| Both Steelers WR DK METCALF and Chargers LB DENZEL PERRYMAN failed to persuade appeals officers that NFL Justice had gone overboard with its two-game suspensions of each First, Metcalf. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: In the least surprising development of the month, the NFL has upheld the two-game suspension the NFL imposed on Steelers receiver DK Metcalf. Metcalf’s punishment flowed from his interaction with a fan during Sunday’s Lions-Steelers game in Detroit. The league concluded that Metcalf had engaged in conduct detrimental to the NFL. That determination bypassed the usual hearing-officer process and delegated the appeal to the Commissioner or his designee. If the initial two-game punishment was imposed with the Commissioner’s knowledge or consent (surely, they ran it by him), why would he change his mind one day later? Actually, former NFL coach Chris Palmer heard the appeal. Charean Wiliams, also of Pro FootballTalk.com on Perryman: Appeals officer Jordy Nelson upheld the two-game suspension of Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman on Tuesday. Perryman will miss Saturday’s game against the Texans and the Week 18 game against the Broncos. The league suspended him on Monday for repeated violations of player-safety rules. Perryman was flagged for unnecessary roughness for delivering a forcible blow to the helmet of Cowboys receiver Ryan Flournoy while Flournoy was on the ground after making a catch during the second quarter of Sunday’s game. That action violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(b), which prohibits “using any part of the helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.” In 10 games, Perryman made 47 tackles and three pass breakups. He previously served a two-game suspension in 2023 while with the Texans for repeated violations of player-safety rules. Perryman is eligible to return to the Chargers’ active roster on Monday, Jan. 5. The NFL and NFLPA have three jointly appointed hearing officers, with Derrick Brooks and Ramon Foster the others.– – -This from PFF_Nikky (who is not affiliated with PFF, by the way): @PFF_NickyIn the past 9 years, every team that has won the superbowl has had at least a top 11 offense and a top 13 defense. Every team that has made it has had at least a top 11 offense. There are currently 5 teams that fit the SB winning criteria:RamsPatriotsJaguarsBearsBills |
| NFC NORTH |
| MINNESOTAAnother injury for QB J.J. McCARTHY. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss another game. Coach Kevin O’Connell announced Tuesday that McCarthy suffered a small hairline fracture in his throwing hand and will miss Thursday’s game against the Detroit Lions. The QB could play the Week 18 finale against the Green Bay Packers. “He does have a very, very small hairline fracture that was discovered in his hand,” O’Connell said of McCarthy. “We are not expecting to have him this week. I do not think this is anything that will require surgery. Recovery’s kind of similar to a bone bruise.” Max Brosmer will make his second start of the season. McCarthy exited Sunday’s 16-13 win over the New York Giants after suffering the injury late in the first half. The 7-8 Vikings have gone 5-4 in games McCarthy has started this season. The second-year quarterback has completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. McCarthy has flashed upside in a turbulent season but can’t stay on the field. The 2024 No. 10 overall pick missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury and missed previous games this season due to an ankle sprain and a concussion. The Vikings have won three consecutive games ahead of two NFC North matchups to finish the season. O’Connell has supported McCarthy throughout his injury-plagued campaign, but heading into the offseason, the quarterback position will be under the spotlight in Minnesota. At the very least, the Vikings need legitimate competition and insurance if McCarthy’s injuries persist. “I’ve been really, really happy and proud of the way J.J., through the final stanza of the season here, was really, really took some big steps and grown,” O’Connell said. “It’s been a blast being with him every day and being along that ride with him, although we’ve lost time. … That doesn’t take away from the growth we’ve seen from J.J. He’s dialed in. He was out here for the walk-throughs and wants to stay 100% locked and loaded in the hopes of returning next week, hopefully. But obviously, we’re going to be smart with him and see where it takes us.” |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYThere is a 13.5-point spread for a game at Arrowhead Stadium – and it is the Chiefs getting all those points. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: It’s been a decade since the Broncos beat the Chiefs in Kansas City. If the Chiefs extend that streak on Christmas night, it will be a major surprise. With both Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew out due to knee injuries, the options at quarterback for the home team are Chris Oladukon and Shane Buechele. And the Chiefs are 6-9. And the Broncos are 12-3. As a result, the Broncos are currently favored by 13.5 points. What does Denver coach Sean Payton think about the double-digit point spread? “We don’t really pay attention to that,” Payton told reporters. “We try to stay in touch with the game. This game specifically — every one of these players understands the significance of where we’re at with two games left in the season. We don’t really follow the spread honestly. There’s just too many other things — this is a three-day work week, so today’s meeting this morning was where we’re at, the opponent we’re playing, what has taken place since the last time we played them. There’s carryover. I think for both teams on a short week, there are defenses and offenses maybe, plays that neither one of got to use in the first game that still may apply. So that helps.” It also helps that the Chiefs are extremely shorthanded at the most important position on the team, and that they’re playing out the string for the first time since 2012, during Romeo Crennel’s lone (and disastrous) 2-14 season as head coach. That led to the arrival of Andy Reid in 2013, followed by a run of relevance that never (until last Sunday against the Titans) had the Chiefs playing a game while eliminated from playoff contention. And it has resulted in the Chiefs beating the Broncos at home every year since 2016, capped by last year’s improbable victory on the last-play block of a potential game-winning Denver field goal. It likely won’t be so close this time around. After three straight Super Bowl runs, and five in six seasons, the combination of fatigue, disappointment, and the inherent distractions of a holiday week could be the ingredients for the Broncos covering the spread easily. Throw in the fact that the Chiefs and Kansas timed the announcement that the team will leave Arrowhead Stadium after the 2030 season, and plenty of fans may decide to take Christmas off from their commitment to show up and support the team. The only question, frankly, is whether anyone will bother to watch the standalone prime-time game on Prime Video. If they do, the reason won’t be to watch the Chiefs. Unless, of course, the goal is to enjoy watching them lose, after so many seasons of dominating Denver, and pretty much the rest of the league. |
| LOS ANGELES CHARGERSThe last time QB JUSTIN HERBERT played against the Texans, he just wasn’t very good. And he has not forgot the horrors of that Wild Card Game. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: As the Los Angeles Chargers prepare to face the Houston Texans in a pivotal Week 17 showdown, quarterback Justin Herbert has vivid memories of the last time he faced DeMeco Ryans’ defense. The Chargers flopped in a 2024 Wild Card loss to the Texans, in which Herbert threw a career-high four interceptions in the 32-12 defeat. The Pro Bowl QB isn’t running from the recollection. “It was one of those things that you continue to think about,” Herbert said via ESPN. “No one felt worse than I did after that game. And I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened. It would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened and to live in this reality where if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s doing any good.” Herbert earned a career-worst 43.8 completion percentage, going 14-of-32 passing for 242 yards with a TD and the four INTs for a career-low 40.9 passer rating in the wild-card defeat. It marked the only career NFL or college game in which Herbert threw 3-plus INTs or a completion percent below 45, per NFL Research. Herbert’s four interceptions in the 2024 Wild Card were the most by a Chargers QB in a playoff game since Stan Humphries threw four in their 1995 Wild Card Round loss to the Colts. Herbert was bamboozled by the Houston pass rush last January, taking four sacks and getting pressured on 39% of his dropbacks. The Chargers continue to deal with offensive line issues this season, with multiple starters going down with injuries. Those same concerns will be in play Saturday. “I think that’s going to be really important, is just ball security in this game,” he said. “Just understanding that we got to do those three things: ball security, scoring points in the red zone and converting on third down.” The Chargers clinched a playoff berth in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-2009 (the first four seasons with Philip Rivers as the starting QB). Jim Harbaugh’s 11-4 club can control its path to an AFC West title. A victory over Houston would set up a winner-take-all Week 18 matchup with the Broncos in Denver — the Chargers beat the Broncos 23-20 in Week 3 and would have a head-to-head tiebreaker if both teams finish with the same record. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREDan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com note that the Ravens have some thinking to do about QB LAMAR JACKSON and his contract: Graziano: I’ve brought this up a few times, and I’m still not sure how likely it is that there’s a change here, but the Ravens have to do something with Lamar Jackson’s contract or move on. He has two years left at $51.25 million per year in base salary, but none of his remaining money is guaranteed — and the cap hit for next year balloons to $74.5 million. The Ravens need to extend him to get that cap hit down, or else they need to trade him, which obviously would open up yet another QB1 position for next season. Jackson has a no-trade clause, so he’d have some say in this if the Ravens decided to explore options. They wouldn’t be replacing him with a better player, because there really aren’t any better players. But given that Jackson and coach John Harbaugh have won a total of three playoff games together since Jackson was drafted in 2018, it might be worth it for the Ravens to examine whether a new extension in excess of $60 million per year is the best way for them to build their team moving forward. Fowler: Good call, Dan. It’s clearly a situation Baltimore must handle with care. From that lens, it’s worth noting that Jackson isn’t exactly having his best “contract year.” At the very least, his play is below his normal MVP standards. He has sat out three games and could sit out a fourth with his latest injury, a back contusion. Baltimore probably will miss the playoffs for the second time in his career. Such contract decisions are easier for the front office when the player and team are peaking at season’s end, not declining. |
| CINCINNATIDan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com ponder whether or not QB JOE BURROW wants out of the Queen City of the Ohio: What are you hearing on Joe Burrow? Could he actually want out of Cincinnati?Graziano: I think it’s unlikely he wants out. People have been trying to get him out of Cincinnati since before the Bengals even drafted him, and he has never expressed any desire to not be there. Theories about what was bothering him at that news conference a couple of weeks ago are wide-ranging, with some believing he was going through something difficult off the field, and others believing he’s sick of the way the Bengals operate. We don’t know for sure, but I don’t get the sense the Bengals are worried he’s going to force his way out. Fowler: Same, Dan. My sense is the Bengals have not received any indication that Burrow wants out of Cincinnati. One team source believed that Burrow was simply having a “bad day” two weeks ago at that initial news conference that sparked the consternation, saying, “I truly think he wants to be here,” and that he has been great in game prep. Assuming the Bengals will run it back with coach Zac Taylor, whose contract runs through the 2027 season, then all signs point to Burrow staying with the franchise next season. But it feels like a crucial year for both the direction of the franchise and Burrow’s place within it. Would Burrow like to see improvements to the roster and the overall strength of the team? Most likely. But even then, league executives I’ve spoken to see no chance Cincinnati ever considers trading him. He’s under contract for four more seasons. Graziano: That’s the thing, right? He has been vocal in the past about decisions he’d like to see the team make, most prominently last year when he openly lobbied for new deals for Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson. I don’t think he’s shy about expressing these sentiments in private, either, and if there are things he’d like the front office to do better, I’m confident the front office knows about them. A big part of the issue with Burrow at this point is whether he can stay healthy, but other than that weird Week 15 no-show against the Ravens, the Bengals have been an awfully good offense when Burrow has been healthy. They need to fix the other side of the ball. Fowler: Correct. The question is really pretty simple: Can the defense improve its personnel over the next four to five months? If it struggles mightily for another year, I could see Burrow being more forceful. There’s simply not enough talent on that side to make a run at the AFC North. A few draft picks — defensive end Myles Murphy and corners DJ Turner and Dax Hill — look like keepers. But that’s not enough. The Bengals will need to get creative in free agency and the draft to properly support Burrow and the offense. |
| CLEVELANDJason Lloyd of The Athletic on whether or not QB SHEDEUR SANDERS has done enough: Are we good here? Have we seen enough? Everybody get what they wanted? For all of those who spent the season clamoring for Shedeur Sanders believing he was the future of the position in Cleveland, he has now appeared in 5 1/2 games as the quarterback of the Browns and has worse metrics than Dillon Gabriel, who started 5 1/2 games this year and is so unpopular that his mere presence on the field for one snap Sunday elicited boos from the few hundred Browns fans who bothered to attend the 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Gabriel has a higher Expected Points Added per dropback than Sanders — although that isn’t really saying much since Gabriel and Sanders have the two lowest figures in the league this season. Sanders has thrown for more yards and is averaging more yards per attempt, but Gabriel has a higher completion percentage, a higher passer rating and a higher touchdown-to-interception ratio. This isn’t to make the case for Gabriel to start; it’s to illustrate that the long-term answer isn’t on this roster. The Browns are going to be in position to take a quarterback at the top of next year’s draft and they have no choice but to do it. Gabriel certainly doesn’t appear to be the answer and neither does Sanders, who had opportunities against Super Bowl contenders the past two weeks to really assert himself and responded by throwing one touchdown and five interceptions. Sanders’ minus-0.24 EPA/dropback in his six games this year is the lowest of any quarterback in the history of TruMedia’s database, which dates back to 2000. Lower than Ryan Leaf and Zach Wilson (both minus-0.19) and lower than JaMarcus Russell (minus-0.22), who was the worst on record until Sanders. Could he improve with more reps? Of course. Unfortunately, the Browns don’t have time to waste. They put themselves in this position to make quick judgments when they drafted two mid-to-late-round quarterbacks, and unless Jimmy Haslam lights a candle by his Arch Manning poster every night dreaming of 2027, no team with this glaring a need at quarterback can own a top-5 pick in consecutive drafts and not take one at the top of either draft. It would be a level of malpractice that not even the Browns would likely commit. Sanders and the Browns’ offense jogged onto the field with 7:05 left to play Sunday and a chance to win the game. They lost 5 yards on the drive because Sanders was sacked for a loss of 13 on fourth-and-2. He was sacked again on their final drive and also took an intentional grounding that nearly resulted in a safety, meaning the Browns lost 16 yards on their final two drives when they had a chance to pull off a stunning upset. On five fourth-down dropbacks this year, Sanders has been sacked three times, according to TruMedia, thrown one incompletion and scrambled for 6 yards on fourth-and-26 before giving himself up and sliding. When the Browns need something out of their quarterback in gotta-have-it moments, Sanders doesn’t have it. I’ve been told he still struggles to understand what he’s seeing at times. He doesn’t flip protections very often and he doesn’t have a feel for protection calls or when he’s hot. Some quarterbacks don’t like to flip protections at the line of scrimmage — even an accomplished veteran like Joe Flacco didn’t do it very often when he was here — but Flacco had the awareness to know when he was hot and knew how to get rid of the ball. Too often, Sanders does not. He waits for receivers to be open rather than throwing with anticipation, which leads to holding the ball too long and taking unnecessary sacks. In his defense, Sanders showed improvement Sunday in getting the ball out faster. His time to throw against the Bills was the quickest it has been all season. His average depth of target of 1.9 yards, however, was tied for the second-lowest in the league over the last two years, according to TruMedia, and his aDot was less than 1 yard for most of the game Sunday. Much of that can be attributed to the way the Bills defend with two high safeties. Sanders, to his credit, is trying to get better at reading what he’s seeing. Still, he needs to be elsewhere next season. Sanders is out of time to prove he’s the starter, and he can’t be the backup here behind another rookie. The noise surrounding him is too disruptive. Teams would tolerate all the noise if his play on the field warranted it. It has not to this point. Will the Browns live to regret giving up on him if he flourishes elsewhere? Perhaps, but they have no other choice. I briefly wondered if they could run it back with Sanders as their starter next year, use their top picks to fill other pressing needs and then target a quarterback in 2027 if it didn’t work with him. That was before they continued to creep up the draft board and before Sanders demonstrated against the Bears and Bills that he just isn’t ready yet. The Browns are up to third in the draft, and a loss next week to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home will nudge them up to second after someone wins between the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders. The Browns will leap the winner of that game based on strength of schedule. It’s not out of the question that the Browns could fumble their way into the top pick of the draft. It could mean a blowout of everybody currently employed at headquarters, but it could also mean the opportunity to take a franchise quarterback without having to trade other valuable pieces to move up. The Browns need to rebuild their offensive line and they need more playmakers on the outside. None of it will matter, however, until they fix quarterback. For those who may not understand why I keep referring to EPA as a guiding metric, it’s the best stat to remove emotion and simply look at the data. It takes into account down and distance, field position, time remaining, timeouts and venue (home or away). It is the single best metric for determining success at the most important position on the field. Throw out Sanders’ dismal performance when he was rushed into duty against the Baltimore Ravens, just study his first five starts, and the numbers aren’t much better. The names at the top of EPA/dropback through the first five career starts are names you’d expect to see, even with such a small sample size. Tony Romo, Patrick Mahomes, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger and Jayden Daniels are the top five since 2000. The top 20 is littered with other top names like Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, Aaron Rodgers and Justin Herbert. How can the Browns bet the long shot with the high draft pick they’re about to possess? The Browns appear to be running out of time. All of them. This coaching staff, front office and, yes, even Sanders. More new faces, more fresh starts. Same old Browns. |
| PITTSBURGHMike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on whether or not the “guarantees” in WR DK METCALF’s contract are indeed automatically “voided”: Receiver DK Metcalf’s two-game suspension supplies the Steelers with an important contractual hammer. They reportedly won’t be swinging it. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that the Steelers “have already reaffirmed their commitment to Metcalf for 2026 and beyond.” The report does not address whether the Steelers will be seeking repayment of $1.5 in signing bonus allocation for 2025. Pelissero and others claim that Metcalf’s future guarantees have automatically voided. Although Metcalf’s contract says the guarantees “shall be null and void” in the event of a suspension for conduct detrimental to the league, the usual approach is for the team to affirmatively void the guarantees, via a letter sent to the player. As one experienced agent explained it to PFT on Tuesday night, the standard practice is for the team to inform the player that the guarantees have been voided. It’s an important distinction. If the Steelers are required to take no action, Metcalf full $25 million guarantee for 2026 and his $20 million injury guarantee for 2027 are gone. If a letter is needed, they aren’t — unless and until they send the letter. And while they’re fine with him for now, that could change. Beyond the $25 million he’s owed for 2026, a serious injury that impacts his availability in 2027 would allow the Steelers to avoid the $20 million in injury guarantees. To summarize, the Steelers may have to affirmatively void the guarantees, regardless of the language in the contract. And if they assume the guarantees are voided and try to cut him later, they could lose the ensuing grievance. Regardless, it appears the Steelers won’t be pursuing the nuclear option of voiding all guarantees and cutting Metcalf after the season. Perhaps they’ll honor the guarantees, even if they’ve automatically voided. (It would be prudent for Metcalf’s agent to get that in writing, in the form a revised contract that confirms existence of the guarantees.) Even though Metcalf was clearly in the wrong, the Steelers’ protocol (if any) for keeping players from approaching the stands and initiating contact with fans failed. While they’re not responsible for what Metcalf did, they had a direct role in keeping it from happening. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| JACKSONVILLEThis: @Hayden_ReelPlayoff teams records against other playoff teams: Broncos 3-2Pats 2-2Jags 5-3Steelers 1-5Bills 3-2Chargers 3-1Texans 3-4 Seahawks 4-2Bears 3-1Eagles 2-3Panthers 2-449ers 3-3Rams 4-4Packers 2-4 And the media today will tell you that the Jags haven’t beaten anyone Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler on how the NFL assesses the Jaguars: What are people around the NFL saying about the Jaguars? Are they buying this run? Graziano: To some extent, yes. Multiple people have texted me since Sunday to say Liam Coen should be Coach of the Year because of the team’s 11-4 record and the apparent improvement in Trevor Lawrence’s play. First-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is also getting a lot of praise around the league for the way his unit has performed. And the trade deadline acquisition of Jakobi Meyers has been a difference-maker and allowed them to evolve an offense that’s averaging 33 points since the start of November. I think there is some skepticism — as there would be with any contender new on the scene — about how the Jaguars will perform in playoff games. But Lawrence does have a playoff win on his résumé, and the versatility of the Jaguars’ offense combined with how tough they are up front on defense definitely has the attention of other teams. Fowler: I’ve heard people say Coen is right there with Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel in first-year coaches at their respective spots who are vying for Coach of the Year. The job Coen has done with the roster and especially with Lawrence has been impressive. From footwork to decisiveness, Lawrence looks like a different quarterback, and Coen deserves credit for that. Keep in mind, this was an attractive job during the carousel. If GM Trent Baalke wasn’t in the picture early in the process, I think Jacksonville luring Johnson was a possibility. Jacksonville realized that it had a good job on paper and had to pivot off Baalke to get a prime candidate, making Coen an offer he couldn’t refuse. So from a talent standpoint, Coen was not walking into a rebuild. But what he has done with that talent on the roster is commendable. Graziano: It wasn’t a rebuild, but it’s still a team that won only four games last season. And I think what’s most impressive about Coen’s performance is the methodical way he has gone about it. Lawrence was not playing this well early in the season, and Coen would have told you he was still learning the new offense and building chemistry with his receivers in that new scheme. Brian Thomas Jr. struggled to find his spot in all of it, and No. 2 pick Travis Hunter was injured, as was tight end Brenton Strange. So the Jags leaned into their run game early behind Travis Etienne Jr. and got by for a while with a defense that was generating turnovers at a high level. The 4-1 start bought them time for Lawrence to get more comfortable in the offense, and Coen has been steady and consistent through the hot start, the midseason lull and the current six-game win streak. I would say people around the league are absolutely taking all of this seriously. Fowler: How Jacksonville structures its future will be interesting in light of Meyers’ three-year, $60 million extension signed last week. He has been lights-out since joining the team at the trade deadline. But Jacksonville has multiple standouts it could choose to pay, including Etienne, pass rusher Travon Walker and linebacker Devin Lloyd. Those players have performed well but were not selected by first-year general manager James Gladstone. Either way, Jacksonville’s pass-catching nucleus will be loaded with Meyers, Thomas, Hunter, Strange and Parker Washington. |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOQB JOSH ALLEN has a foot injury but it won’t deter him from going up against the Eagles on Sunday. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen said that he “will be playing, planning on playing,” in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles despite dealing with a right foot injury that led him to sit out Tuesday’s walk-through. “Feels good. Feels good,” Allen said of the injury. “Ready to go.” The quarterback, who was named to his fourth Pro Bowl on Tuesday, did walk around after the news conference with a limp but wore just a traditional sneaker and no further support on his foot. Bills coach Sean McDermott said that Allen had no changes with the injury going into Tuesday’s practice and that Allen would not participate as he is still sore, and they would see how Wednesday goes. The team was not required to release an injury report on Tuesday. “I mean, still sore,” Allen said. “Walk-through today, so really not practice in general. So yeah … feeling good.” Allen suffered the injury when he was sacked during the Bills’ win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. An X-ray was done on his foot during halftime, but he was cleared to return to the game and did not miss a snap. Allen has started 120 consecutive regular-season games and hasn’t missed significant time due to injury since his rookie season. The Bills have only one other quarterback on the team in backup Mitch Trubisky after practice squad quarterback Shane Buechele was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs to their active roster on Monday. |
| NEW YORK JETSSomething good for the Jets! Gary Myers: @GaryMyersNYWhen @nyjets traded Sauce Gardner to @Colts on 11/4 for #1s in ’26 and ’27, Indy was 7-2, one of 8 teams with a league-low 2 losses. That put the ’26 pick around #24-#32 in first round. Since the trade, Indy has lost 5 of 6 (including the last 5) and at 8-7 the pick is up to #18. If, as expected, Colts lose to Jags and Texans to finish 8-9, their pick could be as high as #13. With Jets own pick, which should be top 5, it gives them plenty of firepower to trade up to the top for Fernando Mendoza….or near the top for Dante Moore, if he declares for the draft. Gardner has missed the last three games with a calf injury. – – -QB JUSTIN FIELDS is done for 2025. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com: – Justin Fields’ first season with the New York Jets — and, quite possibly, his last — is officially over. The former starting quarterback was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, an ignominious cap to a disappointing season. Fields, who was benched Nov. 17, has been bothered in recent weeks by what the team called knee “soreness.” He returned to practice last week but told reporters that he still wasn’t healthy enough to play. He was inactive for the past three games. “Man, we tried to see how we can get this to work, but it wasn’t getting as better as we would like it,” coach Aaron Glenn said. “So, we want to make sure we get a focus on that to make sure we get him better.” Justin Fields’ 2025 season is officially over and his future with the Jets is uncertain after his disappointing performance as the team’s starting quarterback. AP Photo/Ella Hall, FileIn all likelihood, Fields wouldn’t have played anyway. He reported soreness two weeks after his benching and hasn’t played since. He was replaced by Tyrod Taylor, who got hurt in his third start. That led the Jets (3-12) to undrafted rookie Brady Cook, who will make his third start Sunday against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. There’s a good chance the Jets will part ways with Fields in the offseason. The former Chicago Bears first-round pick signed a two-year, $40 million contract in free agency and was named the starter in the offseason, but he fell short of modest expectations. Fields went 2-7 as the starter, ranking 28th out of 32 qualified passers in Total QBR (37.3) — below his career mark (45.3). He passed for only 505 yards in his past five starts, prompting Glenn to bench him. Glenn declined to comment on whether Fields will need surgery. He also wouldn’t address Fields’ future, saying he’s focused on New England. “Any player that doesn’t have the season that we would like for them to have, it’s always disappointing,” Glenn said. “I don’t want to just focus on Justin with this — and I know that’s the question asked — but any player that we have high hopes for and the season don’t go the way we want to go, we’re always disappointed with that.” Fields is due to count $23 million on the 2026 cap, including $20 million in salary ($10 million guaranteed). There would be $22 million in dead money if the Jets cut him, which can be spread over two years if he’s designated as a post-June 1 cut. The Jets might opt for a complete reset at quarterback, which could mean adding a veteran and a rookie. Fields raised eyebrows Nov. 26 with a response to a question about whether he would be open to a small package of plays as a Wildcat quarterback — a way to capitalize on his speed. Fields said there had been discussions about using him in that role, but he told reporters that he had “mixed feelings” about it. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS AND PRETENDERSZachary Pereles of CBSSports.com purports to tell us which of the teams that have made the playoffs can actually Hoist Lombardi in February. Before we see his choices, other than the Steelers/Ravens and Panthers/Buccaneers we wouldn’t rule anyone out: Entering Week 16, only two NFL teams had clinched a playoff berth. After Week 16, that number is up to 10. From statement wins to devastating losses, it was a massive week across the league. The Detroit Lions’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday officially sent the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers to the postseason. Then, the Indianapolis Colts’ loss to the 49ers on Monday clinched playoff berths for the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers. Add in the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots also clinching and there are only four spots left in the playoff bracket. In total, 14 teams will have a chance for a Super Bowl, but really we can probably dismiss several of them already. With Christmas just two days away, we’re determining which of the playoff teams and projected playoff teams are naughty (not legitimate Super Bowl contenders) and which ones are nice (capable of getting the greatest gift of all — the Lombardi Trophy). AFC 1. Denver Broncos (12-3, clinched playoff berth)Though the Bo Nix experience can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride, teams don’t win 11 straight games by accident. The Broncos own wins over the Eagles, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs (with Patrick Mahomes). Nix showed just how good he can be in the win over the Packers, and the defense can be as dangerous as any in the league with the NFL’s most sacks and a talented defense led by Patrick Surtain II.Verdict: Nice 2. New England Patriots (12-3, clinched playoff berth)When a young quarterback arrives as a superstar, it generally means good news for a team’s playoff chances. Drake Maye showed that he can put the team on his back in the playoff-clinching win over the Baltimore Ravens. So, even though the Patriots have significant issues running the ball and stopping the run, New England gets the benefit of the doubt here.Verdict: Nice 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4, clinched playoff berth)It might have been easy to dismiss the Jaguars as “naughty” just a few weeks ago. That’s not the case now. The Jaguars have won seven straight games, and Trevor Lawrence is playing his best football, accounting for 10 total touchdowns and zero interceptions over his past two games. Jacksonville cemented its contender status with a road win over the Broncos.Verdict: Nice 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6; 91% chance to make playoffs, per SportsLine)Pittsburgh has reeled off three straight wins to take control of the AFC North; it only needs one more win, or one more Baltimore loss, to clinch the division. Aaron Rodgers has settled in and, just as importantly, the defense has made big strides. Here’s where the good news ends, though: Pittsburgh is 1-5 against teams that are currently slated to make the playoffs. Though this team could perhaps get the franchise’s first playoff win since 2017, it’s hard to see the ceiling being much higher than that.Verdict: Naughty 5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4, clinched playoff berth)Seemingly lost amid the rising AFC teams, Los Angeles has won four straight and 7 of 8. Justin Herbert has played at a high level in many of the Chargers’ biggest wins and continues to be among the NFL’s most talented and toughest quarterbacks. The defense is one of the best against the pass. There are plenty of holes on this roster — offensive line especially — but there’s little reason to doubt that the Chargers have a shot.Verdict: Nice 6. Buffalo Bills (11-4, clinched playoff berth)The Bills are a mess defensively, and their receiver play leaves a lot to be desired. Josh Allen has shown over and over again that he can overcome it all, though, and Buffalo also has James Cook leading a tremendous rushing attack. When you have a quarterback, you have a chance. It’s as simple as that.Verdict: Nice 7. Houston Texans (11-4; 98% chance to make playoffs, per SportsLine)The Texans’ defense is very, very nice. Houston is allowing the fewest points and yards this season. The offense is another story: Houston is 19th in points and yards. We won’t go quite as far as to call it “naughty,” but it’s certainly not up to par with what we would normally consider a contender. The Texans are averaging 23.1 points per game. Since 2009, only two Super Bowl winners have averaged fewer: the 2023 Chiefs and 2015 Broncos. We could see the Texans, who own the NFL’s longest active winning streak at seven games, playing the role of the latter.Verdict: Nice Though that may seem like a lot of “nice” designations, it’s simply reflective of the general consensus around the AFC. It’s a wide-open race. Six teams have odds between +300 and +750 to make the Super Bowl, per DraftKings Sportsbook. The Steelers (+1400) are the only team of the seven above outside that range. NFC 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3, clinched playoff berth)Seattle is in the driver’s seat for the NFC West title and conference’s No. 1 seed, though a Week 18 matchup with the 49ers looms large. Still, the Seahawks got a stunning and impressive comeback win over the Rams to take the lead in the conference. Sam Darnold’s play can be shaky at times, but he came up big in Week 18, and this defense is among the league’s best.Verdict: Nice 2. Chicago Bears (11-4, clinched playoff berth)The Bears are the NFL’s feel-good story, one with a team-of-destiny feel. Chicago has six wins this season when it trailed in the final two minutes — most in a single season in NFL history. The running game is a machine, Caleb Williams has been incredible in winning moments and the defense forces a ton of turnovers. Optimists will call it clutch; pessimists will call it lucky. Is it enough? Not quite. The Bears have the feel of last year’s Washington Commanders: breakout quarterback, strong running game, opportunistic defense and lots of last-minute wins. Those Commanders won two games before getting throttled in the NFC Championship.Verdict: Naughty 3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5, clinched playoff berth)The Eagles seem to have rebounded from a midseason dip with consecutive decisive wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington — hardly the two toughest teams, but important wins for Philadelphia nonetheless. These Eagles have been here before. The reigning Super Bowl champs will put up an honorable defense. But the offense — especially the running game — has been underwhelming, and the rushing defense has major issues.Verdict: Naughty 4. Carolina Panthers (8-7; 54% chance to make playoffs, per SportsLine)Carolina pulled into the NFC South lead with two weeks to go, but it will likely need a win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 to clinch a playoff berth. The Panthers have followed a similar script to the Bears this year, just to a less impressive extent: Carolina has been outscored by 50 points but has a winning record thanks to seven wins in one-possession games. Bryce Young has been clutch, and the running game is hard to stop when it gets going. Still, Young is too inconsistent, as is the defense.Verdict: Naughty 5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4, clinched playoff berth)If the 49ers can get past the Bears in Week 17, they will have a chance to play for the No. 1 seed in Week 18 against the Seahawks. The offense has been on fire of late, helping cover for a defense that has slipped to bottom 10 due to injuries. This is truly a team that could fall into either category, especially considering how one Brock Purdy stinker would spell doom — and he has had more than a few of those. Still, Kyle Shanahan plus Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and potential home-field advantage is a good recipe.Verdict: Nice 6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4, clinched playoff berth)The Rams have the NFL’s top offense and fifth-best defense when using expected points added. They also have the league’s worst special teams, and they’ve blown a lot of late leads thanks to miscues with that unit and short-yardage struggles. That’s a long way of saying this team is still the deserved Super Bowl favorite if it just finds ways to execute in two seemingly minor (but actually significant) areas. Matthew Stafford is the likely MVP. Even as the No. 6 seed, this is an easy one.Verdict: Nice 7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1; 95% chance to make playoffs, per SportsLine)We’re going to find out a lot about the Packers in the next two weeks. Green Bay looked to be a top-tier contender just two weeks ago. Then it blew a second-half lead at the Broncos and saw Micah Parsons suffer a torn ACL in Week 15. In Week 16, the Packers blew an even later lead in a loss to the Bears, and Jordan Love got concussed. The Packers finish with the Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings. There is still time to get back on track, but this is no longer the overwhelmingly talented bunch that we saw at its peak. There’s still a chance because Love can catch fire, but things aren’t as sparkly as they once were.Verdict: Nice We agree that the one team here that has won a Super Bowl recently, the defending champion Eagles, are not giving off the vibes of a strong title defense with an NFC West team their likely first round foe. The Bears might have the top seed though. We would not discount them. |
| QUARTERBACK CAROUSELJeff Howe of The Athletic assesses how the Quarterback Carousel might start spinning in 2026: The 2026 NFL quarterback carousel could turn into total pandemonium, as rebuilding teams with pricy veterans could be tempted to lean into hard resets that could flood the market with (somewhat) proven commodities. It might also be a dud. Whichever way this offseason unfolds, QB-needy teams have to get creative to fill the void. The draft class has intriguing prospects, but team executives haven’t identified anyone as a sure thing. And yet, the draft class somehow yields more optimism than the most underwhelming crop of free agents in recent memory. So, for teams that feel reluctant to roll the dice in the draft or overspend for a flawed free agent, they’ll have to work the trade market to satisfy their needs. Let’s run through the offseason’s main characters, from the quarterbacks up for grabs to the teams that figure to set the pace. Free agents Daniel JonesThe Indianapolis Colts quarterback was thriving until he was slowed in November by a fibula injury, which preceded a torn Achilles. Jones, who turns 29 in May, revived a career that was in the balance before joining the Colts, who have been so desperate to find a quarterback since Philip Rivers’ retirement in 2021 that they actually brought Rivers back this month. Anyway, Jones and the Colts are perfect for one another. If he’s not ready for the start of the 2026 season, the Colts still have 2023 first-rounder Anthony Richardson under contract, or they could add an affordable veteran. There will be plenty of those. Jones’ projected value could be in the neighborhood of three years and $100 million, which is similar to recent deals for Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. But there aren’t any great salary comps because of Jones’ Achilles injury. Kirk Cousins landed a four-year, $180 million pact in 2024 while rehabbing a torn Achilles, but he was seven years older and more accomplished than Jones. It’s also safe to say the Falcons wouldn’t have made that deal with the benefit of hindsight. The Colts should be considered the favorites to keep Jones, but don’t rule out a wild card like the Minnesota Vikings or Pittsburgh Steelers if they view him as an upgrade. Aaron RodgersSpeaking of the Steelers, let’s not pretend to know what Rodgers is thinking. Retiring, sticking with Pittsburgh, exploring greener pastures — it’s probably all on the table. And for the 42-year-old Rodgers, who is making about $14 million this season, he doesn’t appear to have much interest in a bidding war at this point in his career. If Rodgers does continue playing, it feels like a stretch to think he’d want to start over with a new organization. And since the Steelers don’t have a starter in waiting, they’d probably be thrilled if Rodgers returned. But Rodgers and the Vikings were flirting from across the room last offseason, so there could be some consideration to rekindling those flames, especially if the Vikings want to pause or even halt the J.J. McCarthy experiment. Rodgers’ performance is in steep decline. He won’t carry anyone to the playoffs, but he is still capable of being a valuable contributor on a well-constructed roster. Rodgers should have suitors if he wants to entertain them..Under contract … for now Mac JonesJones is an imperfect fit in this category, as you’ll soon understand. But Jones is indeed under contract for 2026, and the 2021 first-round pick played very well in eight starts for the San Francisco 49ers in relief of starter Brock Purdy. In fact, Jones would have been on pace for the best statistical season of his career if he started 17 games. Jones was similarly effective as a rookie with the New England Patriots before Bill Belichick torpedoed his development plan. Jones, 27, was competitive, if ineffective, over seven starts for a bad Jacksonville Jaguars team in 2024, but things seem to click this season with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. The Niners owe Jones $3.25 million in 2026, and Purdy has dealt with injuries in all four years of his career. Shanahan has been fond of Jones since the draft process, just watched him succeed in his offense and has him under control at a bargain-bin rate. Why in the world would he surrender Jones, considering all the reasons to keep him? Maybe the 49ers would be enticed by a package centered around a second-round pick, but even that doesn’t feel like enough to relinquish Jones. Conversely, a first-round offer feels incredibly aggressive for an acquiring team, which makes things a bit tricky. Purdy is on the books for about $47 million guaranteed in 2026 but just $11.9 million in 2027. The Niners’ best strategy may be to keep Jones for another season and evaluate which QB is worth keeping from there. But if they’re motivated sellers with uber long-term confidence in Purdy, the Niners should have an easy time moving Jones, and might even be able to start a bidding war for his services. Kyler MurrayThe Arizona Cardinals shut down Murray in rather precarious fashion this season, hinting at his impending return from injury in October before placing him on IR days later — all while backup Jacoby Brissett sparked the offense with his play. Murray is owed $36.8 million guaranteed in 2026. General manager Monti Ossenfort has kept the Cardinals’ books in a good spot since his arrival in 2023, so they could withstand a temporary hit with Murray if necessary. Team executives around the league are skeptical Murray would fetch much, if anything, in an offseason trade. Maybe the dynamic changes due to a lack of other options. He doesn’t turn 29 until training camp, so Murray is very much in the prime of his career. The Cardinals are currently slated to draft at No. 6, and the QB-starved Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets are ahead of them. The Murray decision could be a lot easier if the Cardinals were in a premium draft position. They also have Brissett under contract for another year, so he could help serve as a bridge to a rookie playing in 2026 or if Arizona decides to wait until 2027 to find its long-term answer. Tua TagovailoaFollowing a dud on “Monday Night Football,” Tagovailoa, who turns 28 in March, became the first $50-million quarterback in history to get benched for performance reasons. Tagovailoa is owed $54 million guaranteed in 2026. If the Dolphins decided to cut him, it’d be terribly difficult to field a competitive roster due to the salary cap ramifications that would result. But with general manager Chris Grier already gone, the Dolphins could opt for a hard reset, setting themselves up for a potentially great QB draft in 2027 while getting a head start on clearing the books. Rival teams don’t view Tagovailoa as a viable trade candidate. His performance hasn’t warranted the price, and opponents don’t typically rush to save a competitor from their own cap sins. And unless the Dolphins are prepared for a Brock Osweiler-style trade, attaching a premium pick for someone to take on Tagovailoa’s contract, such a move sounds like a fantasy. The Dolphins might be better off keeping Tagovailoa through 2026 and opening more options and financial flexibility for themselves in 2027. Geno SmithSmith, 35, is owed $18.5 million in guaranteed money in 2026, so the Las Vegas Raiders can move on if they choose. It’s hard to fathom any quarterback playing well in that offense this season, so it’s tough to crush Smith too much for the bad trip to Vegas. Regardless of who deserves the brunt of the blame, the Raiders have to take a hard look in the mirror this offseason and recognize how far away they are from challenging for an AFC West title. Smith could be useful to a team that’s better stocked around the QB. The Raiders are currently lined up for the No. 2 pick in the draft, so they could use a first-round pick on a QB for the first time since 2007 with JaMarcus Russell. It’s not entirely inconceivable the Raiders could land a late-round pick for Smith in a trade, but a release could be the more likely option if the Raiders decide to part ways. Kirk CousinsThe Falcons’ offense has operated more efficiently with the 37-year-old in charge this season, as Cousins has shown more improvement as he’s put more distance between suffering a torn Achilles. Even still, it’s hard to fathom the Falcons giving Cousins another $35 million in 2026 — not after paying him $100 million for 22 starts, assuming he suits up for the final three games. The Falcons will need someone in case Michael Penix Jr. isn’t recovered from a torn ACL or if he struggles upon his return. But again, with so many other holes to fill, the Falcons shouldn’t continue to sink so many resources into quarterback after they paired the Cousins contract with the Penix first-round pick in back-to-back months in 2024. If Cousins had any trade value, the Falcons would have been able to move him by now, and it’s far-fetched to think a team would acquire his $35 million base salary in 2026. Cousins would almost certainly have to be released if the Falcons decide to go in a different direction. Justin FieldsFields, who turns 27 in March, was benched this season. Assuming the Jets release him this offseason, he’ll have earned $30 million for his New York cameo. The 2021 first-round pick has also lost his job with the Chicago Bears and Steelers, so Fields will likely be demoted from bridge quarterback to backup. But if he focuses on the right system and coaching staff for his development, Fields could still have a chance somewhere down the line. No, Fields hasn’t played consistently well enough for any of his three teams, but his replacements didn’t play any better. At the very least, it’s fair to ask if Fields has ever been put in the best position to succeed. That’s why it’s up to Fields to find the right landing spot, as Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold and Mac Jones have all recently done. Fields should seek out the Kansas City Chiefs, Colts or Vikings. Whether or not Patrick Mahomes (torn ACL) will be ready for Week 1, Fields could do a lot worse than Andy Reid’s offense for a spell. Welcome the competitionThere will inevitably be teams that need to cycle down to Plans B or C. Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis has played well in two spot starts and other relief appearances for Jordan Love. Willis isn’t likely to draw any starting offers this offseason, but he could try to link up with a team that drafts a QB. His veteran experience could yield a runway to start out of camp. Trey Lance, Zach Wilson and Kenny Pickett are recent first-rounders who are scheduled to hit free agency. Sam Howell, a 2022 fifth-rounder with 18 career starts, is another young backup with intriguing tools. Teams looking for free agents with longer resumes might focus on Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco, Jimmy Garoppolo, Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz or Gardner Minshew. Draft classThe 2026 draft class isn’t as strong as teams had hoped before the season. There were roughly a dozen prospects with intriguing potential who didn’t take the big step that teams anticipated. However, Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza seems to be distinguishing himself as the favorite for the first quarterback off the board. The Indiana product, like his QB1 competition, could cement himself there with a big playoff run. Oregon’s Dante Moore is the other one to watch. The 20-year-old first-year starter is an electric player, perhaps with the highest ceiling of the group, but he’s been inconsistent. If he flashes that tantalizing potential in the playoff, though, teams will have a hard time passing on Moore if he declares. There’s still discussion that he could return to school. Moore’s decision is massive because he appears to be Mendoza’s biggest threat for QB1. The trade dynamics at the top of the draft will be greatly impacted by the possibility of two quarterbacks in the first two picks. If it’s only Mendoza, consider the bidding war a team like the New York Giants, currently slated to pick No. 1, could start to secure the Indiana QB’s services. After Mendoza and Moore, Alabama’s Ty Simpson has faded recently. Still, while Simpson doesn’t have traits like Mendoza or Moore, he is shaping up as a likely first-rounder — if he declares. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers announced that he’ll be returning to school, so he’s an immediate name to watch for the 2027 draft with Texas’ Arch Manning, who’s been long believed to be returning to school, as well. Las Vegas RaidersThe Raiders currently have the No. 2 pick in the draft, and they don’t appear to be in much danger of falling. Even better, the Giants are at No. 1, and they won’t be taking a quarterback with Jaxson Dart already on the roster. While the Raiders might still have to trade up to get the guy they want, an open door is better than a closed one. If the Raiders have a clear path to draft a QB, it should expedite their decision with Smith. But if they win a game or two and stunt their draft opportunities, the Raiders might need to extend the bridge into 2027. Cleveland BrownsDeshaun Watson has $46 million guaranteed in 2026, but that shouldn’t get him anything more than an opportunity to compete in camp against Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and another rookie. Sanders and Gabriel have shown bright spots, but there’s far too much chaos with the Browns to accurately assess their long-term viability. The Browns currently have the fourth pick, behind the Giants, Raiders and Tennessee Titans, who won’t be taking a QB after selecting Cam Ward at No. 1 last season. But also armed with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-rounder, the Browns have the assets to make a competitive bid for the No. 1 pick. New York JetsThe Jets benched Fields for Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook, so their post-Rodgers plan is still under construction. They’ve currently got the No. 5 pick, which means they’ll look at moving up if they don’t climb the draft order by the end of the season. They’ve also got the Colts’ first-rounder, which is No. 18 and improving by the week, so the Jets, too, are capable of making noise at the top. That’s only part of the journey, of course. They’ve been in QB turmoil for years because of their whiffs with high draft picks and big-ticket veterans, and they’ll be in this position again if they don’t identify the right prospect or fail to properly support and develop him. Teams on standby Los Angeles RamsThe Rams have the Falcons’ first-round pick, which is currently No. 10, as well as their own. If they like Simpson as a future heir to Matthew Stafford, this could be the time to get aggressive. While the Rams might be better suited to seek out a developmental prospect in the second or third round, don’t ever rule out an unorthodox move from general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay. Minnesota VikingsMcCarthy could put a lot of talk to rest over the next three weeks with a strong finish, but the 2024 first-rounder needs much more time to develop. He’s got eight starts under his belt, so it’s exceedingly premature to make any long-term assessments on his career. However, the Vikings might have second thoughts about allowing McCarthy to develop on the fly, as their roster is built to win with quality QB play. They’d be a wildly intriguing spot for Mac Jones, though the 49ers might require them to pay an NFC tax. Atlanta FalconsPenix tore his ACL in November, so the start of his 2026 season is in jeopardy. His play was spotty before going down with his fifth season-ending injury (three torn ACLs) since college. The Falcons may consider a mid-round QB as an insurance plan, but they should also seek out a veteran with starting experience for the short term. New Orleans SaintsSecond-rounder Tyler Shough has flashed plenty of potential, and the Saints did a ton — a ton — of work on Shough and the 2025 QB class. So they’re invested in his development. But currently holding onto the No. 7 pick, who’s to say the Saints won’t have a higher-graded QB on their board come April? Only if necessary Pittsburgh SteelersIf Rodgers retires, the Steelers will likely return to the veteran market. They’ve aggressively courted draft prospects in recent years, so it stands to reason they’ll use a premium pick on a quarterback sooner than later. Indianapolis ColtsWe can’t completely rule out the possibility of another team swooping in with an overly aggressive offer for Daniel Jones. If the Colts lose him, they should prioritize the veteran market. They gave up two first-round picks for cornerback Sauce Gardner and shouldn’t be letting off the gas. Arizona CardinalsCurrently holding onto the No. 6 pick, consider the Cardinals another early hypothetical landing spot for Simpson. If they feel they’re in a position to draft a franchise quarterback, it could nudge their decision with Murray. Miami DolphinsWhile it makes more financial sense to keep Tagovailoa through 2026, the Dolphins need to prioritize the draft, even if it’s only in the second round. They’re at a pivotal point in the organization with leadership changes, and they need to determine where Tagovailoa fits. |
