| The sale of the Lakers has Mike Florio wondering what an NFL team might be worth: Remember when Steve Ballmer bought the L.A. Clippers for $2 billion and everyone lost their minds? Eleven years later, stay in town multiply it by five. Minority owner Mark Walter has purchased a majority stake in the L.A. Lakers at a valuation of $10 billion. That’s a record for any American sports franchise. The late Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team in 1979 for $67.5 million. The Buss family had owned 66 percent of the team. Jeannie Buss reportedly plans to continue to continue to serve as the team’s governor, which will give her the power to vote on league matters at NBA ownership meetings. Earlier this year, the Boston Celtics sold at a valuation of $6.1 billion. Last month, a minority stake in the 49ers was sold at a valuation of $8.6 billion. It’s safe to say that controlling interest in any NFL team would generate a valuation of more than $10 billion. Some teams (like the Cowboys) would approach or exceed $15 billion. The fact that the Lakers were sold at a $10 billion valuation will only make that more likely. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYTE TRAVIS KELCE is not ready to say that 2025 will be his final season. Michael Baca of NFL.com: Travis Kelce’s illustrious playing career is headed toward Year 13 — a decision the 35-year-old made this past March after a month of uncertainty. But speaking with the Kansas City media for the first time since deciding he will play in 2025, the Chiefs tight end indicated to reporters that a possible retirement wasn’t strongly considered this past spring. “I love football. I don’t think I really thought about it that much,” Kelce told reporters after Wednesday’s minicamp practice. “… I love coming in to work every single day. It wasn’t a very tough one for me. I know I’m getting older, but at the same time I still feel like I’ve got a lot I can prove in this league. With that being said, it really wasn’t that hard of a decision for me.” As Kelce explained on his New Heights podcast three months ago, ending his career with a loss in Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles wasn’t an ideal conclusion and if the Chiefs accomplished the first-ever Lombardi three-peat he “would have thought about [retirement] more.” Seemingly haunted by his own Super Bowl performance to this day — a four-catch, 39-yard effort — Kelce said he “felt like I failed my guys” this past February when reflecting on it more Wednesday and that he “really didn’t feel like it was my last game.” Kelce also said that winning a title is the only acceptable result this year. “That’s the only way I determine if it’s a successful (season) or not,” he said. “It’s just how I’m wired now.” Kelce’s last Super Bowl performance was a continuation of his waning production last season. His 823 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 marked career lows (excluding a rookie season spent largely on the bench), and the impact he made throughout the season felt sparse compared to the numbers he’d put up year after year along a career that will one day end in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Last year’s disappointing results have apparently bolstered his preparation for the 2025 season, and Kelce said he’s lost “some weight” this offseason despite refuting reports of him losing 25 pounds. “This year got some time to really focus on some form running and some things early on in the offseason that I just didn’t have time for last year,” he said. “Certainly feeling good, and I think it will pay off.” Patrick Mahomes indicated a difference in Kelce early this summer, too, saying three weeks ago that “If it’s his last ride, you would never know” based on how he’s looked during the team’s offseason workout program. The Chiefs’ star quarterback furthered that point on Wednesday when asked about if he and Kelce ever talked about him retiring. “We never talked about [retirement],” Mahomes told reporters. “I think you have that in the back of your mind. For anyone that’s played a lot of football seasons, there’s always a chance if they’re gonna come back and put in [the work]. You have to put in the work. You have to put in the work in the offseason. I think everybody wants to play the games, but putting in the work in the offseasons where stuff gets strenuous. … For him, I think it was just recalibrating, seeing where he’s at. From what I’ve seen — I think y’all can see it — he’s ready to go. He’s been putting in the work this offseason, and he’s excited for another chance to make a run for it.” Age-35 seasons are uncommon for star tight ends of recent time, but Kelce appears to be readying himself to become the next exception. While his future beyond this year will certainly be speculated going forward, Kelce made it clear that he’s only focused on reaching the mountaintop once again despite any anything else. “I got one year on this contract, I know that, and we’ll try and figure out something for next year,” Kelce said. “The Chiefs organization knows how much I love them. I can’t see myself ever playing anywhere else. We’ll deal with that down the road when the time is right, but right now I’m focused on winning a championship this year.” |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREThe Ravens listened to QB LAMAR JACKSON and signed his college teammate CB JAIRE ALEXANDER. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic on Alexander’s first day and what might be to come: Alexander signed a one-year, $4 million deal with an additional $2 million in incentives about an hour before Wednesday’s practice, the Ravens’ last on-field workout before veterans report to training camp July 22. He didn’t participate, so the Ravens will have to wait about a month to see him on the field in a purple jersey. However, it was very easy for Baltimore to look at its suddenly robust cornerback depth chart and imagine the possibilities. “A quote that’s never been said and probably will never be said in NFL history is: ‘We’ve got too many corners that can cover,’” Humphrey said Wednesday. “I think that’s a great problem to have, and I’m really excited for that addition.” The Ravens were keeping an eye on Alexander’s tenuous roster status in Green Bay for months, and they expressed interest immediately after he was let go by the Packers last week when the two sides couldn’t agree on the terms of a restructured contract. Baltimore wasn’t overly optimistic it would be able to land Alexander at the time. Team officials figured a two-time Pro Bowler, who is still just 28 and has been one of the better corners in the league when healthy, would garner quite a bit of interest — and there was a good chance they’d be outbid. Alexander was offered more elsewhere, but he wanted to be with a team in Baltimore that has a strong defensive tradition and has been to the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons. He wanted to reunite with quarterback Lamar Jackson, his close friend and former teammate at Louisville. Maybe the fact that the Ravens play the Packers, his team for the past seven seasons, in late December factored into his decision as well. Regardless of the why — Alexander wasn’t available to reporters Wednesday — this is a typical Ravens and Eric DeCosta move. Signing an accomplished and highly motivated veteran at a very modest price long after the draft is an annual rite for Baltimore. The strategy has yielded plenty of hits in recent years, Kyle Van Noy, Jadeveon Clowney, Justin Houston, Ronald Darby and Arthur Maulet among them. DeCosta and his predecessor, Ozzie Newsome, have never hesitated to pour assets into their secondary. Their current group features five first-round picks: Humphrey, Hamilton, Alexander, Nate Wiggins and Malaki Starks. “It might’ve been Ozzie, I think he said, ‘You can never have too many DBs,’” Hamilton said Wednesday. “It seems like everybody’s thin at DB, and to just add a guy like (Alexander) into a room — not only his play, but his energy, his charisma, his leadership and ball knowledge — it’s going to be great to have him. Excited to get him acclimated and everything, and he seems super eager to get in the playbook.” The caveat, of course, is that Alexander is going to have to remain healthy, and that’s been elusive. He played in just 14 of the Packers’ 34 regular-season games over the past two years. He also missed 13 games in 2021. If not for those extensive injury issues, Alexander would still be in Green Bay. Ironically, it’s partly the Ravens’ history with cornerback injuries that prompted them to sign Alexander. Team officials have seen promising seasons go up in smoke because they’ve been ravaged by untimely health issues at cornerback. They’ve learned the “you can never have enough cornerbacks” lesson the hard way. Before the Alexander addition, it was easy to look at their position group and wonder if it was good enough to survive if one of its front-line options missed significant time. The top options behind Humphrey and Wiggins would have been veteran free-agent addition Chidobe Awuzie, a 30-year-old who has played in eight games or fewer in three of the past five seasons, and T.J. Tampa, a 2024 fourth-round pick who logged just 18 defensive snaps as a rookie. Now? It’s fair to wonder whether the Ravens could have one of the best secondaries in the league if good health persists. “Nobody really cares that much on our side (about) what round you were taken,” Hamilton said. “There’s undrafted dudes in the league that make a big splash every year, but to have everybody back there who is talented, smart and a hard worker, we really have no excuses to not go out there and do what we need to do. It’s on us at the end of the day, and pressure is a privilege. Excited for us to have that privilege.” Defensive coordinator Zach Orr and secondary coach Chuck Pagano, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach whom John Harbaugh added to his staff in January, have plenty of options. The most likely scenario involves using Wiggins, the 2024 first-round pick who had a promising rookie season, and Alexander on the outside and relying heavily on Humphrey in the slot, a role he has grown more comfortable in over the years. Awuzie would then move into the No. 4 cornerback role and possibly even be used some at safety, where the Ravens are thin after losing last year’s 10-game starter, Ar’Darius Washington, to an Achilles injury that threatens his 2025 season. Then, the Ravens would still have Jalyn Armour-Davis, who started two games last year, Tampa and rookie sixth-rounders Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam. The flexibility of the cornerback group is augmented by the fact that both starting safeties, Hamilton and Starks, can play deep, move closer to the line of scrimmage or even match up in the slot. The Ravens have also had a few cornerbacks, including Armour-Davis, take snaps at safety during the offseason practices to increase overall versatility. Ravens coaches love talking about having a position-less defense, where guys move around and quarterbacks can’t get a read on who is lining up where. The personnel in the secondary have the potential to create that dynamic. “The options are endless,” Humphrey said. “With me playing a little safety, even Malaki in college, he played some of that nickel position, so it’s going to be a fun secondary, and just guys can kind of play wherever. The addition of Jaire, along with the other guys we’ve got, it can be a serious matchup. If there’s a guy that we feel … can cover this guy better, we can match him up with him, and we can all pick who we want. We can have four first-round corners out there. There’s just so much that we can do. It’s really exciting.” |
| CLEVELANDOne step forward, one step back. QB SHEDEUR SANDERS gets a speeding ticket after having a good mini-camp. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was ticketed in the Cleveland suburb of Strongsville for driving 101 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone. Fox 8 in Cleveland reports that police records show Sanders received a citation for driving 101 mph on 71 North at 12:24 a.m. on Tuesday. Sanders can either pay a fine or contest the ticket in court. A speeding ticket is far from the worst offense a person can commit, but this won’t do anything to challenge perceptions that Sanders lacks the maturity NFL teams look for in their franchise quarterback. Once the betting favorite to be the first overall pick in the draft, Sanders fell to the fifth round amid talk that teams weren’t impressed with the way he conducted himself during the pre-draft process. Sanders is part of a four-way quarterback competition in Cleveland, with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel. Not just any speeding ticket either. Going 41 miles per hour over the speed limit seems more than the kind of ticket you get from a speed camera. Is this a legitimate defense: @CFBNerdsLots of people will judge Shedeur Sanders today for going 100 mph. But ask yourself: – Have you ever gone 100 mph?– Have you ever gone 90? 10 miles an hour faster than what I bet nearly everyone on this app has done at least once isn’t worth crushing the guy. Someone put on Twitter, and we can’t find it to give them credit, something like: SHEDEUR SANDERS Going 101 when expected to go 60 is nothing for him. He has already gone 144 when expected to go 25. |
| AFC EAST |
| MIAMIMike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com explores the market for CB JALEN RAMSEY: When the Dolphins suddenly announced in April that they’re looking to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey, it made sense from a cap standpoint to wait until after June 1. Seventeen days after June 1, Ramsey remains a Dolphin. So when will he be traded? Only the Rams have been connected to Ramsey. Most recently, coach Sean McVay said “some obstacles” remain to doing a deal. With the Dolphins making it clear that the relationship with Ramsey is over, they need a second team in the mix to create real leverage. The Dolphins could decide to wait. And if the wait lasts into training camp, things could become even more interesting. It’s unlikely, given the circumstances, that the Dolphins would want Ramsey in training camp. If Ramsey goes along with that (they can’t keep him away if he wants to work), the Dolphins would keep waiting for the right deal. And what if a deal isn’t done before the regular season begins? Will the Dolphins pay Ramsey to stay home until a trade materializes? The situation could end up having parallels to the Deshaun Watson situation from 2021. He was nearly traded to the Dolphins before Week 1. Then, as the trade deadline approached, it almost happened again. When it didn’t, the Texans paid Watson for the rest of the season before trading him. Given what the Texans got from the Browns for Watson in March 2022, it was money well spent. The Dolphins won’t be looking at a significant haul after the season. And it will cost them more than twice the $10 million the Texans paid Watson to not play four years ago. The fact that a trade hasn’t happened proves that it’s not going smoothly. Ultimately, the Dolphins may have to wait for someone with another team to get injured before a true market for Ramsey’s contract will materialize. And they may have to pay Ramsey, one week at a time, until it happens. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| GADGET PLAYERSBill Barnwell has a list of the NFL’s best “gadget players”: Let’s celebrate what I like to refer to as the NFL’s luxury players. No organization builds a roster prioritizing its swing tackle or fourth wide receiver, but it can sure be useful to have in a weekly game plan. These players might have been limited to one role or certain snaps, and they aren’t necessarily going to be that caliber of performer if given a larger role in 2025. We should laud them for what they are and how effective they were at what they were asked to do last season, though. Keep in mind that we’re focusing here on players in specialized roles. The best third-down back in the league might be Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs or Christian McCaffrey, but those guys are great on all downs. This would be the place to celebrate someone like Ameer Abdullah, an unsigned veteran who has been solid as a pass blocker and special teamer, caught 85% of the passes thrown in his direction in 2024 and even chipped in a 115-yard performance as a starter in Week 17. Some of these players are already household names, but others are respected around the NFL for what they do in a specialized role. Sixth offensive lineman Alec Anderson, Buffalo BillsSome teams bring extra offensive linemen onto the field in short-yardage and goal-line situations, hoping to use the added bulk to generate more movement at the line of scrimmage. Over the past couple of years, though, the Bills have used the sixth offensive lineman tactic as something close to a core offensive concept. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady utilized six linemen on first-and-10 93 times last season, more than twice as often as any other offense. The league’s other 31 teams went there an average of just over 10 times on first-and-10 in 2024. And while the Bills went with six linemen to help their run game, the extra lineman also forced teams into the same bind we’ve seen defenses struggle with against multi-tight-end groupings. Play nickel and dime sub-package versus a six-lineman set and the Bills will run it. Play base defense and the Bills were happy to throw; Josh Allen averaged 9.4 yards per attempt out of those six-lineman groupings last season, up nearly two full yards from his mark with five linemen on the field (7.6). All of those personnel grouping mismatches look great on paper, but offenses need the personnel to actually pull them off. While the Bills used David Edwards in this role before he moved into the starting lineup in 2024, Anderson has taken it to another level. The 305-pound tackle spent two years on the Buffalo practice squad before making his debut last season. Brady carved out a regular role for Anderson immediately, as he averaged 14 snaps per game, excluding the Week 18 game in which the Bills played their backups against the Pats. Anderson has been a sound run blocker, but he has excelled protecting Allen on the edge. Amid his 79 pass-blocking snaps, the 25-year-old allowed just one quarterback pressure and zero sacks, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Being able to rely on Anderson as a solid pass blocker allows the Bills to take shots downfield out of those Jumbo packages, which then scares defenses into protecting against the deep passing attack and creates softer boxes for Allen and James Cook in the run game. Blitzing off-ball linebacker Kaden Elliss, Atlanta FalconsDuring his final season in New Orleans in 2022 and over his first two seasons in Atlanta, Elliss has been one of the league’s most unique defenders. The Saints used him as more of an edge rusher for significant stretches than the Falcons have, but both defenses have found ways to maximize his ability to get after the quarterback. Elliss’ athleticism and timing have made him a valuable player on “green dog” rushes, where a defender adds onto a pass rush if his coverage responsibility stays in as part of the pass protection unit. Coach Raheem Morris also had some success using him on twists last season, including a snap in which he was the lead rusher in a twist/stunt and managed to get around the guard assigned to block him and strip-sack Drew Lock. As a one-on-one pass rusher, though, Elliss is much better than people realize. How good was he in 2024? By reducing the threshold for ESPN’s pass rush win rate to include players who had at least 100 plays with a win or loss, his 26.4% PRWR was tied with Danielle Hunter for second in the NFL, trailing only Aidan Hutchinson. Over the past two seasons, setting the limit at 150 plays with a win or loss, Elliss’ 23.6% PRWR is the league’s fourth-best mark. When Elliss gets matched up against running backs, he is too explosive to block. Watch him spin and run through Aaron Jones to take down Sam Darnold a year ago. Not many off-ball linebackers have that sort of burst or wriggle, and he does a good job of finishing the play by keeping Darnold in his grasp and getting the Vikings quarterback down with a Jake Roberts-esque DDT. Elliss finished last season with five sacks and a team-high 16 knockdowns of opposing quarterbacks, excellent numbers for a player who only rushed the quarterback 148 times. It’s a little bizarre to think of an Atlanta pass rusher as a luxury given that the organization has struggled for so many years to find its primary edge rushers, but consider Elliss to be the world-class sound system in a car whose brakes and engine don’t work. He’s doing his part. Slot cornerback Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia EaglesYes, he’s already there. DeJean spent the first month of his rookie season on the sidelines, but after Philadelphia’s Week 5 bye, his move into the starting lineup coincided with a massive defensive improvement. After ranking 26th in expected points added (EPA) per play on defense before the bye, the Eagles were comfortably the league’s best defense by the same metric afterward — the second-place Texans ranked closer to 13th than they did to first. It would probably be unrealistic to suggest DeJean was the single driver of those improvements, but he certainly served as a revelation in the secondary. From Week 6 onward, his minus-22.7 EPA allowed as the nearest defender in coverage ranked second in the league, with fellow rookie standout Nate Wiggins the only cornerback ahead of him, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He didn’t allow a single touchdown on 68 targets. And while he didn’t record any interceptions during the regular season, you might remember what he did to Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. With the Eagles releasing Darius Slay, DeJean will play outside more often in 2025, as he’ll likely start outside in their base defense and work out of the slot in sub packages. He was in coverage as an outside cornerback on just six snaps last season, none of which came during the postseason. He moved all around the backfield in college at Iowa, which should help his chances of handling the added responsibilities. A dominant rookie season also bodes well for his chances of being a great NFL cornerback regardless of where he lines up pre-snap. Kickoffs Blake Grupe, New Orleans SaintsThe various changes to the league’s kickoff rules over the past few years have changed the way kickers approach their jobs. With touchbacks on kickoffs pushing the ball to the 30-yard line last season, there was added value in both kickoff distance and placement. With the new dynamic kickoff preventing teams from covering kickoffs until the ball is caught, the goal for kickers is to produce a kick that is deep enough to force a meaningful return without pushing the ball into the end zone for a touchback. Nobody did a better job of that last year than Grupe, who produced touchbacks on a league-low 26.9% of his kicks. He ranked 31st among all kickers in yards per kickoff, but a lack of touchbacks, good placement and reliable coverage by the Saints meant that his average kickoff produced a drive that started 71.9 yards from the end zone. That was the league’s best rate among kickers with at least 40 kickoffs. New Orleans ranked second in EPA per kickoff, trailing only the Jets, who got a great half-season from Anders Carlson. In 2025, the league is further incentivizing kickoff returns and discouraging touchbacks by pushing the ball 5 yards forward, giving offenses the ability to start on the 35-yard line if the opposing team kicks the ball into or through the end zone. The Saints lost special teams coach Darren Rizzi to the Broncos this offseason, but if Grupe and his coverage team can continue to avoid touchbacks and consistently cover returns, the difference will be even more meaningful under the even-more-dynamic kickoff rules. Special teams gunner Brenden Schooler, LB, New England PatriotsWhile the once-vaunted Patriots special teams fell apart and ranked among the worst in football by the time Bill Belichick was fired after the 2023 season, the third facet of the game was one of the few places where the Pats held their own a year ago. New England ranked second in special teams EPA, trailing only the Steelers, who forced an unreal 11 fumbles on kickoff and punt plays, the most by any team since 2004. The most significant force behind that special teams performance was Schooler, who was rewarded for his efforts with a first-team All-Pro nod. Schooler is not quite as consistent of a tackler as Nick Bellore (Commanders) or J.T. Gray (Saints), but the 28-year-old was unblockable at times on punt duties last season; he played a significant role in helping the Patriots upset the Bengals in the opener with his coverage work. He’s also an excellent blocker when called upon to do so. In addition to blocking a punt in an October game against the Dolphins, Schooler added something to his résumé: defense. The Patriots used Schooler on 50 snaps, and while half of them came in a meaningless Week 18 win over the Bills, he was used more regularly to spy opposing quarterbacks. In limited time, he managed to chase down a pair of sacks, which left him tied for fourth on the team in that category. Signed to a three-year extension last fall, Schooler is one of the few Patriots to come out of 2024 looking like he would have fit in during New England’s dynasty. Blocking tight end Josh Oliver, TE, Minnesota VikingsIt’s clear that the Vikings see their second tight end as a critical part of the offense. As I was working on this piece, they signed Oliver to a three-year, $23.3 million extension, which would seem to be a lofty figure for a player with 701 career receiving yards across six NFL seasons with three different teams. It’s the second time the Vikings have paid Oliver, who joined the team on a three-year, $21 million deal two years ago. The numbers back up the idea that Oliver is an elite blocker. He ranked fourth among eligible tight ends in ESPN’s run block win rate a year ago, finishing just behind a former teammate in now-Jaguars tight end Johnny Mundt. NFL Next Gen Stats credited Oliver with only two pressures allowed across 55 pass-blocking snaps, producing a pressure rate that was just about half the league average among tight ends. Is that worth more than $7 million per year in a market where good blockers such as Mundt ($2.8 million) and Chris Manhertz ($1.4 million, Giants) are making way less? It’s tough to say. Oliver is just good enough of a receiver to give teams pause when he’s running routes up the seam and off play-action boot concepts. Combine that with great blocking and he’s a very useful player, one who lined up on just about half of the offensive snaps for the Vikings in 2024. As teams lean further into 12 personnel groupings, Oliver and John Bates (Commanders) could end up as undervalued examples of an archetype seeing the field more than ever before. Short-yardage running back Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City ChiefsThe league’s best back in short yardage is about to become a luxury with an expensive contract in Los Angeles. If rumors hold true and Kyren Williams gets a new deal with the Rams, coach Sean McVay & Co. will be locking up a back who has gone 39-of-45 (86.7%) in converting third or fourth down with 1 or 2 yards to go over the past two seasons. He is more than just a short-yardage back, but he has been particularly valuable in that role for the Rams. Limiting this pick to backs who aren’t standouts in other ways, the best option is Hunt, who was forced into a lead role with the Chiefs last season after Isiah Pacheco went down and rookie Carson Steele fumbled away his opportunity. Hunt wasn’t great, but the one thing he did well was convert in short yardage. He went 15-of-18 (83.3%) in those situations, one year after he went 15-of-20 (75%) in those same spots for the Browns. Doing that for an offense that relied heavily on converting third downs and wasn’t willing to run Patrick Mahomes on sneaks was a critical piece of the puzzle for Kansas City. With Pacheco back to full health and free agent Elijah Mitchell joining the mix, it would be a surprise if the Chiefs relied on Hunt in a featured role again in 2025. However, he could still be a useful third running back in the right situations. Gadget player Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Denver BroncosThe idea of a gadget player means less than it did in the past, if only because offensive coordinators realized that using star players in the same places they once used situational playmakers is a great way to create mismatches. Just about every superstar “X” wide receiver has seen a meaningful number of snaps from the slot and out of bunches and stacks, but we’re now seeing playcallers move wideouts such as Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb into the backfield to sow chaos and confusion for opposing defenses. Thinking about the classic idea of an undersized gadget player who moves around the formation to thrive, catches all kinds of passes near the line of scrimmage and creates big plays with the ball in his hands, Mims comes to mind. Like many gadget players from years past, he adds value on special teams: He was the league’s first-team All-Pro return man in 2024, averaging an NFL-best 15.7 yards per punt return. As a receiver, though, Mims was plenty valuable in his own role. After using him primarily on the outside as a rookie, coach Sean Payton moved him around more often in 2024. Mims averaged just 0.8 yards per route run on the outside last season, but that jumped to a whopping 5.5 yards per route run out of the slot and in the backfield, as he proved to be an interesting player when lined up next to Bo Nix. From Week 11 onward, Mims’ 4.4 yards per route run was the best mark in the league for any player who ran 80 routes or more. While that came in a small sample and included some blown coverages along the way, he caught Nix’s best pass of the year on a seam route versus a Tampa-2 scheme for a 93-yard touchdown against the Browns. He also had one of the best catches by any wide receiver all season, out-jumping two Bengals defenders on a fourth-and-the-game prayer with nine seconds left to push another late-season game to overtime. Is Mims really going to produce like Puka Nacua over a full season? No. As a player who can get the most out of the many bubble and swing screens he runs, show enough speed to threaten linebackers and safeties vertically, and serve as a high-end return man, he doesn’t need to average 4-plus yards per route run to be valuable. Fourth wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, WR, Chicago BearsThere are certainly bigger names who might fall fourth on a depth chart at wide receiver, such as Diontae Johnson (Browns) or Demarcus Robinson (49ers), but this is a spot where receivers are expected to do more than catch passes. Teams need their fourth and fifth wideouts to block in the run and screen games and still make an impact as a pass catcher when their number is called or when the top guys aren’t on the field. While Zaccheaus might have been something closer to the second or third wide receiver for the Commanders last season, he is expected to slot in behind DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and rookie second-round pick Luther Burden III in Chicago. Don’t be surprised if Zaccheaus is on the field more often than you would expect — coaches love him. Zaccheaus is undersized at 5-foot-8, 193 pounds, but he has still carved out a role in the NFL by being an aggressive, willing blocker. He was effective as both a blocker and receiver on the tunnel and bubble screens the Commanders ran last season; he was also capable of finding holes in coverage out of the slot. He averaged a respectable 1.9 yards per route run last season, just ahead of DK Metcalf (Seahawks) and Jordan Addison (Vikings). And while Zaccheaus is never going to command their sort of target share, the 27-year-old is one of the league’s most effective wideouts without the ball in his hands. He even ran through tackles in the Eagles’ secondary for a critical score in the fourth quarter of a December win over the eventual Super Bowl champs. The only blemish on Zaccheaus’ 2024 record is his three fumbles, all of which came on punt return duties. The Bears signed Devin Duvernay to take over the return work in Chicago, and Zaccheaus had only one fumble in his career before last season, so I’m willing to write that off as a bit of a fluke. Zaccheaus won’t be the Bears’ wideout who sells the most jerseys this offseason, but he should be on the field plenty. Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta FalconsThese rankings don’t include the financial investment made for players at each position. Obviously, teams would prefer to avoid paying their backup quarterback $27.5 million while guaranteeing him $10 million for next season, especially when he’ll be 38 years old and potentially playing for another franchise. At this point, the 2025 season and what Cousins is owed is a sunk cost for the Falcons. Yet looking around the league, it’s pretty clear he would be the best choice of any backup passer to start one meaningful game. The Falcons undoubtedly lost faith in Cousins during his late-season collapse in 2024, and reports afterward that he was battling a shoulder injury added some logical context to the situation. Before that stretch, though, his 59.3 QBR ranked 12th in the league, a reasonable figure since his early-season mobility was compromised by a torn Achilles injury in 2023. He led a late comeback to beat the Eagles in Week 2 and threw for 509 yards and four touchdowns in an October win over the Buccaneers. He also managed to make the occasional big throw, like this go route that travelled 50 yards in the air to Darnell Mooney against the Vikings. Admittedly, Cousins missed or underthrew plenty of passes during that early stretch, but the hope has to be that the offseason has given his shoulder time to heal. Even with that disastrous end to his first year in Atlanta, he finished the season 23rd in QBR, ahead of starters C.J. Stroud, Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers. He averaged nearly 7.7 yards per attempt and completed just under 67% of his passes. Would I want to sign him to a contract for what the Falcons are paying him? Of course not. Then again, what’s more luxurious than paying too much for something you won’t use? Two-down defensive tackle T.J. Slaton, DT, Cincinnati BengalsThe Bengals signed Slaton to a two-year, $14.1 million deal this offseason, and while that’s not exactly Dak Prescott or Josh Allen money, it’s a testament to the difference the 2021 fifth-round pick made in his role with the Packers. Listed at 330 pounds, it’s no surprise that Slaton was asked to do the dirty work on early downs against the run. Last season, he played about 45% of Green Bay’s snaps on first and second down, but that fell to just under 19% of the snaps on third and fourth downs. With two sacks and seven quarterback knockdowns over his four seasons in Green Bay, Slaton isn’t going to show off a series of nuanced pass-rush moves. What he can do is control gaps and maul the player in front of him when asked. In 2024, Slaton’s 45.5% run stop win rate on the interior led all defenders, just ahead of highly compensated tackles D.J. Jones, Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner. The highlight of his season might have been a fourth-and-goal snap in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins, where Slaton drove the guard backward, drew a holding penalty and pressured Tua Tagovailoa into the arms of Quay Walker for a drive-ending sack. It wasn’t pretty, but it sure was effective. Slaton’s not going to be a replacement for Trey Hendrickson or even former Bengals tackle DJ Reader, but for a team that ranked 30th in EPA per play against designed runs last season, Slaton was a much-needed addition. Tampa Bay’s fourth receiver – probably second year pro WR JALEN McMILLEN – is better than Zaccheaus. |
| QB TIERSMike Sando of The Athletic should have the idea of ranking QBs by “tiers” copyrighted, but apparently he does not. Because here is Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com doing the same thing (glancing at the list QB BRYCE YOUNG of the Panthers deserves better): As we approach the 2025 campaign, however, there are lines that can be drawn — some firm, some fuzzier — to separate the kinds of quarterbacks most teams would prefer from the kinds most try to avoid. This is our best attempt at drawing those lines, knowing full well that certain players will prove us wrong — or let us down — when the real games begin, pockets collapse, and the NFL’s storylines are confirmed or rewritten: Tier 1: Transcendent Talents (6)These are the quarterbacks that teams dream of deploying. The faces of the modern NFL. The diamonds that most organizations try — and fail — to unearth. How did they reach this rare and prestigious pedestal? By possessing either unmatched physical gifts, proven championship-level resolve, or both. Give them a mildly supportive setup, and it’s only a matter of time until you win big games. Patrick MahomesKC • QB • #15Age: 29 | Season: 9thMahomes isn’t the gold standard of contemporary quarterbacking so much as the sole member of an exclusive kind of signal-calling. His heroics, of course, were nowhere to be found in his last outing, a Super Bowl LIX embarrassment. But the Kansas City Chiefs wouldn’t have even sniffed the big game (again) if not for his penchant for moving the chains when it matters most. Once a big-play machine, he now masters the game on the margins. Josh AllenBUF • QB • #17Age: 29 | Season: 8thIf Mahomes is Mr. Inevitable in the AFC, then Allen is the conference’s steadiest runner-up fronting the Buffalo Bills. He embraced a slightly reduced role to better control the ball during his NFL MVP season, but his superpower is still the fact he can fire his cannon of an arm or just plow through a defense at a moment’s notice. Lamar JacksonBAL • QB • #8Age: 28 | Season: 8thNot so unlike Allen, the Baltimore Ravens star has frequently played second fiddle to Mahomes, but not for lack of unteachable physical gifts. The two-time MVP has upped his aerial efficiency in back-to-back years under offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and the rest of the NFL fears his effortless electricity on the ground. Joe BurrowCIN • QB • #9Age: 28 | Season: 6thView ProfileBurrow’s endured some rocky stretches with the Cincinnati Bengals, missing big chunks of time due to injury and watching a 43-touchdown showcase go to waste in 2024. That doesn’t change the fact he’s one of the best pure passers in the game, hitting close to 69% of his darts for his career. His poise and precision are elite. Jalen HurtsPHI • QB • #1Age: 26 | Season: 6thView ProfileSome will question his ranking solely because his passing marks have never been gaudy. “Pretty” isn’t what defines Hurts on the field, however; the man just gets results. Whether with timely downfield lobs to his playmakers or rugged situational rushing, No. 1 on the Philadelphia Eagles sets the tone with freakish composure. Jayden DanielsWAS • QB • #5Age: 24 | Season: 2ndHis sample size is small, yes, but Daniels enjoyed one of the finest debuts in NFL history as the new face of the Washington Commanders. A smooth cruiser on the ground and a crisp flick-of-the-wrist weapon letting it rip, he was also unflappable under bright lights, taking a squad of overachieving vets to the doorstep of a Super Bowl. Tier 2: Borderline Stars (8)Consider these quarterbacks the silver standard. They may not consistently match the star power or reach the stage of the position’s elite (or perhaps they’re just aging out of such a category). Therefore they find themselves a touch more dependent on their surroundings. Still, when push comes to shove, you’d rather have one of these arms than not, either for the upside or the track record. Give them a golden setup, and a title run is possible. Matthew StaffordLAR • QB • #9Age: 37 | Season: 17thBig No. 9 was maybe the toughest to place of all quarterbacks. When he’s on, he’s a game-changer, using a rocket arm and super savviness to elevate Sean McVay’s already-potent Los Angeles Rams attack. The concern lies with the mileage; issues of durability or streakiness have a tendency to intensify this deep into a career. Jared GoffDET • QB • #16Age: 30 | Season: 10thCreating something out of nothing isn’t his strong suit, and his turnover spree to close 2024 evoked memories of his skittish finish with the Rams, but Goff has also proven to be an increasingly efficient point guard for the Detroit Lions’ all-star weaponry. A clean pocket means he’s capable of shepherding a shootout with anyone. Brock PurdySF • QB • #13Age: 25 | Season: 4thThe physical fragility of the San Francisco 49ers finally got to Purdy in Year 3, when his struggles playing from behind were clearer than ever. Still, this kid is a Kyle Shanahan favorite for good reason. He’s a wily and underrated play-extender, he isn’t afraid to let it fly, and his collectedness took him to the biggest stage before. Jordan LoveGB • QB • #10Age: 26 | Season: 6thCan he protect the ball and himself? Those are the only real questions with Love, who possesses one of the NFL’s most impressive arms. Bumps and bruises to both he and his receivers helped halt the Green Bay Packers in 2024, but if Love can properly manage his inner Brett Favre, he’s got the tools and the system to win big. Justin HerbertLAC • QB • #10Age: 27 | Season: 6thView ProfileOne of the NFL’s most curious cases of both talent and production failing to net meaningful victories, Herbert is a total package with a zippy arm and on-field restraint; he threw just three picks in his first year under coach Jim Harbaugh. His issue has been taking over when he’s needed most, with an ugly 0-2 playoff slate to date. Dak PrescottDAL • QB • #4Age: 31 | Season: 10thThe longtime Dallas Cowboys captain might be the new face of the “really good, but maybe not great” crop of familiar quarterbacks. He can air it out with the best of them, doing all the little things well inside the pocket, but Prescott, who’s missed extensive time in three of his last five years, is still in search of a defining postseason run. Baker MayfieldTB • QB • #6Age: 30 | Season: 8thA comeback story for his time, Mayfield still possesses some of the same reckless abandon that saw him bounce between three teams from 2021-2022. Yet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have adopted his scrappiness mostly for the better. He throws himself into trouble, but his 77 passing scores since 2023 (including playoffs) are no joke. C.J. StroudHOU • QB • #7Age: 23 | Season: 3rdHis authoritative 2023 debut was almost as jarring as his 2024 regression, which saw his touch and timing dip amid a banged-up supporting cast. Stroud is a grounded locker-room leader, though, and his ability to thread the needle to all levels of the field means he’s primed to get the Houston Texans back in rhythm in Year 3. Tier 3: Promising Prospects (4)The mystery is the blessing (and potential curse) here. None of these quarterbacks has played more than a single season, and one has yet to take an NFL snap. Because of both raw ability and encouraging infrastructure, however, they are poised for noticeable leaps, perhaps all the way into the playoff picture. Bo NixDEN • QB • #10Age: 25 | Season: 2ndThe seasoned Oregon product quietly approached 30 passing scores in Year 1 under Sean Payton, while excelling as a play-extender with his legs. The question is, can he make a leap with the Denver Broncos’ pass weapons, and/or better manage the ball as Payton leans deeper into the ground game and defense? Caleb WilliamsCHI • QB • #18Age: 23 | Season: 2ndThe No. 1 pick of a deep 2024 quarterback class, Williams was colorful, if erratic, in a debut under shaky coaching. His supercharged arm and freestyling skills stand to benefit from Ben Johnson’s takeover on the sidelines, plus a newly fortified front featuring All-Pro Joe Thuney. Can he contain himself when he must? J.J. McCarthyMIN • QB • #9Age: 22 | Season: 2ndEverything about the Minnesota Vikings suggests he’s in for a cool debut after missing 2024 due to knee surgeries: head coach Kevin O’Connell, a Justin Jefferson-led skill group and an exotic defense promise elite support. Fans may have inflated expectations after journeyman Sam Darnold won 14 games a year ago. Drake MayeNE • QB • #10Age: 22 | Season: 2ndThe New England Patriots didn’t ruin Maye’s confidence or mobility despite surrounding the rookie with measly protection and weapons in 2024. Now the North Carolina product has Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels calling the shots, with added support across the lineup. A solid leap is expected here. Tier 4: Volatile Veterans (6)This is the murky middle of the quarterback landscape, a true grab bag of mercurial talents both young and old. It wouldn’t be shocking if any of them launched 30 touchdown passes, but it also wouldn’t be shocking if they crumbled out of the starting lineup altogether. It’s a pick-your-poison kind of a batch. Aaron RodgersPIT • QB • #8Age: 41 | Season: 21stRodgers’ luster may have dampened in his dismal two-year dabble with the New York Jets, but pairing his two decades of experience with the prestige of Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers promises good TV. The ex-Packers great can still sling it. But can his aging legs keep him upright in a town starved for a deep run? Geno SmithLV • QB • #7Age: 34 | Season: 13thThere’s little doubt Smith is an upgrade in Las Vegas, giving the silver and black a gutsy gunslinger who endured three years of shoddy protection with the Seattle Seahawks. He’s also struggled to avoid nicks and turnover streaks since his surprise 2022 breakout. A wild-card fling feels like the safe bet here. Trevor LawrenceJAC • QB • #16Age: 25 | Season: 5thFour years after going No. 1 overall, Lawrence is under pressure to justify the Jacksonville Jaguars’ lucrative investment in his services. He’s got a snappy arm and flashy young wideouts in Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter, but hopefully new coach Liam Coen can also help him make sharper decisions. Tua TagovailoaMIA • QB • #1Age: 27 | Season: 6thThe medical conversation can’t be oversold here; Tagovailoa has played one full season in five years with the Miami Dolphins. Aside from that, he’s been polarizing, offering top-shelf accuracy (68.1% career completion rate) but struggling mightily when pressed to create plays out of script when it counts. Kyler MurrayARI • QB • #1Age: 27 | Season: 7thWe’re entering Year 7 of the Murray era in Arizona, and no one seems to know whether the former No. 1 pick is past, within or approaching his prime. The quick-footed dual threat can still crack highlight reels with elusive moves and arcing downfield shots, but he’s tended to be more volatile than settled as a passer. Sam DarnoldSEA • QB • #14Age: 28 | Season: 8thDarnold finally unleashed a first-round arm in a prove-it 2024 season with the Vikings, at least until a pressure-cooked finish. It’s clear he’s got the tools to hurl a favorable lineup into the postseason. Whether he has the fortitude to elevate a team in transition (see: the Seattle Seahawks) is still up for debate. Tier 5: Prized Project (1)This is the cream of the incoming crop. Technically two quarterbacks were first-round draft picks this April, but only one is expected to open 2025 as a starter. That makes this particular rookie the focal point of not only his team but this season’s discussion surrounding first-year signal-callers. Cam WardTEN • QB • #1Age: 23 | Season: 1stIt’s kind of funny that the Tennessee Titans spent the No. 1 pick on a quarterback known for his live arm and gutsy, if risky, backyard style after tiring of Will Levis, who’s known … for his live arm and gutsy, if risky, backyard style. Yet Ward’s college production also bodes well for his anticipated debut in Nashville. Tier 6: Holdovers and Placeholders (7)Sometimes a Band-Aid proves to be the best bet. And, respectfully, that’s how we’d label this lower tier of starters. Some of them, like Sam Darnold in 2024 or Baker Mayfield in 2023, could be due for surprise breakouts thanks to untapped upside. Others may be on their last legs as starters, simply collecting snaps until successors are ready to suit up. For better or worse, each of them have relatively low bars to clear. Justin FieldsNYJ • QB • #7Age: 26 | Season: 5thFields can pass the eye test with flying colors; he looks the part with his athleticism, which once helped him clear 1,100 rushing yards (!) as the Bears’ starter. Still, he’s now on his third team in five seasons, and neither of his previous clubs could figure out how to prioritize ball protection while maximizing his gifts. Russell WilsonNYG • QB • #3Age: 36 | Season: 14thThe longtime Seahawks star has looked sluggish at the tail end of each of his last two pitstops. Could his play-action moon shots be a nice fit in head coach Brian Daboll’s offense? Sure. But the perpetually rebuilding New York Giants may not hesitate to implement rookie Jaxson Dart, a fresher dual threat, if they can. Bryce YoungCAR • QB • #9Age: 23 | Season: 3rdThe former No. 1 pick finally touted NFL-level confidence to close Year 2, suggesting he’s still got an “it” factor to offset his smaller frame and ghastly start. Can he be more than serviceable as a passer, though? The Carolina Panthers are still trusting a mostly unproven group of pass weapons to help him grow. Michael Penix Jr.ATL • QB • #9Age: 25 | Season: 2ndThe man responsible for Kirk Cousins’ headlining demotion in Atlanta, Penix was scattershot in his first starts to end 2024, hitting just 58% of his left-handed darts. He’s got a solid core of young weapons with the Falcons. His ability to sharpen his timing on downfield throws could determine the club’s trajectory. Joe FlaccoCLE • QB • #15Age: 40 | Season: 18thThe Cleveland Browns could carry four different quarterbacks (and potential starters) into the season, which really just means they don’t have a single clear answer. The immobile but big-armed Flacco is the likeliest to lead the carousel, given his experience both around the NFL and in Kevin Stefanski’s system. Anthony RichardsonIND • QB • #5Age: 23 | Season: 3rdInjuries have plagued the Florida product for each of his erratic NFL seasons, and 2025 looks to be no exception, with newly added competition Daniel Jones already commanding first-team reps thanks to Richardson’s lingering shoulder issues. The latter is a supersized specimen, but he’s still a total project. Tyler ShoughNO • QB • #6Age: 25 | Season: 1stShough isn’t a typical rookie given his age and seven-year college run, but he feels more like a starter by default for the overhauled New Orleans Saints. The second-rounder, who battled multiple injuries earlier in his NCAA tenure, at least has veteran talent at his disposal, including Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave. Our quibbles – why are Young and Penix not Promising Prospects? We think Hurts is ranked okay – south of the top four, north of Stafford and Goff, but we would have put him in the second tier. The word “transcendent” in the title of Tier 1 hurts him. |
