NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

The Bears have made two trades to bolster their defensive line.  Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune:

The Chicago Bears acquired a key depth player Saturday when they traded for Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Chris Williams.

The Bears sent a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Browns in exchange for Williams plus a 2025 seventh-round pick. The move helps shore up the Bears’ depth at defensive tackle with second-year player Zacch Pickens out with an injury.

Williams, who is 6-foot-3, 302 pounds, played in 13 games in 2021-2022 with the Indianapolis Colts and was on their practice squad as an undrafted rookie out of Wagner. He played his first two seasons in Indianapolis with Eberflus as the defensive coordinator.

Williams spent last season on the practice squads with the Kansas City Chiefs and Browns.

The Bears have Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings their as starters at defensive tackle, but Williams will provide insurance as Pickens recovers.

It is the Bears’ second trade in two days after they traded a sixth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for pass rusher Darrell Taylor on Friday. Williams and Taylor were at Halas Hall on Saturday morning and passed their physicals.

DETROIT

Will the Lions really go with QB HERNDON HOOKER and/or QB NATE SUDFELD as the backup/backups to QB JARED GOFF?  This on Hooker in preseason game three from Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com?

It was a rough beginning for second-year QB Hendon Hooker in his first pro start. He was sacked five times in the first half as Detroit fell behind 14-0, but Hooker settled in and helped the Lions charge back to enter halftime knotted 14-14. Hooker has competed all offseason with Nate Sudfeld for the QB2 spot behind veteran Jared Goff and likely pulled away with come-from-behind victories in the last two preseason games, on the road against Kansas City and now at home versus Pittsburgh. Against the Steelers, Hooker played until the beginning of the fourth quarter. He rushed for a game-high 93 yards off 10 carries while completing 12 of 20 passes for 114 passing yards. He also finished with an interception and a touchdown as Sudfeld or Goff didn’t play with most of the starters on the sideline.

Who could be available – QB TAYLOR HEINICKE from the Falcons?  QB MIKE WHITE on the outs in Miami?  QB DORIAN THOMPSON-ROBINSON, now of Cleveland?

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Without even suffering the afflicted player to the punishment of a preseason game, the Cowboys have lost an All-Pro for maybe two months.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

One of Dallas’ top defenders isn’t going to be taking the field anytime soon.

Cowboys All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland is headed toward surgery and expected to be out six to eight weeks after sustaining a stress fracture in his foot, Dallas announced on Saturday.

Bland experienced foot discomfort on Wednesday, and subsequent imaging revealed the fracture, the Cowboys said in a statement.

A 2022 fifth-round pick, Bland proved himself as a game-changing ballhawk in his first two NFL seasons, snagging 14 interceptions from 2022-23, including a league-best nine interceptions (five of which he returned for touchdowns to set an NFL record) last year. Bland, who was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection last year, also posted 15 passes defensed and 69 tackles in 2023, helping the Cowboys fill the massive void left by Trevon Diggs, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in late September.

Dallas expected to start 2024 with Diggs and Bland as their top two corners, declining to pursue another year with veteran Stephon Gilmore, who signed with Minnesota on Sunday. The Cowboys will now have to look down their depth chart for a replacement. Fifth-round pick Caelen Carson is listed behind Bland, and former Vikings corner Andrew Booth — whom Dallas acquired via trade in early August — has stood out in preseason action, perhaps building enough of a case to contend for the job.

Regardless of replacement, Friday’s news is nightmarish for Dallas, which lacks the depth needed to simply replace a player of Bland’s caliber. We’ll see if a corresponding move awaits, or if the Cowboys will continue to stand pat after an unusually quiet offseason.

– – –

This from Todd Archer of ESPN.com on things of note in the Cowboys’ 3^rd preseason game:

Sometimes not playing in a preseason can matter as much as playing can. Rookie Cooper Beebe was dressed but did not take a snap against the Chargers, which is a sign he will be the Week 1 starter at center. Same goes with first-round pick Tyler Guyton, who started at left tackle after Chuma Edoga suffered a toe injury.

With news of DaRon Bland needing 6-8 weeks to recover from upcoming foot surgery, cornerback depth will be tested. Andrew Booth, picked up in a trade earlier in camp from Minnesota, was beaten for a 78-yard touchdown a week after giving up a 48-yard grab vs. the Raiders. Caelen Carson did not play Saturday, which is another sign the Cowboys will be counting on the rookie fifth-round pick. Perhaps the Cowboys look for corner help during the final cut-down process.

Deuce Vaughn stated a case for a running back job. The coaches will have to find a way to get him the ball because he has some juice the other backs don’t have. —

PHILADELPHIA

The DB just watched the Buccaneers play QB BAKER MAYFIELD and the first offense for seven whole snaps in three games.  That’s too many for the Eagles and some other teams.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Eventually, the NFL could reduce the preseason to zero games. As to their starters, the Eagles are already acting as if that’s the case.

The Eagles played no starters in any of the three preseason games. After Saturday’s exhibition finale, coach Nick Sirianni was asked about the decision.

“Again, you always take everything into account of how many reps you got,” Sirianni told reporters. “I’d say this week– we didn’t have a joint practice this week, but we had two inner-squad practices that were scrimmages.

“And again, everything up front is live. The only thing that’s not live is the tackling to the ground. So, the receivers are live except for they’re not getting tackled. Everything is completely live.

“And so, we felt like the work that we got in the joint practice versus the Patriots, the inner-squad that we had at the stadium prior to our first preseason games, and then the two inner-squads scrimmages that we had, you know, was our work for the ones. That’s why we decided to go that way.

“And I get it, everybody’s job is to say, ‘Should they have played, should they not have played?’ I have to make the decision. I get that. I understand that. I have to make the decision that I feel is best for our team and if I feel our team was ready. And I felt that. I felt we were getting a lot of back and forth. Again, hard practices, out there for two hours, which has been more than what we’ve been.

“And so, I felt like we got enough work to be ready to go and I’m comfortable where we are leading into this upcoming — I guess couple of days before we get into the game week mode. But I’m comfortable where we are and looking forward to some more good practices.”

It’s not an easy decision. By not playing starters in the preseason, a team risks not getting its players as ready as they can be. By playing them, a team risks getting them injured.

In the ultimately copycat sport, look at what the Chiefs do. They don’t keep their best players in bubble wrap for the entirety of the preseason. And they’re about to officially launch a run at their third straight Super Bowl win.

The Eagles, in contrast, will try to erase the bad taste of a late-season collapse by starting things in Brazil, against a Packers team that looks to be a short-list Super Bowl contender.

Here are the 15 QBs who threw more than 50 passes in the preseason.  None are starters. Some aren’t even #2s:

Trey Lance                113

Stetson Bennett          69

Jack Plummer             68

Kyle Trask                   63

Skylar Thompson        61

Tommy DeVito            61

Logan Woodside         58

Tim Boyle                    56

Tanner McKee            56

D T-Robinson              55

Easton Stick               55

Mac Jones                  52

Tyler Huntley              51

Joshua Dobbs             51

Nate Sudfeld               51

And the leader among starting QBs?

Well, Gardner Minshew II threw 33 passes in winning the Raiders job, Bo Nix threw 30 in winning the Broncos job and then, the Bears gave rookie Caleb Williams 20 passes

Gardner Minshew       33

Bo Nix                         30

Justin Fields                27*

Caleb Williams            20

Patrick Mahomes        18

Anthony Richardson   18

Brock Purdy                18

Daniel Jones               18

Jaylen Daniels            15

Derek Carr                  15

Trevor Lawrence         14

C.J. Stroud                  14

Drake Maye                14**

Russell Wilson            12*

Jacoby Brissett           10**

Bryce Young                 8

Sam Darnold                 8

Joe Burrow                   7

Geno Smith                  5

Tua Tagovailoa           5

Will Levis                      5

Baker Mayfield            3

Josh Allen                    3

Jordan Love                 2

So we count 20 teams that gave their starting QB some work (including 2 who won jobs in preseason).  Two more with ongoing battles where both contenders have played.

** The Patriots have a battle for the starting QB job and they give the two contenders a total of 24 passes (37 to others).

* The Steelers have a battle for the starting QB job and they give the two contenders a total of 39 passes (32 to others).

The 10 starters with no preseason passes:

Dak Prescott

Jalen Hurts

Jared Goff

Kirk Cousins (Michael Penix, Jr. had 16)

Kyler Murray

Matthew Stafford

Aaron Rodgers

Lamar Jackson

Deshaun Watson

Justin Herbert

WASHINGTON

It’s 2024, and new owner Josh Harris thinks the Commanders will have a new place to play in six years.  But, he’s still juggling two states, a federal district and various counties.  There is a huge range of possible locations, some 50 miles apart in play.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Commanders have installed a new head coach and new starting quarterback this season, but the wait for a new stadium will last a while longer.

Commanders owner Josh Harris discussed where things stand in the team’s push for a new home before Sunday’s preseason game against the Patriots. Harris said the team has “conversations going with multiple jurisdictions” in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. and that there is “a lot of good stuff going on” while citing 2030 as a target date to have a new building in place.

“I think it’s a realistic target. There’s political things that need to occur. There’s land, zoning, a whole lot of other things and a lot of it is not within our control,” Harris said, via Ben Standig of TheAthletic.com. “So, there’s no way to predict a specific date, but I think that’s a reasonable target.”

Harris said that the first objective of the franchise at the moment is to get back to being a winning team, but securing a long-term home clearly isn’t far behind on the list of priorities.

It sounds like if a pesky Republican congressman would get out of the way, the Commanders could return to the district on the site of their old stadium.  Ben Standig:

Politics is the main local business, and the Commanders’ stadium plans are caught up in bureaucratic red tape. The Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee is conducting the hearing about legislation that would shift discretion over the RFK Stadium land, the team’s home during their Super Bowl years, from the federal government to the District of Columbia.

Problem: Senator Steven Daines of Montana — the ranking Republican committee member — is blocking the proceedings to pressure the organization into honoring the team’s previous logo designed by a prominent leader of Montana’s Blackfeet Tribe. Congress already approved the legislation.

And more, on “the name” and the Draft:

Various matters on the horizon generate the most attention from fans and others, including where the organization stands on the Commanders’ name.

“We’ve been very clear. For obvious reasons, the old name (Redskins) can’t come back,” Harris said. “But right now we’re focused on things that unify the team around our football team and unify the city around our football team. The first objective is … to start winning football games.”

– – –

The owner is in talks with the league about hosting a future NFL Draft and believes it “will happen” eventually, he said. The National Mall is a prominent location. Harris is also searching for a new team president, with Jason Wright set to leave the franchise following the season, and continues seeking ways to honor their alumni. Washington announced plans last week for a statue honoring the late Sean Taylor.

So, Harris is firmly anti-MWRA, but he doesn’t commit to Snyder’s Commanders name either.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com on the depth of the Falcons secondary:

Cornerback Natrone Brooks’ preseason play is making things difficult for the Falcons. On Friday night, the Falcons moved veteran corner Kevin King to safety, which potentially opens the door for Brooks to make the roster at CB with King at safety. Both have played well. But safety Micah Abernathy would be tough to cut. Maybe Atlanta goes lighter at linebacker or defensive line to accommodate both players. Brooks had 13 tackles and a forced fumble against the Baltimore Ravens last week and added another six tackles against the Jaguars. He has made more plays in preseason games than anyone on Atlanta’s defense, and the team also has been trying him out returning kicks and punts. — Marc Raimondi

NEW ORLEANS

Rookie QB SPENCER RATTLER might be the backup in New Orleans after a fine preseason Week 3 performance.  Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com:

Quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener have been battling all summer for the right to be Derek Carr’s backup, and Rattler saved his best performance for last. Both QBs got significant playing time in the final game, and Rattler had a 21-yard touchdown pass among a number of impressive plays Sunday. It’s been a summer of ups and downs for both, and it might not be enough to jump Haener for the No. 2 spot if the Saints were already leaning that way, but they’ll certainly want to keep all three quarterbacks around and develop the young players for the future.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

The saga of jersey sales for WR MARVIN HARRISON, Jr., now includes legal action against his father, the Hall of Fame enshrinee Marvin Harrison, Sr.  Jess Root of USA TODAY:

Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is in the middle of legal action by Fanatics against him. The suit against him has been amended, as shared by attorney Paul Lesko on X/Twitter. Fanatics has expanded the suit to also include Harrison’s father, Marvin Harrison Sr.

Fanatics alleges that they had an agreement with the No. 4 pick in the draft over a year ago where he would provide autographed memorabilia to Fanatics. He was supposedly paid after a binding terms sheet was signed.

However, Harrison Jr. claims he never signed it.

His father allegedly did, and Fanatics now claims there was intent to commit fraud.

Until now, Cardinals fans still are unable to buy Harrison Jr. jerseys. That hasn’t impacted the rookie’s on-field preparation, as he has looked great in the offseason and training camp, and is expected to be very productive once the season begins.

As for off the field, we will see what happens.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams are willing to part with LB EDWARD JONES for the right price. Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com:

Los Angeles Rams starting linebacker Ernest Jones is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he’s seeking an extension. However, ESPN reports that there has been no progress made in contract talks, and Jones has now been granted permission to seek a trade.

The 24-year-old Jones was selected by L.A. in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He had a career year in 2023, with 145 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and six passes defensed.

Jones has also stepped up his performance in the playoffs. In Super Bowl LVI vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, he recorded seven combined tackles and one sack to go along with three QB hits. Last year against the Detroit Lions in Super Wild Card Weekend, he recorded nine combined tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

The top 10 highest-paid linebackers are now all making at least $10 million per year. It would be surprising to see the Rams ship off one of their young talents who is a leader on the defensive side of the ball, but we’ve seen plenty of trades in recent days. Where could Jones potentially end up? That’s what we’re here to examine.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo has a bit of a hole at inside linebacker after it lost Matt Milano for the majority of this upcoming season due to a torn biceps. The Bills lost plenty of talent on both sides of the ball this offseason, but especially on defense. Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, Dane Jackson, Tim Settle and Tyrel Dodson are no longer part of the team. Scoring a young, talented linebacker from the other conference would be ideal for Buffalo — but keep in mind the Bills will have to pay him.

Carolina Panthers

Expect the Panthers to use that top waiver claim plenty in the coming days, because there’s work to do on this roster. Carolina could also consider sending a late pick for a young linebacker and paying him as well. The Panthers added Josey Jewell in free agency, but keep in mind that Shaq Thompson is now on the final year of his current deal.

Houston Texans

The Texans have some talented linebackers on roster with Christian Harris and Azeez Al-Shaair, but DeMeco Ryans values adding to the front seven whenever possible. There are lofty expectations to live up to in H-Town moving forward.

Los Angeles Rams

That’s right, what are the odds Jones is actually traded? This isn’t the Brandon Aiyuk situation, but it’s similar in that an interested team will have to step up and meet the Rams’ trade compensation, and Jones’ contract goals.

And we should note that Jones is saying on social media that HE never asked for a trade.  If true, did he agent do so without telling his client?  Or were the Rams calling a bluff that was never actually made?

They also are willing to roll the dice on QB STETSON BENNETT as QB MATTHEW STAFFORD’s backup for the first two games.  Cameron DaSilva of YahooSports.com:

The Los Angeles Rams have made a decision on who will back up Matthew Stafford in the first two weeks of the season while Jimmy Garoppolo is suspended. Before Saturday’s preseason game, Sean McVay said Stetson Bennett will be the No. 2 quarterback in Weeks 1 and 2, earning a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Bennett played every snap in each of the Rams’ first two preseason games but he ceded the starting quarterback spot to Dresser Winn for the finale against the Texans on Saturday.

There’s no question Bennett struggled in his two preseason starts, throwing five interceptions and only two touchdown passes, but the Rams don’t have a better option at backup quarterback. Fortunately, Garoppolo’s suspension is only two games so he’ll reclaim his spot as the No. 2 QB when he returns in Week 3.

SAN FRANCISCO

We should have a WR RICKY PEARSALL sighting this week per Myles Simmons ofProFootballTalk.com:

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan delivered some positive news on one of the team’s key rookies.

Via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com, Shanahan told reporters on Sunday that receiver Ricky Pearsall will return to practice on Monday.

Pearsall, San Francisco’s first-round pick, has been dealing with a shoulder issue that dates back to his college days. But Shanahan said after the preseason matchup with Las Vegas that if Pearsall can practice, it’s a good sign for his Week 1 availability.

But the 49ers do have some injury concerns on defense, particularly at edge rusher. Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-matos each suffered a knee sprain against the Raiders. Floyd is considered day-to-day while Gross-Matos is week-to-week. Shanahan noted he doesn’t think Gross-Matos will need to go on injured reserve.

“We’ll see how this week goes, and hopefully, he’ll have a chance to get back in practice next week for Week 1,” Shanahan said. “But no, we haven’t mentioned anything about IR.”

The 2019 Arizona Sun Devils had both Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall as targets for Jayden Daniels.  All three would become first round picks.  It was Aiyuk’s last season in Tempe, with Rachad White arriving to play RB in 2020.

AFC WEST

DENVER

He is a clear third on the depth chart, but QB ZACH WILSON appears safe on Denver’s roster.  Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com:

The first step of Zach Wilson’s career rebuild is nearly complete as Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said Wilson will be one of three quarterbacks who will make the roster after its cut to 53 players.

The news comes after Wilson helped lead Denver to a 38-12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s preseason finale.

Wilson said he is “grateful” to have been traded to the Broncos and that “I’m loving it out here.” Rosters leaguewide have to be whittled down to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday.

The Broncos acquired Wilson in a trade with the New York Jets just before the April draft after the former No. 2 pick had three tumultuous seasons with the Jets. Wilson got the majority of the playing time Sunday against the Cardinals as the team’s starter, rookie Bo Nix, was not in uniform. Fellow backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham played only the opening possession.

Wilson finished 16-of-25 passing for 251 yards with two touchdowns to go with 22 yards rushing and another touchdown. Asked about the extended playing time Sunday, easily his most of the preseason, Wilson said he feels a growing comfort level in the Broncos’ offense.

“I can’t think of any games in my career when it feels like we’re getting into a rhythm [like Sunday],” Wilson said. “Even if you go three and out and get stopped here and there [with the Broncos], you feel like you’re going to put something together. It feels good to feel that as an offense. One bad play happens and you expect something good to happen on the next one.”

Wilson was in what was initially a three-way competition for the Broncos’ starting quarterback job throughout the offseason as well as the first week of the training camp. But from the second week of training camp on it was Nix and Stidham who battled for the starting job and divided the work with the starters until Payton named Nix the starter last week.

But Wilson has said he thinks he has rediscovered parts of his game and Payton has consistently maintained there is a place for Wilson on the roster because of Wilson’s potential and “arm talent.” Payton said after Sunday’s game that Nix, Stidham and Wilson will all be on the roster after the team makes its cuts.

“We’ve got enough money to … I understand the question,” Payton said Sunday when asked if all three would fit within the team’s salary cap. “We feel comfortable with those three quarterbacks. I think I’ve told you already I see the three of them making it.”

On Wilson’s play against the Cardinals, Payton added: “Look, he made some impressive throws. … He’s got a live arm down the field, I thought he threw it away when it wasn’t there. … [He] had plenty of time on the play clock, to get in and out of plays if need be. It’s been the better part of the last two and half weeks [that he’s played well].”

KANSAS CITY

Unwanted by the lowly Patriots, WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER is welcomed back by the Super Bowl champs.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

JuJu Smith-Schuster is heading back to where he won a ring.

According to multiple Monday morning reports, Smith-Schuster is signing with the Chiefs.

Smith-Schutster, 27, played one season for Kansas City in 2022 and won Super Bowl LVII. He finished second on the team with 78 receptions and 933 receiving yards in the regular season. He then had 10 catches for 89 yards in three playoff games.

After defeating the Eagles in the Super Bowl, Smith-Schuster signed a three-year deal with the Patriots. But he caught just 29 passes for 260 yards with one touchdown in 11 games. New England released him earlier this month.

The Chiefs have been dealing with a shoulder injury to Hollywood Brown at the top of their receiving corps. Having Smith-Schuster around will at least increase depth at the position, but could affect the roster status of players like Kadarius Toney or Skyy Moore.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

The most excitement of the weekend for the Chargers was an elevator adventure that involved QB JUSTIN HERBERT.  Michael Baca of NFL.com:

Chargers’ star quarterback Justin Herbert was among the “11 or 12 of our players” who were rescued from a stuck hotel elevator in Dallas on Friday night, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced following Saturday’s preseason win over the Cowboys.

“You get in those situations, and it’s a test of wills,” Harbaugh said, via The Associated Press. “I was proud of each of the guys and the two women that were on that elevator. That’s a win. You feel good about yourself. You were challenged. It was a test of will, and you pull it down, or pull it in.”

Dallas Fire-Rescue assisted those who were stuck in the elevator by lifting them through ceiling panels and into an adjacent elevator.

Harbaugh told reporters he had just missed being on the elevator that got stuck, but was there to see the rescued party emerge after being trapped for two hours.

“And it was hot,” Harbaugh said. “As each person came off the elevator, sweating and some had the shirt off. Justin Herbert, his hair was a little wet. But his shirt was completely dry. That was another thing that blew me away.”

Jeri Fouts, wife of Pro Football Hall of Fame QB and Chargers analyst Dan Fouts, was also among those rescued, according to Harbaugh. They all came away impressed with Herbert’s calming presence.

“Justin Herbert’s a leader. He was a rock,” Harbaugh said, quoting the players. “Kept everybody calm. And everybody kept their poise.”

Dallas fire personnel were treated to the Chargers’ meal room to eat following the rescue, per Harbaugh.

“Without the Dallas Fire Department, could have been a lot worse,” Harbaugh said. “Could have been a lot more hours. Who knows how it would have ended.”

Although the NFL.com story preserves the anonymity of the Dallas hotel, the DB can report it was the Westin at 1301 Main Street.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

Sadness in Baltimore as longtime OL Joe D’Allesandris has passed away.  Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com:

Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris died Sunday morning at the age of 70, the team announced.

D’Alessandris had been hospitalized for the past two weeks with what the Ravens had described as “an acute illness” that required ongoing treatment for an extended period. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said at the time that D’Alessandris had surgery early in the summer, and his current illness was a complication from it.

With a coaching career that spanned 45 years, D’Alessandris was Baltimore’s offensive line coach since 2017.

“Coach ‘Joe D’ was a man of integrity and a man of faith,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “He made us all better. He was our reader at team mass, and he was loved by all here. He was a great coach and a good man — the kind of person who you are honored to have as a friend. I admired him, loved him and am going to miss him, because ‘Joe D’ was a joy.”

The Ravens hired George Warhop as their offensive line coach on Aug. 14, when they announced D’Alessandris’ extended absence.

Known as a great teacher and technician, D’Alessandris was one of the most respected figures in the Ravens organization for his kind spirit and warm demeanor. He was the reader at team Mass on game days.

“Today is a sad day for the Baltimore Ravens,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “‘Joe D’ was a rock, a great coach and a better person. He cared about the team deeply, exhibiting a relentless passion to excel while displaying genuine love for his players. I especially treasure my conversations with him, talking about football and life.

During his seven seasons with the Ravens, D’Alessandris mentored five Pro Bowl offensive linemen in Marshal Yanda, Ronnie Stanley, Orlando Brown Jr., Tyler Linderbaum and Kevin Zeitler.

Harbaugh has called D’Alessandris a top game-planner, saying he’s “a huge part of our offense.” In the past six seasons with D’Alessandris, the Baltimore offensive line ranked in the top 10 in win rates for run and pass blocking.

CINCINNATI

WR Ja’MARR CHASE indicates he will be playing for Cincinnati in Week 1 whether or not he gets his new contract.  Or at least that’s how the DB read his return to practice.  Paul Dehner, Jr. of The Athletic:

Ja’Marr Chase took part in practice for the first time this season.

The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver has been holding in as he negotiates a contract extension with the team and watched every practice — except one he didn’t show up to — from the sideline.

On Sunday, the team’s first practice following the conclusion of the preseason, he rejoined his teammates on the field. He was a full participant and the team expects him to practice all week, league sources told The Athletic. The Bengals also posted a photo on X of Chase at practice.

The practice was not open to the media.

Chase has been sneaking in throwing sessions outside of practice time over the last week, whether in the indoor facility after practice or on the fields before the day’s team work, but this was his first time back in full with everyone.

With exactly two weeks until the opener against the New England Patriots, this gives a long enough runway for Chase ramp up to game shape.

Chase has two years remaining on his rookie contract. The club exercised his fifth-year option for the 2025 season.

Bengals president Mike Brown stated before training camp began the team would “bend over backward” to sign Chase, but this might not be the best time to negotiate. Outside of Joe Burrow last year, whose contract broke every Bengals’ precedent, Cincinnati has never signed a first-round pick to an extension before their fourth season.

CLEVELAND

Who gets to back up QB JAMEIS WINSTON as he backs up QB DESHAUN WATSON?  Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com:

Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tyler Huntley both made final strong cases to be the Browns’ No. 3 quarterback. Thompson-Robinson, who played the majority of the first half, completed 11 of 20 passes for 115 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown. Huntley played the entire second half and threw three touchdown passes. General manager Andrew Berry said he prefers to keep three passers on the 53-man roster, as long as all are deserving, and Cleveland has that luxury. Whoever doesn’t make it as the third quarterback could be a trade candidate before the cut-down deadline.

– – –

Do you want to use an early Fantasy pick on a guy who won’t start the year on the roster?  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com on RB NICK CHUBB:

At the start of training camp, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry said that running back Nick Chubb still had “a little ways to go” before being fully cleared to return from last year’s season-ending knee injury.

Chubb reportedly still has a bit more to do before he gets that green light. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Chubb is expected to remain on the physically unable to perform list into the regular season.

That would make Chubb ineligible to play in the first four games of the regular season and he would not count against the 53-man roster until he is activated from the list.

Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong, D’Onta Foreman, Aidan Robbins, and Jacob Saylors are the backs on the active roster in Cleveland. Nyheim Hines is on the non-football injury list and will also miss at least four games if he is not activated before Tuesday’s cut to 53 players.

PITTSBURGH

Mike Tomlin sounds like he thinks he can justify naming QB RUSSELL WILSON as his starter.  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

Coach Mike Tomlin needed to see just five snaps from Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-team offense in the preseason finale Saturday.

Though the Steelers dropped the game 24-17 to the Detroit Lions, Wilson’s unit scored its first touchdown of the preseason in the quarterback’s lone series. After that, Tomlin pulled Wilson in favor of Justin Fields, who played three series and led a scoring drive of his own behind the first-team offensive line.

“We just needed results that are indicative of how we’ve worked,” Tomlin said of his decision to remove Wilson after one series. “And so they were able to put together a score and drive and really just provided an opportunity to get Justin in there sooner, and so that’s why we did it.”

After Fields exited, backups Kyle Allen and John Rhys Plumlee finished the game, playing more than two-and-a-half quarters. Though the preseason game action is complete, Tomlin said he will wait to officially name a starting quarterback, though Wilson’s limited action Saturday and “pole position” to start the preseason suggests he’s the heavy favorite. The Steelers are one of two teams, along with the New England Patriots, that have yet to name a Week 1 starter.

“We’ll make a decision at the end of our work week,” Tomlin said. “This upcoming week we have three days of Steelers vs. Steelers work and why not do it then?

“It minimizes the Steelers versus Steelers work when we started making decisions prior to the completion of that. We’ve got ample time to prepare for Atlanta and make whatever decisions or announcements regarding divisional labor or pecking orders and so forth and so we’ll do it at the end of the work week.”

In his final preseason outing, Wilson needed just five plays to guide the offense to the end zone. The quarterback completed both pass attempts for 26 yards, including a 32-yard completion to George Pickens on third-and-11 after the previous pass to the wide receiver resulted in a loss of 6 yards. Two plays after that, running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson found the end zone as he barreled up the middle for a 31-yard touchdown, his lanes opening up thanks to timely blocks by rookie center Zach Frazier and left guard Isaac Seumalo.

“Last week we just didn’t stay on schedule, and this time we did,” Wilson said. “I think another part of it, too, was I told you guys earlier in the week, the best part is to be able to celebrate the end zone with your teammates. I mean that’s what this game’s all about, man, just to be able to get in there and do that. So we got a lot more work to do and we got to keep our heads down and keep going.”

Wilson played five series a week ago, but the team failed to put any points on the board, and Wilson’s group converted just one third down. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith also said afterward he was deliberate in the play calls for Wilson, specifically limiting the amount of running to protect the quarterback’s calf injury. This time, though, Wilson said he had fewer restrictions.

“I think that we were trying to be strategic last week,” he said. “It was kind of like, okay, the doctors let me play last week and I wanted to play in front of our fans, put the black jersey on and just be out there and be out there with my teammates. And so I think this week obviously to be able to come on the road, our first two games are on the road to be able to do the silent count cadence and do all the things that we need to do to get to the end zone.”

While Fields came in for Wilson after the opening drive, the first-team offensive line remained in the game for one series.

“Because I just wanted to put some people around him that could protect him,” Tomlin said, explaining the decision to keep his offensive line starters in the game.

“That’s appropriate. You can see I got nervous when we moved on from some of those groups, and I got him out of there.”

Working behind the starters, Fields and the offense, largely made up of second-team skill players like Scotty Miller and La’Mical Perine, put together a six-play, three-minute scoring drive capped by a Perine touchdown. Fields connected with Van Jefferson for a 5-yard gain on the first play of the drive, and two plays later, he hit tight end MyCole Pruitt for a 22-yard play-action pass over the middle to set the unit up at the 2-yard line.

It wasn’t all pretty for Fields, though. He had another fumbled exchange with the center, this time with Zach Frazier on third down in his second series. And he finished the third series by taking another sack.

“They did all right, but there’s also room to grow,” Fields said of the offensive line. “So just going to look at the mistakes that we had and what plays we could have done better on and get better.”

Still, Tomlin said he was pleased with his quarterbacks’ overall body of work in their final opportunity to state their case for the starting job.

“They both moved the ball,” Tomlin said. “They won possession downs. They were able to put the ball in the end zone. Things that we hadn’t done to this point sufficiently enough in the preseason.”

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Aaron Wilson of KPRC.com reports that the Texans will move on this season without the services of S BRANDON HILL.

Texans second-year safety Brandon Hill suffered a significant knee injury against the Los Angeles Rams that will end his season, according to league sources

A former seventh-round draft pick from Pitt who intercepted a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers and recovered a fumble, was carted off the field with a serious lower right leg injury.

Hill was down on the field for a long time with trainers attending to him with players going onto the field to wish him well before he was transported to the locker room for further examination.

A former All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, Hill recorded 172 career tackles, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns in college.

Veteran reserve quarterback Case Keenum, the third passer on the Texans’ depth chart, went to the locker room early for examination Saturday in a preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams.

Keenum walked off the field without issue.

Keenum appeared to get his arm dinged while following through on a throw. He completed 4 of 8 passes for 32 yards and was nearly intercepted on a misfire with wide receiver John Metchie III wide open before being relieved by fourth quarterback Tim Boyle.

Tests revealed just bruising for Keenum, a 36-year-old former University of Houston record-setting passer.

Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud didn’t play as he prepares for a Sept. 8 road season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Davis Mills has already won the backup job and is established as the second quarterback behind Stroud. He didn’t play against the Rams. Mills has made a full recovery from bruised ribs.

And reserve cornerback Kris Boyd, who’s had a good preseason and is regarded as a strong special-teams contributor, injured his lower leg against the Rams and also went to the locker room with trainers.

Boyd avoided a serious injury and has initially been diagnosed with a bruised leg with further testing planned, per league sources.

AFC EAST

MIAMI

The Dolphins signal the availability of QB MIKE WHITE.  He signed a big contract for a backup last year – and that has helped make him available now with the continued development of QB SKYLAR THOMPSON.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Mike White is set to move on from Miami.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Dolphins are going to release White ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to set their initial 53-man roster. Skylar Thompson beat out White for the role backing up Tua Tagovailoa this season.

Until the move is officially announced, there’s a chance another team could make a trade offer that gives the Dolphins something in return for shipping White out of town.

White’s departure would free up $3.5 million in cap space and leaves $1.71 million in dead money.

White joined the Dolphins last year and appeared in six games. He went 5-of-6 for 74 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He started seven games for the Jets in 2021 and 2022, including a memorable 405-yard performance in a 2021 win over the Bengals.

NEW ENGLAND

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com with his thoughts on what the Patriots are thinking at QB:

The Patriots still haven’t elevated rookie quarterback Drake Maye to the top of the depth chart. It’s unclear when they will. However, coach Jerod Mayo has seen something that could hasten the shift.

“I think early on he was trying to defer and just be a good teammate,” Mayo told Scott Zolak during a Sunday night pregame appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “Now, he’s competing to be the starting quarterback; he’s really kind of ramped up his preparation and production on the field.”

That doesn’t mean Maye is on the verge of winning the job. As Reiss noted in his excellent Sunday notes column on the Patriots, Mayo said on his latest weekly radio show that there’s a broader process at play

“We’re going to stick to the [development] plan — it may not be a popular plan, but we’re doing what we think is right for the organization, not only in the near term but also in the long term,” Mayo said.

For now, it’s likely that veteran Jacoby Brissett will start. Later in the year, Maye could take over.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, the bye doesn’t come until Week 14. The extra days provide an enhanced opportunity to make the change.

We note that Brissett was said to have sustained some kind of shoulder injury Saturday night – and such a thing could give cover to a Week 1 elevation for Maye without an official starting QB designation.

More on the Brissett injury from Mike Reiss:

New England Patriots starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett sustained an injury to his throwing shoulder in the first quarter of Sunday’s 20-10 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders, with coach Jerod Mayo saying the veteran could have continued if the plan were to play him longer.

“I talked to him, but we’ll see [Monday]. You always feel a little bit more sore the next day,” Mayo said. “But he said he was good.”

THIS AND THAT

THE QB CLASS OF 2020

The first five QBs drafted in 2020, all the way down to QB JALEN HURTS, picked at #53, have all cashed in on huge second contracts.  Douglas Clawson of CBSSports.comchecks out how they all stack up after four seasons against the great classed of 1983 and 2004.

While you may be out there finding yourselves on the path to self discovery, I’m on the path to stats discovery as we close in on the beginning of the 2024 season. Every week as we approach the NFL season opener, I’ll take you on a truth-seeking, deep stats dive into a topical, debated NFL storyline.

Today’s topic is a draft debate. Jordan Love and Tua Tagovailoa both signed massive extensions in the last month, meaning the 2020 NFL Draft has produced a whopping $1.2 billion in quarterback contracts between Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts.

If their franchises are willing to commit that sort of cash, I don’t think it’s too early to suggest this is a generational group that could challenge 1983 and 2004 for the best quarterback classes of all time. For a refresher, the 1983 class produced a record six quarterbacks drafted in the first round (it was matched in 2024), including a record three Hall of Fame quarterbacks: John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.

The 2004 class could also have a trio of Hall of Famers in Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. They all rank top 10 all time in touchdown passes and this is the only class to produce multiple quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl wins.

Does 2020 belong in the conversation?

Those are the gold standards for quarterback draft classes and they have set the bar very high. But, if $1.2 billion doesn’t convince you, here’s why the 2020 group belongs in the conversation.

While 1983 and 2004 produced three all-time great quarterbacks, 2020 could be the deepest class ever, and perhaps the first to produce five franchise quarterbacks. No draft class has ever featured five quarterbacks who spent at least 10 seasons with their debut team. There’s a long way to go, but this group has a shot. If they all play out the life of their second contract (which is a big IF), they would be on the doorstep. It’s a hypothetical, but it’s at least enough to warrant this entire conversation.

Trophy cases

Enough hypotheticals, though, let’s talk about what 2020 has done through four seasons and how that compares historically. You might be tempted to write 2020 off because they have zero NFL MVP awards and zero Super Bowl rings. Don’t do it! Keep in mind, the 1983 class combined to produce two rings and two MVPs for their entire careers. The 2004 group had four rings and zero MVPs.

It might not take 2020 too long to match or surpass those numbers based on how close they’ve already come. One positive sign: five quarterbacks have already led their teams to the playoffs. They are one of three draft classes which can make that claim through four seasons, along with 1983 and 2012. By the way, the 2012 class provides a cautionary tale as their numbers through four seasons rivaled 2020, but Luck and Griffin III didn’t have the longevity to help elevate this class.

Most Quarterbacks to Start a Playoff Game in First Four Seasons – Draft Classes in NFL History

2012: 6 (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Nick Foles, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Lindley)

2020: 5 (Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Jalen Hurts)

1983: 5 (Dan Marino, John Elway, Ken O’Brien, Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason)

Don’t forget, Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow were both a play away from a Super Bowl title and Hurts could have won the MVP in 2022 if he didn’t hurt his shoulder late in the season. The 1983, 2004 and 2020 classes are the only ones to ever produce multiple starting quarterbacks who made a Super Bowl within their first four seasons. John Elway, Dan Marino and Tony Eason did this for the 1983 class and Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger turned the trick for the 2004 group.

Most Quarterbacks to Start Super Bowl in First Four Seasons – Draft Classes in NFL History

1983: 3 (John Elway, Tony Eason, Dan Marino)

2020: 2 (Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts)

2004: 2 (Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger)

Clearly, 2020 is right there with 1983 and 2004 for early playoff accolades. Here’s the exact numbers for the combined draft classes through four years. It’s pretty close and 2004 gets the edge due to Super Bowl wins from Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. Manning gets bonus points for beating the undefeated Patriots in 2007, too.

Playoff Stats Through Four Seasons by Draft Class         1983     2004     2020

W-L                                                                                     8-9       11-6       8-8

Super Bowl W-L                                                                 0-3       2-0         0-2

Pass TD-INT                                                                      26-20    24-21   22-9

Passer rating                                                                     79.8       82.9    91.5

Video game numbers

The playoff numbers are there, and the overall production is, too. Burrow, Tagovailoa, Herbert, Love and Hurts have combined for 466 career touchdowns (passing and rushing), the most ever among any five quarterbacks for a class through four seasons. That’s incredible when you take into account that Love has only played one season as a full-time starter.

It also gives you an idea of how productive this group is in terms of volume, but that’s skewed when comparing different eras.

We need to look at an efficiency measure, and we can’t use yards per attempt or passer rating because once again, passing in 1983 and 2020 aren’t created equally. So, I used a stat from pro football reference called ANY/A+. It’s essentially a better version of passer rating that is era-adjusted and on a scale where 100 is average. I looked at every primary starter from each class through four seasons.

Here’s a look at those primary starters:

1983: John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Ken O’Brien, Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason

2004: Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, J.P. Losman, Matt Schaub

2020: Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Jalen Hurts

I found all three classes were above league average in this category, with 1983 slightly ahead of the other two. Dan Marino was a big reason why. He shattered the NFL record for touchdown passes in a season (48 in 1984) in his second year while winning MVP and leading Miami to the Super Bowl. He posted the second-highest single-season ANY/A+ (150) in NFL history that year.

Regular Season Stats Through Four Seasons by Draft Class       1983     2004     2020

Starts                                                                                                238       202     240

Win pct                                                                                             .601      .554    .560

ANY/A+                                                                                            110       105     108

Verdict: 1983 and 2004 have slight edge through four years

Add it all up and the 2020 quarterback class has the numbers and accolades through four seasons to rival 1983 and 2004. Those two classes get the slight edge when you consider Dan Marino’s MVP season in 1984 and the Super Bowls won by Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger early in their careers.

The next question is, can the 2020 class keep up the pace and add a few MVPs and Super Bowls? They would also need the longevity to land a few players near the top of the all-time passing leaderboards. If they can, they would have a case for best draft class ever due to the unrivaled depth it could have with five potential franchise quarterbacks.

They could also go the other way and have a few quarterbacks deal with injuries and play their way out of town. The aforementioned 2012 class features a pair of Super Bowl winners (Nick Foles, Russell Wilson), two solid starters (Ryan Tannehill, Kirk Cousins) and two ‘What IFs’ (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III). It’ll be interesting to see if 2020 remains on the generational path of 1983 and 2004, or falls off like 2012.