The Daily Briefing Tuesday, April 4, 2023

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Todd Archer of ESPN.com details the signing of QB COOPER RUSH:

Cooper Rush was like a lot of people at DFW on March 16. Stuck.

Bad weather delayed his flight. One delay was followed by another. And another. He spent hours at the airport, checking his phone, wondering if he was ever going to get on the plane.

After going 4-1 last season as the Dallas Cowboys’ starting quarterback while Dak Prescott recovered from thumb surgery, Rush was a hot commodity in free agency. He was flying to Las Vegas that day to meet with the Raiders, and the Cincinnati Bengals also expressed interest and hoped to set up a visit.

“I think one guy noticed me,” Rush, 29, said. “I don’t know if anybody else did.”

Periodically, he would get calls from his agent, Chris Cabott, with updates. The Cowboys had made an offer, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from getting on the plane.

While sitting at the gate, the Cowboys made another offer.

“Just the timing of it, the Cowboys came in with a good deal,” Rush said. “As weird as it is, it was around the same time I was kind of waiting to leave.”

Though the flight was never canceled, Rush never got on the plane. He took a night to sleep on the Cowboys’ offer and woke up on St. Patrick’s Day with a two-year deal worth a max of $6 million that included a $1.25 million signing bonus.

“It was stressful,” Rush said. “We had a lot going on. It was a little more stressful than I expected. No sleep.”

On Feb. 27, Rush and his wife, Lauryn, welcomed their second daughter, Evelyn, to the world, joining sister Ayla. For all but a few months in 2020, the Dallas area had been their home since Rush joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

Rush said he did not view the delayed flight as a sign telling him not to leave.

“I was just pumped to see what I got from Dallas and go from there,” Rush said.

Rush’s role with the Cowboys is important.

He has become a confidant to Prescott over the years. With the offseason departure of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, that bond means even more in 2023, as Prescott works deeper relationships with head coach Mike McCarthy (calling plays for the first time in his four seasons), new quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien (who had been on the staff prior) and develops a relationship with new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

On the field, Rush has shown he can handle the moment. He threw for more than 300 yards in a 2021 victory at the Minnesota Vikings in the first start of his career, including the winning touchdown pass to Amari Cooper with 51 seconds remaining.

In 2022, he saved the Cowboys’ season after Prescott’s thumb injury with four wins in five starts. Without that run, the Cowboys would not have made the playoffs. While his numbers were modest in the five starts — 956 yards, 5 touchdowns, 3 interceptions (all in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles) — he did exactly what the Cowboys needed.

“I think Cooper did an outstanding job of just keeping us playing the way we wanted to play,” McCarthy said during the season.

Said Prescott during the season, “Just knowing the way he prepares, how he approaches each and every day, how mentally tough he is, how mentally sharp he is, I knew that he was going to go out there and put our team in a position to do exactly what they did.”

After re-signing with the Cowboys, Rush took some time to reflect on 2022 and his career.

“It’s hard just as a competitor, but I finally got to look back and it felt like six years ago, the beginning of the season,” he said. “But it’s fun to look back, see what we did, look at the whole picture of the season, see how much it helped into those early games, as well as the defense picking us up. When you’ve waited that long and finally got to do it over an extended period of time, not just one game, and what you learn from being that guy for five weeks, it’s different than just one game and stop. Now it’s getting the rhythm of being the starter, what you learn, what you didn’t do well. I definitely wanted to reflect on that.”

Backups’ careers are made in those moments. And Prescott has missed time due to injury in each of the past three seasons: 11 games in 2020 with a dislocated and fractured right ankle, one game in 2021 with a calf strain and five games in 2022 with the broken right thumb.

McCarthy said a big focus of the alterations on offense is about protecting Prescott better. He was sacked 20 times in 12 games in 2022, but the Cowboys were 28th in pass block win rate.

“My goal is for Dak to play 20 games next year,” McCarthy told reporters at the annual NFL league meeting. “If he plays 20 games next year, obviously we’ll be right where we want to be.”

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones told reporters at the owners meetings: “What we’re trying to do is make Dak more available, which if you look at the last three years, he needs to be more available. And everything we’re doing and feel good about in this offensive line should make him more available. We’re doing some things in the line, some technique and some philosophy that will really help Dak out.”

If Prescott is forced to miss time, then the Cowboys know they have somebody they can count on in Rush.

“The role obviously is great,” Rush said. “Then the team. You want to be on a good team, especially if you go in and play. You want guys on both sides of the ball to help you out. We have that in Dallas. And at the end of the day, we don’t have to move the whole family, all those things that are secondary. We love it in Dallas.”

NEW YORK GIANTS

Coach Brian Daboll does not want the Giants to be one-year wonders.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Brian Daboll was the coach of the year in 2022 after his Giants entered the season viewed as one of the worst teams in the league and ended up in the divisional round of the playoffs. But Daboll isn’t satisfied.

The Giants’ season ended with a 38-7 loss to the Eagles in the playoffs. And that’s what Daboll is focused on.

When a reporter prefaced a question to Daboll by listing the Giants’ 2022 accomplishments, Daboll interrupted and said, “Yeah, got smoked in the playoffs,” according to the New York Daily News.

Daboll wants his players focusing on what they need to improve, not resting on their laurels.

“We have a long way to go in terms of time, and we have a long way to go in terms of improvement,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re starting at ground zero, because they know our system. There’s a lot of things they know more than they did last year. But in terms of where we’re at and the things we gotta do, we got a long climb ahead of us.”

That’s the right attitude for a coach who exceeded expectations in 2022 but has now given himself great expectations in 2023.

He is following a message from his boss, John Mara (per ESPN.com):

Daboll’s rock star status in the Big Apple has not gone unnoticed by team owner John Mara, who said during a recent interview that he jokingly offered a lighthearted warning to his head coach.

“We kid him,” Mara told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I mean, right now he’s Bono walking around New York City.

“But I’ve told him — I’ve said: ‘In this business, it doesn’t take long to go from Bono to Bozo. So don’t get your head too big right now.’ But he has been great.”

WASHINGTON

If you only get your info from certain quarters of the media, Dan Snyder is a breathtaking combo of evil and incompetence.  Two of his key current employees, perhaps soon to lose him as owner, don’t see it that way.  Ben Standig of The Athletic:

Ron Rivera and Jason Wright are unique in this regard: They are among the very, very few people who speak to and speak publicly about Dan Snyder.

Their conversations with the Washington Commanders owner stem from their jobs as head coach and team president. That experience has provided Rivera and Wright insight into the embattled Snyder. They are also the main principles often tasked with answering (often challenging) questions or defending the reclusive owner.

With the franchise sale expected and perhaps soon, they won’t be in that position for much longer. But while they are, I wanted to ask Rivera and Wright one more. Besides, who knows when we’ll hear from Snyder again — if ever — while he owns the team. His wife, co-CEO Tanya Snyder, continues to represent the Commanders at league meetings but did not make herself available to the media last week in Phoenix.

Late last year, the Snyders began exploring a sale of the franchise he’s owned since 1999. A franchise that has gone from being one of the NFL’s crown jewel franchises to a national punchline. Washington last won a playoff game in January 2006 and ranked last in attendance during the 2022 season.

Whomever the new owners will be, they won’t be the Snyders. That mere fact will raise the organization’s bottom line and profile.

“It’s going to be a substantial lift,” Wright told The Athletic at last week’s NFL owners’ meetings. “Better projection, I know that. It’s a substantial lift, and Dan and Tanya know that. That’s not something that they’re unaware of.”

The Athletic held one-on-ones with Rivera and Wright at the league meetings. For the man atop Snyder’s coach-centric vision — who also worked through an ownership change seven years into his nine-year tenure with Carolina — what lessons did Rivera learn during these three-plus years with Snyder, and what will he remember should he ever seek to chronicle this chapter of his life?

“There are a lot of things that went on that I had to deal with,” Rivera replied. “The biggest thing was I stuck to my core values, I believe, and tried to handle things that way.”

As Rivera continued, his response shifted toward the owner, specifically the version of Snyder he’s experienced.

“You gotta give Dan Snyder credit for being truthful with me, sticking to what he promised,” Rivera said. “I mean it.”

Late in the 2019 season, Snyder contacted the recently fired Rivera for a meet and greet. He then enticed Rivera to join Washington’s franchise with talk of modeling the football hierarchy after the coach-led Chiefs and Seahawks. “We’re going to have one voice and one voice alone, and that’s going to be the coach’s,” Snyder said at Rivera’s introductory news conference.

“He gave me the autonomy,” Rivera said. “He let me do the things that I wanted to do. He gave me the resources. … He didn’t lie to me. OK, let’s be honest about that.”

The coach took responsibility during the 2022 season for the risky Carson Wentz trade after a report thrust the onus on Snyder. Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew have described ownership as “very supportive” throughout this offseason, including re-signing Pro Bowl defensive lineman Daron Payne to a lucrative four-year contract.

Football is only a part of the Snyder saga, particularly with the discussion in the public square since the summer of 2020. Dan Snyder has been the subject of several investigations and news reports regarding sexual harassment and possible financial improprieties within the organization. This includes an ongoing 13-month examination into Snyder’s actions by former Securities and Exchange chairwoman and NFL appointee Mary Jo White.

With Snyder avoiding attention, addressing the latest news or scandal often fell to Rivera, who has not expressed bitterness.

Asked about lessons from his time with Snyder, the coach listed examples of support he has received from the owner.

“I get cancer. He’s at the … doctor’s office,” Rivera said. “OK, he went through cancer. And he explained to me, ‘Hey, you’re going to be fine. Just hang in there.’ You know, he called people at Johns Hopkins. He called people at (Cleveland Clinic) and got their opinion. He didn’t have to do that. But he did that. He made sure (Rivera’s wife) Stephanie understood.

“When my mom passed away, he was … there. ‘Ron, take the jet. You go be with the family.’ He allowed me to miss a day of practice to be there for my father.”

Most of the allegations against Snyder and the organization stem from events that preceded Rivera’s hiring. That isn’t to say the coach wears blinders regarding his boss, but Rivera took an optimistic view.

“Maybe he found the light,” the coach said. “Maybe he understood. Maybe when he called me and had me sit down with him when he was interviewing me … and said, ‘I need you to change our culture,’ he was sincere and meant it.

“Why can’t we go off of the person he is right now?”

Wright, 40, arrived in Washington to put a polished and positive face on the franchise as the organization’s internal dysfunction had become headline news. He oversaw the transformation of the work environment and business practices while boosting the bottom line. There were also massive projects, including a new stadium and the team’s rebranding.

While the owner was known to interject his opinions to the previous football staff, often with undesirable outcomes, the business end is where his knowledge base resides.

Given that Wright, the first Black team president in league history, and Snyder worked closely on these and other matters, one question during the wide-ranging interview with The Athletic centered on the most significant thing he’s learned from Snyder throughout their time together.

“Oh, that’s interesting,” Wright said while considering the question.

 “I have learned the importance of having honest advisors around you. Because when you’re in the thick of something, when it is a hard decision, when there’s a crisis happening, if you got bad people around you giving bad advice, it’s hard to cut through that,” Wright continued. “And I think I’ve learned observing Dan and Tanya moving the wrong kind of advisors out and bringing the right kind of advisors in over time is something that helped us as a business navigate.

“The people you surround yourself with really determine your future. I’ve learned that from them.”

Close advisers exiting and quarterback switches weren’t the only personnel changes. According to Wright, 80 percent of the organization’s non-football employees have been hired since he arrived; two-thirds of his leadership team are women, and 60 percent of that subset are women of color. “For this organization from where we started reputationally, there’s a big shift,” he said.

Wright’s observations included how the Snyders have handled turmoil.

“I also learned from them that you protect your family,” he said. “No matter what’s happening around them, they are a family unit. And I admire that. So many of us have fractured family units in various ways. No matter what they’re going through, they are on the same team, Dan and Tanya, their kids, their kids’ spouses. It’s remarkable.”

Remarkable is how countless fans and interested parties will summarize Snyder, 58, selling the team. Many figured such a day wouldn’t come for years, if ever. But here we are. When that day officially arrives, joy will pulsate throughout the area.

The Snyders are already gone, having moved their home base to London. Out of sight, but not out of mind, not yet, not ever. Dan Snyder is part of the history here. That will never change, even if the future already feels different.

“They still care about this franchise,” Wright said. “They’re not going to sell the team and start rooting against us. They know it will be good for everybody. We’re going to get this thing done.”

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Jarryd Hayne is the Australian rugby star who tried to make it in the NFL (he was with the 49ers in 2015).  Since then, his life has been something of a downward spiral.  Mike Florio:

Former 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne, an Australian rugby star who spent a season in the NFL before deciding to return to his primary sport due to the complexities of pro football, has been convicted of rape after a third trial on the same charges.

It wasn’t the rape allegation made against Hayne for an incident that occurred during his time in California. It arose from an assault that occurred in 2018.

In 2017, Hayne was sued for rape in Santa Clara, California, for an alleged incident during 2015, his lone season in the NFL. Prosecutors had decided in 2016 there was insufficient to charge him criminally.

In 2018, Hayne allegedly attacked a woman in her home in Newcastle, Australia after attending a bachelor party.

The first trial, in 2020, resulted in a hung jury. The second trial ended in a conviction. The verdict was overturned after Hayne spent nine months in prison.

He has now been convicted again.

Hayne had left the Australian Rugby League at the height of his career, for a shot at the NFL. He appeared in eight games with one start, gaining 52 yards on 17 carries and catching six passes for 27 yards. He also returned eight punts for 76 yards.

Hayne has vowed to appeal the latest guilty verdict.

SEATTLE

S RYAN NEAL unexpectedly hits the open market.  Brady Henderson of ESPN.com:

The Seattle Seahawks have withdrawn the restricted free agent tender on safety Ryan Neal.

The unexpected move makes Neal an unrestricted free agent and clears $2.627 million in much-needed salary cap space for Seattle.

The Seahawks assigned Neal the low RFA tender earlier this month, which meant a one-year offer for $2.627 million and secured their right to match any offer sheet that he might sign with another team. But their depth chart and salary cap picture have since changed.

The Seahawks signed former New York Giants starter Julian Love to a two-year, $12 million deal, bolstering their safety depth behind Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs with a player they didn’t expect to be available at that price.

The Love signing was one example of how Seattle has been more aggressive in free agency this year than normal. The team’s other significant moves include a three-year, $51.53 million splurge on defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones and, most recently, a reunion with linebacker Bobby Wagner on a one-year, $5.5 million deal.

General manager John Schneider has said they want to continue adding to their defensive line, but the money they’ve spent has left them tight against the salary cap.

Neal, 27, has been an unsung hero for the Seahawks in each of the past three seasons and was one of their defensive MVPs last year while again filling in for an injured Adams. Neal had career highs with 66 tackles, four tackles for loss and eight passes defensed. He also had an interception, a sack and a forced fumble in 14 games, missing three because of a knee injury.

Neal entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Illinois in 2018. He’s also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.

AFC WEST

LAS VEGAS

The Raiders have brought in QB WILL LEVIS for a visit.  Rexwell Villas of Clutch Points:

Even though the Las Vegas Raiders have added Jimmy Garoppolo to their roster by signing him to a multi-year deal back in March, the team has not completely shut down the idea of adding another quarterback via the draft. Expect the rumors about that potential move in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Raiders to intensify with Will Levis making a Las Vegas visit to start the week.

“The #Raiders are hosting #Kentucky QB Will Levis on a Top 30 visit at the facility today, source said. Las Vegas currently has the No. 7 pick,” Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network tweeted Monday morning.

Will Levis is considered as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Although he’s not widely viewed as someone on the same level of Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, there’s a good chance that Levis will be taken off the board before the end of the first round.

“If we feel like the guy is worth it, we would do it,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels recently said about the chances of Las Vegas spending a first-round pick on a new signal-caller.

Should the Raiders select Will Levis, the former Kentucky Wildcats quarterback will likely be spending his early weeks at least in the pros in the shadows of Garoppolo, who inked a three-year deal with Las Vegas worth $72.75 million.

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS

Are the Colts thinking about moving up – presumably to #2?  Then otherwise, why waste a valuable day of draft preparation with both QBs BRYCE YOUNG and C.J. STROUD?

@AlbertBreer

The Colts are working out both Ohio State QB CJ Stroud and Alabama QB Bryce Young today in Southern California (where the QBs are training), per sources. Indy was sparsely repped at the QB Pro Days, preferring to do it this way.

They’ll get a close look at all the top QBs.

If you were wondering C.J. Stroud’s given middle name is Bernard.

But he’s not a junior either, which sometimes is the source of initialed individuals with second initial “J”.  He is Coleridge Bernard Stroud IV.  He has two older brothers with different first names.

And, he found his way to The Ohio State University from Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Although neither played in the Pac-12, both Young and Stroud are from Southern California.

TENNESSEE

Are the Titans looking to trade up, presumably to land a QB?  Steve DelVecchio of Larry Brown Sports:

The Tennessee Titans probably are not in position to take one of the top quarterbacks in the draft with where they are currently scheduled to pick, but some believe that could change in the coming days.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on his “Move the Sticks” podcast last week that the Titans are exploring a move up to No. 3 in the draft from their current No. 11 spot. The third overall pick belongs to the Arizona Cardinals, who obviously do not need a quarterback.

“Can I give you the team that I have been told to keep an eye on that’s exploring this and looking into this. Again, this is just people around the league who said do not sleep on Numero 11. The Tennessee Titans,” Jeremiah said, as transcribed by Buck Reising of AtoZ Sports. “The two teams to keep an eye on with the trade-ups were the Raiders and the Titans.”

Reising confirmed through sources that the Titans are, indeed, looking into the potential of trading up.

The Carolina Panthers traded up to No. 1 and will obviously take a quarterback. The Houston Texans are expected to do the same at No. 2. Arizona could then either take the highest-rated non-quarterback they have on their draft board, or they could swing a deal with a QB-needy team.

The Titans drafted Malik Willis in the third round last year. They also still have Ryan Tannehill. If they do not believe Willis is a franchise QB, they may trade up and draft one of the big four (Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis) and have the rookie sit for a season behind Tannehill.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Bill Belichick remains unhappy with QB MAC JONES turning his back on the Patriots coaching staff.  Conor Roche of the Boston Globe:

The Patriots’ decision to make Matt Patricia their de facto offensive coordinator and Joe Judge their quarterbacks coach certainly confused many around the league and was even reportedly questioned by some of their own players.

As New England’s offense struggled through much of the 2022 season, Mac Jones sought help from outside of Foxborough, causing him to land in the Bill Belichick “doghouse,” NBC Sports’ Chris Simms said in February.

Now months removed from the season, it appears Belichick hasn’t gotten over Jones’s action to reach out to non-Patriots people for help. NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran said that he was recently told Jones’s decision to seek help from other people “really pissed Bill Belichick off” during an appearance on WEEI’s “Jones & Mego with Arcand.”

“As we know, a disloyalty in Bill’s mind is almost worse than bad play,” Curran said of the situation. “Mac, even though you could say it’s ironic because he’s trying to get better and he’s wondering ‘Are we supposed to be doing it this way?’ And he’s asking around the football world about it. That effort to improve was showing up the Matt Patricia-Joe Judge contingent that Bill put in charge. When Bill caught wind of it — he’s still pissed about it.”

Curran didn’t know who in particular Jones spoke to during the 2022 season for help, but he also said that Jones wasn’t alone in questioning the offensive coaching setup. Curran believes that Brian Hoyer was released by the Patriots in March, in part, because of his disapproval of the coaching setup.

“Brian Hoyer was not sold on what was going on last year, and I think he let that be known — that Mac was up against it on a weekly basis,” Curran said. “And I think that’s a large portion of why Hoyer’s not here. The Patriots would tell you otherwise, but they’re paying him $1.4 million to not be here and not be part of the system. Even through training camp, release him in August – you could use him for this offseason. Nope. Thanks. We’re all set with you. It’s interesting.”

Curran mentioned that Hoyer even “anticipated being back” in New England, where he played the last three seasons and spent the majority of his 14-year career. However, the Patriots placed Hoyer on injured reserve following the concussion he suffered in Week 4 and he was never activated after that.

Following the 2022 season, in which the Patriots finished 26th in total offense and dead last in red zone efficiency, New England scrapped the Patricia-Judge experiment. The Patriots re-hired Bill O’Brien to be their offensive coordinator while Judge has reportedly been reassigned and Patricia’s future with the team remains unknown.

Even though the Patriots have turned the page on last season with their coaching changes, Curran thinks it’ll be interesting to see if the damage from last season will bleed into 2023.

“I think how well they’re going to be able to bury the hatchet on Mac’s perceived and presumed disloyalty in doing that [is going to be interesting to watch],” Curran said. “And does Bill O’Brien rectify that or is Bill still itching to teach the kid a lesson?”

When it was announced in January that the Patriots hired O’Brien, MassLive’s Mark Daniels reported that Jones was “very” excited about the opportunity to be coached by him.

Of course, Jones is looking to turn the page on the 2022 season, too. Following a solid rookie campaign, Jones completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with an 84.8 passer rating over 14 games.

THIS AND THAT

UGA LEGAL ISSUES

DT JALEN CARTER’s police video has surfaced.  Russell Brown of Lions Wire atYahooSports.com:

One of the most polarizing players through the 2023 NFL Draft process has been Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Certainly on the field, there’s much to be desired. He’s a talented player with incredible versatility, raw power and athletic ability.

But it’s been no secret that he’s been dropping off draft boards due to off-the-field issues. Back in September of 2022, Carter was stopped for excessive speeding and his window tints. The officer started the conversation with Carter by talking to him about how he had previously stopped Darnell Washington and Dylan Fairchild earlier. The officer told Carter to send out a text to his teammates to start watching their speed. The office also mentioned that he didn’t care about the window tints but he’s “got to start watching his speed as it’s reckless. It’s easy to slow down.” Ultimately, Carter got traffic violations for going 89 mph in a 45 mph zone and his window tints.

Fast forward a few months and unfortunately, Jalen Carter is seen speeding off a downtown area in his car while teammate Devin Wilcox is in another car being operated by recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. Police said, “they were operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing” leading up to a deadly crash. LeCroy and Wilcox both passed away after an investigation determined that they were driving at about 104 mph before the crash.

Since then, Carter entered no-contest pleas to misdemeanor chargers of the fatal crash. He was given 12-months probation and his sentence requires him to pay a $1,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service and complete a state-sanctioned driving course.

Months after the crash, body cam footage from the fatal car accident has been released. In the video, you can see police questioning football players from Georgia. Immediately, it’s known that Jalen Carter called his teammates to quickly come down to the scene of the accident. He claimed that “he was behind the car and following them to Waffle House.”

During his conversation with the police, he admitted that he called his teammates and didn’t call 911. Furthermore, the police officer asked Carter if they were racing and Carter shook his head and said “no.” Throughout the video, the police officer and Carter talk about how they’re from the same area in Florida but they do make it clear to him that he his a witness and that “they’re trying to put the pieces of the puzzle back together.”

You can watch the video of the body cam footage below to come to your own conclusion on Carter and his overall draft stock for the 2023 NFL Draft. One thing for sure is that teams across the NFL are trying to put the pieces together on Jalen Carter. It’ll be interesting to see how the Detroit Lions view Carter the player but most importantly, the person.

Meanwhile, TMZ has video of his UGa quarterback STETSON BENNETT IV getting arrested in Dallas in January:

New police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows Stetson Bennett was seriously pissed at cops during his arrest back in January … at one point accusing the officers of ruining his reputation.

Dallas Police Dept. cops initially responded to the scene in Dallas, Texas on Jan. 29 at around 6:15 a.m. … after a 911 caller said the ex-Univ. of Georgia star quarterback had been knocking on her door, yelling, and appearing to be “very” intoxicated.

During the 911 call, the woman told dispatch that Bennett had screamed outside of her home, “I’m going to ruin your night if you don’t open the g**damn door.”

Body cam footage shows when police arrived, Bennett was not very cooperative. When asked to step away from one of the home’s doors and show his hands, it took him several moments to comply — and later, during questioning, Bennett didn’t seem to want to answer many of the cops’ inquires.

Bennett ultimately did reveal he was in the area training — and claimed he was looking to link up with one of his former UGA teammates, Owen Condon. But he wouldn’t tell cops what he had been doing prior to getting into the neighborhood, and appeared to have very little idea of where he was.

In fact, according to cops, he had someone else’s ID on him.

While speaking with Bennett, one officer noted the 25-year-old reeked of booze.

Eventually, Bennett was placed in the back of a squad car, where he became extremely agitated with cops. He complained about the tightness of his cuffs — before he unloaded on officers for stopping him.

“The door shut and somebody fell asleep,” Bennett said. “And now five million people gotta see it, don’t they? Thank you, boys, for looking out for me. You guys are the best.”

He added, “Reputation ruined. Everything I worked for for 20 years, ruined. But ya’ll boys just looking out for me, aren’t ya? Thank you, sir.”

Bennett was later taken to the local police station and booked for public intoxication.

Speaking about the arrest for the first time last month, he said it was all “a mistake.”

“I understand why that can’t happen,” he said. “I’ve talked to coaches about it, talked to GMs. I’ve apologized to my family. That’s who I felt worse about; I felt like I let them down, because no matter where I go now [people are going to know about it]. Even without all this, I’ve got an obligation. I’m the fourth [Stetson Bennett]. You can’t do that if you’re last name is Bennett. I know better.”

Despite the arrest, Bennett is still expected to be picked in the NFL draft later this month.

BROADCAST NEWS

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com with more on the battle between the forces representing Amazon and The Commish and those representing the fans and the players:

The Commissioner needs only two more “yes” votes to deliver Thursday night flexing. He may need to flex every muscle he has to get there.

With 22 in favor of it (some of whom, as Peter King said on Friday’s PFT Live, are going along with it because they can tell the Commissioner really wants it), eight are opposed and two abstained.

The teams who opted to take no position were the Panthers and Broncos. Of the eight who voted no, four were (per King) the Giants, Jets, Bears, and Packers.

The discussion reportedly got interesting last week. Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal,  the debate among owners was “spirited.” Panthers owner David Tepper, via Fischer, asked league executives, “Is this in direct response to something Amazon said?”

Tepper didn’t get a direct answer.

Of course Amazon wants it. More broadly, the league wants it because streaming is the future. The league knows viewer habits must change, in order to get viewers who watch on TV to watch via streaming services.

The numbers for Amazon’s first foray, an average audience of 9.6 million, weren’t good enough. The league needs to do something to beef things up, to elevate the floor. To push the number back toward the 20 million or so who watched Thursday night games on Fox.

But flexing, in our view, isn’t the answer. As Giants co-owner John Mara said, it’s “abusive” to the paying customer. It’s also abusive to the players, even though the league believes that it can hang its hat on the cherry-picked notion that the raw number of injuries are no different between normal-rest games and short-week games.

It will make for an interesting several weeks. As Goodell and company try to get two of the 10 holdouts to “yes,” Mara and others could be trying to get some of the “yes” votes to change their minds.

It could stay “spirited.” It could get ugly. Feelings could be hurt. Egos could be bruised. Hopefully, in the end, the right thing for fans and players and the game will be done.

And maybe that’s what will happen. Really, with Mara calling the plan “abusive,” how can they proceed with it?

2023 DRAFT

Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com with a 3-round Mock Draft:

1 – CAROLINA (from Chicago)

C.J. Stroud QB                       OHIO STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 214 LBS

Carolina stays put at No. 1 overall and selects the top quarterback on its board. In this scenario, it is C.J. Stroud, who followed up a strong NFL Combine with a strong Pro Day performance.

2 – HOUSTON

Bryce Young QB                      ALABAMA • JR • 5’10” / 204 LBS

Houston elects not to make an offer for No. 1 overall and, instead, wait with baited breath to learn who Carolina is selecting. With C.J. Stroud off the board, the Texans rush to turn the card in for

3 – ARIZONA

Will Anderson Jr. EDGE                 ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 253 LBS

Arizona simply needs to add talent to that defense so it may be in its best interest to trade back. However, the idea of selecting Will Anderson Jr. was too tantalizing so the Cards upgrade the pass rush.

4 – BALTIMORE (MOCK TRADE from Indianapolis)

Anthony Richardson QB                  FLORIDA • SOPH • 6’4″ / 244 LBS

Trade! Baltimore sends quarterback Lamar Jackson to Indianapolis in exchange for a package that includes the No. 4 overall selection. With the selection, the Ravens select their replacement for Jackson in Anthony Richardson.

5 – SEATTLE (from Denver)

Jalen Carter DL                                   GEORGIA • JR • 6’3″ / 314 LBS

Seattle’s defensive line is rounding into shape with the additions of Dre’Mont Jones and now Jalen Carter. They still need to identify some edge rushers but it is one step at a time.

6 – TENNESSEE (MOCK TRADE from Detroit)

Will Levis QB                                   KENTUCKY • SR • 6’4″ / 229 LBS

Tennessee makes the move up the board for the fourth quarterback: Will Levis. The trade value chart suggests the No. 41 overall selection is enough to get it done, but the Titans may have to pay a premium for the quarterback.

7 – LAS VEGAS

Christian Gonzalez CB                    OREGON • SOPH • 6’1″ / 197 LBS

Las Vegas has taken its shots at the cornerback position but it has not paid off for it yet. The Raiders return to the well and select a long cornerback with high-level athletic traits to capitalize on some of those turnover opportunities created by Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.

8  – ATLANTA

Tyree Wilson EDGE                         TEXAS TECH • SR • 6’6″ / 271 LBS

Atlanta has a pair of edge rushers to build around with Arnold Ebiketie and now Tyree Wilson, who may have as much upside as any defender in the class.

9 – CHICAGO (from Carolina)

Peter Skoronski OT                         NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’4″ / 313 LBS

Chicago needs to upgrade its interior offensive line as well as right tackle. Peter Skoronski has positional flexibility.

10 – PHILADELPHIA (from New Orleans)

Nolan Smith EDGE                          GEORGIA • SR • 6’2″ / 238 LBS

Nolan Smith has been compared to Haason Reddick throughout this process. Reddick probably has at least a few years left with Philadelphia, but the Eagles are always thinking ahead and looking for that off-ramp.

11 – DETROIT (Mock Trade from Tennessee)

Lukas Van Ness EDGE                   IOWA • SOPH • 6’5″ / 272 LBS

Detroit was able to slide back five spots, pick up a Day 2 selection and still land an edge rusher with upside. Lukas Van Ness is a powerful edge rusher that tested off the charts athletically.

12 – HOUSTON (from Cleveland)

Myles Murphy DL                            CLEMSON • JR • 6’5″ / 268 LBS

The Myles Murphy campaign is losing a bit of steam, but he has great size and speed. It is difficult to overlook his potential, and that is why Houston adds him to its defensive front.

13 – NY JETS

Bryan Bresee DL                           CLEMSON • SOPH • 6’6″ / 298 LBS

Head coach Robert Saleh comes from San Francisco where there is a belief that there is no such thing as too much talent on the defensive line. They plug Bryan Bresee inside next to Quinnen Williams.

14 – NEW ENGLAND

Paris Johnson Jr. OT                    OHIO STATE • JR • 6’6″ / 313 LBS

New England needs to find at least one starting option at offensive tackle. Paris Johnson Jr. slides into the role left vacant by Isaiah Wynn’s departure in free agency.

15 – GREEN BAY

Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR                  OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 196 LBS

Green Bay needs to locate some talent that can help Jordan Love succeed in his career. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a player who runs the right routes and is always in the right place. The Packers find a quality complement to Christian Watson.

16 – WASHINGTON

Joey Porter Jr. CB                           PENN STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 193 LBS

Washington snares an important piece to its secondary in the middle of the first round. Joey Porter Jr. is a long, physical cornerback who raises the ceiling of the defense.

17 – PITTSBURGH

Broderick Jones OT                        GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’5″ / 311 LBS

Broderick Jones is a young, physical offensive tackle who still has room for growth. He moves really well for his size and has a chance to protect Kenny Pickett’s blindside for a long time.

18 – DETROIT

Devon Witherspoon CB                  ILLINOIS • JR • 6’0″ / 181 LBS

Devon Witherspoon is a fiery personality with a physical play style. He should fit right into that Dan Campbell defense that added a former Illini defensive back last year in the draft, safety Kerby Joseph.

19 – TAMPA BAY                          

O’Cyrus Torrence IOL                      FLORIDA • JR • 6’5″ / 330 LBS

Tampa Bay’s roster is fine with Baker Mayfield, but the offensive line needs to be more reliable. The selection of O’Cyrus Torrence is the first step toward achieving long-term health for that unit.

20 – SEATTLE

Jordan Addison WR                         USC • JR • 5’11” / 173 LBS

Jordan Addison has a slight frame but Seattle will be able to use him underneath while Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf continue pressuring defenses vertically. The idea is that when Lockett’s time in the Pacific Northwest comes to an end, Addison will be ready to step into a larger role.

21 – LA CHARGERS

Darnell Wright OT                             TENNESSEE • SR • 6’5″ / 333 LBS

Los Angeles could have gone in a few directions with running back Bijan Robinson still on the board. For the third consecutive year, the Chargers take an offensive lineman in the first round. Darnell Wright is plugged in on the right side and Trey Pipkins becomes the swing tackle.

22 – BALTIMORE                               

Quentin Johnston WR                        TCU • JR • 6’3″ / 208 LBS

Baltimore gets a big, vertical outlet for rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, who the Ravens drafted with the fourth overall pick received from the Colts in the Lamar Jackson trade. Quentin Johnston is unordinary for a bigger wide receiver because of his ability to make plays post-catch

23 – PITTSBURGH (Mock Trade from Minnesota)

Deonte Banks CB                             MARYLAND • JR • 6’0″ / 197 LBS

Trade! Pittsburgh moves up to select one of the top remaining cornerbacks to address the two biggest needs of the first round. Minnesota receives No. 32 overall and a third-round pick in return.

24 – JACKSONVILLE

Cam Smith CB                                     SOUTH CAROLINA • JR • 6’1″ / 180 LBS

Jacksonville needs to add another body at the cornerback position. Cam Smith is a fluid player who has shown a lot of improvement over the past year, but he is overly physical downfield.

25 – NY GIANTS

Brian Branch S                                   ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 190 LBS

The Giants may have to trade up the board a bit to secure one of the top cornerbacks in this class. They already missed the initial run at the position. Instead, they take an intelligent, versatile safety capable of getting that defense lined up.

26 – DALLAS

Bijan Robinson RB                              TEXAS • JR • 5’11” / 215 LBS

Dallas franchise tagged Tony Pollard. It could theoretically move on from him after one season, opening the door for Bijan Robinson to take over. In the short term, Pollard and Robinson form a dynamic duo.

27 – BUFFALO

Dalton Kincaid TE                                 UTAH • SR • 6’4″ / 246 LBS

Buffalo is looking to add pass-catching weapons for Josh Allen at all times. Dalton Kincaid is a fluid athlete capable of making plays after the catch. He gives the team a dynamic weapon at the position that they have been lacking.

28 – CINCINNATI

Michael Mayer TE                                 NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’5″ / 249 LBS

Cincinnati gets a balanced tight end to block and be another option in chain-moving situations. Michael Mayer grew up in the shadows of Cincinnati and now has the opportunity to return home.

29 – NEW ORLEANS (from Denver)

Keion White DL                                   GEORGIA TECH • SR • 6’5″ / 285 LBS

New Orleans and Seattle are often the most unpredictable teams in the draft. They take players out of left field, but they clearly have a type at edge rusher. The Saints love those massive end players with athletic qualities and Keion White fits the description.

30 – PHILADELPHIA

Calijah Kancey DL                                PITTSBURGH • JR • 6’1″ / 281 LBS

Philadelphia adds a pass-rushing interior defender to go along with the space-eating Jordan Davis. The Eagles add two pieces to a defensive front that was one of the best in football this past season.

31 – KANSAS CITY

Dawand Jones OT                               OHIO STATE • SR • 6’8″ / 374 LBS

After signing Jawaan Taylor in free agency, and allegedly moving him to left tackle, Kansas City takes a massive right tackle at the end of the first round to fill out the offensive line.

Round 2

32. Vikings (via Pittsburgh) – Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

33. Texans – Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

34. Cardinals – Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan

35. Colts – Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

36. Rams – Cody Mauch, OG, North Dakota State

37. Seahawks – Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

38. Raiders – Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

39. Panthers – Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

40. Saints – Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

41. Lions (via Tennessee) – Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin

42. Jets – Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

43. Jets – Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin

44. Falcons – Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma

45. Packers – Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

46. Patriots – Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

47. Commanders – Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

48. Lions – Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

49. Steelers – Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern

50. Buccaneers – Blake Freeland, OT, BYU

51. Dolphins – Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

52. Seahawks – Matthew Bergeron, OG, Syracuse

53. Bears – B.J. Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

54. Chargers – Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina

55. Lions – Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

56. Jaguars – Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M

57. Giants – John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

58. Cowboys – Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah

59. Bills – Steve Avila, OG, TCU

60. Bengals – Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

61. Bears – Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

62. Eagles – Braeden Daniels, OT/G, Utah

63. Chiefs – Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU

Round 3

64. Bears – Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor

65. Texans – Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama

66. Cardinals – Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford

67. Broncos – Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Alabama

68. Broncos – Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami

69. Rams – Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA

70. Raiders – Jordan Battle, S, Alabama

71. Saints – Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State

72. Titans – Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

73. Texans – Gervon Dexter, DL, Florida

74. Browns – Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State

75. Falcons – Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

76. Patriots – Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State

77. Rams – Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn

78. Packers – Quan Martin, CB/S, Illinois

79. Colts – Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky

80. Vikings (via Steelers) – Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina

81. Lions – Chandler Zavala, IOL, NC State

82. Buccaneers – Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan

83. Seahawks – Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon

84. Dolphins – A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest

85. Chargers – Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas

86. Ravens – DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB

87. Vikings – Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

88. Jaguars – Zacch Pickens, DL, South Carolina

89. Giants – Cory Trice Jr., CB, Purdue

90. Cowboys – Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin

91. Bills – JL Skinner, S, Boise State

92. Bengals – Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC

93. Panthers – KJ Henry, EDGE, Clemson

94. Eagles – Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State

95. Chiefs – Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati

96. Cardinals – Yaya Diaby, EDE, Louisville

97. Commanders – Davis Allen, TE, Clemson

98. Browns – Byron Young, EDGE, Tennessee

99. 49ers – Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland

100. Raiders – Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State

101. 49ers – Cameron Mitchell, CB, Northwestern

102. 49ers – Emil Ekiyor Jr., OG, Alabama