CHICAGO

The Bears have hired Eric Washington as their new DC.

Chicago hired former Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington to lead its defense, the team announced Saturday.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero had reported the hiring earlier in the day.

Head coach Matt Eberflus will continue calling plays, Pelissero added. Washington returns to the Windy City after serving as a defensive assistant from 2008-2009 and defensive line coach in 2010.

“We are excited to announce that Eric Washington will be joining our team as the defensive coordinator,” Eberflus said in a team statement. “He is a great communicator with elite leadership skills and he will enhance our current defensive staff. His track record speaks for itself with coordinator experience as well as expertise in the area of defensive line. I want to thank the other outstanding candidates that applied for this position.”

Washington joined the Bills in 2020 as the defensive line coach. Washington became a senior defensive assistant in 2022 before adding assistant head coach to his DL coaching responsibilities the following year. Buffalo’s 2022 defense finished second in the NFL with 286 points allowed. This season, the Bills totaled 54 sacks and allowed 307.2 total yards per game, good for ninth in the league.

The 54-year-old also previously spent time in Carolina as the defensive line coach from 2011-2017 and was promoted to defensive coordinator from 2018-2019.

“My family and I are beyond excited to be returning to the Chicago Bears,” Washington said in a team statement. “It is humbling to have the opportunity to contribute to one of the most esteemed sports organizations in the world! I thank God and I appreciate Coach Eberflus, the Bears front office, and the McCaskey family for entrusting me with this responsibility.”

DETROIT

We’re still talking about it.  Mike Sando of The Athletic referees a debate between some elite NFL insiders on what Dan Campbell did or did not do on Sunday:

After the game, I asked two in-game strategists and a former head coach for their opinions on the decisions. It’s probably a good thing they were not all in the same room. A fired-up exec weighed in by text unsolicited. The coach at one point used the word “ignorant” to describe one strategist’s justification for the decisions.

“I agree with all of Campbell’s calls,” one of the strategists said. “(Kicker Michael) Badgley is a below-average, journeyman kicker and not automatic. (Jake) Moody (of the 49ers) already missed one. (Buffalo’s) Tyler Bass missed last week. Fourth-and-2 to 3 is more than 50 percent make. The second decision is more palatable for a field goal to tie if you have a stud kicker you feel good about. On the first one, Reynolds needs to make that catch.”

That last comment set off the former head coach.

“To say the guy might miss the kick is ridiculous,” the coach said. “The guy might drop the ball, and the ball might get batted, and a defensive lineman might beat a guard and hit the quarterback. Whatever you do, you have to execute. If you decide to kick the field goal, you have to make it. The 49ers’ first field-goal miss was fourth-and-10. Guys have been making or missing field goals forever. But the percentages of kicking the field goal are good.”

The Lions signed Badgley off the practice squad in December after waiving previous kicker Riley Patterson. They didn’t ask Badgley to attempt a kick longer than 41 yards in the final four games of the regular season. He made a 54-yarder in the wild-card game against the Rams (indoors) but entered Sunday 13 of 24 in his career (including playoffs) from 45 to 50 yards, including 8 of 16 outdoors.

A second in-game strategist also sided with Campbell.

“Detroit has a system for what they are doing; they are really disciplined on their yards to go, and they have plays that work,” this strategist said. “Take their game against Dallas. They scored on the trick play with the failed-to-report call. Then they had a guy open and had a foul on the second play. On the third play, the guy is going to score again. These two-point tries are all like a proxy for fourth down — you gotta get it.

“They have a more robust process than anyone. I like what Campbell does better than people doing it from the seat of their pants and bullsh—ing their way through the press conference after the game.”

The Lions had Reynolds wide open for a high-percentage play on the first go-for-it. Reynolds dropped the ball. Is that bad process, or simply bad execution?

ESPN’s fourth-down model suggested the Lions’ win probability would improve slightly by going for it in both cases, as these tweets from analytics writer Seth Walder explain.

An executive who considers himself an embracer of analytics saw these narrow margins and texted after the game to suggest Campbell might have cost Detroit a trip to the Super Bowl by stubbornly adhering to his reputation instead of doing what made the most sense Sunday.

“I am clearly well on the side of aggressive fourth-down decisions 95 percent of the time,” this exec texted. “But when the analytics are talking about 0.2 percent gains, to me that says other factors can override them. But my perception was Campbell simply says to himself, ‘We go for it on fourth down, that’s who we are.’ Sadly, there were other factors that should have controlled the decision.”

The exec also challenged the in-game strategist’s contention that Detroit’s offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, might give the Lions an edge in these fourth-down situations through superior play calling.

Before Sunday, the Lions had gone for it an NFL-high 23 times on fourth down with 2-3 yards to go over the last two seasons (including playoffs). They had converted 70 percent of the time (16 of 23), well above the 52 percent average for the rest of the league. That supports the idea that Detroit could have an edge in these situations.

Badgley’s shaky record as a kicker also could factor. The Lions also would have evaluated Badgley in warmups to get a feel for how he might perform. The make rate from 45-50 yards at Levi’s Stadium was 73 percent over the past five seasons, the same as the average for all stadiums, but the Lions are a dome team, which could affect their thinking outdoors in a late-afternoon game played in wet conditions.

If Reynolds catches the pass on the first one, Detroit probably doesn’t even encounter the second fourth-down decision later in the half. In that case, critics blasting Campbell as an undue taker of risks might be lauding him as the coach whose unwavering belief in his players sent Detroit to its first Super Bowl and would be critical to the team upsetting Kansas City. We can talk all we want about process, but as Campbell knows, the NFL is a results-oriented business, and the results were not on his side Sunday.

WASHINGTON

Adam Schefter puts the brakes on the rush to anoint Ben Johnson as head coach of the Commanders.

@PatMcAfeeShow

“I’m not convinced yet that Ben Johnson is getting the Commanders job..

People think Ben Johnson is going to Washington and Dan Quinn is going to Seattle..

I will bet you at a minimum that one of those isn’t right and maybe both” ~

@AdamSchefter

ATLANTA

Zac Robinson is official for the OC role in Atlanta and Jimmy Lake will handle the defense for Raheem Morris.  Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com:

Less than a week after hiring their head coach, the Atlanta Falcons finalized their coordinators — with a heavy Los Angeles Rams flair.

The Falcons announced former Rams assistant head coach Jimmy Lake as their defensive coordinator Monday, joining new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who also came over from the Rams, where he was quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.

They’ll reunite with new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who was hired from the Rams last week after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator since 2021.

Lake was the head coach at the University of Washington from 2020 to ’21 after being in various assistant roles for six seasons prior to that, including as defensive coordinator for two seasons in 2018-19.

Lake has prior NFL experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions, coaching the defensive backs. Lake and Morris worked together in Tampa Bay.

The Falcons also officially announced the retention of special teams coordinator Marquice Williams on Monday.

Sources told ESPN the team also plans on retaining running backs coach Michael Pitre and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford from the previous staff.

CAROLINA

Dave Canales seems to want to hold onto DC Ejiro Evero.  Dan Benton of USA TODAY:

The Carolina Panthers have been a real thorn in the New York Giants’ side during the recent coaching cycle, repeatedly blocking their interview requests.

First, they blocked special teams coordinator Chris Tabor from interviewing with the Giants and then fired him after the position had been filled. Now, Joseph Person of The Athletic reports, they have blocked New York from interviewing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

Evero had a second interview for the Seahawks’ head-coaching vacancy Saturday, and multiple teams are interested in hiring him as defensive coordinator, according to a league source. But Evero remains under contract with the Panthers, who can block him from interviewing for lateral positions — and have with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and New York Giants.

Unlike the situation with Tabor, it sounds like the Panthers intend to keep Evero on staff if he doesn’t land a head coaching job.

KANSAS CITY

Adam Teicher of ESPN.com on a critical injury to Chiefs DE CHARLES OMENIHU:

Defensive end Charles Omenihu tore an ACL in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game and won’t be available to play in Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers, his former team, according to multiple reports.

Omenihu appeared to confirm the news via his X account, posting an emoji of a broken heart.

Omenihu had a career-high seven sacks this season, his first with the Chiefs, despite missing the first six games with an NFL suspension. He had a strip sack of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday before leaving with the injury.

The Chiefs played against the Ravens without starting defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, who was placed on injured reserve before the game with a triceps injury. Nnadi also won’t play in the Super Bowl.

Omenihu, 26, joined the Chiefs as a free agent after four NFL seasons split between the Houston Texans and 49ers. Omenihu in those seasons had a total of 11.5 sacks, including 4.5 for the 49ers in 2022.

The nature of Omenihu’s injury was first reported by Bleacher Report.

Meanwhile, Coach Andy Reid pushes back on a rant from WR KADARIUS TONEY about his injury status:

Coach Andy Reid said the Kansas City Chiefs did not file erroneous injury reports regarding Kadarius Toney as the wide receiver claimed in a profanity-filled Instagram Live post attributed to him.

“He’s been on the injury report, [so] that part is not made up by any means,” Reid said.

On his post, Toney said he doesn’t have the hip and ankle injuries the Chiefs have recently listed for Toney on their weekly injury reports.

“I’m not hurt,” Toney said. “None of that.”

Toney hasn’t played since a Week 15 game against the New England Patriots in which he deflected a pass to a defender for an interception for the second time this season. The Chiefs said before Sunday’s AFC Championship Game that Toney wouldn’t play because of injuries and personal reasons. Toney’s partner gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter, on Saturday.

Reid said he hadn’t seen Toney’s post but had been told about it. On Monday, Reid said Toney was “working through some things” and that he would be with the Chiefs when they begin practice on Thursday for Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Jim Harbuagh’s new GM has a long history with John Harbaugh.  Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com:

While they won’t play each other until next year, there is already activity brewing between Jim and John Harbaugh. The Chargers are working towards hiring Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz as the team’s new general manager, as confirmed by CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.

Hortiz’s entire NFL life to his point has been spent with the Ravens. He joined the team as a personnel assistant in 1998, became a scout in 2001 and was elevated to director of college recruiting in 2009. He held that position for a decade before becoming director of player personnel in 2019.

The Ravens have had a great deal of success during Hortiz’s time with the franchise. That run includes two Super Bowl wins, five AFC championship game appearances, seven AFC North division titles and 15 playoff appearances.

Baltimore’s success via the draft has played an integral role in that success. Among the notable players the Ravens have drafted during Hortiz’s tenure include Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed, 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, perennial All-Pro offensive lineman Marshal Yanda, and quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson.

Hortiz is joining a Chargers franchise hoping Harbaugh can bring the franchise back to a competitive level. Los Angeles cleaned house after a 5-12 season in 2023 that included several significant injuries to several key players.

BALTIMORE

Mike Sando of The Athletic thinks the presumptive MVP IMPROVED to get to Tier 2 in his quarterback ratings:

Lamar Jackson is in select company through his first six NFL seasons. Can he improve enough to overcome the roster challenges that await Baltimore?

Jackson’s 2-4 postseason record does match Manning’s 2-4 mark through six seasons. Their teams both ranked fourth in points per game over those six-year stretches. However, Manning’s Colts ranked 29th in scoring defense over his first six seasons, while Jackson’s Ravens rank second since he became the starter in Week 10 of the 2018 season.

Failing to succeed in the playoffs with a top-five defense magnifies the missed opportunity. The challenge could get tougher for Baltimore, especially if defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald leaves for a head-coaching job.

Manning carried a huge contract into the league as the first player chosen in the 1998 draft, which predated the rookie wage scale. His price tag complicated efforts to build the team around him.

Jackson cost a small fraction of the cap on his rookie contract as the 32nd player chosen in 2018. The extension he signed in April carries cap numbers between $32.4 million and $74.7 million over the next four seasons. That will hinder efforts to maintain an elite defense, although Baltimore fared well on that front after paying Joe Flacco a decade ago.

The good part for Jackson is that he did make strides as a passer in a reconfigured offense this season. He can keep getting better. But because the Ravens were so dominant, Jackson never attempted a pass while trailing by more than eight points all season until the second half of the 17-10 loss to Kansas City. He and the Ravens could use more reps in those pure-pass situations, which are part of the criteria coaches and executives reference when voting in my annual Quarterback Tiers survey:

A Tier 1 quarterback can carry his team each week. The team wins because of him. He expertly handles pure passing situations. He has no real holes in his game.

Jackson has fallen solidly into Tier 2 in recent seasons. The strides he made as a passer this season could push him higher. Sunday is sure to come up in the discussions.

Ravens fall short of Super Bowl after wilting on big stage in loss to Chiefs: ‘It sucks’

“One way to clean up those tiers is to let those guys play when they have to pass,” a defensive coach said. “They will reveal themselves in those situations. Mahomes revealed himself in, while Jackson revealed himself out. We almost got to see it for (Brock) Purdy in the San Francisco game, but the way the game played out, he really didn’t have to do it that much. He did make some big plays with his feet.”

Jackson got away with missing a third-down completion and taking a sack in a two-minute situation before the half against Houston in the divisional round. He could not afford to stumble in those situations with a dialed-in Mahomes on the other side, but he did.

“Lamar got a lot better this season,” a veteran coach said. “I thought he got more accurate and they gave him more easy completions. He’s still not naturally accurate, and I think the more sped up he gets, the less accurate he is. The problem is, the highs and the lows. He threw for like 3,700 yards and ran for 800 — his numbers are unbelievable. But in those critical situations, that is what the league is about.”

Martenzie Johnson of Andscape says Jackson again came up short in a big playoff game:

That would be Jackson’s lone touchdown drive of the game, as the Ravens fell to the Chiefs 17-10, another disappointing postseason defeat in a long line of them for the sixth-year quarterback, and one example of Jackson playing his worst ball when his team needed him the most.

Normally, there are many defenses for Jackson. The 32nd overall pick from the 2018 NFL draft has overcome many of the deficiencies — real and imagined — that he had coming into the league. His passing accuracy has always been a concern, so this season he bumped it up to 67.2%, the sixth-best completion percentage of all quarterbacks (minimum 400 attempts). After a brutal debut playoff appearance against the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 — 1 interception, 3 fumbles, 7 sacks — he bounced back a season later by simply winning the MVP trophy while accounting for 4,333 yards (3,127 passing, 1,206 rushing), 43 touchdowns, and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. This season, Jackson dusted the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, the two teams that played in the NFC Championship Game, to the tune of 690 total yards and six total touchdowns.

But on Sunday night, there was nothing defensible about what Jackson did.

Aside from his gymnastics on the first scoring drive and a tipped pass that he caught himself, Jackson missed on throws he should have made, ending the game completing 20 of 37 passes (54.1%) for 272 yards. He had just 67 passing yards halfway through the third quarter. He held onto the ball for what felt like five seconds too long, leading to four sacks, including a strip-sack.

And in his worst moment of the game, with over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Ravens down 17-7, Jackson threw the ball into triple coverage to tight end Isaiah Likely in the end zone, leading to a backbreaking interception that all but sealed the loss.

“I seen both of them [defenders] trailing him and I didn’t want to throw it out the end zone, I just tried to let him turn around and make a play,” Jackson said of the interception. “I thought it was going to be [pass interference], but it is what it is.”

Jackson could be excused for this in 2018 or even 2019, but he’s spent the last few weeks — and years — saying how locked-in he finally was. After those two playoff defeats, Jackson said some version of “just gotta move on.” When this season’s playoffs started, Jackson and the team reiterated how this season felt different for the quarterback, how locked-in he appeared to be. Jackson didn’t overly celebrate when the Ravens secured the No. 1 seed in late December 2023 after a 56-19 win over the Miami Dolphins, and in the middle of that blowout was recorded by the team’s video department telling his teammates to “calm the fuck down.”

“Lamar’s always had a single-minded focus, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it quite like this,” coach John Harbaugh told reporters a few weeks ago.

But in laying an egg during the most important game of the season, when a Mahomes-led offense was limited to just 17 points, there’s no more running from the fact that Jackson and the Ravens seem to wilt when the pressure is dialed up to 100.

In six career playoff games, Jackson has completed 57.4% of his passes for six touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s also been sacked a whopping 24 times. The Ravens have won just two of those games.

At the postgame news conference Jackson was asked if he believed he tried to do too much on the field, which may have led to some of the mistakes. He lightly pushed back on that assessment.

“No, we’re trying to win,” he said. “I don’t think you’re doing too much when you’re trying to win out there. You thought so?”

This wasn’t the kind of performance Jackson could afford to have (again), not after demanding a trade in the offseason before signing what was at the time the richest contract in NFL history — five years, $260 million. Not after the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins all made it known that they had no intentions of acquiring Jackson after he made the trade request, with Falcons owner Arthur Blank saying Jackson’s “style of game” can’t hold up in the NFL.

And not while being a Black quarterback.

The adage that Black people “have to be twice as good to get half as far” is alive and well in the NFL even as the number of Black starting quarterbacks reached an all-time high of 14 this season. Being labeled not “quarterbacky” enough by a media pundit or having a fellow player say the “formula” to beating you, a quarterback, is to make you throw the ball are nonsense (and coded), but the noise gets increasingly louder when you lead just one touchdown drive and account for two turnovers in a game your team only loses by seven points.

Unfortunately, Jackson has to win or be perfect to gain the respect of those who watch him play, and on Sunday night he did neither.

When asked what more he can do in the future beyond how focused and prepared he was coming into this game, Jackson kept it simple.

“We just gotta put points on the board. That’s the thing right now. It’s not nothing we could have did better to prepare for the game,” he said. “We put points on the board and we’re talking about something else right now.

“I’m not frustrated at all. I’m angry about losing. We’re a game away from the Super Bowl. We’ve been waiting all this time, all these moments for an opportunity like this and fell short. But I feel like our team, we gon’ build, this offseason we’re going to get right, get better, grind, and try and be in this position again, but on the other side, a victory.”

Before the playoffs started, Jackson went on former quarterback Tom Brady’s podcast and said that he still had a chip on his shoulder about not having won a Super Bowl yet, but believed that the 2023 season was the “team to do it.”

But much like 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Ravens fell short, and there’s no more running from the fact that until Jackson plays better in critical games, that won’t change anytime soon.

PITTSBURGH

Team president Art Rooney acknowledges that the Steelers have been wallowing in the middle of the pack for several years now.  Could Arthur Smith be the guy to get them out of the rut?  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ last playoff victory having come in 2016, owner and team president Art Rooney II acknowledged Monday that there’s a growing sense of urgency to end the drought.

“We’ve had enough of this,” Rooney said. “It’s time to get some wins; it’s time to take these next steps.”

The leader for those next steps is clear, Rooney said, as he voiced his support for coach Mike Tomlin.

“The players still respond to Mike, and that’s No. 1,” Rooney said. “He still has the key characteristics that we saw when we hired him. He can keep the attention of a group of 20-year-olds for a whole season and keep them in the fight for the whole way.

“So, still feel good about Mike. Obviously if I didn’t, [we] would make a change, but if we didn’t think Mike was able to lead us to a championship, he wouldn’t be here, and that’s why he is here.”

In his end-of-season news conference, Tomlin said he expected to work out an extension in the offseason. Rooney didn’t give an update on the timeline for getting that done.

And although Rooney said he didn’t necessarily see a change in Tomlin’s resolve entering this offseason, he acknowledged that everyone around the organization is feeling antsy about elevating the team beyond simply making the playoffs.

“Certainly, there’s a resolve there and a determination there,” Rooney said of Tomlin. “And I think I said before, I think all of us that have been around for a little while are anxious to take this next step — and getting a little impatient — and we need to see the kind of improvement we all want to see. Mike believes that as firmly as anybody else in the building.”

The key to those next steps, Rooney said, is improving the quality of quarterback play. Although he voiced support for 2022 first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett, Rooney acknowledged that Pickett has to improve in the 2024 season.

“We still feel good about Kenny Pickett and his future, but he knows he needs to work hard to take the next step,” Rooney said. “And we’ve talked about that, and one of the things I think we liked about Kenny in terms of his career at Pitt was that, how hard he worked, and he took a step every year. So, we’re looking for that to happen here.”

Statistically, Pickett regressed in a second season that was riddled with injuries and saw offensive coordinator Matt Canada fired midseason. As in his rookie season, Pickett started 12 games, but his completion percentage dropped a bit, from 63% to 62%, and his QBR slid from 53.6 to 38.4. He also threw just six touchdowns to four interceptions in 2023.

Meanwhile, longtime backup Mason Rudolph gave the Steelers a taste of what an offense with steady quarterback play could look like in the final four games, including the loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. With Rudolph at quarterback, the Steelers averaged 24.5 points per game, well over their season average of 17.9.

Rudolph is a free agent, but, like Tomlin, Rooney expressed a desire to bring him back into the fold this offseason.

“He did show what we’re capable of on offense, and the personnel we have here right now,” Rooney said. “So that’s encouraging. I don’t know that we’ve seen [Rudolph’s] ceiling yet. We drafted him high for a reason and felt like he had a lot of ability, and so I think we saw that. So, he’s probably going to have some options, so it’s going to be a question of whether he wants to come back and whether we can make a deal to get him back.

“But that being said, I still feel good about Kenny and his ability to develop as well.”

Figuring out the quarterback situation will be the top priority of the Steelers’ next offensive coordinator. The team is in the process of making that hire, Rooney said, anticipating that it will get done “sooner rather than later.” So far, the team has interviewed three candidates: former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and current Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson.

NEW ENGLAND

There has been a presumption in some circles that the Krafts and coach Jarod Mayo would just take Josh McDaniels back as offensive coordinator.  But today, some other names are being mentioned.  Adam LaRose of ProFootballRumors:

The Patriots have cast a wide net in their search for a new offensive coordinator. Several outside candidates are already known to be on the team’s radar, but the list of staffers drawing interest continues to grow.

New England has already met with 49ers assistant Brian Fleury for the OC gig, but he is not the only member of Kyle Shanahan‘s staff to have done so. Passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak also spoke with the Patriots about the position. In addition, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes, the Patriots plan to interview Raiders passing game coordinator Scott Turner this week.

Kubiak has been connected to three other coordinator vacancies during the 2024 hiring cycle as he considers a potential return to a coordinator posting. The 36-year-old held the position for one year (2021) with the Vikings before joining the Broncos the following year as their QBs coach. This past offseason, he joined Shanahan’s staff as passing game coordinator, making him a key figure guiding an offense which put up elite numbers in several categories and helped lead the team to the Super Bowl.

Because of that success, Kubiak can interview again during the upcoming week, but he cannot be hired until the end of the season. That does not apply to Turner, whose season ended after Week 18 with the Raiders falling short of the postseason. The latter has not yet been mentioned as a candidate for any OC opening around the league, but like Kubiak, he has coordinator experience.

Turner oversaw the Commanders’ offense from 2020-22, though he never guided the unit to a finish better than 23rdin scoring over that period. The 41-year-old spent this season with the Raiders, a team which underwent considerable staffing changes midseason with Antonio Pierce taking on head coaching duties. He is in place on a full-time basis, leaving open the possibility Turner and other assistants will be headed elsewhere this offseason.

Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley is the only Patriots candidate to have a second interview lined up so far. While he might therefore be the favorite for the position, New England is certainly employing a wide-ranging approach in its search to find a Bill O’Brien replacement.

Here is an updated look at the Patriots’ search:

Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed

Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): To conduct second interview 1/29

Tanner Engstrand, pass-game coordinator (Lions): To interview

Brian Fleury, tight ends coach (49ers): Interviewed

Luke Getsy, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Interviewed

Klint Kubiak, passing game coordinator (49ers): Interviewed

Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Interviewed 1/23; hired as Bengals OC

Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC

Scott Turner, passing game coordinator (Raiders): Interview expected

Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed; hired as Bears OC

Mayo has elevated DL coach DeMarcus Covington to DC.

THIS AND THAT

2024 DRAFT

Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com with a succinct look at Saturday’s Senior Bowl in Mobile.

The stage is set for Super Bowl LVIII, which means that one game stands between the end of the NFL season and sole focus shifting to the talent acquisition portion of the offseason. Preparation for the 2024 NFL Draft has already begun, especially for those participating in the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week.

Here is an early look at some of the storylines from Mobile:

How to watch and what to know

Date: Saturday, Feb. 3 | Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)

TV: NFL Network | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)

A year ago, the annual college football showcase pitting NFL hopefuls featured over 100 prospects who were drafted from the game. A week of practices and interviews leading up to the game draw over 900 NFL personnel from all 32 teams.

Underclassmen welcome

The Reese’s Senior Bowl has always accepted juniors who met graduation requirements but the game is now an option for all underclassmen prospects who have declared for the NFL Draft regardless of whether or not they have completed degree requirements.

There are roughly a dozen junior prospects that have been invited and accepted an invitation to the 2024 NFL Draft, including Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson, Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker, Miami safety Kamren Kinchens and BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia. Murphy is CBSSports.com‘s highest rated junior participant.

Top prospects in this year’s game

UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu is CBSSports.com‘s top rated prospect in this week’s game. After registering 10+ sacks for the second consecutive season, Latu arrives in Mobile as a potential Top-10 overall selection. Other prospects ranked in the Top-50 overall include:

Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga

Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell

Penn State cornerback Kalen King

Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw

Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine

Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul

Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix

Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu

Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton

Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton

Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr.

TCU cornerback Josh Newton

Several others are on the fringe of such recognition and could use this week in Alabama to boost their stock.

Quarterbacks on the move?

Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix will square off for the third time this season. While the in-season meetings determined who would represent the Pac-12 in the College Football Playoff, there is more on the line for each quarterback personally this week. USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels, in no particular order, are considered the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. Then, there is a trio of others (Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Penix and Nix) jockeying for that fourth spot, which could equate to a first-round selection or bleed over into Day 2 of the NFL Draft. It is a valuable week for talent evaluators in the quarterback market granted the opportunity to scout the arms of Nix and Penix next to each other this week.

South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and Tulane’s Michael Pratt have thrust themselves into that potential Day 2 conversation as well.

Potential risers

Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker is one of the juniors participating this week. He has desirable length and size, plus the flexibility to become a difference maker rushing the passer. The Minnesota transfer had eight sacks for the Jayhawks this season.

Alabama defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe was on track to become another one of those Crimson Tide interior defenders to be taken on Day 2, like Christian Barmore, Phidarian Mathis, Byron Young and Raekwon Davis. Eboigbe has remarkable strength and does a great job of controlling the line of scrimmage.

Many covering the NFL Draft may have been unfamiliar with Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace because he is one of those juniors that was not expected to declare. He looks like an NFL linebacker and will test well, but he is raw. Teams in need of help at the position may be open to buying stock low given that it is relatively weak linebacker class and with the understanding that his best football could still be ahead of him.

Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley is not sneaking up on anyone. He is much more likely to fly by in a blur. Over the past two years, he has registered 9.2 yards after the catch per reception, according to TruMedia. The Hilltoppers primarily used the him at or near the line of scrimmage but Corley is hoping to show that he can be a threat vertically as well.

Washington State’s Jaden Hicks is a bigger safety who consistently stuffs the stat sheet. As NFL defenses attempt to be more multiple in order to defend more personnel fluid offenses, Hicks is a player that is capable of fulfilling multiple roles in coverage and down in the box.

Small school standouts

There are 22 non-Power 5 prospects slated to take part in this week’s festivities, but there are four less heralded than the others: Houston Christian pass rusher Jalyx Hunt, New Hampshire running back Dylan Laube, Virginia State cornerback Willie Drew and Southeast Missouri State wide receiver Ryan Flournoy.

Drew may be the first taken among that group, but few players have been as productive over the past two years as Laube, who has 3,083 combined rushing and receiving yards.

Of note, Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey is the younger brother of Super Bowl bound running back Christian McCaffrey and the son of former NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey. The Owl had 71 receptions for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

Who is coaching the American and National teams?

For the second consecutive year, the Reese’s Senior Bowl is using a format called ‘Coach Up’ where coaches are elevated one rung higher on the ladder than their current position. For example, a defensive backs coach will get the opportunity to serve as defensive coordinator. It is an effort for those coaches to gain experience in new roles. Previously, the full coaching staffs of the teams with the worst records that did not get fired would coach the game.

Here are the coordinators and head coaches for each squad:

American

Head Coach – Tennessee Titans assistant head coach/defensive line coach Terrell Williams 

Offensive Coordinator – New England Patriots wide receivers coach Troy Brown

Defensive Coordinator – Cleveland Browns defensive backs coach Ephraim Banda

Special Teams Coordinator – New York Giants assistant special teams coach Mike Adams

National

Head Coach – New York Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich 

Offensive Coordinator – New York Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney

Defensive Coordinator – Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones

Special Teams Coordinator – New Orleans Saints assistant special teams coach Phil Galiano

– – –

Meanwhile, Dane Brugler of The Athletic drops a Mock Draft:

For my second mock draft, I added a second round to examine some of the interesting names that might not make the top 32.

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

The Bears’ quarterback situation will be a hot topic as we wait for general manager Ryan Poles to reveal his cards. I don’t know what he’ll do, but I can tell you what other NFL teams believe he’ll do: trade Justin Fields and draft a quarterback at No. 1. This is as much a financial decision as it is a football decision.

Williams isn’t a perfect prospect, by any means, but he is the favorite for No. 1 because of his playmaking instincts. He needs to be more consistent, but his poise and creativity are what make him special.

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

Recently hired Adam Peters has taken over all football decisions for Washington and has a chance to flip things quickly with three picks in the top 40.

Obviously, this selection will depend on what the Bears do. Will it be as simple as drafting whoever doesn’t go No. 1 between Williams and Maye? Very possible. Maye is a fantastic consolation prize and has the talent to develop into a top-10 NFL quarterback.

3. New England Patriots: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Patriots were cruising to the No. 2 pick until two wins in their final five games dropped them to No. 3. While that likely takes them out of contention for Williams or Maye, the Patriots still have several favorable options.

With Bill Belichick no longer with the organization, there is a level of unknown here, especially considering New England needs help in so many areas. Despite questions about who will throw him the ball, though, drafting a legitimate No. 1 target is the wise move.

4. Arizona Cardinals: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The Cardinals miss out on Harrison, but the gap between Harrison and Nabers is very thin. Arizona needs to become more explosive on offense, especially through the air — 53 NFL players this season had at least 10 catches of 20-plus yards and none played for the Cardinals. Nobody in college football produced more catches of 20-plus yards than Nabers (34).

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

The Chargers’ draft outlook will certainly change based on upcoming GM and head coach hires. Regardless, the offense needs more firepower.

Many will scoff at tight end this high, but with his movements and pass-catching skills, Bowers is more offensive weapon than true tight end. As long as the Chargers have a plan for how to use his talent, Bowers should thrive if paired with Justin Herbert.

6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

With his size/speed profile and ability to play through contact, Odunze is a quarterback-friendly target with the tools to be a legitimate No. 1 option. The Giants haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2018, but Odunze might change that as a rookie.

I know there will be plenty of “Why not a quarterback?” questions. Though I think a player like Jayden Daniels is possible, drafting a quarterback in the top 10 is an ownership decision — and we know Giants ownership loves Daniel Jones. GM Joe Schoen has been on the road this fall to see all of the top quarterbacks, but I’ll go with the QB-friendly target as the answer to the team’s passing woes.

7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

Alt and Peter Skoronski kicking butt on the left side of the Titans’ offensive line for the next decade is an easy pitch to make. I have nothing else to add.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Arthur Smith is now the Falcons’ former head coach because he believed his scheme and (misuse of) weapons could elevate mediocre quarterback play. It is interesting to think about what Atlanta’s talented, ready-to-go roster would look like if you dropped in Daniels.

After producing a minus-12 turnover margin, you can bet that will be a point of emphasis for the Falcons. In 13 starts this season, Desmond Ridder had 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles; in 12 starts, Daniels accounted for only four interceptions and three fumbles.

9. Chicago Bears: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Half of the Bears’ fan base will be upset with me going Williams at No. 1, and the other half will be cussing me out for having three wide receivers off the board before this pick. But those are realistic scenarios.

Even with the in-season trade for Montez Sweat, Chicago will be in the market for another impact pass rusher. An ideal fit in Matt Eberflus’ scheme, Turner is a freak athlete who rushes the passer, stops the run and should continue to get better and better.

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

Though his run blocking is a work in progress, Fashanu already offers pro-level pass protection because of his body control, light feet and ability to sit down versus power. His intelligence and A-plus character are the cherries on top.

11. Minnesota Vikings: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

Over his two seasons at UCLA, Latu accounted for 34 tackles for loss, 23.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. He has first-step quickness and bend, but his crafty handwork and ability to diversify his attack separate him as a pass rusher. His injury history could be an issue, but this Vikings regime has taken chances with those risks in the past.

12. Denver Broncos: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

There won’t be a consensus CB1, but Arnold has the best package of traits — and I know several NFL scouts who feel the same way. Though he’s not the most disciplined corner in the draft, Arnold is a top-tier athlete with outstanding competitiveness and ball production (17 passes defended and five interceptions in 2023).

13. Las Vegas Raiders: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

Especially with a regime change, quarterback is the Raiders’ main question mark. But is there one worth reaching for here?

Raiders fans scarred by the Alex Leatherwood pick might not want another Alabama offensive lineman in the first round, but Latham is probably the strongest player in the draft. He has the functional movement skills to play either tackle or guard at a high level.

14. New Orleans Saints: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State

The quarterback situation will dominate draft talk, but the Saints must address the trenches (on both sides) this offseason. With his experience and traits, Verse is a plug-and-play pass rusher who fits the mold for what New Orleans likes to target in Round 1.

15. Indianapolis Colts: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

I would love to see the Colts add LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. here, but they must also improve defensively on the back end — especially in a division with C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence. With his length, short-area suddenness and 4.3 speed, Wiggins has the traits that fit what the organization targets.

16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

Disruptive against both run and pass, Murphy had the best pass-rush win percentage (19.6) among all interior linemen in 2023 (no other DT was above 17.0 percent). He will get dinged by some for a lack of ideal length, but then he’ll run in the mid-4.7s at 300 pounds and provide a reminder that he is different.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

The Jaguars need long-term help at multiple positions, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this pick addresses the defensive or offensive line. But adding another playmaker is as good a plan as any.

Thomas is an outstanding size/speed athlete with a basketball background and huge upside. By the time April rolls around, he might not be an option outside of the top 15.

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Mims could be drafted top 10 or fall out of the top 20, and neither outcome would be overly surprising. The former five-star recruit has only eight starts to his name, but his limited tape is intriguing. He has an unbelievable combination of size, strength and movement skills. Ideally, the Bengals would want a more established prospect, but Mims’ talent might be too good to pass up.

19. Los Angeles Rams: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Going into Aaron Rodgers’ age-36 season, the Packers made a forward-thinking pick and drafted their quarterback of the future (Jordan Love) in the back half of Round 1. Going into Matthew Stafford’s age-36 season, the Rams might be in a position to follow the same approach. Who knows when Stafford will hang ’em up, but with his injury past, the Rams at least need to consider it.

There is a wide range of opinions on McCarthy’s projection and draft value. Michigan didn’t ask him to consistently push the ball downfield, but he was outstanding on money downs and will have the word “winner” bolded and highlighted in his scouting report (27-1 career record with a national title). Though I think he’ll have mostly second-round grades, McCarthy’s tools and intangibles could get him into the top 25.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

One of the top athletes in the draft, DeJean has experience as an outside corner, inside corner and a box/middle-field defender. I’ll be sending a petition for the NFL to add a dunk contest at the combine so we can see DeJean go to work. And we already know he performs well wearing black and gold.

21. Miami Dolphins: Jackson Powers-Johnson, G/C, Oregon

If this happened, it would be one of my favorite team-player fits in the draft. The Dolphins have obvious needs at guard and center, and Powers-Johnson is arguably the best interior blocker in this class. With his size, strength and athleticism, it is hard to find bad tape on him from this past season.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

The MAC has produced several top-20 picks over the years (Khalil Mack, Ben Roethlisberger, Randy Moss). But the conference hasn’t had a top-25 cornerback since the ’70s. That might change in April with Mitchell, who is 6-foot-1, 200 pounds and will test in the 4.3s in the 40-yard dash.

23. Houston Texans (from CLE): Taliese Fuaga, OT/G, Oregon State

After averaging just 3.7 yards per rush this season, how will the Texans address a stagnant run game? Drafting the best run blocker in this year’s class would be a promising start. Fuaga was a right tackle at Oregon State, but a lot of scouts like him best as a guard.

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

After the loss to the Packers, I’m sure Cowboys fans were expecting to see a defensive player here. But Tyron Smith might leave in free agency, and if Dallas keeps Tyler Smith at left guard, left tackle shoots to the top of the needs list. Based on his raw traits, Guyton could go much earlier than this.

25. Green Bay Packers: Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington

The Packers haven’t drafted a first-round offensive lineman in more than a dozen years (2011), but I really like this fit. A college left tackle, Fautanu has the feet and length to stay outside, but a lot of scouts feel his skill set is ideally suited at guard.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

McKinstry has mostly second-round grades from scouts, but his tape and resume show a prospect with NFL-starting skills. According to one NFL scout, Nabers named McKinstry as the toughest cornerback he faced in college.

27. Arizona Cardinals (from HOU): Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

The new Cardinals regime drafted offensive line in the first round last year and might do it again. A team captain at BYU, Suamataia started at right tackle in 2022 before moving to left tackle this past season. He displays the high-end tools to be a longtime NFL starter.

28. Kansas City Chiefs: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois

The Chiefs have gone defense with their first pick in each of the last three drafts, which has played a part in vast improvements on that side of the ball. Newton will be picked apart for his lack of elite length, but he is disruptive against both run and pass, and adding him to the line would give the Chiefs options.

29. Buffalo Bills: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

Coleman (6-4, 215) isn’t a burner and doesn’t have elite start-stop skills to instantly separate at the top of routes. But he is athletic with impressive body control and catch-point skills to turn off-target throws into completions. With his crazy catch radius, Coleman would give Josh Allen a different type of weapon than he is used to.

30. Detroit Lions: T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

After being labeled an underachiever by scouts as an underclassman, Sweat changed several habits and put dominant-level play on his senior tape. For a player north of 360 pounds, he is an impressive mover with the natural power to shut things down up front. The Lions took a major step with their run defense this season, and Sweat would continue that focus.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Graham Barton, G/C, Duke

A college left tackle, Barton will move inside in the NFL, and I’ll bet he finishes as the top center on several draft boards. He might not have ideal length, but he has quick feet, strong hands and a stubborn finish.

32. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Morgan, OT/G, Arizona

The Ravens could use depth at tackle and guard, and Morgan would help both spots. He played exclusively left tackle at Arizona, but some scouts project his skill set best inside. Regardless, Morgan plays balanced and physical in all phases.

Round 2

33. Carolina Panthers: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Based on NFL scout grades, this is a little early for Mitchell due to his lack of polish — he is a loose athlete, but his technique is also much too loose. If the Panthers don’t land a big fish via trade or free agency (Tee Higgins?), they might feel pressured to target a high-upside pass catcher.

34. New England Patriots: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

The NFL feedback on Nix is interesting. Some believe he can sneak his way into the top 25, while others see him as a third-rounder. The reality probably will fall somewhere in the middle.

Nix, who was born two months after the Patriots hired Belichick, understands where to go with the football, and his scrambling can give defenses fits.

35. Arizona Cardinals: Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State

Robinson is a polarizing prospect — like Nix, some see him as a third-rounder, others think he’ll go much higher. But it is hard to see his explosive get-off falling out of the top 40, especially considering this mediocre group of pass-rush prospects.

36. Washington Commanders: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

The Commanders landed their franchise quarterback in the first round and use this pick to help protect him. At 6-7, 310 with 36 1/2-inch arms, Paul is massive with functional movements ready to be coached. His older brother, Chris Paul, is already on the roster (seven starts at left guard in 2023), so the Commanders could roll out a brotherly tackle-guard combo.

37. Los Angeles Chargers: Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan

The Chargers could use a little bit of everything, including depth on the defensive line. The son of a four-time Pro Bowler, Jenkins has an interchangeable skill set to play multiple spots at a starter-quality level.

38. Tennessee Titans: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia

The Titans’ defense ranked 30th in the percentage of targets that resulted in a reception (71.0). Lassiter is smart, smooth and very competitive — only 38.5 percent of his targets this season resulted in a catch.

39. New York Giants: Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington

The Giants finished bottom five in several pass-rushing metrics, including sacks. Although he isn’t expected to test off the charts, Trice is an easy player to like because of his skilled, powerful hands and athletic urgency to quickly deconstruct blocks.

40. Washington Commanders (from CHI): Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

Minnesota’s all-time leader in interceptions, Nubin is an alert, athletic safety who plays like a wide receiver when the ball is in the air. If the Commanders don’t re-sign Kamren Curl, Nubin would be a perfect replacement.

41. Green Bay Packers (from NYJ): Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State

Hicks (6-2, 215) is an intimidating presence with the way he fills or tunes up receivers crossing the middle. But his athletic profile is also a strong selling point and helps his versatility to play nickel, box or deep.

42. Minnesota Vikings: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

The Vikings double up on the defensive line. Well-built at 6-4, 295 with 34-inch arms, Orhorhoro is an impressive mover and offers a high ceiling after he was late to the game of football.

43. Atlanta Falcons: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

Falcons receivers accounted for a grand total of four touchdown grabs in 2023 — two each by Drake London and Scotty Miller. London has the talent to be a legitimate No. 1 option, but adding more competition at the No. 2 spot should be a priority.

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

Probably the most polarizing quarterback in the draft, Penix was an outstanding college passer, but there are several areas of his game (and medical history) that complicate his projection. The Raiders shouldn’t be giving up on Aidan O’Connell, but they need to add new life to the quarterback room and see how it plays out.

45. New Orleans Saints (from DEN): Dominick Puni, OT/G, Kansas

The Saints aren’t ready to give up on Trevor Penning just yet, but they still need to address the offensive line in a major way. After playing with his older brothers at Central Missouri, Puni transferred to Kansas and put together back-to-back strong seasons, starting at both left tackle and left guard.

46. Indianapolis Colts: Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama

GM Chris Ballard is always looking to build on the defensive line, and Braswell would be a promising piece. A member of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Braswell had a breakout season in 2023 with an SEC-best 56 pressures (one more than Turner, his Alabama teammate).

47. New York Giants (from SEA): Javon Bullard, S, Georgia

With Xavier McKinney set to hit free agency, the Giants could be in the market for safety help. Bullard might not be a top tester, but he plays with range and made his presence known in the run game on every tape I studied.

48. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State

The Jaguars could upgrade several spots on their interior O-line. Beebe logged snaps at left guard and right guard in college and worked at center during practice, so he’d give Jacksonville options.

49. Cincinnati Bengals: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

The Bengals go all-Georgia in the first two rounds. The trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins and Tyler Boyd has likely played its final game together, but adding an inside-outside talent like McConkey would ease the transition.

50. Philadelphia Eagles (from NO): Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

The Eagles must add more talent to their linebacker room — and in this scenario, there hasn’t been an off-ball linebacker drafted yet. With his play style and mentality, Colson would check a lot of boxes.

51. Pittsburgh Steelers: Zach Frazier, G/C, West Virginia

Having grown up 90 miles south of Pittsburgh, Frazier embodies the toughness and physicality you expect from a Steelers offensive lineman. His late-season leg injury clouds his projection a tad, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he became a starting NFL center very early next season.

52. Los Angeles Rams: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri

One of the draft’s more physical corners, Rakestraw plays with the mentality and toughness to make plays against both pass and run. His injury feedback might directly impact where he is drafted, but the Rams could use a corner with his athleticism and compete skills.

53. Philadelphia Eagles: Calen Bullock, S, USC

All three Eagles picks have been back-seven defenders, and anyone who has watched that defense this season shouldn’t be surprised. Bullock is a true center-field safety. There are questions about his tackling, but he has outstanding range and budding instincts.

54. Cleveland Browns: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

The Browns need to get more explosive at receiver. As a true junior in 2023, Franklin was one of only two FBS receivers with 1,300-plus receiving yards and 14-plus touchdowns (Nabers was the other). He also ranked top three with eight catches of 40-plus yards.

55. Miami Dolphins: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

A long, rangy athlete, Cooper showed steady improvement throughout his time in College Station and capped it with a career year (led the Aggies in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles). He can impact the game in a variety of ways.

56. Dallas Cowboys: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas

This pick makes too much sense. With Tony Pollard a pending free agent, running back could be a need for Dallas. And even though Brooks tore his ACL in November, the Cowboys have never shied from taking risks, especially in the second round. Brooks was expected to be RB1 before his injury and still has a chance to be the first back off the board.

There is another layer here, too. Renowned surgeon Dr. Dan Cooper, the Cowboys’ head physician, performed Brooks’ surgery. No other team will have better information on Brooks’ recovery. I’m also told Brooks will be present at the East-West Shrine Bowl for interviews with NFL teams.

57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

With some looming decisions this offseason, wide receiver might move up Tampa’s priority list. At his size, Worthy won’t have a high success rate on contested catches, but his vertical speed and ability to make crisp, sudden route cuts make him a tough cover.

58. Green Bay Packers: Kalen King, CB, Penn State

The Packers’ secondary has been an adventure this season. It ranked bottom five in several coverage metrics, including opponents’ first downs-per-attempt rate (36.1) and touchdown passes allowed-to-interceptions ratio (3.0). Adding more cornerback help makes sense, especially if a promising (albeit inconsistent) prospect like King is available.

59. Houston Texans: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky

DeMeco Ryans and Bobby Slowik saw firsthand the impact of Deebo Samuel during their time in San Francisco. And if they want to add a stylistically similar weapon in Houston, Corley is the guy. With a 9.2 yards-after-catch average the past two seasons, he earned the nickname “YAC King.”

60. Kansas City Chiefs: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

I doubt Travis Kelce is going anywhere anytime soon, but Sanders is more of a complement than a replacement for the future Hall of Famer. The Texas tight end is a big, smooth athlete who could help as a rookie.

61. Buffalo Bills: Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami

It has been a while since the Bills had to seriously consider drafting a safety early, but that might change this offseason. Kinchens put up-and-down play on his tape, but he has a well-rounded skill set. A strong showing at the Senior Bowl can help get him into Round 2.

62. Detroit Lions: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State

Cornerback is a need for the Lions, and Tampa would be an interesting fit. Coming from a basketball family, he has length and explosive ability to limit big plays — he allowed just three catches of 15-plus yards this season.

63. San Francisco 49ers: Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

This might be early for a raw Ivy League prospect coming off a major injury, but Amegadjie would be a smart investment for a team that needs to start thinking about its future at offensive tackle. Amegadjie has outstanding arm length (36 3/4 inches), athletic gifts and the coachability that should help him get drafted higher than most expect.

64. Baltimore Ravens: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri

At 6-5, 295 with 35-inch arms, Robinson is the epitome of “the first guy off the bus” type. He also raised his level of play this season (14 tackles for loss) and is the type of toolsy defensive lineman the Ravens like to target on Day 2.