The Jaguars reached agreement with tight end Evan Engram on a long-term deal earlier Monday. The running backs who received the franchise tag, however, all failed to complete a contract before the deadline passed.

Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and Cowboys running back Tony Pollard now will have to play 2023 under the franchise tag . . . if they choose to play. Pollard is the only one of the three to have signed the franchise tag.

Barkley has threatened to sit out into the season, and Jacobs reportedly won’t show up for the opening of training camp.

Barkley tweeted “it is what it is” minutes before the deadline passed.

The franchise tag is worth $10.1 million for the running backs for this season, and the Giants and Raiders still have the ability to pull the franchise tag since it is unsigned.

The three players, though, cannot negotiate on a long-term deal again until the 2023 season ends (unless the tag is rescinded), with all three scheduled to become free agents in 2024.

It does not appear that any of the three players got close on completing a long-term deal before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Jacobs led the league with 1,653 rushing yards and 2,053 yards from scrimmage. Barkley rushed for 1,312 yards and had 1,650 yards from scrimmage. Pollard had 1,007 rushing yards and 1,378 yards from scrimmage.

WASHINGTON

Jason Friedman, who used to work for Washington’s football team, wants $7.5 million because he says Dan Snyder’s lawyers defamed him.  He thinks he can get it from a suburban Virginia jury.

Jason Friedman, who testified before Congress last year alleging financial improprieties by the Washington Commanders, has filed suit in Virginia against the team and one of its attorneys, John Brownlee, on a defamation claim.

Friedman, who filed the 15-page suit in the civil division of Loudoun County District Court on July 7, asked for $7.5 million in compensatory damages and another $350,000 in punitive damages, in addition to fees incurred. He also asked for a jury trial.

The news came out three days before NFL owners will gather in Minneapolis to vote on the sale of the Commanders from Dan and Tanya Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris. Owners are expected to approve the $6.05 billion sale, ending the Snyders’ 24-year reign.

On March 14, 2022, Friedman testified before the House Oversight Committee for its investigation into the Commanders’ work culture under Snyder. During his closed-door testimony, Friedman accused the team of financial improprieties, which led the committee to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission about the allegations a month later.

The Commanders denied the allegations in a letter the team sent to the FTC. The letter included emails and texts from Friedman to club officials.

The lawsuit stated that “The Team responded to Mr. Friedman’s allegations of financial improprieties by repeatedly and publicly calling him a liar, accusing him of committing the federal crime of perjury, and falsely implying that he was terminated as part of the Team’s sexual harassment scandal that was being widely reported in the press.”

The suit also asserted that “The Team’s false statements about Mr. Friedman, which it has repeated or caused to be repeated in various public forums, have devastated him personally and professionally: [H]e suffers from severe anxiety and depression, will require ongoing medical treatment, and has been unable to find a comparable job due to the Team’s deliberate and malicious destruction of his reputation.”

“We believe this complaint is completely without merit, and we will vigorously defend the team against these false allegations,” a Commanders spokesperson said Monday.

Brownlee has not yet issued a statement about the lawsuit.

Friedman worked for the organization for 24 years in ticket sales, eventually becoming its vice president of sales and customer service. He was fired in fall 2020, shortly after Jason Wright took over as team president.

Friedman testified that the team had “knowingly and deliberately” withheld funds from season-ticket holders’ security deposits and that it mischaracterized revenue. In a statement, one of Friedman’s attorneys, Lisa Banks, said, “Jason Friedman testified truthfully before Congress about his experiences with the Washington Commanders. In response to his testimony, the team and its lawyer attempted to publicly destroy him by baselessly calling him a liar and questioning his moral character. I am confident that Mr. Friedman will be vindicated both by the NFL’s investigation and a court of law.” Because he testified behind closed doors, the suit contends that Friedman was not a public figure. Shortly after the story broke about his testimony in 2022, the team released a statement saying in part that “anyone who offered testimony suggesting a withholding of revenue has committed perjury, plain and simple.”

Friedman’s suit also pointed to the letter Washington sent to the FTC that mentioned the “uncorroborated and implausible allegations of a single disgruntled former employee.”

Friedman’s attorneys also state in the lawsuit that Brownlee attempted to tie him to the instances of sexual harassment in the organization during his time with the franchise. The suit pointed to a radio interview Brownlee did with 106.7 The Fan in which he said Friedman became the “very toxic work environment that the team was trying to rid itself [of].”

Washington has reached settlements with the attorney general offices of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Virginia’s attorney general has continued to investigate the allegations. The U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia also opened an investigation into possible financial improprieties by the Commanders.

Attorney Mary Jo White is conducting an investigation into Snyder and the team. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly said he’ll release her findings when that probe is done.

Congress investigated Snyder and the Commanders for nearly a year before Republicans won control of the House and declined to pursue the matter further.

SAN FRANCISCO

49ers players love QB TREY LANCE, the person.

This time two years ago, Trey Lance was the heir apparent as the No. 3 overall pick. This time last year, Lance was entering his first season as the 49ers’ full-time starter. Lance’s status for this season is uncertain, with Brock Purdy expected to start if he is healed in time for the season opener.

By this time next year, Lance could have a new home.

There is no question about Lance’s place in the team’s locker room, though, fullback Kyle Juszczyk said.

Speculation swirled regarding teammates’ feelings about Lance when he was conspicuously absent from a basketball game this offseason attended by several 49ers, including quarterback Sam Darnold.

“Trey is beloved in our locker room,” Juszczyk said, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “Everybody loves Trey. The dude really does work his ass off. He’s super personable. He is a very well-liked guy. So for whatever reason that he wasn’t at the basketball game, it’s not because we don’t like him.”

49ers quarterbacks are expected to report to training camp this week with the rookies. The rest of the veterans will arrive July 25.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

“99” is perfection in Madden football – and DT AARON DONALD has achieved it for a record 7^th time.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

A career undoubtedly deserving of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is also worthy of breaking records on the virtual gridiron.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was announced as a member of Madden NFL 24’s “99 Club” on Tuesday, marking his record-breaking seventh appearance in the prestigious group.

Tuesday’s announcement moved Donald into a class of his own, breaking a tie he shared with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, a six-time member of the “99 Club.”

Donald’s performance and reputation couldn’t possibly be more certain. With seven All-Pro selections and nine Pro Bowl nods to his name — plus three Defensive Player of the Year awards, a Defensive Rookie of the Year honor and a Super Bowl LVI ring — his place in the club remains unsurprising. Perhaps the only eyebrow-raising detail is the fact he’s still considered to be an elite player at 32 years old.

Donald has certainly earned the nod. He’ll enter his 10th NFL season knowing gamers around the globe will be relying on the skills possessed by his virtual avatar to win many games this year. Donald will hope to help the Rams do the same.

Well, it turns out that you can get a “100” but it hasn’t happened since Mike Alstott (?!?!) and Deion Sanders in 2000.

Here are the 99s from the last two seasons:

Madden 22 – 5 players in the 99 Club at the start of the season, then added 3 more during the season.

Madden 99 Club: Davante Adams, Aaron Donald, Travis Kelce, Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Mahomes (also on the Madden 22 cover), Myles Garrett (in-season addition), Tom Brady (in-season addition), Justin Tucker (in-season addition).

Madden 23 – Four players started the season in the 99 Club, three of which were in the 99 Club for Madden 22.

Madden 99 Club: Davante Adams, Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Trent Williams, Travis Kelce (in-season addition).

Now, on to Madden 24 (which is ratings based on play after 2022 which most people will play during 2023).

Besides Donald, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has been announced as a “99.”  More to come presumably.

SEATTLE

Brady Henderson of ESPN.com takes stock of Seattle’s secondary:

The Seattle Seahawks’ secondary was the lone strength of their underperforming defense in 2022, sending Quandre Diggs to his third straight Pro Bowl and rookie Tariq Woolen to his first.

It was also the position group that Seattle improved the most over the offseason, first by signing Julian Love to a two-year, $12 million free-agent deal and then spending the fifth overall pick on Devon Witherspoon.

Whenever Jamal Adams gets back on the field, the former All-Pro could be considered something of an addition himself, given that he played less than half a game before suffering a season-ending injury in last year’s opener.

On paper, it’s the best collection of defensive backs the Seahawks have assembled since the Legion of Boom came undone in 2017.

And yet …

“Michael Jackson has had the best camp of anybody,” coach Pete Carroll said at the end of minicamp in June, saying last year’s starter at left cornerback delivered “almost a dominant” performance while stepping back in with the No. 1 defense on the right side after Woolen’s knee injury.

Jackson‘s strong spring highlights the depth the Seahawks have in their secondary, in addition to the star power of the projected starters. But the group has some question marks as well.

After taking stock of the front seven in May, here’s a look at the defensive backs and all that the Seahawks will have to sort out before their Sept. 10 opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

Cornerbacks

Departures: Justin Coleman (not re-signed), Xavier Crawford (not re-signed)

Additions: Witherspoon (first round), Lance Boykin (UDFA), Montrae Braswell (UDFA), Arquon Bush (UDFA), James Campbell (UDFA), Benjie Franklin (UFA)

Returners: Woolen, Mike Jackson, Tre Brown, Coby Bryant, Isaiah Dunn, Artie Burns

Woolen had arthroscopic knee surgery in May and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp on July 26. Witherspoon, the highest draft pick of the Carroll/John Schneider era, seems like a safe bet to start on the other side.

But could he play nickelback as well? With Coby Bryant limited during the spring with a sprained toe, the Seahawks took a look at Witherspoon (6-foot, 180) in the slot. He had also been working with the No. 1 defense at left corner after recovering from a hamstring injury that limited him early on.

“I talked to him about it way back when and he was all excited about it,” Carroll said. “He said, ‘I can learn it all, I can get it,’ and he’s really positive about it. So when we gave him the chance, he jumped right on it. He’s a really good football learner. He gets it, man, and it makes sense to him, and he does things naturally really well, and that expedites the process … [W]e’ve seen him look pretty much in charge of the position, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Bryant had a solid rookie season that included four forced fumbles, but it wasn’t enough to guarantee him the nickelback job in 2023. His toe injury wasn’t expected to require surgery, per Carroll.

Witherspoon didn’t play nickelback at Illinois but moved around and occasionally winded up inside. One potential scenario is Witherspoon and Woolen playing on the outside in base packages, then Jackson coming in to play on the left side in nickel situations, kicking Witherspoon inside.

“We’ve seen him play on the slots, and it doesn’t matter who he was playing, he covered everybody,” Carroll said. “So he’s a special cover guy. His quickness and his instincts and all really lend to [the thought that] he could be an effective player there.”

Safeties

Departures: Ryan Neal (RFA tender rescinded), Josh Jones (not re-signed), Johnathan Abram (not re-signed), Teez Tabor (not re-signed)

Additions: Love (UFA), Jerrick Reed II (sixth round), Jonathan Sutherland (UDFA), Morrell Osling III (UDFA), Ty Okada (UDFA), Christian Young (UDFA)

Returners: Adams, Diggs, Joey Blount

The big questions here are: When will Adams be ready? And how long will it take him to regain his form?

Adams has yet to practice while recovering from surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon. Comments from Carroll have made it clear that he may not be ready by Week 1. The Love signing — an expensive one by Seattle’s standards — gave the impression that the team believes Adams may have to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games.

“We’ll see,” Carroll said of Adams being ready by the opener. “Let’s get to camp first and see what happens. It may be too much to ask. I don’t know. We’ll see.”

Diggs made it back by last year’s opener from a broken ankle, but he said recently that it wasn’t until midseason that he felt like himself. The comment was a useful reminder that Adams may not regain his 2020 form right away, if he regains it at all.

Hence the Love signing. The Seahawks consider him to be an upgrade over Neal, who had been an unsung hero in recent seasons while filling in for Adams. The team rescinded its RFA tender to Neal in a cost-saving move after signing Love. He gives the Seahawks insurance against Adams’ health and a versatile defensive back who can play alongside him in sub packages.

Love played all over the New York Giants’ secondary and was a team captain last season. He has experience at nickel but has solely been working as the starting safety opposite Diggs.

“He’s been fantastic,” Carroll said of Love. “I think he’s 26 or something. He’s a young kid still, a young man still. But he’s like he’s been around forever. He’s got great sense, great awareness, presence. He totally gets football, it makes sense to him, he’s an excellent communicator, really a gifted smooth athlete with real quickness, and real quickness, and that comes from really great instincts. He looked great. I know that it’s been obvious to Quandre that he’s got a guy that really can command what’s going on. And so they’re sharing the duties and working together and growing.”

Johnathan Sutherland is the undrafted rookie to keep an eye on in training camp. The Penn State product worked with the No. 1 defense as the sixth defensive back in dime packages during the spring, though that was with several other defensive backs sidelined by injuries.

PITTSBURGH

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic says extending Coach Mike Tomlin is inevitable:

Mike Tomlin’s contract extension could very well be done already. Actually, it could have been done for a while now, and we’re just waiting for the official announcement from the Steelers a day or so before the start of training camp.

Five of Tomlin’s six career extensions have come around the start of camp, so it’s quite likely that sometime between now and when the Steelers report to Saint Vincent College on July 26 that the news will be revealed to the public.

As expected, it has been pretty quiet on the extension front.

Owner Art Rooney II said after the season that he didn’t want to speculate on an extension for his coach, who has two years remaining on his contract. Rooney then told the team’s website later in the week: “I don’t really evaluate Mike on anything other than I’m glad he’s our coach. Hopefully, he’ll be our coach in the future. He gives us a chance to win, year in and year out, and puts us in a position where we have a chance to compete for a championship.”

You don’t have to be a soothsayer to know what that meant.

It’s never been about whether Tomlin was going to get extended. How the Rooneys have run the Steelers since the day they hired Chuck Noll illustrates that — 54 years and three head coaches. That’s how they do business, whether you agree with it or not. Being a stable organization is the priority and has been ever since they tasted success in the early 1970s.

It’s not like, say the Browns, who recently had three coaches in a span of 54 weeks. Trust me, it’s not just the Browns. Other organizations have gone down that same path. Only nine of the league’s 32 head coaches have been with their current team for more than five years, with two more entering their fifth season.

Tomlin is entering his 17th and has a contract that runs through 2024. Only six NFL coaches have spent more consecutive seasons with one team to start their head-coaching career — Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau, Bud Grant, Jeff Fisher, Steve Owen and Noll — and Tomlin has a better winning percentage (.636) than all.

So, the argument isn’t whether Tomlin will get extended. The argument has always been, and will always be: Should he get extended? Has his message gone stale? Can they win with how he coaches? All are legitimate questions.

Mike Tomlin’s contract extensions

2010                      July 23      2 (third-year option)             2012 (option in ’13)

2012                     July 24      3                                           2016

2015                     July 23      2                                           2018

2017                     Aug. 4       2                                          2020

2019                     July 25     1                                           2021

2021                     April 20     2 (third-year option)            2024  (option in ’25)       

That might seem like crazy talk in 31 other cities for a coach with a Super Bowl trophy, seven division titles, 163 wins (16th in NFL history), nine 10-win seasons and no losing seasons. Only of Tomlin’s 258 career games has been meaningless — with the Steelers out of playoff contention before the finale — and that was a decade ago.

But Tomlin also has no playoff wins in six years and a 3-7 postseason record since losing Super Bowl XLV. That’s what this storied franchise is judged on. Not how many times the team can avoid losing one more game than it won.

Nobody should be safe if the lack of playoff success continues, regardless of how good of a coach you believe you have. If the coach holds the players accountable, then the owner should hold the coach to the same standard … but not in this case, not now.

Tomlin shouldn’t have a lifetime contract. But, contrary to the opinions of some frustrated fans, he does deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Tomlin should be extended for many reasons. Whether for two years or three years, it matters not. The lack of a playoff win since the 2016 season matters even less to me. The Steelers are in the middle of a total rebuild, not only on the field but throughout the front office and the scouting department.

A turnaround that could take years appears to be well on its way … for the second time, and in quick fashion. After two 8-8 seasons, the Steelers won 11 games in 2014. After a pair of nine-win campaigns, the Steelers appear to be on a path to contend again this year.

Even if Rooney wanted to let Tomlin ride out his contract and see where it takes the team, that’s probably not the best business decision. The Steelers don’t need someone to come in and overturn the apple cart, especially after seemingly falling into a great quarterback situation with Kenny Pickett.

They need a steady voice. A respected voice. A voice they trust. With 17 of the 22 starters gone from the 2020 team and an average age of around 26, all this team knows is Tomlin’s reputation, and not necessarily his recent resume.

The Steelers revamped their offensive line, put together potentially their best draft in years and have a high ceiling on defense. Their front office went all-in during its first full year, providing depth and competition at every level. Now is not the time to ignore what has been a right of passage for Tomlin every other year and make the future Hall of Famer a lame-duck coach.

Tomlin has warts. We all acknowledge that. But that doesn’t make him expendable. At 51, he’s a football junkie who hasn’t shown even the slightest notion of disinterest.

Like it or not, Tomlin has a lifetime contract at this point in his career.

Former GM Kevin Colbert worked on a year-to-year contract near the end of his career at his request. He cited his age as a reason not to seek a longer contract. It was basically a handshake agreement until Colbert decided he didn’t want to be the general manager anymore.

You can’t do that with a 51-year-old head coach. Let’s face it, the only way Tomlin isn’t going to be the Steelers’ head coach is if he chooses not to be the Steelers’ head coach. I’m fine with that, and Rooney must be, too.

In December, Sportico reported Tomlin has an annual salary of $12.5 million. For a frugal organization like the Steelers, cutting that number in half and bringing a fresh face in should be tempting, but it isn’t. That tells you where the Rooneys sit on the matter.

So, when the Steelers eventually announce Tomlin’s extension — likely through the 2026 season, when he might be close to passing Noll as the franchise wins leader — many will debate the decision.

At this point, the Steelers and Rooney have no choice.

Just think … being forced to have Mike Tomlin as your head coach.

THIS AND THAT

POKING AROUND ON BLAKE MARTINEZ’S NEW CAREER

Zac Keefer of The Athletic on why LB Blake Martinez called it quits for a new business opportunity:

Blake Martinez wired a six-figure sum to a man in Japan he’d never met, then waited.

The cash was crammed into duffel bags, delivered by train and dropped on a doorstep. The package was shipped stateside via FedEx two-day air.

But once it landed, it went nowhere.

For days. For weeks. And with each unanswered call, with every unreturned text, Martinez’s anxiety ballooned. He started to fear it was lost — worse yet, stolen. He’d fire off dozens of messages before going to bed some nights, desperate for updates, and would doze off with the same question wedged in his mind.

Where’s it at?

He’d wake up at 5 a.m. wondering the same thing, feverishly checking his phone.

“I kept thinking, Holy sh–, what did I do?”

Finally, it turned up: a 2.5 x 3.5 piece of ultrathin cardboard worth more than half a million dollars.

Two weeks later, Martinez slumped in his seat aboard the Raiders’ team bus after piling up a team-best 11 tackles in a loss to the Jaguars. He was in his seventh NFL season, two years removed from signing a $30 million contract, five from tying for the league lead in tackles. He was just 28, about the age most NFL players hit their prime.

But he was on his third team in four years. He’d lost most of his 2021 season to a torn ACL, and the Giants, the team that handed him that $30 million contract in March 2020, made a surprise move 10 months after the injury, cutting him days before the season opener. Martinez landed on the Raiders’ practice squad, then climbed his way back on the field.

The game against the Jaguars, in early November, proved he could still play. Congratulatory texts were lighting up his phone — “Still got it!” one friend wrote — but football was the last thing on his mind. Martinez smiled as he read through the messages, convinced that as one chapter was closing, another was beginning.

He’d played his last game in the NFL. He was quitting football to sell Pokémon cards.

Yeah, at first, his teammates thought it was weird.

“Blake, what’s all this Pokémon stuff you’ve been posting about?” Saquon Barkley asked him one day in the Giants’ locker room.

Same with Sterling Shepard. Same with Leonard Williams.

“Isn’t that stuff for kids?” they wanted to know.

Martinez knew it was coming. So he’d start by telling them how much money he was making.

“I just did a $50,000 box break and made $108,000.”

He’d watch their eyes light up. More questions would follow.

“You made what?”

“And what’s a box break?”

Pokémon — roughly translated from “pocket monsters” — centers on collecting creatures via the brand’s video game and collectibles empire. In 1998, it exploded into a worldwide sensation and is currently listed as the highest-grossing media franchise in the world.

In recent years, Pokémon cards have skyrocketed in value. Two decades after landing in the United States, some have become increasingly scarce — and in turn, ridiculously expensive. Especially the ones in excellent condition.

Those who can get their hands on them? They have an opportunity to make a killing.

And to think: Martinez used to buy packs at the Circle K down the street from his childhood home for as little as 99 cents. As a kid in Tucson, Ariz., he’d take the $5 he earned cleaning his room or taking out the trash and add to his collection. He’d stash them in his binder, hundreds upon hundreds of cards, every character he could get his hands on: Pikachu, Charmander, Snorlax, you name it.

Then he grew up. Life moved on. The binder stayed in his parents’ storage shed — or at least that’s what he thought.

Martinez hated football at first, but the former defensive end fell hard for the sport in high school after dropping 60 pounds and finding a home on the field at linebacker. He loved quarterbacking the defense, sniffing out the play before the snap, then upending it. Before his senior season, he spliced together his own highlight tape and shipped it off to every school he was interested in. Oregon called. Then Stanford. Two weeks later, he had offers from both.

He chose Stanford but didn’t start until his junior year. The NFL wasn’t on his radar until he piled up 10 tackles in an early-season game, after which he was swarmed by a dozen agents as he exited the locker room.

“That’s when I was like, ‘Wow, OK, I need to take this seriously.’”

So he did. As a senior, he became one of the best defenders in the country, a third-team All-American and Butkus Award semifinalist. Four months later, after earning his degree in Management, Science and Engineering, he was a Green Bay Packer, picked in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. He started as a rookie, then didn’t miss a game for four years, epitomizing the bruising, pulsating aggression the inside linebacker spot required.

Once, during a game, the stitches in his nose burst open, leaving blood spilling out all over his facemask and jersey, even on some opponents. Martinez retreated to the locker room, had his nose stitched back up and returned.

By 2020 he’d signed with the Giants, and during the early days of the pandemic, stumbled across a headline about Pokémon cards that stopped him cold. Martinez called his mom, convinced he had a gold mine sitting idle in their storage shed back in Tucson.

“Do you still have my Pokémon binder?” he asked.

“Sorry, Blake, we gave those away…”

“I was like, ‘Oh no, there goes $100,000 right there!’” he remembers thinking.

Then he decided it was time to dive back in.

Problem was, he didn’t have a clue what he was doing.

Martinez started buying into online “breaks” — live streams in which the seller opens a customer’s newly-purchased pack of cards, revealing their value in real time — and got hooked. But he wasn’t making much money, and a thought kept running through his mind: It’d be way more exciting to rip these packs open myself.

“My life motto has always sort of been: If you can do it, I can probably do it better,” Martinez says.

So he jumped on eBay one night and bought $40,000 worth of Pokémon cards. Then he went to Instagram, typed “Pokémon” in the search bar and messaged every collector he could find. “Like 500 different people,” Martinez remembers, laughing. “Anyone who’d message me back, I’d just ask them, ‘Hey, I have this box break coming up, would you wanna buy some of these?”

At first, he was met with resistance. At times, heavy resistance. Diehard collectors were skeptical. Who was this NFL player creeping into the hobby? Did he actually know what he was doing? Or was he just here to make a quick buck?

“Some of them were like, ‘Dude, if you’re going to do this, you gotta know your sh–,’” he remembers.

Martinez poured more and more money in, kept trying to host his own streams, and kept getting nowhere. But everything changed when a friend pointed him in the direction of Whatnot, a shopping platform that specializes in collectibles, from sports memorabilia to comic books to sneakers to, yes, Pokémon cards.

Last year alone, nearly $1 billion in sports cards were sold through the site, and it’s become the preferred destination for athletes and entertainers dabbling in that space. In May, Saints running back Jamaal Williams hosted a live stream with the voice actor from his favorite anime, “Naruto,” and last summer, rapper Post Malone streamed a one-on-one match of “Magic: The Gathering,” losing $100,000 to a fan in the process.

With a wider audience, and with more reps, Martinez ditched the cheat sheet he kept by his side at first — a lengthy list of every Pokémon character and their card’s corresponding value — and embraced the performative aspect that makes the breaks so thrilling, leaning into the anticipation of the reveal and allowing his rekindled love for Pokémon cards to spill out.

Each box, which contains 36 separate packs, includes a handful of lucrative cards. Some can be very lucrative. The fewer revealed early, the more the anticipation builds, and Martinez has grown into a master at building suspense.

His first stream on Whatnot? It was the one he kept mentioning to his teammates in the Giants’ locker room. It netted him $108,000 in profit.

“The more people I connected with, the knowledge just kept growing and growing and growing, and the real ones started to respect me,” Martinez says. “Finally, it was sort of like, ‘Hey, Blake’s one of us now.’”

Last July, with training camp just weeks away, he started his own company, Blake’s Breaks, and it took off immediately. Martinez has since hired nearly 20 full-time staffers, and collectively, they host 16 hours of live streams per day, establishing themselves as one of the biggest Pokémon channels on Whatnot. Martinez hosts two or three live streams a week himself.

He said revenues for Blake’s Breaks recently climbed past the $11.5 million mark — in less than a year.

“He’s an incredible talent building a million-dollar business,” says Craig Jones, the general manager for trading card games at Whatnot. “Blake brings the same level of hype he had sacking a quarterback when he pulls a Charizard from a pack.”

Last August, Martinez received a tip about an ultrarare card that was for sale in Japan. Was he interested? He knew wrestler and YouTuber Logan Paul had recently purchased a similar card — the famed Pikachu Illustrator from 1998, albeit with a perfect 10 grade — for $5 million. Martinez mulled his options, then decided it was worth the risk.

He got in touch with what he calls “a middle man,” whom he’d vetted but never met in person, and wired him a six-figure payment. The cash was emptied into duffel bags and delivered to the card’s owner, who then shipped it across the Pacific.

Several anxiety-inducing weeks later, Martinez sent the Pikachu Illustrator card to an auctioneer to be graded — the final, crucial step before it could hit the market. It came back nearly pristine. The centering, corners and edging earned a 9.5 out of 10; the surface a 9. It was one of the rarest and most valuable Pokémon cards on the planet, one of only 41 believed to be in existence.

Martinez auctioned it off. Thirteen bids poured in over 15 days, pushing the price higher, and higher, and higher. It eventually sold for $672,000.

“And that wasn’t the last one,” he says now. “Just a few weeks ago, I sold a second for $570,000.”

Marisa Snee was a bored 16-year-old binging “Pawn Stars” during the pandemic when she realized the Pokémon cards she had in her parents’ basement might be worth something. After she watched a Charizard sell for several hundred dollars on the show, she bolted downstairs and dug up the same card. Within a week, she netted $300 for it. She used the profit to buy another one in better condition and sold it for $1,000.

“This is easy,” she told herself.

A year later, Snee turned $40,000 worth of cards into a six-figure profit.

These days, she might be the busiest college sophomore in the country. After buying hundreds of cards off her, Martinez recruited her to work for him at Blake’s Breaks, where she’s now a content creator and the head of social media and onboarding.

In between her streaming schedule — she sometimes hosts for up to eight hours a day — she’s a forward for the University of Richmond women’s soccer team, and in what little free time she has left, runs graphic design and video editing businesses on the side. Naturally, the absurd amounts of money she makes off selling Pokémon cards garners the most questions.

“You do what?” her head coach, Adam Denton, asked her after finding out about her side gig.

Like Martinez’s incredulous teammates in the Giants’ locker room, most can’t wrap their minds around the money these cards pull in. Part of it is the scarcity: the most valuable Pokémon cards were printed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and since so many kids played with them back then — roughing up the surface and edges — very few are still in pristine shape.

“Once you get into it,” Snee says, “it’s hard to stop.”

It was enough for Martinez to walk away from football at 28. After that 11-tackle game against the Jaguars last November, he was more convinced than ever: his heart wasn’t in it anymore. His knee was healthy. He could still play.

But there was something about this new challenge he couldn’t shake.

Four days later, he retired.

“I just asked myself, do I want to keep starting over from ground zero with football, and keep destroying my body, or do I want to start over from ground zero here, and do something I can actually sustain for a long time?

“I loved football. But what I found out was I loved building and running my own team even more.”

He misses that feeling he’d get on Sundays, just before kickoff. He misses being in the locker room with his teammates. But Martinez is so busy these days he doesn’t have much time to look back. Some former teammates have reached out, the same ones who were puzzled by his hobby at first. Plenty of ex-NFL players struggle to find their path when football stops.

Martinez dove right in.

“They’ll just tell me, ‘You followed your dreams, man. That’s awesome. That takes some serious guts.’”

Sure, but his ambition was never the problem. Like Blake Martinez always told himself: if they can do it, I can probably do it better.

TOP 10 QUARTERBACKS

Jeremy Fowler’s secret ESPN panel of NFL insiders spits out the top 10 QBs for 2023.

In no particular order – we would expect Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen for starters.  Jalen Hurts has to be on the list.  We might not have Lamar Jackson there, but we bet he is. We would think young gun Justin Herbert has made it, but what about Trevor Lawrence? Are Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson hanging on? Probably, Dak Prescott.  So that’s 10 with Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff also possibilities in the DBs mind.

Let’s find out!

To say the NFL is entering a new golden era of quarterback play isn’t overselling it. With Drew Brees and Tom Brady retiring in back-to-back years and Aaron Rodgers not far behind, six of the top seven quarterbacks in the NFL are 27 years old or younger. They all are armed with $200 million-plus contracts — or could be in the next three months. And they are all dual threats to varying degrees, effectively putting the traditional “statue” pocket passer to rest.

While last year’s rankings showed a depth problem at the position, the emergence of two young quarterbacks debuting in the top 10 and several veterans improving their play in 2022 has strengthened the pool. This made for a highly competitive voting process, especially for the 10th spot.

Let’s look at some of the game’s top QBs as ranked by execs, coaches, scouts and players around the NFL.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 2

Age: 27 | Last year’s ranking: 2

Back on top after holding the No. 2 ranking last year, Mahomes received all but two first-place votes thanks to a dominant season capped by his second Super Bowl win.

“He’s got everything needed from a great quarterback, and he does those things at a high level all of the time,” an AFC scout said.

Most impressive was Mahomes’ ability to adjust without the vertical threat of Tyreek Hill, who was traded to Miami. Of Mahomes’ 41 touchdown passes, 31 went to running backs or tight ends, the most in a single season in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). Mahomes also led the postseason charge despite playing at less than full strength following a right ankle injury during the Chiefs’ divisional round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

His QBR of 77.6 was six-plus points higher than that of any other quarterback. He was particularly dominant in the red zone, leading all quarterbacks with an 87.3 QBR. He’s the best against the blitz, too (83.6 QBR).

And he has proved efficient when the big passing yards aren’t available. In the Super Bowl win over Philadelphia, Mahomes completed 12 passing first downs for 182 yards.

“He’s accurate when uncomfortable, which is probably the hardest thing to do in the NFL,” an NFL offensive coach said. “The game just slows down to the point where he’s at his best in the chaos.”

The Chiefs believe Mahomes improved his in-game adjustments in the past year, figuring out how defenses were attacking him and responding accordingly. Behind the scenes, the team has seen Mahomes take a more active role in coaching receivers and tight ends on where he wants them on a given play.

2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 6

Age: 26 | Last year’s ranking: 5

Last year, Burrow cracked the top five after only two NFL seasons. This year, he strengthened his case in the QB pantheon with an overwhelming number of second-place votes.

“Unflappable. Very calm. Poised,” an AFC executive said.

“Whether you’re pressuring him, whether he’s ahead or behind, he stays level all the time.”

An AFC offensive coach said Burrow is No. 2 and “it’s not close” because he does everything well, he’s more skilled than given credit for, “tough as hell and extremely accurate.”

Burrow is elite as an intermediate-to-deep passer. Over the past two seasons, Burrow leads the NFL in touchdown passes (19) and touchdown-interception ratio (19-4) on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. In 2022, his 53 completions of 20-plus yards ranked fifth in the NFL.

He also ranked third in fourth-quarter QBR (75.3) and second in QBR outside the pocket (85.3).

One NFL quarterbacks coach said Burrow is the league’s most refined quarterback, a model for young quarterbacks to follow.

“He takes time to appreciate because the elite athlete isn’t what you see first,” a veteran NFL scout said. “But the more you watch him, the more you’re like, Damn, he’s doing the right thing every play. It’s a lot like [Drew] Brees and [Tom] Brady where they start doing things so consistently every year and you’re thinking, Well, maybe he really is that guy.”

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 5

Age: 26 | Last year’s ranking: 3

Allen has bolstered his case as a top-three quarterback but hasn’t quite experienced the breakthrough that feels inevitable.

He’s well ahead of the quarterbacks ranked Nos. 4-10 in the voting, but he was far behind Mahomes and Burrow.

The prolific scorer has 84 total touchdowns since 2021 (71 passing, 13 rushing). He’s the only quarterback in NFL history to record three seasons with at least 35 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns.

But his 29 interceptions during that span are the third worst in the league.

“His top 20 plays in a game are as good as Mahomes,” a national NFL scout said. “But then Buffalo will go nearly a half and do next to nothing. That doesn’t happen to Kansas City.”

Allen was still dominant while under duress in 2022 with a 76.2 QBR when under pressure, nearly 23 points higher than the rest of the quarterback field. His 91.2 third-down QBR also led the league.

“If you’re starting a team, I’d consider taking him first,” an AFC exec said. “He can put a team on his back.”

But the Bills ran out of gas in a 27-10 playoff loss to Cincinnati, the culmination of a year marred by injuries and Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. The offense also was transitioning to first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey.

“I think he got worn down mentally and physically at the end of last year,” the scout said of Allen. “He had a lot on his plate. They didn’t seem as creative without [former offensive coordinator Brian] Daboll. Some games it felt like they were throwing it 40 or so times, and he was running it another 10 times or more. He just needed help.”

4. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 8

Age: 39 | Last year’s ranking: 1

Despite pedestrian (for his standards) numbers in 2022, Rodgers brings elite quarterback play to the Jets.

“I’m so glad to have him out of the division,” a coach from the NFC North said. “He’s still one of the quarterbacks that you hate to face.”

But after a historic two-year stretch that earned Rodgers two MVPs, his production dipped in yards (3,695), touchdowns (26) and interceptions (12), his worst total since 2008 as Green Bay broke in young receivers.

“I think everyone is afraid to say he’s declined a little,” an AFC scout said. “He’s still a great thrower and sees it really well, but he’s more like [ranked] eight to 12 for me.”

Others are giving Rodgers a pass on the low production, maintaining the 39-year-old will experience a resurgence in his new home similar to Tom Brady in Tampa Bay and Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles.

Much will depend on whether the Jets can protect him. Over the past three seasons, Rodgers ranks 21st in QBR when pressured (17.0) vs. second when he’s not (79.1).

“If you watch his tape, he still makes some beautiful throws,” an AFC executive said. “It’s hard when you don’t have comfort level with receivers. That’s probably undervalued that people don’t necessarily take into account. It’s not instant-make orange juice. You could see chemistry and timing was off early on. He might not have the same mobility to run, but he will have upgrades with the Jets’ offense and will take advantage.”

5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 9

Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: 7

Herbert’s rise in the top 10 has been steady … but slower than that of draftmate Burrow, who has more playoff success.

The way some evaluators see it, matching that success is only a matter of time, considering Herbert’s considerable skill set.

“Herbert is at that hump where they need him to win now,” an NFC scout said. “He’s got everything you need, a fantastic player, but now it’s time to make that jump. The offense put so much on him that it’s hard for him.”

He often relied on the short passing game last season, with his average of 6.3 air yards per attempt ranking third lowest in the NFL, ahead of only Daniel Jones (6.0) and Matt Ryan (6.2).

Herbert’s big arm suggests he can do much more. The addition of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and first-round receiver Quentin Johnston should aid that process. Moore can implement a vertical attack that will apply pressure on defenses with Herbert’s arm talent.

Herbert, who threw a career-low 25 touchdowns in 2022, posted 94 passing scores in his first three seasons, which ranks second to Dan Marino (98) all time during that span, setting the stage for a big future contract. His 14,089 passing yards during that span ranks first all time.

One high-ranking NFL official said: “Whatever the Chargers pay him, he’ll be worth it.”

One NFL offensive coach said that Herbert missed one too many “layup” throws last season that proved disappointing when watching the tape. But that’s being nitpicky. After all, he faced pressure 258 times last season, second most by any quarterback in a season since ESPN began tracking pressures in 2009.

“He’s deadly. He’s a problem,” an AFC exec aid. “He’s done well with the tools that he has.”

6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 10

Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: Unranked

Hurts’ total package elevated him to top-six status. He’s known as a tireless worker and strong leader. He has grown as a passer every year: After posting a 33.8 QBR as a rookie in 2020, he had 54.6 and 66.4 ratings over the following two years.

And his savvy as a runner helps him break off timely rushes based on his reads of the defense. His 18 rushing touchdowns represent the most by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history.

“He’s one of those guys who has progressively added to his game,” an NFL personnel director said. “Not really flappable, similar to Burrow in that sense. He remains calm. He can do all the things you need to from the pocket. I don’t see why he can’t be [a] precision passer. Look at all the games where he’s had to dial it up from the pocket. He has that in his game.”

To understand Hurts’ growth as a thrower, look no further than the end of games. His fourth-quarter QBR of 84.3 ranked first in the league by a wide margin (Jared Goff was No. 2 at 76.1). His 73.0 adjusted completion percentage (weighted by air yards, no throwaways/drops) ranked second.

Hurts also led the NFL in completion percentage from inside the pocket (72.0) and threw for 10 touchdowns on passes of 25 yards or more.

To be sure, he has a ton of help. Philly’s offense is loaded. But that doesn’t discount his impressive progress on the way to a Super Bowl berth.

“What I like about him is he knows he’s got great receivers, so when he has a one-on-one, he throws it and doesn’t hesitate,” a veteran NFL offensive coach said. “He might never be the kind of pinpoint accurate passer that Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins is, but he’s improving in that area. And he’s made of all the right stuff. He’s everything you want from a quarterback as far as how he carries himself.”

7. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: Unranked

Age: 26 | Last year’s ranking: Honorable mention

Jackson surged back into the top seven after failing to crack the top 10 a year ago.

What changed, aside from the appreciation that comes with signing a five-year, $260 million deal as the NFL’s top earner?

Well, his winning ways are hard to ignore. The Ravens’ winning percentage of .738 (45-16) with Jackson trails only Mahomes (.800), Tom Brady (.754) and Roger Staubach (.746). He’s still considered perhaps the most dynamic dual threat in the league.

Evaluators also saw attempts at growth as a passer. Jackson’s rushing attempts per game were down from 11.08 to 9.33 year over year, yet his QBR improved from 56.8 to 59.1 in the same span. Since 2019, Jackson ranks second in the NFL in QBR (68).

Jackson posted a QB rating of 98 or higher in four of his first eight starts. And he was solid on third down with a 70.89 QBR, ranking 10th in the NFL.

“Prior to the [knee] injury, he was doing some big things from the pocket as a passer,” an NFL scouting director said. “Some of those early games, he was dialing it up. He’s definitely evolving as a passer, taking it to next level. He’s a smart runner. Teams want to peg him in that role, but he never really gets hit solidly. He knows how to elude and avoid big hits.”

Yet questions about his precision passing remain: Jackson’s 19% off-target rate was the highest among any quarterback nominated for this exercise and ranked 27th among NFL starters, behind Justin Fields (19.5%), Carson Wentz (20%), Marcus Mariota (20.5%) and Davis Mills (22%).

Since entering the league in 2018. Jackson has been contacted 877 times, 27 more than the rest of the quarterback field.

Teams are eager to see whether elements of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s system — trips-empty spread offense, “pistol” passing concepts — elevate Jackson, who has new targets in Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor.

“He had excuses before. He won’t have them now,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “Time to put it all together as a passer.”

8. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: Unranked

Age: 23 | Last year’s ranking: Unranked

Lawrence vaulted into the top 10 with a stellar sophomore campaign, throwing for 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns with eight interceptions to lead Jacksonville to its first playoff berth since 2017.

He caught fire in the second half of the season. During Weeks 9-18, he ranked second in completion percentage (70%) and touchdown-interception ratio (15-2) to lead Jacksonville to a 7-2 finish and a playoff berth.

“He looked like the player that was promised in the [2021] draft,” an NFL coordinator said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a top-five passer at the same time next year.”

Lawrence ranked third in completions of longer than 20 yards (55) and posted a 78.6 QBR against the blitz, ranking sixth.

A second year with coach Doug Pederson — who can work Calvin Ridley into the mix — should quell any reservations about Lawrence’s growth in Year 3, one AFC exec said.

“The only knock on him is he takes too many risks — like, Did you really need to try to squeeze that in there?” a veteran NFL offensive coach said. “But I’d rather that than someone who doesn’t play with that confidence.”

9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Highest ranking: 7 | Lowest ranking: Unranked

Age: 29 | Last year’s ranking: 10

One of the most polarizing figures on this list each year, Prescott remains a fringe top-10 passer — consistently voted in, yet never considered in the upper echelon. He appeared on nearly 60% of the ballots but not higher than seventh in any ranking.

His 15 interceptions — tied for worst in the league despite missing five games with a fractured thumb — was a cloud that hung over him.

“He just wasn’t seeing the field well last year,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “Wasn’t as decisive as in the past.”

The turnovers haven’t hampered Prescott’s scoring prowess. His 82.5 QBR from the red zone ranks third among qualified quarterbacks. He threw a touchdown on 5.8% of his passing attempts last season, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. And he has serious chemistry with CeeDee Lamb, posting a 93 QBR when targeting Lamb, compared to 57 when targeting other Cowboys.

Without coordinator Kellen Moore for the first time since 2018, Prescott will look to find synergy with coach and playcaller Mike McCarthy, who plans to utilize the running game more.

“He’s been a top-10 quarterback for a few years now,” an AFC executive said. “Part of his game that was so great was the ability to run the ball and throw more play-action off that. They didn’t have that as much with weapons on [the] outside. But I’m not down on him. He’s accurate, he can extend and make plays. He’s elite in his decision-making.”

10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked

Age: 35 | Last year’s ranking: 6

Stafford is a bit of a tough sell because his presence leaves several good quarterbacks — including former top-five finisher Deshaun Watson — off the list. He missed eight games last year because of neck and concussion issues. He still has top-five support among some voters, though.

“Arm looks good as it ever has,” a lead personnel man said. “Mobility not quite what it once was, for sure. But when he was healthy, he still played at a really high level and his arm talent is as good as there is in the league.”

He still completed 68% of his passes, fourth best in the NFL.

Wide receiver Cooper Kupp missing significant time last season didn’t help matters. Stafford averaged 8.7 yards per passing attempt when targeting Kupp, compared to 6.2 yards per attempt when targeting other players. For context, that first number would have ranked second overall, the last one 32nd overall (out of 33 qualified QBs).

But concerns about whether his body will hold up are prevalent.

“He looked shot last year, but they had an abysmal offensive line,” an NFL offensive coach said. “Hard for older guys to look good without protection. So I think with some of his bad throws he was just chucking it up out of frustration.”

Honorable mentions

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns: Watson has played six games over the past two seasons after serving an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Many voters felt the lack of playing time and inevitable rust are what kept him out of the top 10. In his first six games as a Cleveland Brown, he posted a 38.3 QBR, which would have ranked 27th among starting QBs. Watson completed 58.1% of his passes for 1,102 yards and seven touchdowns with five interceptions.

“Keeping him out of the top 10 feels wrong,” an NFL quarterbacks coach said. “He’s too good. But putting him in the top 10 also feels wrong based on the play last year and the lack of play the last two seasons.”

Some have questioned whether coach Kevin Stefanski’s run-heavy system — with schemed play-action, multiple tight ends and reduced sets — is a good fit for Watson, a high-level pocket thrower.

Others say he is too gifted to be constrained by a scheme. And also, Stefanski can make attempts to tweak his offense.

“I saw improvement over those last two games, and I think he’ll be fine in that system,” an NFC offensive coach said. “He’s still, to me, when he’s right, a top-five passer. He needs time on task.”

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: In recent years, Cousins has steadily climbed up the ranking as more of a top-10 threat than middle-of-the-road passer.

His 13,033 passing yards over the past three seasons rank fourth among active NFL quarterbacks, and he’s coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns.

“You can poke holes in his game, and many do, but he’s talented, he’s accurate, and he wins,” an AFC exec said.

“If you look at his production at the end of the day, he’s really good.”

Cousins has developed tremendous chemistry with receiver Justin Jefferson. The elite duo works because Cousins doesn’t overthink it. He feeds him. Nearly 30% of the Vikings’ passing targets the past two season (351 of 1,219) have gone to Jefferson.

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions: Goff rarely got a single vote over the past three seasons, but this year he appeared on nearly 25% of the ballots after leading Detroit to nine wins, thanks in part to a 29-7 touchdown-interception ratio.

He ranked third in the NFL in QBR against the blitz (81.6).

“He’s always been a good thrower of the football. His issue, to me, was toughness, particularly in the pocket,” an AFC scout said. “I thought he addressed a lot of that this year and stood tall.”

The Lions emphasized the pocket toughness with Goff, who worked hard at it. He also has a strong trust with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, which was a big deal for him after the Rams unceremoniously moved on from him in the 2021 offseason.

Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints: Despite a down year in Las Vegas that led to his benching and eventual release, Carr signed a four-year, $150 million deal with New Orleans, showing his value in the quarterback conversation.

He cracked the top 12 last season.

“Quick processor and highly accurate,” a high-ranking NFC official said. “He can also handle heavily game-plan installs. Very smart.”

Even in a down year, Carr ranked 14th in QBR (55.5). And the season before, he was prolific with 4,804 passing yards and a 68.4 completion percentage.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins: Tagovailoa showed massive potential in coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. He was dangerous whenever he looked to pass, averaging a league-high 8.9 yards per attempt.

And out of the pocket, he also led the NFL in QBR (87.9).

“I thought the first six-seven weeks of the season last year, he could have been the MVP,” an NFL coordinator said. “I was impressed with his growth. Head injuries are complicated, but I like the direction he’s headed.”

Tagovailoa’s durability is a concern among voters after spending multiple stints in the concussion protocol. Even aside from that, many don’t see him as a top-10 passer.

“He’s got very good timing, touch, anticipation and accuracy along with good pocket feel — he doesn’t have top mobility and power/arm strength, so there are some limitations,” an AFC executive said. “He’s a true point guard type who needs to get it out quickly and distribute to his playmakers, which he’s done a good job of.”

Also receiving votes: Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals), Daniel Jones (New York Giants), Justin Fields (Chicago Bears), Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)

So, not a single vote for Russell Wilson anywhere in the top 10?  He wouldn’t have been on the DB’s ballot, but we thought the insiders would still have some residual love.

So not bad, we missed big on Wilson and did not have Stafford.  But nailed the other nine in terms of the voting.

Not that anyone cares, but if the DB had a personal ballot, we would have gone:

1 – Mahomes

2 – Burrow

3 – Hurts

4 – Allen

5 –  Lawrence

6 –  Herbert

7 – Prescott

8 – Cousins

9 – Goff

10 – Tagovialoa

Justin Fields is the one we have an eye on for next year.  And Bryce Young.

Feel free to send in your ballot.

MADDEN 2024 RECEIVERS

We said above (RAMS and AARON DONALD) that Vikings WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON got the coveted “99”.  Here are the Madden 24 top 10 WRs from ESPN.com:

And now, after two years of Davante Adams at the top of the Madden receiver order, there’s been a change to the player considered the fastest receiver in the game. And with the talent at the spot, there’s going to be a clear debate over who might be No. 1 and who might come after.

1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (99 overall): Jefferson sees a nice jump from a 93 overall and becomes a member of the 99 Club for the first time at launch in his career. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year takes the crown after a season where he had 128 catches for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns.

2. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (98 overall): Hill moves up to the second spot, ahead of last year’s leader. Hill’s first year in Miami led to career-best numbers in receptions and yards, even with multiple quarterbacks throwing him the ball (and not playing with Patrick Mahomes anymore), posting 119 catches for 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns.

3. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders (97 overall): After back-to-back years as Madden’s top receiver and a former holder of a 99 Club rating, Adams drops to third in this year’s game. His overall rating dropped two points, as did his catch rating, from a 99 to a 97. His deep route running remained at a 95, his medium route running remained at a 97, while his short route running dropped one point to 97 and his catch in traffic fell from a 99 to a 95. This despite a 100-catch, 1,516-yard, 14-touchdown season during his first year away from Aaron Rodgers.

T-4. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (96 overall): Diggs gets a small bump from last year, going from a 95 to a 96. Diggs is tied with Tyler Lockett for the second-best catch rating (98) and is in the Top 3 in all route running categories — he’s second in deep (97), third in medium (96) and third in short (96) after 108 catches for 1,429 yards and a career-best 11 touchdowns last season.

T-4. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (96 overall): Kupp dropped from No. 2 overall and a 98 rating to a tie for fourth and a 96, in part because he was injured for half of last season. Even in nine games, he had 75 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns, so a Top 5 rating is still warranted. He’s the best in the game in catching (99) and short route running (99), after catching over 75% of passes thrown to him the past two seasons.

6. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (94 overall): Chase took a huge jump up in the ratings from an 87 at launch last year into the Top 10, the first new face in the launch Top 10 this year. One could easily argue he should have been there after his dynamic rookie year, but he followed it up with 87 catches, 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games last season. He’s No. 6 in all route running categories (92 in deep, 93 in medium and 93 in short).

7. DeAndre Hopkins, Free Agent (93 overall): Rare is the free agent rated in the Top 10 this late in the Madden ratings cycle, but Hopkins is a rare case after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals. A former member of the 99 Club, he dropped from No. 4 and a 96 last season but he’s still one of the best in the game and could be helped quickly depending on which team he signs with. Hopkins is seventh in catching (96) and the leader in catch in traffic (98). He’s also No. 10 in all three route-running categories (89 in deep, 89 in medium and 90 in short).

8. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (92 overall): McLaurin moves up a spot from No. 9 to No. 8 and one ratings point from a 91 last year. McLaurin’s hands are lauded — a 97 catching rating and 94 catch in traffic mark — and he’s a 90 in both deep and medium route running after having a career-best 1,191 yards last season. He’s caught over 75 passes in each of the last three years.

T-9. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (91 overall): The second newcomer to the Top 10, Brown was an 87 at launch last year and tied with Chase and Brandin Cooks for the No. 18 receiver in Madden ’23. Brown’s short route running (92) is No. 7 and his catch in traffic is tied for No. 8 (93), helping him into the Top 10 after his first season in Philadelphia — and by far his best — with 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns.

T-9. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns (91 overall): Cooper bumps up one point and up from No. 10 into a tie for ninth. The game praised Cooper’s route running: 93 in deep route running (No. 5), 91 in medium route running (No. 8) and 91 in short route running (T-8). A move to Cleveland saw a return to consistency for Cooper, who had 78 catches for 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns.

Dropped out from last year’s launch: Mike Evans (No. 7), Keenan Allen (T-8).