The Daily Briefing Tuesday, February 28, 2023

DEREK CARR

QB DEREK CARR is going to Indianapolis to renew discussions about future employment. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Word on Monday night was that free agent quarterback Derek Carr will meet with a handful of teams at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week and he’s familiar with a couple of those teams already.

Carr has already visitied with the Saints and Jets and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that he will be meeting with both of those teams again. Carr is also reportedly going to meet with the Panthers and could add other teams to the list.

Panthers head coach Frank Reich said last week that the team was “really not ready” to say if a meeting with Carr was in the cards, but there is a clear need for a quarterback in Carolina.

Carr’s brother said last week that the free agent process will be a long one and the wait for word about Aaron Rodgers‘ plans may be tied to any developments that will take place with Carr’s own search for a new place to play in 2023.

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com on Bears GM Ryan Poles and his hard-earned first overall pick:

Mike Tannenbaum has a good idea of what Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles is about to experience at the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Tannenbaum, now an ESPN analyst, was the GM of the New York Jets in February 2006 when he spotted Houston Texans GM Charley Casserly in the airport on their way to the combine. That year, Houston owned the No. 1 overall pick while the Jets were drafting No. 4.

Throughout the 2006 offseason and up until the eve of the draft, USC running back Reggie Bush was widely expected to go No. 1 overall. There was only one problem. Houston wasn’t comfortable with drafting the Heisman Trophy-winning running back at that spot in the years before the NFL implemented a rookie wage scale.

“Charlie goes, ‘We’d really like to move back to four, would you be interested in the first pick overall?'” Tannenbaum recalled. “I was half joking — ‘Sure, Charlie, what else would you give us to move up from four to one?'”

“He goes, ‘We really don’t want to draft [Bush] first overall.’ I said, ‘Yep, neither do we,'” Tannenbaum laughed.

These candid conversations between general managers and the information gathering that takes place between interviews with draft prospects, meetings with player agents and informal talks with fellow team personnel is commonplace when the entire NFL world converges on Indianapolis.

Poles will be in high demand at the combine this week, with the offseason effectively running through Chicago. Not only do the Bears own the No. 1 overall pick in a year when anywhere from eight to 12 teams could be looking to make a switch at quarterback, Chicago also has approximately $100 million in salary cap space to utilize in free agency.

While Poles will undoubtedly be engaged in conversations with other teams, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday the Bears are leaning toward trading the pick, it’s not as if Poles will have time to hold court at St. Elmo Steak House and field proposals.

“He would not do that,” former New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller said. “You have so much on your plate with your own team and own team’s scheduling that there’s just not time for that.”

Poles has maintained a steady hand in his approach to upgrading the Bears roster. In January, he reaffirmed his commitment to quarterback Justin Fields, whom the Bears drafted No. 11 overall in 2021, and said he would have to be “blown away” to draft a QB prospect in April. Alabama’s Bryce Young is expected to be the first quarterback taken.

That intel could give other teams leverage in what they’d offer for the No. 1 overall pick. And if Poles isn’t keen on what the Bears would receive in exchange, he could opt to stay put.

“We have flexibility where if there’s opportunities where if we can turn that into a lot of players that come in and help us, we can do that,” Poles said. “If it’s staying put or really being selective with certain people, we can do that as well. I know my expectation, our expectation, is that we move the needle to be more successful. We can win some of these close games and bring in guys that can impact this football team.”

Should the Bears be actively looking to move back from No. 1, when would conversations regarding a trade partner start?

Since the AFL/NFL merger in 1967, the No. 1 pick has been traded 12 times before the start of the draft. It last happened in 2016 when the Los Angeles Rams moved from No. 15 to No. 1 two weeks before selecting quarterback Jared Goff out of Cal. It was only the second time in the last 22 years that the No. 1 pick changed hands before the draft (the Atlanta Falcons moved up from No. 2 to draft Michael Vick first overall in 2001).

In each of the last two seasons, there has been a dramatic shift to the draft order weeks before the draft takes place. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Saints shook up the order in the first round on April 4, 2022, with New Orleans receiving two first-round picks (No. 16 and No. 19) and a sixth-rounder, while the Eagles got No. 18, which they eventually traded to the Tennessee Titans in a package for wide receiver A.J. Brown and a haul of other picks. On March 26, 2021, the Dolphins made two trades that began with swapping first-round picks with the San Francisco 49ers, which the 49ers used to draft quarterback Trey Lance before trading multiple picks with the Eagles.

These trades didn’t come together the morning they were announced. The combine and other offseason events were the breeding ground for candid conversations to gauge interest.

In January 1997, Mueller, then the vice president of football operations for the Seattle Seahawks, sat down with former Bears chairman Michael McCaskey and general manager Rod Graves at the East-West Shrine Game. Over a sandwich, the three discussed quarterback Rick Mirer, who was traded from Seattle to Chicago a month later.

In 2009, the Jets traded up from No. 17 to No. 5 to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez. From January’s Senior Bowl to the combine in late February, Tannenbaum tried to gauge where he could find a trade partner.

“It was super informal,” Tannenbaum said. “I would pop in and out of other teams’ suites [at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, where combine workouts took place]. That year, Detroit had the No. 1 pick, and they weren’t budging off [Matthew] Stafford. You really want to start getting a sense of the landscape where, OK, we’re at 17, what’s realistic? How high can we go?”

After months of maneuvering, the Jets then pulled off their 12-spot jump while on the clock in the first round of the draft.

Poles’ first combine experience with the Bears was spent preparing to let over 20 players from the 2021 squad walk in free agency, which included meetings with those players’ agents. His first major move as Chicago’s GM came less than two weeks after returning from Indianapolis when he traded edge rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for two draft picks.

Until the dust settles from free agency, it’s premature to project whether Poles will come away with a trade partner for the No. 1 overall pick. Quarterback-needy teams that fail to land veteran QBs such as Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, and potentially Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson should they become available, could be looking more closely at trading up for the top pick.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of draft strategy talk [at the combine],” Mueller said. “You’re gathering information on individual players who are in the draft pool and you’re spending every minute outside of that gathering information from agents who are in free agency.”

What’s more likely to come directly from the combine are trades involving players. Days after the combine wrapped up in 2010, Tannenbaum acquired cornerback Antonio Cromartie from the San Diego Chargers in a trade. Often when teams are looking to trade a player, contract guarantees that are often triggered at the start of the new league year in March lead to a sense of urgency.

The idea of trading Fields has sparked rampant external discussion the last few months. That discussion will likely fuel rumors that permeate the halls of the J.W. Marriott and Indianapolis Convention Center, and Poles is in prime position to either fuel that speculation, squash it or send messages through the media to create more leverage for the Bears surrounding the top pick.

“That time period can be used as a tool for GMs to send messages or shots across the bow,” Mueller said of the combine. “But the actual conversations, really the meat and potatoes of it, probably happened already and then they’ll conclude after.”

After failing to find a trade partner for the No. 1 pick in 2006, Casserly ended up selecting defensive end Mario Williams first overall while Bush fell to the New Orleans Saints at No. 2. Tannenbaum and the Jets stayed at No. 4 and selected offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson.

Poles could find himself in a similar position if the offers he yields for the No. 1 pick don’t match what he feels is the right return. And staying in possession of the top pick means the Bears would have the entire draft board at their disposal and could select one of the top players in the draft, like Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter to fix a defense that ranked in the bottom five in 2022.

Either way, Poles won’t have much time to sort through the possibilities until he returns from the ensuing marathon in Indianapolis.

“It is a crazy exercise of multi-tasking for every GM,” Mueller said. “You’re juggling free agency, you’re juggling deals in your head, you’re juggling meetings with agents, you’re also trying to gather as much information on these individuals players in the draft because that’s the reason you’re there.”

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com on reports that the Cowboys will again play tag:

No teams have used a franchise tag yet this offseason and one team to watch leading up to the March 7 deadline is the Cowboys.

Dallas used the tag on tight end Dalton Schultz last year and did not reach a long-term deal with him before last season. That leaves Schults on track for unrestricted free agency along with running back Tony Pollard, who would be in line for a $10.1 million contract under the terms of the tag.

Tagging Schultz again would cost about $13 million and executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday that he expects someone to get the tag in the near future.

“We’re not afraid of the tag. End of the day we’ll probably use it again this year,” Jones said, via Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

With Ezekiel Elliott possibly on his way out, Pollard seems to be the likelier bet for a tag and we’ll know one way or another in a little more than a week.

NEW YORK GIANTS

The slow dance that might bring WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr. back to the Giants continues.  Sam Robinson of ProFootballRumors.com:

The Giants won their first playoff game in 11 years last month, but their wide receiver plan unraveled early in the season. The team’s hopeful top four options at the position going into the season were either injured, traded or nonfactors by the stretch run. As should be expected, outside help will be pursued this offseason.

This year’s wide receiver free agent market is not particularly flashy, which could lead to increased trade buzz. But the Giants should be expected to pick up where they left off with Odell Beckham Jr., Connor Hughes of SNY notes. The team did not view Beckham as being a realistic candidate to help last season, and the former Giant carried unrealistic price demands. This combination scuttled the Giants’ interest, and the other suitors backed off as well. But Beckham will be a factor in free agency.

Assuming Beckham has used the past few months to move closer to 100%, or around 80% of the version he was prior to his second ACL tear, Hughes expects the Giants to be in the mix until the end for a reunion. Beckham, 30, has expressed steady interest in his former team, as tweets during last season’s surprise playoff journey most recently showed, but he may not have the same interest if the Giants move on from both Sterling Shepard and Saquon Barkley. The two skill-position holdovers from Beckham’s Giants stay are free agency-bound, though the team has shown steady interest in keeping Barkley — so long as such a pursuit does not involve letting Daniel Jones walk.

The Cowboys and Rams are also expected to revisit a Beckham push. Considering this year’s underwhelming market, it will be interesting to see where teams will go to add OBJ. The eight-year veteran was last seen playing a major role in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win, but his second ACL tear crushed his 2022 market. He will join the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jakobi Meyers, Allen Lazard, DJ Chark and others on this year’s market.

Shepard joins Wan’Dale Robinson as Giants wideouts to have suffered major injuries in 2022 and joins Darius Slayton in being unattached for 2023. The Giants will also cut Kenny Golladay soon; a post-June 1 distinction will create $13.5MM in cap space for Joe Schoen‘s team. Although free agency will be a key avenue for Big Blue to upgrade at this position, its best chance of landing a No. 1-caliber option will be in the draft. It represents a fairly safe bet the Giants will strongly consider a wideout in Round 1, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports notes.

Penciling in a receiver at No. 25 for New York should be a “pretty safe” bet for the Giants, per Vacchiano. Todd McShay’s first mock sends Boston College’s Zay Flowers to the Giants, while Daniel Jeremiah’s second pegs Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt as the ascending team’s pick. This is a less optimal time to enter an offseason with a receiver need. In addition to the maligned free agency crop, the draft does not look to carry the caliber of talent of recent years. This class lacks dominant options, at least going in, Jeremiah offers (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). The upcoming Combine and pro days will reveal more about this class’ capabilities.

The Giants’ last major receiver draft splash came two years ago, in Kadarius Toney. After the Eagles foiled the Giants’ plans to take DeVonta Smith, the Dave Gettleman regime settled on Toney. The shifty but incredibly injury-prone player wore out his welcome quickly in the Big Apple, and the Giants traded him to the Chiefs for third- and sixth-round picks. Toney has not stayed healthy in Kansas City, either, but he did score a walk-in touchdown in Super Bowl LVII and set a Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt return. The Chiefs acquired Toney before the trade deadline, but GM Brett Veach said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) the team discussed him with the Giants during the 2022 offseason.

Toney trade talk emerged briefly in the offseason, before the team shot it down. During that window, however, a Chiefs offer may well have emerged. The Giants held off on doing a trade with the Chiefs at that point, rightly viewing Kansas City picks as being likely to land late in rounds. Presumably, no better offers for the ex-Florida Gator come before the deadline. The Giants ended up landing the last picks in Round 3 and Round 6 (Nos. 100 and 196 overall) in the trade.

WASHINGTON

The Carson Wentz Era is over in Washington.  John Keim of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Washington Commanders released quarterback Carson Wentz on Monday, in a move that had been long expected.

The move saves Washington $26.176 million on the salary cap this offseason. Wentz had two years remaining on his contract but had no guaranteed money.

The Commanders also released defensive back Bobby McCain on Monday, saving $2.32 million on the salary cap. If he’s designated as a post-June 1 release, the Commanders would save $4.42 million.

Wentz can now sign with any team before the start of free agency. Frank Reich, his former coach with the Indianapolis Colts — also his ex-offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles — is now the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. It’s possible that Carolina could serve as a landing spot for Wentz in a backup role.

Washington ended up trading two third-round picks and swapping second-round picks in 2022 to acquire Wentz from Indianapolis last offseason.

But after throwing a combined seven touchdown passes in his first two outings, Wentz and the Commanders’ offense struggled. The team scored a combined 55 points in the first two games but only 47 over his next four starts. The offensive line did not protect him well, and the run game during that stretch was inconsistent at best.

He broke his right ring finger in a Week 6 win over the Chicago Bears, sidelining him for the next eight games. He returned to play the final two series in a 37-20 loss at the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 24. Washington started him the next week, but he was ineffective, completing 16 of 28 passes for 143 yards and three interceptions in a 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. He was named the third quarterback for the finale.

Wentz, the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, was traded by Philadelphia in the 2021 offseason after losing his starting job to Jalen Hurts. He lasted one season as the Colts’ starter. He threw 27 touchdown passes to seven interceptions with the Colts.

In seven seasons and 92 starts, Wentz has thrown 151 touchdown passes to 66 interceptions. Injuries have disrupted his career. He tore his left ACL in 2017, spoiling what many considered an MVP season; and he hurt his back the next year.

Albert Breer totes up the numbers:

@AlbertBreer

Carson Wentz signed a 4-year, $128 million extension with the Eagles in 2019. Its base value, over 6 years, folding two years of his rookie deal in, was about $154 million. Today, the Commanders terminated that deal.

Wentz wound up making $105,198,279 of the total, from 3 teams.

The Daniel Snyder Era continues, even as we learn that Jeff Bezos still has a chance – according to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports:

NFL owners have grown increasingly concerned over the pace of the Washington Commanders sale, fueled by reports that owner Dan Snyder won’t allow Amazon founder Jeff Bezos bid for the franchise.

Bezos, however, remains in the mix for the Commanders, two sources with knowledge of the situation told Front Office Sports. One of those sources said that news that Snyder wouldn’t sell to Bezos amounts to a ploy to get a high bid out of the Amazon founder.

There are indications that the sales process, which is now 117 days old, is at a critical juncture. Snyder and Bank of America — the firm hired to facilitate a sale — have narrowed the list of bidders down in recent weeks.

There’s another option, and some have theorized could happen since the start: Snyder could decide to keep the team, something one source said has vexed some NFL owners.

While it’s still believed that Snyder will ultimately decide to sell, bids haven’t come close to the $7 billion figure sources previously told FOS he is seeking. Snyder was disappointed by the early bids, one FOS source confirmed.

FOS reported that the highest bid when the first round of bidding closed in December was $6.3 billion.

But it’s unclear who bid that amount and what the bid’s status is now. Just as bidders drop off during the due diligence process, bids are adjusted or withdrawn for several reasons, the leading typically being unable to come up with the cash needed to buy an NFL team.

The NFL Constitution and Bylaws mandate that 30% of the purchase price for a team must be liquid. For example, if the team sells for $6 billion, the new owner must have $1.8 billion in cash when the sale is finalized. The rest can be financed, and/or co-owners can be added as part of an ownership group.

The Washington Post reported last week that Allen & Co. is advising Bezos, and the fact he didn’t enter the early bidding wasn’t a surprise. With a net worth of $117 billion, he’d be the most straightforward route.

That’s been recognized by those around the league, who one source said have encouraged Bezos and his representatives to remain engaged in the process.

Josh Harris — the owner of the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers —  and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta are also interested in the Commanders.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Fertitta’s bid was for slightly more than $5.5 billion. Harris’ bid hasn’t been made public.

Snyder is no fan of Bezos, who has owned The Washington Post for a decade as the outlet has run stories detailing the team’s toxic work culture that snowballed into several other investigations as Snyder’s grasp of the franchise was put at risk.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell testified before Congress as part of a probe by the House Oversight Committee that concluded in December. Then-Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney said in a statement that Snyder was “a billionaire owner intent on deflecting blame and an influential organization that chose to cover this up rather than seek accountability and stand up for employees,”

But an effort to remove Snyder as owner — something that has never been done and requires 24 owners to approve — was shelved when Snyder announced he was exploring a sale of the team.

But the investigations haven’t gone away. An outside NFL investigation led by former SEC Chief Mary Jo White remains ongoing after over a year.

Potentially, the most problematic active probe is the one led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern Virginia. At least one subpoena was issued as part of that investigation into the Commanders over alleged financial irregularities.

None of the investigations would hold up a sale and could make it more likely.

But Snyder not selling will rankle many NFL owners who have grown tired of the controversies, the team’s inability to make inroads toward a new stadium, and how far the team has fallen in stature since Snyder bought the franchise for $800 million in 1999.

Ultimately, it may not be up to Snyder to decide the future of his franchise. For now, he has the chance to sell the Commanders for a worldwide record price for a sports franchise that comes with bragging rights and fewer headaches later.

The Broncos, the last franchise to sell, went for $4.65 million.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

The Falcons are signaling that they are willing to hand over the keys to the 2023 offense to second-year QB DESMOND RIDDER, but it is not a commitment.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

Desmond Ridder closed out the 2022 season as the Falcons’ starting quarterback, but his status for the start of the 2023 season remains an open question.

That’s the word from Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as the offseason begins to unfold in Atlanta and elsewhere around the league. Smith said that he thinks Ridder’s “future is bright” after watching him make four starts as a rookie, but made it clear that the team isn’t setting anything in stone about starting jobs at this point in the calendar.

“We’re not naming any starters right now,” Smith said, via the team’s website. “There are a lot of things that can happen. We’re very excited about Des, no different than we are about Tyler Allgeier and Drake London and the improvements they’ve made and guys who are currently on our roster. As always, all options are on the table. Anything that we can do to improve this team and help us win — and to ultimately win championships — that’s what we’re looking for.”

The Falcons have the eighth overall pick and a lot of space under the salary cap, so they will have several options to consider when it comes to quarterbacks in the coming weeks and months.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

The Cardinals are said to be interested in CB JAMES BRADBERRY who appears on his way out of Philadelphia after one season.  Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report:

The Arizona Cardinals need to improve their pass defense if they are going to compete in the NFC West in 2023, and they reportedly have their eyes on a defensive back who was just in the Super Bowl.

According to Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki, cornerback James Bradberry is on Arizona’s “radar” as a potential free-agent addition.

Bradberry spent the 2022 season on the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Cardinals just hired Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to be their next head coach. There is a familiarity in place there, although Jurecki noted the compensation will be the biggest deciding factor.

While Bradberry impressed during his one season in Philadelphia, his late holding penalty when guarding JuJu Smith-Schuster on the Kansas City Chiefs’ final drive of the Super Bowl somewhat overshadowed his play on the national level.

The penalty kept the drive alive and allowed Kansas City to work the clock before kicking what proved to be the game-winning field goal. While it was something of a questionable call, the cornerback told reporters, “I pulled on his jersey.”

Despite the high-profile penalty, Pro Football Focus gave Bradberry an impressive overall player grade of 74.1 for the 2022 campaign.

He is also durable with 15 or more games played in each of the last six seasons and should remain productive in the immediate future on a new contract since he is just 29 years old.

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

Bradberry entered the league as a second-round draft pick in 2016 and has played for the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Eagles. He was a Pro Bowler in 2020 in New York and tallied 44 tackles, 17 passes defended and three interceptions last season for Philadelphia.

Arizona was a disappointing 24th in the league in passing yards allowed per game in 2022 and figures to address the secondary before the 2023 campaign. Bradberry could be a starting point for Gannon, who is accustomed to coaching the cornerback after the pair helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

With QB LAMAR JACKSON acting as his own agent, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.comthinks the Ravens are letting Jackson’s camp get away with promulgating false info:

The Ravens have stayed quiet regarding the offers that previously have been made to quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson has not been quiet, directly or indirectly leaking bits and pieces of the negotiations to the media.

On Friday’s First Take on ESPN, Stephen A. Smith said that Jackson’s camp reached out with some specific information.

First, Smith said that Jackson’s camp claims that Jackson has never demanded a fully-guaranteed contract from the Ravens.

If that’s true (and, frankly, I don’t think it is), why hasn’t that come out sooner? For months, it’s been believed that Jackson wants the same structure as Deshaun Watson.

Five years, fully guaranteed.

Indeed, the NFL Players Association filed a grievance last season accusing teams of colluding to not give “certain quarterbacks” (e.g., Lamar Jackson) fully-guaranteed contracts. And the NFLPA definitely has been assisting Jackson in his negotiations with the Ravens, since Jackson doesn’t have an agent.

So, no, I don’t believe the contention that Lamar never asked for a fully-guaranteed contract is true.

Second, Smith said something that both Chris Mortensen reported in September and Ryan Clark reiterated in January. The Ravens’ best offer before the 2022 season included $133 million fully guaranteed.

As explained last month, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to properly evaluate the fairness of an offer without knowing more than the amount that would have been fully guaranteed at signing. The most important piece of information that Jackson and/or the NFLPA have not yet leaked to Mortensen, Clark, Smith and/or any other ESPN reporter or personality is this — how much more money initially guaranteed for injury would have become fully guaranteed in March 2023?

That amount, whether $5 million or $50 million or somewhere in between, becomes part of the practical guarantee at signing, because the Ravens weren’t going to cut him after giving him $133 million for one season. Thus, without knowing it, we don’t know the truth about the Baltimore offer.

Smith concluded by posing the following public question to the Ravens: “Did you or did you not lowball this man with an offer of 133 million guaranteed? Because that is a lowball offer. If that answer is ‘yes,’ you are trying to screw him over.” I’ll apply a twist to Smith’s query, and direct it to Lamar: “Did the Ravens or did they not offer significant additional injury guarantees that would have become full guarantees in March 2023? Because that is important information to knowing whether they made you a lowball offer or a fair offer. If that answer is ‘yes,’ you are trying to paint an inaccurate picture as to what the Ravens have truly offered.”

Indeed, why not put the whole offer out there? The Ravens have refused to do it, out of respect to Lamar. The constant leaks from Lamar’s camp of something less than the full truth, however, disrespect the Ravens.

At some point, the Ravens need to stop absorbing body blows and start counterpunching. Every time someone else from ESPN parrots the “$133 million guaranteed” report, it makes the Ravens look worse and worse.

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS

As was expected at the time Shane Steichen was hired, Gus Bradley will remain as the Colts DC.  Joel Erickson of the Indy Star:

A change at head coach does not mean a change at the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis.

The Colts are officially keeping Gus Bradley as the team’s top man on defense, a source confirmed to IndyStar, pairing young, first-time head coach Shane Steichen with an experienced coordinator he knows well, and a coordinator who has head coaching experience to boot.

Bradley worked with Steichen for four years in Los Angeles with the Chargers, and the two men developed a close relationship.

“I’ve got a ton of respect for Gus Bradley,” Steichen said in November, before the Colts played the Eagles. “Hell of a football coach, hell of a human being.”

JACKSONVILLE

There won’t be a Hasty departure from Jacksonville in 2023.  Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

Jaguars running back JaMycal Hasty will remain in Jacksonville.

Hasty has signed a contract extension, the team announced today. Hasty was slated to become a restricted free agent on March 15.

Last season Hasty played in all 17 regular season games and both postseason games for the Jaguars. He had 46 carries for 194 yards, 20 catches for 126 yards and four kickoff returns for 97 yards.

The 26-year-old Hasty originally entered the NFL with the 49ers as an undrafted rookie out of Baylor in 2020.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Veteran CB DEVIN McCOURTY is bullish on QB MAC JONES.  Mike Reiss ofESPN.com:

Longtime New England Patriots captain Devin McCourty passionately defended Mac Jones as the team’s quarterback of the future, adding that team leaders such as Jones are encouraged by coach Bill Belichick to speak up.

“What I love about Mac is that Mac came into a leadership role as a quarterback and he speaks to what he thinks,” McCourty said Monday during an appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”

“I think what people don’t always understand, in our locker room, Bill pushes that. We’re in the captains meeting every week, [and he’ll say] ‘If you don’t like something, tell us and we’ll throw it out.’ Because what’s the point of players going out there and saying, as soon as that call comes in, ‘I know we hate this call but …’ No one wants to be out there with that.”

McCourty’s answer came in reference to anonymous reports that Jones “rubbed people wrong” in New England in 2022, which included a play in a December game in which he was fined $13,367 for unnecessary roughness for sliding in front of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple during the return of a fumble. Jones’ emotions also bubbled over at times in frustration.

McCourty, who is pondering a return for a 14th season in New England, noted that Jones’ development was affected by changes on the team’s coaching staff and believes the addition of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien should help in 2023.

“He’s going to have stability around him,” McCourty said. “You get to work with Josh McDaniels, who I think is one of the best offensive minds in this league, your rookie year. And then you get Matty P [Matt Patricia], with a mixture of Joe Judge, with Coach Belichick — all guys who were new to calling the actual offense. … It’s just so much movement, so much change, and it’s only your second year.

“But I think it speaks volumes, he’s a captain in that locker room, in only his second year and really was kind of a captain before as a rookie leading those guys. So, I’m excited for Mac. I think sky is the limit. I think he’s the future of New England. Any doubts I think you’re wrong if you don’t think that. He’s in that building right now doing different things, working with guys, talking to guys, that’s what he wants.

“So, I think Mac has all the intangibles and the things that you want in a quarterback. Hopefully Billy O is there for a while, and I think you’ll see the true growth.”

Jones played in the Pro Bowl as an alternate in his rookie season, after he started all 17 regular-season games and finished 352-of-521 for 3,801 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Patriots lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs that year, 47-17 to the Buffalo Bills.

In 2022, Jones missed almost four full games with a high ankle sprain and was 288-of-442 for 2,997 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl this year, owner Robert Kraft told Fox Business: “We’re blessed to have a great, young quarterback in Mac Jones. I’m a strong believer in him and his development.”

In the aftermath of the team’s 8-9 season, coach Bill Belichick said of Jones: “Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league. We have to all work together to try to find the best way as a football team, which obviously the quarterback is an important position, to be more productive than we were this year.”

THIS AND THAT

2023 DRAFT

This on the throwing plans of the top two QBs, at the moment, in the draft.  Christian Gonzales of NFL.com:

What each top quarterback prospect will be doing at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine became clearer on Monday morning.

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Florida’s Anthony Richardson will throw at the combine while Bryce Young will wait to throw for his Alabama pro day, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Monday morning, per sources.

Rapoport adds that although Young is long past his AC joint injury from the 2022 season, the 21-year-old will only be doing interviews in Indianapolis this week.

Richardson plans to partake in all testing and drills in addition to throwing, per Pelissero.

Kentucky QB Will Levis will also be throwing at the combine, per Rapoport

The throwing sessions for QB prospects are scheduled for Saturday, March 4.

– – –

CBSSports.com has a collaborative Mock Draft with writer/experts Ryan Wilson, Chris Trapasso and Josh Edwards, plus former NFL GM Rick Spielman.

ur three CBS Sports NFL Draft analysts — Ryan Wilson and Josh Edwards — have basically been doing weekly mock drafts since the beginning of the 2022 regular season. Rick Spielman has more than three decades of NFL scouting experience, including 10 years as the Minnesota Vikings general manager.

Put them together, and you have the second joint 2023 NFL mock draft from the “With the First Pick” podcast.

For those unfamiliar, “With the First Pick” is a year-round NFL Draft podcast. Launched just after Thanksgiving, co-hosts Wilson and Spielman discuss top prospects, team needs and everything else to get you ready for the three-day event in the spring.

In this second joint mock draft, Wilson, Spielman and Edwards took turns making first-round picks — and there were trades! You can listen to the latest joint mock draft by clicking here or listening below.

1 INDIANAPOLIS       Mock Trade from Chicago Bears

Bryce Young QB      ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 194 LBS

NFL DRAFT ANALYST JOSH EDWARDS: Edwards swung a deal with the Bears to move up to No. 1, sending Chicago Nos. 4, 36 and 80 this year in addition to first- and second-round picks next year. It’s a huge haul, but one Edwards thinks is worth it for Indianapolis. “I always think about trades this way: If it works out, you don’t care about how much you had to give up to move up and get that player because the quarterback is the biggest piece on your roster.”

2 HOUSTON

C.J. Stroud QB       OHIO STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 218 LBS

NFL DRAFT ANALYST RYAN WILSON: Wilson made it two QBs off the board in two picks with Houston taking C.J. Stroud, and Edwards had no issues with the selection — although he is curious about how teams will evaluate Stroud after his dynamic dual-threat performance against Georgia in the College Football Playoff. “It was a very small sample size. Does he not want to be that player moving forward? … Typically we do not evaluate a player off one game, and Stroud is going to be the poster child for that possibility moving forward.”

3  ARIZONA

Jalen Carter DL         GEORGIA • JR • 6’3″ / 300 LBS

FORMER VIKINGS GM RICK SPIELMAN: Spielman made Jalen Carter the first defensive player taken due to positional scarcity and his unique skill set. “Some of the movement skills that he shows for his size — not only versus the run but as an in-line pass rusher — if someone can push all the buttons on this kid to go hard down in and down out, they’re going to have a Pro Bowler on their hands.”

4  CHICAGO        Mock Trade from Indianapolis Colts

Will Anderson Jr. EDGE       ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 243 LBS

EDWARDS: Edwards believes this is the ideal outcome for the Bears, who pick up a bunch of draft capital and still get one of the best defensive prospects in the class in Will Anderson Jr. “He’s been the most productive edge rusher out of any in this class; you’re talking about adding a dynamic piece to that defense and a player you can build around if you’re Chicago.”

5  SEATTLE          

Tyree Wilson EDGE       TEXAS TECH • SR • 6’6″ / 275 LBS

WILSON: Wilson feels like this an easy choice to select Tyree Wilson to round out the top five. “I love him as a football player, and he’s one of those guys that … you don’t have to watch a lot of games to figure out that he was dominant and that he has a chance to be really good at the next level.”

6  DETROIT                 From Los Angeles Rams

Myles Murphy DL         CLEMSON • JR • 6’5″ / 275 LBS

SPIELMAN: The Lions go defense with their first of two first-round picks. “He has tremendous upside. He will give them another edge rusher [with Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston]. … You can never have enough pass rushers. And I think with Murphy opposite Hutchinson, that would be a very deadly combination as they continue to grow as pass rushers.”

7  LAS VEGAS      

Will Levis QB           KENTUCKY • SR • 6’3″ / 232 LBS

EDWARDS: Make that three QBs in seven picks with Will Levis going to the Raiders. Here’s his scouting summary of Levis: “Will Levis is a tall quarterback with good mass to take on contact. The Penn State transfer has good mobility and does not shy away from contact. Levis has elite arm strength but often gets stuck on his first read and does not complete full-field progressions. Talent evaluators will have to determine how much of his struggles were related to a weak supporting cast, injury, etc., and what is fixable. He is an intelligent player who will compete through injury.”

8  ATLANTA

Joey Porter Jr. CB      PENN STATE • JR • 6’2″ / 194 LBS

WILSON: Joey Porter Jr. becomes the first CB off the board. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical. He’s probably going to run really well next week at the combine. You pair him opposite A.J. Terrell, and that solves another issue on the backend where there are plenty of issues on that defense.”

9  CAROLINA

Anthony Richardson QB   FLORIDA • SOPH • 6’4″ / 232 LBS

SPIELMAN: The high-upside Anthony Richardson becomes the fourth QB taken in nine picks. “If you want to resolve the [QB] issue and you see the Cam Newton-type comparisons to him — although I think [Richardson] is a better natural thrower; I just don’t know if he’s as accurate as he needs to be, and I don’t know about his decision-making. I think the biggest question will be as he goes through this process … does he know enough about the game? Is he just an athlete playing quarterback? Or can he actually develop into a quarterback?”

10 PHILADLEPHIA       From New Orleans Saints

Devon Witherspoon CB   ILLINOIS • JR • 6’0″ / 180 LBS

EDWARDS: What Devon Witherspoon lacks in mass, he makes up for with his physicality and aggressiveness on the boundary. “He’s feisty; he’s going to give it as much as he takes it in the backend of that secondary. … You’re talking about a player that has that versatility to play man or zone coverage and is a great fit for not only that defense but the culture in Philadelphia as well.”

11  TENNESSEE

Peter Skoronski OT        NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’4″ / 315 LBS

WILSON: The Titans find their potential replacement for Taylor Lewan in Peter Skoronski. Here’s our scouting report of Skoronski: “Peter Skoronski is a pass-blocking specialist with an athletic skill set. He needs to add more weight and power to his lower half. He works hard to anchor. He’s noticeably more effective as a pass-blocker than a run-blocker. He has plus recovery skill, big-time grip strength and knows how to reset his hands in pass pro.”

12  HOUSTON                  From Cleveland Browns

Quentin Johnston WR     TCU • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS

SPIELMAN: C.J. Stroud needs playmakers around him, so Spielman gives him one with Quentin Johnston. “Big, physical receiver, and with Stroud’s arm, it gives him another weapon to throw to. … They have needs everywhere, but if you have an opportunity to get an explosive downfield receiver like him … I think you need to go ahead and take a shot on him.”

13  NY JETS

Paris Johnson Jr. OT        OHIO STATE • JR • 6’6″ / 310 LBS

EDWARDS: The Jets once again invest draft resources in the offensive line by selecting Paris Johnson Jr. “This is a team that needs to upgrade both offensive tackle positions. … Rather than possibly having to replace both offensive tackles in one offseason, you get a player now and hopefully he develops into something along an offensive line that has had a lot invested into it over the past few years.”

14  NEW ENGLAND

Jordan Addison WR         USC • JR • 6’0″ / 175 LBS

WILSON: Instead of going offensive line, the Patriots get a pass-catcher with Jordan Addison. “Put up huge numbers last year. Put up even better numbers the year before when he was at Pitt with Kenny Pickett. He can line up anywhere. He has return ability. He beats you at all three levels. He plays much bigger than [his size] … and Mac Jones needs some weapons to go along with a new offensive coordinator.”

15  GREEN BAY

Brian Branch S                ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 193 LBS

SPIELMAN: The Packers beef up their secondary with the versatile Brian Branch. “I think this kid has the flexibility to fit in that scheme to play free safety, but also if you do get stuck in a pinch, I think he is athletic enough and big enough to go inside and play some nickel for you as well.”

16  WASHINGTON      

Christian Gonzalez CB        OREGON • SOPH • 6’2″ / 201 LBS

EDWARDS: Edwards was pleasantly surprised that Christian Gonzalez lasted until pick 16. “He’s a player who had a pretty high profile at Colorado — I think he still would have been a high draft pick — but obviously elevating that national profile going to [Oregon] and having tremendous ball production this year, a step up from what we saw in [Colorado].”

17 PITTSBURGH

Broderick Jones OT               GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’4″ / 310 LBS

WILSON: Wilson was actually going to take Christian Gonzalez, but with him off the board, he went with Broderick Jones. “Good athlete. Needs to get better in terms of his footwork — and I think that’s something that can certainly happen. … I think he gives that offense some much-needed stability and depth along the offensive line to help Kenny Pickett as he goes into Year 2.”

18  DETROIT

Deonte Banks DB                    MARYLAND • JR • 6’2″ / 205 LBS

SPIELMAN: Make that two first-round defenders for the Lions — first Myles Murphy and now Deonte Banks. “His size, his athletic movement skills, his speed. He showed some ball awareness and ball skills. He needs, technically, to get cleaned up a little bit, but when he is in press coverage and jams a receiver, that receiver does not move. This guy has huge upside.”

19  TAMPA BAY

Cam Smith CB                        SOUTH CAROLINA • JR • 6’0″ / 188 LBS

EDWARDS: The Buccaneers have a lot of needs. They fill one by drafting Cam Smith. “He’s a player I really came around to this year. I thought you saw improved instincts, better man coverage skills. I’m pretty high on him at this point — I think he’s kind of a volatile player when you look at draft media right now — but as the decision-maker for the Buccaneers in this situation, I’m happy with Cam Smith.”

20  SEATTLE

O’Cyrus Torrence OL              FLORIDA • JR • 6’5″ / 347 LBS

WILSON: After addressing defense with the No. 5 pick, the Seahawks bolster their offensive line by adding O’Cyrus Torrence. “He was great in the fall, he was great late in the season, he was great at the Senior Bowl — and I expect he’ll be great next year as well.”

21 LA CHARGERS

Darnell Wright OT                  TENNESSEE • SR • 6’6″ / 335 LBS

SPIELMAN: Another draft, another investment in protecting Justin Herbert with the selection of Darnell Wright. “He had a very good Senior Bowl. From his junior to senior year, he may have made the biggest jump out of any of the offensive linemen that I have evaluated. You have to protect your quarterback, and I think this kid has an opportunity to come in as a rookie and be a Day 1 starter for them at right tackle.”

22  BALTIMORE

Bijan Robinson RB               TEXAS • JR • 6’0″ / 220 LBS

EDWARDS: Edwards knows the Ravens have bigger needs, but adding Bijan Robinson would take a lot of pressure off Lamar Jackson. Here’s our scouting report on him: “Bijan Robinson is a well-rounded running back with ideal size to be an every-down contributor in the NFL. He excels as a runner, pass-catcher and blocker but has received the lion’s share of touches in Austin over the past two seasons.”

23  MINNESOTA

Kelee Ringo CB                   GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’2″ / 210 LBS

WILSON: Wilson drafts Kelee Ringo to replace Patrick Peterson. “He’s big, he’s strong — we’ll see how fast he is — he does a lot of things well that you want these cornerbacks to do, but he has also struggled at times in coverage. And that’s what we have to figure out. But I think with the Vikings, he fills a need there, and the upside is certainly such that it gets your attention late in Round 1.

24  JACKSONVILLE

Dawand Jones OT                 OHIO STATE • SR • 6’8″ / 359 LBS

SPIELMAN: Spielman chooses the massive Dawand Jones to replace impending free agent Jawaan Taylor. “He would fill a huge void on the right side of the offensive line. … You have to protect that quarterback because he’s your franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence.”

25  NY GIANTS

Jalin Hyatt WR                         TENNESSEE • JR • 6’0″ / 185 LBS

EDWARDS: Daniel Jones needs more weapons to be properly evaluated, so the Giants get him Jalin Hyatt. “He can extend the field with his speed, which will allow underneath opportunities for Wan’Dale Robinson, your second-round pick last year, as well as Daniel Bellinger, the tight end, who I thought played really well when he was available last year. Hyatt is still raw as a route-runner, but certainly he’s a player who has a very specific skill set that will force defenses to be honest and allow those players to be productive underneath.”

26  DALLAS

Drew Sanders LB                    ARKANSAS • JR • 6’5″ / 233 LBS

WILSON: The Cowboys get another versatile player for that defense, and Spielman likes the pick. “Love him. He’s a multi-position player that not only can play the run, he has excellent range, he can cover, and I don’t think he gets his due with how you can create mismatches with him as a pass rusher.”

27  BUFFALO              

Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR           OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

SPIELMAN: Josh Allen gets another weapon in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. “This is the next-best playmaker for me that fills a need for the Buffalo Bills. … If he runs well [at the combine], this would be an excellent pick for the Bills.”

28  CINCINNATI

Michael Mayer TE                   NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’4″ / 265 LBS

EDWARDS: The rich get richer with Joe Burrow getting an all-around tight end in Michael Mayer. “He’s a pretty good blocker, he can move the chains, he’s got good physicality down the field, he’s physical through contact — all the stuff you look for from a consistent producer at the tight end position.”

29  NEW ORLEANS            From Denver Broncos

Keion White DL                  GEORGIA TECH • SR • 6’5″ / 286 LBS

WILSON: The Saints use the first-round pick they got from the Sean Payton trade to select Keion White. Here’s our scouting report for White: “Keion White, the former Old Dominion transfer, had a dominant season for Georgia Tech in 2022. Huge by traditional edge rush standards — he was 6-foot-4, 280 pounds at the Senior Bowl — White plays with heavy hands, a high motor, and consistently shows the ability to collapse the pocket.

30  PHILADELPHIA

Jahmyr Gibbs RB               ALABAMA • JR • 5’11” / 200 LBS

SPIELMAN: First the Eagles replace James Bradberry, and now they replace Miles Sanders with Jahmyr Gibbs. “I think Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama fits the ideal type running back for this RPO system, gives them another explosive playmaker, gives them another playmaker around Jalen Hurts. And if you add him to the mix with the playmakers they have on offense, to me this was a no-brainer.”

31  KANSAS CITY         

Nolan Smith EDGE               GEORGIA • SR • 6’3″ / 235 LBS

EDWARDS: Edwards caps the first round by giving the Super Bowl champions Nolan Smith. “We didn’t get to see him all season because of his injury, but he’s a player who is really dynamic off the edge. He’s a little bit on the thinner side, but a player that I think is a great compliment to the other pass-rushing options on their roster.”