The Daily Briefing Thursday, November 10, 2022

AROUND THE NFL

GREEN BAY

The Packers claimed DB JOHNATHAN ABRAM off waivers from the Raiders on Wednesday.  Some other info from Twitter:

@FieldYates

Besides the Packers, the Broncos also attempted to claim former Raiders S Johnathan Abram off of waivers, per source.

Green Bay (3-6) had higher waiver priority than Denver (3-5), so Abram winds up with the Packers.

And –

@AdamSchefter

Packers’ Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia worked with Johnathan Abram in Las Vegas and knows Green Bay’s new safety well.

And –

@AdamHillLVRJ

Johnathan Abram has obviously not been great on the field and wasn’t a great fit for this defense, but he had also grown increasingly surly in the locker room and didn’t seem happy at all. Finding a new home probably best for him at this point, too

NEW YORK GIANTS

A WR KENNY GOLLADAY sighting is expected Sunday against the Texans.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay has been a major disappointment since signing a four-year, $72 million contract in 2021, and after doing little in the first four games of this season, Golladay didn’t play at all in the next four games. If the Giants’ coaching staff is disappointed in his contributions, that would be understandable.

But Golladay, who is expected to play on Sunday, says he has nothing to prove to the Giants’ coaches.

“I’m really not trying to prove nothing to no coaches,” Golladay said, via the New York Daily News. “Really I’m out here playing for my guys, these people in the locker room. Of course I got to show on the practice field to the coaches, but at the exact same time, I’m playing for the guys in this locker room, period.”

Golladay said he expects to be there with his teammates, helping the Giants beat the Texans on Sunday.

“That’s what I’m pushing for,” Golladay said. “That’s my main goal: to hit the ground running.”

Golladay hasn’t hit the ground running in his first year and a half with the Giants, but they’re a surprise playoff contender, and he still has an opportunity to make an impact.

WASHINGTON

The “DC” Attorney General signals he’s about to come down hard on Dan Snyder’s Commanders.  The AP:

The attorney general for the District of Columbia said he is holding a news conference about the Washington Commanders on Thursday, the latest off-field development for the NFL franchise that is the subject of multiple ongoing investigations.

The office of D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine announced Wednesday he will make a major announcement related to the team. No details were provided.

Racine’s office launched an investigation into the team around the time the U.S. House Committee for Oversight and Reform referred its case, which initially centered on workplace culture issues, to the Federal Trade Commission for potential financial improprieties.

The Commanders said in a statement issued by a team spokesperson that they learned about the news conference on social media.

“The Commanders have fully cooperated with the AG’s investigation for nearly a year,” the spokesperson said. “As recently as Monday, a lawyer for the team met with the AG who did not suggest at that time that he intended to take any action and, in fact, revealed fundamental misunderstandings of the underlying facts.”

Also in the statement, the team attempted to pivot the issue to violent crime in Washington, citing the August shooting of rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr.

Robinson’s agent, Ryan Williams, criticized the team on Twitter, posting: “Up until an hour ago, the Commanders handled the Brian Robinson situation with so much care, sincerity and class. And I was so grateful for all of it. Although I know that there are some great humans in that building, whoever is hiding behind this statement is not one of them.”

To be clear, Karl A. Racine is an elected Democrat whose job would involve crime in the District of Columbia.

He is not Matthew Graves – the U.S. Attorney – Washington D.C. who is an presidentially-appointed Democrat who would typically take on a U.S. Department of Justice-initiated referral from Congress.

The DB wonders at the jurisdiction Racine might have for a matter involving a team whose main offices are in Virginia and stadium is in Maryland. We can find no indication what would tie them as a local matter to the District.

A search for where the team’s corporate headquarters is located appeared to reveal a shocking location we weren’t sure we could print. But a further bit of research says it is now 21300 Coach Gibbs Drive in Ashburn, Virginia, and not the old address of R——- Park Drive.

We await the press conference.

ATLANTA

QB MARCUS MARIOTA says he has not made enough aggressive/risky throws to TE KYLE PITTS.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

After a rookie season with historical production, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts seemed to be a certainty for a stellar sophomore campaign.

That’s hardly been the case, as Pitts’ numbers have paled in comparison to expectations — most notably from Falcons fans and fantasy football managers.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota believes he can improve Pitts’ production going forward.

“Well, first and foremost, I can do a better job of giving Kyle more opportunities with the ball,” Mariota told reporters this week ahead of the Falcons’ Thursday Night Football matchup on Prime Video against the Carolina Panthers. “I think sometimes I’ve been a little too safe, a little too conservative where I’m putting the football, so giving him a chance to go get it. I think that’ll help some of his target numbers.”

As a rookie playing with QB Matt Ryan, Pitts joined Hall of Famer Mike Ditka as the only rookie tight ends to tally 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He finished his first campaign with 68 receptions on 110 targets for 1,026 yards and just one touchdown.

Pitts’ second-season numbers have seen him double his TD anomaly, but beyond that, they’ve been sub-standard to what was expected.

The former No. 4 overall pick has caught just 23 balls on 46 targets for 285 yards. In comparison, he had 36 catches for 546 yards at this time last year.

Last week’s 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers might well have been a glaring example of what’s gone wrong. Pitts had two catches for 27 yards, but it came on seven targets. Clearly, he and Mariota just aren’t connecting, perhaps most evident on Mariota missing on a deep ball to Pitts that seemed destined for six points.

The 2022 Falcons’ identity is also a running team — the fourth-ranked rushing squad in the league, as a matter of fact. Mariota is a running quarterback, Cordarrelle Patterson is back and Tyler Allgeier has been a pleasant surprise.

Pitts had arguably his best game of the season in a Week 8 win over the Panthers in which he had five catches for 80 yards and a TD. Granted, the Panthers have the 21st-ranked pass defense, but they also have the 28th-ranked run defense.

Will this be the week in which Mariota focuses on doing a better job getting the ball to Pitts? Thursday night will answer that question.

NEW ORLEANS

Justice, like election results, takes time in Nevada.  RB ALVIN KAMARA has not even had a preliminary hearing yet for the violent incident he was involved in at the Pro Bowl.  Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com:

A status conference for a battery case involving New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has been pushed back to Jan. 23, 2023, according to court records.

Kamara also has a preliminary hearing now set for March 1, 2023.

The continuation of the initial hearing, the fifth this year, makes it unlikely the NFL would hand down any suspension during the 2022 season.

Kamara is facing a misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to commit battery and a felony charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. He is accused of being one of several men who injured someone outside of a Las Vegas nightclub last February.

A civil lawsuit was filed against Kamara last month by Darnell Greene Jr., the man who alleges he was attacked. The lawsuit alleges that Kamara and three other men beat Greene and stomped on him when he was on the floor unconscious outside the nightclub on the morning of Feb. 5.

Greene’s lawsuit asks for a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages of no less than $10 million. It seeks $5 million in actual damages for “pecuniary losses, pain and suffering, disfigurement, mental anguish, and past, present, and future medical expenses” and $5 million in exemplary damages.

The 27-year-old Kamara has made the Pro Bowl for the past five seasons and had 1,337 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns in 13 games last season. He ranks 22nd in the NFL this season with 443 rushing yards.

TMZ.com reminds us of Kamara’s alleged crimes, which were caught on a low quality video:

Alvin Kamara reared back and punched a man repeatedly during a violent altercation inside of a Las Vegas hotel earlier this year … new video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows.

But, sources connected with Kamara say the video doesn’t tell the full story, claiming the alleged victim became violent first.

The incident happened back on Feb. 5 … inside The Cromwell Hotel and Casino.

According to an October lawsuit filed by Darnell Greene, the altercation all went down after he and the New Orleans Saints superstar got into an argument outside of an elevator of the hotel’s popular Drai’s Nightclub.

Greene alleged he tried to get on the lift with Kamara and Kamara’s associates. But, he claimed in his suit the football player barred him from getting on by “throwing his arm across Greene’s chest,” and then brutally attacking him.

In the new footage, you can see Kamara — wearing a light shirt and signature dreads — throwing multiple blows at Greene.

The clip shows the punches ultimately took the man to the ground. While down, the video shows several other men jumping into the attack — kicking and stomping the guy, before clearing out.

The footage appears to match pictures that Greene’s attorneys included in the lawsuit against Kamara last month. According to the suit, as a result of the beatdown, Greene suffered injuries to his neck, back, head, shoulder, knees and face … including “a disfiguring facial fracture to” his right orbital bone.

Greene is suing Kamara for $10 million.

Kamara, meanwhile, was arrested following the 2022 Pro Bowl game for his alleged role in the incident … and charged with felony battery resulting in substantial bodily harm and misdemeanor conspiracy to commit battery.

At the time of the arrest, cops claimed in police documents that Kamara did admit to punching the man.

UPDATE10:47 AM PT — A source close to Darnell Greene is adamant he did absolutely nothing to escalate the situation … and was simply minding his own business, trying to get on an elevator, when he was jumped.

The video here starts at the moment of Kamara’s violence and does not reveal anything about incitement.

TAMPA BAY

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com thinks QB TOM BRADY will play next year, but move on from the Bucs.  Problem is, he can’t figure out where:

Brady isn’t what ails the Buccaneers, but despite a vintage final drive in Sunday’s comeback win over the Rams, it doesn’t look like he’s going to be singlehandedly capable of fixing things. The offensive line is a mess, the running game is nonexistent and the problems with drops and miscommunication in the passing game seem to be a weekly concern. Brady looks fine, but the offense does not.

I strongly suspect he doesn’t want his final image as an NFL quarterback to be at the helm of an eight- or nine-win Buccaneers team. As a pending free agent, though, what will he show over the rest of the season to convince teams to move forward with a 46-year-old quarterback? Last time around, when he was surrounded by a limited Patriots offense, there was a surprising lack of interest as he hit free agency. The Bucs pounced and proceeded to win a Super Bowl.

Assuming the Dolphins move forward with Tagovailoa as their starter and the 49ers don’t give up on Lance, the two most popular destinations for Brady rumors appear to be off the books. He could continue with the Bucs, but if he wants to go somewhere else before retiring, his options might depend upon how both he and his team look over the next two months.

What if the Jets think the time is right elsewhere, but QB ZACH WILSON isn’t the answer?

The Rams, if QB MATTHEW STAFFORD has broken down?

SAN FRANCISCO

WR DEEBO SAMUEL is excited to welcome RB CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY into the 49ers fold.  Tom Doerberger at YahooSports.com:

Deebo Samuel, one of the NFL’s best playmakers, watched like all the 49ers Faithful as the front office pulled off the Oct. 20 trade for star running back Christian McCaffrey.

What was his initial reaction?

“I was like, man, we’re getting another guy that’s really good with the football in his hands,” San Francisco’s standout wide receiver told Justin Melo of 49ers Webzone. “Before we traded for him, we had myself, [George] Kittle, BA [Brandon Aiyuk], Jauan [Jennings], and Ray-Ray [McCloud III]. I can go down the line and name everybody.

“We’re all capable of doing great things with the ball in our hands. We had Jeff Wilson [who was traded to the Dolphins last week]. We’re getting Elijah Mitchell back at some point. We added even more fire to this offense.”

Samuel and McCaffrey have yet to fully suit up together as main pieces of San Francisco’s game plan. Both were on the field in the 49ers’ Week 7 loss to the Chiefs, but McCaffrey played just 23 of the 79 offensive snaps. When the 49ers opened the entire playbook for McCaffrey the next week, which resulted in his historic three-touchdown performance and a 31-14 victory over the Rams, Samuel was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Heading into the Week 10 clash with the Chargers, Samuel and McCaffrey are back at practice, gearing up for their first full game together as unique offensive weapons.

“I mean, we were already a very explosive offense, like I just said,” Samuel told Melo. “His addition is going to make us even more explosive. You’ve already seen the early signs of that.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan must be licking his chops drawing up the X’s and O’s. There’s a YAC storm coming in the NFC West.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

QB MATTHEW STAFFORD is in the concussion protocol in the wake of Sunday’s game in Tampa.  Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic:

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is in concussion protocol, coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:

McVay said that it is the team’s understanding that Stafford’s symptoms stemmed from Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay, and team physicians ascertained that Stafford needed to enter the protocol after a series of post-game questions/evaluations.

The QB officially entered the protocol Tuesday, a team spokesman said.

Stafford was sacked four times and hit eight times in the Rams’ loss to Tampa Bay.

What happened on Sunday?

McVay said he did not have any indication during the game that Stafford was suffering from any symptoms.

“Ultimately, it’s really the doctors’ job to be able to ask those questions, gather that information and then make those decisions based on the protocols, and the different things that they think are in best alignment for the person,” said McVay.

The NFL requires teams to carry an unaffiliated neurotrauma expert on the sideline for games, who is tasked with spotting any symptoms during game-action that could be related to a concussion, and a certified athletic trainer stationed as a “spotter” in the booth.

McVay confirmed that it is the team’s understanding that the symptoms stemmed from the game, but Stafford did not leave the field of play at any point, nor was any injury reported by either team through the game itself.

“I don’t know if it was exactly a hit,” said McVay, “(but) when you ask the questions coming out of a game about how you’re feeling, whether there was a specific instance in that game, I can’t confirm what that entailed in terms of the dialogue.

“What I know is when you talk to (head athletic trainer Reggie Scott) and his group, some of the questions, and then what they ascertained as a result of those questions, made them feel like (the) appropriate thing for the person and the player … is to put him in the protocol.” – Rodrigue

How Stafford gets out of concussion protocol

The five-step clearance protocol includes the player returning to football activity on a limited, then a full basis (and testing after those phases).

If the player “has established his ability to participate in non-contact football activity including team meetings, conditioning and non-contact practice without recurrence of signs and symptoms and his neurocognitive testing is back to baseline, the Club physician may clear him for full football activity involving contact in practice,” the league’s protocol rules state. – Rodrigue

Who could start in Stafford’s place?

Backup quarterbacks for the Rams include John Wolford (who has started two games since 2020, including the postseason) and Bryce Perkins. McVay declined to say who would take first-team reps in practice this week but remained optimistic that Stafford may be able to progress through the protocol ahead of Sunday’s game against Arizona.

“Still anticipating, and having the optimistic approach that there’s a possibility that he’ll be ready to go,” said McVay, “but both of those guys will get opportunities. … John has been our backup, but really the plan is (that) we’ll take it a day at a time with Matthew and see where we go.”

Chauncey Telese of LAFBNetwork.com looks at the options:

Who Will Start in Stafford’s Place?

John Wolford

He is not the most exciting choice but he’s the one with the most experience. He’s 1-0 as a starter and more importantly 1-0 against the Cardinals in a do or die game. It can’t be proven but his performance in that 2021 game against Arizona gave Sean McVay a renewed sense of joy after being visibly burned out on Jared Goff. Tangibly, the stats won’t reflect that but everyone who watched that game can see how that would be true.

Anyway, Wolford’s stats in that game wouldn’t rock anyone’s world as he went 22-38 with 231 and a pick. But, he offered more mobility than Goff and he knew how to be a game manager. That understandably doesn’t inspire a TON of excitement and for what it’s worth he did fine in the first quarter of the playoffs against Seattle until Jamal Adams knocked him out of the game.

He could carry the Rams for one week against the Cardinals especially since the line will be better than Stafford has had all year (Welcome back, Coleman Shelton) so all he has to be is Kmart Stafford which he is fully capable of being.

The Rams are 3-5 and given the state of the NFC have an outside shot at a seven seed (OUTSIDE SHOT) so they probably don’t want to rock the boat too much. This isn’t fun especially with how this offense has been with Stafford (not his fault) so it makes sense why this option leaves many cold.

Bryce Perkins

The populist choice is the Rams should go with Bryce Perkins because he has something Wolford no longer does: That is hypothetical potential. That and he’s way more mobile (plus two inches taller). Wolford is aggressively FINE. He wouldn’t give fans anything new, which considering most are in a self-loathing spiral these days, need something to be EXCITED about.

Perkins is a super mobile quarterback and was fun in the preseason but his true potential remains theoretical. The unknown is super exciting and more to the point allows McVay to be super creative in order to make the most of Perkins strengths and weaknesses.

If Perkins can inject some life into the Rams’ offense (a TALL order) than it also creates a few scenarios that get arm chair coaches and GMs excited. He’s either a budding star and the Rams can find a way to move on from Stafford, have a dirt cheap quarterback and use the money elsewhere. Or, this type of quarterback is what McVay wants next so he convinces Snead to do some Snead stuff and get Lamar Jackson. This is all tin-foil hat RamANON thinking but just know it’s out there.

The Rams clearly see potential in him as they made sure he remained on the roster. It’s understandable if they’re hesitant to start him because the unknown potential can go the other way too. He might be too green and this is another loser-leaves-town match. That’s a lot to gamble on a third-string quarterback.

Still, at a time where a lot of fans are ready to burn “F— DEM PICKS” down for the insurance money because it’s easier than actually trying to solve the Rams’ problems, he offers precious hopium.

The Reality

Neither option is likely to be the spark that lights the fire of a Rams revival. They have bigger problems beyond Stafford’s health, their line is a tattered gamble every week, the run game has a Mr. Burns’ level heartbeat (Hello, Kyren Williams), and beyond Cooper Kupp, there aren’t any reliable weapons.

On the plus side, the defense is good enough to beat an equally hobbling Cardinals team and while neither Rams quarterback is likely to put the team on their back even for a week, they could force McVay to try new things and see what he has beyond Stafford and Kupp. At this point in the year, it’s not like they could make things much worse.

SEATTLE

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com on his expectations for QB GENO SMITH’s next contract:

Geno Smith, QB, Seahawks

Smith’s transformation into the new Drew Brees has been nothing short of extraordinary. The league’s most accurate passer over the first half of the season has become the heart and soul of the most surprising team in the NFC. His interception rate is likely to rise from its current mark (1.4%), but there’s nothing about his accuracy or play that should lead anyone to believe he’s going to regress in a major way.

Assuming Smith keeps this up, he’s about to get a massive raise from the $3.5 million deal he inked with Seattle before the season. What will that contract look like? The player who comes to mind is Case Keenum, who was a career backup before riding a brilliant season with the Vikings in 2017 into free agency at age 30. Keenum’s two-year, $36 million deal with the Broncos would translate to something like a two-year, $45 million pact after accounting for cap inflation. If the 32-year-old Smith raises his game even further, the Seahawks might have to look at the non-exclusive franchise tag of $31.5 million.

KANSAS CITY

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com on WR JuJU SMITH-SCHUSTER:

As the season goes on, Smith-Schuster is becoming an essential part of the Kansas City offense. Over the past four weeks, he ranks 11th in yards per route run (2.5) and fourth among wideouts in average yards after catch (7.9). His back-to-back 100-yard games in October were the first time he has posted consecutive triple-digit receiving totals since that fateful 2018 season when he finished with 1,426 receiving yards and seven scores.

Smith-Schuster is a free agent after the season, and after signing consecutive one-year deals, he should have a much larger market this time. The Chiefs just traded for Kadarius Toney and have a 2022 second-round pick on the books in Skyy Moore, but Travis Kelce is going to get old eventually, and the organization can get out of the Marquez Valdes-Scantling contract in 2023.

Kansas City revitalized Smith-Schuster’s career, but if he keeps up his recent level of play over the remainder of the season, could he end up being too expensive to stay in Kansas City?

– – –

QB PATRICK MAHOMES has no problems with his arm after Sunday night’s heavy workload. Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Patrick Mahomes is used to airing it out, but Week 9 was excessive, even for him.

Mahomes threw the ball 68 times in Kansas City’s overtime win over Tennessee, moving the Chiefs to 6-2 overall through eight games. He completed 43 of those attempts for 446 yards and one touchdown, racking up a massive yardage total that didn’t quite match the 20-17 final.

Most important to Mahomes, though, was the win, even if it required extra work for his cannon of a right arm.

“Obviously, that game got a little out of hand as far as throwing the ball a little bit more than we wanted to as compared to running it, but it kind of called for that,” Mahomes acknowledged Wednesday. “And to be able to do both, I think you’ve seen in games that we’ve been able to run the ball a lot in some games, and then obviously, there’s games where you have to throw the ball. It’s something that you have to do as an offense in order to succeed in this league is being able to do both. And that’s something I think we can do on this team.”

A product of the Air Raid offense at Texas Tech, Mahomes has plenty of experience passing for the majority of a game. He received a full workload in the Sunday night affair, a game in which Kansas City abandoned the run — handing off to runners not named Mahomes a combined total of just 13 times — and needed every one of the 68 attempts to take down the feisty Titans.

Mahomes set a Chiefs franchise record for the most pass attempts and completions in a game with his 43-of-68 line, tying for the third-most attempts and fourth-most completions by any quarterback in a game since 1950.

Kansas City’s approach was the exact opposite of Tennessee’s, which saw rookie quarterback Malik Willis attempt 16 passes through four quarters plus overtime. Mahomes threw for more than five times as many yards as Willis (446 to 80), and 52 more passes than Willis, marking the largest differential in pass attempts (52 more) since 1950. He also broke the previous record for the largest gap of net passing yards (365) in a game decided by one score since 1950.

Mahomes once thru 88 passes in a Texas Tech game against Oklahoma, completing 52 for 734 yards and 5 TDs.  The Red Raiders still fell, 66-59.

Mahomes threw 50+ passes in 12 starts for Texas Tech.  The Red Raiders were 2-10 in those games, scoring an average (!!) of 42.4 points per game in the 10 losses.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

EDGE JOEY BOSA may return Sunday for the first Bosa Bowl.  Grant Gordon ofNFL.com:

History could be on the horizon Sunday in Santa Clara with a first-ever Bosa Bowl.

It is, of course, contingent on Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa being healthy enough to play against the San Francisco 49ers and his brother, Nick.

Joey Bosa, who underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury back in September, is close to returning to practice ahead of a potential first-time meeting opposite his brother on Sunday.

“I just know that he’s back in the building,” Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said Wednesday. “It’s good to see him. He’s not there for practice yet. We’ll let you know when he’s going to come back to practice. He is in good spirits. I think that we’re getting closer to that practice point, just don’t know exactly when that is going to be.”

Bosa, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and a four-time Pro Bowler, has been shelved since a Week 3 loss against the Jaguars.

Nick Bosa, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and a two-time Pro Bowler, has racked up 8.5 sacks in seven games for the Niners.

While Joey must be active for a first-time Bosa-versus-Bosa matchup, if either gets 0.5 sacks on Sunday, the Bosas — the brothers and father John — would become the sixth family in NFL history to tally 100 sacks (since sacks became an official statistic in 1982), according to NFL Research. Other families in the triple-digit sack club are the Watts (J.J. and T.J.), the Matthews (Clay Sr., Clay and Casey), the Longs (Howie and Chris), the Randles (John and Ervin) and the Jones (Arthur and Chandler).

Joey Bosa’s return is a long-anticipated one for the Chargers (5-3) as they look to stay alive in the AFC West race and in the playoff hunt, but it would be extra special for him to come back with his younger brother and the Niners (4-4) facing him.

“I know that he would love to be out there to compete and give our team a chance to win,” Staley said. “There is that brotherly love that, ‘Hey, I’m going against my brother and I want to show the world that I’m one of the best.’ Hopefully, we’ll get that opportunity again for him. I think it’s a cool storyline. They’re both having great careers.”

BALTIMORE

Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com on contract options for QB LAMAR JACKSON moving forward:

Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens

While everyone in the Ravens organization has publicly adopted the attitude that a contract extension for the 2019 MVP is inevitable, Jackson’s short- and long-term future is still in question. He is playing out his $23 million fifth-year option this season, which is rare for first-round quarterbacks with his sort of résumé. Players this good almost always sign extensions before Year 5.

Of course, Jackson wants something few players have a path to getting, no matter how good they are: a fully guaranteed megadeal. With Deshaun Watson getting five years and $230 million from the Browns in March, Jackson might credibly ask for five years and something closer to $250 million from Baltimore. If he leads the Ravens on a deep playoff run, it would be difficult to deny him that sort of extension.

Without that sort of performance, the Ravens would probably end up sticking the exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, which is expected to be around $45.4 million. Not chump change, of course, but there’s a difference of more than $200 million in guarantees between those figures. He could make that difference up on a new deal in 2024 and beyond, but any player is one injury away from not realizing their future earnings potential.

If Jackson struggles, the Ravens might consider floating the ultimate trial balloon for his market. Sticking him with the non-exclusive franchise tag would be a little cheaper, but it would allow other teams to sign him to an offer sheet. Baltimore would get two first-round picks if it declined to match. Is there a universe in which the team could move on from him? And if so, could Jackson end up staying in the DMV and moving to, of all teams, the Commanders? Probably not, but if the Ravens don’t get a deal done this offseason, the clock will be ticking on his future in Baltimore.

PITTSBURGH

The Steelers have an interim kicker in PK MATTHEW WRIGHT with regular kicker CHRIS BOSWELL ailing.  The AP:

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed well-traveled kicker Matthew Wright on Wednesday with starter Chris Boswell dealing with a nagging groin injury.

Boswell sustained the injury just before Pittsburgh’s loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 30. Nick Sciba made all three of his kicks — two field goals and an extra point — in a 35-13 loss.

Boswell did not practice on Wednesday, putting his status for Sunday’s game against New Orleans (3-6) in doubt. The eight-year veteran has made 12 of 16 field goals and all nine of his extra points this season for the Steelers (2-6).

Wright spent two weeks with Kansas City earlier this season while filling in for injured Harrison Butker. Wright is 8 for 8 on extra points and 3 for 4 on field goals this season. This is Wright’s second stint with the Steelers. He kicked in three games for Pittsburgh in the 2020 season, converting all 11 of his kicks (four field goals, seven extra points).

– – –

Mathew Berry has some thoughts on the Steelers offense from a Fantasy point of view:

On the surface, there’s not much to like about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

They are 2-6 and last in the AFC North. They’ve scored the least amount of points (120) in the entire NFL through 9 weeks. They just shipped off one of their offensive playmakers at the trade deadline.

And yet, I think there is room for fantasy optimism heading out of the bye. Hear me out…

Part of the Steelers struggles can be attributed to their brutal schedule. Seriously, look at this gauntlet over the past 6 weeks. (Cleveland, Jets, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Miami, Philadelphia).

The deck has been beyond stacked against the rookie QB Kenny Pickett, but over the next four weeks, he’ll be home vs. New Orleans (3-6) and Cincy (5-4) and then on the road vs. Indy (3-5-1) and Atlanta (4-5).

There are also rumblings that the team might move away from the sluggish Najee Harris to the more explosive rookie Jaylen Warren. Warren had 50 yards on just six carries against the Eagles in Week 8, while Harris has the second-lowest rush yards over expected per attempt in the entire league.

@notJDaigle

Steelers RB touches this year:

Najee Harris 132

Jaylen Warren 41

Touches to gain 10+ yards:

Najee Harris 12

Jaylen Warren 13

Rookie WR George Pickens is ready for a big finish to the season with Chase Claypool no longer around to compete for downfield looks.

There’s lots of evidence that rookies often experience a post-bye “bump” in usage, and Pickett, Warren, and Pickens certainly fit that bill as the Steelers usher in a youth-fueled retool down the stretch.

And this is before we even mention veteran Diontae Johnson and second-year TE Pat Freiermuth, both of whom should also benefit from a softer schedule and condensed target tree.

The Steelers might not be NFL relevant, but the smart money says they’ll be fantasy relevant down the stretch.

INDIANAPOLIS

Jeff Saturday makes the case for the hiring of Jeff Saturday.  Michael Baca of NFL.com:

Jeff Saturday’s newfound duties as Colts interim head coach kicked off Wednesday following his first meeting with the team.

“I thought it went well,” Saturday told reporters. “Great to see guys and meet people. Tried to let them know what I’m about; what my expectations are, what they can expect from me. I thought that went really well. Look, I’ve got to earn their trust — there’s no doubt about that — I’m not trying to diminish how important that is. That’s going to take time. That’s not going to happen in one meeting.”

Saturday had yet to conduct his first real practice as Colts coach but, as if Monday night’s long and winding press conference announcing his hiring wasn’t enough, he spent much of Wednesday’s media availability explaining how he landed the gig.

According to Saturday, Colts owner Jim Irsay initially called him while Frank Reich’s team was in the midst of Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. However, Saturday was adamant that the interim coaching role was not discussed at that time.

“He was just upset,” said Saturday, who has been a paid consultant by the Colts. “He was asking me what was going on. This was not about Frank.”

Saturday said Irsay offered him the opportunity of coaching during the late hours of that Sunday night, calling the whole development a “whirlwind.”

Reich, of course, was fired by Irsay the following Monday after the team’s third straight loss. Much to the surprise of everyone, including Saturday himself, the former Colts center was announced and introduced as Reich’s interim replacement later that evening.

Controversy immediately surrounded the hiring of Saturday for multiple reasons. Saturday’s experience coaching is limited to three seasons in high school (2017-2019), and he’s believed to be the first former player with no college or pro coaching experience to be named a head coach since Pro Football Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin became the Minnesota Vikings’ first head coach in 1961. Saturday had been an in-studio NFL analyst for ESPN since 2013.

Saturday’s lack of coaching experience wasn’t a hang-up for the Colts, apparently, but with the league doing its best to fix its shortage of minority coaching hires, questions of how this could happen soon followed. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported upon Saturday’s hiring that the NFL’s Rooney Rule does not apply to an interim head coach during the season, but the Colts will have to adhere with the hiring standard after the 2022 season.

“I’ll address, I’m know the question I’m sure is going to be asked. The Rooney Rule,” said Saturday. “I’ll be honest with you, it’s an important rule. I do not diminish it one second. I believe and understand fully why it is as important as it is. I don’t minimize, this is important. My role here is for eight games. When this is over, they’ll do an exhaustive search and pick whoever their best candidate is to be the head coach of the Colts. If I’m considered, I’d be honored. I have no idea where this thing is going to go. Not even a little bit.

“But I can assure you that’s going to be handled. From the organization’s perspective. From my perspective as a man. Here’s the deal: I’m completely comfortable in who I am as a man. I know I can lead men. I know I know the game of football, and I’m passionate about it. I have no fear about are you as qualified as somebody else. Bro, I spent 14 years in a locker room. I went to the playoffs 12 times. I’ve got five dudes in the Hall of Fame that played with me. You don’t think I’ve seen greatness? You don’t think I’ve seen how people prepare? How they coach? How they GM? How they work? I’ve won (one Super Bowl), been to two. Here’s the deal. None of us are promised a good job. I may be terrible at this, and after eight games, I’ll say, ‘God bless you. I am no good.’ I could be really good at it. I got no idea. But I dang sure won’t back down. I can tell you that.

“If life ain’t an adventure, it ain’t for me. I’m ready to go do this. I take a challenge head-on. Listen, everybody can say whatever they want, and I appreciate that. But from my perspective, when I was asked, they said, ‘We’re following every rule, at the end of the season you aren’t promised anything.’ Perfect. Let’s go with that. I have no fear. If I’m no good and Mr. Irsay looks at me and says, ‘We appreciate ya. Thanks for stepping in. Man, job well done,’ I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

“We’re all going to be involved in helping Parks call the right plays,” he said.

Indianapolis is taking extravagant measures in an effort to save its 2022 season. The Colts’ roster had been improved upon following a disappointing 2021, but the quarterback they traded for in the offseason, Matt Ryan, has since been benched and their young offensive coordinator was fired in the lead-up to Reich’s dismissal. Forging the talent they do have into a viable team going forward will be left up to a novice coach with his name gracing the Colts Ring of Honor.

Asked simply on Wednesday why he’d take on such a task, Saturday’s passionate reply was likely what Irsay had in my mind to save the Colts.

“Because I care. I told the guys this morning; I care about the players, I care about their families, I’ve sat in their seat, man. This (losing) sucks,” said Saturday. “…These are my people. My adult life was forged here. My wife and I raised our kids here, these people matter to me, this organization matters tome, the people in the community matter to me. Everybody thinks is like flippant — this is not. I care, whatever I can do. When he said, ‘Hey, can you help me?’ Absolutely I’ll help.”

The Colts (3-5-1) are on the road to face the Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) this Sunday.

Dan Wetzel of YahooSports.com is one of the few media who give Saturday a chance on Sunday and beyond:

On Sunday we find out the answer to an absurd question: Can you drag a guy off the street (or out of a television studio), make him a NFL head coach and six days later … win?

It’s worth noting that Jeff Saturday, the man tabbed here in the middle of the season to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, isn’t exactly some dude calling into talk radio declaring he could do a better job with his favorite team.

The 47-year-old is a two-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion center, known for his on-field brains as much as his brawn. This isn’t quite Ted Lasso.

Still, the man has never worked a single day as even a lowly assistant coach at the pro or college level (he did lead a small high school team in Georgia). He hasn’t even been in the NFL since 2012, which in football terms represents about three generations in schematic innovation. Does he know the playbook? Does he know the players?

It’s not like this is Tom Brady trying it, going from being enveloped in cutting edge meetings and strategy sessions as a player to the head coach role. Even that would be wild.

Whatever, this is happening and that means anything could happen when Saturday coaches Indy against Las Vegas. It has to be the most fascinating game between a 3-5-1 team (Colts) and a 2-6 team (Raiders) in NFL history.

Is this genius? Is this a farce? Is this a work in progress? Saturday has the interim job after the firing of Frank Reich and could win the job full-time.

Could the Colts, currently 6-point underdogs, actually start winning and reverse the fortunes of their season?

Maybe. Who the heck knows, which is the best part of this. You don’t often get to see something completely new.

Even Saturday, rightfully, says he isn’t sure.

“I may be terrible at this,” he said this week. “And after eight games, I’ll say, ‘God bless you. I am no good.’ I may be really good. I got no idea, but I dang sure ain’t going to back down. I can tell you that.

“… I’m completely comfortable in who I am as a man,” he continued. “I know I can lead men. I know I know the game of football and I’m passionate about it. I have no fear about ‘are you as qualified as somebody else?’”

If he’s successful, it could upend conventional football wisdom. Maybe experience doesn’t matter?

“I’m glad he doesn’t have any NFL experience,” said Colts team owner Jim Irsay, who thinks too many modern coaches are paralyzed by group think and analytics.

Irsay has always been a misfit among the misfits that make up NFL ownership; an unpolished trust fund kid with a fancy guitar collection and a history of substance abuse challenges. He certainly doesn’t care about anyone or perhaps anything. So he gave us this experiment.

And it’s not like there is much to lose.

Indy is one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams. Despite trading for another quarterback savior — former MVP Matt Ryan — the offense is anemic. Its 14.7 points per game is the worst in the league. It’s 315.1 yards per game and 4.8 yards per play rank 27th and 30th, respectively. It gained just 121 last week in a 26-3 loss to New England.

So what exactly is the risk here?

Irsay is adamant that the Colts aren’t tanking and still sees this as a salvageable season. “We don’t tank in Indianapolis,” he said. “We’re in this thing; 9-7-1 gets us in … We’re going to do what it takes to win.”

Is this ridiculous? Perhaps, but who ever knows with these coaches? The Colts will play the Raiders and first-year man Josh McDaniel. He arrived in Vegas with plenty of experience (two years as a head coach in Denver sandwiched by two long stints under the wing of Bill Belichick). Yet the Raiders are horrible.

Saturday is a smart guy and knows he doesn’t know it all. He will likely cede all, or most, control over the defense to Gus Bradley. Reich mostly did the same and the Colts defense isn’t really the problem here; it ranks 13th in points allowed (20.3).

On offense, Saturday has tabbed 30-year-old assistant Parks Frazier as the play-caller. Frazier has never called plays before in a NFL game, but he fits the theme here. If nothing else, it’s just a change in attitude.

“He came in with energy,” defensive tackle DeForest Buckner told the Indianapolis Star after Saturday’s first practice. “That’s something we need right now.”

Can that help fix the offensive line, fire up the offense and win games? Can Saturday make split-second decisions as a clock is running? Can it last even if there is initial success?

Is this real or the movies?

The whole league is going to find out soon enough — likely boom or bust. What can’t be debated is that the sputtering Colts are suddenly fascinating.

BUFFALO

The Bills are downplaying the injury to QB JOSH ALLEN – but he may get this week off.  Ian Rapoport:

@RapSheet

From @GMFB : #Bills QB Josh Allen is dealing with a sprained right elbow, sources say, a UCL injury that will limit him this week. While it’s no sure thing that Allen plays vs the #Vikings, belief is it’s an injury he can manage moving forward. How he responds this week is key.

MIAMI

Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com sees a hint of Tuscaloosa in what the Dolphins are building in Miami:

The Dolphins play in Miami Gardens, Florida, but this season it might as well be Tuscaloosa, Alabama. On the field, for Tua Tagovailoa, that is.

Given how productive and efficient Tagovailoa was before entering the NFL, attempting to recreate his collegiate environment was worth the difficulty in doing so.

And because the Tuscaloosaian transformation for Tagovailoa’s NFL surroundings wasn’t easy, naturally it wasn’t a one-man lift. It started with Dolphins GM Chris Grier, who first was brazen enough to hire a then 38-year-old first-time head coach with undeniable quirks and a penchant for dry humor.

Then, in a two-day stretch, Grier signed stud left tackle Terron Armstead to a monster deal and traded for Tyreek Hill to pair with 2021 first-round pick, Jaylen Waddle. By the end of March, to Tagovailoa, the Dolphins orange probably started to take on a more crimson hue.

But the metamorphosis would only be theoretical until the games were played, when McDaniel would be put to the test as a play-caller.

And nine games into the 2022 season, McDaniel’s offense has been a mash-up of the attacks Brian Daboll, Mike Locksley and Steve Sarkisian deployed for Tagovailoa during his three seasons with the Tide.

What’s even more, at Alabama, while throwing to four future first-rounders (and one second-rounder) at receiver and an eventual Round 2 tight end, 15.9% of Tagovailoa’s attempts were 20-plus yards down the field. With the Dolphins in 2022, his deep-ball percentage is 13%, the sixth-highest in football among quarterbacks who’ve thrown at least 200 passes to date.

I scoured the film from Tagovailoa’s final season with the Crimson Tide and compared it with what Miami’s done offensively this season. And it’s not as if McDaniel has copy and pasted the Alabama playbook. But the general ideologies match.

Miami even mimicked Alabama-esque offensive line play. Remember, the Dolphins’ shoddy blocking unit was one of the key reasons many believed Tagovailoa would never take off in the NFL.

Tagovailoa was pressured on 24.3% of his drop backs with the Crimson Tide. Entering Week 10, his pressure rate is 22.5% with the Dolphins. Amazing.

Oh by the way, Tagovailoa has aligned with the Tide mutation in Miami. In 2018, the season that sparked the #TankForTua campaign, he completed 69% of his passes at an unprecedented 11.2 yards per attempt at Alabama. Right now, Tagovailoa’s completing 69.9% of his throws at a league-leading 9.2 yards per attempt.

Given the presence of the salary cap and the intense parity in the NFL, it’d be impossible for any team to recreate the talent advantages Tagovailoa had at Alabama.

But the Dolphins set out to get as close as organizationally possible at the professional level and have succeeded in that endeavor. Their achievement has unlocked Alabama Tua.

NEW YORK JETS

Is the matter of WR ELIJAH MOORE is being resolved with a move to the slot?  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore has been in the lineup for the last two weeks, but he hasn’t been featured in the passing game.

Moore has been targeted with one pass since being benched for Week Seven in the wake of complaints about his role and a request to be traded. The Jets did not show any interest in trading him and head coach Robert Saleh told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports that the team is working on different ways to deploy him in their offense.

Saleh said “we’re trying to find him more opportunities in the slot” after using him in that role on about a quarter of his snaps this season.

“It’s a new position because we’ve been playing him outside for the most part. We’re trying to find way to utilize all his strengths,” Saleh said.

Rookie Garrett Wilson saw a lot of time in the slot early in the season, but has been outside more often in recent weeks and his production has increased while in that role. If the same can happen with Moore, the Jets offense will be deeper when they return from their bye week.

THIS AND THAT

GOOD NEWS FOR TWO EX-NFL PLAYERS

First, you get a million if you sell a Powerball ticket worth 2 billion. Isabel Gonzalez of CBSSports.com:

The Powerball jackpot reached a record $2.04 billion before the winning ticket was sold Tuesday, and the store owner who sold the ticket happens to be the father-in-law of former NFL defensive tackle Domata Peko. Peko congratulated his father-in-law, Joe Chahayed, for receiving $1 million for making the sale with a nod to a Lil Wayne classic. 

“Congratulations Baba Chahayed!!! Alexa play A Mili by (Lil Wayne),” Peko wrote on Twitter. “Blessed.”

This was the largest lottery jackpot ever won. It was far bigger than the previous high of $1.586 billion, which was won by three people in 2016.

Chahayed, owner of Joe’s Service Center located in Altadena in the Los Angeles County, told CBS News that he typically tells his customers, “Good luck, this is the winner,” whenever he sells them a ticket. This time it was true, and Chahayed got a piece of the pie too.

A yellow banner that reads, “Billionaire made here” now hangs outside his gas station store.

The results were announced half a day late, but Chahayed is used to being patient. CBS Los Angeles reported that he emigrated from Syria in the 1980s with his wife, two kids and just around $14,000 in his pocket.

“I never collect welfare, I never collect Medicare, I never collect any money from the government,” Chahayed said. “All what I do, I work hard, seven days a week. I raised my kids, graduated from the college and bought a house and I bought a business all because I work hard and become an honest man.”

Chahayed didn’t know who has the winning ticket, but he said that most of his customers are people from the neighborhood and that he hopes it’s one of them. As for his own winnings, Chahayed said family is more important than money, so he is planning on using his earnings on the people he loves the most.

“I have a big family, I’m going to spend it on the kids, my grandchildren,”Chahayed said. “My son is expecting a baby in two months, so we are excited. We can have a nice celebration for another baby. I have 10 grandchildren so I’m going to spend the money on them.”

As for Chahayed’s son-in-law, Peko played 15 years in the NFL after the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the fourth round out of Michigan State in 2006. Peko spent the first 11 seasons of his NFL career with Cincinnati before ending his career with stops in Denver, Arizona and Baltimore.

– – –

Former NFL OT Wesley Britt is now the husband of a US Senator.  This from the AP:

Republican Katie Britt on Tuesday won the U.S. Senate race in Alabama, becoming the first woman elected to the body from the state.

Britt will fill the seat held by Richard Shelby, her one-time boss who is retiring after 35 years in the Senate. Britt was Shelby’s chief of staff before leaving to take the helm of a state business lobby. Britt defeated Democrat Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus.

Britt, 40, cast herself as part of a new generation of conservative leaders and will become one of the Senate’s youngest members. She will be the first Republican woman to hold one of the state’s Senate seats and the state’s first elected female senator. The state’s previous female senators, both Democrats, had been appointed.

“Tonight, parents, families and hard-working Alabamians across the state let their voices be heard. We said loud and clear this is our time,” Britt told supporters at her victory party in downtown Montgomery.

Britt, who noted her early dismal poll numbers and how some initially dismissed her notion of running for Senate, said her campaign is “proof that the American dream is still alive.”

– – –

Britt began her political career working for Shelby. She thanked the outgoing senior senator for taking a chance on her 20 years ago and called him “Alabama’s greatest statesman” who left a lasting legacy on the state.

The senator-elect was introduced by her husband Wesley Britt, a former football player for the New England Patriots and the University of Alabama, who said his best title is, “Katie’s husband.”

Flanked by her husband and two-school-age children, and with her speech occasionally punctuated by the sound of children popping the red, white and blue balloons that fell to celebrate her victory, Britt called herself a “Mama on a mission” to get things done in Washington.

Britt, a 5^th round pick of the Chargers, was with the Patriots from 2005 to 2008, but only played in 16 games in his career.  He met his wife when both were students at Alabama.  Britt started 46 games for the Crimson Tide and was All-SEC as a senior.