| NFC NORTH |
| GREEN BAYWR CHRISTIAN WATSON got a lot of money in his extension despite a spotty history of availability. As Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com reports, he appreciates the teams belief in him: Wide receiver Christian Watson has shown plenty of ability since the Packers made him the 34th overall pick in 2022, but his productivity has been tempered by injury issues that have kept him off the field for 20 games over his first four seasons. Those absences didn’t stop Green Bay from investing into a future with Watson, however. The wideout signed a four-year, $92 million contract and said on Tuesday that he feels the Packers “gave me countless amounts of chances when it seemed like I shouldn’t have had those chances anymore.” Watson went on to say that he hopes to prove the Packers right for having that belief in him and shared what he thinks that would look like in terms of numbers. “I try not to look into the number stuff too much,” Watson said, via Steve Megargee of the Associated Press. “I take it week by week. But if I’m really searching and I want to set personal goals, I definitely want to have double-digit touchdowns and I want to have over 1,100 yards.” Watson can earn another $18 million through incentives over the life of the deal, so staying healthy and in the center of the offense would benefit him personally while it helps the Packers put themselves in position to win. |
| MINNESOTAAlec Lewis of The Athletic on the mechanics being employed by the Vikings in the search for a starting quarterback. Summer football practices muddle the picture as much as they reveal. Results often miss critical context. A receiver’s route might affect a pass. Defensive coverages dictate reads. These minor layers matter because they make it harder to make meaningful conclusions. In other words, it’s difficult to know what to think about a practice like the one Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray had Tuesday. First, in a seven-on-seven period, Murray angled a pass toward the right sideline. Tight end Gavin Bartholomew, a de facto rookie, looked out of place, almost as if he’d run the wrong route. Safety Theo Jackson intercepted the pass. On the ensuing play, Murray launched a deep ball in Jauan Jennings’ direction over the middle of the field. Perhaps Murray missed his target. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. undercut the route to grab the ball and galloped the other way. Only the players and coaches involved know the why behind these outcomes. For Murray, it’s at least fair to say he remains immersed in the learning process of coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive scheme. “You go home frustrated at days where you don’t feel like you’re putting your best performance out there,” Murray said. “At the end of the day, I’ve got to remind myself that this is (a lot to learn). That’s part of the process. I’ve just got to embrace it.” Discomfort and Murray haven’t typically gone together well, something he acknowledged Tuesday. Murray’s accomplishments in high school became mythical. He starred at Oklahoma, turning the college game into his own NCAA football video game. Early in his NFL career, the Arizona Cardinals designed an air-raid-style offense that allowed him to transition successfully. O’Connell’s offense features more volume than anything Murray has experienced. Play call length is one thing. The Vikings also demand a level of detail in their routes and footwork that takes a high degree of mental aptitude. He and the Vikings know that expecting everything to click immediately would be foolish. Kirk Cousins, who had played in offenses built on rhythm and timing, frequently talked about the steep learning curve with O’Connell’s scheme. Sam Darnold arrived from Kyle Shanahan’s offense in San Francisco and needed time to establish a baseline of consistency. “There are times I’m out there thinking when I wouldn’t be thinking usually,” Murray said. “But it’s all part of the process.” The Vikings’ quarterback competition — Murray versus third-year pro J.J. McCarthy — contains many tentacles. Pitting two high-profile former first-round picks against one another invites heightened attention and scrutiny. It places a magnifying glass on the mundane. O’Connell seems to be OK with all of this, so long as the team gets good quarterback play. One additional layer worth considering is what the competition means to Murray’s overall acclimation. Off the field, is it more difficult for the quarterbacks to develop authentic relationships with teammates and coaches who don’t want to appear to favor one quarterback over the other? On the field, is it most beneficial for whoever is going to be starting in September to be splitting a finite amount of reps? When a reporter asked Murray what the toughest part of this foray into O’Connell’s offense is, Murray singled out this issue. “Me already being behind and not getting the reps that you would typically want a guy to get learning an offense is probably the toughest part,” he said. Recent Vikings quarterback history offers an informative perspective on the challenge facing Murray. Cousins described the transition from Klint Kubiak’s offense in 2021 to O’Connell’s in 2022 as one of the largest adjustments of his career. The verbiage forced him to create flash cards. Identifying passing windows post-snap based on the Vikings’ preferred progressions required even more time. His spring and training camp in 2022 consisted of numerous befuddling throws and interceptions. Similarly, Darnold turned the ball over plenty in preseason practices. He discussed a number of sessions spent with former Vikings assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, whose knowledge of the system streamlined O’Connell’s communication with his quarterbacks. “When Kevin O’Connell was bringing a lot of pure progression reads from Los Angeles,” Cousins said in December, “it was, like, ‘Whoa, I’ve got to get back to the dagger backside after already exhausting this progression. That’s a lot in my mind. I was used to already simplifying it and cutting the field in half. I had to work through that and get to where that was more natural.” In this sense, splitting reps for the sake of the quarterback competition could be at odds with getting one quarterback properly prepared for the season. This is probably truer in training camp, which explains the Vikings’ willingness to maintain the current setup. Through its actions, the team is showing it believes the competitive dynamic, at this time, won’t limit the ceiling of the position for a team that needs its quarterback to produce better than it did in 2025. The question now? At what point do the reps outweigh the motivational benefits of the competition? In conjunction with that, when O’Connell finally decides to roll with one of these quarterbacks as the starter, then what?. |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSUber-talented WR MALIK NABERS may be back for Week 1 with the Cowboys. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had surgery in October to repair his torn ACL, then had a second surgery this offseason to remove scar tissue. But the Giants still believe Nabers will be good to go for the season opener. Giants General Manager Joe Schoen said this week that Nabers should be on the field on September 13, when the Giants host the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. “I still think he’ll be fine Week 1,” Schoen told Yahoo Sports on Monday. “So we’ll see. He’s trending in the right direction. Again, these things take time, so it’s not instant. Every patient is different.” Nabers isn’t practicing yet, but new Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said he’s been impressed with Nabers’ mental approach to the offseason, learning Nagy’s system quickly. “I see why he’s as good as he is,” Nagy said. Schoen noted that the Giants brought in some insurance this offseason in the form of wide receivers Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., Calvin Austin III, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios. But the Giants are optimistic that the No. 1 receiver in Week 1 will be Nabers. |
| NFC WEST |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSNate Atkins of The Athletic explores the possibility that DT Aaron Donald will be coming out of retirement. The Los Angeles Rams are a team full of stars, but they are calling for one more star to join them. The Rams have spent this offseason looking for playmakers on defense to catch the unit up to their star talent on offense. That has led them to two blockbuster trades — one for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs and one for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Still, before the Rams could even formally welcome the newest star, Garrett, to the team, there was one more question about another former Defensive Player of the Year who still visits the team facility now and again. Aaron Donald. “Listen, if he’s interested,” coach Sean McVay said at Garrett’s introductory news conference. “Here’s what I’ll say: You talk to Aaron, and you see what he’s saying about that.” The Rams have been hopeful for Donald to change his mind on retirement ever since the three-time Defensive Player of the Year called it a career after the 2023 season at age 32. They’ve given him his space and have respected when he’s consistently said he doesn’t have the itch to play again. The door cracked back open with a second blockbuster move to land Garrett. Donald has joked in the past that if the Rams ever landed Micah Parsons, he might have to consider a comeback. Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers last summer. Now, the Rams have added the closest comparison to Parsons in Garrett, who has recorded at least 14 sacks in an NFL-record five consecutive seasons. Donald hasn’t yet spoken publicly about a return, but he hasn’t put an end to the rumors, either. He has continued to post videos of the intense workouts he’s kept up in the two and a half years since his retirement, and on Tuesday, he posted a highlight clip from his Rams career to Instagram. McVay spoke with Donald before last week about bringing Garrett onto the team. “When you have a guy who is that serious who is even considering coming back, it’s like, OK, we might have a chance,” safety and captain Quentin Lake said. It would take quite a change in approach for Donald to consider a comeback. “I never had an itch after I retired of like, ‘I want to come back. I want to play football still,’” Donald said last fall when he visited the Rams’ facility. “You miss things from the game. For me, it’s not really playing the game. It’s being in the locker room, hanging with the guys, watching film, cracking jokes, more the camaraderie with the fellas. I’m OK, man. I’m fulfilled. I’m happy with where I’m at in my life right now. “I love the game of football. I just don’t love playing the game of football no more.” By adding Garrett and McDuffie this offseason, the Rams have a pairing that could rival what Donald and Jalen Ramsey brought to win a Super Bowl in the 2021 season. That Super Bowl victory came at SoFi Stadium, which just happens to be where this season’s championship game will be played, too. The Rams also have a quarterback at the peak of his powers in Matthew Stafford, fresh off his first MVP award. They were favorites to win the Super Bowl on all major betting platforms two weeks ago, before they swapped out Jared Verse for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Garrett. That mix of hype and pressure has them set up for seven primetime games, the most in the NFL, beginning with the league’s first-ever game in Australia against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1. This is no longer the lowest-paid defense in the league, as it was last season, when it finished in the top 10 in points allowed but faded in the postseason because of a lack of stars making closing plays. It has juice with McDuffie and Garrett, and it might have a chance to add just a little bit more from the past. “That’d be crazy,” said defensive tackle and captain Kobie Turner, who played with Donald as a rookie in 2023. “I know he’s been messing around with it. … Having 95 (Garrett) out here does some things. … To have two historic defensive players on that line together and to have the rest of us who are trying to build up our reputation and to build to that greatness they have garnered, I think that’d be cool for L.A.” Rams players and coaches are all stressing that this is Donald’s question to answer, and that they’ll support him if he wants to stay retired. Donald earned that right by producing a first-ballot Hall of Fame career in just 10 seasons after the Rams drafted him in the first round out of Pittsburgh in 2014, when they played in St. Louis. He posted 111 sacks in those 10 seasons despite facing double teams at the highest rate in the league. He led the NFL with 20.5 sacks in 2018 and was named first-team All-Pro in eight of his 10 seasons. He also banked more than $162 million in career earnings, per Over the Cap. “We’d love to have him back,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said, “and would welcome him with open arms.” Donald turned 35 in May and hasn’t played in two seasons. He had one year left on a three-year, $95 million contract when he retired. What kind of contract would he be looking for if he returns? And what would the Rams be willing to pay? After acquiring Garrett, they have just under $19 million available in 2026 cap space, according to Over the Cap. Beyond deciding if he wants to play, and for how much, Donald would have to figure out the timing and his role. It would be a nearly unprecedented move for a defensive lineman in his mid-30s to return to the NFL after multiple seasons of retirement. “I don’t think you do that if you’re a normal person,” Turner said. “AD is not a normal person.” Added Lake: “There’s so many different things. Does he come to training camp? He probably wouldn’t. Does he come before the trade deadline? Who knows? And then it’s jelling back with the team, getting into that same rhythm and routine. I know if he were to play that first game, he’s going to be sore as no other. Then is he like, ‘Oh, I’m sore, I don’t know if I want to do this anymore’? Knowing him, if he comes back, he’s going to be fully committed.” The Rams have a defensive line that could allow Donald to play primarily on passing downs and avoid the double-teams that became a chore to keep playing through as he entered his 30s. They have a nose tackle in Poona Ford for run-specific downs, plus Turner and Braden Fiske to play heavy snaps at the three-technique spot that was Donald’s primary home. With Garrett on one edge and Pro Bowler Byron Young on the other, they can create an environment where most of the double-teams head Garrett’s way. And if they don’t, Garrett could have one-on-one opportunities one year after breaking through a steady stream of double-teams for an NFL single-season record of 23 sacks. Myles Garrett said he is intrigued by the Rams’ talent level as well as the man running the team.Unlike last season, Los Angeles won’t be asking these pass rushers to win in a heartbeat anymore. In addition to McDuffie at one outside cornerback spot, the Rams signed another starting outside cornerback in Jaylen Watson, who won two Super Bowls with McDuffie on the Chiefs. Under Shula, the Rams love to run stunts, games and overloaded pressures to create different matchups and induce chaos. They have three defensive linemen who can play inside and outside in Garrett, Turner and Fiske, and Donald could add a fourth. “Are there so many things we could do in terms of pressures and blitzes and all of that stuff? Of course,” Lake said. “That’s unheard of, to have two guys who won Defensive Player of the Year on the same team. It would be one fun year, I’ll say that.” Whether Donald would come back for a limited role after the career he’s had is also a question. He was never a player who chose to turn it on and off. Still, that would likely be necessary for a 35-year-old defensive tackle after two seasons off. The Rams do not know whether it will happen. Only Donald can know that, and he might not know it yet. They’re excited about the defense they’re building with McDuffie and Garrett, but they’re willing to dream a little higher, too. “Hey, Aaron: If you’re listening to this, we would love to have you,” Lake said. “You’d be a great addition. Enjoy retirement for now, but know that door is always open.” |
| SAN FRANCISCOFugitive WR BRANDON AIYUK surfaces to fire another salvo at the 49ers. Grant Gordon of NFL.com: Disenchanted wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues to hurl insults at the San Francisco 49ers on social media. Aiyuk posted a video Tuesday on Instagram in which he called the Niners “stupid” for paying him. His latest dispatch comes after an initial posting Sunday in which he called the 49ers “little-ass boys” who needed to “stop running from the bill.” Aiyuk’s most recent post took a shot at San Francisco for paying a bill, however. “And another thing. You want to know why they really mad, though?” Aiyuk, 28, said. “They mad cause they stupid. They dumb. They mad that they paid me $50 million in eight months and then voided my guarantees for 20-27. And I’m about to be on a new team in 20-27. They mad at themselves for real. They acting like they mad at me, but they stupid ass mad at themselves.” On Sunday, Aiyuk made his first public comments since the team placed him on the reserve/left team list in Dec. 13. Aiyuk has not played for the team since Week 7 of the 2024 season when he suffered a torn ACL, which followed an offseason in which he was a hold-in during training camp before he signed a four-year, $120 million extension. From that extension, Aiyuk has earned $48.15 million, per Over the Cap, which is the “$50 million” he referenced in his latest video. San Francisco voided the guaranteed money owed to Aiyuk, but it was for 2026, not 2027. Aiyuk is technically under contract with the 49ers through the 2028 season. Over the weekend, Aiyuk also posted a photo of himself wearing a Washington Commanders hat. Washington is quarterbacked by Jayden Daniels, who was teammates with Aiyuk at Arizona State. However, the already lengthy saga doesn’t figure to conclude any time soon, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. Google AI tells us that there is no record of Aiyuk turning himself in after the issuing of an arrest warrant for “exhibition of speed.” An arrest warrant has been issued for 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speed. The warrant, stemming from a viral YouTube video he posted of himself driving up to 104 mph in a 40 mph zone in Santa Clara, has not yet resulted in his booking as he remains wanted by authorities. The misdemeanor warrant stems from a video Aiyuk uploaded to YouTube in December in which he filmed himself driving his Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing at triple-digit speeds on Tasman Drive near Levi’s Stadium |
| AFC WEST |
| LAS VEGASQB KIRK COUSINS downplays talk that he is a “mentor” in the Raiders QB room. Kirk Cousins said it’s “a bit of a reach” to consider him a mentor to rookie Fernando Mendoza and the rest of the Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks. Cousins views the dynamic as a collaborative effort in which the players have benefited from a variety of experiences within the room. “[It’s] more of a narrative than it is the truth,” Cousins said after the first day of mandatory minicamp. “They’re pretty good players, pretty experienced, and I’m learning a lot from them, too, and asking questions to them. “Nobody’s leading more than someone else. I think we’re all a working force together, helping each other, giving feedback, giving perspective [and] giving another set of eyes.” After Cousins, 37, spent two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, he signed with the Raiders on April 2, just 21 days before the organization drafted Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. That led to the assumption that the four-time Pro Bowl selection would be a mentor, providing 14 years of NFL experience and knowledge of coach Klint Kubiak’s offensive scheme from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings. While that has been the case to a degree, Cousins said he has also learned from Aidan O’Connell, who has more familiarity with the franchise because he’s in his fourth season as a Raider. Cousins added that O’Connell and Mendoza are “great football minds” who have pushed him, as well. “I’ve always felt I prepare my best during the season when we can all kind of be together in that room in the evening, going over things together rather than working in our own,” Cousins said. “I think when we can kind of all be given feedback on each other, that’s when I think the best ideas come out.” Mendoza said it has been very influential to have a quarterback room where each player is in a different stage of their career. He has received loads of information from each quarterback and coach, which he has been able to translate onto the football field during practices. “We’ve all come together and have combined our experiences, whether it’s from an experienced mind, a naive mind, [or] Aidan’s mind, who’s a little bit of a mix,” Mendoza said. Raiders assistant head coach Mike McCoy, who has previously coached quarterbacks such as Trevor Lawrence, Kyler Murray and Philip Rivers, has enjoyed watching Mendoza, Cousins and O’Connell work together. McCoy said Mendoza is fortunate to learn from Cousins and O’Connell because the Heisman Trophy winner can study how they differ in throwing styles and preparation. McCoy said he likes seeing unselfishness among the quarterbacks competing for the starting job. The assistant coach said that the team has a “detailed plan” on how the quarterback battle will play out and that it will reveal itself during training camp. “It says a lot about the character of the guys in the room,” McCoy said. “From the day we signed Kirk to the day we drafted Fernando [Mendoza], [O’Connell] hasn’t changed at all, and it just says so much about those types of players.” Their connection has carried over outside of the training facility. All three quarterbacks and the offensive line watched as the Las Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final. Mendoza and Cousins have gone to the movies together. Cousins joked about how the conversations regarding films from his youth are a harsh reminder of the generational gap between he and the younger players on the roster. “We kind of get an understanding of culturally where our lives intersect and where they don’t,” Cousins said. “I brought up [the 1995 film] ‘Heavyweights’ today at practice. I said, ‘You seen Heavyweights?’ and most of the coaches had but my teammates had not. So, I understand where my generation is fitting there, but I did get some laughs out of the coaches, so that was good.” |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREComments from DE CALAIS CAMPBELL on the eve of his 19th season. Jason Owens of YahooSports.com: Calais Campbell rejoined the Baltimore Ravens this offseason for his 19th NFL season. The six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro expects it to be his last. But he’s not certain. “This year, I feel as strongly as ever that this is probably going to be my last year,” Campbell told reporters Tuesday, per The Athletic. “I know I said that last year and the year before. I genuinely mean it at the time, but I always tell myself to play well enough to be able to get a job again if I want to. “If I go out there and perform to the level I want to play, I’m probably going to have to turn somebody down next year. That’s the ideal scenario. At that time, I’ll decide if I want to play again or not.” Campbell has produced an accomplished career that includes six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections, and he has more than $150 million in career earnings. He returned last season to the Arizona Cardinals team that drafted him and with whom he played in a Super Bowl with as a rookie after the 2008 season. So why does he want to return this season at 39 years old after what could have been a career bookend season in Arizona? It’s a question he says he hears from players, coaches, fans and his family. His answer is simple. He still loves the game. And teams keep signing him. “Everybody’s just like, why you keep doing this?” Campbell said. “I think the only answer I can really say is I love the game. I love it. I’m still fairly good at it. And they still want me to play. So why not?” Campbell, indeed, remains a difference maker who’s started all but one of the games he’s played in since his rookie season. He’s recorded five-plus sacks in each of his last four seasons. He’s hoping to remain a force for a Ravens team he previously played with from 2020-22. And he has one significant hole to fill on his résumé. He played in a Super Bowl as a rookie, but he doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring. He’ll line up for a Ravens team looking to break through for the first Super Bowl of the Lamar Jackson era, a scenario that could add up a sweet swan song for Campbell if they succeed. |
| CLEVELANDAs much as he professes to want to make a choice, Coach Todd Monken says the spirited competition to start at QB is likely to go into training camp. Andy Backstrom of YahooSports.com: Todd Monken made it known earlier this offseason that he hoped to identify a starting quarterback by the end of mandatory minicamp so that his players could enter training camp with a QB1. But the Cleveland Browns’ head coach told reporters Tuesday at mandatory minicamp, just two days before his team’s offseason program wraps, that he’s still “not there yet.” “That’s the reality of it,” Monken said, when explaining how the position battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders remains unresolved. “I’m not going to name a No. 1 [by the end of mandatory minicamp]. So that I am not going to name,” Monken said. Monken stopped himself. “Chances are, I will not,” he clarified. He then continued: “Now, once we get to the fall, we’ll have to dissect the reps how we see fit. I just don’t see it after the way Shedeur’s played and Deshaun’s played. They’ve both played well enough to earn the right to compete to start.” Watson is a three-time Pro Bowler but hasn’t received that recognition since the 2020 season. Sanders started the team’s final seven games during the 2025 campaign. The former Colorado star helped the Browns collect three of their five wins, except he posted more interceptions than touchdown passes and a sub-60% completion percentage along the way. While Monken noted during voluntary minicamp in April that he wouldn’t consider the QB competition “a two-man race,” he said last week amid OTAs that he believes the Browns have “two starting-level quarterbacks.” Dillon Gabriel is the odd man out. Gabriel, who starred at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon, was drafted before Sanders last year and got a crack at the Browns’ top gig before Sanders, too. A third-round pick, he started six games as a first-year pro but didn’t run away with the job prior to suffering a concussion that thrust Sanders into the lineup. Aside from Gabriel, the only other player on Cleveland’s QB depth chart is rookie Taylen Green, a sixth-rounder who needs time to develop at the position yet oozes with athleticism. “I would have hoped [to name a starter], but I like both of them,” Monken said Tuesday of Watson and Sanders. “I don’t know what to say. It’s really as simple as that. I like both of them, and we haven’t had the pads on. That’s the hard thing. As much as I’d love to have made that decision, either by someone separating themselves upward or downward, either way, which has not occurred, and we haven’t even gotten to practicing against an opponent, putting the pads on, having a controlled scrimmage or playing preseason games. “I would have loved to — I was being honest. I think you’d love to have the starter named. I just can’t do it.” |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDCB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ re-iterates his commitment to the Patriots amidst extension talks. Nick Shook of NFL.com: A key piece of the Patriots defense has entered the window for a contract extension, and if he gets his way, he’ll be a cornerstone in New England for years to come. After staying away from voluntary offseason activities amid contract talks, cornerback Christian Gonzalez returned to the Patriots in time for the start of mandatory minicamp Tuesday and delivered a clear message: He only wants to continue playing in New England. “Of course, I want to be here. I’ve said this multiple times,” Gonzalez told reporters Tuesday. “I’ve been drafted here. I want to be rewarded as a Patriot. I love this town. I love this city. So of course I want to be here.” Thanks to the standard fifth-year option for first-round picks, Gonzalez is currently under contract through the 2027 season. The arrival of his fourth NFL season means he can start negotiating a long-term extension, inviting questions about greater wants, needs and timing. There’s little reason to worry about his general status for 2026, but it could include a hold-in to start training camp if negotiations don’t progress to a satisfactory place. Days after Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield placed a hard deadline (the start of training camp) on his own contract talks, Gonzalez was asked whether he expects to participate in Patriots camp in late July. “Training camp, I’m not worried about that,” Gonzalez said. “We are in mandatory minicamp right now, so that’s what we’re focused on as we get into that.” Gonzalez’s timing for a new deal is potentially fortuitous. He’s coming off his first Pro Bowl campaign of his career, already has a second-team All-Pro selection on his résumé and just helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl for the first time in the post-Tom Brady era. As Gonzalez explained Tuesday, he returned to the Patriots’ offseason activities this week because “I got obligations.” Those same obligations will be present in training camp, a checkpoint Gonzalez hopes he’ll reach with a new extension in hand. “I hope,” Gonzalez said when asked if he feels like progress is being made toward getting a deal done. “That’s up to my agents and the team. I hope we get something done.” Judging by Gonzalez’s tone Tuesday, he’s taking a hands-off approach, focusing on football and hoping for the best. We’ll see if he’s rewarded before the 2026 season begins, or if another strong season is necessary for him to secure his first pay day.– – -The Patriots have the happy version of WR A.J. BROWN, for now. Erik Edholm ofNFL.com: A.J. Brown is joining the team he grew up rooting for and couldn’t be happier about it. “My reaction was super excited to play for my childhood team,” Brown said Tuesday after landing with the Patriots via trade this week. The long-anticipated trade from the Eagles to New England was consummated shortly after 4 p.m. ET on Monday, at which point Philadelphia could lessen some of the dead money involved as a post-June 1 transaction. But for Brown, this has been an even longer time coming. “Obviously I know this ain’t heaven,” Brown said, “but it’s close to it.” Brown grew up in Mississippi but became a Patriots fan as a kid who wanted to mimic his older cousin, who was a big Patriots fan. During the 2019 draft, Brown thought there was a good chance the Patriots might select him at the end of Round 1. Instead, they selected another receiver, N’Keal Harry, who last played in the NFL in 2023. Brown was crushed. He imagined himself playing with Tom Brady and was devastated when the Patriots passed on him, saying he needed to escape his draft party and go “in the closet to try to gather myself because I was just disappointed.” The Titans selected Brown in Round 2 that year, 51st overall. “It was a tough night. It was a tough night. I joked about it earlier, (the) Patriots (have) been breaking my heart over the years,” Brown said. “Obviously, I wanted to play with Tom. That didn’t happen, but everything happens for a reason.” |
| THIS AND THAT |
| HENRY RUGGSWR Henry Ruggs has deservedly been in Nevada prison for horrendous driving, but he could be paroled soon. Will any team take a chance on him? Will the NFL allow it? Vic Tafur of The Athletic: Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs is awaiting a parole decision within the next week that could release him from prison in August, five years after he pleaded guilty as the driver in a drunken, high-speed crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog. Here is what you need to know as the ruling nears. Why is Ruggs in prison?In November 2021, Ruggs was driving as fast as 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level of 0.161 — more than twice the legal limit — before his Corvette hit a car carrying Tintor and her dog, killing both. In May 2023, Ruggs pleaded guilty to one count of DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter. Three months later, he was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after three years. In December 2025, Ruggs was moved from a minimum-security facility in Las Vegas to a medium-security prison in Northern Nevada. The Nevada Department of Corrections said at the time it could not specify why Ruggs was moved but said that offenders who commit infractions can be moved to higher levels of custody. When could Ruggs be paroled?The earliest Ruggs can be paroled is Aug. 5. The Nevada Board of Parole is expected to make a decision by June 14. At a parole hearing last month, Ruggs told the board he thinks about Tintor’s death every day and asked the board to give him “the privilege of parole so I can prove myself to everyone.” “I’m a religious person and pray for her family daily,” he said. Tintor’s family did not speak publicly during or after the hearing but had the opportunity to speak with the board privately, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The family has not commented publicly since a statement from Tintor’s mother, Mirjana Komazec, was read by Tintor’s cousin, Daniel Strbac, at Ruggs’ sentencing in August 2023. The statement read: “Every parent’s worst nightmare is to create a beautiful child just to have them taken away at the hands of another’s negligence. There are very few words to explain the feelings of losing a child. It is a pain we feel every day.” Could Ruggs return to the NFL?Separately from the parole question, Ruggs, 27, has also expressed interest in returning to football. He told a Hope For Prisoners group gathering in Las Vegas last year that he wanted to return to the NFL when released from prison. Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, a former teammate at Alabama and with the Raiders, said last year that Ruggs was training in prison and that he had talked to other NFL teams on Ruggs’ behalf, adding “a couple teams” seemed “willing to give him a chance.” A first-round pick by the Raiders in 2020, Ruggs had 24 catches for 469 yards and two touchdowns in seven games in 2021 before the Raiders released him hours after he was charged in the death of Tintor. Ruggs is a free agent and could sign with any team. Would Ruggs face punishment from the NFL?All NFL players are subject to the league’s personal-conduct policy, which can lead to punishment (including suspension) even without a criminal conviction. The policy language gives the league ample latitude to impose discipline depending on aggravating and mitigating factors. It is unclear whether or how much the league would factor Ruggs’ time served in prison and four-year absence from the NFL. The NFL did not immediately respond when asked for comment about whether Ruggs would face discipline if he were to sign with a team. In 2009, then-Cleveland Browns receiver Donte’ Stallworth pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter after his car struck and killed a construction worker while Stallworth was driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.126. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Stallworth — who served 24 days of a 30-day jail sentence and settled a civil lawsuit with the victim’s family — for the full 2009 season. He was reinstated in 2010 and played three more NFL seasons. There is little precedent for Ruggs’ situation since the personal-conduct policy was overhauled in 2014. |
| QBs THAT NEED A SUPER BOWL WINA ranking from Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com where we would expect QB JOSH ALLEN of the Bills to be at the top: No other position in sports carries the weight associated with winning a championship than quarterback. Few know that better than icons like Tom Brady and Dan Marino, for entirely different reasons. Brady’s seven Super Bowl wins earned him the unofficial title of the greatest quarterback of all time. Marino wears the title of the greatest quarterback who never hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Marino’s career doesn’t get the full credit it deserves because he didn’t win it all. With that in mind, we ranked the quarterbacks who could most use a Super Bowl win to define their legacy. While the list is largely composed of quarterbacks yet to win a Super Bowl, it also includes several champions that would greatly benefit from doing so again. 15. Sam Darnold By winning last season’s Super Bowl, Darnold forever changed the narrative of his career. Darnold erased any “bust” labels and is now a two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion. A second Super Bowl win would again change the narrative surrounding Darnold, especially if he and the Seahawks successfully defend their title. Darnold would become only the ninth starting quarterback to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Of the eight quarterbacks that have done so, six are in the Hall of Fame, and the other two (Brady and Patrick Mahomes) will be when they are eligible for induction. 14. C.J. Stroud The youngest quarterback ranked, the 24-year-old Stroud has won two division titles and led the Texans to three straight playoff berths in his first three NFL seasons. He and Josh Allen are the only NFL quarterbacks that won a playoff game each of the last three seasons. Inconsistency plagues Stroud, however, which largely contributed to the inability to get past the divisional round of the playoffs. A Super Bowl win would dispel any lingering questions about Stroud, who has two years left on his rookie contract. 13. Brock Purdy Two years after leading the 49ers to an NFC title, Purdy signed a contract extension befitting a top-tier quarterback. But if Purdy wants to truly be considered elite, he needs to help the 49ers end their 32-year championship drought. Ironically, Steve Young, the 49ers’ quarterback the last time San Francisco won it all, faced a similar narrative prior to 1994. Young responded by winning his second league MVP. He also won Super Bowl MVP honors after throwing a record six touchdown passes during San Francisco’s blowout win over the Chargers. Can Purdy write a similar story in 2026? 12. Matthew Stafford Stafford would rank higher if not for last season’s MVP trophy. Now, with a Super Bowl win and a league MVP in tow, Stafford appears to be a lock for the Hall of Fame. Another Super Bowl win would still considerably elevate Stafford’s career, though. As far as this era is concerned, he’d join Mahomes as the only active starting quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowls. That achievement could make Stafford a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he is eligible for induction. 11. Kyler Murray Like Baker Mayfield, Murray is a former No. 1 overall pick on a roller coaster of a career. But unlike Mayfield (who is 31 and playing on a team that had a losing record in 2025), the 28-year-old Murray has more time on his side. He also has an ideal situation for 2026. After toiling on mostly subpar teams in Arizona, Murray is going to a Vikings team that won 43 games over the last four years. He’s playing for a legitimate quarterback whisperer in coach Kevin O’Connell and with arguably the game’s best receiver in Justin Jefferson. J.J. McCarthy is the only thing standing between Murray and a chance to do something special in Minnesota. 10. Patrick Mahomes Is Mahomes already challenging Brady for the unofficial status as the greatest quarterback of all time? That conversion was the byproduct of Mahomes joining Brady and Joe Montana as the only three-time Super Bowl MVPs. Mahomes also replaced Brady as the most recent quarterback to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Additionally, he joined Brady as the only quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl in overtime. That conversation came to an abrupt end, however, after Mahomes suffered his second Super Bowl setback in decisive fashion. And, after a disappointing 2025 season that ended early due to injury, Mahomes now appears to be on the verge of turning into the NFL’s version of Steph Curry, a generational talent who has been overshadowed in recent years by some of the NBA’s younger stars. Another Super Bowl win, though, would put Mahomes right back into the conversation among the top three or four quarterbacks of all time. By winning another Super Bowl, Mahomes would join Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only starting quarterbacks with four Super Bowl rings. 9. Jalen Hurts Hurts might be the most underappreciated Super Bowl-winning quarterback ever. Hurts delivered an MVP performance during the Eagles’ blowout win over the two-time reigning champion Chiefs. His name is rarely mentioned among the NFL’s best current quarterbacks. That would undoubtedly change, however, if Hurts is about to win a second Super Bowl. Some of the anonymous criticism recently sent his way would also dissipate. By winning a second ring, Hurts would join Bart Starr, Roger Staubach, Bob Griese, Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, Montana, Troy Aikman, John Elway, Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Mahomes as the only starting quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowls. He’d also join Staubach, Griese, Bradshaw, Montana, Aikman, Elway, Brady, Big Ben, Peyton, Brady and Mahomes as the only Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks to start in at least three Super Bowls. 8. Jordan Love While the 27-year-old is younger than most of the other quarterbacks that cracked this list, Love’s sense of urgency to win a Super Bowl is probably just as high, if not higher. Aaron Rodgers’ successor in Green Bay, Love showed impressive poise in 2023, his first year as a starter. After a 3-6 start, Love led the Packers to six wins in their final eight games to clinch a playoff berth. In the playoffs, Love spearheaded Green Bay’s shocking upset win over the Cowboys in the wild-card round before playing well in the Packers’ close divisional round loss to the eventual NFC champion 49ers. Love and the Packers were unable to match that level of success the last two years, however, which is why Love is surely eager to have a big year in 2026. 7. Jared Goff Goff’s career has been nothing short of an enigma. Despite a successful run with the Rams (that included a Super Bowl berth in 2018), he was traded to the Lions in the deal that sent Stafford to Los Angeles. Stafford won his elusive Super Bowl with the Rams, while Goff has enjoyed similar individual success in Detroit while leading the Lions’ resurgence. In 2023, he defeated his former team while leading the Lions to their first playoff win in 32 years. But despite his continued success in Detroit, Goff remains overlooked among other quarterbacks in his era. That’ll likely remain Goff’s lot in life unless he leads the Lions to their first Super Bowl title. 6. Aaron Rodgers Rodgers already cemented his status as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. A second Super Bowl win, however, would put him in even more rarified air. Rodgers would join Brady and Peyton Manning as the only starting quarterbacks to win Super Bowls with multiple franchises. Rodgers would also join Brady as the only starting quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl after turning 40. It would be hard to leave Rodgers off any list of the top five quarterbacks in NFL history if the four-time league MVP wins a Super Bowl during what appears to be his final NFL season. 5. Justin HerbertBarring injuries, Herbert appears to be on track towards Hall of Fame induction. His list of career accomplishments so far includes an historic rookie season (he set rookie records with 31 touchdown passes and 396 completions), being the fastest player to reach 10,000 and 12,000 career passing yards and scoring the most total touchdowns (102) during the first three seasons of a career. Ironically, Herbert is following in the footsteps of former Chargers quarterbacks Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers. Both quarterbacks enjoyed prolific careers but were at times overlooked during their primes because of their inability to get to and ultimately win a Super Bowl. Herbert — who didn’t win a playoff game during his first six NFL seasons — is undoubtedly looking to avoid the same fate. 4. Dak Prescott Prescott is a Dallas icon. The franchise’s career passing leader (he’s also closing in on Tony Romo’s career touchdown pass mark), Prescott will probably see his name and number immortalized in the Cowboys Ring of Honor sometime after his career comes to an end. If Prescott wants to truly be remembered as an all-time great, he can do so by leading the Cowboys to the franchise’s first Super Bowl title since their 1990s dynasty. If he can win a Super Bowl ring, Prescott would not only join Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman as the only starting quarterbacks to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl title, but he would also put himself in position to possibly join them in Canton. 3. Joe Burrow An Ohio native, Burrow would forever be a legend in the Buckeye State if he helps the Bengals become the state’s first Super Bowl champion. That almost happened back in 2021 before Cincinnati felt victim to a controversial penalty, Stafford’s late-game heroics and Aaron Donald’s brilliance at the end of the Rams’ 23-20 victory in Super Bowl LVI. A Super Bowl win would also greatly help Burrow’s Hall of Fame case. While he is undeniably a Hall of Fame talent, injuries held Burrow back. A Super Bowl would permanently put those disappointing and injury-plagued seasons in the rearview mirror while putting Burrow back on track for Canton. 2. Josh Allen For multiple reasons, a Super Bowl win would do wonders for Allen’s career. From a personal standpoint, it would solidify Allen’s place among the best quarterbacks of his era. Allen would also be the quarterback of the first Super Bowl-winning Bills team, which is a legacy-defining accomplishment in itself. For now, though, Allen is part of the group of notable quarterbacks that haven’t won a Super Bowl, a list that includes fellow former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, who never got over the hump despite leading Buffalo to four straight Super Bowl appearances. 1. Lamar Jackson No quarterback needs a Super Bowl more for his legacy, despite everything Jackson already accomplished as a two-time league MVP and the most prolific running quarterback in NFL history. Oddly, the latter achievement actually hindered Jackson’s legacy until now, which is largely why he tops the list. A narrative exists that running quarterbacks cannot win Super Bowls. Jackson, because of his success running with the football, is largely labeled as a running quarterback. But that title diminishes how good Jackson is as a passer. He is, after all, tied with Rodgers with the career passer rating in league history. Not to get too hung up in this off-season exercise, but we would think QB BAKER MAYFIELD should be on this list. A Super Bowl win is definitely something that is somewhat possible for him and would be career elevating. While winning an SB would be a great thing for any QB, we’re not sure why DeArdo thinks it is within the realm of QB KYLER MURRAY. We would put any of the QBs in the Class of 2024 on their ahead of him as well – DRAKE MAYE, BO NIX, CALEB WILLIAMS, JAYDEN DANIELS. |
