made disparaging comments revolving around the Nittany Lion and his personal life.

When describing Brisker, Prescott called him “poor, hungry, and desperate,” per ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin.

“He’s a — what would we call it? Ph.D.? Poor, hungry, and desperate,” Prescott said. “Football is his life. This is this kid’s life. There’s a lot to like about that when you see a guy who’s so passionate about football.”

Prescott faced criticism following his comments. Now, according to Inside The League’s Neil Stratton, Prescott no longer holds his position in Chicago after seven years with the team.

In a segment on ESPN’s “NFL Live” on Monday, ESPN senior writer Mina Kimes condemned Prescott for his comments, saying they dehumanize Brisker and diminish who is as a person.

“If that’s what they’re saying in public, what is being said behind closed doors?” Kimes said. “It’s amazing that Brisker has overcome adversity and should be championed, but to reduce his story to a draft attribute, like a 40[-yard dash] time, is to reduce who he is as a human being.”

Additionally, Kimes believes Prescott’s comments bring light to a bigger issue in NFL Draft commentary — both from teams and the media.

“This is something I think that we’ve all been complicit in, including the media, in our word choice, the presentation of stories” she continued. “But, it’s 2022, and by now, we should really all know better.”

To Kimes’ point, ESPN was in hot water two years ago during the 2020 NFL Draft for its handling of its draft coverage. When talking about some of the draft prospects, the network repeatedly opted to share tragedies and other sad stories about the players’ personal lives, which didn’t always sit well with viewers.

The backlash prompted the network to release a statement to Sporting News, which defended ESPN’s coverage and decision to air those stories.

“Our NFL Draft coverage analyzes the prospects on the field and introduces the human side of the players by telling their stories, including the obstacles their families have overcome as part of the journey to the NFL,” ESPN told Sporting news shortly after the 2020 NFL Draft.

Mike Freeman of USA TODAY joined Kimes in her disparagement of Prescott:

That didn’t really help Prescott’s case. It made it worse.

If Prescott talks about players like this publicly, imagine what he says when out of view.

Expressing a sort of glee about a player being poor, hungry and desperate is quite the take. It’s a line you’d expect to hear from Marty and Wendy Byrde in “Ozark.”

Prescott made these remarks during the draft. Brandon Faber, vice president of communications for the Bears, told USA TODAY Sports on Monday that Prescott is no longer with the team. He said he could not provide information on whether Prescott was let go as part of the normal post-draft turnover process in the scouting department that is common with many teams, or whether Prescott’s dismissal was due to his comments.

But whatever the reasons, in a strange way, we should be grateful for Prescott. He pulled the curtain back and showed what some in the league truly think about players.

“Imagine what he says when out of view” seems to be an easy way to convict someone without evidence.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

When we read the headline to this Dallas Morning News story, we wondered if Jerry Jones was driving.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was involved in a minor car crash Wednesday evening in Dallas and taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure.

The person who had been briefed on his condition said Jones, 79, will be “fine.” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones later confirmed his father’s health.

“He is all good,” Stephen Jones said.

Jerry Jones had a brief stay at Parkland Hospital. By late evening, Jerry Jones was described as comfortably resting at home.

The crash occurred about 8 p.m. near Harry Hines Boulevard and Wolf Street in Uptown, according to WFAA-TV (Channel 8). A Dallas police spokesperson said that Jerry Jones’ involvement in any such incident could not be confirmed, citing department practice, but said that officers had responded to a crash at that location.

No answer yet.

AFC WEST

DENVER

The bidders for the Broncos are taking on celebrity partners that add to the groups’ diversity.  Chris Cwik of YahooSports.com on a name that would enhance any group.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson is looking to get involved with another professional sports franchise. Johnson joined a bid to buy the Denver Broncos, according to Sportico.

The bid is being led by Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris. It’s unclear how much Johnson is putting up as part of the bid. Johnson, those involved with the group and Broncos representatives declined comment when reached by Sportico.

Johnson has experience being part of an ownership group. He dropped $50 million to join the group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. That was not a large financial commitment, considering the Dodgers sold for $2.15 billion. Johnson also was part of a group that purchased the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014.

It’s unclear how much Johnson put up to be part of Harris’ group, but the Broncos are expected to sell for a much higher price. Forbes valued the Broncos at $3.2 billion last May.

This from Mike Klis:

Josh Harris received the ball first.

9NEWS has learned Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris was the first ownership candidate to meet with bank and transaction lawyers and Denver Broncos executives. Some of those meetings, which took place Thursday, may be away from Broncos’ facilities, but a tour of Empower Field at Mile High and the team’s headquarters and practice facility was also on Harris’ itinerary.

“We had a first round of bidding with about 10 bids coming in,” a Broncos source familar with the process told 9News. “We narrowed the field down to five based on those bids. We entered those people into a second round.”

The second round consists of an exchange and review of much more information, documents and gives the bidders the ability to ask questions of team executives, lawyers and bankers.

“That second round is underway with five parties in it,” said the source. “There no ‘finalists.’ There are five parties in the second round.”

The auction process has not yet asked for second-round bids, according to the source.

“Only when we get the second-round bids will there be determined either a winner or finalists,” the source said.

With the Harris group visiting the team’s Dove Valley headquarters Thursday, four other ownership candidates – including former Walmart chairman Rob Walton and current Walmart chairman Greg Penner, and possibly Todd Boehly, who is partial owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers – were also scheduled to visit the Broncos in the next week or two.

The Denver Gazette reported there are only two bidding groups remaining — Harris and Walton. Again, a Broncos source familar with the sale process said there are five competiting groups.

Joe Ellis, the Broncos’ chief executive officer and president, and one of three trustees to the estate of late owner Pat Bowlen, announced February 1 that the team was up for sale. Steven Greenberg of Allen & Company, and Joe Lecesse of Prokhauer Rose LLP were hired to handle the ownership transition.

The Broncos are being sold through auction as a sale involving trust holds fiduciary responsibilities to the beneficiaries – in this case Pat Bowlen’s seven children — to get the highest possible price. The Broncos were valued at $3.75 billion by Forbes in the fall of 2021, but the selling price is expected to exceed $4 billion and could approach $5 billion.

John Bowlen, Pat’s brother, owns 22 percent of the Broncos with the seven Bowlen children each holding 11.14 percent of the team via their father’s trust. Pat Bowlen died in June 2019 following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s.

Harris, 57, appears to have the financial means to win the bid – even if his $7.6 billion net worth, as reported by Bloomberg, pales next to Walton’s reported $70 billion.

Harris first built his wealth through Apollo Global Management, a publicly-traded firm which invests primarily in distressed properties. Harris and Leon Black were co-founders of Apollo in 1990. In 2011, Harris, along with David Blitzer and Fanatics founder Michael Rubin, bought the NBA 76ers for $280 million. Two years later, they bought the NHL Devils plus the Prudential Center for $320 million.

They bought 18% of the Premier League’s Crystal Palace soccer team in 2015, and got a 5 % stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020 – replacing the share David Tepper held until he bought the Carolina Panthers in 2018. Even with the 5% minority ownership, Harris would have been vetted and approved by the NFL’s finance committee and its ownership group. Harris’ sports holdings are under the umbrella Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE).

Harris’ group recently bid on buying the Chelsea soccer club from the Premier League but Boehly, the minority owner in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers, has been chosen to enter into exclusive negotiations with the team’s current ownership group. Boehly is also a candidate to buy the Broncos and sources tell 9News Boehly has enough fat-wallet investors included in his group that he would have a strong enough financial structure to purchase both franchises.

Two investor consortiums bidding on the Broncos have not yet been identified. Media tycoon and entertainer Byron Allen told 9NEWS in early February he was putting together a “Who’s Who” of investors for his ownership bid. However, Allen has since signed a non-disclosure agreement and has not returned messages to 9NEWS in recent weeks.

Harris is well-backed. Rubin’s Fanatics has been widely reported as the world’s largest retailer of officially licensed gear for U.S. sports fans. Fanatics also owns Candy Digital, which digitally controls valuable sports art memorabilia or non-fungible tokens (NFT). It has been reported that former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has made a sizeable investment in Candy Digital. However, a source close to Manning said he is not attached to one particular ownership candidate and wouldn’t be until after the purchase is consummated.

Former Broncos quarterback John Elway is also hoping to join the winning ownership group and serve in an advisory-type role.

Sportico reported Thursday that Earvin “Magic” Johnson has joined Harris’ group. Which is a bit surprising because Johnson is a minority investor in a consortium that owns the Dodgers where Boehly is the second-biggest investor to Mark Walter. Johnson has said he invested $50 million in the Dodgers, which would be 2.3% of the $2.15 billion purchase price back in 2012.

While Johnson’s investment may be more sizzle than steak financially, his affiliation with the Harris group could be a significant indication the NFL is strongly considering Harris’ bid. The NFL has made it clear both publicly and privately it wants minority representation with the Broncos’ ownership group.

Harris grew up in Chevy Chase, Md. and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, specifically its Wharton School. Harris later received his MBA from the Harvard Business School and soon thereafter hooked up with Black to help form Apollo.

Harris and his wife Marjorie and their five children reportedly moved from New York City to Miami during the pandemic in 2020.

In 2019, Josh and Marjorie gave a $10 million gift to Penn’s Wharton School to establish an alternative investments program. Marjorie Harris also chairs the Sixers Youth Foundation, which creates various opportunities for Philadelphia’s youth. Harris Philanthropies, also started by Josh and Marjorie, is a charitable foundation that helps underserved youth in high-need communities through sports and education.

While Walton’s reported $70 billion net worth appears to make him the favorite to wind up with the Broncos, Harris and his partners and the Boehly group have much greater experience in winning sports franchise bids. The Harris and Boehly groups – and again, there are at least two other anonymous groups included in this advanced stage of this process — is strong enough to make this a competitive bidding process. With Harris the first multibillionaire up.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

LB KYLE VAN NOY is now a Charger.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Kyle Van Noy’s visit with the Chargers went well.

Word that the veteran linebacker was visiting the AFC West club came on Thursday morning and that a deal was expected to fall into place. The Chargers announced Van Noy’s signing without disclosing any terms on Thursday afternoon.

Van Noy is the second veteran defender to join the Chargers in as many days. They added cornerback Bryce Callahan to the secondary on Wednesday.

Van Noy returned to the Patriots last year after spending the 2020 season with the Dolphins. He had 66 tackles, five sacks, an interception he returned for a touchdown, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

He’s seen time on the edge and as an off-ball linebacker over the years and the team will now figure out the best way to fit him into their front seven.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

The Browns and QB BAKER MAYFIELD remain on the outs.

The Browns and Baker Mayfield may eventually need each other in 2022. Someone may be trying to blow things up before it ever gets to that point.

A new article from Jake Trotter of ESPN.com throws more bituminous on the burn pile in Cleveland, highlighting how and why player and team got to the point of no return. It comes at a time when a return has emerged as a potentially plausible outcome, especially with new starter Deshaun Watson possibly facing a longer suspension than anyone expects.

Here are the specific comments that caught our eye when reviewing Trotter’s article.

Regarding the events that led to the release of receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Trotter reports that OBJ didn’t call or text Mayfield after OBJ’s father posted a video of instances where Mayfield missed or overthrew Beckham, even though the pair “often played video games together” and had vacationed in Montana with other teammates over Labor Day weekend.

Then there’s this. An unnamed starter made the following comment when asked if he’d seen the video posted by Beckham’s father: “Why would I watch the video? I see it every day in practice.”

Trotter also reports that multiple sources close to Mayfield wonder whether the team specifically tried to make him “look as hapless as possible” in the Monday night finale in Pittsburgh, in order to make it easier to move on from Mayfield after the season. The Browns declined to provide a comment to Trotter as to those suspicions.

Mayfield also became upset when he learned via social media on March 15 that the Browns’ brain trust was flying to Houston to meet with Deshaun Watson. Per Trotter, the last straw came for Mayfield the next day, when ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that the Browns want “an adult” at quarterback.

Trotter’s story bears the fingerprints of Baker Mayfield or those close to him. It’s obvious he doesn’t want to stay in Cleveland. It’s also obvious that the Browns, who owe him $18.8 million this year fully guaranteed, aren’t inclined to let him go just because he wants to be gone.

How it plays out could become a huge story for the balance of the offseason, especially if the Browns continue to wait for a trade opportunity that may never arise — and if the Browns lose Watson for longer than they expect and hope to make Mayfield earn his $18.8 million playing for them.

Through it all, Mayfield needs to tread lightly. As explained recently, if Mayfield misbehaves the Browns could try to cut him for “personal conduct which, in the reasonable judgment of the Club, adversely affects . . . the Club” and avoid the $18.8 million obligation.

The passage of time may not make this any better. Barring a highly-unlikely serious injury to a starter on a team that opts to look elsewhere in lieu of using the “next man up,” the Browns may choose to play it out with Mayfield, tolerating the distraction of having him while waiting and hoping he makes the kind of misstep that will allow them to cut him and not pay him.

With the worst-case scenario — Mayfield being cut and going straight to Pittsburgh — now highly unlikely given the drafting of Kenny Pickett, maybe Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta has cooked up something aimed at getting Mayfield to cross the line that allows them to cross him off the roster with no further financial obligation.

Hopefully, DePodesta’s four-month plan will work better than his “4-year plan.”

THIS AND THAT

2022 DRAFT

Let’s see the grades of Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic who places more value than most on the sheer number of picks and the ages of those being picked:

The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night by selecting Georgia edge defender Travon Walker. The San Francisco 49ers ended it Saturday afternoon by taking Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy with pick No. 262.

Which teams made out the best during draft weekend, and which general managers produced the biggest head-scratchers? Below is a team-by-team look.

And for those who think we should wait a few years before grading the picks, we disagree. NFL teams have to make decisions under uncertainty. So we should evaluate them based on what we know at the time of the picks. The grades below will reflect not only the quality of the prospects, but also the process — in other words, whether teams made wise decisions with the resources at their disposal. Feel free to report me to Old Takes Exposed in a couple years when these look foolish.

Arizona Cardinals: C+

They traded the 23rd pick for Marquise Brown and the 100th pick. That’s a steep price, and I’m not sure I would have made that deal, but I (sort of) get it from their perspective. Brown turns 25 in June, and he had 91 catches for 1,008 yards last season. He obviously has chemistry with Kyler Murray from their time together at Oklahoma. And Brown is signed for two more years on his rookie contract at roughly $7.75 million per season. That’s a bargain, given what we’ve seen with wide receiver contracts.

McBride gives the Cardinals a well-rounded tight end prospect, and theoretically they should be able to mix up personnel groupings if they need to. Arizona added pass rush in the third round. It wasn’t the most exciting draft, but it was fine.

The big issue for the Cardinals is that Kliff Kingsbury and Murray have had three seasons together, and they’ve yet to produce a top-10 offense.

Atlanta Falcons: B

London was a polarizing prospect. I would be scared to take a wide receiver in the top 10 if I wasn’t sold on his speed and ability to separate. But I’m not arrogant enough to think I’m definitely going to be right there. Smarter people than me really liked London.

The rest of the Falcons’ draft made complete sense. They were in desperate need of pass rush, and Ebiketie and Malone are fine prospects. Andersen has upside, given that he tested out as the most athletic off-ball linebacker in the draft.

As for Ridder, it’s a perfectly reasonable swing to take. When you draft a quarterback in the third round, it doesn’t mean you build everything around him. You give him a chance. The truth is, at this draft slot, if Ridder develops into a serviceable backup, that’s a win.

From 2012 to 2021, 13 quarterbacks were taken in the third round. Two — Russell Wilson and Nick Foles — developed into starters. The math is not perfect, and it’s a relatively small sample, but it’s not outrageous to say that Ridder probably has roughly a 15% chance of developing into a starter. If it looks like he can become a quality starter, that’s a home run. But the bottom line is this doesn’t change the Falcons’ calculus. The most likely outcome is that they’re not very good in 2022 and will be looking for a quarterback after the season.

This roster is in rough shape, and the rebuild is going to take some time. The Falcons had five top-100 picks and used four of them on premium positions. We can disagree on whether London was the right choice at No. 8, but overall, the Falcons’ process was sound.

Baltimore Ravens: A

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta believes in drafting for volume, and Baltimore ended up making 11 picks (tied for a league high). Brown wanted out, and the Ravens got a first-round pick for him. They need help at wide receiver, but they maximized value in their trade with the Cardinals.

It’s hard to look at this draft as anything but a home run for the Ravens. They sat tight at 14 and got Hamilton. Linderbaum projects as one of the top offensive linemen from this class. Ojabo has big upside, gets reunited with his college defensive coordinator and won’t feel pressure to contribute right away as he recovers from the Achilles injury. And Jones is an athletic defensive tackle with pass-rushing upside. The Ravens took a bunch of swings with six picks in the fourth round.

Their process was sound. Their decision-making reflected a belief that they’re not overconfident in their abilities to evaluate talent. And they drafted a bunch of high-floor, high-ceiling prospects. I loved their draft.

Buffalo Bills: B

They gave up a fourth-round pick to move up two spots in the first round for Elam. I don’t have a big issue with that. Elam finished second behind only Ahmad Gardner in yards per coverage snap allowed last season, per Sports Info Solutions (SIS). He plays a premium position, ran a 4.39 and will be just 21 years old as a rookie. Elam fills an immediate need and also offers long-term upside. Cook gives the Bills a playmaking, pass-catching back. Shakir has the potential to contribute right away. And they landed the Punt God in the sixth round.

You could argue that the Bills should have stayed put at 25 in the first round and held on to their fourth-round pick. You could also argue that they shouldn’t have used a second-rounder on a running back. But I don’t think anything they did was egregious, and they still ended up making eight selections. This is one of the most complete rosters in the league. The Bills are Super Bowl favorites according to the betting markets.

Carolina Panthers: B

The first round played out nicely for them. The Panthers theoretically have a long-term answer at left tackle with Ekwonu. When you’re drafting that high, you want to get a blue-chip player at a premium position. Carolina did that. After that pick, they weren’t scheduled to pick again until 137. But the Panthers decided to trade into the third round for Corral, giving up a fourth this year and a third next year.

Corral has some tools to work with, but we should look at history to put this pick into context. As mentioned above in the Falcons section, from 2012 to 2021, 13 quarterbacks were taken in the third round. Two — Russell Wilson and Nick Foles — developed into starters. In other words: the Panthers still have not solved their QB problem.

In the end, the Panthers made just six picks. But they went into the draft without a lot to work with. Given the resources available to them, coming out with Ekwonu and Corral is not a bad outcome. According to this exercise by The Athletic’s Arif Hasan, the Panthers maximized their resources better than any team in the NFL.

Having said that, this looks like a team that is in store for a rough 2022 season. I’m not sure they’ve done enough this offseason to make Matt Rhule feel good about his job security beyond next year.

Chicago Bears: C

The good news for Bears fans: They drafted for volume. This is a bad roster, and they needed to take a lot of swings. GM Ryan Poles turned six picks into 11 picks, although six of those came in the last two rounds. Gordon and Brisker were both fine options in the second round. Brisker, specifically, is a fun prospect. He had 19 passes defended and five interceptions in three seasons at Penn State and did not commit a single penalty over the last two years, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.

The bad news for Bears fans: Upgrading Justin Fields’ supporting cast was not a priority this offseason, and Chicago took a bunch of old players in this draft.

They did not draft an offensive player until the 71st overall pick. And even then, they spent it on Jones — a soon-to-be 25-year-old rookie who projects as a slot receiver and never had more than 280 yards prior to last season. And keep in mind that third-round picks usually don’t contribute right away. In the past 10 years there have been 39 wide receivers taken in the third round. The average rookie season among that group was: 24.6 catches for 335.4 yards. The median season was 211 yards. That was a head-scratching pick.

Robinson, Thomas and Kramer will all be 24-year-old rookies.

The best-case scenario here is that Gordon and Brisker step in as immediate starters, and the Bears hit on one of their late-round picks. But it feels like a given that by Week 3 or 4 of the 2022 season, the dominant storyline around this team is going to be about how Fields has no chance for success with the pieces around him.

Cincinnati Bengals: B-

Thing I learned today: The Bengals are looking for offensive linemen who “have some shit in their neck.” Ok, let’s just move on.

Hill was one of my favorite first-round picks. He can play the slot or as a split-field safety. He has size (6 feet, 191), speed (ran 4.38) and competitiveness. He might even be able to play outside corner. Taylor-Britt has versatility too, having played both safety and corner. He’s also a plus athlete.

After that, it got a little dicey. The Bengals made just six picks overall — tied for fourth-fewest. In the next couple years, they’re going to need to pay Joe Burrow big money. And when that happens, adding depth through the draft is going to be key. It’s harder to hit when you don’t have a lot of picks. Also, offensive efficiency in the NFL is king. The Bengals ended up taking just one offensive player. I’m all for sticking to the best player available philosophy, but I really would have liked to see Cincinnati take some more swings on offensive line prospects, even though they invested heavily there in free agency.

I like the first two picks but would have liked to see more than six selections overall and more than one offensive player.

Cleveland Browns: B-

Given what they traded to acquire Deshaun Watson, the Browns will need to do more with less in the draft for a few years. They did a nice job trading back from No. 44 and acquiring three picks (68, 108 and 124). The Browns traded back again in the fourth. And they traded cornerback Troy Hill back to the Los Angeles Rams. In the end, they turned seven picks and Hill into nine picks this year and two picks in 2023. That’s nice maneuvering by GM Andrew Berry.

As for the players they actually selected, there’s plenty of room to nitpick. Emerson (6-foot-2, 201 with 33 1/2-inch arms) ran 4.53 and tested out as a below-average athlete. He was 102 on the consensus big board, and Brugler had him ranked 167th. The Browns took Emerson with the 68th pick.

Bell was an outstanding college wide receiver, but he ran 4.65 and tested out as a below-average athlete. Having said that, he might be able to help the Browns right away as a slot receiver. Meanwhile, the Browns spent a fourth-round pick on a kicker, and there’s not a great history of those selections working out.

My favorite pick for the Browns was Winfrey in the fourth. He has the tools to become a disruptive interior pass rusher.

I’ll be honest. I don’t feel that strongly about this class one way or another. It’s just ok.

Dallas Cowboys: C

This has the feel of a boom-or-bust class. There’s no denying Smith’s upside, but that pick was one of the bigger reaches in the first round. O-line guru Brandon Thorn noted that there’s no bigger gap between physical tools and technique work needed than with Smith. So maybe he eventually turns into a great player, but it seems likely that there will be growing pains in 2022. Williams is another player with upside, but there are serious off-field concerns with him. He was suspended from the Ole Miss program in July 2020 following an arrest on felony sexual battery. The charges were later dropped.

The idea that Tolbert is going to immediately help fill the void left by Amari Cooper is far-fetched. Over the last 10 years, there have been 39 wide receivers taken in the third round. The average rookie season among that group was: 24.6 catches for 335.4 yards. The median season was 211 yards.

The Cowboys took a bunch of reasonable swings on Day 3.

Again, this group has upside and could end up looking like a home run eventually. But the Cowboys took some high-variance players who carry a lot of risk.

Denver Broncos: B+

They traded back twice and up once. Even after the Russell Wilson trade, the Broncos ended up with nine picks in this draft and picked up an extra third-round pick for 2023.

Bonitto was one of my favorite Day 2 picks. Per SIS, he had the highest pressure rate (22%), the highest quick pressure rate (12%) and the second-highest true pressure rate (23%) among edge defenders in this year’s class. Quick pressure rate refers to plays where the defender got to the quarterback in 2.5 seconds or less. True pressure rate refers to straight dropback situations.

Dulcich gives the Broncos a field-stretching tight end. And Mathis is a physical, feisty corner who can run. The consensus draft board thought that the Broncos reached quite a bit, but I really liked this class.

Detroit Lions: A-

How can you not be pumped about this draft if you’re a Lions fan? Hutchinson fell in their lap at No. 2, and then they traded up for Williams, who was my favorite wide receiver in this class. It’s worth noting that the Lions really didn’t have to give up a lot to move from 32 to 12 for Williams.

They began the draft with eight picks and ended the draft with eight picks. If you want to argue that they should have taken a swing on Malik Willis at some point, that’s totally fair. But what really stands out here is that the Lions are poised to have a nice supporting cast around whichever quarterback they add next offseason. They have a good offensive line, and now they have Williams to pair with Amon-Ra St. Brown. Plus they can potentially bring back DJ Chark.

Detroit also focused on adding athleticism, which is always smart.

Bottom line: Getting Hutchinson and Williams while still making eight picks is a huge win for Detroit.

Green Bay Packers: B-

The Packers made 11 picks — tied for a league high. They’ve been one of the NFL’s best teams at developing offensive linemen and spent three picks up front, which is smart. I see the upside with Walker in the first and don’t view that pick as a huge reach. Wyatt, however, has a lot of red flags. He produced five sacks in 49 college games. He was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors in February 2020 after an altercation with a woman at her apartment. The chargers were ultimately dropped. And three, he’s already 24 years old. That did not seem like a great use of the 28th overall pick.

The idea that Watson is going to come in and be an impact starter is misguided. In the past 10 years, 49 wide receivers have been selected in the second round. Their average rookie production: 35.9 catches for 474.8 yards. The median rookie season? It just so happens to be Davante Adams, who had 446 yards. It’s possible that Watson or one of the Day 3 picks surprises and contributes right away, but it’s not probable.

Overall, this draft was fine. But the Packers have a different window than most teams, given that Aaron Rodgers turns 39 in December. They’ve won in recent years with offensive efficiency. We’re in May, and their wide receiving corps still feels underwhelming. Maybe Rodgers’ greatness will lift everyone, or maybe there’s another shoe to drop. But even if you liked this draft as a Packers fan, you can’t be thrilled with how the offseason has played out.

Houston Texans: B+

There’s a lot to like here. I completely understand taking a swing on Stingley at No. 3. He has elite cover skills and plays a premium position. There’s real upside there. The Texans traded back before taking Green. That pick felt like a bit of a reach, but Green is young (will play his rookie season at 21 years old) and versatile (made starts at four different positions in college).

Trading up for Metchie seemed too aggressive. The Texans gave up the equivalent of the 56th overall pick in that deal, according to one trade chart. Metchie is a fine prospect, but the Texans have holes all over their roster and didn’t need to give up two additional fourth-round picks to land him.

Pitre is a really fun player. Harris has upside to develop into a plus starter. And Pierce runs with violence. Overall, the Texans made nine picks. For the most part, I like what they did (I know, I’m as surprised as you are).

Indianapolis Colts: B

They traded down once and up once and ended the draft with eight picks plus Matt Ryan. The Colts’ offense has lacked juice in recent years. I loved the focus on athleticism here. Pierce ran 4.41 and averaged 17.5 YPR in college. And Woods tested out as the most athletic tight end in this year’s class.

Even at the other spots, Indianapolis added athletes. Raimann is a plus athlete, and Cross tested out as the best athlete among safeties in this year’s class. Overall, the Colts produced the second-most athletic draft class by one measure.

With the draft, there are no guarantees, but I thought Indianapolis’ process here was sound.

Jacksonville Jaguars: D

It feels to me like the Jaguars found another way to screw this up. Let’s rewind for a moment. After the Urban Meyer disaster, they had a simple path forward: Blow it up, start fresh with a new coach and GM, and build around Trevor Lawrence. Instead, the Jaguars decided to keep Trent Baalke and hand him the keys. They made head-scratching move after head-scratching move in free agency, and the draft felt like more of the same.

The Jaguars could have let Cam Robinson walk in free agency and taken a left tackle first overall. Robinson has been mediocre to below-average. Instead, the Jaguars gave him a big-money extension, and now he’ll be protecting Lawrence’s blind side for the next few years.

They took a big swing with Walker at No. 1 overall. Walker could turn into a Hall of Famer. I get it. His traits are tantalizing. But the Jaguars will be asking him to do something he hasn’t done a lot of: Rush the passer from the edge. Good process? Doesn’t feel like it.

Jacksonville decided to trade back into the first round for Lloyd. Again, maybe Lloyd will turn into this year’s version of Micah Parsons. But did it really make sense to give up two extra picks to move up six spots and draft an off-ball linebacker who’s going to be a 24-year-old rookie? This was, by the way, after the Jaguars signed linebacker Foye Oluokun to a three-year, $45 million deal in free agency. They then spent the 70th overall pick on off-ball linebacker Chad Muma. Baalke said afterward that you “can never have too many guys at linebacker.” That doesn’t seem like a great mantra when the franchise has won a total of four games in the previous two seasons!

The Jaguars began the draft with 12 picks and ended up selecting just seven players. That’s precisely what a team in their position should not be doing. They used one pick in the first four rounds on offense.

Again, Walker, Lloyd and Muma are all fine prospects who could turn out to be great players. But this exercise is about evaluating how the team performed, given the resources at hand. The Jaguars should be focused on doing everything possible to position Lawrence for success. Instead, they did next to nothing to help him here.

Kansas City Chiefs: B

The Chiefs had 10 overall picks — tied for fifth-most. But there were a couple aspects of their draft that I didn’t love. One, they traded up for McDuffie. The film grinders love McDuffie, but he has average to below-average size/length, he played just 60 snaps of man coverage last season according to PFF, and he finished his college career with just two interceptions. McDuffie could turn out to be a great player, but there are legitimate questions about him. The Chiefs could benefit from a pretty simple rule: Only trade up in the first round if it’s for a player who will help Patrick Mahomes be the best version of Patrick Mahomes. McDuffie doesn’t do that.

In fact, Kansas City made six picks in the first four rounds, and only one (Moore) was used on offense. Their path to sustained success is through an elite offense and a good-enough defense. I would have liked to see them invest more resources into the offense, especially after the Tyreek Hill trade.

The Chiefs drafted for volume and got fine prospects, but I’m not quite as high on this class as others seem to be.

Las Vegas Raiders: B

They didn’t have first- or second-round picks after the Davante Adams trade. The Raiders traded up twice and back twice during the draft. They went in with five picks and came out with six.

I’m not sure there’s a whole lot to analyze here. They took two running backs, but those were picks 122 and 250. It’s not like they were investing significant resources there. The other four picks were used on the line of scrimmage, which makes perfect sense. Parham seems like good value. He played three different positions in college, and per PFF, he did not allow a sack on 545 pass-block snaps last season.

Sorry, Raiders fans. I don’t have anything else for you. Their draft was reasonable, given the limited resources.

Los Angeles Chargers: B

They had a pretty boring draft, and that’s ok! The Chargers went into the draft with 10 picks and ended up selecting eight players, but they picked up a 2023 sixth by way of a Day 3 trade.

The Chargers should post signs around their facility that just read: PROTECT JUSTIN HERBERT AT ALL COSTS. That’s what they did in the first round. Johnson is a fine prospect. He started games at left guard and left tackle in college. Per PFF, Johnson allowed just three sacks on more than 1,000 pass-blocking snaps. He didn’t miss a game in five years, tested well athletically and got called for just one penalty last season. Sure things don’t exist, but Johnson is a clean prospect.

Woods has size, speed and range. The Chargers took another offensive lineman on Day 3. And they took fliers on a couple corners late. Sensible draft. Now go sign a right tackle and contend for the Super Bowl.

Los Angeles Rams: B

Let’s be honest. The Rams won the draft before the draft even began.

They did not have a top-100 pick. But this year was another reminder that the Rams’ mantra should be “F them first-round picks” not “F them picks.” Ok, I’ll admit, it doesn’t have the same ring to it. But you get the point. They made eight selections overall, which is just about league average.

The Rams are hoping that Bruss can compete for the starting right guard spot as a rookie. They also sent a 2023 fifth-round pick to the Browns to get cornerback Troy Hill back. Hill has a base salary of just $1.5 million in 2022, and he played well for the Rams in 2020 before signing with Cleveland.

The Rams made perfectly reasonable decisions with the resources they had at their disposal.

Miami Dolphins: B

They made a league-low four selections after the Tyreek Hill trade.

Tindall (6-foot-2, 230) did not start a game in college. But he still played 474 snaps last year and had 67 tackles (7.5 for loss) and 5.5 sacks. Tindall ran a 4.47 and tested athletically as one of the top five linebackers in this year’s class. No issue at all with that pick.

There’s not much else to analyze here.

Minnesota Vikings: B-

This is one of the hardest classes to evaluate. New GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah executed six trades — two up and four back. The Vikings went into the draft with eight picks and came out with 10. But it’s fair to wonder whether they made the right moves. At No. 12, the Vikings could have taken someone like Kyle Hamilton, Jameson Williams or Jordan Davis. Instead they moved back to 32, and they didn’t get great value in return.

The Vikings did well with their Day 2 trade back with the Packers. But according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff, Adofo-Mensah wanted to make the trade with the Packers at the end of the first round. Others in the organization disagreed, and Minnesota stayed put. Maybe that’s just good collaboration, but it’s certainly worth noting, especially considering that many of the decisions from the Vikings’ new regime have mirrored decisions from the previous regime. In other words, who’s really making the calls here?

I like Cine a lot. He’s a physical safety, an excellent athlete, and he produced at Georgia. No issue at all with that pick. And if the Vikings were comfortable with Booth’s medicals, that could be a home run pick. The Ingram selection was a head-scratcher. Ingram was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault involving a minor in 2018. The charges were dismissed a year later, and he was reinstated at LSU. Ingram was 114th on Brugler’s board and 101 on Hasan’s consensus board. The Vikings took him at 59.

The Vikings didn’t do anything egregious. They drafted for volume, and their top two picks could end up being great. But zooming out, it’s fair to wonder if much has changed in Minnesota despite the turnover at coach and GM this offseason.

New England Patriots: C-

Bill Belichick knows more about football than I do. But let’s be honest: If any other team had this draft, they’d be getting absolutely crushed right now. In the first round, the Patriots took Strange — a guard from Chattanooga who ranked 76th on Hasan’s consensus big board and will be 24 years old as a rookie. With the 50th overall pick, they took Thornton, who ranked 155th on the consensus big board. And overall, the Patriots took a bunch of old prospects.

They also had the most unconventional draft of any team.

It’s perfectly fine to think differently than everyone else. But the consensus boards have typically performed pretty well compared to individual rankings.

I’m not arrogant enough to say definitively that this class is going to disappoint. Maybe Belichick will look like a genius, and a bunch of these guys will become core pieces or Pro Bowlers. But based on the information we have right now, this looks like an underwhelming haul.

New Orleans Saints: D

Before the draft even started, they traded next year’s first and a 2024 second to get another first-round pick this year. That left them with 16 and 19. The Saints then moved up from 16 to 11, giving Washington a third-round pick (No. 98) and a fourth-round pick (No. 120). That got them Olave.

When the Saints had Drew Brees and Sean Payton, they were justified in making all-in moves every offseason. They legitimately had a chance to win the Super Bowl pretty much every year. But Brees and Payton are gone. This team lost Terron Armstead and Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins in the offseason. Barring something completely unforeseen, the ceiling for them in 2022 is to be a slightly mediocre team.

They could have sat at 16 and taken Treylon Burks or Jahan Dotson. Instead, they were so confident in their ability to evaluate talent that they moved up for Olave in a trade that cost them two additional picks. They made five overall picks. Only the Dolphins made fewer. And they’re already without their 2023 first.

Olave and Penning could turn out to be fine players, but I do not like what the Saints did at all.

New York Giants: A-

When you have two top-10 picks, you should feel good about your draft. But still, it feels like a new day in New York. GM Joe Schoen inherited a mess of a roster, but at least Dave Gettleman left him with picks 5 and 7. The Giants didn’t overthink it. They first took Thibodeaux, who very easily could end up being the best player from this class. And then they landed Neal. When you’re picking high in the draft, you want high-floor, high-upside prospects at premium positions. That’s exactly what the Giants got. Their first round was a home run.

Schoen then traded back twice in the second round. That might not seem like a big deal, but by moving from 36 to 43, the Giants were able to pick up additional fourth- and fifth-round picks.

Some of the Giants’ mid-round picks felt like reaches. For example, Ezeudu was 169 on The Athletic’s consensus board. The Giants took him at No. 67. Robinson is a really fun player, but Brugler had him ranked 105th overall, and the Giants took him at 43. Having said that, when you draft for volume — and the Giants did just that with 11 picks (tied for a league-high) — I can’t get too mad about the perceived reaches.

Overall, this class will be judged by how Thibodeaux and Neal perform. The Giants got two potential blue chippers at premium positions and drafted for volume. This is a class their fans should feel good about.

New York Jets: B+

They started the draft with nine picks, and after a couple trade-ups ended up selecting seven players, including three in the first round. Jets fans should be excited about this haul. Gardner’s college stats are ridiculous: nine interceptions, 27 passes defended and no touchdowns allowed. He allowed 0.1 yards per coverage snap last season, according to SIS. That was by far the best mark in the country. Wilson has drawn Stefon Diggs comparisons and could end up being the best wide receiver from this class. And Johnson was an incredibly disruptive pass rusher last season. We can quibble over whether the Jets should have traded up for a running back in the second round, but they gave up just a fifth-rounder, and Hall is an excellent prospect.

GM Joe Douglas inherited a mess when he took over in 2019, but now he’s entering his fourth year on the job, and it’s time for results. The Jets have gone 13-36 in the past three seasons.

There are two nightmare scenarios for the Jets. One is that Mekhi Becton doesn’t bounce back, and their offensive line is an issue. Two is that Zach Wilson doesn’t improve, despite the upgraded supporting cast. But looking at this draft in a vacuum, the Jets added high-upside prospects at premium positions.

Philadelphia Eagles: B+

Their draft is tough to evaluate. I loved the A.J. Brown trade. The big reason why? He’s going to be just 25 going into next season. The Eagles get him for his age 25, 26, 27 and 28 seasons. He has an All-Pro ceiling and ranks fourth in yards per route run over the past three seasons. He’s also getting less guaranteed money than Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs and Davante Adams. If you’re the Eagles, you make that trade every time.

The rest of the draft is tricky. Davis has the upside to be a game-wrecker. He’s 6-foot-6, 341 and one of the best athletes we’ve ever seen come into the league. Having said that, he never had more than 2.5 sacks in a season in college. Last year, he averaged just 25.2 snaps per game and came off the field in pass-rushing situations. If the Eagles can unlock Davis’ pass rush, this move is a home run. But look at the rest of the top-20 picks. Other than maybe Travon Walker, the focus for pretty much every player picked in that range is on affecting the passing game. I have no issue with the Eagles taking a swing on Davis, but it’s fair to wonder whether they would have been better off drafting Kyle Hamilton — either after the trade up or by sitting at 16.

Jurgens is an excellent prospect, but he figures to be blocked from playing time by Jason Kelce for at least 2022. Dean feels like one of the draft’s biggest steals. Even if he’s just an average starting linebacker, that’s good value at 83. According to Next Gen Stats, the Eagles drafted the NFL’s most athletic class:

The Eagles’ draft volume (five) is misleading when you consider they also added Brown and a 2023 first and a 2024 second from the Saints.

Earlier this offseason, I wrote about employing the armpit test when making decisions. The idea is that you want opposing coaches to feel a little perspiration when thinking about having to game plan for your team. I don’t know if all of the Eagles’ moves will work out, but with Howie Roseman’s additions of Brown and Davis, they became harder to play.

Pittsburgh Steelers: B+

I don’t know if the Pickett pick is going to work out. I didn’t think he was a great prospect, but he’s accurate, he can make plays outside of structure, and he had a great season in 2021. Quarterback evaluation is really hard, and I’m not arrogant enough to think I know for sure what Pickett is going to be. If you don’t have a franchise quarterback, you have to take swings to try to find one. And it’s not like the Steelers gave up a bunch of assets to land Pickett. They sat tight and used their first-round pick on him. That’s a perfectly fine process.

Pickens and Mike Tomlin might be my favorite prospect/coach pairing from the draft. Pickens has superstar-level traits but also has some off-field concerns. He goes to an organization with a strong culture and leadership. Remember, Tomlin coached Antonio Brown for nine seasons. It was only after Brown left that everyone realized how challenging that must have been. If Tomlin can connect with Pickens, he could end up being the steal of this draft. Taking a shot on Leal’s upside at 84 seemed like a wise move too.

The Steelers went into the draft with seven picks and came out with seven players. Again, I don’t know if Pickett is going to work out, but the Steelers’ decision-making process in terms of resource allocation was sound.

San Francisco 49ers: B

Not a single move up or down for the 49ers. They went into the draft with nine picks and made all of them. Jackson was one of my favorite Day 2 selections. He’ll play his rookie season at just 21 years old and ranked fifth among edge rushers in true pressure rate last season, per SIS. I think there’s real upside there.

The Davis-Price pick (3^rd round) was a bit of a head-scratcher. Isn’t part of the allure of Kyle Shanahan’s offense that you don’t have to spend significant resources on running backs?

Gray (ran 4.33) has the potential to give the 49ers a vertical element. And I like the flier on Castro-Fields in the sixth round. Overall, a pretty nice haul, given the resources they had to work with.

Seattle Seahawks: B+

Premium positions! The Seahawks! That’s a great start. Two offensive tackles and an edge rusher in the first three rounds. They’re probably not all going to hit, but those are worthy swings to take.

Seattle’s picks aligned well with Hasan’s consensus draft board. I personally would not have spent the No. 41 selection on a running back, but hey, Walker is a fun prospect, and it was one pick. I’m feeling generous here.

Let’s be honest. The Seahawks’ roster is a disaster. They went into the draft needing help at nearly every premium position (except for wide receiver). The way they spent their picks reflects that they acknowledged that.

I don’t know what the Seahawks are right now or what they think they are. They still have one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL, and their over/under for wins next year is six. This rebuild is going to take some time. But from a process standpoint, this draft was a step in the right direction.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B+

They did a nice job trading out of the first round (No. 27). By moving back six spots, the Bucs were able to pick up two additional picks — a fourth rounder and a sixth rounder. They went into the draft with six picks and came out with eight players.

Hall is a fun player. Teams are always looking for long defensive linemen who can provide interior pass rush, and Hall as the potential to do that. Between Joe Tryon last year and Hall this year, the Bucs have added some nice pieces up front.

White, Otton and Camarda are players who have potential to contribute in 2022. And McCollum was the second-best athlete among corners in this draft.

The Bucs didn’t have a whole lot to work with, but I thought they did an excellent job balancing short-term and long-term needs with this group.

Tennessee Titans: C

It’s hard to make sense of why they traded Brown. When you draft a player at a premium position and he produces, you should reward him when his rookie contract is up. Especially considering that Brown is just 24 years old. Maybe there’s something we don’t know about (some type of injury concern, perhaps?), and in due time, we’ll understand why the Titans dealt him. But right now? It feels like a disaster. The contract that Brown got from the Eagles is fair market value. He got less guaranteed money than guys like Hill, Adams and Diggs. There was nothing outrageous about his demands. And Brown told ESPN’s Turron Davenport that he wanted to stay in Tennessee.

I don’t buy that the Titans couldn’t keep Brown because of their cap situation. They signed Bud Dupree to a big deal last offseason. They extended Harold Landry to a big deal this offseason. They traded for Robert Woods, who’s due $10 million. Nothing against those players, but if they didn’t account for paying Brown when making those moves, that would be organizational malpractice.

A few days ago, it felt like the Titans were gearing up to make one final run with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. Now they’ve taken a huge step back.

In terms of the actual draft, the Titans did a nice job. To assume that Burks is just going to step in and replace Brown is doing a disservice to the type of player Brown is, but Burks is a fine addition with upside. The Titans traded back from 26 and picked up two additional picks. McCreary is a feisty corner. And Petit-Frere has tools to develop.

I really liked the swing on Willis in the third round. History suggests it’s hard to find a starting quarterback that late in the draft, but the best version of Willis is better than the best version of the other quarterbacks in this draft.

The Titans got a good haul, but the Brown trade has me wondering whether they have a coherent plan of where they want to go and how to get there.

Washington Commanders: C+

They moved down five spots in the first and picked up a third and a fourth, although it’s fair to wonder whether that offer was really appealing enough to stop them from just taking Jameson Williams, Chris Olave or Kyle Hamilton. Washington went into the draft with six picks and came out of it with eight players.

They didn’t do anything that exciting, but their decisions were mostly fine. Dotson might have felt like a little bit of a reach, but wide receivers were flying off the board, and I like him as a prospect.

Taking a flier on Howell in the fifth round was reasonable. If he’s able to develop into an average backup, that’s a win, considering where they got him.

It’s hard to come away with a strong opinion on Washington’s draft. They probably landed some useful players, but this doesn’t feel like the type of haul that’s going to be that impactful in the short term or the long term.