DALLAS

As RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT lingers on the street, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will not rule out a return to the team.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Cowboys owner and General Manager Jerry Jones remains open to the possibility that running back Ezekiel Elliott could play in Dallas this year.

Jones told reporters today that he has not ruled out re-signing Elliott and that the team is evaluating Elliott while Elliott also evaluates his own options.

That matches what Jones has been saying throughout the offseason. Although the Cowboys released Elliott because he was overpaid on his former contract, they’re not opposed to bringing him back if he’s willing to play for significantly less.

The 27-year-old Elliott is coming off a season in which he had a career-low 876 rushing yards, a career-low 3.8 yards per carry, a career-low 92 receiving yards, and a career-low 5.4 yards per catch. Given that, it would be hard to justify paying him significant money — especially because the Cowboys have already guaranteed running back Troy Pollard a $10.091 million base salary for this season.

But for the right price, Elliott could be a Cowboy this season.

KANSAS CITY

The Chiefs were in Washington, D.C. on Monday – although they were also mourning the passing of matriarch Norma Hunt.  Michael Baca of NFL.com:

At long last, the Kansas City Chiefs have experienced a time-honored tradition afforded to Lombardi Trophy winners.

President Joe Biden hosted the Super Bowl LVII champions at the White House in Washington DC on Monday, nearly four months following the Chiefs’ thrilling 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in February.

Monday marked the first time in franchise history the Chiefs graced 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue following a Super Bowl victory.

Kansas City’s Super Bowl LIV championship celebration in 2020 was unable to conclude with a White House visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chiefs’ Super Bowl IV win came more than a decade before the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first NFL champion to be hosted by a U.S. President in 1980.

“You’ve shown the power of one of the most elusive things in the world — unity,” Biden said on the South Lawn with Chiefs players standing behind him. “When people from different backgrounds feature their own personalities, work together as one team. You play together with a distinct style, in constant motion with a real joy for the game and a love for each other and a great city to represent. And from that unity, you strive to bring out the best in yourselves and each other. In fact, I’ve heard how even after the wins, Patrick (Mahomes) and those players go up to coach (Andy) Reid and ask him how we can do better. That’s pretty incredible.

“For everyone watching, especially our children, that’s the power of this team, the power of sports and I might add, that’s the power of this country. That’s the power to remind us who we are as Americans. We are the United States of America, and there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together like these guys behind me.”

Appearing in three of the past four Super Bowls, the Chiefs are a burgeoning dynasty that has taken the NFL by storm thanks to their exciting play on offense. It’s a reputation produced by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who Biden called “a beacon of offensive brilliance — a beautiful mind — the guy who gives a full meaning to word coach because he makes you believe in yourself.”

“I’ll tell you what, we’re fired up to be here as a football team,” Reid said on Monday at the podium. “President Biden, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for inviting us to the White House for this celebration of a championship. From the tour that we had to the history here to the great food — can’t forget the great food. We thank you. It has been 100 percent first class.”

The culmination of the Chiefs’ latest Super Bowl triumph was done so with heavy hearts following the death of Norma Hunt, the mother of Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. President Biden prefaced his speech with a moment of silence for Norma Hunt.

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“Today our entire organization is mourning the passing of our matriarch, Norma Hunt, who is an amazing woman,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan said. “Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers are with the entire Hunt family. Norma was a joyful soul. She loved her Chiefs. She was really proud of this team and was really proud of that they had the opportunity to be here today.”

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Here is an update, although not much of one, on the contract negotiations with QB JUSTIN HERBERT.  Lindsay Thiry of ESPN.com:

Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley described contract negotiations with quarterback Justin Herbert as “ongoing” Monday ahead of teeing off at the team’s charity golf tournament.

Herbert, who was unable to participate in the scramble as he continues to recover from offseason left shoulder surgery, said he did not believe much had changed since he last provided an update — in April during the NFL draft — but expressed continued “faith” in the organization.

“They’ve done such a great job of taking care of us and my message really hasn’t changed,” Herbert said. “It’s been an honor to be a part of this team. It’s great to come to events like this and whatever happens, happens and it’s out of my control at this point.”

Herbert, entering the fourth season of his five-year rookie contract, is scheduled to earn $4.23 million. He became eligible to sign a long-term extension at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

The quarterback market this offseason took shape after Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million contract and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million deal.

Neither the Chargers nor Herbert, who turned 25 in March, have provided a timeline as to when they would like to reach an agreement.

Herbert was asked Monday whether he would be OK playing his fourth season without a new contract.

“That’s a good question. I think that’s something you have to address and you have to think about,” Herbert said. “My job at this point is just to play quarterback and to be the best leader, quarterback and teammate that I can be. So I’m doing everything I can to rehab, get back and make sure my shoulder is ready for this season.”

BUFFALO

The new Buffalo stadium is underway.  Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com:

The signs that something big is coming have been there. Across Abbott Road from the Buffalo Bills’ facility and Highmark Stadium, dirt is being moved and construction vehicles are in full work mode.

With years put into coming to an agreement with New York state and Erie County on a deal, there was no time to waste on beginning construction on the new stadium grounds in time for the 2026 season.

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On Monday morning, however, those came to a pause with gold shovels, a stage and all the proper tools for a celebration to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Bills stadium. The agreements include a 30-year lease and a non-relocation agreement that makes it difficult for the team to leave Buffalo, the second-smallest NFL market (larger than only Green Bay).

“While Buffalo isn’t one of the larger NFL markets, the days of us operating as a small-market team are in the past,” EVP/chief operating officer Ron Raccuia said. “On the field, we’ve become a national brand, gaining national attention and attracting national opportunities. Our fans stretch across the country and the world, and as an organization, we carry this banner with commitment and pride.”

The ceremony included speeches from Raccuia, who has led the stadium project for the Bills, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Bills owner/CEO Terry Pegula, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. Coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane were also in attendance. Bills owner/president Kim Pegula, who played a significant role in the stadium process, was not able to be present as she continues to recover from a cardiac arrest last June.

Raccuia later described Goodell as being on the “Mount Rushmore of people who made” the stadium deal happen with the league office supporting getting a deal done. The commissioner is a native of Jamestown, New York, located about an hour and a half from the stadium, and while he said he’s not sure how many groundbreakings he has been to in his tenure, saying just that it’s over 20, “none of them are more meaningful than being here today.”

Among the meaningful items in the new stadium – grass.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

After half a century on artificial turf, the Bills are making plans to play on grass.

The Bills had their groundbreaking ceremony at their new stadium on Monday, and afterward General Manager Brandon Beane said the stadium will have a grass field.

“Another positive is it’s going to be grass,” Beane told Pat McAfee. “We have these debates of turf vs. grass, so that was one of the big things we pushed for. It’s going to be grass like Lambeau has, have all that coil underneath to keep the field warm. So, very excited about that.”

Most NFL players prefer grass fields, and the players’ union has argued that all fields should be grass. Owners tend to prefer artificial turf for its versatility in bringing other events to stadiums. Beane said that unlike many of the modern stadiums that have been built with the idea of attracting concerts and other major events that are easier to stage on artificial surfaces, the new stadium in Buffalo is being built with football in mind.

“It’s really going to be built football-based,” he said.

The Bills’ current stadium has always used artificial turf, since it first opened in 1973. The new stadium with the grass field is expected to be ready for use in 2026.

– – –

The Bills have signed veteran EDGE LEONARD FLOYD.  Joe Busciglia and

The Bills and former Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd have agreed to a one-year deal, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. NFL Network was first to report the signing. Here’s what you need to know:

    Floyd spent the past three seasons in Los Angeles and totaled 29 sacks.

    Last season, he tallied nine sacks and recovered a fumble.

    Floyd, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Bears, has started every game since 2018.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Why sign Floyd?

After seeing their pass rush go from strength to liability after Von Miller suffered a season-ending torn ACL in late November, the Bills made a loud statement Monday to cancel out that potential problem for 2023. The team’s one-year deal with Floyd, which reunites Miller and Floyd from their Super Bowl run with the Rams, will immediately impact the team with Miller still rehabbing the long-term injury.

The Bills have been historically conservative in returning their players from a long-term injury under coach Sean McDermott. Miller had surgery to repair the injury in December, and the usual nine-month timeline would bring him to September. Still, his age of 34 years old will likely be a consideration, and the Bills want Miller to be available for the postseason, so they could err on the side of caution.

The Floyd signing will take the pressure off Miller to try and force himself back into the lineup before he’s ready and will provide the team with an excellent starter to pair with third-year starter Greg Rousseau in the interim. — Buscaglia

What he brings to Buffalo

Once the pass rushers are back to total health, Floyd will likely slot in as the team’s top rotational pass rusher, with Miller and Rousseau the starting pair. The Floyd addition will certainly put two of the team’s young pass rushers, A.J. Epenesa and Boogie Basham, on alert. The Bills spent second-round picks on the pair in back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021, but neither has established themselves as a starting-caliber player despite their draft status.

The Bills still have Shaq Lawson on the team as well, so they may be forced to make a difficult decision between Epensa, Basham and Lawson at final cuts. — Buscaglia

THIS AND THAT

THE GAMBLING CRISIS

Another NFL player may have run afoul of the NFL’s extraordinarily strict gambling policy – although in this case it seems to be more of a habit and less of a technicality.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The NFL and its teams have not done a great job of educating players about the clear rules and stern consequences of the gambling policy. Or, alternatively, the players know and don’t care.

Regardless, gambling suspensions have become more common than PED or Personal Conduct Policy punishments. And another significant one could be coming.

Matt Rybaltowski of SportsHandle.com reports that the NFL is investigating a Colts player for “pervasive” wagering.

Per the report, the NFL has evidence that the player in question “placed hundreds” of bets, and that at least some were placed on the Colts. A “considerable” number of wagers reportedly were placed from inside the team’s practice facility.

“Although the player is not considered a superstar, an ardent NFL fan has probably heard of him,” according to the report. Most of the betting happened in 2022, and some occurred in 2023. The player is still on the team’s roster.

The Indiana Gaming Commission told Rybaltowski that the commission is investigation the player, too.

The player reported made the wagers through an account opened by an acquaintance. This suggests a level of awareness regarding the rules, along with a clumsy, inadequate effort to cover his tracks — especially because bets reportedly were placed in the practice facility.

George Orwell had the right dystopian church, but the wrong dystopian pew. Big Brother is not the government. Big Brother is all of us, and our own phones can and will provide all the evidence necessary to prove wrongdoing by anyone who has engaged in it.

The name of the Colts player who is under investigation for hundreds of NFL bets is now known. Stephen Holder and David Purdum of ESPN.com:

Multiple sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to ESPN that the player in question is Colts cornerback and kick returner Isaiah Rodgers. Rodgers, a sixth-round pick, is entering the final year of a four-year, $3.4 million contract.

The sportsbook account was opened under the name of an associate of Rodgers, the sources said. Approximately 100 bets were placed on the account over an undisclosed amount of time, including on Colts games, the sources said. Most of the bets were in the $25-$50 range, although there was at least one low four-figure bet.

Calls from ESPN to Rodgers and his agent were not immediately returned, and the Colts declined to expand on the team’s original statement.

Rodgers started nine games in 2022 and was seen as a likely starter this season following the trade of Stephon Gilmore to the Dallas Cowboys. Rookie cornerback Julius Brents, a second-round pick in April, is expected to back up Rodgers.

And Rodgers gets ready to take a big hit from NFL Justice. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

In a statement, Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers confirmed reports that the NFL is investigating him for violation of the league’s gambling policy. He did not elaborate on the “mistakes” he made, but he did apologize.

“Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions,” Rodgers tweeted. “I know I have made mistakes, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organization, my coaches and my teammates. I’ve let people down that I care about. I made an error in judgment, and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process. It’s an honor to play in the NFL, and I have never taken that lightly. I am very sorry for all of us.”

Rodgers faces a lengthy suspension for placing some 100 bets on an account opened under the name of an associate, and some bets reportedly included Colts games. Calvin Ridley served an indefinite suspension for gambling in 2021, including on some Falcons game. Ridley, who was on the non-football injury list while addressing his mental health when he placed the bets, was reinstated a year after his suspension. He now is with the Jaguars after the Falcons traded him.

This offseason, the NFL suspended five NFL players for violations of the gambling policy, including Lions receiver Jameson Williams.

Based on previous punishments, six games for non-NFL betting (i.e. Jameson Williams), a year for a few small NFL bets while on the injury list (Calvin Ridley) – we seriously doubt that Rodgers will ever play in the NFL again.

Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic talked to five anonymous players who admit that many NFL players have inadvertently committed crimes like Williams and Ridley:

Late last month, when Lions receiver Jameson Williams told reporters that until he was suspended by the NFL he had no idea he was in violation of the league’s gambling policy, the second-year pro’s self-professed naivete was met with more than a few eye-rolls.

Williams and teammate Stanley Berryhill, a fellow receiver, were the first two NFL players to be disciplined for violating the portion of the policy that prevents players from betting on other sports while on team property.

Williams and Berryhill, each suspended six games, were two of four Lions players whose discipline was announced by the league on April 21. Receiver Quintez Cephus, safety C.J. Moore and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney were each suspended indefinitely and can apply for reinstatement after the 2023 season. Berryhill, Cephus and Moore were all cut by Detroit after their suspensions were announced.

The Athletic reported that a fifth member of the 2022 Lions is currently under investigation for a potential violation of the gambling policy. ESPN reported that the league is investigating a “second wave of potential violations of its gambling policy.”

Mobile and online sports gambling is now legal in 21 states home to 15 NFL teams. The NFL has three official sports betting partners. Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones are investors in DraftKings, and owners voted this March to allow physical sports books to take bets at NFL stadiums.

The Athletic spent the last week interviewing NFL players around the league to ask what they know about the league’s gambling policy and found that four of the five players didn’t know they couldn’t place mobile bets on other sports while at work, the violation Williams and Berryhill were suspended for.

“I had no idea,” said a free agent with seven years of NFL experience. “I don’t think any player knows about that. That’s so specific. If players know about that, kudos to them.”

All five players knew they couldn’t bet on NFL action, but the rest of the details, the majority weren’t so sure about. Two of the five said that they have placed bets on other sports using mobile apps during their NFL careers.

“I thought that you couldn’t bet on anything during the NFL season,” said a nine-year NFL vet (in an incorrect reading of the NFL’s gambling policy). “I didn’t really look into it beyond that.”

“I don’t even know what the rule is, or when the rule changed or the fine print on what you can or can’t gamble on,” said a 10-year veteran.

The nine-year veteran said that last offseason he got into betting on golf tournaments using a mobile app registered under his own name. Before he placed his first bet, he checked with an NFLPA player rep to ask if he was okay to be doing that. The rep told him it was fine. He lost every bet he placed and has since deleted the app from his phone.

A year later, this player was still so unsure about the gambling policy that he asked The Athletic to double-check that betting on golf outside of work is actually allowed. (It is.)

The four players currently participating in the offseason programs said that they have received more information on the gambling policy from their coaches since the NFL announced the five player suspensions in April.

“They detailed the rule, and to that point I hadn’t been in many team meetings that they carved out time for it,” said the nine-year veteran. “It’s like a page in your training camp compliance meetings. They spend like four minutes on it.

“It’s like, yeah, don’t gamble on the NFL. You guys know this. Nobody spends time on it.”

The free-agent veteran player called Williams and Berryhill “sacrificial lambs.” All five players agreed that the NFL and the NFLPA need to do a better job at teaching the gambling policy to players, particularly in an environment where four teams have a sportsbook in their stadium or the immediate vicinity and the league has official partnerships with FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesar’s.

“I mean, New Orleans plays in the Caesars Superdome,” the nine-year veteran said. “I think it’s something that they’ve got to explicitly talk about.”

The Athletic granted each player anonymity to allow for honest conversation about a topic that has quickly become one of the most pressing issues of the offseason.

Do you gamble on sports?

Player 1, a seventh-year free agent: No. I’ll hear guys talking about gambling on basketball or take this spread, but I’ve stayed ignorant about it. I lowkey have an addictive personality. “Ooh, I can make a couple grand just by betting this?” It’s a hand in the cookie jar. It’s like a gateway drug.

Player 2, a ninth-year backup: Yeah, I like betting on golf. It would be like, if I was with a buddy, and we were watching golf on the weekend, we’d bet on who would win the tournament (on FanDuel). I don’t want to make it sound like a major part of my offseason, not to sound like a degenerate. I heard that these companies are giving the NFL all the data. Obviously, you have to sign up as yourself and they can pin your location. I’m sure they know who everybody is, in terms of if you play in the NFL or not.

Player 3, a 10th-year starter: The only time I’ve ever bet is when I’ve gone to the casino and play roulette. When I first came to the NFL, (sports betting) was super, super, super frowned upon. There wasn’t any gray area to what is possible and what’s not. When I first came to NFL, the NFL stayed far away from gambling, and gambling stayed far away from the NFL.

Player 4, a second-year practice squad player: Nope. I’m not risking it. Honestly, for real, like I have a fear of getting suspended before I even really get into my prime of playing. I don’t even want to test it.

Player 5, a fourth-year backup: My rookie year, I might have dabbled with some parlays during the NBA Finals, but not since then. I’ll go into the casino every now and then, but sports betting is not my thing. I was just giving away money. I lost about $500. I don’t think I won anything. They were all parlays, so it was win big or go home.

How did your team teach you about the policy? What did you know about it before the recent suspensions?

Player 1: They would talk about it the first day of camp or the first couple days of camp. Each day, they talk about new rules, so I’m assuming they talked about that, but there’s so much s— that they just cram in front of our face that it’s easy to get lost. After a long day of camp, then we have to have these evening meetings and go over this stuff. Do you think everyone’s minds are in the right place of like, “Oh, wow, I’m really thinking about gambling?” No, I’m thinking about practice and how I hope they don’t cut me.

Player 2: I know we’ve been educated on it since these last couple incidents. Calvin Ridley, the guys in Detroit, and a few others. I didn’t know the details and the fine print of the league gambling policy. There were little tweaks every year. … Obviously, I knew you couldn’t bet on the NFL. I thought that you couldn’t bet on anything during the NFL season. That was my interpretation of the rule. That just wasn’t coming up for me, so I didn’t really look into it beyond that.

Player 3: It comes up every year. I want to say either before training camp, like the first couple of days of training camp, or around maybe mandatory minicamp. They go through like the league policies, which is the security stuff, the rules. So they go over different domestic violence stuff, gambling stuff, that’s all part of a big two-to-three-hour admin information meeting.

Player 4: We talk to the NFLPA, and the NFLPA gives us rules and tells us not to gamble on the sport and what will happen if you do stuff. We really get all our guidelines and rules from the NFLPA, and Roger Goodell sending out his letters. I think we had one team meeting about it, but I really can’t remember. “Don’t gamble on the sport, because there will be consequences behind it.”

Player 5: We actually just had ours last week. And pretty much just went through the whole policy and protocol, kind of what’s allowed and what’s not allowed. All the policies and all the admin stuff is just a one-time meeting.

Has your team done more to educate you on the policy since the April suspensions?

Player 2: Yeah. At that point, (the head coach) said there’s another investigation. It’s a problem now with phones and how easy it is to do this. How many years ago was it that you could legally place bets on your phone?

Player 3: They put like, informative sheets in our locker. They just cleared up the rules, and that may have come from the PA. I didn’t really look at it. I don’t sports bet, so it didn’t have any relevance to me.

Player 4: I remember my position coach saying something. He told us not to bet or anything on sports, don’t even put ourselves in a bad spot.

Player 5: They’ve definitely clarified it a lot more with the material they gave us. Everything was pretty much the same from last year, they just made a bigger deal with the whole gambling thing in general. They threw some examples out there and said they can track the platforms, like track logins and locations, so you get caught digitally now.

Did you know that players are not allowed to place a sports bet on team property, which includes places like team planes and hotels?

Player 1: I don’t recall seeing (signs that said) no gambling on team property. … I’m pretty sure a lot of guys have actually broken that rule.

Player 2: No. I didn’t know you can bet on other sports outside of anything team-related like any team facility or anything? I guess that’s legal. That’s what I found out.

Player 3: When I came into the NFL, it wasn’t even possible to bet from the facility. That wasn’t something that was actually possible until like the last four to five years as more states have legalized it. Do you go to the app store and just download these apps? It is not something that I’ve ever done because it was super illegal. It wasn’t in a gray area where you can get an app, and you can bet on sports from here or from there. That never existed.

What do you think about the six-game suspensions for betting on non-NFL action on team property?

Player 1: That’s bogus because straight up, that’s not talked about like that. That could have been any one of us. They might have talked about it for a brief second, but do you know the player was present at the time you guys talked about that? “Oh, well it’s in the handbook.” So you’re gonna tell a player to read 1,000 pages of nonsense and to recall everything? … You could make the argument for everybody, because people are betting during rivalry week — Florida is playing Florida State, Ohio State vs. Michigan — everyone is betting on that. Could all those guys get in trouble?

Player 2: I understand where the league has gotten themselves into a little bit of a quagmire here, because 10 years ago, gambling or any kind of talk like that was forbidden. But now, the sponsorships, and how big sports gambling got, they eventually had to embrace it a little bit, but then they’ve got to make sure it doesn’t leak into the player and coach side as best they can. So they’ve got their hands full with this going forward.

Player 3: I believe players are being stupid, but I do think that the NFLPA can do a better job of addressing the situation and just kind of clearing it up for athletes, coming out and making a clear statement saying like, this is what you can or can’t do. Because obviously, people are going to bet regardless. That’s pretty clear with what we’re seeing. So I think it’s on the NFL, I think it is on the NFLPA — and I also just think it’s on guys not being smart.

Player 4: Obviously, you tell us not to bet on our sport. We get that. But if somebody gets in trouble for betting on another sport, I don’t think they made that clear enough for players. … We play football, and I think we should have the right to do what we want with our money. You’re trying to take money from somebody that’s doing something with their money to make more money — and it’s not in a bad way, either.

Player 5: I do think a lot of people benefit from (gambling) in our league that don’t share — they don’t allow the players to. But I get it, it keeps guys safe. It keeps football the focus. We’re employees, so at the end of the day they call the shots.

How have you seen the league’s relationship with gambling evolve over the course of your career?

Player 1: This is literally transforming right in front of all of us as we speak.

Player 2: You can’t watch a sporting event on TV without a FanDuel or Pointsbet commercial, and a lot of times there are athletes advertising it. It’s been normalized so much in society that it’s inevitable it’s gonna leak into sports in terms of having to address it with players and coaches. If you wanted to gamble 10 years ago, you had to go through some bookie, I’m sure. You really had to want to gamble. Now, the way it is marketed — and the access is so easy — it’s crazy.

Player 5: I didn’t realize how many NFL owners are part of the sports betting business. My coach was telling us the role they played. It’s just wild. That owners are making money, and they own some of those sports betting platforms.

How much is social gambling a part of the locker room culture?

Player 1: There’s a specific niche of people in the locker room. Some of these guys are just so damn rich, they just need to burn some money. No kids, no family, you’re making two, three million a year, and then get your money all at once, and then your alma mater is playing and it’s like, “Hey, let’s put down 10 grand on this.”

Player 2: Guys are more interested in casinos.

Player 3: I did start to see (sports gambling) becoming more popular about four years ago. I started to see more people speak on betting more openly.

Player 5: People gamble for sure. It’s a locker room full of competitors who love to win. And that doesn’t stop, you know, off the field. Guys got money. You can find a bunch of different games in different locker rooms.

Player 1: Guys were playing dice in the locker room, and things heated up and someone threw a punch. … A player got popped in the jaw! I witnessed it happen, and I was like, “This is why I don’t gamble. This is why I don’t want to deal with any of you guys.”

2023 DRAFT

Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic acquaint us with the top QBs in college football in 2023 – although we are not sure if this is from the perspective of future NFL success or how they will get the job done in NCAA play:

On Monday’s episode of The Audible, a discussion about Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson led us to come up with our “QB Tiers” heading into the 2023 season. While we had a few disagreements, ultimately our lists were close enough to combine them into a consensus version.

Heisman winner Caleb Williams is the obvious top pick, but there are a lot of talented and experienced quarterbacks coming back this year. This is by no means a complete list of every qualified FBS quarterback, but we hit the majority of Power 5 returnees as well as the top Group of 5 players.

Our main criteria for inclusion: at least one full season as the team’s primary QB.

Tier 1

Caleb Williams, USC

Stew: I know Caleb and Drake Maye are being grouped together in the early 2024 NFL Draft talk, but Caleb is in a tier to himself. He produced nearly 5,000 yards of offense, 42 touchdowns and just five interceptions last year. I put him among the elite of the elite to come through college recently — i.e., the Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow class.

Bruce: NFL QB coaches I spoke to this spring are higher on him than they were on Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. Williams is thick and strong, and his ability to extend plays and make off-platform throws is ridiculous. He’s in a great system to showcase his talent, and having Kliff Kingsbury around in the meetings, helping out in game-planning is only going to make him that much more dangerous.

Tier 2

Drake Maye, North Carolina

Michael Penix, Washington

Stew: These two have also separated themselves from the pack, each throwing for well more than 4,000 yards last season while completing 65 percent-plus of their passes. Penix, in particular, near-single-handedly helped Washington improve from 4-8 to 11-2 in coach Kalen DeBoer’s first season.

Bruce: Penix has a special arm and is in a really good situation there with those coaches and receivers. He can put up similar numbers again, which is really saying something. Maye has top-five talent, but I’m a bit skeptical that his offense will be as explosive in 2023 as it was last year in Phil Longo’s system.

Tier 3

Jayden Daniels, LSU

Frank Harris, UTSA

KJ Jefferson, Arkansas

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

Bo Nix, Oregon

Michael Pratt, Tulane

Devin Leary, Kentucky

Stew: Daniels is arguably not on the same level yet as a pure passer, but he also ran for 885 yards last season and can scramble and extend plays. Jefferson doesn’t get nearly enough credit given his versatility — he’s a 6-foot-3, 245-pound QB who was both a top-10 rated passer and a 600-plus yard rusher last season. Harris has been largely playing in obscurity at UTSA but threw for 4,063 yards last season. Bruce had to talk me into McCarthy, but it may be the two pick-sixes in the Fiesta Bowl that clouded my memory. He did throw for 22 TDs against five INTs and memorably shredded Ohio State.

Bruce: McCarthy is really gifted, is exceptional at throwing on the run and did have a very impressive performance leading Michigan to a blowout win at Ohio State without Blake Corum and with Donovan Edwards playing with a soft cast on his hand. I don’t think last year was a fluke with Nix. He always has been a whiz at extending plays. The change of scenery helped a lot, and now the Ducks have surrounded him with better receivers this year. Pratt played through a broken foot last year and just kept on making plays. He’s a beast, especially in the red zone. Liam Coen is back running the show at Kentucky, and he has another strong-armed transfer in Leary, who is probably a bit more accurate and throws with better anticipation than Will Levis did. McCall, a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year, was magical in Jamey Chadwell’s system. I’m curious to see how the offense is in 2023 under the new staff.

Tier 4

Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin

Cam Rising, Utah

Jalon Daniels, Kansas

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Jordan Travis, Florida State

Stew: There are two QBs here, Hartman and Travis, who merited consideration for Tier 3. But while Hartman throws for a lot of yards, he also throws a lot of picks (26 during the past two seasons at Wake Forest). Travis turns out no shortage of highlight plays, but I’d like to see him perform better in big games — he struggled against Clemson and Florida last season.

Bruce: Daniels is super smart and makes great decisions on the fly. He helped turn that disaster into a top-25 team. Gabriel’s underrated. He’s really gifted. Year 2 with his teammates will make a big difference for OU. Tagovailoa lost some really good receivers, but everyone I know around there talks about how special they think he is. It’s just a matter of him settling down and becoming more consistent.

Tier 5

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Will Howard, Kansas State

Joe Milton, Tennessee

Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Jayden de Laura, Arizona

Riley Leonard, Duke

Will Rogers, Mississippi State

Kedon Slovis, BYU

Payton Thorne, Auburn

DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami

Cam Ward, Washington State

Stew: The common theme here is big names who have been inconsistent. I’m interested to see whether Ewers can move up a few tiers with a big 2023 campaign. Rattler had some huge games to end last season, most notably against Tennessee, but still ended with an 18-to-12 TD-to-INT ratio. Injuries and a coaching change set Van Dyke back last season after a promising debut. Fresh starts are also a recurring theme among this group. Thorne slid as well at Michigan State but could be rejuvenated playing in Hugh Freeze’s offense. Ditto for Uiagalelei at Oregon State. Slovis has been unable to replicate his initial success as a freshman at USC but may find more success at his third school.

Bruce: There probably are more “wow” QBs in this group than in Tier 3 and Tier 4 combined. Milton may have the biggest arm in college football, and I can’t wait to see how he does with a full season in Josh Heupel’s system, but UT does have to replace some really good receivers. I like the fit of Slovis with offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick at BYU. I’m expecting a big bounce back from the former USC QB in 2023. I’m more excited about Conner Weigman and Drew Allar than Stew is right now. From talking to coaches in both of their programs, both have the potential and makeup to be top-10 picks, and they will have good skill position players to lean on. I could see both being no lower than Tier 3 come December. Van Dyke would’ve been higher on this list a year ago, but the cast around him wasn’t good, and now it is improved quite a bit. It’s still not great, but Miami added some speed and the offensive line should be a lot better. Two others I’m really curious to watch are Shedeur Sanders, who will have some really dynamic receivers to play with, and Austin Reed, who jumped up to Western Kentucly and threw for a ton of yards and should again this year.

We don’t see QB BRENNAN ARMSTRONG on the list.  He’s an incoming transfer at North Carolina State who started 29 games at Virginia.  They say one full season as “the team’s” primary QB as the qualifier, and that might seem to preclude transfers, but Hartman is incoming at Notre Dame and there may be others on the list.