Would you rather have Jalen Hurts (No. 3) or Joe Burrow (No. 4)?

The consensus is Burrow, but this is closer than I expected. Burrow was the overwhelming No. 2 quarterback in our summer rankings from league personnel, but some favor Hurts’ versatility if building an offense.

“The run-game element is such a threat,” an NFL personnel director said. “Hurts is improving as a passer every year, and when you combine that with how savvy of a ball handler and rusher he is, it’s really problematic for a defense.”

On Philly’s offensive line, center Jason Kelce and others have raved about how Hurts’ decision-making as a runner and a passer makes their jobs easier.

But Burrow is still Burrow.

“Outside of [Patrick] Mahomes, Burrow is that next guy that you would build a team around,” an NFC exec said. “Everything he does says winner.”

And fair or not, some evaluators still want to see Hurts do more as a passer. “[The Super Bowl] was really the first time Hurts had to carry the team with his arm, in my opinion,” an AFC personnel evaluator said. “He did it, to his credit. But I’d like to see him do it again.”

And this question:

Who’s the rookie you expect to make the top 100 in 2024?

The Falcons’ Bijan Robinson is the obvious answer. Many evaluators would place him among the top five to seven running backs right now — before he plays an NFL down. “He’s a complete player,” an NFC scout said. “He makes special plays look routine.”

But the second running back taken in the draft elicited nearly as many responses.

“I can’t wait to see how Detroit uses Jahmyr [Gibbs],” an AFC exec said. “He’s probably my favorite guy that I watched in the fall.”

Expect some tight ends to ascend. Dalton Kincaid has majorly impressed in Buffalo. “Don’t be surprised if he catches something close to 75 passes this year,” an AFC scout said. And so has Sam LaPorta in Detroit. “That dude is going to be a really good player, a significant option in that offense,” an AFC exec said.

Yet both teams get dinged by the same execs for making the RB draft pick in the first round.  Go figure.

MINNESOTA

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wonders if there is a new contract in the offing for WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON.

The Vikings have arguably the best receiver in the NFL under contract for two more years. Will they get that contract extended before the regular season starts?

Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Vikings are “making an effort” to make it happen before Week 1. Making an effort and making it happen are, obviously, two different things.

We’ve written about the situation during the offseason. The Vikings do not typically use full guarantees that vest beyond the current year. They made an exception for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Unless they make that same exception for Jefferson, the deal might not get done in the short term — or in the long term.

To his credit, Jefferson is all in for 2023. He has not let his unsettled status affect him, even though he’s due to make a paltry $2.399 million in 2023.

The Vikings presumably will make their best offer before September 10. Will Jefferson take it, or will he roll the dice on getting more after the season?

For Jefferson, the risk is injury. For the Vikings, the risk is Jefferson will decide to not be so nice about the situation.

We’ve seen it with multiple great receivers in recent years, from Tyreek Hill to Davante Adams to A.J. Brown. An extension doesn’t happen, and the relationship becomes fractured.

The Vikings need to realize what they have in Jefferson and get the deal done, before he decides that he wants to go elsewhere. And they should not assume he won’t realize at some point that they have failed to fully appreciate what they have.

There’s one other wrinkle to consider, if the Vikings are truly thinking about trying to get themselves in position to draft a franchise quarterback in 2024. If rookie first-rounder Jordan Addison quickly develops into a player who could, in theory, replace most of Jefferson’s production in the offense, might the Vikings use Jefferson as part of a package to get into the top five of the next draft?

It sounds crazy on the surface. But great receivers can’t win championships without great quarterbacks who can — and who will — get them the ball in big spots. Last year, with the season on the line, Kirk Cousins should have thrown the ball up to Jefferson and let him do what we’ve seen him do, time and again. Cousins didn’t do it.

What if the Vikings decide giving up Jefferson is the key to getting a quarterback who can do what Cousins can’t or won’t do? The guy they get, whoever it might be, would then get the ball to the likes of Addison or tight end T.J. Hockenson or whoever else the Vikings develop at the skill positions.

No matter how good any receiver is, and Jefferson truly is one of the very best, he can only do what the quarterback allows him to do. Until the Vikings have a quarterback who will trust Jefferson under any and all circumstances, the Vikings aren’t getting the most out of him.

The easiest way to short-circuit such theories is to just pay Jefferson and be done with it. Will the Vikings do it? Will they secure Jefferson for the long haul?

In answering that question, ask yourself another question. What happened with Randy Moss? Percy Harvin? Stefon Diggs?

Ultimately, if the Vikings want folks to not think they’re thinking about using the NFL’s best receiver as a potential bargaining chip to help land the franchise’s first true franchise quarterback since Fran Tarkenton, there’s one way to do it. Get the deal done, even if it means using guarantees that don’t vest one year at a time.

DALLAS

QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO is not down on QB TREY LANCE and his abilities.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

At this time last year, Trey Lance was preparing to start at quarterback for the 49ers with Jimmy Garoppolo serving as his backup and seventh-round pick Brock Purdy off of just about everyone’s radar.

Things can change in a hurry in the NFL. Purdy is now the starter for the 49ers while Garoppolo is starting for the Raiders and Lance is a backup to Dak Prescott after last week’s trade to the Cowboys.

Garoppolo has seen some other major changes of plans during his career, which started as a Patriots second-round pick who backed up Tom Brady before getting his chance to start after a trade to the 49ers. Garoppolo had success with the Niners while healthy and he said on NFL Network that he thinks Lance can find some success of his own in his new home.

“Excited for Trey. Just a new opportunity for him,” Garoppolo said. “Things didn’t work out in San Francisco for whatever reasons, but glad that he gets another shot, man. This league’s all about opportunities, and when you get a fresh one like that, you’ve just got to take advantage of it. Everyone has their own path and everything like that. It’s never going to be easy, but it’s how you come out the other end of it. So I’m always excited for him, man. He’s a brother of mine. Always pulling for him. . . . Trey’s a brother of mine, man, so like I said before, I’m always pulling for him. I think he’s got a bright future in this league. Dude’s got talent. Just got to get him out there.”

After being the established with the 49ers when Lance arrived as the third overall pick, Garoppolo can also put himself in Dak Prescott’s shoes. He said that situation “pushes you” and he feels he “came out better on the other end from it,” but it remains to be seen whether things play out in a similar fashion for either quarterback in Dallas.

WASHINGTON

Does it mean anything that Washington went 3-0 in the preseason, including a win over the mighty Ravens?  Nathaniel Marrero of SI.com:

The debate for how much does preseason success affect’s a team’s performance in the regular season is one that’ll never end.

For the Washington Commanders, just posing that question after for them after the uncertainty heading into the regular season is a promising sign. They finished preseason play undefeated after a 21-19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Fed Ex Field on Saturday.

“It creates a good atmosphere,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said. “It creates a positive vibe and we’re going to grow from it. Does it mean we’re going to win in the regular season? [I] don’t know but I hope it does. I hope this is something we can draw from, something that can help us as we go forward…There’s some energy, there’s some excitement and hopefully we can feed off that.”

Washington last went unbeaten in the preseason in 2013. They ended up going 3-13 in Mike Shanahan’s final season as the head coach. A performance similar to that this season would be surprising and likely lead to seismic changes throughout the organization.

The biggest question that needed to be answered was at quarterback. Sam Howell passed every test with flying colors, including going 19 of 25 for 188 yards and two touchdowns on Monday in Washington’s 29-28 win at home over the Baltimore Ravens. His performance also gave hope that the offense will function much better under Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

“I’m excited just because of all the positive things that are going on,” Rivera said. “I know the expectations are going up a little bit because of how we’ve performed. I think it’s about managing our situation and circumstances. We have an opportunity to go out and play and we’re excited about it.”

The Steelers and Jaguars were the only two other teams to go 3-0 in preseason.

The 2022 preseason undefeated teams included the two teams that ended up with the first two draft choices – the Bears and Texans.  Also the Ravens, Jets, Raiders and Steelers.  That’s six straight preseason wins for the Steelers who were 3-1 with a loss in their final game in 2021

NEW ORLEANS

LB JAYLON SMITH did not make the Saints.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith’s career has hit another snag.

Smith was cut by the Saints today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

He’s expecting to have other options, either to sign with another team on its 53-player roster or to stay in New Orleans on the Saints’ practice squad.

Smith was considered a Top 5 overall prospect in the 2016 NFL draft before he suffered a severe knee injury in his final game at Notre Dame. That injury dropped him down to the second round, and he’s had an up-and-down career, playing very well at times for the Cowboys but more recently bouncing around from the Packers to the Giants and now to the Saints, where he’s out of a job again.

ARIZONA

The Cardinals are down to QB JOSHUA DOBBS and rookie QB CLAYTON TUNE – who do not have a career NFL win between them.  Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com:

– The Arizona Cardinals have more clarity on their quarterback situation less than two weeks before Week 1.

Kyler Murray won’t be activated off the physically unable to perform list before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday.

Starting the season on the PUP list means Murray will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. Once he’s activated, he’ll have 21 days to practice and be put on the 53-man roster, otherwise he’ll have to spend the entire season on the PUP list.

The Cardinals also released quarterback Colt McCoy on Monday, a day before teams are required to narrow their roster to 53 players. The move comes four days after they traded for quarterback Joshua Dobbs. McCoy, the 36-year-old who signed with the Cardinals in 2021, was the first-team quarterback all spring, training camp and preseason while Arizona waited for Murray to return from ACL surgery.

Gannon said the Cardinals evaluated McCoy’s “full body of work” and decided it was in the best interest of Arizona to start the season without him.

“I don’t think it’s anything he didn’t show us,” Gannon said. “I think it was just looking at OTAs and then training camp and the games and the full body of work, we just feel like this is the best way to go.”

Murray injured his right knee in Week 14 last season on “Monday Night Football” and had surgery in early January. Murray had said previously that he wanted to be back by Week 1. He later said he didn’t want to miss any time but he also isn’t sure how much practice he’ll need before he’s ready to take a regular-season snap.

Should Murray miss at least the first four games, Gannon said the quarterback’s rehab approach won’t be altered.

“He’s got a plan that’s football related, and he’s got a plan that’s rehab related, and both are important, but obviously the plan that’s most important right now is his health,” Gannon said. “So, when we structure his day and his week and this last month with him, we plan accordingly for that.”

With McCoy’s release and Murray not being available for Week 1 against the Washington Commanders, the Cardinals will likely choose their starter from Dobbs and fifth-round pick Clayton Tune.

Gannon refused to name a starter on Monday between Dobbs and Tune, saying Arizona has a “pretty good plan in place” to decide who will be the first-team quarterback. Gannon wants to evaluate both quarterbacks in practice over the next two weeks before settling on one. Even then, though, he won’t announce the starter.

“I think it’s a competitive advantage for us going to Washington,” Gannon said. “But we’ll know who the starter is.”

Tune ran the second-team offense for the majority of the spring, all of camp and the preseason.

Dobbs, who came to Arizona from the Browns in a trade on Thursday, has a history working with current Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork from their time last season in Cleveland.

The Cardinals had looked at signing Dobbs this past offseason, so they had already done their homework on him, Gannon said. When the opportunity to trade for him arose last week, they jumped at the chance.

Adding Dobbs gives the Cardinals a “mobile guy that understands the system” who can also make throws, and play in and out of the pocket, which is what Arizona was looking for, Gannon said.

More from Weinfuss:

Why did the Cardinals make these moves, and what’s next?

Why did the Cardinals cut McCoy?

McCoy, who played in 12 games for the Cardinals over the past two seasons, wasn’t let go because of something he didn’t show the staff, according to Gannon. All the head coach would tell reporters Monday is that Arizona’s decision-makers looked at McCoy’s “full body of work” — from OTAs to minicamp to training camp to the preseason — and believed the best decision was to move forward without him.

Gannon also mentioned production played a part in the decision to release McCoy, who’s soon to be 37.

McCoy’s lack of mobility might have worked against him; Gannon pointed to that trait as one of things he liked about Dobbs. McCoy also dealt with an elbow injury in camp, and Gannon limited McCoy’s throwing to, essentially, every other day in an effort to preserve McCoy’s arm. But in the past couple of weeks, McCoy’s arm looked live and capable.

Why should Tune be the starter?

Tune has been around the Cardinals’ new offense since May. So he has been learning and growing into it just as everyone else, regardless of experience, has been around him. All of those reps in the scheme, and there have been hundreds this offseason, have given him the type of instinct in the offense that only comes with time.

“Generally, there’s that belief that more reps are better for a young guy,” offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said. “I think there’s certainly some truth to that.”

Tune looks to be improving every day and has been open about knowing how to fix mistakes when they arise. He has also shown a live arm and the ability to scramble, which has caught Gannon’s attention. Tune said he’s a capable and willing scrambler — he rushed for 1,253 yards over five seasons for the Houston Cougars — but that it’s not a large part of his game.

“I like that he plays fast,” Gannon said. “He has command when he walks into the huddle. You see the arm talent. So, he’s got a long way to go, just like everybody does, but he’s doing a good job.”

Tune, who was drafted 139th overall, would be the first quarterback drafted in the fourth round or later to start a season opener since Dak Prescott, who went 135th in 2016. Tune would also be the latest drafted quarterback to start a season opener as a rookie since Randy Hedberg (No. 196) in 1977.

Why shouldn’t Tune be the starter?

There’s the obvious answer: He’s a rookie. Is it valid? Maybe. But the lack of experience could be the argument not to start Tune, especially coming from a college system that didn’t run a pro-style offense, which is what the Cardinals are running now.

“There’s also a lot of value in sitting back and watching guys do it, who have done it at a high level, who really understand the game,” Petzing said. “And he’s done a great job, I think, of balancing the two.”

There are parts of his game that still need fine-tuning — no pun intended — and to throw him into the fire as a rookie could be a major risk, both in the short and long term. There were a handful of throws during the preseason and training camp that would have been easy completions if he hadn’t sailed them. If Tune does that in a game, it could be the difference between a first down and a pick-six.

Why should Dobbs start?

Dobbs has experience learning an offense similar to what the Cardinals are running now. He spent part of the 2022 season in Cleveland, where Petzing was the quarterbacks coach and Israel Woolfork, who’s now the Cardinals’ quarterbacks coach, was a coaching fellow — experience that Gannon called “valuable.”

“I think just his familiarity of the system, the verbiage, those two guys that are really the main guys coaching [Dobbs],” Gannon said. “I think that obviously helps him a lot.”

Beyond his time with Petzing and Woolfork, Dobbs actually has NFL experience — albeit not much. He has played in eight games in six seasons, including two starts last season with the Tennessee Titans, when he threw for 232 and 179 yards in two losses. Dobbs also has the type of skill set that Gannon wants in his first quarterback as a head coach.

“He is a mobile guy that understands the system, but he is a mobile guy that can make throws and play in the pocket and play outside of the pocket,” Gannon said. “So, that’s what we’re looking for.”

What’s the case against Dobbs starting?

Yes, he knows the two most important coaches and, yes, there is some carryover from the Browns’ offense he learned to what’s being run in Arizona, but Dobbs hasn’t taken a snap with the Cardinals yet. He’ll likely get his first snap in a walk-through Tuesday and then his first real practice snaps Wednesday, but he doesn’t have any experience working with center Hjalte Froholdt and the rest of the offensive line, nor has he developed timing with the wide receivers and tight ends.

“It’s never easy for a new guy coming to a new team, but he is familiar with the system, he’s familiar with Drew and Izz and we feel good where he is at with that,” Gannon said.

What does this mean for Murray and the Cardinals’ season?

Who starts Week 1 doesn’t mean anything for Murray. Unless the team gets off to an extraordinary start, he’ll return to being QB1 when he’s healthy.

It’s a different story for the Cardinals’ season, however. Arizona has been committed to a rebuild all offseason, and the decision to move on from McCoy and start either Dobbs or Tune continues with that. There will be a learning curve regardless who’s under center. With Dobbs, it’ll be getting adjusted to a new offense and new teammates. With Tune, it’ll be adjusting to NFL football.

This from The Pulse (by Chris Branch) at The Athletic:

It’s not that deep, though, as our Mike Sando told me. But it might be bad for Murray. Our conversation:

Is this as naked of a play for Caleb Williams as I think it is?

Mike: It’s remarkable how great McCoy has become since the Cardinals released him. He has not started more than four games in a season since 2011. Did people think McCoy, who turns 37 next month, was going to 1) hold up physically as the starter and 2) move the needle enough while he was in there to keep Arizona competitive? They were always a candidate to draft Caleb Williams, if not with their own pick, then possibly with Houston’s pick.

Further: Let’s say Arizona isn’t trying to tank. Is Dobbs (and/or Clayton Tune) a better band-aid option while the Cardinals wait for Murray to get healthy?

Mike: Dobbs plausibly could have been the preferred choice over McCoy by the Arizona offensive staff, because new coordinator Drew Petzing was Dobbs’ position coach in Cleveland, while McCoy was a holdover from the previous regime in Arizona. It’s not like the Cardinals are moving on from Kurt Warner. Dobbs is super smart, he is versed in the offense and he is cheaper than McCoy.

Also, Murray just signed a big deal. Now he’s toast?

Mike: This Cardinals season was always going to be about evaluating Murray in relation to what other quarterbacks might be available. McCoy’s status on the roster was irrelevant to that fact.

All Murray can do is work hard behind the scenes, try to win over the new leadership and play well if/when the opportunity arrives. We’ll have a better idea what Arizona is thinking if Dobbs is horrible and the Cardinals stick with him, once Murray is cleared to return. If the team decides against playing a healthy Murray, we’ll have greater confirmation of “tanking” than we have now, as the team moves on from McCoy, a quarterback with eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions over the past five seasons.

Yeesh. The Cardinals still owe Murray at least $35 million if they cut him after this season, plus they incur a GDP’s worth of dead cap space. Completely unrelated: Our latest NFL agent survey, released yesterday, ranked Arizona as the most unstable franchise in the league.

Also, don’t miss Doug Haller’s column on this whole situation, which focuses on the mess that greets Arizona’s new regime in Year 1. 

Lastly: Pulse Poll time. What are we calling any tank efforts for Williams? Our options:

Crumble for Caleb

Fail for Caleb

Wilt for Williams

(Write-in)

Mike Florio (and Sean Payton) are not fans of tanking if indeed that is what Michael Bidwill’s Cardinals are doing:

If, as it appears, the Cardinals are pre-emptively folding the tents on 2023 in the hopes of landing a generational talent in 2024, there will be a price to pay. First-year coach Jonathan Gannon could be the one to ultimately pay it.

With the team making the surprising swap from veteran Colt McCoy to Josh Dobbs or Clayton Tune less than two weeks before the first game that counts, plenty of players surely are wondering what’s going on. Although no player will ever try to lose, players are smart enough to realize when an organization is deliberately tying one hand behind its back.

That’s why many think tanking doesn’t work, as tempting as it may seem.

“This idea of tanking games to get the best player in our league is mythical, because you can’t turn off and turn on winning,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said in February 2022 on PFT Live. “The idea that it benefits you as a club is crazy. Your locker room’s soul, you sell.”

Payton’s point is that teams need to always strive to win. The players will do that. The coaches, in most cases, will do it, too.

The question in Arizona is whether Gannon is aware of, and on board with, what the organization seems to be doing. Even if he is, there’s a chance the damage done to the mindset of the roster could require the Cardinals to press the re-set button, again, in 2024.

They’ll be more likely to do that if that’s what it will take to seal the deal on getting, for example, USC quarterback Caleb Williams under contract. Even that might not be enough for Williams to voluntarily play for the Cardinals, especially after hearing all about the team from new USC assistant Kliff Kingsbury.

DENVER

A dream come true for any kicker as PK WILL LUTZ finds out he’s been elevated via trade to Denver.  Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com:

It looked like Brett Maher had won the Denver Broncos kicking job. But Sean Payton wasn’t done acquiring former New Orleans Saints.

Payton leaned on a name from his past, trading with New Orleans for kicker Wil Lutz, according to multiple reports. The Broncos had previously traded for Saints tight end Adam Trautman. And of course, the Broncos traded with the Saints to acquire Payton. Denver traded a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Saints for Lutz, according to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver.

Maher was cut by the Broncos after the Lutz trade. He missed two field goals in the team’s preseason opener, one of which was blocked, but rebounded after that. Still, Payton clearly had more confidence in Lutz. Maher has had a rough 2023. Back in January, Maher missed an NFL record four extra points for the Dallas Cowboys in a playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many teams are evaluating their kickers, and Maher will get some interest, though his late-season struggles with Dallas will be a factor.

Lutz had six good seasons with the Saints. He was a Pro Bowler in 2019, when Payton was his coach. He has made 84.6% of his field-goal attempts throughout his career and should thrive in the thin air of Empower Field at Mile High. For the Saints, the job apparently goes to rookie Blake Grupe.

The Broncos surprisingly released longtime kicker Brandon McManus this offseason. They had a kicking competition between Elliott Fry and Maher, which was settled when Fry got injured and was released. It took a while to figure out who Payton would be happy with at kicker, but a trade for his old player settled that issue.

PITTSBURGH

After a 3-0 preseason, the Steelers have had a winning record in each of their last six preseasons (there was none in 2020).  That’s an 18-4 preseason record since 2017.

HOUSTON

Charles McDonald of YahooSports.com thinks that QB C.J. STROUD and the other rookie QBs are going to struggle – and that’s just fine:

Nine days. Nine days and we’re back to the regular-season football that we’ve been craving forever. This preseason was an eventful one — and even gave us a game that felt like it mattered — but now we’re back to games that count. Before the regular season starts, we need to ground ourselves and how we talk about rookie quarterbacks, and one fanbase shouldn’t even bother watching their team this year.

Rookie quarterbacks are probably going to struggle early, and that’s just fine

A year ago, C.J. Stroud had it relatively easy as far as football is concerned. Ohio State was far more talented than the vast majority of teams it faced, allowing Stroud to be the best version of himself — one that torched college football for two straight seasons en route to being the second overall pick. Stroud has the talent to become the Texans’ long-term quarterback, but the circumstances here have changed drastically for him. This isn’t college football anymore — Stroud hits the road to Baltimore to take on the Ravens for his first bit of real NFL action.

It was smart for the Texans to not waste time and just name Stroud the starting quarterback. Feeding Davis Mills to what may be the best defense in football this year isn’t changing anything for a team that’s rebuilding. Stroud is going to play against tough defenses regularly throughout his NFL career, so they might as well just get this thing going immediately. Make no mistake about it: This is one of the toughest tests that a rookie quarterback could feasibly draw in his first game, and he most likely will struggle against a defense that features established Pro Bowlers and ascending elite talent. That’s OK, though. Everyone needs to know that a bad outing in Week 1 is OK. Breathe now.

This is not breaking news in any way, but rookie quarterbacks tend to be bad. They really tend to be bad against good defenses. This defense stifled Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense in the wild-card round on the road before losing on a freak fumble return for a touchdown. Stroud and the new-look Texans offense is a matchup the Ravens should win. While Stroud is drawing the toughest opener of the rookie starting quarterbacks this season, all three of them will face battles that far surpass anything they endured last season in college.

Stroud, Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson will all go through these hurdles. Stroud just gets the first swing at a defense that’s ready to cave heads in. No one should be surprised if this goes poorly for him because that’s what history says happens to rookie quarterbacks against elite defenses. A little perspective ain’t hurt nobody. Give these guys the space to fail early on, because they will. It’s the most standard cycle of NFL quarterback development. Giving space for failures only makes the eventual heights of their rookie season that much more enjoyable to experience.

JACKSONVILLE

A question from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com to a battery of NFL insider types:

Will Calvin Ridley (No. 89) return to elite WR status in 2023?

This is a resounding yes. Ridley was knocking on the door of top-10 wideout status before his yearlong suspension. And the early returns out of Jacksonville’s camp have been strong. Ridley’s route running has been superb, to the point that Jaguars coaches had to remind him to almost suppress the explosiveness at times so he can set up his defenders. That’s a good problem to have.

“He’s got elite footwork,” an NFC scout said. “He hasn’t lost that. And he’ll have a really good quarterback [Trevor Lawrence] throwing him the ball.”

BUFFALO

EDGE VON MILLER will not be in a Bills uniform in Week 1.  Or the next three weeks.  Myles Simmons at ProFootballTalk.com:

The Bills will not have star edge rusher Von Miller to begin the season.

Still recovering from his ACL tear suffered during the Thanksgiving game against the Lions, Miller will remain on the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. That means he won’t be eligible to return until Week Five when the Bills take on the Jaguars in London. Miller can stay on the list beyond that if needed.

Miller signed a five-year deal with Buffalo last year after winning Super Bowl LVI with the Rams.

He registered 8.0 sacks with 10 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits in his 11 games.

Miller will miss at least matchups with the Jets, Raiders, Commanders, and Dolphins to start the season.

NEW YORK JETS

Will QB AARON RODGERS be a top 5 statistical performer in 2023?  That’s the question that Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com poses to various NFL insiders:

Will Aaron Rodgers (No. 29) have a top-five statistical season among QBs?

The consensus is yes — barely. It feels like since the Jets haven’t had a top-five passer since Boomer Esiason in 1993, betting on big yardage from New York’s passing game is a shaky endeavor, at best. But Rodgers had essentially lived in the top five in most passing categories as a Packer. Even in a down 2022 campaign, he finished No. 11 in yards and seventh in touchdowns.

“He’s still really good, and he’s got weapons around him,” an AFC executive said of Rodgers. “He should be able to throw for yards. Garrett Wilson [No. 43] will have a huge year. It will definitely be close, though.”

Some evaluators have seen a slight decline in Rodgers at age 39. But he has been reunited with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who watched Rodgers win back-to-back MVPs as the Packers’ coordinator. And the Jets have receiver depth along with two quality backs in Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook. A two-back formula proved potent for Rodgers in Green Bay with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.

And Charles McDonald of YahooSports.com points out that the Jets defensive line could be terrorizing:

Gang Green might be more threatening than actual gangrene this season. The Jets have built an absolute monster on the defensive line, a unit that appears capable of taking over any offensive line with its pass rush and overall ability to drop a bomb on opposing quarterbacks. It seemed like no matter the offensive line, starters or backups, no one could block the Jets this preseason. It took years of building through the draft and timely free-agent additions to get to this point, but the Jets are preparing for a whole lot of crash landings in what is one of the most pivotal seasons in the history of the franchise.

Everything starts with Quinnen Williams, who belongs firmly in the “Not Aaron Donald But Still Elite” tier of defensive tackles. He earned a market-rate contract this season and has fully developed into the game-wrecker that made him a coveted prospect prior to the 2019 NFL Draft. He has the skill set to play in any scheme that’s featured across the league, but in this scheme he’s allowed to be the most destructive version of himself. Robert Saleh’s scheme emphasizes defensive linemen being able to get up the field and disrupt at the line of scrimmage, which plays into what the athletic 300-pounder does best. The Jets are deep up front, but the ripple effects of their chaos all start with the world destroyer in the middle.

Williams accentuates the talent of the rest of the group, which can already hold its own. The Jets’ edge depth is wild. Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald are recent first-round picks the team is developing on the edge to become game-breakers in their own right. Bryce Huff might be the best pure pass rush specialist in the league even though he’s on the smaller side for defensive ends. Throw in John Franklin-Myers, Michael Clemons and Carl Lawson, and it’s easy to see why the Jets have given offensive lines so much trouble this preseason and will continue to do so in the regular season.

The defensive tackle room might not be as deep as the defensive end spots, but it still has some guys who play well within their specific roles. Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson are nice spells for Williams, but they have an interesting Swiss Army knife in Solomon Thomas that brings the entire unit together. Thomas is well-versed in just about all of the spots along the defensive line and brings competency with his versatility. Franklin-Myers also has the size to play inside, giving the Jets dependable players who can play up and down the line. It’s rare to have one chess piece defensive lineman who can hold up against the run, let alone two.

The Jets’ defensive line leads what should be one of the best defenses in football, if not the best. The presence of all of these guys will make life easier for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, who is already one of the elite cornerbacks in the game. The Jets have excellent players at every level of their defense, but it all starts up front. The plays they can make with their defensive line will only have a ripple effect for the entire unit, which should terrify opposing offenses.

Aaron Rodgers is the key for the Jets to get back to the playoffs, but the defensive line is going to play a major role in how far they ultimately get this season. Trench play enthusiasts, this is the team for you.

THIS AND THAT

BREAKOUT TIGHT ENDS

From Tyler Sullivan of CBSSport.com:

The events of the offseason and what we’ve gathered throughout the preseason do spell an opportunity for each of them to enjoy a career year while further putting themselves on the map as one of the top players at the position in the NFL.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers

Over/Under receiving yards total: 625.5

The Steelers offense as a whole looks primed to take a step up in 2023 as Kenny Pickett enters his second season in the league. While wideouts Diontae Johnson and George Pickens should be the No. 1 and No. 2 targets in this Pittsburgh passing game, Pickett’s play throughout the preseason is showing promise of this offense being able to support three pass catchers. It also doesn’t hurt that Freiermuth has been running routes on 87% of the plays Pickett has been on the field this season.

Freiermuth is coming off what could already be considered a breakout campaign a year ago where he saw 98 targets and was sixth among all tight ends with 732 receiving yards. From a statistical standpoint, however, Freiermuth’s ceiling does appear like it can stretch a bit beyond what we’ve seen throughout his first two seasons in the league.

Pickett has already shown an affinity for throwing to tight ends and had a solid rapport with Freiermuth after becoming the starter in Week 5. The duo got off to a somewhat sluggish start with Freiermuth receiving just two targets in Pickett’s first start and then the tight end was inactive for Pittsburgh’s Week 6 game against Tampa Bay. Upon his return in Week 7, however, the two went on a seven-game run that featured some prolific play. In those seven games, Freiermuth caught 33 passes for 395 yards. Things stalled out a bit after that — which included a zero-target game for Freiermuth in Week 15 — but we are anticipating more consistent play from Pickett and, in turn, more consistency from his pass catchers.

For what it’s worth if you extrapolate that seven-game sample size over the course of a season, you have him with 80 receptions and flirting with a thousand-yard season with 959 yards.

That might be a little too lofty, but we do expect the 6-foot-5, 258-pounder to see some positive regression in receiving touchdowns after finding the end zone just twice last season. During his rookie season, Freiermuth had seven touchdown receptions. If he can keep that consistency up and couple that with more touchdowns, he could establish himself as a top-five tight end in the league.

Dalton Kincaid, Bills

CBS Sports fantasy season projections: 71 targets, 49 receptions, 572 receiving yards, six touchdowns

It’s rare for a rookie tight end to put up numbers, but I think Kincaid is going to be the exception. Why? Because he’s not really going to be used as a traditional tight end and instead be a big slot receiver within this high-powered Bills offense run by Josh Allen. The Utah product already showed at the collegiate level that he can handle a heavy pass-catching workload, hauling in 70 balls during his final season before declaring for the NFL Draft.

The Bills left Isaiah McKenzie go this offseason, opening up 65 targets within their offense. If you suggest that Kincaid adopts the lion’s share of those looks from Allen out of the slot while also eating into some of Dawson Knox’s 65 targets from a season go, there will be plenty of opportunity for Kincaid to be a valuable piece within this offense, especially as a big slot that Ken Dorsey can move around and exploit mismatches.

In the preseason finale, Kincaid was in route on 71% of Josh Allen’s dropbacks during his lone drive of the game. What’s interesting about that number is that it included Knox (57%) in the mix as well, meaning that he’ll see plenty of opportunities for Allen to find him on the field.

Dalton Schulz, Texans

CBS Sports fantasy season projections: 87 targets, 58 receptions, 555 receiving yards, five touchdowns

Dalton Schulz already has some impressive seasons under his belt, but there is a narrative out there that he’ll dip in production now that he’s with the Texans instead of the Cowboys. However, I think he could actually find his way to a similar output to his OG breakout in 2021 where he had 808 yards and eight touchdowns.

Schultz will now have C.J. Stroud throwing him the football and, as we’ve seen in recent years, rookie quarterbacks tend to lean on their tight ends in the passing game more often on quick passes on low ADOTs. I will acknowledge that Schultz playing just four snaps with the starters and running just two routes in the preseason finale isn’t going to instill a bunch of confidence, but we should also not overreact too much either.

The Texans have the easiest strength of schedule for the tight end position this year, so the road may not be too treacherous for Schultz. I also don’t believe the combination of Nico Collins Robert Woods, Noah Brown, Tank Dell, and John Metchie III will eat away too many targets from Schultz either. That’s especially true if he continues to run routes of this caliber.

Tyler Higbee, Rams

CBS Sports fantasy season projections: 81 targets, 55 receptions, 511 receiving yards, three touchdowns

This is a volume play. Higbee has a chance to be the No. 2 target in Los Angeles’ passing game behind Cooper Kupp, which isn’t a bad place to be whatsoever. He’s building off of a career-high in 2022 where he notched highs in receptions, targets, and receiving yards. With Matthew Stafford back healthy, there’s an argument for him to post an even better stat line in 2023.

In the first nine weeks of the regular season when Stafford was healthy, Higbee put up 36 receptions for 312 yards. If you project that number out throughout a full 17-game schedule, he would have seen 121 targets and caught 76 balls for 663 yards. That target share alone should have your antenna up about Higbee, especially when there is no one else too threatening behind him on the pass-catching depth chart. Behind Higbee and Kupp, the Rams have van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, and Tutu Atwell as the notable names.

There’s every possibility that Higbee sees 130 targets within Sean McVay’s offense, which would have been the second-most among all tight ends in 2022 and only trailing Travis Kelce. Remember, this is an offense where Stafford flirted with 5,000 passing yards and threw for over 40 touchdowns when he was healthy in 2021. If the veteran quarterback returns to that form and can play all 17 games for L.A. this season, Higbee is going to have a heavy workload. 

Juwan Johnson, Saints

CBS Sports fantasy season projections: 62 targets, 39 receptions, 484 receiving yards, six touchdowns

Johnson had a semi-breakout in 2022 with a 500-yard and seven-touchdown campaign for New Orleans. With Derek Carr coming into the fold this offseason, however, Johnson has been a popular breakout pick heading into this regular season, and for good reason. Similar to some of the receivers we’ve already mentioned, Johnson could work as a big slot within the Saints offense and Carr has shown an affinity throughout his career of throwing to tight ends. With the Raiders, Darren Waller had two thousand-yard seasons with Carr and there was also an 896-yard season from Jared Cook sprinkled in during that tenure in 2018. So far this summer, one of the biggest storylines to come out of Saints camp has been the connection between Carr and Johnson.

In the preseason opener against Kansas City, Johnson both of his targets from Carr for 29 yards on what was the opening drive of the afternoon. On 12 total snaps played with Carr in that exhibition, the quarterback dropped back to pass eight times. Johnson ran routes on five of those dropbacks. 

Similar to Schultz in Houston, the Saints also have a friendly schedule for tight ends this season with a PSoS (positional strength of schedule) ranked as the second easiest in the league. A soft schedule plus a quarterback who has proven success with throwing to tight ends makes Johnson a name to watch this season.

ESPN TOP 100 PLAYERS

ESPN.com has a list of its top 100 players for 2023 as chosen by a panel of its experts.  For the top 10 (and some others) we have the explanation.

The 2023 NFL season will kick off Sept. 7, and that means it’s time for our annual ranking of the league’s top 100 players. What can we expect from the game’s best this season? And how do they stack up against each other?

To create our list, we asked a panel of dozens of ESPN NFL experts to rate players based on performance expectations for the 2023 season as compared with their peers. Emphasis was placed solely on the upcoming season and predicting potential greatness, rather than past performance, career résumé or positional value. That means long-term injuries and suspensions played a part, which is why Jalen Ramsey, for instance, is missing (out with a left meniscus injury). And from those ratings, we were able to rank the best of the best, 1 to 100.

The San Francisco 49ers lead this year with eight players on the list. Thirty-one franchises are represented in all, with just the Arizona Cardinals coming up short. Two-thirds of last year’s top 100 returned for another appearance. In terms of positions, wide receiver dominated (again), with 21 making the list. Quarterbacks (12) and edge defenders (14) also were well represented. Six players entering their Year 2 season cracked the list, and the average age of the players featured is 27. And the person who made the biggest jump from last year? It’s a running back at No. 10 overall.

For each player, our NFL Nation reporters weighed in with a 2023 outlook then asked a player, coach or executive from around the league what makes the player so dominant. ESPN Stats & Information also provided a signature statistic to know, and fantasy analyst Mike Clay projected a stat line for this upcoming season. Here’s the full list, starting with the Chiefs’ star signal-caller, who’s on top for a fourth straight season.

1. Patrick Mahomes

QB | Chiefs

Age: 27

2022 rank: 1

Yes, this is Mahomes’ fourth straight year being ranked No. 1 in this poll. In 2022, he led the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl win in the past four seasons, and he became the first player to win league MVP and a Super Bowl in the same season since Kurt Warner in 1999. This year, Mahomes is tasked with a new offensive coordinator (Matt Nagy) and overcoming the departure of the team’s top wide receiver (JuJu Smith-Schuster) — again. But neither has been a problem for him before. He won MVP awards the last time the Chiefs changed coordinators (2018) and after trading Tyreek Hill (2022). — Adam Teicher

Signature stat: Mahomes led the NFL in passing yards (5,250), touchdown passes (41) and Total QBR (78) en route to winning his second NFL MVP. He is the first player to lead in all three categories in a season since Peyton Manning in 2013.

What they are saying: “I don’t know that there’s really a way to quantify [Mahomes’ skill set] financially, and no matter what he makes over his career, I’m sure one way or another he’ll be underpaid.” — Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt

2023 projection: 4,688 passing yards, 39 TDs, 11 INTs (333 yards/3 TDs rushing)

2. Justin Jefferson

WR | Vikings

Age: 24

2022 rank: 7

Jefferson has surpassed a significant statistical milestone in each of his first three NFL seasons, moving from 1,400 receiving yards to 1,600 to 1,800. That makes his 2023 goal clear and within reach. If he hits 2,000 receiving yards, he’ll break the NFL regular-season record held by Calvin Johnson (1,964). — Kevin Seifert

Signature stat: Jefferson has the most receiving yards (4,825) by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history. Randy Moss (4,163) is second.

What they are saying: “There’s certain types of players you want around. Players who love football, are great at football, make their teammates better, have that winning spirit. I’ll never forget when I first talked to him, when I first met him; he just talked about winning, and that’s all you want around you.” — Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

2023 projection: 116 receptions, 1,498 yards, 9 TDs (23 yards rushing)

3. Jalen Hurts

QB | Eagles

Age: 25

2022 rank: NR

Coach Nick Sirianni said he has seen Hurts take his game to another level this offseason, specifically with his accuracy and decision-making. That seems hard to believe at first glance considering Hurts is coming off an MVP-caliber campaign in which he established a new franchise record with 4,461 total yards. But greater familiarity with the offensive system and the playmakers around him, led by wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, could mean even bigger things for Hurts in 2023. — Tim McManus

Signature stat: Hurts is the only quarterback in NFL history with multiple seasons of at least 10 rushing touchdowns and 750 rushing yards. And in 2022, his 10 touchdowns on passes of 25-plus yards downfield tied for the second most in a season since 2006, when ESPN began tracking air yards. The only player with more is Drew Brees in 2013 (13).

What they are saying: “The first couple days [of camp], I definitely felt like he was on another level … making it look easy. Of course, I’d love to see him take another step because that means we all take another step.” — Brown

2023 projection: 3,511 passing yards, 22 TDs, 10 INTs (670 yards/12 TDs rushing)

4. Joe Burrow

QB | Bengals

Age: 26

2022 rank: 26

Burrow’s game has made huge leaps over the course of his first three NFL seasons. Last year, he finished a career-high 10th in Total QBR. While he has dealt with a strained right calf during the preseason, the Bengals believe Burrow will continue to ascend and keep Cincinnati in Super Bowl contention. — Ben Baby

Signature stat: Burrow’s 68.2% career completion rate is the best by any player in his first three seasons in NFL history (minimum 500 attempts). He also has 12 touchdowns of 50-plus yards, which is tied with Dan Marino and Fran Tarkenton for the most all time in a player’s first three seasons.

What they are saying: “He continues to grow. With experience comes wisdom. I think you see those things growing in him. It’s always a balance between a hyper-competitive guy who wants to play every play like the Super Bowl depends on it and being able to take a step back and see the bigger picture.” — Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher

2023 projection: 4,503 passing yards, 33 TDs, 12 INTs (255 yards/5 TDs rushing)

5. Ja’Marr Chase

WR | Bengals

Age: 23

2022 rank: 14

Chase has been a Pro Bowl selection in each of his first two campaigns. Teams sought to double-team him last year and tilt coverage toward stopping Chase, so expect the Bengals to get the ball to Chase out of various formations and alignments and take advantage of the speed and power that makes him one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. — Ben Baby

Signature stat: Even after missing five games last season with a hip injury, Chase still managed to record his second straight 1,000-yard season, bringing his career receiving yards total to 2,501. Chase became the fifth player in NFL history to record 2,500 receiving yards in the first two seasons of a career — joining Justin Jefferson (3,016), Odell Beckham Jr. (2,755), Randy Moss (2,726) and Bill Groman (2,648).

What they are saying: “When he gets the ball, his run after the catch is like nothing I’ve ever seen. That and how he high points the ball over any type of defender. Anybody that lines up against him, I got my money on Chase.” — Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins

2023 projection: 102 receptions, 1,454 yards, 11 TDs (21 yards rushing)

6. Micah Parsons

EDGE | Cowboys

Age: 24

2022 rank: 12

Parsons has finished as the runner-up in Defensive Player of the Year voting in each of his first two seasons, and there is nothing to say he won’t be even better in 2023. He has been unblockable during training camp, giving future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith fits in practice. While Parsons is predominantly an edge player, the Cowboys will continue to move him around the defense to create matchups and keep offenses guessing. — Todd Archer

Signature stat: Parsons has nine multiple-sack games through his first two seasons in the NFL, which is tied for the most by any player since individual sacks became an official stat in 1982. He is one of three players with at least 13.0 sacks in each of his first two NFL seasons over that span, alongside Aldon Smith and Reggie White.

What they are saying: “His skill has gotten better and stronger, which is now going to allow him to make more plays. So the physical gifts have always been there to beat somebody inside or beat them off the edge, but now we’re adding the skill part of it. That’s how you level up — and how do you go from being an excellent player to the very best player? That’s the margin to break through to the next ceiling.” — Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn

2023 projection: 11 sacks, 61 tackles, 2 forced fumbles

7. Josh Allen

QB | Bills

Age: 27

2022 rank: 5

Allen enters his second season under offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey with some new additions to the offense, including rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid. Last season, Allen became the first player in NFL history to reach 25 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, a trend that should continue despite Allen trying to limit the hits he takes. — Alaina Getzenberg

Signature stat: Allen has a combined 176 passing and rushing touchdowns since entering the league in 2018, trailing only Patrick Mahomes (206) over that span. A big reason for that is his success running the ball; Allen has 38 career rushing touchdowns, tied for the ninth most in the NFL over that time — and first among QBs.

What they are saying: “He, I think, really enjoys and is undervalued for the mental side of the game because everybody sees the physical traits. So I think just that mental piece for him is something that we value a lot and we want to see continue to grow.” — Dorsey

2023 projection: 4,182 passing yards, 31 TDs, 13 INTs (628 yards/6 TDs rushing)

8. Aaron Donald

DT | Rams

Age: 32

2022 rank: 2

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is facing a challenge in his 10th campaign, as he prepares to anchor a defense of newcomers. Coming off season-ending ankle surgery, Donald — who last season boasted a 20.3% pass rush win rate (PRWR) versus double-teams (ranked fourth) — must prepare to again become the focal point of opponents’ game plans. — Lindsey Thiry

Signature stat: Donald has been double-teamed 1,797 times since the start of 2017, more than any other player, according to ESPN’s metrics powered by NFL Next Gen Stats. He still managed 75.0 sacks in that span, second to only T.J. Watt, who had 2.5 more sacks despite being double-teamed roughly one-sixth of the time Donald was over that span (338 times).

What they are saying: “The great ones never get complacent. There’s always things that you can look at. Nobody has higher standards for Aaron than he does of himself. And I think that’s a separator.” — Rams coach Sean McVay

2023 projection: 74 tackles, 10 sacks

9. Nick Bosa

EDGE | 49ers

Age: 25

2022 rank: 15

What can Bosa, who led the NFL with 18.5 sacks on his way to Defensive Player of the Year honors, do for an encore? It’s hard to imagine there are many ways for him to improve, but small details like hand placement and leveraging blocks can be the difference between 18.5 sacks and pushing for the single-season record of 22.5. Bosa is currently holding out for a new contract, but a deal is expected to get done. — Nick Wagoner

Signature stat: Bosa is the only 49ers player with multiple 15-sack seasons since 1982, when the stat became official. Since his rookie season (2019), the 49ers’ defense has a 48% pass rush win rate with him on the field. With him off the field, the Niners’ defense has defeated its blocks within 2.5 seconds only 37% of the time.

What they are saying: “It’s the special individuals that are willing to do [the extra work] to get a small portion better, to take their game to the total next level. And then you’re talking about guys that enter the Hall of Fame. The guys that are willing to continuously, year in and year out, work your butt off day in and day out to just get a small portion better. And that’s where Bosa’s at right now.” — 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek

2023 projection: 61 tackles, 13 sacks

10. Christian McCaffrey

RB | 49ers

Age: 27

2022 rank: 71

When McCaffrey stepped into the 49ers’ starting lineup in Week 8 after being acquired from Carolina, the Niners’ offense took off. With McCaffrey as the focal point, San Francisco was third in scoring and expected points added and seventh in yards per game, going 12-1 with him in the backfield. Now he gets a full offseason to absorb coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and the Niners will be able to dream up new ways to use McCaffrey. That combination, fueled by McCaffrey’s relentless approach, has him positioned for another big season, if not his best yet. — Nick Wagoner

Signature stat: Since his debut in 2017, McCaffrey has averaged 113.1 scrimmage yards per game, the most in the NFL. Only three other players have an average over 100 in that span (Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry).

What they are saying: “Being here for a year, you can’t help but to get better when you are as intentional and deliberate as he is. … I would never put a ceiling on what he can do. I think you can always get better, but he is trending in the right direction.” — 49ers assistant coach Anthony Lynn

2023 projection: 873 rushing yards, 7 TDs (547 yards/3 TDs receiving)

11. Justin Herbert                        QB | Chargers      2022 rank: 11

12. Travis Kelce                           TE | Chiefs          2022 rank: 17

13. Myles Garrett                         EDGE | Browns   2022 rank: 9

14. Sauce Gardner                     CB | Jets              2022 rank: NR

15. T.J. Watt                                EDGE | Steelers  2022 rank: 6

16. Tyreek Hill                            WR | Dolphins       2022 rank: 24

17. Joey Bosa                            EDGE | Chargers  2022 rank: 19

18. Trent Williams                     OT | 49ers              2022 rank: 16

19. A.J. Brown                          WR | Eagles           2022 rank: 44

20. Lamar Jackson                     QB | Ravens           2022 rank: 42

21. Stefon Diggs                         WR | Bills               2022 rank: 22

22. Davante Adams                   WR | Raiders          2022 rank: 10

23. Fred Warner                         LB | 49ers              2022 rank: 25

24. Jaire Alexander                   CB | Packers           2022 rank: 34

25. Cooper Kupp                       WR | Rams             2022 rank: 4

26. Nick Chubb                         RB | Browns            2022 rank: 47

27. Chris Jones                        DT | Chiefs               2022 rank: 40

28. Trevor Lawrence                  QB | Jaguars         2022 rank: NR

29. Aaron Rodgers                    QB | Jets                2022 rank: 3

30. George Kittle                       TE | 49ers               2022 rank: 38

31. Zack Martin                         G | Cowboys           2022 rank: 41

32. Javon Hargrave                   DT | 49ers              2022 rank: NR

33. CeeDee Lamb                     WR | Cowboys        2022 rank: 32

34. Pat Surtain II                       CB | Broncos           2022 rank: 65

35. Maxx Crosby                       EDGE | Raiders      2022 rank: 67

36. Terry McLaurin                    WR | Commanders   2022 rank: 48

37. Minkah Fitzpatrick                S | Steelers              2022 rank: 23

38. Dak Prescott                         QB | Cowboys         2022 rank: 39

39. Saquon Barkley                   RB | Giants              2022 rank: NR

40. Quinnen Williams                DT | Jets                  2022 rank: NR

41. Haason Reddick                 EDGE | Eagles         2022 rank: NR

42. Lane Johnson                    OT | Eagles               2022 rank: NR

43. Garrett Wilson                   WR | Jets                   2022 rank: NR

44. Deebo Samuel                   WR | 49ers               2022 rank: 28

45. Tua Tagovailoa                 QB | Dolphins            2022 rank: NR

46. Xavien Howard                 CB | Dolphins             2022 rank: 29

47. Mark Andrews                   TE | Ravens               2022 rank: 33

48. Dexter Lawrence II            DT | Giants                2022 rank: NR

49. Laremy Tunsil                   OT | Texans               2022 rank: 75

50. Jaylen Waddle                  WR | Dolphins           2022 rank: 74

51. Tristan Wirfs                     OT | Buccaneers        2022 rank: 36

52. DK Metcalf                       WR | Seahawks          2022 rank: 51

53. Trey Hendrickson            EDGE | Bengals          2022 rank: 72

54. Brian Burns                     EDGE | Panthers        2022 rank: 94

55. Roquan Smith                 LB | Ravens                2022 rank: 97

56. Andrew Thomas              OT | Giants                 2022 rank: NR

57. DeVonta Smith                 WR | Eagles              2022 rank: NR

58. Jeffery Simmons              DT | Titans                 2022 rank: 92

59. Tee Higgins                     WR | Bengals             2022 rank: 84

60. Derwin James Jr.            S | Chargers               2022 rank: 43

61. Amon-Ra St. Brown        WR | Lions                 2022 rank: NR

62. DeForest Buckner            DT | Colts                 2022 rank: 62

63. Chris Olave                      WR | Saints              2022 rank: NR

64. Jonathan Allen                 DT | Commanders     2022 rank: NR

65. Josh Jacobs                    RB | Raiders              2022 rank: NR

66. Orlando Brown Jr.           OT | Bengals             2022 rank: NR

67. Aidan Hutchinson            EDGE | Lions            2022 rank: NR

68. Tre’Davious White           CB | Bills                    2022 rank: 88

69. Justin Simmons               S | Broncos               2022 rank: 57

70. Daron Payne                   DT | Commanders     2022 rank: NR

71. Darius Slay                     CB | Eagles               2022 rank: NR

72. Penei Sewell                   OT | Lions                   2022 rank: NR

73. Ryan Ramczyk                OT | Saints                2022 rank: 37

74. Terron Armstead             OT | Dolphins            2022 rank: 69

75. Arik Armstead                 DT | 49ers                  2022 rank: NR

76. Mike Evans                         WR | Buccaneers      2022 rank: 31

77. Jason Kelce                       C | Eagles                  2022 rank: NR

78. Marshon Lattimore             CB | Saints                2022 rank: 27

79. Joel Bitonio                         G | Browns                2022 rank: NR

80. Creed Humphrey                C | Chiefs                 2022 rank: 68

81. Danielle Hunter                  EDGE | Vikings         2022 rank: NR

82. Riq Woolen                        CB | Seahawks         2022 rank: NR

83. A.J. Terrell                         CB | Falcons              2022 rank: 46

84. Jevon Holland                   S | Dolphins                2022 rank: NR

85. Matt Milano                       LB | Bills                     2022 rank: NR

86. Kayvon Thibodeaux          EDGE | Giants            2022 rank: NR

87. Rashawn Slater                OT | Chargers             2022 rank: 52

88. Austin Ekeler                    RB | Chargers             2022 rank: NR

89. Calvin Ridley                    WR | Jaguars              2022 rank: NR

90. Tyler Lockett                     WR | Seahawks         2022 rank: NR

91. Jared Goff                         QB | Lions                  2022 rank: NR

92. Derrick Henry                   RB | Titans                 2022 rank: 61

93. Marlon Humphrey            CB | Ravens              2022 rank: 56

94. Kirk Cousins                    QB | Vikings               2022 rank: 89

95. Joe Thuney                      G | Chiefs                   2022 rank: 86

96. Matthew Judon                EDGE | Patriots         2022 rank: NR

97. Von Miller                         EDGE | Bills              2022 rank: 73

98. Christian Wilkins               DT | Dolphins           2022 rank: NR

99. DJ Moore                         WR | Bears               2022 rank: 59

100. Trevon Diggs                  CB | Cowboys           2022 rank: 78