DALLAS

WR CeeDEE LAMB wants more money, but, as of yet, he is not considering a holdout.  Ciao Miori of TheScore:

CeeDee Lamb’s contract situation with the Dallas Cowboys remains uncertain, but the All-Pro receiver expects to stay with the team this season.

“Yeah, I’ll be in Dallas,” Lamb said Monday when asked about his future, according to TMZ Sports.

Lamb is entering the last year of his rookie contract. The 2020 first-round pick is expected to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid wideouts when he signs a new deal, but it’s unclear when Dallas will reward its top weapon with a lucrative extension.

Without a new contract, Lamb is expected to skip his team’s voluntary work this offseason, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, who adds that the pass-catcher may also hold out of mandatory work.

The 25-year-old, who’s led Dallas in receiving in the last three seasons, is coming off a career year. He topped the NFL with 135 receptions in 2023 while setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Oklahoma product added two scores on the ground en route to earning a Pro Bowl berth for the third consecutive campaign.

“Looking forward to winning, being out there with my guys, and making another run at this thing,” Lamb said of his 2024 expectations, per TMZ.

The Cowboys have posted a 12-5 record in each of the last three seasons. Mike McCarthy’s outfit, however, is only 1-3 in the playoffs in that span. Dallas suffered a wild-card home loss to the Green Bay Packers in January.

Lamb isn’t the only star Cowboys player looking for a new deal, though. Quarterback Dak Prescott, whose contract also expires at the end of the season, reportedly hasn’t received extension offers. Star linebacker Micah Parsons is eligible to sign a new deal but said in February that extending Lamb should be Dallas’ priority.

SEATTLE

The Seahawks reportedly beat out the Rams for the services of QB SAM HOWELL.  Although, like the DB, Cameron DiSilva of USA TODAY wonders how badly “badly” is if the Rams couldn’t beat the Seahawks meager trade offer that was accepted:

The Los Angeles Rams were in search of a backup quarterback this offseason after struggling to find a reliable option last year. They chose not to re-sign Carson Wentz and instead brought in Jimmy Garoppolo to back up Matthew Stafford, but he may not have been their first choice.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network recently said on Puck Sports that the Rams wanted Sam Howell “badly” before he was traded to Seattle. The Seahawks outbid the Rams for Howell, sending a third- and fifth-round pick to Washington for Howell, a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder.

It’s unclear what the Rams offered, or if they made an offer at all, but Garafolo says they “really liked him.”

“They outbid the Rams, who I know that there was a strong feeling on the Rams’ coaching staff that they wanted Sam Howell badly,” Garafolo said. “They really liked him. So the Seahawks were able to outbid them, so that’s good. You got him and you also kept him away from a team that really could’ve used him as a potential successor there.”

A Day 3 pick-swap isn’t exactly a high price to pay, so if the Rams really did want him that badly, they should’ve been able to get something done.

Howell started all 17 games for the Commanders last year, leading the NFL with 612 pass attempts and 21 interceptions. He did have 21 touchdown passes and completed 63.4% of his passes, but he struggled with turnovers.

Still only 23 years old, Howell would’ve been a good, young quarterback to bring in, but the Rams missed out and will now hope Stetson Bennett can show some signs of being a potential successor behind Stafford.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

The Chargers have the QB for an “epic” offense, but what about JUSTIN HERBERT’s supporting cast?  Josh Alper of ProFootballTAlk.com:

The Chargers’ offseason program is underway and so is the construction of their new offense under offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

Run game coordinator Andy Bischoff outlined the goal of that construction process when he spoke to reporters on Monday. Roman built a successful offense around Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and will be working with a very different quarterback in Justin Herbert with the Chargers.

Bischoff called Herbert a player “with rare intelligence” and said the team aims to put him in a “different and unique” offense in order to make the most of his ability.

“This morning in our team meeting with the offense, [Roman] used the word ‘epic’ in front of the guys and defined it,” Bischoff said, via the team’s website. “Why not create something different than has ever been done. As much success as we’ve all had in different places doing different things, none of that really matters. All that really matters is right now and creating that here.”

Bischoff and pass game coordinator Marcus Brady both talked about pairing Herbert with a strong rushing attack and Bischoff said the Chargers will be “a place where o-linemen are going to want to come and play because it’s an o-line-centric space.” That may push them toward a tackle with the fifth overall pick, although helping to set Herbert up for success would also include replenishing a thin receiver group.

INDIANAPOLIS

EDGE KWITY PAYE’s performance hangs in that gray area as far as picking up the fifth year option is concerned.  Paul Brett of USAToday.com:

The Indianapolis Colts have just over three weeks to decide whether they are going to pick up edge rusher Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option for the 2025 season.

All first-round selections come with a four-year rookie deal and a fifth-year option. This year the deadline for that option decision is May 2. If it is declined, Paye would become a free agent next offseason.

Sometimes, the difficulty of this decision is the timing of it with a full NFL season still to be played before the fifth-year option would go into effect.

The player’s salary for that fifth-year option season is fully guaranteed and determined by several factors, including playing time, position and whether the player has made any Pro Bowls.

For Paye, Over The Cap projects that his fifth-year option would be worth $13.38 million. And because these fifth-year options work essentially like a one-year deal, that entire amount would have to be absorbed under the salary cap in 2025.

Frequently, when these options are picked up, teams will eventually extend the player to a long-term deal, which helps reduce what is oftentimes a rather large one-year cap hit.

PFF recently predicted that the Colts would pick up Paye’s fifth-year option. Here was their reasoning behind that decision:

This one is pretty interesting, with Paye a good-but-not-great player who looks to have the makings of a solid NFL player for a long time, but maybe not much beyond that. That said, Paye has gradually improved and is a perfect fit in the Colts’ defense, and the option comes in at the lowest value for his position, so it makes sense for Indianapolis to pick it up and continue to push Paye’s development forward.

Last season, Paye recorded 28 pressures and a career-high 8.5 sacks — although that high of a pressure-to-sack ratio may not be sustainable year in and year out. Out of 58 eligible edge rushers, Paye ranked 11th in PFF’s run defense grade.

NEW ENGLAND

QB KIRK COUSINS, now in Atlanta, endorses New England’s signing of his former Vikings teammate WR K.J. OSBORN:

New Falcons QB Kirk Cousins has played with several talented wide receivers in his 12-year NFL career, but he believes one hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves.

That player is wide receiver K.J. Osborn, a fifth-round pick by the Vikings in 2020.

Cousins played with Osborn in Minnesota for the past four years and is hoping the 26-year-old, who just joined the Patriots on a one-year deal this offseason, takes full advantage of his fresh start.

“K.J. Osborn is a receiver who was with us in Minnesota who was kind of in the shadow of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen,” Cousins said via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. “He went to free agency and went to New England, and I’d love to see him have a huge year in New England kind of with a bigger role than what he had in Minnesota to show what he could do.”

Although Osborn has been shadowed by Jefferson, Thielen and even Jordan Addison, the Vikings’ 2023 first-round pick, he has still made the most of his opportunities. Over the past three years, Osborn has 158 catches for 1,845 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Osborn seems to be in line for a bigger role in New England, which will likely continue seeing a lot of roster turnover under new head coach Jerod Mayo.

He’s joining a wide receiver room that already includes Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Reagor and Kayshon Boutte. However, none have established themselves as a No. 1 wide receiver.

Neither has Osborn, but Cousins seems to think he has much higher upside than most others believe.

“I always felt like K.J. was better than the opportunities he got,” Cousins added.

If Osborn can take his play to another level in 2024, he will be positioned to land an even larger contract next offseason.

THIS AND THAT

BROADCAST NEWS

Tom Jones of The Poynter Institute on the recent puzzling moves at NFL Network.

What the heck is going on with NFL Network?

First, it appears to be sabotaging the excellent show “Good Morning Football” by moving it out of New York City and to Los Angeles, which likely means a shakeup of staff both in front of and behind the camera.

Maybe it’ll all work out, and there’s a method to what now appears to be madness. But I do know this much: “Good Morning Football” has found its groove in recent years and is (or was) one of the best sports studio shows on television. Why mess with it? Just rinse and repeat and continue to have a highly watchable show.

Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina wrote, “While we don’t know yet about changes to the on-air staff, we do know the production team for ‘GMFB’ won’t be moving to L.A. So the NFL is taking a popular show that works extremely well and stripping it of its support staff and moving it from the exciting and gritty New York City to laid-back L.A. and making the hosts go live on the air at 5 a.m. local time.”

Traina added that it’s hard to see some of the “farewell to New York” videos from on-air talent and not think of it as “an end of an era.”

Then came this news Thursday as first reported by Andrew Marchand for The Athletic: The NFL Network is letting go of four on-air personalities. They are Melissa Stark, Andrew Siciliano, James Palmer and Will Selva — all of whom are well respected in the business. (Stark remains a sideline reporter for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”)

Stark had been at NFL Network for 12 years. Siciliano started there in 2005. Selva had been there for a decade. Palmer joined NFL Media in 2015.

What gives? Doesn’t the NFL print money? Why all the shuffling?

NFL Network spokesperson Alex Riethmiller told The Athletic, “As is normal course of business this time of year, we are evaluating our talent roster for the upcoming 2024 season and beyond. That process results in renewals, non-renewals and additions to our talent lineup depending on programming needs. To those departing talent, we give our sincere thanks and appreciation for their hard work and contributions to NFL Media.”

Earlier this week, Awful Announcing’s Alex Reimer wrote, “GMFB‘s cross-country move is taking place during a turbulent time at NFL Media. Despite the NFL now approaching $12 billion in annual revenue, the league is slashing its media assets. Last year, NFL Network laid off about 5 percent of its staff and was criticized for doing so in the wake of new sources of revenue. Early this year, Andrew Marchand reported ESPN and the NFL were in ‘advanced talks’ that would give the league an equity stake in the Disney-owned property, but nothing has materialized as of yet.”

This ESPN-NFL talk may have a lot to do with all this. Still, the latest is sad news. A really good morning show might turn sour and, more importantly, some really talented people just got let go.

– – –

Amazingly, over 300 million Americans did not watch any of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.  But there were a lot who did.  And Mike Florio noticed:

Nothing can generate massive live audiences like the NFL.

Well, almost nothing.

Via Sports Business Journal, the Iowa-South Carolina women’s basketball championship on ABC and ESPN averaged 18.7 million viewers. It’s an 89-percent increase over last year’s LSU-Iowa game.

As noted by SBJ, it’s a record for any women’s college basketball game, the third record set in the 2024 tournament in a game featuring Caitlin Clark. But it was South Carolina, with a far superior team coached by Dawn Staley, that finished a perfect season and captured its third title.

The 18.7 million outpaces every men’s college basketball game since 2019, and it’s better than every NBA Finals game since Warriors-Cavaliers Game 5 in 2017.

It’s also the 24th most-watched telecast of 2024. It would have landed at No. 64 in 2023.

And there’s more. The game did better than every Kentucky Derby since 1983, and the final round of every Masters tournament since 2001.

The question now becomes whether the momentum can be sustained without Clark. The sport needs star players to continue to thrive.

It also bodes well for the WNBA, which will surely get a lift from Clark’s arrival next season. And it’s a lesson for all other sports. Cultivate, embrace, and market your star players. They will be the rising tide that will lift not just all boats but the entire ocean.

Like Tiger Woods did for golfers, Caitlin Clark can make a lot of money for a lot of women’s basketball players (and women’s basketball players turned media commentators).  Many of them don’t seem grateful.

Zion Olojede and Kameron Hay at Complex:

We’ve never seen a generational (yes, generational) talent like Caitlin Clark be this polarizing of a figure in sports early in a career. You may combat that statement by mentioning a guy like LeBron James, who has a significant amount of haters but the majority of those haters have a great deal of respect for him as well. His hate was also built up over time. When it comes to Caitlin Clark, there’s been a lot of hate and disrespect off the bat. Fans are going to be fans and say whatever they want whether it’s based off facts or opinions but when former and current players are piling on as well, you have to stop and evaluate the situation.

You don’t have to like Caitlin Clark or her play style but you definitely have to recognize and acknowledge what she’s done for the game of women’s basketball. No other college athlete in the past 25 years has transcended their sport like Clark has. Women’s college basketball is at its peak in popularity right now and that’s on the back of Clark. As Dawn Staley said after the national championship, Clark is undisputedly one the greatest of all time in the sport but not everyone likes to hear that.

Let us briefly go down some of the responses from the legends of women’s basketball to Caitlin’s play on the court. Sheryl Swoopes tried to invalidate her scoring record with incorrect statements, Diana Taurasi sent a warning to Clark about her future in the WNBA, Breanna Stewart said Clark needed a championship to be considered an all-time great, and Lynette Woodard said Clark didn’t break her scoring record because Clark didn’t play with men’s basketball and without a 3-point line. These are four legends in women’s basketball refusing to uplift someone who has helped changed the game instead they’re nitpicking her legacy. Clark on the other hand is quick to acknowledge the groundwork that was laid before her.

So why do so many people disrespect Caitlin Clark? Is it a race thing? Do people believe she’s overrated? Do people think she’s too cocky? The Complex Sports sat down to answer some of these questions.

Is it a Race Thing?

It’s hard to say that it isn’t considering the country we live in. Whether people want to admit it or not, almost everything in this country can be boiled down to race and privileges that white Americans benefit from that African Americans historically don’t benefit from. Add in the extra layer of African American women notoriously being underrepresented and marginalized and the conversation surrounding Caitlin Clark’s greatness can become even more complex. Especially considering the legends that she is being compared to and even placed ahead of are predominantly African American women, as well as the two teams she has faced in the national title in consecutive years were lead by predominantly African American women rosters and faces.

With all of that being said, I do think that she unfairly became the face of an online race war that she didn’t ask for. She doesn’t speak negatively about anybody, isn’t disrespectful, but somehow she has become the lightning rod of race debates on X (Twitter) by merely being great at basketball. The hate that she has received is misplaced, in my opinion. – Kam

Let’s be honest, we’re all on social media. We’ve all seen the discourse when it’s come to Iowa playing against LSU or South Carolina. I’m all for Black people winning and achieving great things ESPECIALLY my favorite coach Dawn Staley but when it comes to evaluating Caitlin Clark, race should not be a factor. We get it, she’s a midwest white girl cooking everyone in a sport dominated by Black people. We get it, she plays at a predominantly white school with white teammates but it’s weird to make a race thing when she’s done nothing but show respect to everyone including Black stars like Angel Reese. When Reese was getting criticized for mocking Clark’s hand gesture in front of her during last year’s national championship, Clark came out and said she didn’t deserve the criticism she was getting. – Zion

Is It Because Her Name Is in Conversations With All-Time Greats?

Listen, you always have to respect the legends that came before you. Caitlin said that herself. All the greats like Maya Moore, Sheryl Swoopes, Lynette Woodard, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, and many other names have set the foundation but a foundation is created to be built upon. Caitlin is a talent we’ve never seen before. She’s producing numbers that we have never seen before and quite frankly, she’s playing with less talent than a lot of these names. Iowa is no mid-major and they still collect top 100 talent in America but compared to the likes of UConn, LSU, and South Carolina, there’s a big gap in recruiting.

Yes, she didn’t win a ring but can we add context to that? I’m sure if she went to UConn or SC, she’d have a ring but she’s nearly willed her team on her back to a championship in back-to-back years. We can’t deny her greatness. She’s broken nearly every scoring record in the sport. Let’s not penalize her for a team award in college when she’s proved her greatness. It’s annoying to see greats like Sheryl Swoopes, Lynette Woodard, Diana Taurasi, and Breanna Stewart not embrace Clark for what she’s done. – Zion

Most definitely. When somebody is breaking records and being compared to icons that we grew up watching and generations before us saw build a sport to prominence, there will always be some sort of pushback against new names being thrown in the conversation. It’s no different than LeBron James being added in the GOAT convo as his career progressed and passing the likes of Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird in the eyes of the public and other icons to be placed at the table with Michael Jordan. When somebody comes along that passes the iconic names of the past, it will inevitably lead to some uncomfortable conversations, and possibly even over-the-top hate. – Kam

Do You Think She’s Too Cocky?

To be honest, I don’t think she is cocky enough. Angel Reese is cocky, and has earned the right to be with the resume and body of work she has amassed in her four years in college. She is one of the most dominant and decorated players of a generation and delivered a national title to LSU when they had never won one before. And truth be told, I think the game is better when you have a dynamic personality like Angel Reese in it, it’s much more entertaining. If Caitlin Clark were just as cocky as Reese, it would be well deserved and well within her right. The fact that she hardly speaks at all from what we see tells me she isn’t as cocky as she could be. Lord knows if I were as good as any of these women at basketball, I would be unbearable on the court, and even to my detractors on social media. – Kam

NO! We are the same basketball fans that celebrate and laugh at Steph Curry’s shimmy & gallop down court after threes. We praise Kobe and Michael Jordan for their killer mentality and always wanting to smack talk. Heck, we compare Anthony Edwards to MJ because of it! We are the same fans that criticize players for being too friendly in basketball culture today. Caitlin Clark’s on-court gestures and confidence is what we ask for daily so why would we hold it against her. She’s competitive and she has earned the right to talk her talk because at the end day, you can’t stop her. – Zion

Is it Because You Think She’s Overrated or Overhyped?

I just don’t get how you can call her overrated. She just averaged 32-7-9 with every defense keying in on her. She’s a talent we’ve never seen before in the women’s game. She’s brought attention to the game like nobody else. Like Dawn Staley said, she’s one of the greatest to ever play. All the record-breaking television ratings included games revolving around Caitlin Clark. Sure, she doesn’t have a ring but that doesn’t away from what she’s done for the game and what she’s produced on the court.

I mean, she dropped 18 points in the first quarter of a national championship game against undefeated South Carolina. You’d think the discourse would be about her performance. Nope, most people were complaining that refs were blatantly favoring Iowa. Instead of uplifting a great performance, we are finding ways to belittle it. – Zion

I honestly think she is appropriately rated. Whether you think she is the GOAT is your own prerogative, but she has forced her way into the conversation and is not out of place. The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer for men’s and women’s basketball as well as one of the greatest passers we have seen means she belongs in the conversation. Factor in that she took a program that had one Final Four appearance in their programs history before she arrived to two consecutive national championship games, it’s hard to see how you can slight her. She might not have won the national title, but you can’t say she isn’t a winner.

She defeated an undefeated South Carolina team in a Final Four, got even with the LSU team that beat her in the national title to advance to the Final Four this year, and then bested the player most directly compared to her in Paige Bueckers to reach the national championship this season. If you are trying to slight her and knock her down, I don’t understand it. If you recognize her greatness while also believing somebody like Breanna Stewart or Maya Moore or Sheryl Swoopes or Candance Parker is better, you’re not wrong at all. – Kam

LeBron has her back even as Brianna Taurisi signals a non-welcome to the WNBA.  Austin Boyd of betus.

“Reality is coming,” WNBA star Diana Taurasi told ESPN recently. “You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

Taurasi’s comments echo many of the things we’ve heard from other WNBA legends. For whatever reason, these former players have beef with Clark, who seems very uncontroversial. However, she does have one high-profile supporter.

LeBron James Call Out Haters

Caitlin Clark has somehow managed to make interest in women’s basketball more than any player ever. Hell, even I watched LSU vs. Iowa and never watched women’s college basketball before. The fact that the sport is getting more popular should make Clark’s peers happy but they’ve decided to hate on her instead.

It’s also odd how few NBA players have come out and praised Clark. LeBron James got sick of seeing people not giving Clark her flowers and called out all of the haters.

@KingJames

If you don’t rock with Caitlin Clark game you’re just a FLAT OUT HATER!!!!! Stay far away from them people!! PLEASE

This is interesting because Taurasi is one of the most popular haters and LeBron is close with her (she was in “Space Jam: A New Legacy”). LeBron has been the victim of old heads hating on him throughout his entire basketball life so he knows what Clark is having to deal with and all the college basketball rumors surrounding her could hurt her mental health.

Well, now she has an ally in one of the most popular basketball players who ever lived. Regardless, she’s done playing college basketball games and can now prove herself in the pros.

Is this good advice from Jason Whitlock?

@WhitlockJason

Caitlin Clark should return to Iowa next season, make about $20 million in NIL, retire from basketball, marry her boyfriend, and avoid the nastiness that awaits her in the WNBA. I’m not joking.

2024 DRAFT

Draft prospect DT T’VONDRE SWEAT was in a Texas accident, but it was the driver of the other vehicle who took off.  Charean Willams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Former Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat’s arrest for driving while intoxicated stemmed from a wreck early Sunday morning.

Josh Newman of LoneStarLive.com, via a police statement, reports that Austin Police Department officers responded to a crash between an SUV and a sedan on North IH 35 SB at 4:41 a.m. Sunday morning.

Sweat, who was driving the SUV, was arrested for DWI. The other driver immediately left the scene of the crash on foot.

Sweat was booked into Travis County Jail at 2:12 p.m. Sunday, and he posted a $3,000 bond two hours later.

In Texas, a Class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.

Sweat is set to meet with the Titans and Seahawks this week, leaving them to answer questions about his behavior only two weeks before the draft.

– – –

Yesterday, we had a Mock Draft that speculated NFL teams weren’t anxious to chase after this year’s QBs – but four still went in the top 11 (but no BO NIX or MICHAEL PENIX, Jr.).

Today, Nick Baumgarner of The Athletic has four off the board in the top four.

Let the trading begin.

It’s been another offseason of movement in the NFL, and the next big shift is just around the corner. The top of 2024 NFL Draft order remains unchanged for now (aside from Chicago holding Carolina’s pick at No. 1), but it won’t be for long. With the first round now less than three weeks away, the biggest remaining pre-draft mystery centers on which teams have what it takes to move up for their next quarterback — and how high they’ll be willing to go.

Two months ago, I published a three-round mock draft without trades. Today, we’re back with another three-rounder, and we are trading. Let’s get into it.

(Note: An asterisk indicates a trade for the purposes of this mock.)

1. Chicago Bears (from CAR): Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Another new era in Chicago begins, this time with the best playmaker in the draft. Williams comes with his quirks and a pretty unique personality — but he’s even more unique on the field. A big day for the Bears.

2. Washington Commanders: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Maye is still growing as a passer, particularly in his consistency processing from the pocket. When you stack him up next to Jayden Daniels, though, Maye’s strengths are stronger and the weaknesses are similar. This will be a preference decision for Adam Peters and the Washington front office. For me, Maye is QB2.

3. New England Patriots: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

If I’m New England, I’m trying to get out of this pick. However, Robert Kraft wants a quarterback — one he can market — and it doesn’t seem like he’d be willing to wait. Daniels has improved as much as any player in this class over the last two years, and he has rare dual-threat capability.

4. Minnesota Vikings (from ARI)*: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Projected trade: Minnesota trades No. 11, No. 23 and a 2025 first-round pick to Arizona for No. 4

The first trade in our mock is the one everyone’s sort of waiting on — Minnesota clearly didn’t make all these moves to sit at No. 11. The Vikings need a QB. The only question is how high they’re willing to move up for one. Daniels doesn’t rank among my top 10 prospects this draft; McCarthy isn’t in my top 15. But the market is the market.

5. Atlanta Falcons (from LAC)*: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Projected trade: Atlanta trades No. 8, No. 43 and a 2025 mid-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for No. 5

The Falcons got off the pot and spent big to pair an experienced (and aging) Kirk Cousins with a young, talented roster. Why not be aggressive here and get Cousins the best non-QB in the draft?

6. Chicago Bears (from NYG)*: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Projected trade: Chicago trades No. 9, No. 75 and a 2025 mid-round pick to the New York Giants for No. 6

It’s certainly possible Chicago can wait at No. 9 and still get one of these receivers for Williams. But it’s also possible the Bears will feel like they have to move up. Nabers, Harrison or Rome Odunze might be way too tempting to pass on in this situation.

7. Tennessee Titans: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

The prudent selection here might be tackle. However, new GM Ran Carthon spent some time this winter talking about adding speed and explosion — a wise focus given that the Titans don’t have much of either. Odunze is too good to pass on here.

8. Los Angeles Chargers (from ATL)*: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

If a Jim Harbaugh offense doesn’t have a formidable front, it’s going nowhere. The Chargers need receivers, to be sure, but Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman also need studs up front like Alt. Also, remember how deep this WR class is.

9. New York Giants (from CHI)*: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

If the Giants want to be aggressive and add a young QB this year, that’s fine. However, the new guy would have the same problem Daniel Jones has: There’s not enough help. New York needs to build out the roster, and Bowers would be a great place to start.

10. New York Jets: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

If Bowers falls this far, pairing the Georgia star with Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson might be tempting. In this case, though, even with their recent free-agent signings, the Jets still need long-term security up front.

11. Arizona Cardinals (from MIN)*: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

The first defender off the board comes 11 picks in, and it just happens to be my favorite corner in this class. Arnold is a complete defender, in terms of his versatility and willingness to do anything. He can recover, press, hit and diagnose.

12. Los Angeles Rams (from DEN)*: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Projected trade: Los Angeles Rams trade No. 19 and No. 52 to Denver for No. 12

Potential win-win with this projected trade: Denver needs more draft picks and the Rams really need more help off the edge. Los Angeles might be able to sit at 19 and still find a quality edge, but Turner is the No. 1 option in the class.

13. Las Vegas Raiders: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

It’s hard for me to see the Raiders having enough to make a move up into the top five for a quarterback, and they actually feel like a possible trade-down candidate. However, Fuaga would be a perfect way to kick off the now-official Antonio Pierce era.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (from NO)*: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Projected trade: Philadelphia trades No. 22 and No. 50 to New Orleans for No. 14

C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s back in Philly, but the Eagles still need help at corner. If either Mitchell or Arnold falls, Philadelphia has the assets to make sure it can land a starter in Round 1. Mitchell, a spectacular athlete and high-character presence, qualifies.

15. Indianapolis Colts: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State

Corner is a more pressing need for the Colts — but if the top two are gone, the second-best edge would be a fine consolation prize. The Colts are still deciding on Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option, and Verse’s traits will definitely intrigue Chris Ballard. Wide receiver is another possibility here.

16. Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

The Seahawks stay local and snag an outstanding college tackle who could be an outstanding NFL guard. But Fautanu absolutely is long and athletic enough to play tackle in the NFL. Love this fit.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

Jacksonville’s in a pretty good spot here and could go a few different ways, like WR Brian Thomas Jr. or, perhaps, corner. But even after adding Arik Armstead, the Jags could still use some explosion up the middle. Murphy definitely offers that.

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Murphy could be an option here, too, to help Cincinnati replace D.J. Reader. In Wiggins, though, the Bengals could nab one of the fastest players in the draft. Still just 20 years old, Wiggins has huge potential as an outside CB.

19. Denver Broncos (from LV)*: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

The Broncos really need a quarterback. The Sean Payton plan will go nowhere without one. And though this might be too high for Nix, I’m still sending him to Payton. Denver trades down, gets a QB and acquires extra capital — tough to beat that.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

This would be terrific value for Pittsburgh, although the range on Latham will be interesting. The 342-pound, 21-year-old prospect has mountains of potential as a run-blocking tackle or guard. He still some pass-pro consistency issues to iron out, though.

21. Miami Dolphins: Graham Barton, OL, Duke

Barton is one of my favorite players in the class. He started at center as a true freshman before transitioning to be an All-American left tackle — and he’s also a capable guard. Miami needs interior O-line help, and Barton could provide it in multiple spots.

22. New Orleans Saints (from PHI)*: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

One of the freakiest athletes in this draft, Mims is a house on wheels and could blossom into a dominant presence on either side of the line. He only started eight games in college, though, and missed time last year with an injury.

23. Arizona Cardinals (from MIN via HOU/CLE)*: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Another player who might have a decent range on draft night — Thomas easily could hear his name called in the teens, but he might have to wait until around this spot. Nabers’ running mate is big and explosive with 4.33 speed at 6-foot-3, 209 pounds. Kyler Murray would be in for this pick.

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

Guyton’s not far behind Mims on the “athletic freak” scale. He carries some similar consistency concerns, as well, but Guyton has the profile of a giant tight end — a good tight end, not a slow one.

25. Green Bay Packers: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Can DeJean play outside corner? Maybe, depending on the scheme and situation. Can he play safety? Absolutely, yes. DeJean is a versatile nickel with high-level return skills, and he’d fill a need for Green Bay.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

It’s very possible a team could fall in love with Latu’s combination of production and pass-rush refinement and jump up on him in the early 20s (maybe even the teens). Given his length, injury and speed concerns, it’s also possible he slides a bit — and Tampa Bay could reap the benefits.

27. Arizona Cardinals (from HOU): Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois

The Cardinals could trade one of these picks — remember, we now have them holding three first-round selections after the early swap with Minnesota. They also could move back up. No one has more draft capital than Arizona (with or without our projected trade), and it’s not really that close. The Cardinals have a big-time chance to make a jump this spring.

28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

It sort of felt like receiver might be the choice here even before the Bills traded Stefon Diggs. There is rawness to Mitchell’s game, but he’s an exceptional athlete with elite burst, second-level speed and general playmaking ability.

29. Detroit Lions: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

Lions Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow turns 28 in May, and he’s been very banged up the last few years. Plus, Detroit’s in the market for a guard today. Powers-Johnson could be the team’s future center while filling an immediate need on the depth chart.

30. Baltimore Ravens: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Baltimore could go a few different ways here, including tackle or receiver. But the Ravens have gaps to fill in the secondary, and McKinstry is a long, rangy prospect who’s ready to start in the NFL.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

The 49ers could get some help for their offensive line, in the form of a versatile tackle/guard who can offer immediate help as a run blocker while he continues to improve in pass pro.

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

This doesn’t feel fair. The Chiefs need a tackle, sure, but giving Patrick Mahomes the most QB-friendly receiver in this draft could be a whole lot of fun.

Round 2

33. Carolina Panthers: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Bryce Young needs help up front … and everywhere else. Worthy is the fastest player in this draft. Despite the concerns about his size, his playmaking ability in open space (and as a returner) is undeniable.

34. New England Patriots: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

35. Arizona Cardinals: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

36. Washington Commanders: Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State

37. Los Angeles Chargers: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia

38. Tennessee Titans: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

39. Carolina Panthers (from NYG): Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri

40. Washington Commanders (from CHI): Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

41. Green Bay Packers (from NYJ): Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State

42. Houston Texans (from MIN): Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State

The Texans have done an outstanding job bringing in young talent the last two years, and they just added Diggs. The present and future looks pretty bright for Houston, which could add a hard-charging and uber-athletic interior rusher here.

43. Los Angeles Chargers (from ATL)*: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

By trading down, the Chargers not only could find a way to address multiple offensive-line needs (that Frazier pick at 37 would be huge if Corey Linsley retires), but they’d still be able to find a wide receiver for Justin Herbert. In this case, a giant, athletic receiver who can jump out of the building.

44. Las Vegas Raiders: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

Penix is QB6 here, and this might be too low on the board. The Raiders (or some other QB-needy team) may have to move up for him. Still, there are questions with Penix’s game — like his accuracy, age and injury history — that are very real.

45. New Orleans Saints (from DEN): Kris Jenkins Jr., DT, Michigan

46. Indianapolis Colts: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

47. New York Giants (from SEA): Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

48. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri

49. Cincinnati Bengals: T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

50. New Orleans Saints (from PHI): Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia

51. Pittsburgh Steelers: Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan

52. Denver Broncos (from LAR)*: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State

53. Philadelphia Eagles: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

54. Cleveland Browns: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky

At long last, the Browns will be back in the first round next year. Meantime, Cleveland should have the option to take advantage of this receiver class at 54 or find the next-best offensive tackle. Corley’s value extends beyond pass catching — his yards-after-catch potential makes him a possible run-game factor, too.

55. Miami Dolphins: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan

56. Dallas Cowboys: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

58. Green Bay Packers: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

59. Houston Texas: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame

60. Buffalo Bills: Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State

61. Detroit Lions: Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington

62. Baltimore Ravens: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida

63. San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Dorlus, DL, Oregon

64. Kansas City Chiefs: Mike Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State