DALLAS

QB DAK PRESCOTT isn’t going anywhere.  Saad Yousuf of The Athletic:

Dak Prescott sounded like a player confident in his future with the Dallas Cowboys, the only team he’s played with since they selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

“I’m definitely confident,” Prescott said. “Obviously, it helps the team. It’s important for the (salary cap) numbers. I’ve heard Jerry (Jones) say that it is a process, both sides understand that. Everything is great. It’ll happen.”

Prescott spoke to reporters Monday at the Children’s Cancer Fund “A Knight to Remember” Gala that benefits children dealing with cancer. The Cowboys’ QB has regularly attended the Dallas event.

The surety with which Prescott spoke about an extension getting done was different from what the other side of the negotiation table expressed last week in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine. Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones both expressed strong interest in wanting to get an extension with Prescott done — for the benefit of the salary-cap situation as well as wanting their QB locked up for the long term. Although the desire was clear, the urgency and confidence was more reserved.

“We don’t need to (get a new contract done), but we can if everybody wants to solve it,” Jerry Jones said Friday. “If you can’t, what we have in place works.”

The Cowboys have ways to reduce Prescott’s nearly $60 million cap hit for the 2024 season without a contract extension. The clearest path forward would be to convert some of Prescott’s salary into a signing bonus. However, there are implications beyond the 2024 cap figure that come with the extension that hangs in the balance.

Prescott wasn’t alone in expressing confidence that a deal gets done. Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who spoke at the Gala on Monday, shared a similar sentiment.

“He’ll be here for a little while longer, and he should be,” Aikman said. “He’s proven he can play at a high level. I know they’ve come up short, as a team, the last few years but he’s been a great player in this league and his best years are still ahead of him.”

Prescott has entered the territory where he’s not just carrying the baggage for past failures anymore. His own contributions to that drought factor heavily to the perception, and all of that contributes to the dialogue around Prescott’s next contract. Whether next season will be Prescott’s last in Dallas, he has been gearing up for his next chapter. He knows things have to change.

“A lot of time to myself, I guess you could say, just being home allowed me to shut the door on that and turn the page to workouts and the offseason,” Prescott said. “Try to figure out what needs to get better and change things.”

PHILADELPHIA

C JASON KELCE didn’t have on any fancy clothes, but he was eloquent in his formal retirement announcement.  Tim McManus of ESPN.com:

Eagles star center Jason Kelce, one of the key leaders for a team that has made six postseason appearances and two Super Bowl trips over the past seven seasons, announced his retirement in a tear-filled speech Monday, closing the book on a Hall of Fame-worthy career.

“I’ve been asked many times why did I choose football — what drew me to the game — and I never have an answer that gets it right,” Kelce, wearing a sleeveless Eagles T-shirt, said during a 45-minute speech that he had to stop many times as he was overtaken by emotion. “The best way I could explain it is what draws you to your favorite song … your favorite book. It’s what it makes you feel. The seriousness of it. The intensity of it.

“Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt. There was a visceral feeling with football, unlike any sport. The hairs on my arms would stand up. I could hit somebody, run around like a crazed lunatic and then get told, ‘Good job.’ I love football.”

A sixth-round draft selection in 2011, Kelce, 36, played his entire 13-year career with the Eagles. He was selected to seven Pro Bowls in 13 seasons and was named first-team All-Pro for the sixth time in 2023 — proof that he played at an elite level up to his final snap.

“It has always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city,” Kelce said. “I couldn’t have dreamt a better one if I tried.”

Since the 1970 merger, he is the only center who has won a Super Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors six times.

Kelce’s parents, Ed and Donna, were in attendance, as was his wife Kylie and brother Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end who was wearing sunglasses inside the auditorium.

Kelce had contemplated retirement at various points over the past several years, but it became clear that things would be different this time around when, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he told teammates his playing days were over after the wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January.

“If it was his last game, he was one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” right tackle Lane Johnson said then. “A guy whose passion is unmatched. A guy who I saw Philly try to run him out of town. I saw a guy emerge from that and become the best center maybe that’s ever played.”

Kelce is the fifth center in NFL history with at least six All-Pro selections. The other four — Jim Otto, Bulldog Turner, Dermontti Dawson and Jim Ringo — are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Little was made of Kelce’s arrival when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. A walk-on running back at Cincinnati who converted to guard and later center, he was undersized and overshadowed by the big “Dream Team” free agency splash signings of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, quarterback Vince Young and others that year — a group that famously flamed out.

Kelce, meanwhile, won the starting center job and became a mainstay even as his head coaches changed from Andy Reid to Chip Kelly to Doug Pederson to Nick Sirianni.

“Jason gave of himself for others, played through injuries, and never wavered through all the ups and downs of our seasons and his own personal career,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “He is a man of many talents — he could chug beers with fans at a tailgate, he could sing in a Christmas album and raise millions for charity, or he could talks X’s and O’s all day with coaches and teammates. Then after all that, he could do things out on the football field that no other offensive linemen are capable of doing.

“If you talk to anyone in the organization about what Jason has meant to them, they would all come up with something different. That is a testament to who he is as a person and how much he cares about connecting with others.”

He missed a month after sports hernia surgery in 2014 and had a rough campaign in 2015 that raised questions about his long-term status in Philadelphia. He then went on to establish a franchise record by starting 156 consecutive regular-season games despite dealing with myriad injuries.

“I have been the underdog my entire career,” Kelce said. “And I mean this when I say it, I still wish I was.”

He endeared himself to the city and its hardcore fan base with his speech at the parade after the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017. Dressed as one of Philadelphia’s famed Mummers, he delivered a fiery, profane speech that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

“I won’t forget the parade and what it meant to the city of Philadelphia,” Kelce said Monday. “The joy in our community and the closure it gave so many. The stories from fans that had been waiting generations for that moment fulfilled that triumph to another level. … That wasn’t my speech. It was Philadelphia’s.”

There is a succession plan in place. Cam Jurgens was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft to be Kelce’s heir apparent at center. Right after that selection was made, Kelce called Jurgens “my favorite player in the draft,” saying the Eagles had been asking him to evaluate centers coming out of college for the past two to three years. Jurgens was the one who compared most favorably to him.

Kelce has plenty of options for his post-playing career. He became a local icon after the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win in 2018. That has since ballooned into national and now international fame, starting with the Eagles-Chiefs “Kelce Bowl” and the popular “New Heights” podcast, then hitting another level of the stratosphere when brother Travis started dating singer Taylor Swift, one of the most recognizable people on the planet.

Broadcasting is a strong option, with multiple networks reportedly courting him in Las Vegas in the lead-up to Super Bowl LVIII.

“Today is a bittersweet day,” Lurie said in his statement, “because while it is hard to imagine the Eagles taking the field without Jason Kelce in uniform, we are also excited to celebrate his career and support him as his journey continues.”

Family stuff:

Jason Kelce’s 13-year run with the Philadelphia Eagles gave him multiple career accolades, but it was the team’s role in his meet-cute with wife Kylie Kelce that he’ll always remember.

“I won’t forget the Eagles’ Christmas party in 2014 and heading out afterwards with a bunch of my teammates to Buffalo Billiards where my life would change forever,” Jason, 36, said during his NFL press conference on Monday, March 4, reflecting on his journey with Kylie, 31, before announcing his football retirement. “That night, I’d meet my future wife. I still remember the moment she walked through the door.”

The Eagles center got choked up as he remembered the “first instance” he saw Kylie appear at the bar, saying it is “burned in my retina.”

Philadelphia Eagles Star Jason Kelce and Wife Kylie McDevitt’s Relationship Timeline

Related: Jason Kelce and Wife Kylie Kelce’s Relationship Timeline

Jason wiped away tears as he recounted the night for reporters and his family, who were on hand to celebrate his retirement announcement on Monday.

“It was like she glided through the opening, an aura around her. Then she started talking and I thought, ‘Man, is this what love feels like?’” he said of his spouse. “She was beautiful and smart, serious yet playful. I knew it right away.”

Jason explained that Kylie, whom he wed in April 2013, has been an integral part of his career with the Eagles, which lasted 13 seasons.

“I think it’s no coincidence that I have enjoyed my best years of my career with Kylie by my side. Every accolade I have ever received has come with her in my life,” he continued. “She has brought the best out of me through love, devotion, support, honesty, intelligence, and of course, a swift kick in the ass from time to time.”

Jason praised Kylie for giving him “three beautiful girls and a life that increasingly brings me more fulfillment off the field than it does on.”

The Super Bowl champion, who shares daughters Wyatt, 4, Ellie, 3, and Bennet, 12 months, gushed: “We’ve had a great run, Ky.”

Jason also gave shout-outs to his mom, Donna Kelce, his dad, Ed Kelce, and his younger brother, Travis Kelce, while discussing his time in the NFL, which began in 2011.

And this:

“I think one of the best things a person can be in this world is a father,” Kelce said. “A father who is present, loving, devoted just might be the greatest gift a child could ask for in our society, and I am a damn good one.”

Kelce went on to state that his own father believed in him more than anyone else, adding that he still has a great deal of respect for his father. The Eagles player detailed a time when his father brought him to work, noting how he thought it was amazing. Kelce said his father “continues to be the man I strive to be.”

ATLANTA

We thought QB JUSTIN FIELDS was jumping for joy over a return to the Atlanta area, but now there are emanations of QB KIRK COUSINS going to the ATL.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Vikings fans who would love to forget the 1998 NFC Championship might have another reason to think about it.

The team that beat the Vikings that day in January 1999 could be poised to pilfer quarterback Kirk Cousins.

We can’t get into the specifics, for now. But we’re getting very credible indications that Cousins is seriously considering moving his family to Atlanta. Which would mean, obviously, that he’d be signing with the Falcons.

The Falcons have always been the top alternative to the Vikings for Cousins, who becomes an unrestricted free agent next Wednesday. And for good reason. His wife, Julie, grew up in nearby Alpharetta, Georgia. Her parents still live there.

The Vikings have, by all appearances, decided they want to keep Cousins, but only at their price. They seem to think he won’t get a better offer elsewhere. If he does, they seem to be content to let him go.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell told PFT Live on Tuesday (the video is attached) that he absolutely, unequivocally wants Cousins back. And we believe him. Do others in the organization, from G.M. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to owners Mark and Zygi Wilf, feel the same way?

The counter would be, presumably, that Cousins is 35 years old, and that he’s recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. Also, in six years with the Vikings, the team has made the playoffs only twice. (They likely would have made it in 2023, but for his injury.)

The attraction for Cousins, beyond the contract, would be a plethora of great skill-position players — and the fact that the NFC South is currently weaker than the NFC North.

The Vikings still have six days of exclusive negotiating rights with Cousins. If they want to keep him, they could make an offer he won’t refuse.

Of course, it might be too late for that. If the Falcons made enough of an indication last week to Cousins’s agent, Mike McCartney, as to what they’re willing to do, Cousins might already have decided to go. And he might not be interested in the Vikings doing now what they could have done before the Falcons got his attention.

The Falcons previously had been linked to a trade with the Bears for quarterback Justin Fields. Ultimately, that might have just been a misdirection, aimed at potentially letting them snag Cousins while the Vikings assumed no one else would make him a better offer than whatever the Vikings have made.

We are not as sure as Florio that a “move” to Atlanta for the Cousins family means he will sign with the Falcons.  We have operated under the belief that Cousins and family now live in Minneapolis during the season and had a base in Orlando where Kirk’s parents live in the offseason.

With whatever happens, his career is somewhere around third base (how fast he is rounding it is the question).  He may be looking towards a post-football future where he will have a base in Atlanta and Orlando (and not any city he played in).

Not that we know, but we think it is a credible alternative to Florio’s dot connection.

CAROLINA

The Panthers have suspended contract talks with EDGE BRIAN BURNS.

Scott Barrett remembers what might have been.

@ScottBarrettDFB

One of the worst trades ever was one Dave Tepper declined:

The Rams offered their 2023 Round 2, 2024 Round 1, and 2025 Round 1 straight up for basically one full season from Brian Burns.

Hope those 8 sacks in your 2-win season was worth it Panthers fans!

@ScottBarrettDFB

Combining the Bryce Young trade with the Brian Burns trade offer that the Panthers rejected, Dave Tepper essentially gave up:

+ QB Caleb Williams

+ WR D.J. Moore

+ 2023 top-10 Round 1 pick

+ 2023 Round 2 pick

+ 2023 Round 2 pick

+ 2024 Round 1 pick

+ 2025 Round 1 pick

+ 2025 Round 2 pick 

In exchange for:

+ 1 year rental of Brian Burns in a 2-win season (assuming they can’t re-sign)

+ Bryce Young, who just had the 2nd-worst rookie season by any QB since Vietnam

A response from “Scarface”

@CBA843

Scott, the GM made these moves? He was recently fired and he certainly deserved it. Also don’t forget he drafted Mingo RD2, Horn over Surtain, traded for Darnold and Ole Miss QB, paid Miles Sanders $45mill… other than that he did a good job! Jeremy Chinn was a good pick 🤷🏻‍♂️

@ScottBarrettDFB

He was a figurehead / patsy

TAMPA BAY

WR MIKE EVANS takes a lucrative two-year contract.  Adam Schefter of ESPN.com:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and five-time Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans reached agreement on a two-year, $52 million contract that includes $35 million guaranteed, his agent, Deryk Gilmore, told ESPN on Monday.

Evans, who was to enter free agency next week, now has a real chance to start and finish his career as a “Buc for life” in Tampa.

Gilmore said the deal, which averages $26 million per season, is the largest for a wide receiver this old on his third contract. It is a front-loaded contract, with $29 million of the $44 million base value due at signing.

“Fire Them Cannons!” Evans posted to Instagram on Monday.

Bringing back Evans not only will help the Buccaneers’ offense but also will serve as another catalyst in the recruitment to re-sign free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has said he hopes to continue playing with the standout receiver.

“He’s an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life,” general manager Jason Licht said last week at the NFL combine.

Evans had been prepared to enter free agency when the negotiating period begins March 11. He was projected to be one of the top — if not the top — wide receivers available via free agency. The Kansas City Chiefs, among others, were expected to be interested.

The Buccaneers are believed to be in striking distance of a multi-year deal with S ANTOINE WINFIELD, Jr. who will otherwise be tagged.  Adam LaRose of Pro Football Rumors:

The Buccaneers have already taken one major priority off their to-do list. A new deal is in place for wideout Mike Evans, and the same could soon be true of safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

The latter has long been considered a franchise tag candidate as the expiration of his rookie contract approaches. Tampa Bay has until tomorrow afternoon to apply the one-year tender, which will cost just over $17MM. After delivering a first-team All-Pro campaign last season, though, Winfield could command a higher price on a long-term pact. On that note, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline reports traction was gained on a new deal during last week’s Combine.

Pauline adds that the sides are “zeroing in” on an agreement which will check in at an annual average value of $20MM on a three- or four-year pact. That would allow Winfield to reset the top of the safety market, overtaking Derwin James ($19MM per season) as the highest-earning player at the position on an annual basis. Such a deal would also allow the Buccaneers to keep one of the foundational members of their defense in place for years to come and avoid having to use the franchise tag.

Winfield already had a Pro Bowl on his resume entering the 2023 season, but he upped his market value considerably over the course of the year. The 25-year-old set a new career high in tackles (122), interceptions (three), pass deflections (12) and sacks (six) while leading the league with six forced fumbles. Those figures have him on track to secure a major raise on his next pact, either one negotiated following the application of the tag or a deal hammered out in the immediate future.

Players who are tagged can continue negotiating with their respective teams until July 15. If no deals are reached by that point, they are required to play out the season on the tag (or, as Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs demonstrated last offseason, a one-year deal taking its place). Winfield’s case will be one to watch closely as the franchise tag deadline approaches, particularly if he and the Bucs are indeed moving toward a long-term agreement.

DENVER

QB RUSSELL WILSON will be released on the 13^th.  Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com:

– The Denver Broncos have informed nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson they plan to release him, a move that ends a tumultuous two-season run with the team.

“We spoke with Russell Wilson [Monday] to inform him of his release after the start of the league year [March 13, 4 p.m. ET],” coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton said in a joint statement. “On behalf of the Broncos, we thank Russell for his contributions and dedication to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career. As we move forward, we are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”

Wilson released a statement thanking the city of Denver, several teammates, the team’s cafeteria workers and vice president of player development Ray Jackson. He did not mention Payton, Paton or the team’s ownership.

“Over these last three years, you have welcomed my family and me with open arms and have embraced us as members the Denver community. This city will always hold a special place in my heart. Our family grew here, we made countless memories and friendships, and formed relationships that will last a lifetime,” he wrote in the statement.

“To my teammates, thank you for going to battle together and for being there through it all. There are so many moments I cherish because of you and I am blessed for the impact you have had on my life. I am beyond grateful for all of you and to have been able to run out as your teammate was an honor.”

He ended his statement by writing, “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. God’s got me. I am excited for what’s next.”

Wilson’s release will end a disappointing chapter for both sides. The Broncos went 11-19 in Wilson’s starts over two seasons and failed to make the playoffs. Payton benched him with two games remaining in 2023, a move that in effect marked the end of the quarterback’s career in Denver.

The Broncos signed Wilson to a five-year, $242.6 million deal after his arrival and will take an $85 million hit in dead money over the next two seasons because of the release.

The Broncos’ dead money charge for releasing Russell Wilson is larger than the next two closest combined all time, according to the Roster Management System.

PLAYER           TEAM                            CHARGE

Russell Wilson, ’24        Broncos            $85M

Matt Ryan,         ’22       Falcons              $40.5M

Aaron Rodgers, ’23        Packers            $40.3M

Tom Brady,       ’23        Buccaneers       $35.1M

Carson Wentz, ’21         Eagles               $33.8M

In the coming weeks, Denver will have to decide whether to take the biggest part of that dead money hit in the 2024 or 2025 season.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com ponders his options and those of teams that might be interested in him:

When things went sideways between the Broncos and quarterback Russell Wilson late in the 2023 regular season, we picked up two fairly strong indications at the time. One, if released by the Broncos, he’d take the league minimum for 2024, since Denver owes him $39 million. Two, he’d be very interested in joining the Raiders, one of Denver’s top competitors.

Now that it’s clear, as it should have been at the time he was benched, that the Broncos are moving on, the question is whether Russ will indeed take only $1.21 million on a one-year deal with a new team.

Why wouldn’t he? He’s getting $39 million. The less his next team pays, the more cash and cap space will have to put talent around him. Also, the more the Broncos will have to pay him.

The problem is that, if he takes such a low number, a team could lie to him about his status as the starter. They can promise that he’s the guy. And then, once he signs, they can change their mind. What’s he going to do?

He’ll need to trust any promise that he’s the guy for 2024. And, obviously, he’ll need to perform well enough to justify becoming and remaining the starter.

Regardless, he’s a bargain at $1.21 million. Any team that is unsettled at the position should be interested. Including the Vikings, if as it turns out Kirk Cousins leaves for Atlanta. Wilson is healthier and younger and if he can run the play that coach Kevin O’Connell calls, he absolutely can be trusted to make something happen when the play that’s called isn’t there.

Other teams that should be interested include the Patriots, the Steelers, the Raiders, and the Bucs (if they don’t re-sign Baker Mayfield).

Either way, he’ll be cut between Wednesday, March 13 and Sunday, March 17. He’ll become a free agent. He’ll make $39 million this year. At only $1.21 million, he should have plenty of suitors.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com on what teams might be targeting Wilson:

Who might the suitors be for Wilson’s services? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler sized up the complete state of Wilson’s free agency and identified which teams represent the best and most intriguing fits — as well as the QB-needy teams that are less of a match for Wilson:

What are league sentiments around Wilson?

As we wrote back in January, many around the league view Wilson as a midtier starter, believing he rehabilitated his career under Broncos coach Sean Payton, though a few see him as slightly below midtier.

“He actually played well during their midseason winning streak,” an AFC personnel man told us during the season. “He’s still a good quality starter. He can still make all of the throws, still mobile. Honestly, his skills haven’t declined that much. It’s more about the fit as a person. His teammates seemed to like him there.”

Others saw a functional but declining skill set, good enough for Wilson to earn one of 32 starting jobs but not enough to rediscover his Seattle self.

“Physically Russ is declining as his deep ball, mobility and overall accuracy are fading,” an AFC personnel director said. “I think his career arc is unique because he’s basically an older version of his younger self in Seattle. He needs a strong running game and defense once again to be a serviceable starter.”

With that in mind, and with Wilson officially headed for free agency, where could he end up?

Atlanta Falcons

An established veteran is attractive to Atlanta, but the sense is that the Falcons will target other quarterbacks. Execs I’ve spoken to largely expect Atlanta to walk away with one of these three quarterbacks: Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields or Baker Mayfield. This is a ready-made team that’s a quarterback away. Wilson would fit the profile, but other quarterbacks will likely get a crack at this one.

Las Vegas Raiders

This is honestly a pretty good fit. The Raiders will explore ways to trade up for a quarterback in the draft — coach Antonio Pierce has an affinity for Jayden Daniels from their Arizona State days — but moving from No. 13 to the top three is an arduous task. The Raiders have not been linked to the Cousins and Mayfield free agencies. It is perhaps notable that Wilson listed Las Vegas as one of his four preferred destinations amid talk of a trade from Seattle in 2021. He would relish the chance to play with Davante Adams, too.

Pittsburgh Steelers

On paper, this makes sense. Pittsburgh is the proverbial quarterback away. Incumbent Kenny Pickett threw for a paltry six touchdown passes in 12 starts a year ago. And acquiring Wilson will be cost-effective, which the Steelers love. But the sense out of the combine last week is that the Steelers are prepared to give Pickett another chance and are open to a competition, perhaps including holdover Mason Rudolph. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith recently traveled to South Florida to meet with Pickett. It’s doubtful Wilson would embrace a 1A or No. 2 role at this stage.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are attractive for any prospective quarterback — they have all-world receiver Justin Jefferson and a quarterback-friendly coach in Kevin O’Connell. There’s also a belief in some league circles that Minnesota, should it lose Cousins, is eager to reset its books and possibly take a swing on a quarterback in the draft. If that’s the case, Wilson could be a good option for a year. But Minnesota is in a similar boat to Atlanta in that it could have several options to evaluate, including Mayfield and Fields.

New England Patriots

Possible, but much will depend on where New England is in its rebuild. Wilson will prioritize winning, and the Patriots aren’t ready to win big. They need at least a year to replenish the roster. Plus, they have the No. 3 pick, which they could use on Daniels or UNC’s Drake Maye. So, not impossible, but not sure the fit is good for either side.

Could Wilson end up as a No. 2 QB somewhere?

I have a hard time believing that. Most scouts I’ve spoken to consider him a quality starter, and there are enough quarterback-needy teams that at least one door should be open for him. Wilson is committed to not only remaining an NFL starter, but winning big. Plus, he has made $266 million in his career. Why would he be a backup?

The most realistic outcome is Wilson is willing to accept the league minimum, knowing Denver is on the hook for the full $39 million in guarantees, a move he leverages into a starting job somewhere with no promises beyond 2024.

PITTSBURGH

Bringing in someone like QB RUSSELL WILSON didn’t strike the DB as a typical Steelers move, but maybe they aren’t typical anymore.

But Mike DeFabo of The Athletic hears that it is business as usual.

As I picked up my rental car in Pittsburgh last week, the attendant politely asked where I was headed. When I made the critical error of telling her I’d be covering the Steelers at the NFL Scouting Combine, her eyes lit up.

“Are the Steelers going to get Russell Wilson?” she asked.

The man behind me in line chimed in that he preferred the Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields in a trade. Another customer argued that Kenny Pickett deserves one more season as the starter. And before long, the rental car agency had transformed into a full-fledged sports talk radio debate.

The moment was just a microcosm of how the quarterback question has dominated the news cycle and seeped into the psyche of Western Pennsylvanians. Speculation has run rampant. At one point a few weeks back, Pittsburgh was the betting favorite to land Wilson and Fields.

Coach Mike Tomlin said at his end-of-season news conference that Pickett will reclaim his status as QB1, but he promised “competition.” In Indianapolis, general manager Omar Khan was diplomatic, keeping his cards close to the vest, when asked what routes he plans to pursue to create it.

“There’s different avenues for us,” Khan said. “Draft. Free agency. The trade market. I would say every one of those avenues is an option for us.

“We’re looking at everything. I have an obligation to this organization, to the players, to the front office, to every member of the Steeler Nation to look at every option and every way of trying to improve this team. And we’re going to do so.”

Though Khan and the Steelers have done their due diligence to evaluate the outside options, discussions with league sources paint a clearer picture.

The Steelers are not interested in signing Wilson in the likely event he’s released by the Denver Broncos, a source familiar with the coaching staff’s feelings on the quarterback at this stage of his career told The Athletic.

Additionally, Pittsburgh is not among the teams actively working to trade for Fields, league sources told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Pittsburgh is also not pursuing Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield in free agency, according to league sources.

The fact that Pittsburgh is not seriously courting an established starter to supplant Pickett lends more credence to Khan’s statement that he has “full faith” in Pickett. It appears the Steelers are hopeful that first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith can unlock something in the third-year QB that the NFL has not yet seen.

“He has shown us some good things,” Khan said. “Obviously, there were some issues with the offense. I’m excited about the impact Arthur Smith is going to have on him. Arthur is very optimistic about Kenny.”

Khan also made it clear in his media sessions that the organization would like to bring back Mason Rudolph after he led an impressive three-game winning streak to push Pittsburgh into the playoffs. Khan said he has already been in touch with Rudolph’s representative. At the same time, the GM noted every player “owes it to himself” to listen to all offers when free agency opens March 13.

“He knows we want him back,” Khan said. “We’ve had conversations, but it’s just sort of how the process goes. I can’t tell when the deal will get done, hopefully with us. It’s just a process. I understand it. But we’d like to have him back.”

NEW ENGLAND

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com T TYRON SMITH of the Cowboys has been identified as a Patriots free agent target.

With veteran left tackle Tyron Smith preparing to leave Dallas in free agency, New England is a potential next stop.

The Patriots are expected to pursue Smith when free agency opens next week, according to MassLive.com.

New England needs a left tackle. Trent Brown’s contract voided and he will almost certainly go elsewhere this offseason, after a season in which both Brown and the team seemed unhappy with each other.

The 33-year-old Smith is a two-time first-team All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowler, and a member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade team. He’s one of the best offensive linemen to play in the NFL in recent memory, and while the Cowboys have decided it’s time to move on, the Patriots may think he’s still got some good years left in him.

THIS AND THAT

SHRINKING RECEIVERS MARKET

Garrett Podell of CBSSports.com on the tagging of WR TEE HIGGINS and the signing of WR MIKE EVANS.

NFL free agency can sometimes be a mirage. From far away, the depth of some of the positions in any given year’s free-agent class can appear to be full of top-tier contributors. Come the start of a new league year when teams can actually make moves on the players who make it to the open market, free agency’s offerings can be a lot more slim than anticipated.

That is certainly the case with the 2024 offseason’s wide receiver class. The Cincinnati Bengals’, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Mike Evans and Indianapolis Colts’ Michael Pittman Jr were expected to headline the group, but now two of the three are off the board.

The Bengals applied the franchise tag on Higgins, who won’t be hitting the open market. Evans agreed to re-sign with Tampa Bay on a two-year, $52 million deal with $35 million guaranteed. What does that mean for receivers left on the market? Let’s take a look.

1. Pittman now atop free-agent class … and might also not hit open market

Michael Pittman Jr. had perfect timing producing his first 100-catch season in 2023 at age 26, and just before becoming a free agent. The 109 catches he totaled were fifth most in the NFL this past season and rank as tied for the fourth most in a single season in Colts history. They’re the most since current Indianapolis wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne went off for 111 back in the 2010 season.

The massive target (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) is now the free-agent class’ top option, although he may not actually even hit the open market based off what Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at the NFL Scouting Combine last week.

“Here’s what I’ll tell you, we’ve had talks with his agent, who is really good. His agent has been doing it a long time. He’s really good at what he does. We’ll work hard to get a deal done,” Ballard said via transcript. “It’s [the franchise tag] a tool we have. I’m not going to say we’re not going to use it, but I’m not going to say we are. Hopefully we can come to an agreement and find some compromise on a deal.”

Compromising just became a lot more difficult for the Colts since Evans just signed for an average annual value of $26 million a year with $35 million guaranteed entering his age-31 season. Armed with the knowledge of that deal plus the Colts having $66.1 million in effective cap space, the sixth most in the NFL per OverTheCap.com, Pittman knows he can ask for a boatload of cash. On a related note, the 2024 franchise tag value for the wide receiver position is $21.8 million.

2. Wide receiver options thin out fast

The gap between the Higgins-Evans-Pittman tier of free-agent wide receivers and the next couple of tiers is like going from fine dining to fast food. The next group has what teams are looking for, but the quality is clearly different.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley finished with decent end-of-year numbers (1,016 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns on 76 catches), but he was prone to going missing in action for three to four weeks at a time, vacillating between a 100-yard game and then three or four weeks totaling below 50 yards. That type of inconsistency as he approaches age 30 forces a pause and a closer examination of what he has to offer going forward.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown, a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has failed to launch into the stars five seasons into his career. His high-level speed remains, but he has yet to become a consistent WR1-like producer so far. Bills wideout Gabe Davis has a much different game than Brown, but he is similar in that his production hasn’t matched his hype across the last couple of seasons.

3. Remaining wide receivers set up to become overpaid

Ridley, Brown and Davis have their warts as discussed above. However, they are the best of the rest, meaning they will likely be paid considerably more money than expected at the start of the offseason given the lack of availability of the tier 1 wideouts this offseason.

At least when those three get PAID, a case can be made that it was fair to bet on their potential in different surroundings. The next few options — Darnell Mooney, Tyler Boyd, Odell Beckham Jr., Curtis Samuel, DJ Chark and K.J. Osborn — are exiting situations where it was unclear what their value could be (Mooney, Samuel and Osborn), or they are approaching or on the wrong side of 30 (Boyd and Beckham).

Had Evans truly become available as an unrestricted free agent next week, he would have had at least a quarter of the entire league vying for his services, according to The Athletic: the Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars all had interest. Those teams will assuredly be redirecting their time and resources toward the next level of this free-agent receiver class in short order.

2024 DRAFT

Here’s a post-Combine Mock Draft from Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com who has a fourth QB joining the usual three near the top of the draft:

The NFL Scouting Combine is over, pro days start in days, and there’s less than two months until the 2024 NFL Draft. And in my post-combine mock draft, I have some changes. J.J. McCarthy, who I’ve warmed to in recent weeks, finds his way into the top three, and all told, four quarterbacks are off the board in the first five selections. And that fourth quarterback taken? The Vikings move up from No. 11 to grab him. And that means the Chargers are happy to trade down, acquire picks, and bolster the offensive line under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh.

Not surprisingly, eight offensive linemen go in Round 1, along with six wide receivers, five cornerbacks, edge rushers and … quarterbacks, as the Seahawks trade down to land the final QB taken in this mock draft.

More generally speaking, I was surprised at how many really good players were still on the board late in the first round — and how many will be available at the top of the second, which could lead to more trade-up scenarios in the hours between Days 1 and 2 when the actual draft gets underway on April 25.

For now, let’s get to all 32 picks in mock draft 7.0.

1 – CHICAGO

Caleb Williams QB

USC • JR • 6’1″ / 215 LBS

Don’t overthink this, Chicago. Caleb Williams is the best QB in this draft class. We talked to him at the combine, and not only was he humble, it was pretty clear that all he cares about is winning.

2 – WASHINGTON

Jayden Daniels QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 210 LBS

No player did more for their draft stock during the 2023 college football season than Jayden Daniels. His playing style reminds me of Lamar Jackson, and I’ve said this for months now: would be shocking if, five years from now, Daniels ends up as the best QB in this class?

3 – NEW ENGLAND

J.J. McCarthy QB

MICHIGAN • JR • 6’3″ / 202 LBS

J.J. McCarthy might be one of the most polarizing players in this class, and I’ll admit it, I was skeptical that he was worthy of a first-round pick. It’s not because he isn’t talented (his athleticism and arm strength are impressive), but because he wasn’t asked to do a lot in Michigan’s offense. But go back and watch his throws on third down and 6 to 10 yards to go: he completed 73% of his attempts — many of them NFL throws — with 5 touchdowns and no turnovers. We also talked to him at the combine and the charisma and leadership just ooze off him. And I get it, you might think that we got caught up in the moment, but I’ll just say this: last year when we spoke to C.J. Stroud at the combine, those very same qualities were blindingly obvious in person, and it certainly didn’t hurt his cause during a historic rookie season.

4 – ARIZONA

Marvin Harrison Jr. WR

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 205 LBS

Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t work out at the combine — he even no-showed for media availability — and it looks like he won’t work out at the Ohio State Pro Day, either. And none of it will affect his draft stock.

5 – MINNESOTA (Mock Trade from Los Angeles Chargers)

Drake Maye QB

NORTH CAROLINA • SOPH • 6’4″ / 230 LBS

Last year, three QBs went in the top 4 picks. And in 2021, the top 3 selections were all QBs. You’d have to go back to 2017 to find the last time four QBs went in the top 10 (before that? 1949). We could see four quarterbacks off the board through five picks this year, especially if multiple teams are able to trade up. And that’s what happens in this mock draft: the Vikings move up to take Drake Maye as their next face of the franchise. The implication, of course, is that Kirk Cousins signs a huge deal with the Falcons, Broncos or even the Raiders because otherwise, any of those three teams could be looking to move up for a QB, too.

6 – NY GIANTS

Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT

PENN STATE • JR • 6’6″ / 317 LBS

I was tempted to take Malik Nabers here, but if the plan is to roll with Daniel Jones for another season, there has to be some questions answered along the offensive line. Olu Fashanu is just 21 years old, he’s insanely athletic and he would’ve been a top-10 pick had he come out a year ago.

7 – TENNESSEE

Joe Alt OT

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’7″ / 322 LBS

Joe Alt had a solid 2022 but took his game to another level last season for Notre Dame. He’s 6-foot-8 and moves like a tight end. He’s a Day 1 starter in Tennessee, and he’ll line up next to 2023 first-rounder Peter Skoronski who played well at left guard when healthy as a rookie.

8 – ATLANTA

Jared Verse EDGE

FLORIDA STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 260 LBS

Jared Verse’s combine performance reinforced everything we all saw on tape the last two seasons at Florida State. He’s a powerful pass-rusher with a non-stop motor who shows up big when the game is on the line.

9 – CHICAGO

Malik Nabers WR

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 200 LBS

Best-case scenario for the Bears here. They land Caleb Williams, and then a run on quarterbacks and teams having to fill needs along the offensive line lead to Nabers falling right in their lap. He’s legit a top 5 talent, and now Chicago has QB1 and essentially WR1.5 based on all the things Nabers does at such a high level.

10 – NY JETS

Rome Odunze WR

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’3″ / 215 LBS

This is a deep offensive line class. It’s an even deeper wide receiver class, but there’s only one Rome Odunze who, like Nabers, would end up hearing his name called inside the top 5 picks if not for the quarterbacks. We talked to him at the combine, and he explained the progress he made from 2022 to 2023 in pretty simple terms: No one was going to outwork him. Garrett Wilson needs some help, and Oduzne feels like the perfect fit.

11 – LA CHARGERS (Mock Trade from Minnesota Vikings)

Taliese Fuaga OT

OREGON STATE • JR • 6’6″ / 334 LBS

The Chargers have used recent first-round picks on left tackle Rashawn Slater and left guard Zion Johnson, and now they’re going to the well once more for Fuaga, who dominated the Pac 12 as a right tackle for the Beavers. He’s a Day 1 plug-and-play starter who is as powerful as they come in this class but who also has the athleticism to get into space and destroy second-level defenders.

12 –  DENVER

Byron Murphy II DL

TEXAS • JR • 6’1″ / 308 LBS

Denver would love a QB — and for our purposes here, we can assume it landed Cousins if it’s not trading up — but it lands the twitchiest interior defensive lineman in the class.

13 – LAS VEGAS

Quinyon Mitchell CB

TOLEDO • JR • 6’0″ / 196 LBS

Quinyon Mitchell is long, fluid and was a pass-breakup machine at Toledo. And that’s exactly who he was at the Senior Bowl, and what he re-reconfirmed again in Indy at the combine with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time, a 38-inch vertical jump and 20 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.

14 – NEW ORLEANS

Dallas Turner EDGE

ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 252 LBS

Dallas Turner tested well at the combine, and it just confirmed what we all saw the past two seasons. Will Anderson Jr. told us that Turner was a more complete player coming out of Alabama than he was, and that means the Saints are getting a steal here.

15 – INDIANAPOLIS

Terrion Arnold CB

ALABAMA • SOPH • 6’0″ / 196 LBS

There is no one in this draft class who is more driven to be great than Terrion Arnold, and I don’t say that lightly. My co-host on the “With the First Pick” podcast, former Vikings GM Rick Spielman, talked to Arnold after the Tennessee game last fall — the game where Arnold was benched — and told him a lot had to change if he was going to enter the draft. Arnold took it to heart, wrote down every word, and made a promise to Spielman that he would be a different player the next time they met. Arnold had 4 interceptions over the second half of the 2023 season and could very easily be CB1 in this draft.

16 – BUFFALO (Mock Trade from Seattle)

Brian Thomas Jr. WR

LSU • JR • 6’4″ / 205 LBS

Bills fans have been clamoring for a wide receiver for months now, so who am I to argue with them. It’s a deep class, yes, but Thomas is special, even among this group of peers. He’s a touchdown machine who at nearly 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, blazed a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at the combine. And he plays every bit that fast on tape. He might be one of the few people who Josh Allen would have a hard time overthrowing.

17 – JACKSONVILLE

Nate Wiggins CB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’2″ / 185 LBS

At the combine. Nate Wiggins measured 6-foot-1 and ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash — and the tape matches the measurables. But he also weighed 173 pounds (he looked a little bigger than that on tape), which fair or not, will draw comps to the Commanders first-rounder from a year ago, Emmanuel Forbes, who weighed 166. In my mind, Wiggins is the more complete player who does a lot of things really, really well, but he’ll have to show he can handle the rigors of the position against WRs that outweigh him by 25 pounds at the next level.

18 – CINCINNATI

JC Latham OT

ALABAMA • JR • 6’6″ / 360 LBS

JC Latham’s nickname is Trench King, and that’s exactly how he plays. He’s an enormous physical presence on the right side, but he’s incredibly athletic for that size. Brock Bowers was a serious consideration herem, but Cincy has to fix the offensive line.

19 – LA RAMS

Cooper DeJean CB

IOWA • JR • 6’1″ / 207 LBS

The ball-hawking Cooper DeJean is super athletic, and he can line up just about anywhere (and he’s an asset in the return game, too). That versatility and rare athleticism will make him a good fit in L.A.

20 – PITTSBURGH

Jackson Powers-Johnson IOL

OREGON • JR • 6’3″ / 320 LBS

There are very few holes in Jackson Powers-Johnson’s game. He can play either guard or center in the NFL, and this pick for the Steelers should give fans the same feeling they had when the team took Maurkice Pouncey or David DeCastro in Round 1.

21 – MIAMI

Brock Bowers TE

GEORGIA • JR • 6’4″ / 240 LBS

I’m as shocked as you that Brock Bowers was still available here. There were a few trades above that were for other position needs that pushed Bowers down, but it’s hard to envision how a top 10 player (he’s actually No. 6 on our big board) lasts this long. I get it. But as I’ve written in the past: In the last 20 years, 19 tight ends have gone in the first round. Five of those were selected in the top 10 (Eric Ebron, 10th overall in 2014; T.J. Hockenson, 8th overall in 2019; Kellen Winslow II and Vernon Davis, 6th overall in 2004 and 2006; and Kyle Pitts, 4th overall in 2021). The other 14 were drafted between No. 19 and No. 32. And 10 months ago, Sam LaPorta lasted until Round 2.

22 – PHILADELPHIA

Laiatu Latu EDGE

UCLA • SR • 6’5″ / 265 LBS

The biggest issues facing Laiatu Latu will be if he’s cleared medically after a neck injury sidelined his career a few years ago. Because on the field, he is a juiced-up power rusher who dominated during the 2023 season, then at the Senior Bowl, and then showed out at the combine, too.

23 – HOUSTON (from Cleveland)

Jer’Zhan Newton DL

ILLINOIS • JR • 6’2″ / 295 LBS

Johnny Newton played on an Illini defense in 2022 that included No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon and Day 2 selections Quan Martin and Sydney Brown. He had a strong 2023 campaign and will be in the running for DT1 alongside Byron Murphy II. Newton didn’t take part in combine workouts because he’s recovering from surgery on a foot injury he suffered late last season.

24 – DALLAS

Troy Fautanu IOL

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’4″ / 317 LBS

Fautanu was excellent at left tackle for the Huskies during their run to the national title last season, and that athleticism should keep him outside at the next level.

25 – GREEN BAY

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. CB

MISSOURI • JR • 6’0″ / 188 LBS

I considered Amarius Mims or Tyler Guyton here, but both play right tackle and it’s not clear the Packers have any interest in moving Zach Toms to the left side. But the team does have needs in the secondary, and good luck finding a more aggressive cornerback than Ennis Rakestraw, Jr., whom we spoke with at the combine and reminds me a lot of Devon Witherspoon. At 5-foot-11, he’s slightly taller than Jaire Alexander when he came out of Louisville, but Rakestraw weighs just 183 pounds, a full 13 pounds less than Alexander when he was at the combine. But again, Rakestraw plays much bigger — and stronger — both in coverage and against the run, and it consistently shows up on tape.

26 – TAMPA BAY

Keon Coleman WR

FLORIDA STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS

Yes, Keon Coleman ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but I do not care. At all. He also hit more than 20 miles per hour in the gauntlet drill and didn’t drop a pass. We talk about the importance of game speed all the time, and the only more obvious example might be Puka Nacua, who ran a 4.57 at the 2023 combine — only to have a record-setting rookie campaign for the Rams.

27 – ARIZONA (from Houston)

Amarius Mims OT

GEORGIA • JR • 6’7″ / 340 LBS

Amarius Mims’ size and athleticism are special, even in this top-flight offensive line draft class. The only issues are that he hasn’t played much football and he struggled to stay healthy last fall. But when he was on the field — including his very first college start against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff back in January 2023, he has been dominant. And if he had stayed healthy in 2023 (he also tweaked his hamstring at the combine) he would’ve been an easy top 15 pick.

28 – SEATTLE (Mock Trade from Buffalo)

Michael Penix Jr. QB

WASHINGTON • SR • 6’3″ / 213 LBS

When asked in recent weeks, the Seahawks haven’t issued a full-throated long-term endorsement of Geno Smith … but they didn’t do it a year ago either, and Smith went on to have another spectacular season. But if the team loves one of the QBs in this class, everything’s on the table. I’ve long thought Michael Penix Jr. played like a first-rounder during the 2023 season, and he looked sharp during combine drills, too. The injury history is a concern, yes, but in this mock draft, the Seahawks trade down, acquire picks, and get Penix Jr. on the fifth-year option.

29 – DETROIT

Chop Robinson EDGE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 254 LBS

It came as a surprise to no one that Chop Robinson tested through the roof at the combine. He also weighed 254 pounds, though you’d like to see him stand up at the point with more consistency. That said, he played with one of the highest motors in college football and that — along with the ability to bend the corner like few in this class — translates immediately to the NFL.

30 – BALTIMORE

Graham Barton OT

DUKE • SR • 6’5″ / 314 LBS

Graham Barton played left tackle his final three seasons at Duke, and he was the anchor of that unit, but his NFL future will be inside, either at guard or center. And with both of Baltimore’s guards set to hit free agency, Barton makes sense here.

31 – SAN FRANCISCO

Darius Robinson EDGE

MISSOURI • SR • 6’5″ / 296 LBS

Darius Robinson quietly had a dominant season for the Tigers, and followed that up with a not-so-quiet Senior Bowl week, where he showed he can play both as an edge rusher or kick inside. I don’t care that he ran a 4.95-second 40-yard dash at the combine; he’s 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds with 34.5-inch arms and a 35-inch vertical. He’s explosive and powerful and feels like a natural fit in San Francisco.

32 – KANSAS CITY

Xavier Worthy WR

TEXAS • JR • 6’1″ / 172 LBS

Two weeks ago, we did a two-round mock draft on the “With the First Pick” podcast, and I had Worthy going at the top of the second round. I love the toughness with which he plays (despite weighing just 165 pounds as the combine), and that record-setting 4.21-second 40-yard dash just reinforced what everyone else already knew. Imagine this offense with Hall of Famers Mahomes and Kelce alongside Worthy and Rashee Rice, now entering Year 2.