| NFC NORTH |
| CHICAGOThe DB admits to not being sold on QB CALEB WILLIAMS as worthy of the first overall pick in the 2024 draft. Seems like Sean Payton had the same doubts. Eva Geitheim of SI.com: Heading into a 2024 NFL draft that saw a record six quarterbacks get taken in the first 12 picks, Caleb Williams was widely viewed as the clear-cut consensus top quarterback of the class. Though five other teams took quarterbacks early in the first round of the draft, it seemed that any quarterback-needy team would have taken Williams if they had the No. 1 pick. That might not have actually been the case for the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton though, who ended up selecting Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick. According to a section of Seth Wickersham’s new book American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback, detailed by Jon Greenberg of The Athletic, Payton scouted Williams prior to the 2024 NFL draft and had doubts if he could “excel” at the NFL level. Per Wickersham, Payton “loved” Williams’s arm at USC, but “worried a little about his processing speed” and saw “too many easy completions left on the field, open receivers that Williams fails to spot quickly.” Payton has a formula that weighs negative plays, which Williams had a higher number on than either Nix or No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels. Additionally, Wickersham detailed that Payton questioned how Williams would handle failure. Those concerns from Payton got put to the test during Williams’s tumultuous rookie season. The Bears made multiple in-season changes to their coaching staff in 2024, and Chicago fell off after a 4-2 start to the season. Williams flashed his talent and upside at points throughout the year, but also had some concerning issues such as holding on to the ball too long which resulted in him taking a league-high 68 sacks. He appears to be in a better position to rebound and take the right steps forward in his career under new head coach Ben Johnson. The excerpt doesn’t specifically state if Payton would have actually taken Nix or another quarterback over Williams had the Broncos had a higher pick in last year’s draft. However, it’s no secret that Payton was enamored with Nix heading into the draft. |
| DETROITDan Campbell admits he’s motivated after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn became head coaches elsewhere. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: The Lions lost their top two assistant coaches this offseason when offensive coordinator Ben Johnson became head coach of the Bears and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn became head coach of the Jets. Lions head coach Dan Campbell knows that if his team struggles this season, questions will be raised about whether the coordinators meant more to the Lions’ success than the head coach. Campbell told WXYZ that he gets motivation from the thought of people thinking he can’t get the job done without Johnson and Glenn. “It’s not hard for me to find things that can drive you,” Campbell said. “That’s how I was as a player, that’s how I am as a coach. I’ll pull anything negative because it motivates me. So I would be lying if I said, ‘No, that doesn’t get me going a little bit.’ That’s the next challenge.” But Campbell said that ultimately, head coaches can only set a tone for the team and let the players do their jobs, and he said that if he has done his job right over the duration of his tenure in Detroit, by this point all of his players and assistant coaches should know what they’re doing without him. “If I really did this right, I should be able to just leave and these guys don’t miss a beat. If you really do your job, that can happen,” Campbell said. And if Campbell hopes to show that with the way he does his job, two coordinators can leave and the guys don’t miss a beat.– – -Thoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JARED GOFF: Goff’s standing in Tiers improved for a third consecutive year, resulting in career bests in ranking (eighth) and average vote (2.06). “Goff and Burrow are probably the two best anticipation throwers that I have seen lately, so you have to put him at a 1,” a head coach said. “You might put him at a 2 from a pure quarterback standpoint — he struggles to extend plays — but the guy has played at a 1 level for three years.” Goff has a league-high 96 touchdown passes over the past three seasons. “You will see this year if it is the coordinator or the quarterback, but I think it has been more the quarterback than advertised,” an exec said, noting that the Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. “Goff and Mayfield are legit guys who can get in a rhythm and dice you up. They are not as good as the top guys in Tier 1, but they deserve to be up there.” Eight voters placed Goff in Tier 3. “He’s a 3 because he needs the run game, he needs a defense, he needs all those things,” one of these voters said. Goff’s five top-tier votes this year are two more than he has commanded in eight previous QB Tiers appearances combined. “He has definitely grown over the last couple years,” a defensive coordinator said. “Early in his career, if you got him to be just a dropback quarterback, he would make a lot more mistakes. He is better in that area as far as protecting the football. He has a good run game, they have a good team. I’m not going to hold that against him too much.” |
| GREEN BAYThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JORDAN LOVE: Love leveled off after his promising 2024 season, rising one spot in the rankings while his average tier vote improved by only four-hundredths of a point. Knee and groin injuries limited him at times last season. “I do like his accuracy, his athleticism and his arm strength,” one exec said. “The vision and processing holds me back a little bit.” Opinions surrounding Love were varied and fascinating. “When we faced him last year, I felt like if you could get to him, you could rattle him,” a defensive coach said. “He distributes the ball, and they have big skill (players who are) tough to bring down. That is how he makes his hay. I do not watch him and think, ‘Oh, he is f—ing people up.'” Another coach saw it the other way around, contending the Packers could do more for Love. “Jordan does a great job,” this coach said. “He has a mastery of their offense, he handles multiple cadences and tempos well, and if anything, I think his growth is stifled a little by playing the coach’s offense as opposed to doing more of what Jordan would excel doing.” A defensive coach also found the Packers’ offense interesting. “When we played them, I was like, ‘Man, this ball is going downfield — he don’t give a s—,'” this coach said. “You don’t see a lot of quarterbacks play like that these days. It’s almost like they build it into their offense and see the benefits of making you defend the whole field and hitting a couple in exchange for a pick or two. “It was interesting playing him. I came away thinking there is something different about this kid.” Love led the NFL with 35 passes traveling 30 or more yards downfield. His 11 interceptions included throws traveling 34, 21, 14, 13, 13, 13 and 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. “He is like what you wish Geno Smith was,” an offensive coach said. “He is a little bit of a gunslinger, and at times it gets him in trouble, but he is more consistently good than bad, where Geno is more toward the middle or back of that. Jordan has the physical talent to get away with it better.” |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASWith all the focus on EDGE MICAH PARSONS, CB DaRON BLAND is hoping to get some of Jerry’s Money. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: Micah Parsons isn’t the only Dallas Cowboys player looking for a new contract before Week 1. Cornerback DaRon Bland said that his reps and the Cowboys have had “some talks” about an extension. He hopes it could be done before the 2025 season opener. “I do, but I’m not here to talk about it really too much,” Bland said, via the team’s official website. “But yeah, hopefully.” After his 2023 All-Pro season, in which he earned a league-high nine interceptions and set the NFL record with five pick-sixes, Bland faced setbacks in 2024. Injuries limited him to just seven games, and he didn’t record an INT. Now entering the final year of his contract, Bland is set to earn $5.346 million in base salary. Given his injury experience, inking a new deal before the season would bring some reassurance. “I was the guy that didn’t have too many offers out of high school,” Bland said. “I had one offer, so I went to Sac State, played three years, and then went to Fresno [State] and didn’t start until four games into the season. Just stuff like that. Just keep going. You’ll never know when your opportunity is going to come.” Last month, the Cowboys locked up tight end Jake Ferguson with an extension, proving once again that new deals can get done — even while the Parsons drama hangs overhead. – – – Thoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB DAK PRESCOTT: Prescott slipped lower in Tiers than at any point since 2019 after missing nine games to injury last season. He still remained solidly within Tier 2. “I’m not necessarily worried about anything when I play him, but he’s just solid,” a defensive coordinator said. “He will put the ball where it needs to be, he can scramble a little bit. If he has to carry it and throw it 50 times, you’ll get him a few times. I think he is still good. I started to 2 slash 3 him, but I think he is a 2.” Entering his 10th year, Prescott has as many seasons leading the league in average annual salary as he has playoff wins (two). Does any long-established QB need a deep postseason run more? “He has proven when it comes to the big games, he can’t win,” another defensive coach said. “I’ve had him as a 2 before, but over the years, it is the same thing over and over again.” The Cowboys infamously have not played in an NFC title game since the 1995 season, the longest drought in the conference. With six starts this season, Prescott will pass Tony Romo for the most by a Dallas quarterback during the drought. “That place is so funny — it just teeters with disaster,” an offensive coach said. “They put the expectations so high, they can never reach them. Dak has been fantastic for what he is. He plays past his draft status all the time. He plays past his physical abilities most of the time. And then it catches up to him when it really matters the most.” |
| PHILADELPHIAThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JALEN HURTS: Hurts’ standing in Tiers barely changed after his Eagles won the Super Bowl with a run-oriented offense, a stacked roster and high-level production from Hurts on the biggest stage. “Jalen does everything the right way for how they have been built,” an offensive coordinator said. “I see him as a really good player on a team with a bunch of really good players.” This is Hurts’ third consecutive season in Tier 2. “He has improved from the pocket, but when you play him, you still want him to beat you from there — that is the whole plan,” a head coach said. “If he can get out of the pocket in two-minute, he is effective as hell, and he has done it. But he has to do it with his legs in crunch time. The guys you want can do it with the arm and legs in crunch time.” Hurts has the lowest average tier vote for any quarterback coming off a Super Bowl victory since Eagles alum Nick Foles won as a backup after the 2017 season. This speaks to the Eagles’ ability to assemble top-notch rosters around their quarterbacks. Hurts also might be underrated. “This is going to sound like I don’t like him, but I do,” a GM said. “Just by the definition, I feel he is more of a 3. Am I on an island with that?” Nope: Eleven other voters also placed Hurts in Tier 3. “Hurts is always a tough one for me,” a former GM said. “I think he is a 3. They are very talented around him, and he is not as consistent as a passer. They have a strong defense, great playmakers, great offensive line. He is able to function that way. But I don’t know that he is the one that elevates them. That is not a slight. “He is a good player. But putting him in that 2 category, I don’t see that.” Hurts attempted 30 or more passes in each of the Eagles’ first four games last season, but only once thereafter as Philadelphia leaned into its run game. “They tried to throw it more early in the year,” a defensive coordinator said. “He could not do that, so they said, ‘Screw it, run the ball 40 times a game.’ I still gave Hurts a 2. He is a winner, and he can do it sometimes.” |
| WASHINGTONThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JAYDEN DANIELS: No second-year QB has made a higher Tiers debut than Daniels. His 1.71 average and 17 top-tier votes break the records C.J. Stroud set last year. Stroud had eclipsed 2021 Justin Herbert. “What I respect most is it never seems too big for him,” a defensive coordinator said of Daniels. “He would stand in the pocket and deliver the ball. Once we saw him running around, it was, ‘OK, he is going to be a problem.'” Daniels became the only rookie starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era to reach a conference championship game without a top defense (Washington ranked 24th in defensive EPA per play, per TruMedia). “He’s a 2 with the arrow up,” another defensive coordinator said. “He can run, he can throw with accuracy and he’s really calm — the s— ain’t too big for him, and it’s easy to see when you are playing him. He doesn’t get flustered.” Daniels’ 891 yards rushing last season ranked second to Jackson among quarterbacks. He is among 10 QBs in league history to average at least 50 yards rushing per game in 14-plus starts. The others: Jackson, Justin Fields, Bobby Douglass, Michael Vick, Randall Cunningham, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray. Daniels might already be a better passer than most of those. “He is probably the best passer in our division,” a voter from one of Washington’s NFC East rivals said. “He is really good.” Daniels commanded 13 more Tier 1 votes than the rest of the NFC East combined (Hurts got three, while Dak Prescott got one). “This dude has got arm, legs and processing,” another defensive coordinator said of Daniels. “He just took his team to the championship game with a non-championship-caliber roster.” Can Daniels sustain it? Stroud regressed after a stellar rookie season. Also, opponents seemed to figure out Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury when he was in Arizona, where another dual-threat QB, Murray, failed to sustain early promise. “I think he is tremendous,” a head coach said of Daniels. “I don’t want to ‘1’ him because I want to see another year. Get me halfway through that second year and I’ll have a good feel. The defensive coordinators will have all had their shot.” |
| NFC SOUTH |
| TAMPA BAYThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB BAKER MAYFIELD: Another strong season in Tampa pushed Mayfield to career bests in ranking (11th) and average tier vote (2.30). “He went from being a wild man to being a contained wild man now,” an offensive coach said. “He is still going to turn the ball over here and there, but he can elevate everyone around him through his style of play.” Mayfield’s 33 votes in Tier 2 were one fewer than he commanded over the past five years combined. “He has matured,” a defensive coach said. “Think of this: Same guy who was wearing a bath robe in a commercial when he played for the Browns?” Mayfield has gone from Dave Canales to Liam Coen to Josh Grizzard as his offensive coordinator in three years with the Buccaneers. “To his credit, he has different coordinators the last few years, and he is getting progressively better,” an exec said. “His ability and playmaking has helped him get back to the place where he was drafted, first overall.” Canales and Coen had never been primary play callers in the NFL. Both became head coaches after one season with Mayfield. “You look at his path, s—, talk about playing your best ball with your back against the wall,” a head coach said. “Gotta give him a 2.” Does Mayfield’s status as a No. 1 pick give him the benefit of the doubt over, say, Brock Purdy, who entered the NFL as Mr. Irrelevant? “Baker has more playmaking ability — he can carry it a little bit more,” one voter said. Purdy has benefited from playing in the same system. “Purdy is a better, quicker decision-maker, and he sees it, and he has a little more touch on the passes, whereas Baker throws that b—- hard,” another defensive coach said. “He lacks some touch and may not get it out of there as quickly as the other guy.” Mayfield’s ability to transcend systems works in his favor. “You can see their design,” a defensive coordinator said of the Bucs. “You can see the play selection. More of the throws are going outside. I think they are opening his line of vision because he is a smaller guy. That is where I feel like Liam did a good job fitting the system around him.”– – -Dan Pompei of The Athletic has a nice story on Bucs GM Jason Licht. We pick it up in the middle as he goes through Licht’s metamorphisis into a GM obsessed with personal character above all: The first pick he made with the Bucs in 2014, wide receiver Mike Evans, verified the importance of emphasizing character. Evans has had 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, tied for an NFL record. Moreover, his selflessness, coachability, intensity and community servantship have set the standard for every Buc who followed. “The perfect pick,” Licht calls him. The next year, the Bucs had the first pick in the draft and needed a quarterback to get the ball to Evans. Jameis Winston, who had a Heisman Trophy and national championship on his resume, was in many ways the logical choice. But Winston had been investigated for sexual assault, and details were murky. Licht did his research. Then he asked his wife, Blair, to meet with Winston. Blair came with one of their three children, Theo, who was about 16 months old. Theo was fussing. Winston took Theo from Blair, played with him and comforted him. Theo stopped crying. Winston connected with Blair, too. “I really loved Jameis,” says Blair, who remains a sounding board for her husband on football matters 19 years into their marriage. “So after that and a lot of discussions with his scouts and owners, Jason felt more comfortable making the decision.” Her husband didn’t always get it right with character, however. In his first year, he signed offensive tackle Anthony Collins and defensive end Michael Johnson as free agents. Neither justified their contracts, and both were cut after one season. “I would say they had a passion problem,” Licht says. In the draft that year, he regrettably chose tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round. The Bucs cut him at the start of his third season after he was arrested for driving under the influence for the second time. Vernon Hargreaves was the team’s first-round pick in 2016. The cornerback coasted through his first three seasons before Bruce Arians benched him for what the coach said was a lack of hustle. The Bucs released him two days later. “He just didn’t want to be part of a team,” Licht says. In March 2017, Licht took a chance on dazzling but challenging wideout DeSean Jackson in free agency. He didn’t blend with the quarterback or his coaches, and the waves he created didn’t justify the production. “The me now would never sign DeSean Jackson,” says Licht, who traded him after two years. In hindsight, Licht believes he was fooled in 2019 when he chose linebacker Devin White in the first round. White was a starter for the better part of five years for the Bucs but eventually was let go. He’s with his third team since. “Knowing what I know now, he would have been off my board,” Licht says. “It was too much about him.” By the time he chose White, Licht had been with the Bucs five years and had a record of 27-53. He hadn’t yet gone under but could feel the pull of the undertow. Licht thought he might be replaced with a new GM. Instead, he became one. That year, Licht studied his misses and identified the whys. He pondered the careers of Bucs greats such as Mike Alstott, John Lynch, Warren Sapp and Ronde Barber, who has become his close friend. Then he studied successful players he had been associated with on other teams, such as Brian Dawkins, Rob Gronkowski, Brian Westbrook and Mike Vrabel. Each was the kind of teammate who brought out the best in others. They were all accountable, competitive, confident, passionate and resilient — those were the qualities Licht and his staff would be unbending about moving forward. Licht, who signed a contract extension earlier this summer, believes his 2025 roster is devoid of players who don’t fit the mold he and his staff created in 2019. Since then, his record is 58-42 with five playoff appearances in six years. Walter’s Press Box Sports Emporium, aka The Press Box, opened in 1978 down the street from where the Bucs played, and these days is either showing its age or its character, depending on perspective. It’s the kind of sports bar found in many cities, with beer bucket specials and 40 Stephen A. Smiths screaming in high def. The Press Box is Licht’s second office. Licht orders a Blue Moon and a basket of wings — during happy hour, wings cost $1 a piece — while presiding over staff meetings there on weeknights, though Blair suspects he goes mostly to play Golden Tee. In his defense, Licht was in The Press Box with his lieutenants eight years ago when the Bucs agreed to a contract with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. At some of his Press box gatherings, Licht has invited Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper and his staff. They do more than watch games. “I’ve talked to him in depth about what he values in players, and it’s very similar to what I value,” Cooper says. “It comes down to a lot of team dynamics, and it’s not so much about the guy that runs the fastest or jumps the highest. There’s a bigger component of piecing all of that together, and I think Jason is a master at that.” Licht is tight with other team builders, including Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who introduced Licht to Blair, Seahawks general manager John Schneider and former right-hand man John Spytek, now in charge of the Raiders. But you don’t have to be a big shot to be his buddy. At every game during the Bucs’ Super Bowl season, he wore a Metallica T-shirt under his suit jacket and dress shirt. So when Metallica came to Raymond James Stadium in June, Licht had every seat accounted for in his suite as well as the suite belonging to coach Todd Bowles, which Bowles graciously donated and catered. Among Licht’s many guests were Cooper, his closest friend from Yuma, his closest friend from college, a Bucs chiropractor, a Bucs video director and his son, a team flight attendant and her husband, and Licht’s three barbers, distinguishable by their tattoos and ear gauges. Before the stadium began shaking, Licht was atingle about meeting Metallica frontman James Hetfield in the tunnel leading to the field. “I was so afraid of what I was going to say to him,” Licht says. “I mean, there’s Michael Jordan, James Hetfield, God …” Joebucsfan.com, which deftly delivers Bucs news and opinions, sometimes with a wink, often has referred to Licht as the “AC/DC-loving general manager.” It’s a title he chuckles about. “The thing that stands out about him is he isn’t afraid to laugh at himself,” says Bucs vice president of player personnel Mike Biehl, who came to the Bucs with Licht and was with him for the concert. “He’s just a good guy at his core, and I think that kind of bleeds into everything that we try to do here as a staff.” Licht posted photos of the Metallica experience on Instagram. He also posts pictures of Blair and their kids, Charlie, 16, Zoe, 14, and Theo, 11. The Licht family eats dinner together most nights, even if it isn’t until 7:30. Sometimes, the kids use the opportunity to give their father football advice. Licht gives each of his children exclusive daddy time. He plays golf with Charlie. He takes Zoe to Starbucks before every game. And he caddies for Theo. They enjoy going through his vintage card collection, which includes thousands of cards — there’s Wilt Chamberlain, Hank Aaron and rookie Joe Montana. The collection belonged to Jason’s father, who gifted it to his son before he died in 2019 as a way to repay the financial help Jason had given him. It wasn’t necessary. His father had already given him so much. If not for Ron’s encouragement, Jason might be in the insurance business. His passion is player evaluation, and he tries to find time for it every day, watching tape in breaks between practices, meetings, negotiations and fire calls. Licht is always looking for that player who would rather be doing nothing other than what he’s doing. Whether or not he sees it that way, he’s always looking for that player who might be a little like Jason Licht. |
| NFC WEST |
| SAN FRANCISCOThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB BROCK PURDY: Purdy slid slightly, with seven fewer Tier 2 votes than in 2024, but opinions of him have not shifted fundamentally. “He does more on tape than I think a lot of guys can do in terms of the anticipation and accuracy,” an opposing coach said. “Yes, it faltered at times. I also got the sense he was playing through some things. But when he is healthy and on, I don’t think there are a lot of guys who are at the level he is at.” Purdy leads the NFL in EPA per pass play over the past three seasons. He was fifth in 2024. Tua Tagovailoa also ranks among the top five. Some voters compared the two players as beneficiaries of their environments. “When you play San Fran, you are thinking about (Christian) McCaffrey, you are thinking about (George) Kittle, you are thinking about (Brandon) Aiyuk,” a defensive coordinator said. “You know Purdy will get it to them, but you are not necessarily thinking about Purdy. You are facing their defense, all these skill guys, Kyle Shanahan.” The 49ers’ defense fell off last season, and the offense wasn’t the same without McCaffrey (Aiyuk also missed 10 games). Purdy could not save them from finishing 6-11. “He’s a facilitator for them,” the defensive coordinator added. One exec said Purdy possesses a conglomeration of winning skills and traits, with nothing special beyond his makeup. “Purdy doesn’t get enough credit,” a head coach said. “The draft is over, OK? The guy has played his ass off. Recognize that! He is not the last pick in the draft anymore. The guy is one win away from being a 1 for some people, if he won a Super Bowl.” |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYIt seems to be the position of TE TRAVIS KELCE that age isn’t the reason for his recent decline. He admits to being distracted. Grant Gordon of NFL.com: With the bright lights of Hollywood opportunity beckoning for Travis Kelce, did his production dim because of it? The Kansas City Chiefs 10-time Pro Bowler believes that could indeed be the case. Kelce’s 823 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions in 2024 were his lowest since a one-game rookie season more than a decade earlier. His drive to flourish in other endeavors could well have been the culprit in his slide. “I think it might have slipped a little bit because I did have a little bit more focus in trying to set myself up,” Kelce said in a GQ cover story that dropped Tuesday. “And opportunities came up where I was excited to venture into a new world of acting and being an entertainer. “I don’t say this as ‘I shouldn’t have done it.’ I’m just saying that my work ethic is such that I have so much pride in how I do things that I never want the product to tail off, and I feel like these past two years haven’t been to my standard.” Though his 2024 production was more glaring, as Kelce put his last two campaigns together, it’s notable that in 2023 he snapped a seven-season streak of 1,000-yard seasons — the most ever by a tight end. While Kelce’s numbers might have dipped, his star status has never been brighter. The beau of pop megastar Taylor Swift, Kelce hosted Saturday Night Live in March of 2023, not long after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII against his brother Jason Kelce’s Philadelphia Eagles. Since then, he appeared in five episodes of FX’s Grotesquerie and had a role in Netflix’s recently released Happy Gilmore 2. There’s also his hugely popular New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce podcast. That same pod’s newest episode is set to drop on Wednesday with Swift making her first appearance. Unsurprisingly, it’s expected to be one of the most listened-to podcasts of all time. |
| LOS ANGELES CHARGERSThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JUSTIN HERBERT: The downward trend for Herbert among Tiers voters is clear. After peaking with 36 top-tier votes in 2022, the number has fallen to 29, 19 and now 13. “A lot of people have him as an automatic 1,” an offensive coordinator said. “I want him to take it. It seems like he is almost there, but he hasn’t really done it.” The talent is obvious. “He is just a little bit robotic,” a defensive coordinator said. “You can tell, the way he processes everything, it is a click slower than some of the elites, but he is a stud — he is really good.” Shifting to a more run-oriented offense under coach Jim Harbaugh is another factor. “He is probably like Joe Burrow lite,” another voter said. “Good player, can make all the throws, can decipher and operate. If they had more around him and he kept maturing, maybe there is some more there.” This voter thought the Chargers needed to add weaponry. “They have like 18 running backs out there now,” he said. “They were so dependent on one receiver (Ladd McConkey) that we felt good matching up against everyone else.” Voters wanted to see more from Herbert in critical moments. “He’s very smart and very competitive, but he lets little things distract him,” an offensive coach said. “He needs to forget about the little things. Jim (Harbaugh) will point that out to him and get it right. This will be a big year for him.” |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIDon’t say Bengals OC Dan Pitcher didn’t tell you to draft RB CHASE BROWN in your Fantasy league: The Cincinnati Bengals have made no secret of the plan to make Chase Brown the focal point of their rushing attack this season. “I believe Chase Brown is a top-10 back in the league,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said, via The Associated Press. “Certainly, you don’t want to burn the guy out. You also want to make sure your most explosive players are on the field and ready to touch the ball as many times as possible.” A fifth-round pick in 2023, Brown burst out last season as his usage shot through the roof. He generated 990 yards and seven touchdowns on 229 rushes and added 54 catches for 360 yards, in 16 games played (sat Week 18 with an ankle injury). This offseason, the Bengals have reimagined their running game around Brown, tailoring the scheme to amplify what the third-year back does best. “At the end of the conversation, it wasn’t about what we think looks good on the board,” running backs coach Justin Hill said. “(It was) what is Chase good at? How can we showcase his tools in the run game and in the pass game? Where we have in the run game right now is pretty true to who we think Chase is and what he can be.” In his breakout campaign, Brown finished second on the Bengals with 1,350 scrimmage yards and 11 scrimmage TDs, behind only Ja’Marr Chase. The running back really hit his stride down the stretch when the Bengals used him as the primary backfield weapon. From Weeks 9-17, Brown generated 23.6 touches per game, second in the NFL, and 116.3 scrimmage yards per game, fourth in the NFL, per NFL Research. “Sometimes, I think about the stretch I’ve had and the improvements that I’ve made,” Brown said. “I try to just stay in the moment. As cliché as it sounds. As much as I am thinking ahead sometimes, I’m really trying to just stay in the moment and focus on what plays I can make right now. The improvements I can make at practice. Learning opportunities I can take away and learn from right now, so when Week 1 comes, we’re full speed.” The release of Zack Moss earlier this offseason made Brown the clear lead back. Samaje Perine returns but profiles more as a trusty backup used in case of injury. Sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks could be a wild card if he impresses in the final two preseason games (earned 2.6 YPC on 10 totes last week). As more teams use a committee approach to the backfield, Brown should see a heavier rep load than most. In an offense designed around the passing attack, the RB’s dual-threat ability is a perfect fit in the Joe Burrow-led offense. |
| PITTSBURGHQB AARON RODGERS has been forced to go shopping for a new helmet – and he is not happy about it. Nick Shook of NFL.com: When he decided to play a 21st NFL season, Aaron Rodgers outlasted another seasoned veteran: his helmet. The NFL’s annual laboratory testing finally forced the retirement of Rodgers’ preferred helmet model, the Schutt Air XP Pro Q11 LTD, a 2012 version of Rodgers’ helmet of choice throughout his two decade-long career. That meant Rodgers would need to try a few different models — while still being perhaps the only active player to wear the soft cup chin strap — before the start of the 2025 campaign. So far, he’s not having fun shopping. “Yeah, I still don’t like it,” Rodgers said, via team transcript. “No, I’m trying to change. We’re in the process still. It looks like a darn spaceship out there. “We have to change it. The face mask doesn’t fit the helmet because that’s an old face mask obviously just like I’m old, but we’re trying to find the right helmet right now.” The combination of an old (and incredibly simple) facemask with a new helmet model has indeed made for a cartoonish appearance for Rodgers resembling the Great Gazoo character from The Flintstones. It’s the best he could do to assemble the most familiar setup possible, but even Rodgers has admitted he’ll have to accept at least some change. “I can’t stand the helmet,” Rodgers said in June, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “I’ve worn a Schutt for 20 years and somehow it finally didn’t pass the safety standard.” The model Rodgers wore lasted remarkably long given the NFL’s rigorous testing and safety standards, which routinely force the retirement of newer models than Rodgers’ Q11. Fortunately for the quarterback, he’ll have a few more weeks to figure out what he wants to wear before the season begins. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB C.J. STROUD: Stroud remained solidly within Tier 2 despite suffering the fifth-largest year-over-year fall in average vote. “He got rattled because of his offensive line, and you saw that in his play,” one defensive coordinator said. “When I watched them, I felt like he felt the rush. Because of that, I still think the talent is in there.” Stroud got one Tier 1 vote, down from 12 last year. “Everybody wants to downgrade C.J.,” another defensive coordinator said. “His No. 1 receiver was out, the line did not play great, the run game wasn’t there like it should have been.” This voter saw Stroud as a low 2. “I read an article, they said it’s time for him to take the next step,” an offensive coach said. “What is the next step? It’s time for his team to take the next step. He’s pretty damn productive.” Two voters compared Stroud to the Packers’ Love. “Very similar to Love in that some of the disguises, he’ll hold the ball quite a bit, take some sacks, throw it into coverage at times,” one of these voters said. “The decision-making can be average.” The defensive coordinator who faced Stroud did raise concerns over the quarterback’s 86-yard game against the Packers. “He can carry the team,” this coordinator said. “He is special in my eyes because he can throw from the pocket, he can throw off-schedule, he has been really good with the game on the line. The one thing that would sway me to go to a 3 was his performance at Green Bay. I wasn’t crazy about the play calls at the end, but if he had won that game, he would be a solid 2. He is a 2-3 to me.” |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOHarmony in Buffalo as RB JAMES COOK has a new deal. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com: Running back James Cook and the Buffalo Bills have reached agreement on a four-year, $48 million contract extension that includes $30 million guaranteed, his agents, Zac Hiller and Matt Leist of LAA, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday. The Bills announced Wednesday that they had signed Cook to a four-year extension. It comes a day after Cook returned to Bills practice Tuesday following a four-day hold-in that resulted in the running back missing Buffalo’s first preseason game. Cook was in full uniform and fully participated throughout Tuesday’s session. “James could only envision himself as a Buffalo Bill,” Hiller said. “We are extremely thankful to the entire Bills organization and glad we could make that happen.” The Bills had maintained that they wanted to pay Cook throughout the offseason, with negotiations beginning early in the offseason and running into training camp. Bills general manager Brandon Beane told reporters that Cook ending his hold-in was part of an understanding that the running back needed to practice to continue to negotiate. Beane said there was good faith from both sides to reach a deal, which was completed Tuesday night. Cook is a two-time Pro Bowler and Buffalo’s lead running back, but he’s still part of a group. He was on the field for just over 45% of offensive plays last year, with Ty Johnson often coming in on late downs and Ray Davis also getting some opportunities. James Cook’s new deal continues a busy offseason for the Bills, who have reached extensions with a number of key players: BILLS DEALS IN 2025 Player TermsQB Josh Allen 6 years, $330MDE Gregory Rousseau 4 years, $80MCB Christian Benford 4 years, $76MWR Khalil Shakir 4 years, $53MLB Terrell Bernard 4 years, $50MRB James Cook 4 years, $48M |
| NEW YORK JETSIt’s always tough when a backup QB has to miss his preseason snaps, but that’s what the Jets face with QB TYROD TAYLOR. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com: New York Jets backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor will miss the remainder of the preseason after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery to correct an ailment that has sidelined him for more than a week. It was termed a “minor scope” by coach Aaron Glenn, though he couldn’t say for sure that Taylor will be ready for the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 7. “I don’t think he’ll be playing in the preseason,” Glenn said Tuesday after a joint practice with the New York Giants. “But, hopefully, he’ll be ready for Week 1.” Taylor, 36, entrenched as the No. 2 quarterback behind Justin Fields, has battled injuries throughout his career. In recent years, he has suffered injuries to his ribs, wrist, hamstring and head (concussion), not to mention a punctured lung after a pain-killing injection by the Los Angeles Chargers team doctor in 2020. The Jets’ other quarterbacks are former UFL standout Adrian Martinez and undrafted rookie Brady Cook, who limped off the field Tuesday with an injured ankle. It’s not believed to be serious, Glenn said. If Taylor can’t make it back for the opener, the Jets would go into the game without an experienced backup. Martinez, who spent last season on the practice squad, has no regular-season experience. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| GRUDEN REACTSJon Gruden is excited to get to the truth now that the Nevada Supreme Court has paved the way for regular litigation and not the arbitration procedure controlled by the defendant. Don Van Natta, Jr. of ESPN.com: Jon Gruden said Tuesday he is eager to discover the truth in a Nevada courtroom about whether commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL leaked emails to the media before Gruden was forced to resign as Las Vegas Raiders coach in 2021. “I’m looking forward to having the truth come out and I want to make sure what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else,” he said in a statement provided to ESPN. Gruden said he blames the NFL for leaking the emails, which led the league to pressure the Raiders to force him out when the team was 3-1. “The league’s actions disrupted the whole season,” Gruden said. “We were leading the division at the time, and they completely blindsided me and the team.” He added, “What happened wasn’t right and I’m glad the court didn’t let the NFL cover it up.” Gruden’s comments came a day after the Nevada Supreme Court sided with him in his lawsuit alleging the NFL leaked damaging emails to the media before he was forced to resign in October 2021. In a 5-2 ruling, the justices did not determine whether the league had leaked Gruden’s racist, sexist and anti-gay emails to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times at the time. But they found the league’s decision to force Gruden’s complaint into closed-door arbitration proceedings overseen by Goodell — the target of Gruden’s civil lawsuit — was “unconscionable.” An NFL spokesperson said Tuesday the league would petition the Nevada Supreme Court for a rehearing. If that fails, the most likely next venue will be an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Neither Gruden nor his lawyer, Adam Hosmer-Henner, would say whether they were inclined to settle the case with the NFL. Gruden declined to address his coaching future Tuesday. He said last week he was eager to return to coaching and added: “I’d die to coach in the SEC.” Hosmer-Henner said he was gratified that the Nevada Supreme Court blocked Goodell from overseeing an arbitration proceeding when he is a defendant in a lawsuit. “The NFL’s legal position is absurd and will continue to be rejected by every court,” Hosmer-Henner told ESPN. “Obviously, the NFL should not be allowed to be the judge of claims against the NFL or force people to comply with contracts that the NFL can unilaterally change any time it wants without notice.” The five justices of the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Monday that as a former employee, Gruden should not have been bound by an NFL constitution provision mandating arbitration for such complaints. Gruden’s leaked emails were sent in 2011 while he was working for ESPN as a “Monday Night Football” analyst. “By its own unambiguous language, the NFL Constitution no longer applies to Gruden,” the five justices wrote. “If the NFL Constitution were to bind former employees, the Commissioner could essentially pick and choose which disputes to arbitrate.” On Monday, Hosmer-Henner lauded the Nevada Supreme Court decision, saying it was a victory not just for Gruden but for all employees facing “an employer’s unfair arbitration process.” “This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden’s reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable,” Hosmer-Henner said. Gruden’s lawsuit alleges that Goodell and the league pressured Raiders owner Mark Davis to fire the coach by leaking emails containing offensive comments that Gruden sent about the commissioner and others in the NFL. Gruden won at the district court level. The NFL appealed to Nevada’s high court after a state judge in Las Vegas in May 2022 rejected league bids to dismiss Gruden’s claim outright or to order out-of-court settlement talks that could be overseen by Goodell. A year ago, a three-judge panel of the Nevada Supreme Court decided the league could move Gruden’s civil case into arbitration that might be overseen by Goodell. Two justices said Gruden knew when he signed a 10-year contract with the Raiders in 2018 that the NFL used arbitration to resolve disputes. The dissenting justice wrote that it would be “outrageous” for Goodell to arbitrate a dispute in which he is named as a defendant. Gruden’s lawyers were granted an en banc hearing of all seven Nevada Supreme Court justices, who heard oral arguments last year. All four justices who heard the case for the first time sided with Gruden against the NFL. We’re not sure why the NFL thinks the Nevada Supreme Court would re-hear a case that it just decided. And does the NFL really want to lose at the US Supreme Court and have the arbitration procedure thrown out in a binding precedent for everyone? |
