The Daily Briefing Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The NFL scouting combine on Monday night sent a memo to all prospective NFL players attending next month’s annual pre-draft event in Indianapolis, revising its policies and procedures regarding COVID-19 protocols.

The memo, obtained by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, focuses on mask-wearing for both the players and medical personnel, as well as defining the event’s secure areas, keys points of contention among players’ agents.

“As has been the case throughout the pandemic, we continue to evolve our combine policies and procedures in consultation with medical experts,” the memo said. “While masks continue to be required for air travel and during medical exams at the combine (players and medical personnel), wearing a mask at other times while on site is recommended, but not required.

“We encourage all players to remain within the secure combine areas at all times for your safety. However, if you would like to leave the secure areas during free time in your schedule, you are now permitted to do so at your own risk.”

The memo landed hours after the potential of player boycotts made news Monday morning. Sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano that a group of player agents was threatening to organize a boycott of certain key elements of the combine if its concerns about a COVID-19 “bubble” continued to be ignored.

But not all agents were in that group.

“I understand their grievances, and they want to take their trainers with them to the combine, and they might want access to their agent. They might have family members. And they may have an entire support group both for their physical and emotional health — and the NFL regulations seem unduly restrictive,” agent Leigh Steinberg said Monday. “Having said that, we will send our players because this is the Super Bowl of scouting events. And you have players who have worked their whole lives to prepare for the NFL draft.”

The NFL sent a memo last week to draft prospects and their agents outlining rules for the combine, including a bubble that would keep prospects from interacting with their personal trainers, doctors, nutritionists and agents while in Indianapolis. Monday night’s memo featured amendments to further accommodate the players — and their training teams — at the event.

“If you prefer to remain in the secure areas and have your approved medical support personnel (physical therapist, massage therapist, or approved athletic trainer) enter the secure area to provide medical treatments, please follow the previously communicated procedure and complete the form in Teamworks (if you have not already),” the statement added.

This appears to be a direct result of pushback from the group of agents representing more than 150 of the 324 invited prospects. They said they would hold their players out of combine drills and interviews if the league did not relent on the original plans. Those players would, if the boycott were to be implemented, participate only in the medical evaluations at the combine. They would do their combine drills at their individual pro days instead of in Indianapolis.

Well into Sunday night, agents and the NFL were discussing the concerns in an attempt to avoid the announcement of the boycott, which the agents involved were tentatively planning for Monday, sources close to the situation told Graziano.

GREEN BAY

QB AARON RODGERS drops a post on Instagram which Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com believes was intended to reveal nothing about his future plans:

As Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers remains in his self-described window of deliberation as to whether he’ll continue to be the Packers quarterback, he has posted a vague message on social media that will mean whatever the reader wants it to mean.

Posted as “Monday Night Gratitude,” Rodgers opens by thanking Shailene Woodley, to whom he was engaged and with whom he reportedly has split. He then pivots to his professional relationships.

 “To the men I got to share the QB room with everyday,” Rodgers says, “you guys made every day so much fun and I’m so thankful for the daily laughs and stress relief you brought me every week of the year.”

He then thanks specific teammates, including receiver Randall Cobb and tackle David Bakhtiari. “I loved every moment we got to spend together this year,” Rodgers says. “Your love and support was overwhelming, and I cherish the friendships I have with each of you.”

He then addresses “past and current” teammates more broadly. “You are the icing on the beautiful cake we call our job; football,” he says. “The friendships that we have will transcend our collective time in this game and I am so thankful for the role that each of you have played in making my life that much better. I love you guys, and I cherish the memories we’ve made.”

He closes with a message “to everyone else”: “Spread love and gratitude you beautiful people, and read a book once in a while too while you’re at it. Love and peace.”

In isolation, it means nothing about his future. In the context of the decision he’s in the process of making, it could mean plenty. It can be interpreted as if he’s staying. It can be interpreted as if he’s going. Ultimately, it really doesn’t say much of anything about what comes next.

But it feels like a precursor to what comes next, given that he said 12 days ago he’ll take a couple of weeks and that his decision will come “pretty quick.”

Pretty quick apparently is coming pretty soon. Nothing in his message changes the timeline that he provided on February 10.

MINNESOTA

See CAROLINA for a tale about QB KIRK COUSINS.

DALLAS

The unanimous NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year says he was not at his best in 2021.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

From preseason through postseason, Micah Parsons’s rookie campaign was a phenomenal one.

In retrospect, it was all the more impressive considering the Dallas Cowboys linebacker’s recent revelation that he hyperextended his knee in a training camp practice with the Los Angeles Rams and was bothered by the ailment all season.

“It was at a point where I was like, ‘I’m in a position battle. I’m going against Jaylon (Smith). The first game is coming up soon.’ I was like, ‘This is the worst time for this to happen,'” said Parsons recently in an interview with Bleacher Report, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “It’s something that just kept lingering. When you hyperextend something, it needs rest. But I was like, ‘I can’t take no rest.’ The whole season I kept rehabbing, rehabbing, rehabbing so that way I could play in the games.”

The notion that Parsons was essentially rehabbing through such an outstanding 2021 season is mind-spinning.

CAROLINA

The Panthers are making a move on QB KIRK COUSINS.  Mike Florio ofProFootballTalk.com:

The quarterback carousel will soon be spinning. Before it happens (and as it happens), plenty of calls will be made between plenty of teams regarding plenty of possible transactions.

Here’s one that came out of the blue on Monday. Judd Zulgad of SKOR North reported, via Anthony Rizzuti of Yahoo.com, that the Panthers have called the Vikings about a potential trade for quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The Panthers are desperate to find a franchise quarterback, and they need to show a significant uptick in performance in 2022 to save the regime of coach Matt Rhule. Cousins, while not good enough in four seasons to take the Vikings beyond the divisional round, has generated solid performances. The Panthers, in recent years, have done worse.

Cousins has a fully-guaranteed salary of $35 million for 2022 and a cap number in Minnesota of $45 million. It’s the last year of his deal, and the franchise tag for 2023 would cost more than $60 million, given that Washington already has tagged him twice and that he’d be in line for a 44-percent raise over his 2022 cap number.

“They have gotten a call,” Zulgad said of the Vikings. “Now, from what I’ve heard, it went nowhere so far. But it’s interesting that the phone did ring . . . and on the other end of the line . . . the Carolina Panthers.”

The Vikings said that they don’t plan to trade Cousins as of now, per Zulgad. That could change, frankly, if the Vikings try to get Cousins to sign an extension that reduces his cap number and he resists. PFT has reported that Cousins plans to take a wait-and-see approach regarding his future, although the hiring of coach Kevin O’Connell is viewed as a positive.

Cousins reportedly refuses to take a pay cut, which shouldn’t be regarded as a surprise by anyone. His $35 million for 2022 is fully guaranteed. Why reduce it? If he’s cut, he still gets every penny.

Since parting ways with Cam Newton two years ago, the Panthers have cycled through Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold. The Panthers owe Darnold $18.8 million fully guaranteed for 2022.

Plenty of Vikings fans would like to move on from Cousins. Until there’s a better option on board, however, trading Cousins entails significant risk.

SAN FRANCISCO

Like the DB, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com thinks QB TOM BRADY could join the 49ers.  In fact, Florio goes one or two steps forward and thinks it will happen.

Let me say it here. I think Tom Brady will play for the 49ers in 2022.

I don’t know that he will. I’m not predicting that he will. But I have a feeling that he will. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. If he does, many will be surprised. I won’t be.

It shouldn’t really surprise anyone. What have we heard over and over regarding Brady’s football career? What more does he have to prove? Nothing. But he has never played for the team he grew up rooting for. And that team — the 49ers — has a Super Bowl-ready roster. Just add quarterback.

Jimmy Garoppolo presided over a blown 10-point, fourth-quarter lead in the Super Bowl two years ago. He then presided over a blown 10-point, fourth-quarter lead in the NFC Championship 22 days ago. Rookie Trey Lance may or may not be ready to.

So why not spend a year with Brady? The 49ers were his first choice when he became a free agent in 2020, but the 49ers said, “No thanks.” They surely regret it. Now, they may have a chance to rectify it.

It won’t be easy. The Buccaneers hold Brady’s rights. But if Brady wants out, would they deny him that opportunity? He delivered a Super Bowl win. He filled the stadium in 2021. He signed an extension last year for cap reasons. Would they tell him “tough crap” if he asked to be traded or released?

For now, he’s retired. Even though he never used the word. And even though he said, “Never say never.”

Here’s the reality. If Brady doesn’t join the 49ers now, he never will. So, yes, I’ve got a feeling he wants to do it and that, by Week One, he will.

This from another veteran scribe with plenty of sources: Mike Sando of The Athletic:

Mike Sando, national NFL reporter: I’m interested in whether Tom Brady wants to play for the 49ers and whether anything could be worked out for that to happen on a one-year basis. Perhaps he is finished, but if there is one bucket-list item for him remaining, it’s probably playing for the team he always wanted to play for but never did. His never-say-never comment could indicate a willingness to play only if the situation is absolutely perfect. I don’t think Tampa was that situation any longer. San Francisco could be, and it helps having his agent also represent Jimmy Garoppolo.

On the other hand, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic sees a more conventional outcome:

I am not predicting the Levi’s Stadium arrival of Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers any time soon.

The 49ers have tons of talent and also are trying to extend their window of contention or even open up a new one with the Lance era. Things don’t get much simpler than that for the potential architecture of an NFL offseason. Lynch and Shanahan are going into their sixth season in charge of this franchise. They don’t have this or next year’s first-round picks to use or trade. They (probably) aren’t looking for a new QB1. They have a defense that’s good enough to get to the Super Bowl. They have superstars on both sides of the ball. They pay market rate or more for their own important players and don’t often splurge on other players in the free-agent market.

So it shouldn’t be a terribly complicated offseason for the 49ers.

However … Lynch and Shanahan have pulled off several major surprises in the last few years, from trading DeForest Buckner to acquiring Trent Williams to, of course, the mega-trade to get in place to draft Lance last year.

You’ve felt it and heard it the last few years, from ESPN’s talk shows to random social media gossip to speculative aggregation that racks up the clicks: The 49ers are a team in the deal flow/rumor mill these days. And for the most part, I think they like it. Shanahan and Lynch aren’t afraid to consider everything, big-name players are interested in coming here, the 49ers can rightly be seen as one or two pieces away from a Super Bowl title and, until Lance establishes himself, there’s a bit of a question mark at QB.

That puts almost all possibilities on the table this offseason and makes it a little trickier to predict what will happen over the next few months. But as is my annual tradition, I still am going to try. You can save this column and mock me as the events actually occur, but I actually did OK on my offseason predictions last year, of course with some obvious errors.

Here’s my annual very important point:

These are predictions, not suggestions. I’m not saying what Shanahan and Lynch should do. (I do that in other columns at other times and I do this frequently.) In this column, I am weighing everything we know about this team, everything Shanahan and Lynch have done in past offseasons and everything that is happening around the league — and distilling it into a few guesses.

With that hopefully clear, here we go …

Prediction 1: The Garoppolo trade will be agreed to and reported by the end of this month

Yes, I know teams can’t officially make trades until the new league year starts on March 16. Yes, it’s possible that the QB market will remain unclear for weeks while needy teams figure out what’s going on with Rodgers and Russell Wilson and monitor the Deshaun Watson situation.

But I believe the 49ers and Garoppolo both are interested in clearing the decks relatively quickly. Lynch and Shanahan will want maximum value for Garoppolo, which might extend trade negotiations, but I think they’re aware a bidding war is unlikely; they have to understand that an extra delay could make it seem like they’re hesitant to fully anoint Lance. And I don’t think they’re hesitant on this, actually.

Also, the 49ers want to do right by Garoppolo and that means sending him somewhere he wants to go and not taking so long that all of the good spots are already taken. When the 49ers traded Alex Smith to the Chiefs in the 2013 offseason, after Colin Kaepernick took the team to the previous Super Bowl, they agreed to the deal in late February. Back then, the 49ers wanted to do right by Smith, and they wanted zero confusion about Kaepernick as their starter. Once the Chiefs met the trade price, the deal was done and all sides could move forward.

I think something very similar will happen with the 49ers and Garoppolo, and it could happen pretty soon, though it can’t be official until mid-March.

Prediction 2: The 49ers will trade Garoppolo to Pittsburgh for a fourth-round pick this year and a conditional fourth-round pick next year that could slide up to a second-rounder

I’ve already made this prediction a few times, so I won’t get into the details here. Other than: While I can guess that several teams will be interested in acquiring Garoppolo, I don’t think any of them will plan for him as the long-term franchise QB. Which will limit his trade value.

At 30, with his injury history and given his occasionally hard-to-define worth, I think Garoppolo is likely to be viewed this cycle as a very good placeholder QB. An elite bridge guy, slightly above the Ryan Fitzpatrick level and solidly above the Teddy Bridgewater/Andy Dalton level. But not as a franchise-changer. You can obviously get to the playoffs with Garoppolo, if he stays healthy. But you might not be entirely comfortable with him all along the way.

That means he’s best for a good team that just needs adequate-to-good QB play and real leadership for a year or two while it maneuvers for the QB of the future. And while Garoppolo will want more than that, I think a couple of years on a credible playoff team would be a very good situation for him.

That also means that I doubt anybody will be dangling a first-round or maybe even a second- or third-round pick in this year’s draft for Garoppolo. That’s how you get your future QB, not what you burn for a very good placeholder. I think the 49ers would do well if they got a fourth-rounder this year (to add to their stock of nine picks accumulated so far) plus a conditional pick that could move up to a second-rounder if Garoppolo plays 75 percent of the snaps and the Steelers get to the playoffs next year.

If Lynch and Shanahan do better than that, I will tip my hat to them. If they do worse, I’ll shake my head at my own bullishness

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Liam Coen, from the University of Kentucky, earns the coveted spot as Sean McVay’s number one offensive aid – a spot that has already landed Zac Taylor and Kevin O’Connell head coaching gigs.  And veteran coach Greg Olson also gets a spot.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Sean McVay is not wasting time finding replacements for his coaching staff.

The Rams are expected to hire University of Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen to replace the departed Kevin O’Connell as OC, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday. O’Connell left the Rams to become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings last week.

Former Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson is expected to return to the Rams as a senior offensive assistant, per Rapoport.

The two additions are reunions for the assistants. Olson served as quarterbacks coach under McVay in Los Angeles in 2017 before moving on in 2018, while Coen was an assistant receivers coach and assistant quarterbacks coach with the Rams before he left for Kentucky in 2021.

Coen joins Los Angeles with big shoes to fill. The Rams enter 2022 as the reigning Super Bowl champions who bid their offensive coordinator adieu only after mounting a late comeback to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium.

Coen will not lack talented playmakers with his new team. The former Wildcats coordinator has a veteran quarterback in Matthew Stafford and Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player Cooper Kupp to work with, as well as Robert Woods, Van Jefferson and a backfield that includes Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson.

With O’Connell as offensive coordinator, the Rams finished ninth in total offense in 2021, ranking fifth in passing while struggling on the ground for much of the season, leading to a 25th-place regular-season finish in rushing. Those issues carried over into Super Bowl LVI, which the Rams won despite averaging less than 2 yards per carry in the game.

A former collegiate quarterback, Coen will find a kindred spirit in Stafford. His greatest challenge will be reviving the Rams’ rushing attack, which saw bursts of productivity during Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak late in the 2021 campaign, but will hope to be better in 2022 with the hopes of repeating as champions.

We would note that Olson took over sole proprietorship of the Raiders offense after Jon Gruden was fired – and Las Vegas seemed to do well.

The big year for Coen was 2018 when he jumped from the University of Maine, where he was OC, to the Rams.  A Rhode Island native who played at UMass, he also has coaching stops at several other New England schools.  He’s 35 years old.

LAS VEGAS

Rookie coach most likely to succeed in 2022?  Four veteran scribes at The Athletic basically have the same answer:

New head coaching hire who’s in the best position to succeed?

Graham: Nine new head coaches, or 28% of the league. SOMEBODY has to work out, right? I’m going to eliminate two choices off the top just because the organizations are vomitous: Miami and Houston. Let’s make it three with Jacksonville because, although I respect Doug Pederson, I have zero faith the front office’s poor judgment will flip overnight and proper decisions will be made around him. Quarterback questions with the Giants, Bears, Broncos and Saints don’t give me high immediate hopes for them, although Aaron Rodgers can transform any one of them. As it stands, give me Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas with a veteran quarterback and a team that went to the playoffs despite so much turmoil.

Howe: McDaniels has the most proven quarterback of the nine new coaches, and I think he’ll get the best out of Derek Carr. The roster is in decent enough shape, too, coming off a playoff appearance, and McDaniels will work in lockstep with new Vegas GM (and former director of Patriots player personnel) Dave Ziegler to sort through the remaining holes. The stability at the most important position and the instant, effortless trust with the front office give McDaniels an early advantage.

Pompei: It’s a coin flip between Doug Pederson and McDaniels. With some solid offseason acquisitions and the continued development of Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars could be ready to ascend. Pederson is the right coach to make that happen. The Raiders have some talent, and I think McDaniels is going to kill it in his second chance at being a head coach.

Sando: I’ll lean toward McDaniels with the Raiders for the reasons stated above, but Minnesota is worth a mention as well. Kirk Cousins is an established player who should function effectively in the offense Kevin O’Connell installs there. The team has talent. And, unlike McDaniels, O’Connell is landing in a mediocre division.

CINCINNATI

S RICARDO ALLEN has called it a career.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

Following seven years with the Atlanta Falcons and a campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals, defensive back Ricardo Allen is calling it a career.

The Bengals safety announced his retirement Sunday via Instagram.

“I’ve always wondered how it would feel giving up what most people would consider to be ‘most of me’, and that’s being a professional athlete. But, the truth is, I’m blessed to be able to say that it’s been good. It could have been better with two Super Bowl rings, but who’s complaining? Not me,” his post read in part. “Dear, football career. I’m grateful for you, and I’m thankful for the opportunity you gave me to turn nothing but hard work into the foundation of a growing legacy. You’ve shown me it’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish.”

Allen, 30, finished his career playing in his second Super Bowl, which saw his Bengals lose to the Rams, 23-20.

PITTSBURGH

Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com thinks DL STEPHON TUITT is still in play for Pittsburgh:

The Steelers played without veteran defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt in 2021, but they haven’t wiped him off their books for 2022.

Tuitt went on injured reserve ahead of the season opener because of a knee injury and never came off the list during the regular season. The injury came after a tough offseason for Tuitt as his brother was killed in a hit-and-run in June.

On Monday, Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said at a press conference that the team is “very open” to having Tuitt back for next season. He had 246 tackles, 34.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and an interception in his first seven seasons with the team.

Tuitt is signed through 2022 and has a base salary of more than $9 million. His cap hit is over $13.975 after a restructuring last year pushed more of a cap hit into this season.

– – –

Could the Steelers just hand over the QB reins to back-up MASON RUDOLPH?  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

With the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback job is officially up for grabs.

On Monday, outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert gave former backup Mason Rudolph a vote of confidence.

“If we started a season today, Mason would be our starter, and we’re excited to see where that can go,” Colbert said in his annual availability with local media prior to the NFL Combine. “Mason’s 5-4-1 as an NFL starter, albeit in a backup kind of role, but we’re excited to see what is next for Mason.”

Rudolph started one game for the Steelers in 2021, an 11th-hour decision after Roethlisberger tested positive for COVID-19 a day before the Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions. Rudolph completed 30 of 50 attempts for 242 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a game that finished in a tie. In 2019, Rudolph started eight games after Roethlisberger’s season-ending elbow injury. It was a tumultuous season for the then-second-year quarterback, and he finished completing 62 percent of his attempts with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

But the Steelers invested in Rudolph’s development, hiring Matt Canada as quarterbacks coach for the following season. And after Canada was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021, the team brought in respected quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan to work with the group.

“I’m comfortable that Mason has won more games than he’s lost as a starter,” Colbert said. “Where that can go, we’ll see. To be an NFL starter that you can win with, you gotta prove it over 16 games. I’m anxious to see that, if that’s the case.”

Rudolph, who is entering his fifth year with the organization, is the only quarterback on the roster currently under contract for the 2022 season, but Colbert added that he expects the team will tender former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins, who spent most of 2021 as the scout team quarterback.

“We’re excited to see what Dwayne can provide either from competition, or maybe he evolves as a starter,” Colbert said.

But the Steelers aren’t stopping there.

“We know we’re going to add to the position,” Colbert said. “I can’t tell you how, but at this point we will go to camp with four.”

With two quarterback spots seemingly up for grabs, Colbert, Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin have discussed every possible avenue for adding to the group. The team could select a quarterback with their No. 20 overall pick, or they could explore free agency and the trade market.

“The draft class of quarterbacks, there’s good quality available — probably not as many as there have been in recent years, but it is what it is,” Colbert said.

The Steelers got a good look at some of those prospects at the Senior Bowl, including Liberty’s Malik Willis and North Carolina’s Sam Howell. Colbert has also kept an eye on Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett, having a front row seat to his Heisman-finalist season from the facilities the Steelers and Pitt share.

“This group, there’s good players in it,” Colbert said. “And there’s good players that all have a different skill set. That’s what was really unique about watching them compete at the Senior Bowl because the majority of them were there, and they’re all different. I know some of them will be starting quarterbacks, winning quarterbacks, and that’s exciting.”

Colbert’s — and the team’s — top priority this offseason is finding a post-Roethlisberger plan at quarterback, but the Steelers also have to replace Colbert. The longtime general manager is stepping aside after April’s NFL Draft. Colbert told Tomlin and Rooney II that 2021 was going to be his last season as general manager in May 2021, but he may stay around the organization in another role, he said.

“It’s time, I think from a personal standpoint and I think it’s time from a professional standpoint,” Colbert said. “We always have to be open to new ways to do things and more current ways to do things, quite honestly. And I encourage our younger scouts to push me in that regard, but the better solution may be outside the organization. We don’t know, but I just think from a personal side, for sure, it’s time, but even from a professional side, we have to be open to trying to stay ahead of the game.”

To find his replacement, Colbert is interviewing candidates along with Rooney II. The first round of interviews will be conducted by early March, with the second round expected to be completed after the NFL Draft. Tomlin is involved in the process now, but Colbert said the head coach will have an even greater role in determining the next general manager after the draft.

So far, the Steelers have interviewed seven external candidates for the position along with two internal possibilities in Omar Khan and Brandon Hunt.

HOUSTON

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on the current state of play for QB DESHAUN WATSON, a key member of the NFL’s 2022 quarterback carousel.

The coaching carousel officially has stopped. The quarterback carousel hasn’t officially started.

At least not publicly. Behind the scenes, the wheels surely are in motion. Teams are talking to other teams about possible deals that can be done. Agents are having hypothetical conversations with those who may want to acquire a veteran player. Eventually (and possibly starting with the decision made by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers), things will start moving.

At some point, the Texans and quarterback Deshaun Watson will part ways. The stakes are too high this year. Watson has a fully-guaranteed salary of $35 million. The Texans surely won’t want to pay that amount to someone who isn’t playing, after paying him $10 million to not play in 2021.

But who will trade for Watson while he still is facing legal jeopardy on two fronts? The criminal complaints have yet to be resolved by a grand jury; a decision was expected by the end of January. The 22 civil cases are still pending.

The Dolphins would have traded for Watson in 2021 if the 22 lawsuits had been settled. Ultimately only 18 could have been resolved. The Panthers would have traded for Watson with the criminal and civil matters pending. Watson, however, didn’t want to play for the Panthers.

Currently, there are many factors at play. Which teams would Watson play for? Of those teams, which ones want him? Are they willing to do a deal without full resolution of his legal situation? Can they also work out an acceptable agreement with the Texans? What happens with Watson’s contract?

To get this done, something has to give. Ultimately, it may be Houston. Between the no-trade clause, the $35 million salary, the still-unsettled legal issues, and a full year of inactivity from Watson, Houston’s leverage isn’t getting better — it’s getting worse. And if potentially interested teams in which Watson would be interested begin making other arrangements, it becomes harder not easier for the Texans to get whatever they want.

At a certain point, the Texans may have to simply declare victory and take whatever they can get. Even if it’s a lot less than they could have gotten a year ago.

THIS AND THAT

2022 DRAFT

This from Daniel Jeremiah:

@MoveTheSticks

Working on another mock draft. I can’t recall a year with so little clarity, starting with the first overall pick.

While Jeremiah is working on his Mock, here is one from his NFL.com colleague Chad Reuter.  He has no less than five of this year’s unheralded QBs still going in Round 1.

The 2022 National Football League Player Selection Meeting, otherwise known as the NFL draft, is less than three months away.

It feels like just last week that five quarterbacks were selected in the top half of the first round of the 2021 draft, with Trevor Lawrence going first overall to the Jaguars.

My initial projection for the first three rounds of the 2022 draft comes with an optimistic outlook for where this year’s top signal-callers will be picked. I was similarly optimistic last year, projecting the “fab five” to be gone by Pick No. 14 in my first mock draft.

There is an argument to be made that this year’s crop of quarterbacks is not as talented as the 2021 group. One or two of the five passers listed in the first round of this mock might not go in Round 1. We’ll see how evaluations of the prospects take shape in the coming weeks.

1 Jacksonville Jaguars

Evan Neal    Alabama · OT · Junior

Neal’s athleticism will shine at the NFL Scouting Combine, adding another feather in his cap after he excelled at three positions (left guard as a freshman, right tackle in 2020, left tackle in 2021) in three years at Alabama. The Jaguars could select one of the top pass rushers, but franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence needs to be protected.

2 Detroit Lions

Aidan Hutchinson   Michigan · Edge · Senior

Keeping the winner of the 2021 Ted Hendricks (top DE) and Lombardi (top lineman) Awards in Michigan will, of course, help the team’s pass rush. Hutchinson’s toughness against the run and football intelligence, however, also played big roles in making him the Heisman Trophy runner-up and a top-five prospect.

3  Carolina Panthers (projected trade with Houston)

Malik Willis     Liberty · QB · Senior (RS)

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule’s search for a QB1 continues and, in this scenario, Carolina trades up for the playmaking Willis despite sending valuable draft picks to the Jets for Sam Darnold a year ago.

4  New York Jets

Kyle Hamilton    Notre Dame · S · Junior

Hamilton missed the final six games of last season due to a knee injury, but that shouldn’t be an issue as long as his medical exams check out. The former Irish star’s height, agility and ball skills remind me of the Bengals’ Jessie Bates.

5  New York Giants

Ickey Ekwonu     N.C. State · OT · Junior

Ekwonu is a wide-bodied stud who has lighter feet than you’d expect for someone with his girth. The Giants could play him at guard or tackle.

6  Houston Texans (projected trade with Carolina)

Kayvon Thibodeaux    Oregon · Edge · Junior

If the Texans believe Davis Mills is as good as any of the quarterbacks available in this draft, then perhaps they’ll accept a trade offer. In this case, the Panthers send their 2023 first-rounder and a fourth-round selection to Houston to move up. The Texans are still able to secure much-needed defensive help in the form of a difference-making edge rusher.

7  New York Giants (from Bears)

Devin Lloyd    Utah · LB · Senior (RS)

Lloyd steps into the middle of the Giants’ defense, providing run-stopping ability but also the athleticism to work in coverage and attack the passer. He showed some potential to affect games as a pass rusher like Dallas Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons did last fall when given the chance.

8  Atlanta Falcons

David Ojabo   Michigan · Edge · Sophomore (RS)

Ojabo is just scratching the surface of his potential as a pass rusher, but he’s not so raw that he can’t make an impact as a rookie.

9  Denver Broncos

Kenny Pickett    Pittsburgh · QB · Senior (RS)

Pickett’s double-jointed thumb should not distract people from his ability to lead an offense. The Broncos will appreciate his underrated athleticism and competitive nature.

10  Pittsburgh Steelers (projected trade with Jets, from Seattle)

Sam Howell    North Carolina · QB · Junior

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is stepping down after the draft. I suspect he’ll make his best effort to acquire the team’s future starting QB before he departs. Trading up for Howell would cost the Steelers their 2023 first-round pick and one of their third-rounders this year. Howell’s production was down in 2021, but he showed the same leadership, arm strength and gumption during the Senior Bowl that was on display over the past three years at North Carolina.

11 Washington Commanders

Matt Corral     Mississippi · QB · Junior (RS)

Washington selects Corral to be the team’s future at the position. The Ole Miss product’s arm strength and athleticism give him a chance to become an excellent NFL QB.

12   Minnesota Vikings

Derek Stingley Jr.    LSU · CB · Junior

Stingley’s instincts and ball skills would be welcomed in the Vikings’ secondary. After missing all but the first three games of last season due to injury, Stingley will need to use the NFL Scouting Combine to display the strong hands and short-area quickness needed to be a stopper on the outside.

13  Cleveland Browns

Treylon Burks    Arkansas · WR · Junior

Burks is a big-bodied receiver (listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds) with excellent open-field agility that Baker Mayfield will lean on as the former Razorbacks star acclimates to the pro game.

14   Baltimore Ravens

Trevor Penning    Northern Iowa · OT · Senior (RS)

The Ravens could play Penning at either tackle spot, and the FCS All-American will have fun coming off the ball with bad intentions in the team’s running game.

15  New Orleans Saints (projected trade with Philadelphia)

Charles Cross       Mississippi State · OT · Sophomore (RS)

Cross is an athletic and technically sound pass protector who should be picked earlier than 15th overall. However, we’ve seen some talented tackles fall into the middle of the first round in the past. If the Saints are unable to re-sign pending free agent Terron Armstead, Cross is a natural fit for them at left tackle.

16  Philadelphia Eagles  (from Miami)

George Karlaftis      Purdue · Edge · Junior

Karlaftis uses his hands as well as any player in this draft. His motor and strength on the outside could lead a team to select him earlier than 16th. The Eagles, who have a definite need for a pass rusher, would be thrilled to see him waiting to be selected in the middle of the round.

17  Los Angeles Chargers

Jordan Davis     Georgia · DT · Senior

The Chargers get their new nose tackle in Davis, who moves smaller offensive linemen out of his path and possesses better quickness to attack gaps than expected, given his 6-6, 340-pound frame.

18   Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis)

Sauce Gardner

Cincinnati · CB · Junior

Sauce could be the first corner off the board, but Stingley’s athleticism gives him the edge in this scenario. The Eagles get a fine cover corner midway through the first round, and pick up a late third-round pick from the Saints in the process.

19   Philadelphia Eagles

Tyler Linderbaum     Iowa · C · Junior (RS)

If Jason Kelce does not return for 2022, Linderbaum would make for an excellent replacement. The Iowa product could easily be selected a bit earlier, given his quickness, strong grip and knowledge of the game.

20  New York Jets (projected trade with Pittsburgh)

Drake London    USC · WR · Junior

London’s ankle injury won’t dissuade teams from picking him early in the draft. Last year’s second-round pick, Eljiah Moore, could do a lot of damage in the slot with the tall, agile London and a healthy Corey Davis on the outside for the Jets.

21    Green Bay Packers (projected traded with New England)

Jermaine Johnson II    Florida State · Edge · Senior (RS)

With Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith looming as potential cap casualties, the Packers might need a powerful edge player to complement Rashan Gary. Johnson fits that bill. Trading up for him will cost Green Bay two fourth-round picks (the team could pick up a compensatory fourth-rounder for the loss of Corey Linsley).

22   Las Vegas Raiders

Jameson Williams     Alabama · WR · Junior

Williams is fresh off a torn ACL, but considering how quickly players come back from this injury — as well as this particular wideout’s elite speed and playmaking ability — I suspect he won’t make it past Vegas as long as he shows promising progress before the draft. The team might pick up a veteran deep threat, as well, but Williams’ value is too strong to ignore.

23  Arizona Cardinals

Trent McDuffie    Washington · CB · Junior

McDuffie might not be the biggest or fastest corner in this class, but his physicality and sound coverage technique could land him in the top 20. If McDuffie’s still available here, the Cardinals should snap him up.

24  Dallas Cowboys

Garrett Wilson   Ohio State · WR · Junior

With uncertainty about Amari Cooper’s future and the pending free agency of Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson, the Cowboys could be in need of help for CeeDee Lamb on the outside. Wilson’s body control and footwork in the open field will certainly intrigue owner Jerry Jones.

25  Buffalo Bills

Andrew Booth  Clemson · CB · Junior

Levi Wallace is a pending free agent and Tre’Davious White is coming off an injury, so grabbing an athletic, NFL-sized corner like Booth is an easy projection.

26    Tennessee Titans

Nakobe Dean        Georgia · LB · Junior

With Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans due to reach free agency, finding a bargain like Dean available here is a bonus. If the former Georgia linebacker outperforms expectations at the NFL Scouting Combine, he will be long gone by this pick.

27  Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Zion Johnson        Boston College · C · Senior

The Bucs could lose erstwhile veteran center Ryan Jensen in free agency. Johnson proved at the Senior Bowl that he could make the move to the pivot without an issue, showing his pure strength and intelligence. His experience at left tackle and guard will help him become a leader on the line in no time.

28   New England Patriots (projected trade with Green Bay)

George Pickens    Georgia · WR · Junior

Pickens has an elite skill set as an outside playmaker and proved his work ethic coming back from a torn ACL in the spring to be a factor in the late stages of the Bulldogs’ title run. He’s worth the investment at this point of the first round.

29 New York Jets (projected trade with Miami, from San Francisco)

Drake Jackson    USC · Edge · Junior

Jackson’s length and bend off the edge will intrigue NFL scouts, and the Jets will be looking for a pass rusher if they select Hamilton with their top pick. The trade-up costs general manager Joe Douglas the fourth-round pick his team received from the Panthers in the Sam Darnold deal.

30  Kansas City Chiefs

Kaiir Elam           Florida · CB · Junior

If the Chiefs are able to re-sign safety Tyrann Mathieu, they could look to replace potential free-agent losses Charvarius Ward and Mike Hughes with a competitive, physical corner like Elam, whose uncle, Matt, was picked 32nd overall by the Ravens in 2013.

31  Cincinnati Bengals

Devonte Wyatt                   Georgia · DT · Senior

Larry Ogunjobi and B.J. Hill are both scheduled to hit free agency. I couldn’t help but notice Wyatt’s power and explosiveness from the three-technique spot during Senior Bowl week, as well as his major contributions for Georgia’s prospect-laden defense.

32   Detroit Lions (from Rams)

Desmond Ridder    Cincinnati · QB · Senior (RS)

In my opinion, Ridder played well enough for the Bearcats and at the Senior Bowl to earn a top-50 grade. The Lions could select Ridder to eventually take over for Jared Goff, or they could trade this pick to a different team looking to land a future starting QB whose contract will include a fifth-year option.

Here is Reuter’s second round:

33  Jacksonville Jaguars                        Jahan Dotson          Penn State · WR · Senior

34    Detroit Lions                                   Dax Hill                    Michigan · S · Junior

35    Miami Dolphins                              Kenyon Green         Texas A&M · OG · Junior

PROJECTED TRADE WITH JETS

36    New York Giants                           Trey McBride            Colorado State · TE · Senior                

37    Houston Texans                            Breece Hall               Iowa State · RB · Junior

38    New York Jets (via Carolina)        Roger McCreary       Auburn · CB · Senior

39    Chicago Bears                             Chris Olave                Ohio State · WR · Senior

40     Denver Broncos                         Nik Bonitto                  Oklahoma · Edge · Junior (RS)

41     Seattle Seahawks                      Perrion Winfrey            Oklahoma · DT · Senior

42     Washington Commanders          Lewis Cine                  Georgia · S · Junior

43     Atlanta Falcons                          Justyn Ross                Clemson · WR · Junior (RS)

44      Cleveland Browns                     Arnold Ebiketie          Penn State · Edge · Senior (RS)

45      Baltimore Ravens                    Travon Walker             Georgia · DT · Junior

46     Minnesota Vikings                    Damone Clark             LSU · LB · Senior

47     Indianapolis Colts                     Kyler Gordon               Washington · CB · Junior (RS)

48     Los Angeles Chargers             Jalen Wydermyer        Texas A&M · TE · Junior

49     New Orleans Saints                 Jaquan Brisker            Penn State · S · Senior

50     Miami Dolphins                        Isaiah Spiller               Texas A&M · RB · Junior

51     Philadelphia Eagles                Jalen Pitre                    Baylor · S · Senior (RS)

52     Pittsburgh Steelers                  Darian Kinnard              Kentucky · OT · Senior

53     Las Vegas Raiders                  Travis Jones                Connecticut · DT · Senior

54    New England Patriots               Tariq Woolen               Texas-San Antonio · CB · Senior (RS)

55     Arizona Cardinals                     Kenny Walker III          Michigan State · RB · Junior

56      Dallas Cowboys                     Joshua Ezeudu              North Carolina · OG · Junior (RS)

57     Buffalo Bills                             Cameron Thomas          San Diego State · Edge · Junior (RS)

58      Atlanta Falcons (from Ten)     Carson Strong             Nevada · QB · Junior (RS)

59     Green Bay Packers                 Quay Walker              Georgia · LB · Senior

60     Tampa Bay Buccaneers          Logan Hall                   Houston · DT · Senior

61     San Francisco 49ers               Tariq Castro-Fields      Penn State · CB · Senior

62     Kansas City Chiefs                 Bernhard Raimann        Central Michigan · OT · Senior

63     Cincinnati Bengals                  Max Mitchell                  Louisiana · OT · Senior

64    Denver Broncos (from Rams)  Channing Tindall          Georgia   LB Senior