Will the NFLPA let the NFL start training camps a bit earlier this year due to the way the offseason programs were shut down?  Albert Breer of SI.com: • So could some players return to team facilities before June 26? The answer is yes, it’s possible, though maybe not likely. If players are allowed back in, what has been discussed is having it be rookies and new veterans, allowing those guys to take physicals and close the loop on their rookie contracts, free agent deals or trades. The inability to take care of that business is why just 51 of 255 draft picks (20%) and only two first-rounders were signed by June 1. At the same juncture last year, 204 draft picks, including 20 first-rounders were under contract. (My guess is a lot of those young guys wouldn’t mind getting paid.)   • The new CBA dictates that teams can report 47 days before their first regular season game (a change from the old 14-day rule), meaning the report date for most teams would be July 28. Meanwhile, the joint committee on health and safety is recommending an acclimation period before camp, given the lack of football activity these guys have had, of at least a week or two (and up to three). The good news is, the new CBA builds in a five-day acclimation period. The bad news is players may need more than that under these unique circumstances. So the league has floated the idea of an earlier report date closer to the middle of July, to give players a better chance to get their feet underneath them.   • The union has been, understandably, protective of the players’ vacation time. And the desires of individual players are all over the map (a rookie and 10-year vet are going to have different needs and priorities, of course). One more extreme option that’s been discussed, if the union holds firm on the report date, is the idea of canceling the first week of preseason games to allow for an acclimation period and enough actual football practice before players head into live action.   • Moving the season back to an October start is one option that I know some teams support—it’d allow for the NFL to observe how other leagues start back up, watch them do things right and wrong, and buy more time for all this stuff—but the league office hasn’t been receptive at all to the idea at this point. Changing the dates of the season would have to be negotiated with the union, too. That said, there’s flexibility to move the Super Bowl if needed, which creates that option.

NFC NORTH

DETROIT Lions RB BO SCARBOROUGH wants a career in law enforcement.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Lions running back Bo Scarbrough is only 23 years old and hopes to play many more seasons in the NFL, but he’s also thinking about his post-football life.   Scarbrough is taking classes this summer with an eye toward graduating from Alabama before the season starts. His current class, Criminal Justice 290, will be a step toward what he thinks could be a career as an FBI agent.   “I like hands-on and like to be out in the field,” Scarbrough told ESPN. “I like to help people and I’m caring. I just figured that it would be the right thing for me. That it would be comfortable for me.”   Scarbrough said he always expected to finish college, even though he turned pro before graduating.   “I want to pursue my dream and graduate,” Scarbrough said. “It was something that I was looking forward to after the season and after I was finishing getting my stuff together in Detroit.   After bouncing around the league from the Cowboys to the Jaguars to the Seahawks, Scarbrough has settled in with the Lions and played well last year. But whenever his NFL dream ends, he already knows his next goal.

MINNESOTA Count RB DALVIN COOK among the ranks of the contractually disgruntled.  Adam Schefter of ESPN.com: Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook no longer will participate in any team-related activities until and unless he receives what he determines to be a “reasonable” deal, a source said Monday.   “He’s out,” a source told ESPN. “Without a reasonable extension, he will not be showing up for camp or beyond.”   To date, the Vikings’ contract proposals to Cook demonstrate that they are a quarterback-first team, per the source. This offseason, the Vikings gave quarterback Kirk Cousins — who had one year left on his deal — a contract extension paying him $30 million per season; Cousins will make $150 million over five seasons. Cook has one year at $1.3 million left on his contract.   Cousins will make as much in one season as Cook hopes to make in three, which helps explain why contract talks have stalled and threaten to remain that way until a deal is worked out.   The 24-year-old Cook now finds himself in a similar spot to other running backs such as Ezekiel Elliott, Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon and David Johnson, who were invaluable to their offense but were playing a position for which wages have not risen at the same rate as those for quarterbacks.   Johnson — traded this offseason to Houston — makes $13 million a year and Cook wants to match if not surpass that total.   We re-drafted the NFL from scratch: Mahomes in Cincy, Rodgers in Vegas, more   NFL experts react to our 32-team re-draft: Best picks, top rosters, head-scratchers, more A running back’s greatest leverage in negotiations is his service; Cook is now withholding his, as Elliott did last year. Minnesota needs Cook and his 1,135 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns from last season. But with camp tentatively scheduled to start next month, the Vikings are on track not to have him.   The two sides, the Vikings and Cook, have not spoken since last week and have no further talks scheduled. Cook said he has presented what he thinks are “reasonable” proposals this offseason. The Vikings have been unwilling to meet his price.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA RB TODD GURLEY has passed his physical.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com: The formality is now complete: Todd Gurley finally took his physical in Atlanta.   After travel restrictions delayed the process, Gurley passed his physical in ATL on Monday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday, per a source informed of the situation. ESPN first reported the news.   Gurley agreed to terms with the Falcons more than two months ago, but the NFL stopped player physicals and closed club facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.   With many cities finally starting to open up, Gurley’s wait to take his physical to make the deal official ended.   Gurley’s new quarterback, Matt Ryan, told reporters Tuesday that he spent time with Gurley in California and said “he looked great and healthy and ready to go.”   The Rams cut Gurley in part due to lingering questions about his knee, which curtailed his 2018 season. The 25-year-old hasn’t looked the same on the field since, and L.A. throttled down his usage last season.   Despite the injury history, Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff offered zero concerns that Gurley would pass his physical. Monday’s medical appointment was more of a formality than a worrisome event for the team.

NEW ORLEANS QB JAMEIS WINSTON vows to fight on.  Nick Shook of NFL.com: In a span of six months, Jameis Winston went from franchise quarterback on the hot seat, to the butt of interception jokes, to the abyss of a forgotten player.   Winston’s rookie contract — you know, the one he signed as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 draft — expired and barely made so much as a ripple in the offseason waters. After all, Tom Brady was headed to Tampa; why should anyone think about who he was replacing?   Quietly, Winston moved northwest to New Orleans and signed a one-year deal that pays him around the same amount as Brian Hoyer, Geno Smith and Mike Glennon. In fact, the two backups to Brady in Tampa (Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Griffin) make more on average than Winston will in New Orleans. The whole experience has placed Winston at a fork in the road — either he fades into the ether that has consumed many disappointments of the past, or his path back to stardom begins now.   “My entire life, I’ve been a winner,” Winston told B/R Mag’s Ty Dunne. “Little League football. Middle school. High school. College. Obviously, the NFL is a little more difficult. But I’ve been a winner. I don’t want to be viewed as a loser. It’s going to come. It’s going to happen. This is something I’ve been fighting for my entire life. Building up to this.   “If people think I’m just going to lay down and give up because of a few losing seasons, that’s never going to be the case.”

NFC WEST

ARIZONA WR LARRY FITZGERALD is broken up by the sum of all the recent events in his home Twin Cities.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com: It was in Minneapolis that Larry Fitzgerald was born and began his way to an NFL career that will no doubt find him enshrined in the Hall of Fame one day.   Amid the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis, however the city that taught the Cardinals wide receiver “about love” and was “the home of [his] youth,” appears nothing like it once was.   One of the NFL’s most regarded and respected voices, Fitzgerald offered his voice and thoughts in a Sunday essay for the New York Times.   Fitzgerald has fond memories of Minneapolis and writes that he was never personally harassed by law enforcement, but knew of issues. And now, Floyd’s death has shined a light on those issues and brought to focus that everything in the city — and the country it’s a part of — are not healthy and must be fixed.   “The city of Minneapolis taught me about love. I was baptized at New Beginnings Baptist Tabernacle Church, learned to catch a football at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, and instilled with values by a loving family and a supportive community,” Fitzgerald began. “For as long as I have known it, Minneapolis has been a city of peace, family and contentment.   “But not right now.   “The events of the last several days have turned Minneapolis, and our nation, upside down. Injustice, death, destruction, pain, violence, protests, and riots have made it clear — we as a nation are not OK. We are not healthy. The violent death of George Floyd in police custody is yet another example of a systemic problem we have yet to solve. A cancer we are failing to cut out. People and communities are suffering, lives are being lost and futures are being destroyed.   “Growing up, I never personally experienced harassment from the police, but I knew there were issues and I saw situations where people of color were not given the same benefit of the doubt and the same respect that was afforded to others.   “When will this terrible cycle end? When will love and respect for our fellow man replace hatred and injustice? When will healing come?”   The 17-year NFL veteran has produced all-time numbers that will usher him into Canton whenever he decides to retire, but the former Art Rooney Award and NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient’s character carries the utmost weight and respect among those in the NFL world and beyond. Thus, his words ring powerful and true.   Fitzgerald paints the portrait of a Minneapolis that he regarded as a “beautiful city full of life and diversity,” but has now become most associated with Floyd’s death at the knee of a police officer and the unrest in the form of protests, looting, unity and division that has followed across the world.   As the fight for change carries on, Fitzgerald’s words are not minced in proclaiming that, “We are not listening to one another. Our winter of delay continues to result in cold hearts and lifeless bodies. The language of the unheard has broken the silence and our willful deafness has led to death and destruction. While our nation has struggled under the weight of a biological pandemic we also find our communities ravaged by the insidious disease of injustice.”   The expansive piece also lends hope that change will come and tomorrow will be better — notions he encourages.   “We must work together to heal this divide and rebuild our communities by committing to let no voice go unheard,” he wrote. “Our first step must be to listen to one another — to sincerely lean in and hear what the person who is different from us is saying.”   One of the greatest receivers of all-time and one of the NFL’s most respected voices has eloquently and passionately offered his thoughts, his hopes and his encouragement to a nation in need.

SAN FRANCISCO Whatever you might guess as the average value of TE GEORGE KITTLE’s upcoming contract – Daniel Jeremiah thinks you might be too low.  Kyle Posey of NinersNation.com: NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks discussed what San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle’s contract extension would look like. The two start by comparing Kittle’s numbers to Austin Hooper’s since 2018. Kittle has 173 receptions compared to Hoopers 146. Kittle has 983 more yards, and their run-blocking grade from PFF during isn’t close, either. Kittle is ranked third while Hooper is ranked 26th. But hey, they have the same number of touchdowns! The comparison was made because there isn’t a comparison to be made.   Brooks called Kittle a hybrid player. He said Kittle is “part offensive tackle and part wide receiver.” A graphic they used showed the 49ers averaged a yard and a half more per carry with Kittle on the field and 17 more rushing touchdowns. Kittle impact the numbers that are in the box, too. With Kittle off the field, the “light box percentage” was 9.7. With Kittle on the field, that number climbed to 24.1%, per Next Gen Stats.   Brooks said Kittle blocks like an offensive lineman but can run routes like a receiver. Jeremiah discussed the markets for each position. For offensive linemen, the top-end market is $16-$18 million annually, where the wide receivers are around $18-$22 million. Brooks said Kittle blocks like an offensive lineman but can run routes like a receiver.   Jeremiah said, “I think he’s going to find his way closer to $20 million than he will $15 million when it’s all said and done with this deal. Because there are hybrids, guys that can do a lot of different things, and that’s the word we used here with Kittle. But then there is another level. I just call them a unicorn. There’s nobody else like Kittle in the NFL. He’s one of one. That, to me, makes him the most valuable 49er on that team. He’s 26. He has high-character. He’s a leader. These are the guys that you’re okay with paying maybe a little bit more than you want to. I think he’s going to get paid quite handsomely.”   What do you think is closer to $20 million a year too much?

AFC WEST

DENVER DT JURELL CASEY, who can’t wait for the regular season opener, is feeling disrespected by the Titans.  Turron Davenport of ESPN.com: Durrell Casey said Monday that the way the Titans traded him to the Broncos after nine seasons in Tennessee was equivalent to throwing him away “like a piece of trash.”   The defensive tackle discussed the trade on the Double Coverage podcast, hosted by the New England Patriots’ Devin and Jason McCourty. Casey was a former teammate of Jason McCourty with the Titans.   “The part that is so crazy is that you give so much to them. Especially when you come up on free agency and have opportunities to go somewhere else. Especially the way it was going when we were there, 2-14, 3-13,” Casey said to Jason McCourty. “Those were some rough times. When you’re a loyal guy and you feel like things are going in the right direction and you’re that centerpiece, you got no choice but to fight it through. My mindset was to stick it out and things would get better.   “For us to get to that point to get better and to be a main focus of that and then you just throw me away to the trash like I wasn’t a main block of that … Coming off an injury the year before and playing the whole season for ya’ll. No complaints, I did everything you wanted me to do and you throw me like a piece of trash. At the end of the day, none of these businesses are loyal.”   Casey was a five-time Pro Bowler during his tenure with the Titans. He was named a second-team All-Pro in 2013 after he posted 10.5 sacks. Casey signed a four-year, $60 million contract extension with Tennessee in 2017.   The better days that Casey referred to were capped off by a magical ride to the AFC Championship Game last season. Unfortunately, he won’t get the opportunity to build on last season’s success. The Titans cleared up over $11 million in cap space by trading Casey to the Broncos for a seventh-round draft selection.   Casey said he was working out when he got a call from his agent that the Titans were going to shop him to other teams. He was disappointed that he didn’t hear the news from the team.   “It was a blow to the heart because I would have thought that one of them would have hit me up,” Casey said. “The part that hurt me the most was that I didn’t get a call until like 30 seconds before the trade went down. For three or four days I had some moments where I had to tell the wife to give me a minute and I had a lot of tears come out of there.”   The Titans open the season with a trip to Denver to face Casey and the Broncos on Monday Night Football.

AFC EAST

MIAMI We would note that the NFL has four minority head coaches and two minority GMs. Only five of 32 teams have a minority in one of these two positions, and that is because one, the Miami Dolphins, have two. The Dolphins quietly have head coach Brian Flores and GM Curtis Greer heading into their second year together (Grier’s fourth overall). The duo seems to be doing a fine job of putting together their team and we look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in 2020. For whatever reason, the Dolphins haven’t gotten much credit for their hires.

THE VIRTUAL QUARTERBACK COACHING SUMMIT African-American offensive coaching hopefuls have a summit each year to increase their prowess. This year’s event will be virtual. ESPN.com: This year’s NFL quarterback coaching summit, an annual event designed to assist and elevate minority coaching candidates, will be held virtually later this month, league sources told ESPN’s Dianna Russini.   The NFL and the Black College Football Hall of Fame will host the event June 22-23.   The quarterback coaching summit began in 2018 as the brainchild of former NFL quarterbacks James Harris and Doug Williams.   This year’s invitation reads that the event will include “a select group of QB coaches, offensive coordinators, and NFL and NCAA coaches aimed at strengthening the coaching pipeline for experienced coaches of color on the offensive side of the ball.”   Sources tell Russini that speakers and panelists at the 80-person, invite-only conference include Eric Bieniemy, Hue Jackson, Robert Saleh, Bruce Arians, Mike Vrabel, John Mara, Ozzie Newsome, Leslie Frazier and Jim Caldwell.   The conference has set topics like “How to interview for QB coach,” “How to interview for head coach,” “First 30 days on the job,” and “How to interview for OC.”   NFL owners approved new measures last month aimed at improving diversity in coach and front-office hiring, but the league stopped short of approving a resolution that would have rewarded minority hiring with draft pick compensation.   The NFL currently has four minority head coaches and two minority general managers.

THE RETURN OF KAEP Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com with a treatise demanding the return of Colin Kaepernick to an NFL uniform: Colin Kaepernick last played NFL football on January 1, 2017. More than three years later, he has received no offers from any NFL teams. More than three years later, he has received no invitation to work out for any NFL teams.   Other than a visit to (not a workout with) the Seahawks in 2018, Kaepernick has been ignored by the NFL’s 32 teams for three full seasons.   Now that the NFL possibly has seen the light when it comes to the reasons for Kaepernick’s anthem protests and the decision to blackball him, ostensibly for business reasons, the question becomes whether Kaepernick’s name will be moved back into the column of men who will be contacted for potential workouts and/or contracts as part of the never ending roster churn that happens for every NFL team.   Since he became a free agent in March of 2017, Kaepernick has been excluded from that column. Some coaches and/or executives, whispering into the ears of reporters happy to have the scoop, fashioned false narratives to clumsily justify Kaepernick’s removal from consideration for a starting job, a backup job, anything.   Now that more than three years have passed since Kaepernick played in the NFL, the best argument for keeping him out of the NFL becomes that he hasn’t played in the NFL in more than three years. But that’s not his fault; he didn’t excommunicate himself.   So the challenge moving forward for a coach, a G.M., and ultimately an owner will be to set aside the fact that Kaepernick hasn’t played since January 1, 2017 and to give him fair consideration for a spot on the depth chart. Once teams are able to conduct business on a normal (or somewhat normal) basis, they’ll be realizing that some players on the preseason roster aren’t good enough to make it to the regular-season roster. They’ll be confronting the realities of injuries or, possibly, COVID-19 infections. Inevitably, they’ll be working out players at every position.   After three-plus years of a Schrutian cold shoulder, will Kaepernick be unshunned? Will he get a free and fair chance to show what he can do?   The team that considers Kaepernick first will have to be willing to absorb criticism from those who hate Kaepernick. Then, if the team genuinely concludes that Kaepernick isn’t good enough to be signed (or that he’s not good enough to migrate from the 90-man roster to the 53-man roster), it will have to be willing to absorb criticism from those who support Kaepernick.   In this moment, hopefully at least one team will have the courage and fortitude to take flak from one or both camps. At a time when the key word sweeping the nation, and the world, is equality, Kaepernick deserves something he hasn’t received in more than three years: An equal shot.   To get an equal shot, at least one owner will have to not care about the consequences of doing the right thing. Many people worth far less money than the average NFL owner are currently making decisions and taking action without regard to consequences. If the NFL wants to convert Commissioner Roger Goodell’s Friday night words into meaningful and tangible change, the first step will be to to stop treating Kaepernick like a pariah and to subject him to the same merit-based assessments that happen all the time in the NFL, with players being hired and fired and hired and fired and at all times evaluated based solely on what they can do to help a team win.   From Kaepernick’s perspective, it won’t be easy. He’ll have to find a way to set aside his inherent (and justified) mistrust of the league. And given the fact that he hasn’t played for so long, he’ll have to take whatever he can get financially, at least until he re-establishes himself.   Regardless, the image of Kaepernick in an NFL uniform again (whether he actually plays or not) would be powerful, and helpful, at this unique and fragile time in American history. He should get the opportunity to wear a uniform only if his current talents truly merit it, but it’s likely when considering some of the names already on NFL rosters that he could roll out of bed on any given day and be more talented and accomplished than plenty of them. At this moment in time, a team that signs Kaepernick would receive an incredible amount of praise from the media and cultural elite.  Not sure there would be much, if any, downside.

2017 DRAFT RE-VISITED Dane Brugler of The Athletic, with the hindsight of three seasons, ranks the 2017 draft hauls 1 (Kansas City, Mahomes) to 32 (New England, no picks in first two rounds).  A much-edited version below as we only list the players drafted who are still on the team: Grades immediately after the NFL Draft reflect personal projections and guesses on how players will perform in the NFL.   However, the more interesting exercise is to revisit past NFL Draft classes and use on-field evidence to reflect on how teams made out.   The narrative on those players will continue to evolve, but with three seasons as a sample size, we can more accurately judge the teams from the 2017 NFL Draft that did well and which teams dropped the ball.   The draft classes are listed before in a power rankings-style list.   1. Kansas City Chiefs 1-10            Patrick Mahomes               QB            Texas Tech 2-59           Tanoh Kpassagnon             DL            Villanova   Best player: Patrick Mahomes Of the six players the Chiefs drafted in 2017, only one has lived up to his draft selection. But that one is also the main reason the Chiefs are reigning Super Bowl champions. Mahomes is not only the obvious choice, but his special impact is why Kansas City has to be No. 1 on this list.   Best value: Mahomes Can a player be a top-10 pick and also a great value? Absolutely, if we are talking about Mahomes. Arguably the most impactful player in the NFL, there were nine players drafted ahead of him, including Solomon Thomas, Leonard Fournette and Corey Davis. Although he is no longer with the organization due to off-field trouble, Kareem Hunt also has a case for this spot as well.   Biggest miss: Tanoh Kpassagnon Entering the league, Kpassagnon was viewed as a toolsy project who needed time to develop, but he still hasn’t moved past the contributor phase through three seasons.   2. New Orleans Saints 1-11             Marshon Lattimore            CB           Ohio State 1-32            Ryan Ramczyk                  OT           Wisconsin 2-42            Marcus Williams                DS           Utah 3-67            Alvin Kamara                     RB           Tennessee 3-76           Alex Anzalone                    LB            Florida 3-103         Trey Hendrickson              Edge         Florida Atlantic   Best player: Marshon Lattimore The Saints built an outstanding draft class in 2017, making it a tough call to clearly establish the best player. Even though Ryan Ramczyk is coming off an All-Pro season, I gave Lattimore the narrow edge because I think his career has been slightly better. It was very close, and that is great news for the Saints because both are arguably in the top three at their positions.   Best value: Alvin Kamara The Saints sent a future second-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to draft Kamara early in the third round and that decision has provided outstanding value.   3. Pittsburgh Steelers 1-30            T.J. Watt                          Edge             Wisconsin 2-62            JuJu Smith-Schuster        WR               USC 3-94            Cameron Sutton              CB                 Tennessee 3-105          James Conner                 RB                 Pittsburgh   Best player: T.J. Watt As one of the best edge rushers, Watt is an easy choice. He has consistently improved, including 14.5 sacks and two interceptions last season. Watt finished third in the voting for 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.   Best value: JuJu Smith-Schuster Watt could have also been the choice considering he was the seventh pass rusher drafted, but Smith-Schuster, who was one of the final picks of the second round, receives my vote..   4. Houston Texans 1-12               Deshaun Watson           QB                 Clemson 2-57              Zach Cunningham           LB                 Vanderbilt 4-142            Carlos Watkins                DT                 Clemson Notable undrafted free agent: Dylan Cole, LB, Missouri State   Best player: Deshaun Watson Another easy choice and the reason the Texans are ranked so high.   Biggest miss: RB D’Onta Foreman Foreman had a breakout 2016 season for Texas, rushing for over 2,000 yards and turning himself into a draft pick. The Texans drafted him in the third round, but he lasted only two seasons before he was released, partially due to his unreliable character.   5. Carolina Panthers 1-8                  Christian McCaffrey         RB             Stanford 2-40                Curtis Samuel                  WR/RB       Ohio State 2-64                Taylor Moton                    OG             Western Michigan 5-152             Corn Elder                        CB               Miami (Fla.) 6-192             Alexander Armah             FB               West Georgia   Best player: Christian McCaffrey Drafting a running back in the top 10 can be a risky move, but it has paid off for Carolina, which recently signed McCaffrey to a long-term deal. He is averaging 101 catches and 1,814 yards of offense each year, essentially replacing Cam Newton as the main weapon on the Panthers.   Best value: Taylor Moton Most casual fans probably couldn’t name Carolina’s starting right tackle, especially because he hasn’t been highly decorated. But Moton has been a quality starter since he entered the league and has only gotten better each season. He is the Panthers’ most consistent lineman and is due for an extension soon.   6. Buffalo Bills 1-27                   Tre’Davious White            CB             LSU 2-63                   Dion Dawkins                   OT/G         Temple 5-163                 Matt Milano                      LB             Boston College   Best player: Tre’Davious White While Lattimore is arguably the best cornerback from the 2017 class, White has closed the gap and isn’t far behind. Coming off his first All-Pro selection, he tied for the league lead with six interceptions in 2019, not allowing a touchdown. In my opinion, White is a top-five cornerback.   Best value: Matt Milano One of the most consistent coverage linebackers, Milano has far outplayed his fifth-round draft spot. He worked himself into the starting lineup as a rookie and (when healthy) developed into a core piece of Buffalo’s defense. As one of the final picks in the second round, Dion Dawkins has also proven to be a terrific value.   Biggest miss: Zay Jones It was a surprise when Buffalo made Jones a top-40 pick and he has struggled to live up to that hype. He led the Bills in receiving in 2018 with 56 catches for 652 yards and seven touchdowns but was traded to the Raiders midway through the 2019 season for a future fifth-rounder. DB note – Hard to believe a draft with QB Nathan Peterman (5th round) could rank this high. 7. Baltimore Ravens 1-16                  Marlon Humphrey              CB              Alabama 2-47                  Tyus Bowser                      LB              Houston 6-186                Chuck Clark                       DS              Virginia Tech Notable undrafted free agent: Patrick Ricard, FB, Maine   Best player: Marlon Humphrey I don’t think you can list the top-10 cornerbacks and leave Humphrey off the list. He has compiled double-digit passes defended and multiple interceptions in each of his three seasons, earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2019.   Best value: Chuck Clark One of the better late-round steals from the 2017 class, Clark spent his first two seasons in Baltimore as a backup before emerging as a starting-level safety this past season. The Ravens promptly rewarded him with a three-year contract extension this past offseason.   8. San Francisco 49ers 1-3                     Solomon Thomas             DL                Stanford 3-66                    Ahkello Witherspoon       CB               Colorado 3-104                 C.J. Beathard                   QB              Iowa 5-146                 George Kittle                    TE               Iowa 5-177                 Trent Taylor                     WR              Louisiana Tech 6-198                 D.J. Jones                       DT               Ole Miss Notable undrafted free agent: Matt Breida, RB, Georgia Southern   Best player: George Kittle With two first-rounders, including a top-three pick, the 49ers should be in the top five of this ranking, but they whiffed on those first-rounders (DB note – also LB Reuben Foster) and didn’t do much better with their two Day 2 picks. But finding George Kittle, who is arguably the best tight end, in the fifth round was their saving grace. The only reason San Francisco isn’t higher on the list is because it deserves some heat for its misses in the first four rounds.   Biggest miss: Solomon Thomas None of the 49ers’ first five picks panned out (for different reasons), including Thomas, the No. 3 pick. He lost his starting job last season and has only six sacks to his name in 46 games, which led the 49ers to decline his fifth-year option. While he has been a solid contributor, one would expect more from a player drafted that high.   9. Cleveland Browns 1-1            Myles Garrett                          Edge              Texas A&M 1-25          Jabrill Peppers                       DS                   Michigan              traded to Giants 1-29          David Njoku                            TE                   Miami (Fla.) 3-65           Larry Ogunjobi                       DT                   Charlotte   Best player: Myles Garrett Helmet-swinging incident aside, Garrett is one of the best pass rushers.   Best value: Larry Ogunjobi Although his career has plateaued after such an impressive rookie campaign, Ogunjobi has outplayed his draft spot as an important part of the Browns’ interior defensive line. \   Biggest miss: DeShone Kizer While I applauded the pick at the time because he was worth the gamble at No. 52, Kizer, who left Notre Dame after his redshirt sophomore season, simply wasn’t ready for the NFL.   10. Los Angeles Chargers 1-7                 Mike Williams                   WR                    Clemson 2-38               Forrest Lamp                   OG                    Western Kentucky 3-71               Dan Feeney                     OG                    Indiana 4-113             Rayshawn Jenkins          DS                     Miami (Fla.) 5-151             Desmond King                CB                     Iowa 6-190             Sam Tevi                         OT                    Utah 7-225             Isaac Rochell                   Edge               Notre Dame Notable undrafted free agent: Austin Ekeler, RB, Western Colorado   Best player: Austin Ekeler McCaffrey is the best pass-catching running back, but Ekeler might be No. 2. Coming off his first 1,000-yard receiving season, Mike Williams is also a player on the rise.   Best value: Ekeler Ekeler received a $5,000 signing bonus as an undrafted free agent and far outplayed his minimum contract.   Biggest miss: Forrest Lamp The Chargers didn’t miss on Lamp’s talent — he has the skills to be a longtime starter. Unfortunately, injuries have kept him off the field, including a broken ankle that ended his 2019 season after only two starts.   11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-19                 O.J. Howard                 TE                 Alabama 2-50                 Justin Evans                 DS                Texas A&M 3-84                 Chris Godwin               WR                Penn State 3-107              Kendell Beckwith          LB                 LSU   Best player: Chris Godwin Godwin is an example of when talent meets opportunity. He went from 55 targets in 2017 to 95 targets in 2018 and 121 targets in 2019, taking advantage of lining up opposite Mike Evans in a pass-heavy offense. Godwin averaged 95.2 receiving yards per game in 2019, which ranked second to the Saints’ Michael Thomas.   Best value: Godwin Godwin was a productive pass-catcher at Penn State, but he really created some buzz after his performance at the 2017 combine. However, he was still available at No. 84 and Tampa Bay ended up with a steal.   Biggest miss: Justin Evans After a promising rookie season in which he had three interceptions, Evans struggled with a foot injury in Year 2 and then missed all of 2019 with an Achilles injury. As he enters the final year of his rookie deal, there is time for him to flip the script, but he needs to stay healthy. Tight end O.J. Howard hasn’t been a complete bust, but he hasn’t lived up to the expectations of a top-20 pick. We will see if that changes with Tom Brady at quarterback.   12. Cincinnati Bengals 1-9                   John Ross               WR             Washington 2-48                 Joe Mixon               RB              Oklahoma 4-116              Carl Lawson            Edge           Auburn 4-138              Ryan Glasgow         DT              Michigan 6-193              Jordan Evans          LB              Oklahoma 6-207              Brandon Wilson        CB             Houston 7-251              Mason Schreck        TE             Buffalo   Best player: Joe Mixon The 2017 draft class was billed as a running back-rich group with players like Fournette, McCaffrey, Kamara, Dalvin Cook and several others. But none of them have more rushing yards than Mixon, who has gained 2,931 through three seasons. The Oklahoma product has all the talent to be a top-five back.   Best value: Carl Lawson Drafted outside the top 100, Lawson hasn’t proven himself to be a consistent pass-rush threat, but his flashes make him a terrific value based on where he was drafted.   Biggest miss: John Ross Having 49 catches for 716 yards and 10 touchdowns in one season is average for a top-10 pick. But forget one season, those stats are what Ross has compiled in his three years. He showed improvement in Year 3 and could change the narrative this season with Joe Burrow at the helm.   13. Detroit Lions 1-21                  Jarrad Davis                    LB             Florida 3-96                 Kenny Golladay               WR            Northern Illinois 4-124              Jalen Reeves-Maybin       LB             Tennessee 5-165              Jamal Agnew                    CB            San Diego   Best player: Kenny Golladay There were 32 wide receivers drafted in 2017, but only one, Smith-Schuster, has more career receiving yards than Golladay, who was the 12th wide receiver drafted. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2019, leading the NFL with 11 touchdown receptions.   Best value: Golladay There were 11 wide receivers drafted ahead of Golladay in 2017, which is laughable in hindsight.   Biggest miss: Teez Tabor (2nd round CB) Tabor was considered a first-round possibility throughout the draft process, but his 4.62-second 40-yard dash at the combine (and 4.72-second time at his pro day) was an anchor on his draft grade, dropping him out of the top 50. Tabor spent two seasons as a backup in Detroit before he was cut prior to the 2019 season.   14. Seattle Seahawks 2-58            Ethan Pocic                  OC                LSU 3-90             Shaquill Griffin             CB               UCF 3-95            Delano Hill                    DS               Michigan 7-226          David Moore                WR               East Central 7-249          Chris Carson               RB                 Oklahoma State   Best player: Shaquill Griffin Griffin became a key starter for the Seahawks as a rookie and has improved each season, notching 36 passes defended over his career. It can be tough to receive positive attention as a cornerback without gaudy interception numbers, but that is how well Griffin played in 2019, earning his first Pro Bowl spot despite not registering a pick.   Best value: Chris Carson Only four players from the 2017 draft class have eclipsed 2,500 rushing yards in their short careers. Mixon, McCaffrey and Fournette were all top-50 draft picks. With 2,589 rushing yards, Carson is the other member of that list, but he was drafted No. 249 — 245 picks after Fournette.   Biggest miss: DL Malik McDowell The Seahawks traded back twice in the 2017 draft, ending up with the No. 35 pick and drafting McDowell, a player with first-round talent but midround consistency. Before the end of his rookie season, he injured his head in an ATV accident and was arrested twice. The Seahawks waived McDowell just 15 months after they drafted him and he is serving an 11-month jail sentence for multiple crimes.   15. Minnesota Vikings 2-41                Dalvin Cook                RB              Florida State 3-70                Pat Elflein                   OG/C           Ohio State 4-109              Jaleel Johnson           DT               Iowa 4-109               Ben Gedeon              LB              Michigan 7-220               Ifeadi Odenigbo         Edge          Northwestern   Best player: Dalvin Cook Although injuries limited him over his first two seasons, Cook started 14 games in 2019 and made his first Pro Bowl appearance, finishing with 1,135 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, much is expected from Cook in 2020.   Best value: Ifeadi Odenigbo What a three-year journey for Odenigbo. After spending most of his rookie season on the Vikings’ practice squad, he was cut prior to the 2018 season and spent time with the Browns and Cardinals before Minnesota again added him to its practice squad midway through the 2018 season. Odenigbo earned a roster spot in 2019 and was productive in a reserve role with seven sacks and a touchdown.   16. New York Jets 1-6                        Jamal Adams             DS            LSU 2-39                      Marcus Maye             DS            Florida   Best player: Jamal Adams This was an easy choice, partly because the Jets’ draft went downhill quickly, but also because Adams has performed like one of the best safeties the last two seasons. While he is clearly the best player on the Jets’ defense, that might not be for long with contract negotiations at an impasse.   Best value: Adams Marcus Maye, who is the only other draft pick from the 2017 class still on the Jets, has been solid, but I wouldn’t necessarily call him a value as a top-40 pick.   17. Tennessee Titans 1-5                       Corey Davis                 WR           Western Michigan 1-18                     Adoree’ Jackson          CB            USC 3-100                   Jonnnu Smith               TE            FIU 5-155                  Jayon Brown                 LB            UCLA   Best player: Adoree’ Jackson While I don’t know that Jackson has necessarily lived up to being a top-20 pick, he deserves credit for consistently improving in coverage. He has only two career interceptions but has become more of a cornerback than just an athlete playing the position. Still only 24, Jackson has yet to reach his ceiling.   Best value: Jayon Brown The Titans’ 2017 draft class hasn’t produced any star players or Pro Bowlers, but Tennessee found excellent value with Jonnu Smith in the third round and Brown in the fifth. Brown has terrific diagnose skills to read and attack with speed, making plays versus the run and the pass. He was a bargain in the fifth round.   Biggest miss: Corey Davis Davis has been productive, averaging 47 catches for 622 yards and two touchdowns per season as a pro. But as a top-five pick, there come certain expectations (fair or unfair) that he has been unable to reach. While he has the talent to carve out a decade-long career, it seems unlikely Davis will ever live up to his draft spot.   18. Green Bay Packers 2-33                      Kevin King                   CB             Washington 3-93                      Montravius Adams      DT             Auburn 4-134                   Jamaal Williams          RB             BYU 5-182                   Aaron Jones                RB             UTEP Notable undrafted free agent: Taysom Hill, QB, BYU   Best value: Jones Not only was Jones the 19th running back drafted in 2017, he wasn’t even the first back drafted by the Packers. And of the 13 backs selected before Jones, only six are still on the team that drafted them. Saying Jones was a good value at No. 182 would be a gross understatement.   19. New York Giants 1-23                     Evan Engram                 TE            Ole Miss 2-55                     Dalvin Tomlinson           DT            Alabama 4-140                   Wayne Gallman             RB           Clemson Notable undrafted free agent: Chad Wheeler, OT, USC   Best player: Evan Engram Engram’s receptions have declined in each of his three seasons, going from 64 to 45 to 44 last season, but that also reflects his games played as he has missed time due to injury. With Jason Garrett taking over the play calling, Engram is poised for a breakout season if he can stay on the field.   Best value: Dalvin Tomlinson The best player named Dalvin from the 2017 draft is Cook, but Tomlinson is one of the most underrated defensive tackles.   20. Dallas Cowboys 2-60                       Chidobe Awuzie            CB             Colorado 3-92                       Jourdan Lewis                CB               Michigan 6-191                    Xavier Woods                  DS               Louisiana Tech 7-239                    Noah Brown                     WR             Ohio State Notable undrafted free agent: Blake Jarwin, TE, Oklahoma State   Best player: Chidobe Awuzie The Cowboys suffered a tough loss when Byron Jones signed a lucrative free-agent deal in Miami, but in terms of on-field play in 2019, there wasn’t a huge gap between Jones and Awuzie. And if he builds upon last season, Awuzie might be the next cornerback to depart Dallas for big bucks in the offseason.   Best value: Xavier Woods The Cowboys were shocked to see Woods still on the board as the sixth round started so they traded a future fifth-round pick to add the 191st pick and draft the safety. Although he hasn’t convinced the organization he is a long-term defensive piece, Woods has unsurprisingly outplayed what the Cowboys gave up for him.   Biggest miss: Taco Charlton Over the last 10 years, the Cowboys have been one of the best teams at drafting in the first round, but Charlton is one of the few blemishes on their report card   21. Los Angeles Rams 2-44                         Gerald Everett             TE           South Alabama 3-69                         Cooper Kupp               WR         Eastern Washington 3-91                         John Johnson             DS            Boston College 4-117                      Josh Reynolds            WR            Texas A&M 4-125                      Samson Ebukam        LB             Eastern Washington   Best player: Cooper Kupp Who is the only player from the 2017 draft class to have 20 career touchdown catches? Not Smith-Schuster or Kittle. The answer is Kupp, who has been as good as his volume. He set personal bests last season with 94 catches for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns.   Best value: Samson Ebukam Only 11 players from the 2017 draft class have registered at least 9.5 sacks through three seasons and Ebukam is one of them. He has been more of a role player than a steady starter, but he has been more than just a situational pass rusher, earning positive grades as a run defender and proving to be a valuable depth player.   Biggest miss: Gerald Everett I don’t think I would classify Everett as a bust just yet, but he hasn’t lived up to being a top-50 pick.   22. Indianapolis Colts 1-15                     Malik Hooker              DS                    Ohio State 4-143                   Marlon Mack               RB                   USF 4-144                   Grover Stewart           DT                   Albany State 5-161                 Anthony Walker Jr.       LB                   Northwestern Notable undrafted free agent: Andrew Wylie, OT/G, Eastern Michigan   Best player: Marlon Mack As his playing time increased, so has Mack’s production. He went from 358 rushing yards as a rookie to 908 yards in 2018 and 1,091 yards in 2019. Although I think Mack has been the best player from the Colts’ class, his role moving forward is in question with the drafting of Jonathan Taylor in April.   Best value: Anthony Walker Jr. The final pick of the Colts’ eight-man class, Walker has far outplayed most of the linebackers drafted ahead of him.   Biggest miss: Malik Hooker While I don’t think he deserves the bust label just yet, Hooker has not lived up to being a top-15 pick.   23. Arizona Cardinals 1-13                        Haason Reddick               LB               Temple 2-36                        Budda Baker                    DS               Washington   Best player: Budda Baker Aside from Chandler Jones, Baker was the most consistently impactful player on Arizona’s defense last season. And even though he is still searching for his first interception, Baker has been one of the best run-defending safeties while holding his own in coverage. The two-time Pro Bowler also rarely comes off the field, playing more than 1,000 defensive snaps last season.   Biggest miss: Haason Reddick A former walk-on, Reddick emerged as a prospect during his senior season at Temple and his ascension up draft boards continued throughout the process, landing him in the top 15. However, he struggled to keep that positive momentum going once he joined the Cardinals. From safety to pass rusher, Reddick played a half-dozen positions in college and he has struggled to find his best position in the NFL.   24. Chicago Bears 1-2                     Mitchell Trubisky                      QB               North Carolina 2-45                   Adam Shaheen                        TE               Ashland 4-112                 Eddie Jackson                         DS               Alabama 4-119                Tarik Cohen                              RB              North Carolina A&T   Best player: Eddie Jackson Although his 2019 season wasn’t quite on par as his 2018 performance, Jackson has established himself as one of the best safeties.   Best value: Jackson The best Day 3 draft pick from 2017 is Kittle, but the best Day 3 defensive player has been Jackson.   Biggest miss: Mitchell Trubisky While the Bears deserve credit for the Jackson pick, the elephant in the room is Trubisky. If he were drafted No. 22 instead of No. 2, we wouldn’t look at the selection with such bewilderment. But the fact Trubisky was drafted ahead of Mahomes and Watson makes the pick the biggest miss. If not for Trubisky, Adam Shaheen would be the easy answer — the tight end showed promise as a rookie, but his career has gone in the opposite direction the last two seasons.   25. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-4                      Leonard Fournette                  RB              LSU 2-34                    Cam Robinson                       OT               Alabama 3-68                    Dawuane Smoot                    Edge            Illinois 4-110                 Dede Westbrook                     WR              Oklahoma Notable undrafted free agent: Keelan Cole, WR, Kentucky Wesleyan   Best value: Dede Westbrook Seven wide receivers from the 2017 draft class have reached 1,700 receiving yards thus far. Westbrook is the only one among those seven drafted outside the top 100. He has accounted for 66 catches each of the last two seasons — not bad for a fourth-round pick.   Biggest miss: Fournette Fournette has the unique distinction of being both the best player and biggest miss for the Jaguars. Fournette has been a solid back and, among those in the Jaguars’ 2017 draft class, it isn’t tough to make the case that he has been the best player. However, has he lived up to being the No. 4 pick? No, especially considering several of the players (specifically Mahomes and Watson) drafted after him.   26. Washington Redskins 1-17               Jonathan Allen                     DL                 Alabama 2-49               Ryan Anderson                   Edge              Alabama 3-81               Fabian Moreau                   CB                  UCLA 5-154             Jeremy Sprinkle                 TE                   Arkansas 6-199             Chase Roullier                   OC                 Wyoming 7-230             Josh Harvey-Clemons        DS                Louisville   Best player: Jonathan Allen Allen was often talked about as one of the best prospects in the class before the draft, and although he hasn’t lived up to that high billing, he has been a dependable performer and the best player from the Redskins’ 2017 haul. Aside from his on-field impact, Allen is viewed as one of the most important leaders in Washington’s locker room.   27. Philadelphia Eagles 1-14               Derek Barnett                      Edge           Tennessee 2-43               Sidney Jones                      CB               Washington 3-99              Rasul Douglas                     CB               West Virginia 5-184             Nathan Gerry                    DS/LB           Nebraska 6-214             Elijah Qualls                      DT               Washington   Best player: Derek Barnett After missing most of the 2018 season due to injury, Barnett rebounded well last season, starting 14 games and posting 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Has he lived up to being a top-15 pick? Not yet, but he put his career back on track in 2019 and is poised for another step forward in 2020.   Best value: Nathan Gerry After two seasons as a backup, Gerry earned a starting role last season and exceeded expectations for a fifth-round pick.   Biggest miss: Sidney Jones A projected first-round pick, Jones injured an Achilles at his pro day, putting his draft projection in limbo. Despite needing a redshirt year as a rookie, the Eagles took a chance on him in the second round with mixed results the last two years. There have been flashes, but so far, Jones has been a miss.   28. Denver Broncos 1-20                   Garett Bolles                   OT             Utah 2-51                   DeMarcus Walker           DL              Florida State 5-145                 Jake Butt                        TE               Michigan   Best player: Garett Bolles The first offensive lineman selected in 2017, Bolles has been the Broncos’ starting left tackle since he entered the league, starting all 48 games the last three years. And while he has been the best player in Denver’s draft class, that isn’t saying much considering the seven players picked after him.   Biggest miss: Bolles While he has started all 48 games since he was drafted, Bolles has also accounted for 286 penalty yards, more than any other player over the last three seasons. Since the start of the 2017 season, his 32 penalties rank second, just behind Germain Ifedi. While it hasn’t been all negative, it also wasn’t a surprise when the Broncos declined Bolles’ fifth-year option.   29. Miami Dolphins 2-54                          Raekwon McMillan             LB       Ohio State 3-97                         Cordrea Tankersley            CB       Clemson 5-178                       Davon Godchaux                DT       LSU 7-237                       Isaiah Ford                          WR      Virginia Tech   Best player: Raekwon McMillan Despite missing his rookie season with an ACL tear, McMillan returned strong the past two seasons, averaging 6.3 tackles per start. He enters the final year of his rookie deal with plenty still to prove, but he has already established himself as a reliable run defender.   Biggest miss: (First round EDGE) Charles Harris Coming out of Missouri, Harris was a little bit of a one-trick pony who had a lot of developing still to do. That didn’t happen in Miami. In three seasons and 41 games with the Dolphins, he managed only 3.5 sacks and was recently traded to the Falcons for a future seventh-round pick.   30. Atlanta Falcons 1-26                  Takkarist McKinley                      Edge           UCLA 4-136                Sean Harlow                               OG/C          Oregon State 5-149                Damontae Kazee                       CB/S            San Diego State 5-156                Brian Hill                                    RB                Wyoming   Best value: Damontae Kazee There were 34 defensive backs drafted ahead of Kazee, which is bonkers in hindsight. He hasn’t been a Pro Bowl-level player and needs to eliminate some bad habits from his play, but Kazee has provided fantastic value as a fifth-rounder.   Biggest miss: Takkarist McKinley After combining for 13 sacks his first two seasons, primarily as a role player, McKinley notched just 3.5 sacks as a full-time starter in 2019. He has shown flashes of being disruptive, but not nearly enough to consistently affect the offense’s game plan. It wasn’t a surprise when Atlanta chose to decline his fifth-year option.   31. Las Vegas Raiders 4-129                 David Sharpe                           OT               Florida 5-168                 Marquel Lee                            LB                Wake Forest ] Best player: (First round pick CB) Gareon Conley Days before the draft, Conley was accused of sexual assault, which caused him to drop on draft night. The Raiders had done enough background work to be comfortable drafting him at No. 24, but he missed most of 2017 due to injury. He started 16 games for the Raiders in 2018 and the first half of 2019 (and recorded four interceptions in those starts) before he was dealt to Houston for a third-round pick midway through last season.   32. New England Patriots 3-83                     Derek Rivers                        Edge             Youngstown State 4-131                  Deatrich Wise Jr.                 DL                   Arkansas   Best player: Deatrich Wise   Wise is the choice by default, but he has also been a solid contributor on the Patriots’ defensive line.