NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

Bounced at the University of Texas, Tom Herman has a job with the Bears. Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

Former Texas head coach Tom Herman has landed a job on Bears head coach Matt Nagy’s staff.

The Bears announced Herman’s hiring on Monday. He has the title of offensive analyst/special projects.

Herman was 32-18 over four seasons as the head coach of the University of Texas. He was fired in January after the Longhorns wrapped up a 7-3 season and replaced by Steve Sarkisian.

Herman was the head coach at the University of Houston before heading to Austin and he went 22-4 in two years at the school. He spent three years as Urban Meyer’s offensive coordinator at Ohio State prior to becoming a head coach and has never worked at the NFL level before.

GREEN BAY

QB AARON RODGERS is emulating Dave Portnoy in providing massive private assistance for businesses devastated by governmental lockdown commands.  NFL.com:

After a decade and a half of residing in Wisconsin and becoming an all-world QB, Aaron Rodgers hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

The Green Bay Packers star has donated $1 million to help 80 small businesses in his hometown of Chico and all of Butte County, California.

The grants will cover rent and/or other operational costs for about three months or longer for the restaurants and retail businesses. Rodgers personally notified nine of the business owners via video calls, which he shared on his Instagram account.

“Small, locally owned businesses are the heart and soul of a community,” Rodgers said in a statement. “In the applications and the videos, it was heart-wrenching to hear about all the obstacles facing restaurants and retail establishments. So many of them are struggling just to stay in business but remain hopeful that there’s an end to this.”

Before Rodgers was a three-time MVP, the lightly recruited Chico native played one year at Butte Community College.

In early February, he established the Aaron Rodgers Small-Business COVID-19 Fund with a $500,000 pledge. That soon was supplemented by $100,000 gifts from the North Valley Community Foundation and an anonymous donor, and a sizable contribution from Sherry and Gary Holbrook of Holbrook’s Clearance Center.

“Aaron is such an incredible person,” NVCF president and CEO Alexa Benson-Valavanis said. “He looked at everything, decided he wanted to do more, and doubled down on his original $500,000 commitment. He is such a champion for his hometown.”

Although Governor Gavin Newsom’s regime has designated Butte County as Tier 1 and required to follow his strictest lockdown orders, the cumulative death count for the county attributed to COVID is 160 out of a population of nearly 220,000.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

RB ALVIN KAMARA went to Montana for some winter R&R – and may have fallen in love with Big Sky Country.  KULR-TV:

Alvin Kamara, announced Sunday he bought a house and is living in Montana.

His tweet, that has more than 6,000 likes, read, “Okay, so i’ve been breathing Montana air for a few hours and i just wanna say i bought a house. i live in Montana right now. leave me alone.”

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

And out of the blue of the desert sky – it was the Arizona Cardinals swooping in to sign J.J. WATT.  Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com:

Free-agent pass-rusher J.J. Watt has agreed to a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced Monday.

Terms were not disclosed, but a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $31 million and includes $23 million guaranteed.

Before the Cardinals announced the agreement, Watt broke the news by sharing a photo on Twitter (in a Cardinals tee-shirt):

Watt later indicated he and his wife Kealia were traveling to Arizona on Cardinals’ owner Michael Bidwill’s plane. He tweeted two photos, one of himself posing with Bidwill and the other of himself and his wife sitting in Bidwill’s plane.

Watt, 31, was released by the Houston Texans, who granted his request on Feb. 12, ending his 10-year run with the franchise.

Four days later, Watt’s former Texans teammate and current Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins posted a photo of himself and Watt photoshopped in a Cardinals uniform on Instagram with the caption: “Let’s finish what we started…”

Hopkins reacted to Monday’s news by tweeting: “Life is good in Arizona!”

Watt will reunite with Vance Joseph, the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator, who was the Texans’ defensive backs coach during Watt’s first three seasons in Houston.

In Arizona, Watt will be paired with fellow pass-rusher Chandler Jones, who leads the NFL in sacks since he was drafted in the first round in 2012 with 97. Second during that span is Watt with 95.5.

Since 2012, nobody has more sacks than the Cardinals’ new tandem of Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt.

Watt’s addition meant minimal changes to the Cardinals’ odds for the 2021 season from Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. Their odds to win the Super Bowl remain 40-1 and to win the NFC remain 20-1. Arizona’s odds to win the NFC West moved from 7-1 to 6-1, still the longest odds of the four teams in the division.

In 2020, Watt ranked 15th out of 119 qualified pass-rushers in pass rush win rate, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He finished the season with five sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception he returned for a touchdown. He has been plagued with injuries recently, having played 16 games in a season only twice since 2015.

After the Texans drafted Watt with the No. 11 pick in 2011, he became the face of the franchise, winning three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2012 to ’15. Watt is one of three players to win that award three times.

A five-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro, Watt was by far the most productive pass-rusher in Texans history with 101 career sacks.

John Breech of CBSSports.com with the clues we missed:

During the 17 days that J.J. Watt was a free agent, the Texans star was connected to multiple teams. But for the most part, the Cardinals never really seemed to be in the conversation, which is one reason why it was so shocking on Monday when Watt announced on Twitter that he would be signing with Arizona. (It was also shocking that a fake Peloton account fooled America, but that’s another story.)

Although it was surprising to see Watt sign a two-year, $31 million deal with the Cardinals, the move actually makes a lot of sense and here are five reasons why.

1. Watt is familiar with the defensive coordinator

It might not have been the deciding factor in Watt’s choice, but you can bet that one of the reasons he ended up signing with Arizona is because of his familiarity with Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. The two have a long history together that dates back to Watt’s rookie year in 2011, when Joseph was the defensive backs coach on Houston’s staff. Joseph ended up spending a total of three years in Houston learning under then Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and to this day, Joseph still uses many of the same philosophies.

The reason this is good news for Watt is because three of his best seasons came while playing in Phillips’ defense. During his first three seasons in the NFL, Watt totaled 36.5 sacks, which was the fifth-most in the league over the span. Thanks to those three years together, Joseph might be the one defensive coordinator in the NFL who knows best how to put this older version of Watt in a position to succeed.

2. Watt gets to team up with Chandler Jones

Although Watt managed to stay healthy last year, he ended 2020 with the lowest sack total of his career in any season where he played all 16 games. On the surface, putting together a five-sack season might make it seem like Watt was struggling, but the truth is, a big reason why those struggles happened is because nearly every opposing offense was focusing on him.

Watt saw more double-teams than any other pass-rusher in the NFL — and when you’re being double-teamed, it’s not easy to be productive. In Arizona, Watt should almost certainly see fewer double-teams and that’s because he’s going to be on a defensive line that’s also going to have Chandler Jones rushing the passer.

Over the past nine years, Watt and Jones have been the two most productive pass-rushers in the NFL when it comes to sacks.

Although both players are getting up their in age — Watt will be 32 on March 22 and Jones is 31 — they’re both still productive and it won’t be surprising at all if they’re even more productive now that they’re on the same defense.

3. Cardinals better positioned in case they lose Haason Reddick

One of the biggest questions the Cardinals are going to face this offseason is whether they should bring back Haason Reddick. After a career year that saw him tally 12.5 sacks, it’s not going to be cheap to keep him and Arizona knows that. The Cardinals could hit him with the franchise tag, but at an estimated cost of $15.66 million, that might end up being something Arizona can’t afford since they only have roughly $11 million in cap space right now.

The Cardinals also won’t be able to get into a bidding war for Reddick’s services, which means there’s definitely a chance that he’lll be leaving in free agency. If Reddick does walk, the Cardinals are now in a better position to absorb his loss thanks to the addition of Watt. On the other hand, if Reddick does get re-signed, the Cardinals would have a loaded defense that would feature Jones, Watt, Budda Baker, Isaiah Simmons and Byron Murphy. At that point, the only true holes would be at corner and the Cardinals could focus on that in free agency or the draft.

4. Watt goes to a contender

If one thing was clear with Watt’s free agency tour, it’s that he wanted to play for a contender and the Cardinals definitely fit that bill heading into 2021. Last season, the Cards missed the playoffs because they lost a tiebreaker to the Bears for the last spot in the NFC. During their 8-8 season, the Cardinals lost five of their eight games by just one score and three of those five one-score losses came by three or fewer points. Basically, the Cardinals were competitive in almost every game they played and they were just a few plays away from possibly going 10-6 or even 11-5. When you’re that close, one player can put you over the edge and Watt might be that one player.

One reason the Cardinals were so good is because of Kyler Murray, who apparently has a history with Watt.

OK, so maybe they don’t have a history, but they did take a picture together once. Although Watt isn’t tight with Murray just yet, he is close with DeAndre Hopkins, who helped recruit the three-time Defensive Player of the Year to Arizona.

Forget his receiving skills, the Cardinals should be paying Hopkins for his recruiting skills.

5. Watt gets to play the Texans

J.J. Watt probably won’t ever admit it, but you have to think that getting a chance to beat up on the Texans probably factored at least slightly into his decision. Although the Cardinals only get to play the Texans once every four years, the good news for Watt is that the next meeting between the two teams will come in 2021 in Arizona. So Watt gets to go to a contender, he gets to play for a coach he’s familiar with, he’s going to get paid a lot of money and he gets to beat up on his old team. Seems like a win-win-win-win for him. 

Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com with highlights from Watt’s first media session:

J.J. Watt sat down for his first press conference as a member of the Cardinals on Tuesday and the first question he fielded had to do with what led him to sign in Arizona.

Watt said that the decision to pick the Cardinals was “certainly close” and pointed to various reasons why the team was appealing to him. Watt said they have a “young, extremely talented quarterback” in Kyler Murray who he believes can take another step forward in his third season and noted the presence of players like safety Budda Baker and edge rusher Chandler Jones on defense.

His familiarity and comfort with Vance Joseph’s defense was also cited as a reason and the Arizona weather also played a role. Watt said it was part of the team’s “strong and heavy” recruitment over the last couple of weeks and the entire package led him to making his final call.

“The longer I looked at, signs kept pointing back here,” Watt said.

Watt said he sees his role being to “dominate on the field” and to be a leader off the field by showing younger players “the way” to be a professional. The Cardinals obviously think he’ll be able to do those things and Watt’s transition to a new team will be a big storyline for the 2021 season.

SAN FRANCISCO

Peter King explains that availability is why he values QB KIRK COUSINS over QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO:

I think I fully understand the many Niners fans who thought my suggestion of Kirk Cousins for Jimmy Garoppolo and a first-round pick was a crazy overpayment to Minnesota. When they’re both on the field, there’s not that big a difference. I’d rather have Cousins, but it’s a close call. But there’s the “when they’re both on the field” part. Cousins has missed one of his last 96 games due to injury. Garoppolo has missed 23 of his last 48 games due to injury. The question is: Is it worth a first-round pick to have the insurance of having a B quarterback on the field every week—or would you rather take the risk that Garoppolo, a B quarterback at best if his history is the judge, plays for 16 games? And if not, that you have a decent chance of winning with a Mullens or a Beathard or some other veteran backup? I’m not saying Cousins is the missing piece on a Super Bowl champ. I am saying, I might rather have the insurance of the 13th-best quarterback (or whatever you’d rate Cousins), knowing he’s likely to be on the field every week.

SEATTLE

Peter King on the four teams QB RUSSELL WILSON wants to be traded to:

2. I think the Russell Wilson possible trade destinations mentioned to Adam Schefter by agent Mark Rodgers are . . . interesting, let’s say.

• New Orleans makes a lot of sense; Sean Payton is a coach any quarterback would want to play for, and Payton and Wilson hit it off when Payton coached Wilson in the Pro Bowl three years ago.

• Dallas has offensive weaponry and still has the makings of a solid offensive line.

• Las Vegas has Jon Gruden, who always loves quarterbacks he doesn’t have, and spoken very highly of Wilson when he did “Monday Night Football” games with the ‘Hawks.

• As for the Bears, I think there are three things at play: Chicago tight end Jimmy Graham is a good friend of Wilson’s, and he’s told him good things about the team and the city. Wilson loves the sporting zeal of the city, the love for the Cubs, the love for the Bears, and might look at it like, Chicago hasn’t had a lot of great quarterbacks, and I could be one. Maybe I could be the missing piece, and how crazy would Chicago go if the Bears ever got great again? And I think he loves the city.

I think there’s a very good chance Wilson would balk at going to any of the other 28 teams if the Seahawks try to trade him there. Time will tell if “balk” means “I’m not going,” or “You’re going to have to do a heck of a sales job on me to get me to go to Place X.” For now, I hear Wilson is dug in on the places he’d accept a deal, if it comes to that.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

Peter King with this quote from Mike Tomlin on Chiefs OC Eric Bienemy:

“Bieniemy is a real head-scratcher for me. Every offensive coordinator Andy Reid has had in the last 20 years got a head job. Now, Andy has the best offense he’s ever had and [Bieniemy] can’t get a job?”

—Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, to Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, on Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy not getting a head-coaching job in the last three offseasons.

Most interesting thing here: Tomlin has largely stayed on the sidelines of the minority-coaching debate in recent years. Last week, he made similar points with HBO “Real Sports” and with Cook, the respected columnist in Pittsburgh. So I’d guess Tomlin is beginning to boil over at what he perceives to be injustices toward Black coaching candidates.

What we can take from this is that Tomlin is boiling over about Bienemy specifically.

And we can also boil over about Todd Bowles if he is not hired in the next coaching cycle.

More numbers on the subject from Peter King:

Want the good news or the bad news on NFL hiring trends for minorities? Let’s start with the bad. You probably already knew this, but it’s taking a lot longer for minority coaches to get hired than their white counterparts. Of the head coaches hired between 2015 and 2020, here are the coaches who had the least number of head-coaching interviews, with minorities compared to whites, per data obtained from the NFL on Friday:

Fewest interviews until first head-coaching job

1 — Doug Pederson (white)

1 — Kliff Kingsbury (white)

1 — Joe Judge (white)

2 — Ben McAdoo (white)

2 — Matt LaFleur (white)

5 — Anthony Lynn (minority)

5 — Brian Flores (minority)

6 — Steve Wilkes (minority)

7 — Vance Joseph (minority)

12 — Todd Bowles (minority)

Now for the (mostly) good.

The main pipeline to head-coaching jobs in recent years has come from the offensive side of the ball—particularly offensive coordinator. In 2020, teams named 11 new offensive coordinators in the NFL; zero were minorities. In 2021, 14 teams named new offensive coordinators, and three were minority coaches. Now look at the interview processes in each year:

Total interviews for offensive coordinator jobs in 2020: 27 — Only one was a minority coach.

Total interviews for offensive coordinator jobs in 2021: 56 — And 19 were minority coaches.

Similarly, minority interviews for head-coaching jobs rose from eight in 2020 to 28 in 2021.

Those are good things, of course, and signs of progress. However—and this is a very big “however” for the NFL—there are the same number of Black head coaches in the NFL is 2021 (three) as there were the season after the Rooney Rule was implemented, 2003. So the league has miles to go before it sleeps.

Pederson was a good coach until he wasn’t.  Jury is out on Kingsbury and Judge.  McAdoo was a bad hire, LaFleur is off to a good start.  Lynn was okay, Flores looks to be good, Wilkes was bad, Joseph only a little better, Bowles was with the Jets.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

This happened in Baltimore:

@RickRitterWJZ

Feb 23  Doesn’t get much better than this: @Ravens coach John Harbaugh was out to dinner @JimmysSeafood  tonight & after taking pictures with each person who asked, he quietly picked up everyone’s tab in the room & left #Ravens  @wjz

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com says things are cleared now for Josh McCown to coach the Texans:

Josh McCown is no longer a Texans player. He may soon be a Texans assistant coach.

The Texans officially released McCown today, but that may just be the first step toward hiring him as a member of their coaching staff. Houston considered McCown — who has never been on an NFL or college coaching staff — as a candidate to be its next head coach before hiring David Culley in that role, and some think McCown could eventually be Culley’s successor.

It’s unclear precisely what role McCown might have with the Texans. When they signed him during the 2020 season, it was widely believed that he was going to be in Houston at least as much for his ability to serve as a veteran mentor as for the possibility that he could actually get on the field (which he never did). McCown said at the time he expects to become an NFL coach eventually.

In his first year of retirement from playing, McCown may want to spend more time with his family and not work the hours required of a full-time NFL coach, but he’s likely to have some role with the team. McCown is a native Texan and the Texans’ facility is only about 90 minutes from his family’s home, so he’ll be close by.

We are under the impression that McCown lives in Rusk, Texas – and if that’s the case McCown would have to average 106 miles per hour to cover the 160 miles between Houston and Rusk (not all of it interstate either). Google maps puts it more at 2 hours, 45 minutes.

– – –

Even though QB DESHAUN WATSON told new coach David Culley he still wanted out of Houston, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says the Texans are still the Vegas favorites to employ him this fall:

The oddsmakers see the Seahawks as the strong favorites to keep quarterback Russell Wilson. The oddsmakers have the Texans as the favorites to keep quarterback Deshaun Watson, but the numbers aren’t nearly as strong.

The Texans, via PointsBet, are +250 to be the team with which Watson takes his next snap. That means a $100 wager will win $250 if the Texans keep Watson.

Frankly, that seems too high. By all indications, Watson means what he has said, even if it’s only been said privately. Watson isn’t playing for the Texans again, and no one has reported otherwise. Thus, if it’s a bluff, it’s a very good one.

The Panthers are just behind the Texans, at +300. Then come the Broncos at +400, the Dolphins and 49ers at +700, the Jets at +800, and the Bears at +900.

Of the 22 teams listed, the Packers are the longshot at +15000. As with the Russell Wilson longshot (the Chiefs) those odds are just too high.

Not listed at all are the Cardinals. With a one-way pipeline emerging between Houston and Phoenix, however, it’s fascinating to ponder a Deshaun for Kyler Murray trade — a move that would be the most significant quarterback-for-quarterback deal since the Houston Oilers sent Dan Pastorini to the Raiders for Kenny Stabler, if not even more significant.

It’s far more realistic to see Watson end up with a team like the Dolphins, since Miami has the ammunition to make a deal, thanks in part to the Miami holding (among other things) Houston’s first-round pick in the 2021 draft, which also happens to be the third overall pick.

THIS AND THAT

ANOTHER WAVE OF TRADES?

Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com thinks more trades are on the way:

So much of the early offseason attention has been given to the quarterback trades that have already been agreed to, or those likely to be consummated at some point to come, that it seems to have obscured the rest of the trade market.

It’s all Stafford or Goff or Wentz or Wilson or Rodgers or Watson. All the time. Throw in the second-franchise-tag dance the Cowboys are doing with Dak Prescott and the 49ers and Jets possibly waffling off their starting quarterback — and the Raiders as well, should they be able to upgrade into Russell Wilson — and it’s enough to make you forget about other recent blockbusters that were not connected to the QB position at all: Khalil Mack, Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey and Amari Cooper, to name a few.

The trade market has been very fertile in recent years, and I’d anticipate that to remain the case beyond just the quarterbacks.

The Broncos have a serious decision to make about Von Miller, and while I would certainly execute that team option if I were them, it might very well be a precursor to a trade. Chandler Jones could perhaps become expendable in Arizona, particularly should the Cardinals opt to dig deep to keep Haason Reddick after his breakout season in 2020. There is always demand for pass rushers — especially established ones — and even if they are coming off an injury or having potential off-field issues, it won’t quell interest.

It’s hard not to wonder about multiple trades looming at the receiver spot as well. Everyone I am talking to anticipates Allen Robinson and Kenny Golladay getting tagged, leaving a potential void of top pass catchers (other wideouts could also get tagged). The Browns aren’t putting out any vibes about dealing Odell Beckham Jr., but that doesn’t mean someone can’t make a phone call that results in a deal. We’ve certainly seen it before. Brandin Cooks hasn’t been traded in a few months … which means he is overdue, given the nature of his career. That $12M salary is steep, but if I were the Texans I would be all about adding draft picks. Does Michael Gallup have a real future in Dallas given all of the moves they have made at receiver in terms of trades, draft picks and contract extensions?

Most GMs have considered it a foregone conclusion that the Patriots would trade top corner Stephon Gilmore this offseason and I haven’t heard anything about a contract extension, so a trade still seems like an eventuality. I’ve been talking about Bradley Roby as a potential trade chip since before the trade deadline, despite him only just getting to Houston, because of that team’s quick collapse. Again, shed salary and add more desperately needed draft picks.

The Ravens already granted permission to Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to pursue a trade last month, as we first reported. The Falcons need to shed salary and add picks just as badly as the Texans; perennial Pro Bowl center Alex Mack would be a solid starting point (I’d be marketing Julio Jones if I was them, but I don’t get that vibe at all).

Will all of these guys get dealt? Of course not.

But a bunch of them very well could, and that is a pretty star-studded list. Trades are in the air, the lines of communication have long been open – as the completed trades already speak to – and it’s not all that difficult to envision another wave of transactions going down right as the league year opens in a few weeks.

2021 SCHEDULE HINTS

It sounds like Peter King spent some quality time with one of the NFL schedule makers such as Howard Katz or Mike North.  Among his nuggets – with a 17-game season, the NFL will have two games after New Years.

It’s more about a strange new bit of scheduling that will impact virtually everything on the NFL calendar. In some order:

• The 17-game schedule is highly likely in 2021. No surprise there. TV partners and NFL schedulers are working under the assumption that the 17-game schedule (the way was paved for it last March when players approved a new CBA) will debut in 2021.

• The league calendar gets pushed back one week, with a likely Feb. 13 Super Bowl in Los Angeles. No extra bye—17 games in 18 weekends. Super Bowl LVI, originally scheduled for Feb. 6, 2022 and airing on NBC, has not been officially moved yet. The league hasn’t said a word about moving the game to officials in Los Angeles. But the NFL won’t start the season on the ratings-quashing Labor Day Weekend, and the league doesn’t want to add an extra regular-season bye week. So that adds up to Feb. 13, which would be the latest Super Bowl in history.

• The best game of 2021, Aaron Rodgers versus Patrick Mahomes, is on track. Really, only one game in 2021 would rival Green Bay-Kansas City. That’s Tampa Bay at New England, with Tom Brady’s return to Foxboro. Pittsburgh at Green Bay is interesting too, with the very likely last meeting of Ben Roethlisberger and Rodgers. Brady in Foxboro is great theater, of course. But Rodgers-Mahomes is a much better game, with two passers at the peak of their powers.

A note about how the league configured the extra game: When the NFL was choosing options, the formula that prevailed—follow me now—was AFC versus NFC, cross-conference matchup from two years ago, 2021 matchup based on 2020 standings. Now that you’re totally confused, here’s an example: The four AFC West teams played the four NFC North teams in 2019. In 2020, Kansas City finished in first place in the AFC West, Green Bay first in the NFC North. So in 2021, it’s AFC West against NFC North, and 1-versus-1 from ‘20 becomes Green Bay versus Kansas City. I will bet you a Kroll’s West cheeseburger with an ice-cold Spotted Cow that the networks will brawl over this ratings-gold game. This game alone is reason enough for the league to rush the 17th game onto the 2021 schedule.

• Best five games after that, assuming the 17-game slate:

Pittsburgh v Seattle. Last two meetings have ended 39-30 and 28-26, Seattle. Ben (maybe) dueling Russ (maybe) for the last time (maybe) is sumptuous.

Baltimore v L.A. Rams. In 2019, the high-flying Ravens put up 45 on the Rams. Matthew Stafford will have something to say about that now.

Tampa Bay v Indianapolis. Tom Brady versus the team that chose Philip Rivers over him in 2020.

Houston v Carolina. Imagine if Nick Caserio buckles and trades Deshaun Watson to the team that might covet him most, the Panthers.

New England v Dallas. If it’s not a good game, at least it’ll get ratings out the wazoo.

The others: Buffalo-Washington, Miami-Giants, Philadelphia-Jets, Cleveland-Arizona, Cincinnati-San Francisco, Tennessee-New Orleans, Jacksonville-Atlanta, Las Vegas-Chicago, L.A. Chargers-Minnesota, Denver-Detroit.

• A Monday night wild-card game? I think it’s somewhere between 50-50 and very likely. Last year, the NFL wouldn’t consider playing one of six wild-card games on Monday night because it would have conflicted with the Jan. 11 college football national title game. The NFL instead played three wild-card games on Saturday and three Sunday in the 2020 season. This season, college football will play the championship game in Indianapolis on Monday night, Jan. 10, 2022. That leaves Jan. 17 as the football-free Monday night of Wild Card Weekend. So the NFL could play two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday. Screaming, of course, will commence about the Monday night winner playing a short-week game the following Sunday. (And the NFL would ensure that the Monday night winner would not play until Sunday of divisional weekend.) Balderdash. With three wild-card games on Saturday, six teams are sure to play a short-week game. With two wild-card games on Saturday and one on Monday, five teams are assured of a short-week game—four on Saturday and Monday’s winner, which would play the following Sunday. If I’m a coach, I’m happy after playing 17 games in 18 weeks to have an extra day of rest before a playoff game. What’s the argument against it?

• Hearing it’s most likely to be AFC hosting all 16 newly invented games in 2021. Then NFC teams hosting in 2022. If that’s how it goes, it’s the fairest way. Competitive equity is the key. You don’t want three NFC East teams playing eight at home and the fourth playing nine at home.

• Christmas football. Dec. 25 falls on a Saturday, and the NFL is considering playing two games that day. The league was encouraged by the big rating for last season’s Saints-Vikings game (20.1 million viewers on FOX, the highest non-Sunday rating for the network in more than two years), so expanding to two games seems like a good business experiment.

We are in a new TV scheduling world.  In the old one, that would have been 16 more games for FOX in 2021, then 16 more for CBS in 2022.  We don’t see that happening.

2021 DRAFT

Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com drops a Mock:

This draft, like every other draft, is about the quarterbacks. Specifically: Which QB-needy team will move up — and how far — to get the player they’ve convinced themselves will be the face of the franchise for the next dozen years. Trevor Lawrence is going to Jacksonville — that has felt like a done deal for months — but things immediately get interesting after that.

In this week’s mock draft, we have the Jets, Falcons, Eagles and Lions selecting quarterbacks, which means five QBs are off the board in the first eight selections. Meanwhile, five wide receivers hear their names called while seven edge rushers find themselves among the first 32 picks.

Keep reading to see how the rest of the first round, which includes two new names, unfolds.

1 – JACKSONVILLE

Trevor Lawrence QB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’6″ / 220 LBS

There’s not a lot to say at this point. Lawrence aced the 2020 season, his pro day, and now he’s recovering from shoulder surgery before eventually becoming the first-overall pick on April 29.

2 – NY JETS

Zach Wilson QB

BYU • JR • 6’3″ / 210 LBS

We’ve gone back and forth here — either Zach Wilson or Penei Sewell — but we’ll reiterate what we’ve been saying for weeks: This all comes down to what the Jets think of Sam Darnold. Wilson is coming off a spectacular 2020 season, but New York could also trade down to stockpile picks and players as part of a rebuild that includes Darnold.

3 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Ja’Marr Chase WR

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 208 LBS

This is high for a wide receiver, but Chase is a special talent. And the Dolphins desperately need to get better at the position as Tua Tagovailoa enters Year 2 as the starter.

4 – ATLANTA

Justin Fields QB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 228 LBS

Trever Lawrence is the clear-cut No. 1 QB, but after that there are any number of combinations that could see quarterbacks 2-5 come off the board. The Falcons will almost certainly roll with Matt Ryan in 2020, but that won’t preclude them from taking a player like Fields, who would probably be best served by spending a year on the bench.

5 – CINCINNATI

Penei Sewell OL

OREGON • JR • 6’6″ / 330 LBS

The Bengals would love for Sewell to fall to them here and there’s a decent chance it happens as teams jockey for QBs at the top of the board.

6 – PHILADELPHIA

Mac Jones QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’3″ / 214 LBS

Who knows what the Eagles will do with the No. 6 pick, but it’s hard to imagine they no-showed in that Week 17 game just to take a wideout or offensive lineman. And with Carson Wentz now in Indy, there has to be a Plan B behind Jalen Hurts, who is reunited with his former Alabama teammate, Mac Jones.

7 – DETROIT

Jaylen Waddle WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’10” / 182 LBS

Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola are all headed for free agency, and while the Lions will likely try to keep Golladay, who was injured for much of the 2020 season, adding a home-run threat like Waddle would certainly brighten Jared Goff’s spirits.

8 – CAROLINA

Trey Lance QB

NFL DRAFT • SOPH • 6’4″ / 226 LBS

Lance could end up being the best QB in this class based on athleticism, arm strength and smarts, it’s just that he hasn’t played a lot of football and when he did it was for FCS North Dakota State. Still, it’s hard to imagine he falls out of the first half of Round 1 and the Panthers could be a good fit because Teddy Bridgewater could return in 2021 with designs of Lance taking over in ’22.

9 – DENVER

Caleb Farley CB

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’2″ / 207 LBS

Bryce Callahan was a bright spot in the secondary in 2020 but he, along with four other CBs, will have his contract expire next spring. Farley, who opted out for 2020, is our CB1.

10 – DALLAS

Rashawn Slater OL

NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’3″ / 305 LBS

The Cowboys could choose to go cornerback or edge rusher here, but we have them upgrading their offensive line with Slater, who was dominant at left tackle but can also play guard or center.

11 – NY GIANTS

Micah Parsons LB

PENN STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 244 LBS

The Giants have needs along the offensive line, but the defense could use some upgrades too. Micah Parsons opted out of the 2020 season but he’s the No. 1 LB in this class.

12 – SAN FRANCISCO

Devonta Smith WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 175 LBS

Imagine Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and DeVonta Smith on the field together with Kyle Shanahan dialing up the plays. You’d be hard-pressed to come up with a reason why Jimmy Garoppolo wouldn’t put up huge numbers.

13 – LA CHARGERS

Kyle Pitts TE

FLORIDA • JR • 6’6″ / 240 LBS

Pitts could end up being the best pass catcher in this draft. And if so, why not give Justin Herbert another weapon, especially since Hunter Henry is set for free agency later this month?

14 – MINNESOTA

Kwity Paye DL

MICHIGAN • SR • 6’4″ / 272 LBS

The Vikings have needs along the interior defensive line and offensive line, but it would be hard to pass up a pass rusher like Paye, who is only scratching the surface on his ability.

15 – NEW ENGLAND

Gregory Rousseau EDGE

MIAMI (FL) • SOPH • 6’7″ / 265 LBS

Rousseau opted out in 2020 but registered 15.5 sacks in 2019. He’s still relatively new to the position and will only get better, but it’s important to remember that he’s not close to a finished product.

16 – ARIZONA

Patrick Surtain II CB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’2″ / 203 LBS

Patrick Peterson and Dre Kirkpatrick will be free agents in a few weeks and Surtain, who has been Alabama’s best cornerback the last two seasons, would be a good fit in Arizona in 2021.

17 – LAS VEGAS

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’1″ / 215 LBS

Owusu-Koramoah is a tweener, which is why some NFL teams view him as a safety and not a linebacker. Above all else, he’s an athlete and that’s exactly what this Raiders defense needs at all levels.

18 – MIAMI

Alijah Vera-Tucker OL

USC • JR • 6’4″ / 315 LBS

After beginning his career at guard, Vera-Tucker kicked out to left tackle for the 2020 season and was dominant at times. The versatility and consistency makes him an attractive option here for the Dolphins as they continue to rebuild their offensive line.

19 – WASHINGTON

Kadarius Toney WR

FLORIDA • SR • 6’0″ / 193 LBS

Five quarterbacks are off the board, as are the three top offensive linemen, so instead, the Football Team gets a playmaker in Toney, who was special during the ’20 season for the Gators. In Washington he’ll join Terry McLaurin and Antonio Gibson, two young stars in the making.

20 – CHICAGO

Christian Darrisaw OL

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’5″ / 314 LBS

The Bears need a quarterback, but with five already off the board they turn to the offensive line. Darrisaw, who had a strong season for the Hokies, is an athletic offensive lineman who may eventually move inside to guard.

21 – INDIANAPOLIS

Jaycee Horn CB

SOUTH CAROLINA • JR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

Horn is one of the most physical CBs in this draft class and would give the Colts depth in the secondary should Xavier Rhodes leave in free agency.

22 – TENNESSEE

Jayson Oweh EDGE

PENN STATE • SOPH • 6’5″ / 253 LBS

Oweh is a freakish athlete just scratching the surface on his potential, which fits exactly what the Titans need after managing just 19 sacks during the regular season.

23 – NY JETS (from Seattle)

Rondale Moore WR

PURDUE • SOPH • 5’9″ / 180 LBS

Moore has only played seven games that last two seasons and that’s the biggest concern about how his skills might translate to the NFL. That said, he was damn near unstoppable when he was on the field for Purdue and his blend of speed, power and contact balance makes him a special player.

24  – PITTSBURGH

Carlos Basham Jr. EDGE

WAKE FOREST • SR • 6’5″ / 285 LBS

Basham is a physical freak who reinforced the notion during Senior Bowl week. Consistency will be the key to his success, but he has all the physical tools to dominate.

25 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Christian Barmore DL

ALABAMA • SOPH • 6’5″ / 310 LBS

Barmore was our DT1 coming into the season, took a while to get going, and then saved his best football for the final month of the season. He was absolutely dominant in ‘Bama’s run to the championship.

26 – CLEVELAND

Trevon Moehrig S

TCU • JR • 6’2″ / 208 LBS

The Browns have some young, promising players on defense but they’ve struggled to stay healthy. Moehrig is the best safety in the class who can play deep centerfield and in the slot if needed.

27 – BALTIMORE

Jaelan Phillips DL

MIAMI (FL) • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

Yannick Ngakoue and Matt Judon will be free agents in a few weeks and even if one (or both) returns, the Ravens need to get better off the edge. Phillips began his career at UCLA and overcome injuries and retirement to have a dominant 2020 campaign.

28 – NEW ORLEANS

Tyson Campbell CB

GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’2″ / 185 LBS

The Saints have four CBs on the roster headed for free agency and even though Marshon Lattimore, Janoris Jenkins and Patrick Robinson are still on multi-year deals, you can never have enough big-play corners. Campbell is long, physical and is only going to get better with experience.

29 – GREEN BAY

Levi Onwuzurike DL

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’3″ / 293 LBS

The Packers have Kenny Clark but they could use some depth in middle of the defense; Onwuzurike opted out in ’20 but didn’t show any rust at the Senior Bowl, and his blend of speed and strength make him an attractive late-first-round option for teams looking to bolster their D-lines.

30 – BUFFALO

Zaven Collins LB

TULSA • JR • 6’4″ / 260 LBS

Collins had four sacks, four interceptions (including two pick-sixes) and two forced fumbles during a breakout ’20 season. At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, he looks more like a defensive end but moves with the fluidity of the modern day inside linebackers that have become so prevalent around the league.

31 – KANSAS CITY

Azeez Ojulari LB

GEORGIA • FR • 6’3″ / 240 LBS

The Chiefs need to upgrade their pass rush and Ojulari, who can get after the quarterback all day long, is also stout against the run.

32 – TAMPA BAY

Joe Tryon EDGE

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’5″ / 262 LBS

Tryon, like teammate Levi Onwuzurike, opted out in 2020, but at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, he looks the part. Had he played this season, he likely would have improved his draft stock and may have gone earlier in Round 1.