GREEN BAY

Is this the real scoop about the Packers and QB AARON RODGERS?  Longtime Packers scribe Bob McGinn, now of The Athletic, on the fracturing relationship between Rodgers and the Packers.

The Packers have had some puzzling drafts in their history but seldom has there been one that left a stronger sense of WTF than the one that concluded Saturday night.

From their decision to trade up in the first round Thursday night to the pair of reaches Friday night to the string of injured players on Saturday, the Packers found a way to draft nine players without making a discernible improvement for the season ahead.

The selection of a quarterback in Round 1 was more than warranted. Aaron Rodgers, 36, is coming off two pedestrian seasons, and if he doesn’t step up his game in the next season or two the Packers might want to get out from under his onerous contract and begin life with someone else.

Is Jordan Love that someone? That’s what matters, and believe me when I say the jury’s out among personnel people across the NFL. The mixed reviews tend to be more no than yes.

General manager Brian Gutekunst, who was conducting his third draft, his staff and coach Matt LaFleur had Love rated extremely high on their board. A source with one of the two teams involved said the Packers called the Vikings in an attempt to move up from No. 30 to No. 25. Instead, the Vikings traded the pick to San Francisco, which had been at No. 31.

There had been widespread speculation that the Colts, whose first selection was No. 34, were thinking of trading up for Love. The truth, according to an NFL source, is that the Colts wouldn’t have even entertained taking Love until their second selection (No. 44) of the second round.

Another team might have beaten the Packers to Love had they remained at No. 30. It’s also possible no trade would have been necessary.

It was a risk the Packers weren’t going to take. Thus, they shipped their fourth-round pick to Miami to move up and draft Love with the Dolphins’ choice at No. 26.

The Packers’ infatuation with Love didn’t mesh with what his value seemed to be around the league. Talented or not, he had a disappointing year for Utah State in 2019. Many doubts have been raised about Love. One thing he isn’t is a can’t-miss prospect.

Public niceties aside, my sense is LaFleur, fresh from a terrific 13-3 baptismal season, simply had enough of Rodgers’ act and wanted to change the narrative. With a first-round talent on the roster, the Packers would gain leverage with their imperial quarterback and his passive-aggressive style. If the Packers do indeed want to become a running team next season, they surely wouldn’t want Rodgers rocking the boat and becoming even more difficult to coach.

It’ll work for the general manager and the coach only if Love can play. If he can’t, and at best the Packers might have a 50-50 shot of success with their bold stroke, Gutekunst and LaFleur ultimately might be gone. It’s just the way it works with franchise-turning decisions and first-round quarterbacks.

Love has the arm and athleticism to draw Rodgers’ attention the first time they set foot together on the practice field. If Love can perform appreciably better in the unenviable role as Rodgers’ backup for two years than Rodgers did as Brett Favre’s backup in 2005-06, maybe it would buoy his confidence and propel him to a long, successful career in Green Bay.

In the summer of 2005, Craig Nall outperformed Rodgers but lost out on the No. 2 job mainly for political reasons. The same might happen in the next training camp because Tim Boyle has two years of experience on Love, an excellent arm of his own and considerable praise from within the NFC North personnel departments as a player with upside. The presence of Boyle is another reason to question why the Packers felt compelled to trade up in the first round.

Gutekunst’s comment that this class of wide receivers was about 12 deep rang true. Once he traded that fourth-round pick and took Love, he lacked the ammunition to move up sufficiently high in the second round to select a wide receiver. After that, the Packers were behind the eight ball and seemingly never in a position to draft capable help at the position.

Other than signing Boyle as a rookie free agent, Gutekunst’s other acquisition at quarterback was trading for Cleveland’s DeShone Kizer in March 2018. Gutekunst had been high on Kizer in 2017 when the Browns drafted him in the second round (No. 52). After Kizer started 15 games for the winless Browns as a rookie, it was Gutekunst who initiated trade talks with Cleveland to bring Kizer to Green Bay.

The fact that Kizer proved that he couldn’t play engendered little trust in Gutekunst’s ability to evaluate quarterbacks.

This draft also was the result of Gutekunst making moves to make up for more of his mistakes.

Jace Sternberger, a third-round pick in 2019, is a somewhat different type of tight end-H back-fullback than Josiah Deguara, the third-round pick Friday. Still, if Sternberger had shown more as a rookie, there would have been even less need to take Deguara as high as the Packers did.

In the fifth round, Gutekunst would never have had to take linebacker Kamal Martin if Oren Burks, a very similar player, hadn’t bombed in his first two seasons after being chosen in the third round.

Gutekunst’s choice of Elgton Jenkins in the second round a year ago was a major success and filled a hole at left guard. Drafting three interior offensive linemen in the sixth round Saturday was due in part to guard-center Cole Madison, a fifth-round pick in 2018. Madison is rehabilitating a torn ACL suffered in a November practice, but based on his 108 snaps in exhibition games, it looked like he couldn’t play.

And, if Dexter Williams had shown more in practice and meetings as a sixth-round choice in 2019, the urge to take another running back, AJ Dillon, in the second round might not have been as strong.

Partly as a result, the Packers never got around to drafting a defensive lineman, cornerback or wide receiver, three positions where they certainly needed upgrades.

– – –

In the last two days, three executives in personnel reviewed the Packers’ draft. Much of the background information also comes from interviews with general managers, personnel directors and area scouts in the last three months.

Following each pick are two numbers. On a 1-to-10 scale – with 10 being the highest – the first number is each player’s chance to make a significant contribution as a rookie; the second number is his chance to make a significant contribution during his career in Green Bay.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Rookie contribution: 1, career contribution: 5

If Love had entered the draft as a third-year sophomore a year ago, one personnel man said he might well have been a top-10 pick. His NFL passer rating of 110.7 for the 11-1 Aggies couldn’t have been more impressive.

When coach David Wells and offensive coordinator David Yost departed for Texas Tech, Love assumed command of a shotgun attack coordinated by Mike Sanford for coach Gary Andersen. Utah State went 7-6 as Love’s rating crashed to 82.8. His supporting cast on offense wasn’t as good, either.

“This year he got a new offense and just wasn’t able to master it,” one personnel man said. “That showed in his play. He didn’t play terrible but he didn’t have a whole lot of big wins. Talent-wise, he has as much as any of the guys in the draft. Our (psychology) guy had concerns about his confidence and mental toughness. Obviously, that’s not good for a quarterback. We could not marry ourselves to this guy being the face of the franchise and being the guy.”

One veteran scout said there was no way Love was as smart as Rodgers. Few quarterbacks are.

Although charges were dismissed, Love being cited in student housing for possession of marijuana in mid-December six days before the Frisco Bowl disturbed evaluators. Despite relaxed penalties for marijuana, it still constitutes an illegal substance in the NFL. Teams shudder about having their quarterback on the evening news.

“He’s kind of soft-spoken but confident,” said one personnel director who has interviewed Love. “Has some leadership. He doesn’t light up a room. OK in a meeting session. Not sure how he’ll be in a huddle. … It’s a big risk. You appreciate the guts it took to take him, especially in light of where they’re at. Usually, when someone gets criticized so much it works out.”

Love has the arm to make every throw. He’s dangerous throwing on the move and can run for first downs. He possesses elite hand size (10 ½ inches), is a fluid athlete and will exhibit some swagger. His accuracy has been streaky.

On the field, it is Love’s decision-making that seems to worry scouts the most. “Can he digest everything about professional football? That’s going to be a big deal,” a veteran personnel scout said.

Another executive admired Love’s quick release, toughness and the fact he wasn’t a whiner.

“He looks the part but he’s erratic,” the exec said. “His problem is he makes a lot of poor decisions. Loses focus. You question his vision. You don’t like the accuracy when he’s pressured. Questionable football instincts.”

As a rookie, Rodgers had Darrell Bevell as his quarterbacks coach before coach Mike McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements took over as tutors the following season. With their able assistance Rodgers turned his sagging career around and by 2009 was in the Pro Bowl. It remains to be seen if quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy and LaFleur have the chops to hone Love’s raw talent to such a degree.

We won’t go with the rest of McGinn’s long reviews of each draft pick, but here are the numbers and a short summary –

AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College

Rookie: 4, career: 7

The Packers must have been smitten by Dillon’s remarkable combination of size (6-0 ½, 247), speed (4.50) and production to add another running back. An NFL analytics breakdown ranked him easily as the No. 1 athlete at the position.

Dillon will have a major role; LaFleur will see to that. Now it would make sense to trade Williams. Like Jones, his contract will expire after the 2020 season. Dillon provides significant protection at the position.

– – –

As for Dillon’s makeup, one scout said he liked football but only loved the things it could bring to him. At BC, the scout said Dillon was a “me” guy who was huge into social media and building his brand.

Josiah Deguara, FB-TE, Cincinnati

Rookie: 8, career: 8

The Packers drafted Deguara (6-2 ½, 242, 4.72) to be their Kyle Juszczyk (6-1 ½, 248, 4.72). The 49ers’ elite fullback was drafted in the fourth round (No. 130) in 2013 by Baltimore. LaFleur has seen how creative Kyle Shanahan has been utilizing Juszczyk’s talents.

Three scouts said Deguara wasn’t even close to Juszczyk as a prospect. Those same scouts said that for what the Packers wanted Virginia Tech’s Dalton Keene (6-4, 253, 4.73) was a better player. New England traded up to select Keene at No. 101, seven slots after the Packers took Deguara.

“I’d take Keene every time before Deguara,” one executive said. “He’s a badass blocker. Deguara is kind of an athletic, positional, finesse blocker.”

Those three scouts also said Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant (6-4 ½, 243, 4.73) also was better than Deguara. “Harrison Bryant is a really good player,” one said. “He’s way better than Deguara. They both do the same stuff. He’s bigger, plays faster. I’m not saying Deguara’s not tough, but Bryant is tougher.”

That isn’t to say the scouts didn’t have regard for Deguara.

“He’s a sure thing,” one said. “He’s plug and play. Best thing about him is he can do a lot of things.”

It has been 12 years since a fullback was drafted as high as the third round, or where the Packers drafted Deguara. In 2008, the Chargers selected LSU’s Jacob Hester (5-11, 225, 4.60) at No. 69. He had an ordinary five-year career.

Kamal Martin, LB, Minnesota

Rookie: 3, career: 5

He’s a two-year starter who was the 18th linebacker drafted. At 6-3, 240, he was one of the biggest players in the class. “Run-and-chase defender who cannot run,” another said. “Hips are too high. Not physical around blockers. Run-around defender.”

Jon Runyan, G, Michigan

Rookie: 3, career: 6

He started at left tackle the last two seasons, but the Packers intend to play him at guard. He was the 16th guard selected.  “That was a good pick,” one scout said. “Great interview. Worked out better than he played. Like the bloodlines. Smart, can learn. Well-rounded, consistent.”

Jake Hanson, C, Oregon

Rookie: 1, career: 4

A four-year starter, he was the seventh center drafted. One personnel person described Hanson as a smart and mature player who was a vocal leader and guided the locker room when times were tough.  “Typically, centers that run that slow have a hard time,” one scout said.

Simon Stepaniak, G, Indiana

Rookie: 0, career: 3

The Packers felt so good about their roster that they expended a sixth-round draft choice on a huge man (6-4, 313) who in all likelihood won’t play this season after suffering a torn ACL in a mid-December practice. If the 2020 season begins in September, two scouts said Stepaniak wouldn’t be ready.  “God, no, he can’t play (this year),” one personnel person said. “He also has a history of migraines and had three concussions (in 2017). How does a lineman get that many concussions? He’s a disaster.”

Vernon Scott, S, TCU

Rookie: 1, career: 3

“Looks the part,” one scout said. “He has size and speed but doesn’t play to his measurables. Just not a very instinctive guy. He has tools if you can get at ‘em.”

On Sept. 23, 2018, Scott was cited by the Fort Worth Police Department on a misdemeanor charge of possessing less than two ounces of marijuana. The charge was dropped later.

Jonathan Garvin, OLB, Miami (Fla.)

Rookie: 1, career: 3

He declared a year early. According to one scout, multiple contacts in the football program told him they were glad Garvin was leaving. The scout said Garvin’s effort level was downright embarrassing at times.

PHILADELPHIA

The decision not to draft QB RUSSELL WILSON back in 2012 influenced GM Howie Roseman to draft QB JALEN HURTS in 2020.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Howie Roseman has learned from his decision to select a quarterback.

Oh, you thought we were talking about last weekend? Wrong. Roseman explained his lesson learned from the 2012 draft. The Eagles selected Nick Foles in the third round with the 88th overall selection, but could have had Russell Wilson, who was taken 75th overall — 16 picks after Philadelphia’s second-round selection — by Seattle.

“We had this plan,” Roseman recalled during an appearance on NFL Total Access. “We had this plan that we were gonna go into it and we were gonna get a quarterback who is now playing, really successful in another place, and a quarterback who’s won a world championship in our place, and we were looking at both of them. And we tried to get a little cute. We kind of figured out the difference between the second and third rounds, and I feel like my lesson that I learned from that is: What is the difference between taking a guy in the second round and the third round if you get a guy who’s an important player to your football team?”

Roseman didn’t explicitly admit that’s who the Eagles were pursuing, but let’s face it: After Andrew Luck was selected first overall, no quarterback taken between him and Foles in that draft ended up being “really successful” except for Wilson. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo attempted to clarify that, to which Roseman responded by pleading the fifth.

“I’m not gonna get tampering charges,” Roseman said with a smirk. “I’m just saying we’re going to make sure we learn from the things we do, and we’re not gonna get cute.”

So avoiding getting cute meant taking a guy they wanted at the position when he was available. As Roseman said, why miss out on a man who he thinks could be an important player for his Eagles? They’d already done that once with Wilson. Even if Hurts never ends up being anything like Wilson, he’s not making the same mistake twice.

He’s also not worried about the spent pick being a second- or third-rounder, because that type of finesse attempt is what cost Philadelphia Wilson in 2012, and because if it helps the Eagles win games, it’s worth it. Roseman referenced the third-round selection sent to Detroit for Golden Tate, who only played 10 games in an Eagles uniform but caught a game-winning touchdown pass in a wild-card victory over the Bears in Chicago.

“If you said it to me right now: ‘You can trade a third-round pick to win a playoff win?’ I would do that,” Roseman said. “I would do whatever it takes to try to win as many games as possible and get a championship parade for the Philadelphia Eagles.”

No, this isn’t about hedging against Carson Wentz and his lucrative contract. It is about ensuring the Eagles have someone viable behind Wentz in the event of a significant injury — something Wentz has suffered at inopportune times more than once in his relatively short career.

“We’re not looking for Carson’s replacement,” Roseman said on 94 WIP on Monday, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I hope Carson plays till he’s 40, 42 years old. We just feel like this is the most important position in sports and we think this player has something to him. … Someone said this to me, that’s a successful money manager or stock guy or something, and they said when you hedge on something it’s always expensive and everyone always complains about hedging or buying insurance until they need it.”

When it happened in 2017, Foles was there to carry the Eagles. If it happens in 2020, Roseman will be happy to have Hurts.

ATLANTA

No fifth-year option for DE TAKK McKINLEY.  Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

Falcons coach Dan Quinn let the cat out of the bag a couple months ago, and now it’s official: Atlanta is not picking up the fifth-year option on defensive end Takk McKinley‘s rookie contract.

McKinley himself confirmed on Twitter that the Falcons didn’t pick up the option.

That’s no surprise, despite Quinn trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube after saying in February that the option wouldn’t be picked up. McKinley, the 26th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, is coming off shoulder surgery and had only 3.5 sacks in 13 games last season. The fifth-year option would have been $10.1 million, guaranteed for injury, and that’s simply more than the Falcons were willing to consider.

The 2020 season will be the final year on McKinley’s rookie deal, and he’ll have a cap hit this year of $3.25 million.

NEW ORLEANS

QB JAMEIS WINSTON is a Saint.  Luke Johnson of what is now the New OrleansTimes-Picayune/Advocate:

Former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston signed with the New Orleans Saints, giving the team what is easily the deepest group of quarterbacks across the NFL, the team announced on Tuesday.

Winston agreed to a one-year deal in New Orleans, giving him a chance to rehabilitate his career behind future Hall of Famer Drew Brees and under the eye of coach Sean Payton. After selecting Mississippi State’s Tommy Stevens in the seventh round, the Saints now have four quarterbacks under contract for the 2020 season.

“Being a part of the New Orleans Saints, being a part with Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, Sean Payton, coach Joe Lombardi, coach Pete Carmichael. When you think about that room, that’s like a Harvard education in quarterback school,” Winston said Tuesday on Instagram. “I want to put my ego aside … and think about my family, think about my career.

“There was no better position than to be in the same room with someone that I really looked up to, someone that I admire since I’ve been playing this game in Drew Brees.”

Though this agreement was reported earlier this weekend, it made sense for the Saints to wait and make it official.

According to a provision in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, by signing Winston after the 3 p.m. deadline Monday (April 27), the Saints put themselves in position to get a compensatory pick in next year’s draft for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who signed with the Carolina Panthers.

After a crazy quarterback carousel stopped spinning this off-season, Winston was one of the few former high-level starters who were left without work. He spent the first five years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he had a roller coaster tenure.

– – –

He chose to sign with the Saints, where he will certainly work behind the scenes as a backup for Brees and insurance in case of injury to the Saints’ multipurpose talent Taysom Hill.

But this one-year pact has a chance to pay off for Winston as well. He will become a free agent again next season and has a chance to learn from two of the NFL’s best in Payton and Brees.

More from Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times as Winston proclaims his humility several times:

Appearing on Instagram Live with former Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward on Tuesday night, Winston said he has been humbled after five seasons as the starting quarterback in Tampa Bay.

Now he’s willing to start over. The Saints officially announced that Winston had signed a one-year contract Tuesday.

“I think being a part of the New Orleans Saints, being a part with Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, (coach) Sean Payton, (quarterbacks) coach Joe Lombardi, (offensive coordinator) Pete Carmichael Jr., when you think about that room, I mean that’s like a Harvard education in quarterback school,” Winston said.

“I’ve done some great things with the Bucs. I’m going to miss being a starting quarterback. But you never know what happens. I think this is just a great and unique step to join Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints and learn from him. Learn from one of the best to ever do it and make a great transition in my career.

“There’s a proverb. Humility comes before honor. So I have to humble myself and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be with Drew Brees and be with the New Orleans Saints and just prepare. Just prepare for when my next opportunity is going to present itself.”

The Bucs signed Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to a two-year, $50 million contract. Winston, meanwhile, said he has just been preparing for the season and wondering when his next opportunity would come.

“I wasn’t waiting. I was preparing,” he said. “And I love how you define patience. Because a lot of people, especially our Christian brothers and sisters, they’re big fans of let go and let God. Not only do you got to let go, but if you’re going to let go, God needs to see your actions. He needs to see your faithful steps. So I’ve just been preparing, I’ve been in the weight room. I’ve been on the football field throwing. I actually teamed up with some of my old ’Noles, Kenny Shaw and Rashad Greene a couple weekends ago and just been preparing for this opportunity.

 “It’s been a very humbling experience. But God always wins. He always has that last move so I’m blessed to be in New Orleans now.”

Winston sounded excited to join his new team.

“Now I’m officially a New Orleans Saint,” Winston said

“Who dat, who dat, who dat all the way! Yessir. At least I don’t got the garnet, but I got the gold all the way.”

Winston picked up his humility from Saints assistant GM Jeff Ireland according to Jack Baer of YahooSports.com:

Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland had this to say about Winston during an appearance on ESPN Central Texas. Via the New Orleans Advocate:

“(Brees) is an incredible leader; he’s an incredible studier of the game how he breaks down his opponents,” Ireland said. “And then you throw in (offensive coordinator) Pete Carmichael, (quarterbacks coach) Joe Lombardi and (head coach) Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball, those creative minds, Jameis Winston will learn more football in a year than he has in his lifetime.”

There is little doubt that Winston will learn plenty from Brees and Payton, though saying he could learn more in one year than he has in over a decade of playing football is clearly hyperbolic. For starters, Winston just wrapped up a season under Bruce Arians, who is a well-regarded offensive mind.

Rick Stroud tweeted out a list of the failed coaches:

@NFLSTROUD

No disrespect to Jimbo Fisher, Lovie Smith, Dirk Koetter or Bruce Arians. None at all.

ARIZONA

DC Vance Joseph pledges to be innovative in using LB ISAIAH SIMMONS.

Just who would scoop up Clemson’s dynamic defender Isaiah Simmons was about as much of a curiosity as where on the field the first-round talent would play.

It was the Cardinals that selected Simmons on Thursday with the No. 8 pick and it is linebacker he will play, Arizona defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told the media via Zoom on Tuesday. However, Joseph isn’t about to confine Simmons specifically to linebacker when opportunities present themselves to allow the talented hybrid to showcase his versatility.

“He’ll be a linebacker,” Joseph said. “But we drafted this guy because of what we saw him do at Clemson. So, the things he did there, he’s going to do for us also. As far as covering tight ends, and again, he’s going to be a problem solver. Obviously each game plan is different and, as problems come along and he can solve them for us he will definitely be a candidate to do those things for us.”

Much of the press conference was taken up by questions surrounding Simmons and when asked if it was realistic in today’s NFL for Simmons to do the things he did at Clemson, Joseph repeated the plan, emphasized that he’ll be a backer and also admitted it remains to be seen how much of the versatility can translate to the pro game.

“I think some of it is [possible], I think some of it’s not. These are the best players in the world,” Joseph said. “Some of the things he did at Clemson I think are realistic, but some things won’t be. He’s going to be a linebacker for us. He’s going to have some special roles versus certain opponents that we play. But I can’t guarantee he’s going to play corner for us or safety for us full-time.

“I wouldn’t bet against him, but I think what he did at Clemson some it will translate and some won’t.”

As a member of a national titlist two seasons past, Simmons dazzled with his ability to fill up a stat sheet with tackles, sacks and passes defended as he lined up inside and outside at linebacker, ranged at safety and even dropped back as a cornerback.

“If it’s a job that we think he can do, we will put him out there. That’s why he was drafted,” Joseph said. “I want Isaiah to be Isaiah.”

Simmons’ junior campaign was a tour de force of defensive versatility. He had 104 tackles (16.5 for a loss), eight sacks, three interceptions, eight passes defended, two forced fumbles and a top-10 selection awaiting.

While his versatility might not be able to translate, his speed will.

“It’s a good piece to have. With the new NFL offenses, it’s so lateral,” Joseph said. “Having a guy with his length and his speed is always critical.

“His skillset is out of this world.”

Simmons’ selection broke a string of two straight quarterbacks taken in the first round for Arizona. The last defender the Cardinals picked up in the first round was Haason Reddick, another versatile threat who has underwhelmed and many believe hasn’t always been used correctly.

For Joseph, Simmons is a welcome addition as he tackles a 2020 season in which pressure will be high after the Cardinals’ 2019 defense gave up a league-high 402 yards per game.

“I want to be the best, and I want us to play top 10 defense,” Joseph said. “The pressure is always there, but the pressure is always solved when you have four draft picks and having your two corners starting Week One for you. Everyone feels pressure in this business. But that’s part of it. … Last year, we had some rough moments, but I thought the last month of the season, we got better. That was a positive not to finish on.”

And Simmons would seem to be a positive addition to build on.

“He’s a guy that can solve problems for us and, with his speed and length,” Joseph said, “he can be an eraser when bad plays happen.”

Gennaro Felice of NFL.com on how things then worked out for the Cardinals to give them a 1-2 punch in their early draft selections:

BEST PICK: Josh Jones, OT, Houston

Arizona Cardinals, Round 3, No. 72 overall

If this category were MOST FUN PICK, Arizona’s initial selection of Isaiah Simmons would get the shine. At No. 8 overall, GM Steve Keim boldly eschewed three highly regarded prospects at offensive tackle — the team’s most glaring need — in favor of the one-of-a-kind hybrid defender out of Clemson. Unquestionably thrilling in the moment, that decision could have really blown up in the Cardinals’ face, by allowing opposing defenses to continue blowing up Kyler Murray’s pocket. But then the draft fell in the Cards’ favor, with Jones remaining on the board over the next 63 picks, until Arizona finally came on the clock for its second pick of the draft. (Remember, the Cardinals traded their second-round pick in the DeAndre Hopkins heist.) After four years as Houston’s starting left tackle and a dominant showing at the Senior Bowl, Jones had received first-round buzz through much of the pre-draft process. So what was he doing sitting there on Friday night, ripe for the picking in Round 3? Kliff Kingsbury wondered the same thing. During an appearance this week on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, the Cardinals’ second-year head coach re-enacted a reconnaissance call with the University of Houston coaching staff to figure out why Jones was sliding. “We’re calling saying, ‘What’s going on? Did he kill somebody last night? Is there something we don’t know about? What’s the issue?’ ” Kingsbury said. “They were kind of scratching their heads as well.” Keim eventually made the pick, landing the No. 14 overall player on Pro Football Focus’ big board in the 72nd draft slot.

So the Cardinals have added Simmons, Hopkins and Jones…

KANSAS CITY

CB BASHAUD BREELAND was doing knucklehead things when he was arrested in South Carolina on Tuesday.  Surprisingly, Grant Gordon’s story at NFL.cm story makes no reference to the biggest crime of all – failing to shelter at home.

The 28-year-old Breeland, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office inmate report, faces charges of resisting arrest, having alcohol in a motor vehicle with the seal broken, having an open container of beer or wine in a motor vehicle, possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana or 10 grams of hash and driving without a licence.

Breeland was booked into a York County, South Carolina jail on Tuesday, per the inmate report. He later was released from jail on $2,362.50 bond.

In a statement obtained by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Breeland’s attorneys claim the cornerback is innocent until proven guilty.

“Mr. Breeland is facing only misdemeanor chargers in connection with this incident,” attorneys J. Preston Strom Jr. and Bakari T. Sellers said in a statement. “None of the crimes charged allege that Mr. Breeland was consuming alcohol at the time of the arrest.”

Breeland was already facing a four-game suspension for a separate violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy. Breeland was a key contributor to the Chiefs’ run to their Super Bowl LIV title, starting 15 of 16 games and recording 48 tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. He had an INT in the Super Bowl.  Breeland re-signed with the Chiefs in April on a one-year deal.

INDIANAPOLIS

PK ADAM VINATIERI would like to kick yet another season – assuming someone would want him.

Adam Vinatieri’s still kicking. At least, he hopes to still be kicking in the NFL during the 2020 season, his 25th campaign and 48th year of earthly existence.

The free-agent kicker told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Tuesday that he wants to return for a 25th season. However, the quarantine brought upon by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down his rehab following season-ending knee surgery. The future Hall of Famer is not sure he’ll be fully healed by the start of the season.

Vinatieri, 47, is currently a free agent. For the last 14 years, he served as the kicker for the Indianapolis Colts. Over that span, he hit 336 of 394 field-goal attempts and 507 of 524 extra-point attempts, made one Pro Bowl (2014) and was named first-team All-Pro once (2014).

A member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team, Vinatieri looked like he was running out of time at points last season. The Colts kicker got off to a rough start in 2019, going 2-of-5 on extra points and 1-of-3 on field goals in the first two weeks. Vinatieri rebounded, but finished with a career-low 68 percent field goal percentage and 78.6 extra point percentage in 12 games played.

The Colts have also seemingly moved on without the greybeard. Indy still employs Chase McLaughlin, who kicked for three franchises last year, and also signed former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship as a UDFA this weekend.

It’s unclear where Vinatieri will be kicking next year or if he will be at all. But after months of silence on the matter, it’s now established that the most established placekicker in NFL history isn’t ready to hang up his cleats just year.

MIAMI

QB TUA TAVIALOA earned the wrath of those inclined to be wrathful at anything that didn’t look like strict compliance with the imposed quarantine edicts when he videotaped a workout in a deserted fitness center.  But it was important to his financial well-being that he did so.  Kevin Lerner of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

Tagovailoa’s virtual pro day workout in Nashville, which was sent to all 32 NFL teams, made the rounds on social media April 10, just 13 days before the draft.

When asked by Mike Tirico on NBC Sports’ Lunch Talk Live how important that workout video was in the Dolphins’ decision to draft Tagovailoa No. 5, Flores said:

“I mean, it was important,” he said. “I remember it came out, Chris [Grier] sent it to me, and we were pretty much watching it at the same time. Got on the phone right after that and said you know [he] looked pretty good. So it kind of just reinforced and confirmed some of the things that our doctors had mentioned to us. It was important. It was good to see it. He looked good in the tape, but obviously you know that is nine minutes. That is very different from having a two-hour practice or playing in a game so, but I thought he looks good for where he was and where he was when he initially got the injury and where he was at that point.”

The workout showed Tagovailoa performing a series of throws and movements roughly a month after he received full medical clearance from doctors to ramp up his rehabilitation process following a hip injury he suffered in November.

“Well, we did a lot of work,” Flores continued. “Our medical staff headed up by Kyle Johnston, our head trainer, Dr. [John] Uribe, our entire staff, they did a wonderful job kind of getting us the information on really all the players. We felt comfortable. We got comfortable, I would say, in the last couple weeks. Obviously, he is a very talented player, and he has got a lot of the qualities we are looking for the in quarterback position. He is a leader. He is accurate. He is tough, so we felt very comfortable.”

THIS AND THAT

SUPER BOWL ODDS

Frankie Taddeo looks at how the Super Bowl odds for next February (maybe) have changed since the end of last season.

Here’s a look at the teams that have seen the biggest alterations to their team outlooks according to the boys in the desert.

The Biggest Risers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (From 60/1 to 14/1)

No team saw a more significant adjustment than the Buccaneers, who made the biggest splash in free agency in signing Tom Brady away from the New England Patriots. The Bucs went from 60/1 all the way to the fourth overall betting choice at odds of 14/1. Brady moves in under center and takes the reins of one of the league’s most high powered offenses led by two Pro Bowl wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. We all know that Brady loves to utilize his tight ends and now he has a very familiar face in Rob Gronkowski, in addition to Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard. The oddsmakers realize that Brady immensely brings value to a wide-open NFC that doesn’t contain either team that is home to the last two League MVPs in Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.

At the new considerably lower odds I would not invest in Tampa Bay, despite the arrival of the Hall-of-Fame bound Brady. We saw this hype last season with the Cleveland Browns—who eventually went as low as 6/1 in Vegas last season—only to see the sportsbooks crush those who bought into all the offseason moves that included acquiring star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. This is a hard pass for me at the extreme short odds.

Arizona Cardinals: (From 80/1 to 60/1)

Another team that saw a sizable move in their Super Bowl futures odds were the Cardinals. The Cardinals easily are the winners of the offseason after acquiring star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins via trade from the Houston Texans. Kyler Murray was the overall QB7 in fantasy football and the Offensive Rookie of the Year last season without a weapon like Hopkins. Just imagine the strides he could now make in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Perhaps no player summed up the thoughts of every NFL fan better than running back Chase Edmonds upon news of the trade:

In a wide open NFC, I love the attractive plus-odds of Arizona at 60/1 or higher, especially after landing arguably one of the best prospects in the Draft in star linebacker Isaiah Simmons. Sign me up as intrigued to purchase a futures ticket on the Cardinals.

Indianapolis Colts: (From 30/1 to 25/1)

I believe the oddsmakers are right to lower the odds on Indianapolis after signing Philip Rivers to pilot Frank Reich’s offense. Rivers joins a Colts team that returns not only one of the NFL’s top offensive lines, but the only unit that started all 16 games as a group last season. They’ll also be on the trail for success adding both the dynamic Jonathan Taylor and the explosive Michael Pittman Jr. to an offensive attack that already consists of T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle. Rivers, who is sixth on the NFL’s all-time passing list, joins a team capable of getting him the Super Bowl berth that has eluded him during his 16-year career.

With the Ravens and Chiefs in the AFC, the road to Super Bowl LV will be an impossible task for Rivers and the Colts. However, bettors will want to give a serious look at wagering on the Colts to win the AFC South, especially after the hit the Houston Texans took following the shocking trade of Hopkins to Arizona. I have already made a sizable wager at William Hill on the Colts in AFC South futures at a solid value of +140.

The Biggest Fallers

Houston Texans: (From 30/1 to 60/1)

The movement in odds for Bill O’Brien’s squad is perhaps the most obvious and necessary adjustment made by the oddsmakers. The move by the Texans to unload arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, in the prime of his career, for an aging running back is one that stunned the sports world. It will be a tall task if the Texans expect to compete in a loaded AFC with an offensive attack consisting of the oft-injured Will Fuller, Kenny Stills and the newly signed Randall Cobb. The hit that quarterback Deshaun Watson takes from a fantasy perspective is monumental to say the least. I would envision that the odds on the Texans will continue to grow into the triple-digit range by the time the 2020 season kicks off.

New England Patriots: (From 12/1 to 30/1)

The demise of the Patriots dynasty is well underway. The best player in team history has jumped ship to become a member of the Buccaneers. As of now, we still do not have any idea who will be under center for Bill Belichick when the season does actually commence. With the loss of Brady, the Patriots are no longer the best team in the AFC East and are no longer among the elite teams in the AFC. It will be interesting to see how long the 67-year-old Belichick desires to walk the sideline without arguably the best quarterback in league history. Unless the Patriots make a big splash like signing Cam Newton or trading for Jacoby Brissett, I would suspect the odds will only climb higher in sportsbooks everywhere from the current price of 30/1.

Los Angeles Rams: (From 25/1 to 28/1)

Just what exactly is the offseason plan of the Los Angeles Rams? The club has lost three key defensive starters in linebackers Dante Fowler Jr. and Cory Littleton as well as defensive lineman Michael Brockers. Los Angeles has parted with five of the top seven players on defense in terms of snaps played. The Rams will get a full season out of star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, but with all the key defections mentioned above, what about the offensive side of the ball?

They moved on from running back Todd Gurley as well as star wide receiver Brandin Cooks. The Rams also have issues along their offensive line, which has hindered the success of star quarterback Jared Goff. The Rams need to be a serious fade for all bettors in all futures markets pertaining to the team for the foreseeable future.

Here are all the odds

Now                    January

Chiefs                        4-1                      7-1

Ravens                    13-2                      7-1

49ers                         7-1                      7-1

Saints                      11-1                    10-1

Cowboys                 12-1                     20-1

Buccaneers             14-1                     50-1

Seahawks                17-1                    18-1

Packers                   18-1                     15-1

Eagles                     18-1                     15-1

Patriots                    20-1                     12-1

Bills                         20-1                     30-1

Steelers                  25-1                     25-1

Chargers                25-1                     30-1

Colts                      25-1                     40-1

Rams                     28-1                     25-1

Vikings                   28-1                     25-1

Raiders                  30-1                     30-1

Titans                     35-1                     25-1

Bears                     40-1                     30-1

Browns                   40-1                    40-1

Broncos                  50-1                    50-1

Texans                   60-1                    25-1

Falcons                  60-1                    30-1

Giants                    60-1                    60-1

Cardinals               60-1                    75-1

Jets                       100-1                   60-1

Lions                     100-1                    60-1

Dolphins                100-1                  100-1

Panthers                125-1                   60-1

Jaguars                  200-1                  60-1

Redskins                200-1                 100-1

Bengals                  200-1                 125-1

BROADCAST NEWS

The NFL has extended a TV deal with Amazon.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

At a time when the pandemic is impacting certain aspects of the NFL’s business, it’s not keeping the NFL from doing business.

The league announced on Wednesday morning an extension of its deal with Amazon to stream 11 Thursday night games per season. The arrangement now includes a late-season Saturday game that will be streamed exclusively by Amazon.

“In keeping with the NFL’s long-standing commitment to make its games available on free, over-the-air television, the game will also be televised in the participating teams’ home markets,” the league said in the statement announcing the deal.

That portion of the statement states a lot. At a time when some wonder whether the NFL will be moving its product to platforms that aren’t free, the league understands the importance of keeping certain games free. Whether to maximize the audience for a prime-time game or to avoid a revolt (and a threat to the broadcast antirust exemption) when fans have no way of watching their local teams play without paying for it, the league will keep putting games on free, three-letter networks.

That said, an Amazon-only game is destined to have poor numbers. In 2017, the league streamed a Ravens-Jaguars game in London exclusively on Yahoo — and the ratings were so bad that the NFL never revealed them.

The balance for the league becomes revenue versus exposure. Sometimes, the NFL will take more money knowing that a given game will be seen by fewer people. And that definitely will happen when a game can be watched only on a premium platform that currently costs $119 per year.

The new Amazon deal lasts through 2022, which puts the Thursday night streaming rights in play for the next wave of broadcast-rights negotiations. With 17 regular-season games coming in 2021, games available exclusively on streaming platforms could become a regular facet of the weekly NFL schedule.

2021 DRAFT

Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com believes it is never too early for a Mock Draft.

Some things to note – the Dolphins and Jaguars, once again, have two picks in the first round.  The Texans and Rams, once again, have no picks in the first round.

Alabama, once again, has a long, long string of first rounders (six according to Wilson).

And he has no shortage of QB prospects, with four in the first 14.  The names to know are Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, Justin Fields of Ohio State, Jamie Newman, a grad transfer moving to Georgia and Brock Purdy of Iowa State.

2021 NFL MOCK DRAFT

1 – JAGUARS

Trevor Lawrence QB

Clemson • SOPH • 6’6″ / 220 LBS

The Jaguars traded Nick Foles this offseason, and the only quarterback they added in the 2020 NFL Draft is Jake Luton. Even if Gardner Minshew has a good season, it will be almost impossible to pass on Trevor Lawrence.

2 – BENGALS

Ja’Marr Chase WR

LSU • SOPH • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

A.J. Green has one more year left on his deal, and even though the Bengals took Tee Higgins at the top of Round 2, Ja’Marr Chase would have been the No. 1 wide receiver off the board in 2020 if he had been eligible.

3 – REDSKINS

Penei Sewell OL

Oregon • SOPH • 6’6″ / 325 LBS

Trent Williams has been traded, and the Redskins hope third-rounder Saahdiq Charles can become a starter, but Sewell was one of the best linemen in the country last season as a sophomore.

4 – DOLPHINS

Gregory Rousseau DL

Miami (FL) • FR • 6’6″ / 250 LBS

Rousseau is coming off a 15.5-sack performance as a redshirt freshman, and if he continues to grow as a pass rusher he’ll find himself in the first-round conversation for the next 12 months.

5 – PANTHERS

Justin Fields QB

Ohio State • SOPH • 6’3″ / 223 LBS

Fields transferred from Georgia and didn’t miss a beat following Dwayne Haskins at Ohio State. He heads into 2020 as one of the best prospects in the country and would make sense for the Panthers, even with Teddy Bridgewater on the roster through 2022.

6 – GIANTS

Justyn Ross WR

Clemson • SOPH • 6’4″ / 205 LBS

Ross was arguably the best receiver on his team last season, even though he played alongside Tee Higgins. The Giants continue to build around Daniel Jones by adding another downfield threat.

7 – JETS

Devonta Smith WR

Alabama • JR • 6’1″ / 175 LBS

Smith considered entering the 2020 NFL Draft but opted to return to Alabama. If recent history is any guide, he’ll follow Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy as a first-round pick. The Jets landed Denzel Mims in the 2020 draft but there’s room on the depth chart for another big-play threat.

8 – RAIDERS

Jamie Newman QB

Wake Forest – Georgia • JR • 6’4″ / 230 LBS

Newman transferred from Wake Forest to Georgia and he’ll enter next season on everyone’s first-round radar. Added bonus: Las Vegas added three WRs in the draft.

9 – FALCONS

Micah Parsons LB

Penn State • SOPH • 6’3″ / 245 LBS

The Falcons took Fresno State’s Mykal Walker in the fourth round of the 2020 draft but Parsons has a chance to be special — and Atlanta’s defense still has plenty of room for improvement.

10 – LIONS

Patrick Surtain II DB

Alabama • SOPH • 6’2″ / 203 LBS

The Lions selected Jeff Okudah third overall but the defensive overhaul continues with Surtain, who was one of the best players on Alabama’s defense as a sophomore.

11 – DOLPHINS (from Texans)

Jaylen Waddle WR

Alabama • SOPH • 5’10” / 182 LBS

The Dolphins got Tua in 2020 so why not give him one of his former teammates? By the way, Waddle might be faster than Henry Ruggs.

12 – CARDINALS

Paulson Adebo CB

Stanford • JR • 6’1″ / 190 LBS

Adebo didn’t have a strong 2019 campaign and returned to school. If he can bounce back in 2020, he’ll find himself again in the first-round conversation.

13 – BROWNS

Marvin Wilson DL

Florida State • JR • 6’5″ / 311 LBS

Wilson would’ve been in the first-round conversation had he entered the 2020 NFL Draft. He suffered a hand injury in early November that cut short his season, but he’ll be ready to go in 2021.

14 – BEARS

Brock Purdy QB

Iowa State • SOPH • 6’1″ / 210 LBS

This is Mitchell Trubisky’s make-or-break year, and if it’s the latter, the Bears will be in the market for their next franchise QB.

15 – JAGUARS (from Rams)

Walker Little OL

Stanford • JR • 6’7″ / 309 LBS

Little was one of the top offensive linemen heading into 2020, but a September knee injury derailed the season before it even got started.

16 – BRONCOS

Samuel Cosmi OL

Texas • SOPH • 6’7″ / 300 LBS

Cosmi had a solid season for the Longhorns and Garett Bolles could be entering the final year of his rookie deal should the Broncos choose not to pick up his fifth-year option.

17 – PACKERS

Rondale Moore WR

Purdue • SOPH • 5’9″ / 180 LBS

Moore only played in four games last season because of a hamstring injury but he’s poised for a breakout campaign. In related news: The Packers didn’t take a wide receiver in the 2020 draft — not a single one, despite it being the deepest WR draft in human history. Hopefully Moore changes their approach next year.

18 – TITANS

Rashod Bateman WR

Minnesota • SOPH • 6’2″ / 210 LBS

Bateman was the best WR on the Gophers last season, and he played alongside Tyler Johnson. The Titans could be looking for another outside threat with Corey Davis nearing the end of his rookie deal.

19 – CHARGERGS

Pat Freiermuth TE

Penn State  • SOPH • 6’5″ / 256 LBS

Freiermuth may have been the top TE in the ’20 draft class, but he returned to Penn State for one more season. With Hunter Henry playing on the franchise tag, he could be Justin Herbert’s new favorite weapon.

20 – SEAHAWKS

Alex Leatherwood OL

Alabama • JR • 6’6″ / 310 LBS

Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills were the tackles at Alabama last season, and while Leatherwood isn’t the player Wills is, he’s still a solid player who can contribute in Year 1.

21 – PATRIOTS

Carlos Basham Jr. EDGE

Wake Forest • JR • 6’5″ / 275 LBS

Basham flashed at Wake Forest last season, and if he continues to progress he’ll be a Day 1 prospect.

22 – COLTS

Liam Eichenberg OL

Notre Dame • SR • 6’6″ / 305 LBS

Anthony Castonzo just signed a two-year deal, and Eichenberg would be a natural replacement.

23 – BUCCANEERS

Richard LeCounte DB

Georgia • JR • 5’11” / 190 LBS

LeCounte plays deep centerfield but can also play closer to the line of scrimmage where he can cover RBs and TEs. The Bucs’ defense continues to get younger, faster and more physical.

24 – PHILADELPHIA

Jalen Mayfield OL

Michigan • SOPH • 6’5″ / 319 LBS

Mayfield held his own against Chase Young last season and, well, that counts for something. And if the Eagles still aren’t sold on Andre Dillard, they could be in the OT business next year.

25 – PITTSBURGH

Xavier Thomas DE

Clemson • SOPH • 6’2″ / 265 LBS

The Steelers took Alex Highsmith in Round 3 of the ’20 draft, but even if Bud Dupree and TJ Watt land long-term deals, Pittsburgh will need depth at the position.

26 -MINNESOTA

Josh Jobe DB

Alabama • SOPH • 6’1″ / 189 LBS

The Vikings selected two good cornerbacks on the first two days of the 2020 draft, and Jobe would add more depth to a secondary that lost three contributors after the ’19 season.

27 – BILLS

Trey Smith OL

Tennessee • JR • 6’6″ / 325 LBS

Jon Feliciano is entering the final year of his contract and Smith, who has also played tackle, is a beast on the interior.

28 – COWBOYS

Hamsah Nasirildeen S

Florida State • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS

Nasirlideen’s season ended with a knee injury, but he is a physical playmaker who flies all over the field.

29 – SAINTS

Dylan Moses LB

Alabama • JR • 6’3″ / 235 LBS

Moses suffered an ACL injury last August but he’s a first-round talent — the latest in a never-ending stream of first-rounders to come out of Tuscaloosa.

30 – RAVENS

Jay Tufele DL

USC • SOPH • 6’3″ / 305 LBS

The Ravens have few (any?) needs, but Tufele can play inside out outside on the defenisve line and would be one more chess piece in Wink Martindale’s defense.

31 – 49ers

Shaun Wade CB

Ohio State • SOPH • 6’1″ / 194 LBS

It was something of a surprise when Wade returned to school, but he can be a dominant playmaker from the slot.

32 – CHIEFS

Creed Humphrey OL

Oklahoma • SOPH • 6’5″ / 316 LBS

The Chiefs didn’t land a center in the 2020 draft, and Austin Reiter is in the final year of his deal. Humphrey was Jalen Hurts’ center in 2019, and Kyler Murray’s the season before that.