| NFC NORTH |
| DETROITQB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER is back in Detroit. And it looks like he is going to get a bill so that no high school coach in Florida is ever suspended for providing some services to his players. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is back in the Detroit, for his third stint with the Lions. The 13-year veteran officially signed his new contract on Monday. “That fire to just compete and go out there and just excel and help others as well,” Bridgewater said, via the team’s official website. “I’ve always been that type of player who just wants to see others have success and I always felt like as a quarterback we play a huge role in others’ success.” Bridgewater replaces Kyle Allen as the primary backup to Jared Goff. But Bridgewater has a separate goal than serving as an insurance policy. “If I can just go out there and help a sixth-round wide receiver have a four- or five-year career or an undrafted free agent get four or five years out of the league from just competing with him throughout the spring, preseason, training camp, if we get reps in the regular season, that’s just something that I look forward to doing,” Bridgewater said. A first-round pick (32nd overall) in 2014, Bridgewater spent four years with the Vikings, two with the Saints, one with the Panthers, one with the Broncos, one with the Dolphins, and one with the Lions. He left the NFL to become a high-school football coach in 2024. After leading Miami Northwestern to a state championship, he rejoined the Lions for the postseason. Last year, Bridgewater quit coaching after being suspended for providing benefits to his players. In response, the Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill in February 2026 to allow high school coaches to spend $15,000 per year on student welfare. There have been no further updates on the bill, known generally as the Teddy Bridgewater Act. To become law, it must both pass the House of Representatives and be signed by the governor. After leaving high-school coaching,Bridgwater played for the Buccaneers last year, serving as the backup to Baker Mayfield. For his career, Bridgewater has appeared in 83 regular-season games with 65 starts. He suffered a serious knee injury in late August 2016, weeks before what the Vikings had hoped would be a breakout third season with the team. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAQB TUA TAGOVIALOA is ready for big things with the Falcons. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: Tua Tagovailoa wouldn’t be on the Falcons right now if he’d played up to expectations in Miami the last couple of years, but that’s not new information for him. Tagovailoa agreed to sign with Atlanta before he was officially released by the Dolphins and the quarterback spoke to reporters on Tuesday for the first time since agreeing to that deal. Tagovailoa acknowledged that his play failed to reach the standard he set for himself before the Dolphins opted to bench him for the final weeks of the regular season before adding that he appreciates the chance for a fresh start with the Falcons. “I think the best football is ahead of me,” Tagovailoa said, via Tori Mcelhaney of the team’s website. Atlanta drafted Michael Penix in the first round in 2024, so it’s not a sure thing that Tagovailoa will get a chance to show off his skills on the field. He said on Tuesday that he welcomes the chance to compete for playing time and to aid Penix in any way he can once they begin working together at practice. Penix’s health as he recovers from a torn ACL will be another part of the team’s quarterback choice, but Tagovailoa sounds ready for things to take any path for the 2026 season. |
| TAMPA BAYLB CHRISTIAN ROZEBOOM is signing with Tampa Bay after the Panthers let their leading tackler hit the streets. ESPN.com: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are signing free agent linebacker Christian Rozeboom, agents Chris Gittings and Jeremiah Sirles told NFL Network on Monday. The move keeps Rozeboom in the NFC South. He led the Carolina Panthers in tackles last season when he had 122. He is the second member of the defending NFC South-champion Panthers’ defense to join the division rival Bucs this offseason. Defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson signed with the Buccaneers earlier this month after the Panthers released him. The Panthers signed Rozeboom to a one-year, $2.5 million deal last March to add experienced starting depth to the defense. He played a much bigger role because of injuries and the release of Josey Jewell due to lingering concussion injuries. He ended up starting 15 games. Rozeboom, 29, was solid as a run stopper but not reliable as a pass defender, ranking in the lower tier for linebackers. That hurt Carolina in a few close games as it made a playoff push. Undrafted out of South Dakota State, Rozeboom spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams before signing with Carolina, appearing in 60 games (16 starts). Which came first – the retirement or the signing of Rozeboom? @NFLSTROUDBucs linebacker Lavonte David will have a news conference today at 2 pm at One Buc Place, the team announced. Speculation is that he may retire after the team signed a second veteran inside linebacker Monday by reaching an agreement on a one year deal with Carolina free agent Christian Rozeboom. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYTE TRAVIS KELCE doesn’t just sign a one-year deal to extend his career. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: When tight end Travis Kelce agreed to return for the 2026 season earlier this month, word was that he would be signing a one-year deal worth up to $15 million with the Chiefs. Kelce officially signed his new pact on Monday and the full details of the contract are a bit different than those initial reports. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media confirms that Kelce is set to make $12 million in 2026 with $3 million available in incentives and adds that it is a three-year deal worth up to $57.735 million in total. Given Kelce’s annual deliberations on whether he’ll continue playing or not, the contract is likely structured to be revisited in the event the 2026 season is not Kelce’s final one in the NFL. Kelce had 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns for the Chiefs in 2025. The 2026 season will be his 14th with the AFC West club. |
| LAS VEGASRyan McFadden of ESPN.com on the degenerative knee issue that kept EDGE MAXX CROSBY a Raider: MAXX CROSBY’S 48 hours in Maryland were a whirlwind. The All-Pro edge rusher arrived in Charm City on Monday, March 9, three days after the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a monumental deal with the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks in exchange for Crosby. A move that seemed uncharacteristic for everyone involved would’ve ended Crosby’s tenure with the Raiders after seven seasons. But suddenly, everything came undone. After Crosby went through a physical and MRI on Tuesday, he was delivered the shocking news that Baltimore had nixed the trade agreement with Las Vegas because of medical concerns. The thought of Crosby joining a Super Bowl contender had been wiped away, and he returned to Las Vegas bewildered by what had transpired. Sources with the Raiders and those close to Crosby are skeptical that his medical state was the sole motive for the trade reversal, given the timing and that Baltimore had a full understanding of the injury before the trade. “They had access to imaging and the doctors’ reports on it,” a source with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN. So how did things turn so quickly? What transpired between the surprising trade news breaking on Friday and the deal being nixed four days later? ESPN talked to people with knowledge of the situation to find out what really went down between Baltimore, Las Vegas and one of the league’s most talented edge rushers. “No one will ever admit what the real truth is,” Crosby said in his latest podcast episode of “The Rush.” LAST MARCH, CROSBY signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in NFL history. It was a move that general manager John Spytek said at the time was meant to set the tone for a “new era of Raiders football.” “I can’t think of a better person to sit up here with and reward for what he’s done, but with an expectation of what’s coming,” Spytek said. “… When people like Maxx, I mean, it’s no secret, it hasn’t been sunshine and roses around here forever, but when he makes a commitment to the Raiders like this, and he stands for everything [former] coach [Pete Carroll] and I and this new staff, and everybody talks about, he signs up for it.” But Crosby’s loyalty had been pushed. As a Raider, the 29-year-old played for four head coaches and four general managers and with nine starting quarterbacks. For every new regime, Crosby was tasked with being the heartbeat of the organization, setting the culture and even assisting in recruiting free agents. Though he didn’t make it public, Crosby let it be known behind the scenes this offseason that he no longer wanted to play for the Raiders, and a split seemed inevitable. More than anything, he wanted to win at the highest level. Amid the organization’s constant turnover and dysfunction, Crosby made only one postseason appearance and endured five losing seasons, including a 3-14 record in 2025 that led to Carroll’s firing on Jan. 5. “It’s one thing to be a face of a franchise, but I want to be a winner,” Crosby said after signing his contract extension with Las Vegas last March. “The labels and all that stuff is cool, but when we’re not winning, it’s like, what are you the face of? I want to be the face of winning, and that’s truly all that matters to me.” Crosby finished last season with a team-high 10 sacks, despite dealing with a left knee injury, which he sustained in a Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Crosby kept playing through the injury before the team put him on the injured reserve list ahead of its Week 17 game with the first overall pick in the 2026 draft on the line. It was a decision that left Crosby frustrated on Dec. 26, and some of his teammates surprised. Crosby was aware that offseason knee surgery was needed, but he had played through pain before, so why not now? “I was kind of surprised. I’ve seen Maxx play through a lot of injuries, so it’s always surprising when he’s out,” Raiders edge rusher Malcolm Koonce told ESPN. “He’s always been like that since my rookie year. He’s always been a leader.” Despite facing knee, shoulder, hand and ankle injuries across his seven NFL seasons and having eight surgeries, Crosby has played in 110 career games (104 starts), sitting out only seven games. Since entering the league, Crosby has collected 69.5 sacks — the third most in Raiders history — and 360 quarterback pressures, 29 more than the next-closest player (Cleveland’s Myles Garrett), per ESPN Research. “That’s why you wish the wins were stacking up for him,” said former Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason for the same role. Crosby underwent meniscus repair surgery Jan. 7 and vowed to be “more than ready” for training camp. The question was whether he would be in a Raiders uniform. Spytek, new head coach Klint Kubiak and owner Mark Davis all said at various points of the offseason that they expected Crosby to suit up for Las Vegas in 2026. “Maxx is an elite player, and I’ve been very upfront from the start when I got here that we’re in the business of having really good players on the team, and we need a lot more of them,” Spytek said at the NFL combine in February. At the same time, Spytek didn’t say Crosby was untradeable. Las Vegas didn’t want to move Crosby unless it was an offer it couldn’t refuse. For the Raiders to part ways with their franchise cornerstone, they needed an offer that included multiple first-round picks, similar to the trade of Micah Parsons from Dallas to Green Bay last August. The Ravens, surprisingly, came knocking. IN THE RAVENS’ 31-year franchise history, they have never used a first-round pick to trade for a veteran player. But during the team’s 8-9 season in 2025, the Ravens struggled to pressure the quarterback. Baltimore ranked 28th in pass rush win rate (29.9%) and 30th in sacks (30). Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta said he believed Crosby, one of the league’s most decorated edge rushers, “was born to be a Raven” and would be an immediate fix to a glaring problem on defense. Talks between the Ravens and the Raiders had intensified on March 5, with Crosby’s side kept in the loop throughout the process. The next night, Crosby got word that Baltimore agreed to meet the Raiders’ requirement of two first-round picks. But the deal was contingent on Crosby passing a physical before the trade could be made official at the start of the new league year March 11. Baltimore beat out the Dallas Cowboys, who were also seeking an elite pass rusher. Initial offers centered on Dallas’ second first-round pick at No. 20, and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. The Cowboys then offered their top first-rounder at No. 12 and a third-round pick. Ultimately, the Cowboys moved to No. 12 and their second-round pick, but the last two offers, sources said, did not include Odighizuwa, who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round selection. In this affable split between the Raiders and Crosby, both sides appeared to have been winners. Crosby was joining a better team that gave him a chance to play meaningful football in January. The Ravens have made the postseason in six of their past eight seasons, including an AFC Championship Game appearance in 2023. The last time the Raiders played in a conference title game was in 2002. Las Vegas, meanwhile, obtained the resources to begin its rebuilding process in earnest. At the time the trade was agreed to, the Raiders had four first-round picks over the next two seasons. They were set to be one of five teams with two first-round picks in 2026. On March 9, Crosby said he was flown to Washington, D.C. and then driven to Baltimore, with great excitement about his new journey. “I want [the Raiders] to have all the success in the world,” Crosby said during an emotional farewell video he posted on his social media accounts March 7, which has since been removed. CROSBY’S KNEE WAS a concern that was discussed between the Ravens and Raiders before the trade, according to league sources. Crosby was more than a month removed from knee surgery and began walking without crutches on Feb. 27. Crosby said on his podcast that he spent March 10 undergoing a physical and getting an MRI. He said he didn’t get a chance to meet with Ravens coach Jesse Minter and DeCosta until around 5 p.m. ET. [Editor’s note: After this story was published, a source indicated Minter and other defensive coaches met with Crosby within minutes of him walking into the team facility. DeCosta, who was trying to keep his own free agents and sign others on the first day of the legal tampering period, met with Crosby later that afternoon.] “I thought I was going to see [DeCosta] when I first got there. I don’t know why. I’m not going to speculate,” Crosby recalled. “He just made the trade, and I didn’t see him for five hours.” During Crosby’s eventual meeting with Minter and DeCosta, he said the energy felt off. He then grew terrified after DeCosta informed him that one of the doctors had concerns about his knee, and they wanted to get additional opinions. In addition to their own doctors, the Ravens had a handful of doctors outside the organization weigh in on Crosby’s knee, including Dan Cooper, a renowned knee specialist and the Cowboys’ team doctor. In the past, Dallas has leaned on Cooper’s expertise in making decisions such as drafting Jaylon Smith in the second round in 2016, despite torn ligaments and nerve damage, and drafting Shavon Revel Jr. last year in the third round despite a torn ACL. But Cooper was not the primary voice in determining whether Baltimore should back out of the deal. The consensus was that Crosby would be able to play in 2026. The Ravens’ concern centered on the uncertainty of Crosby’s durability after a couple of seasons in Baltimore because of a degenerative issue in his knee, a source told ESPN. Crosby went back to his hotel Tuesday night and called his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who reassured him that he was fine and making significant progress in his rehab. ElAttrache shared a similar sentiment with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “Maxx Crosby is doing very well in the early part of his rehab and recovery from surgery to treat a significant meniscus tear and the related stress injury to the bone and cartilage in his knee,” ElAttrache told Schefter. “He is certainly on track in his planned program. … He feels very well and is already much improved compared to before surgery.” Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation believed the Raiders and Crosby’s representatives were transparent about the injury throughout the trade process and that Baltimore had done extensive research on Crosby’s recovery and timeline during that time. “[The Ravens] had a lot of information at their disposal and still green-lit the trade,” one of the sources said. “They did enough legwork that should have eliminated some of the concern.” Teams often share pertinent medical information — including MRIs — when it comes to processing a trade, assuming permission is granted, one of the sources added. Crosby’s agents, CJ LaBoy and Doug Hendrickson, told him after the meeting with Minter and DeCosta that they believed Baltimore would nix the trade, Crosby said. Despite his agents’ uncertainty about the trade being finalized, Crosby said a Ravens staff member called him after getting off the phone with his agents and said the team planned to get the deal done. Crosby said five minutes after his call with the staffer, he was informed by LaBoy that Baltimore had called off the deal. A “livid” and “confused” Crosby boarded a private plane — which the Ravens arranged and paid for — to return to Las Vegas while the trade reversal news broke publicly around 8 p.m. ET on March 10. “We’ve done a lot of different trades. One of the key things is you bring the player in and try to get as much information as you can,” DeCosta told reporters the following day. “We did that, and we were not able to complete the process of acquiring the player based on our assessment of the situation.” DECOSTA DIDN’T GIVE specifics about why the Ravens backed out of the monumental deal, but he said he believed it was the best decision for the franchise moving forward. “Nobody’s more upset about this than me — gutted by it, actually,” he said on March 11. “And so a regret, a big regret for me, but we will move on as a football team.” But it didn’t take long for the Ravens to pivot. Thirteen hours after ESPN reported the Crosby deal was nixed, sources told Schefter that Baltimore agreed to a deal with former Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson for four years, $112 million, which included $60 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus. This created suspicion about whether Crosby’s knee was truly the issue for Baltimore, but DeCosta insisted the two decisions between moving on from Crosby and signing Hendrickson were “mutually exclusive.” Two executives from other teams told ESPN that they were somewhat skeptical of DeCosta’s statement. As one NFC executive put it, “I think the truth is somewhere in between,” making clear that only Baltimore knows the details of the physical. While Crosby was at the Ravens facility March 10 and not interacting with the team’s top brass for most of the day, DeCosta acknowledged that the team also spoke with Hendrickson that day. DeCosta added that the team’s interest in Hendrickson developed after three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum reached an agreement on a record-breaking three-year, $81 million deal with the Raiders on March 9. Linderbaum had spent four seasons with the Ravens. A source said the Ravens had offered Linderbaum a four-year, $88 million deal. When the 25-year-old interior lineman decided to go to Las Vegas, Baltimore thought it could commit the money meant for Linderbaum to another elite pass rusher to potentially pair with Crosby. “We started some discussions with him and his agent, thinking that potentially we’d have two pass rushers on the defensive line on both sides of the line,” DeCosta said. “That was definitely a possibility for us.” Initially, the Ravens, like the other teams that were talking to Hendrickson, were hesitant to meet his desired contract price of a long-term deal worth $40 million a year. Hendrickson, 31, underwent core muscle surgery in December, which is why teams were reluctant to give him a three- or four-year deal. When no deal materialized for Hendrickson during the negotiating period that began at noon ET on March 9, interested teams received word that his desired contract price had dropped. Once Baltimore decided on March 10 not to move ahead with the Crosby deal, it improved its offer to the point that Hendrickson would accept it. “We felt like this was a year to take a big swing,” DeCosta said. “We saw some players that we thought could impact us, [with] Trey being one of the main guys.” At the same time, the GM pushed back on the narrative that the Ravens got cold feet on the Crosby trade and said voiding the trade hasn’t negatively affected his relationship with other teams and agents. “It hasn’t stopped my phone from ringing; I’ll tell you that,” DeCosta said on March 11. THE FEELING INSIDE the Raiders’ building after Spytek received the news from Baltimore was one of surprise but not anger. According to a team source, Spytek calmly told members of the front office, “Hey, so the Ravens backed out of the deal,” and then explained the reasoning behind the decision. But the move didn’t dampen the mood of Davis and the rest of the organization. Las Vegas’ decision-makers gathered Tuesday night after the news broke to discuss the impact Baltimore’s decision would have on offseason plans and whether the Raiders could still move ahead with the free agent agreements they made now that Crosby’s $35.8 million cap hit was back on their books. Ultimately, Las Vegas honored the commitments it made with more than seven free agents and fulfilled a trade to acquire slot cornerback Taron Johnson from the Buffalo Bills. Crosby returned to the facility March 11 and was welcomed with open arms by staff and teammates. He has since expressed his commitment to the Raiders both within the building and publicly. “I am where I’m supposed to be,” Crosby said. The Raiders might have reconsidered signing both Koonce and Paye had they known the Crosby trade would be reversed, a team source acknowledged. But now, the Raiders have a strong edge rusher group with Crosby back in the picture. “I don’t think anybody was like, ‘F those guys,'” a team source said of any animosity toward Baltimore. “If the worst case is you get an All-Pro back in the building, that’s not a bad thing.” A source familiar with the Raiders’ thinking said the bigger issue is their approach to April’s draft now that they no longer hold the No. 14 pick in addition to the top draft choice. The plan remains to draft former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, but whatever plans they had brewing with the second Day 1 pick might now need to be addressed via trade or another signing. “We’ve got to be super honest with where we’re at, and we’ve got a lot of needs to address, and we’ve got a lot of capital to do it,” Spytek said at the combine. CROSBY BADLY WANTED to play for a winner, was told that he could, then watched that opportunity get snatched away from him in the blink of an eye. Sitting inside the same studio where he issued a farewell video to the Raiders, Crosby said in his most recent podcast that he might never know the truth behind Baltimore’s decision to back out of the deal. But he says he believes his confusing time on the East Coast was a reminder that he’s meant to be in Las Vegas. In the past, Crosby constantly expressed his loyalty to the Raiders, but that didn’t stop him from nearly becoming a Raven. Teams continue to check in on his availability, but as of now, the Raiders’ asking price to trade Crosby’s contract remains high. And given what has happened, teams are hesitant to meet it, a league source said. Multiple Raiders sources say they’d be surprised if Crosby was traded in the short term. Perhaps a window of opportunity opens closer to the draft, but the team is certainly keeping an open mind on retaining him. When the Ravens backed out of the trade, Dallas contemplated getting back into the chase. Although the Cowboys did not 100% close the door on a Crosby trade, a source said they were not reengaging in talks. The Raiders will begin the 2026 season with a rookie quarterback and a first-time head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. Will this team be better than last season’s group that went 3-14 under Carroll with former quarterback Geno Smith? To some degree, yes, after addressing areas of need in free agency. Still, the Raiders have a good amount of roster holes to fill, and the question of whether Mendoza can successfully transition to the NFL in Year 1 looms large. With that said, Crosby could again see himself at the center of trade talks when the deadline comes in November. If Crosby is playing at a high level but Las Vegas is struggling, a contending team could entertain the idea of acquiring him to help make a deep playoff push. For now, he’s a Raider. “I’m here. I’m meant to be a Raider,” Crosby said on his podcast. “… I’m in this s— for life until that changes, which I don’t foresee, but you never know in this damn league.” |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDQB DRAKE MAYE has huddled his receivers in Florida. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com: 1. Maye’s FAU visit: The ties that bind throughout the game of football are always growing, leading to new connections and memorable behind-the-scenes moments. That’s one way to describe last week’s meetup between Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, three returning wide receivers, and Florida Atlantic University head coach Zach Kittley and his team. Here’s how it unfolded: Maye and his wife, Ann Michael, had escaped the seemingly never-ending frigid winter in New England for some South Florida sunshine. Receivers Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams were already there, and Maye was looking for a place to throw with them. Kittley was happy to oblige. “We have mutual [friends] and he just shot me a text, ‘Hey Coach, I’d love to bring the guys out. Would you be willing to let us come use your facility to throw?’ I said absolutely,” Kittley relayed in an interview with ESPN. “I didn’t know him personally until I got to see him [Wednesday].” It helped that Kittley, 34, who is in his second season at the Boca Raton school, had received glowing reports about Maye from quarterback Bailey Zappe. Kittley was Zappe’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky, and the two remain close. Meanwhile, Zappe and Maye developed their own connection throughout the 2024 offseason/preseason when both were backups to veteran Jacoby Brissett in New England. Those ties led to a memorable Wednesday for Kittley’s team, which was in its first week of spring practice. “Just interacting with those guys, seeing who they are as people. I didn’t sit there and hang out with them for hours, but I can tell you Drake seems like an unbelievable person, first and foremost. I’m all for helping great people. He was willing to talk to those guys and answer any questions they might have had,” Kittley said. “You’re looking at the best of the best, a team that just played in the Super Bowl. So [our players] watched how they worked their craft. Any time you can have professional football players out here who can give you some pointers, and show you kind of what it’s supposed to look like, all that can do is help us. Our guys enjoyed it.” One example, according to Kittley, came when Maye, Hollins, Williams and Douglas were focusing on a couple of route concepts. Owls coaches and players watched closely and noted how it looked similar to what they practiced. To Kittley, it tied to his belief that many teams are doing similar things, and there’s no need to overcomplicate things. “We’re here at FAU and these dudes just played in the Super Bowl are running the exact same concepts, we’re teaching it the same way, we’re trying to run the route the same way. I thought as far as that went for our receivers, that was really cool, and that resonated with me being a coach, and those guys as well,” he said. Kittley’s expertise has been as a developer of quarterbacks, which included working with Patrick Mahomes and Davis Webb at Texas Tech. In his eight seasons as an offensive coordinator, quarterback coach and playcaller, Kittley’s teams have averaged 456.7 yards and 34.0 points per game. As for what he saw from Maye on the FAU practice field, he said: “I didn’t realize how big he was — man, he’s a big guy. Just watching him throw the ball around, super smooth, very nice release. Extremely, extremely accurate with the football. That was probably the biggest thing I saw — every ball he threw was right on the money, wideouts never had to [break] stride. He was awesome. I know we’re just throwing on air but he was pinpoint with every throw.”‘ |
| THIS AND THAT |
| EVERY DAY OF THE WEEKJay Busbee of YahooSports.com: The NFL is testing you. Season by season, day by day, the NFL is seeing just how much you’re willing to give, and give up, to follow The Shield. I’m not talking about money, although the NFL is testing the limits of that, too, posting more games on more streaming services with ever-escalating subscription fees. The NFL is now testing just how much time you’re willing to surrender. Ready to devote your Wednesdays to the league, too? You’d better be. It’s coming. You — and by “you,” I mean you, me, all of us football freaks — have proven you’re willing to watch football on Sunday mornings, afternoons and evenings, plus Thursday nights and Monday nights. You’ll get up early for the Europe games, you’ll follow the NFL onto Saturdays after college football is done, you’ll surrender your entire Thanksgiving Day and a good chunk of Christmas, too. Every single time the NFL breaks into new territory on the calendar, eight figures’ worth of NFL fans follow. Consider a few stats from the 2025 season: The Chiefs-Cowboys game on Thanksgiving drew 57.23 million viewers, the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history. On Christmas Day, Lions-Vikings drew an estimated 27.5 million viewers, Cowboys-Commanders drew 19.9 million, impressive when you consider both were on Netflix. Broncos-Chiefs drew 21.1 million on Prime despite the absence of Patrick Mahomes. The NFL even gets Americans out of bed early on Sunday mornings; the International Series games posted a record average of 6.2 million viewers in 2025 despite kickoffs that are literally before sunrise on the West Coast. Christmas Day in particular is notable because of the way the NFL absolutely muscled the NBA right off its traditional corner. While the NBA enjoyed its best Christmas Day numbers in 15 years last year, the five individual games averaged 5.5 million viewers each … or roughly a quarter of the NFL’s numbers. Charles Barkley spent Christmas raging in impotent frustration at the NFL’s march. “The NFL got greedy and started adding Christmas games,” Barkley said on Inside the NBA. “We used to have this day to ourselves, but Roger Goodell, and them pigs at the NFL always want to hog every day of the week now. Christmas is an NBA day.” Not anymore. For most of America, the NBA is what you turn to on Christmas when the NFL’s not on, and Thanksgiving dinners get scheduled around key kickoffs. Barkley’s indignant Christmas Day phrasing referenced that famous, instant-classic line from Mark Cuban about the NFL’s greedy expansionism: “Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.” It’s a catchy line, and it surely plays well in business schools and consultants’ strategic proposals. “When you try to take it too far,” added Cuban, the former owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, “people turn the other way. I’m just telling you, when you’ve got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That’s Rule No. 1 of business.” Seems like a valid rule … right up until you realize Cuban said that all the way back in 2014, multiple troughs ago. Whatever rules apply to other sports, other businesses, the NFL steps right over — or just devours — them. Need proof? The NFL is now starting to break the seal on Wednesday night games. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the league is likely to begin the 2026 season on a Wednesday night, due in part to the logistics of an early-season Rams-49ers game in Australia. That’s on brand for the NFL: Why break new ground in just one direction (geographically) when you can break it in two directions (days of the week)? Once you get people accustomed to turning in on Wednesdays during the season, why not go for the biggest Wednesday of them all, the one right before Thanksgiving? It’s just sitting there untouched, right? Sure, Thanksgiving night reunions might have to get wrapped up before kickoff, or wait until halftime. But so what? There’s football to be watched! Think further down the line. The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prevents the NFL from playing during early-season Fridays and Saturdays, but it’s as quaint as leather helmets. When the NFL and its media partners eventually decide to lobby on “updating” that act, expect it to evaporate like breath at a December Lambeau Field night game. Ten years from now, it’s not just possible, it’s likely we’ll have NFL regular season games on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday nights, with Saturdays added in as soon as college football wraps up. Is that too much football for you? Is there such a thing as too much football for you? When every day features NFL football, when do you have a moment to watch anything but NFL football? At least there’s Tuesday. For now. |
| 2026 DRAFTVeteran scribe Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com offers his first Mock Draft of 2026: 1 LAS VEGASFernando Mendoza QBIndiana • Jr • 6’5″ / 236 lbsThis is a slam dunk. All mock drafters will get this one right. He is the guy to turn that franchise around. 2 NY JETSArvell Reese EDGEOhio State • Jr • 6’4″ / 243 lbsI think they will consider David Bailey here as well, but in the end Reese plays the run better and will give them more position versatility. 3 ARIZONADavid Bailey EDGETexas Tech • Sr • 6’4″ / 250 lbsAdding Bailey to a front with Josh Sweat would give the Cardinals a nice 1-2 punch on the edge. They could also consider tackle here, but Bailey is a better prospect. 4 TENNESSEERueben Bain Jr. EDGEMiami (Fla.) • Jr • 6’2″ / 263 lbsThey added some nice pieces to the defense in free agency, so this will give them a nice edge player to finalize their front four. 5 NY GIANTSSonny Styles LBOhio State • Sr • 6’5″ / 243 lbsHe is the type of player John Harbaugh loves in the middle of his defense. He has the speed to chase down plays behind a good defensive line. It fits. 6 CLEVELANDCarnell Tate WROhio State • Jr • 6’2″ / 192 lbsThey need to get a premier receiver, even if the quarterback situation is muddied. Tate would be that guy. He is a polished player who fits a major need. 7 WASHINGTONJeremiyah Love RBNotre Dame • Jr • 6’0″ / 214 lbsThey would consider edge Reuben Bain Jr. in this spot if he were there, but they signed guys in free agency. They opt for the star runner who can be their go-to guy in the run game. 8 NEW ORLEANSCaleb Downs SOhio State • Jr • 6’0″ / 205 lbsIn Brandon Staley’s scheme, he could play the “star” role in their defense. That’s a hybrid player who can do a lot of things in coverage, in the run game and as a blitzer. 9 KANSAS CITYFrancis Mauigoa OTMiami (Fla.) • Jr • 6’6″ / 329 lbsThey have a need at right tackle — although Jaylon Moore can play there — and Mauigoa can be a starter right away. Down the line, he could also be a guard, which is what some scouts think he will be. 10 CINCINNATIJermod McCoy CBTennessee • Jr • 6’1″ / 188 lbsHe missed last season with a torn ACL, but word is he’s made a nice recovery. He’s the best cover player in this class when healthy. The Bengals could use another corner. 11 MIAMIMansoor Delane CBLSU • Sr • 6’0″ / 187 lbsHe is a good man cover player who would fit a major need in the Dolphins corner room. They have a lot of bodies there, but is there a true quality starter in the group? 12 DALLASR Mason Thomas DLOklahoma • Sr • 6’2″ / 241 lbsThe Cowboys have to get some twitchy help on the edge. Thomas can do that. He isn’t big at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, but he would fit the new defense. This would seem high for him, but watch his tape. 13 LA RAMS (from Atlanta)Makai Lemon WRUSC • Jr • 5’11” / 192 lbsThey add to their receiver room, giving them a little more juice. We know that Davante Adams isn’t a kid anymore, so why not get a young receiver to develop for the future? 14 BALTIMOREOlaivavega Ioane IOLPenn State • Jr • 6’4″ / 323 lbsHe is the cleanest offensive lineman in this class. He is a power player who will step in and start right away to bolster a line that needs it. 15 TAMPA BAYKeldric Faulk EDGEAuburn • Jr • 6’6″ / 276 lbsThey need more help for their pass rush. Faulk seems to fit the type of player general manager Jason Licht likes to draft. His best football is in front of him. 16 NY JETS (from Indianapolis)Jordyn Tyson WRArizona State • Jr • 6’2″ / 203 lbsThe Jets need to get receiver help to go with Garrett Wilson. Tyson might be the most talented in this class, but he has missed a lot of time with injuries. 17 DETROITSpencer Fano OTUtah • Jr • 6’6″ / 311 lbsThis is a team in need of young offensive line help. Fano played tackle in college, but he could also move inside to guard. 18 MINNESOTAEmmanuel McNeil-Warren SToledo • Sr • 6’4″ / 202 lbsThey need a young playmaking safety who has a lot of tools in the box. McNeil-Warren is that type of player. He might end up as the best safety in this class. 19 CAROLINAKenyon Sadiq TEOregon • Jr • 6’3″ / 241 lbsThey need to give Bryce Young a playmaking tight end, which Sadiq can become. He is also a willing blocker, which is big in the run game. 20 DALLAS (from Green Bay)Jacob Rodriguez LBTexas Tech • Sr • 6’1″ / 231 lbsThey can use some linebacker help, and this kid can do it all. He is good against the run and the pass. 21 PITTSBURGHEmmanuel Pregnon IOLOregon • Sr • 6’4″ / 314 lbsHe is the perfect Steelers player. He is nasty in the run game and good in pass protection. He’s just scratching what he can become as a left guard, which is a position of need for the Steelers. 22 LA CHARGERSMalachi Lawrence LBUCF • Sr • 6’4″ / 253 lbsThey have to get some young blood for their edge group. Lawrence is one of those guys who would fit what they want in their scheme. He plays hard all the time, which shows up on tape. 23 PHILADELPHIAKadyn Proctor OTAlabama • Jr • 6’7″ / 352 lbsThey have to get some younger offensive linemen with Lane Johnson always talking retirement. Proctor played left tackle in college, but he could easily move to the right side. 24 CLEVELAND (from Jacksonville)Ty Simpson QBAlabama • Jr • 6’1″ / 211 lbsAre they sold on the guys they have? That’s debatable, especially with a new coach. Simpson would be an interesting pick for the Browns. 25 CHICAGOPeter Woods DLClemson • Jr • 6’3″ / 298 lbsHe played heavy last year, and didn’t play as well. That’s why he’s down this far in the draft. But Woods was once considered a top-10 talent and his weight is down. 26 BUFFALOCashius Howell EDGETexas A&M • Sr • 6’3″ / 253 lbsThe Bills have to get more edge-rush help and Howell can do that. He has shorter arms, but he can impact the game off the edge. 27 SAN FRANCISCOMonroe Freeling OTGeorgia • Jr • 6’7″ / 315 lbsTrent Williams is getting up in the years and wants a new contract. It’s time to start looking for a replacement. 28 HOUSTONCaleb Banks DLFlorida • Sr • 6’6″ / 327 lbsThey need to get some young talent inside on defense. It might seem strange to do that here with other needs, but Banks has the talent — if he can stay on the field — to become a nice power player inside. 29 KANSAS CITY (from LA Rams)Avieon Terrell CBClemson • Jr • 5’11” / 180 lbsThey have to get corner help with both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson now with the Rams. Terrell said he modeled his game after McDuffie, so it would fit. 30 MIAMI (from Denver)Akheem Mesidor DLMiami (Fla.) • Sr • 6’3″ / 259 lbsThe Dolphins need pass-rush help, so they can take the local product to liven up their pressure. He’s older at 25, but he would be a nice addition to their defense. 31 NEW ENGLANDT.J. Parker EDGEClemson • Jr • 6’4″ / 263 lbsEdge help is needed, and Parker has some juice. Parker didn’t play as well last year as he did in 2024, but the talent is there. 32 SEATTLEDillon Thieneman SOregon • Soph • 6’0″ / 201 lbsThey lost Coby Bryant to free agency, so Thieneman would compete right away. He is a playmaker who has the range to fit in this scheme. |
