NFC EAST

DALLAS

This tweet from Jane Slater of NFL Network:

@SlaterNFL

Addressing the Leighton Vander Esch trade rumors, per a source informed…yes there have been other teams interested in the linebacker but I’m told the #Cowboys are not interested in a trade and he’s still very much a part of the defensive plan next year and in the future

– – –

Kevin Patra of NFL.com reminds us of TE BLAKE JARWIN:

The Dallas Cowboys’ injury-riddled 2020 campaign saw so many big-name players go down with injury, tight end Blake Jarwin’s Week 1 ACL tear gets lost in the shuffle.

Projected as a breakout candidate last season, Jarwin saw his year end after a single catch.

“Obviously, my expectation for myself was pretty high, and then just to go down like that in the first half of the first game was pretty tough,” Jarwin said recently, via the team’s official website.

Jarwin has been mostly restricted to rehab work during Cowboys OTAs as he recovers from the ACL tear.

“There’s really no reason, I guess, to rush into it,” he said. “Just make sure that I’m feeling good — and I feel good. I’ll just keep pushing along, and I anticipate, Day 1 of training camp, being ready to roll.”

The 26-year-old was an offseason hype-bunny last year, slated for a significant role. His Week 1 injury provided Dalton Schultz the opportunity to snag those targets. Jarwin’s return in 2021 could set up a training-camp battle for reps between the tight ends.

“Just to see him kind of have that success on the field, I’m just happy for him,” Jarwin said of Schultz. “I’m excited to get back out there and compete with him. I think it’s going to be great for both of us, and I think both of us on the field at the same time will be awesome, as well.”

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Albert Breer of SI.com with a primer on why WR JULIO JONES is harder to trade than you would think – and why Tennessee seems the most likely destination:

My guess is Julio Jones is traded this week. But I’ll say this—it is not easy finding a team that’s falling all over itself to make that happen. There’s a simple explanation as to why, too. The NFL generally doesn’t pay age, and it generally doesn’t fork over huge draft capital to get age, and the 32-year-old Jones is, in pro football, aging. To illustrate that point, I took the last three years, a period over which big-time trades have become more and more prevalent, and looked at the age of guys being moved for major draft capital. Over the period going back to April 2018, 11 non-quarterbacks have been dealt for a first-round pick or more.

• Brandin Cooks was 24 went he was dealt from the Patriots to Rams in April 2018.

• Khalil Mack was 27 when he was traded from Oakland to Chicago in September 2018.

• Amari Cooper was 24 when he was traded from Oakland to Dallas in October 2018.

• Odell Beckham was 26 when he was traded from the Giants to the Browns in March 2019.

• Frank Clark was 25 when he was dealt from Seattle to Kansas City in April 2019.

• Laremy Tunsil was 25 when he went from Miami to Houston in September 2019.

• Minkah Fitzpatrick was 22 when he went from Miami to Pittsburgh in September 2019.

• Jalen Ramsey was 24 when he was dealt from Jacksonville to the Rams in October 2019.

• DeForest Buckner went from the 49ers to Indy the day after he turned 26, in March 2020.

• Stefon Diggs was 26 when he was traded from Minnesota to Buffalo in March 2020.

• Jamal Adams was 24 when the Jets traded him to Seattle last July.

So that’s one guy at 22, one guy at 27, four at 24, two at 25, and three at 26, which means Jones would be five years older than the next oldest player to be dealt for a 1. Add that to the cap and cash crunch that we addressed last week, and it shouldn’t be too surprising seeing the trouble that Atlanta has had offloading its star receiver. Now, I do think there are teams that would be interested at the right spot. But take, for instance, the Titans and Ravens, both of whom have had internal discussions on Jones—each would have to move a lot of money around (both have less than $10 million in cap space) to bring him in. Even the oft-discussed Patriots can’t do it without some serious restructuring. And as for the idea Atlanta would eat money … maybe the Falcons will. But that, in a way, would be self-defeating, if the move is going to take up cap space as it is. Even with a post-June 1 trade, which would move $15.5 million of his $23.25 million in dead money to 2022, the Falcons will be carrying $7.75 million in dead money this year, and already paid Jones $48.7 million for the first two years of the deal he did two summers ago. And none of this is to take away anything from Jones the player. He’s a Hall of Famer, as I see it. But a trade return isn’t a career achievement award—it’s about projecting what a guy is going to be going forward. Which, as you can ascertain here, is just one reason why new Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith are in a very difficult spot here. And why most teams that have sniffed around are leery on overpaying.

All of this said, I’d say the Titans make the most sense for Jones. GM Jon Robinson has been unafraid to trade for veteran players in the past (Jadeveon Clowney was a good example), and the departure of Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith to the AFC East leaves a void that Jones could very easily fill. Also, while the Titans are sitting at around $4 million in cap space, Ryan Tannehill has a sizable base for 2021 ($24.5 million), over $23 million of which could swiftly be converted into a signing bonus to create room for Jones. Here’s the other thing—Tennessee’s core is in a window to contend now. Ryan Tannehill turns 33 in July. Taylor Lewan, returning from an ACL, will be 30 then. Kevin Byard will be 28 on opening day, and Derrick Henry is 27 and piling up mileage on his legs. Coach Mike Vrabel and GM Jon Robinson have a really good team that’s been in the playoffs two years in a row, winning its division last year, and going to the AFC title game the year before that. They had to lop some guys off for cap reasons this offseason. Getting Jones would be a creative way to make up for it, and give the current group a better chance to make a title run. If you believe you can do it, are you willing to mortgage $15 million in cap spending (off Tannehill’s deal) into 2022 and ’23 (when you should be cap healthier) and fork over what might be the 60th pick in the draft, and maybe another mid-round pick for Jones? If I’m Robinson and Vrabel, the idea of that would be tempting. Especially with other AFC contenders Baltimore and New England at least coming off as tepid on the idea of spending too much on Jones.

But Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says the betting markets have identified another favorite to land Jones:

On the eve of the arrival of the period for a potential Julio Jones trade, a new betting favorite has emerged: The Seahawks.

PointsBet has Seattle as a +225 proposition to make the deal, followed by the Titans at +250. Next come the Eagles at +275, followed by the Ravens and 49ers at +300.

The Patriots, the prior favorites at +150, have plunged to +450. The Chargers stand at +800, the Packers are at +1200, the Colts are at +1400, and the Rams and Jaguars are at +1600.

As Simms and I discussed on Tuesday’s PFT Live, Seattle should be regarded as a longshot. If it’s true that they’ve talked to the Falcons about a trade for Jones, the Seahawks quite possibly did so simply to placate quarterback Russell Wilson, who presumably would like to add Jones to the offense.

Coach Pete Carroll likes to run the ball. Adding Jones would give the Seahawks three high-end receivers. They recently signed Tyler Lockett to a new contract, and DK Metcalf becomes eligible for a second contract after the coming season. As recently noted, Jones will want a new contract either on the way through the door or after the 2021 season. It just doesn’t seem to fit with the overall Seattle approach.

If they’d do it, however, it would be a sign that the Seahawks are willing to do whatever has to be done to make Wilson happy, and to ensure that he sticks around for the balance of his career. Or at least beyond 2021 and, at the latest, 2022.

Over the weekend, the prevailing thought in league circles was that Jones eventually will be traded to the Titans for a second-round pick. However, the silence from New England invites speculation that coach Bill Belichick is watching and waiting, and potentially pouncing.

Either way, a trade officially can happen as soon as tomorrow. In more than five weeks since the Falcons have been trying to trade Julio Jones, no clear and obvious favorite has emerged.

TAMPA BAY

The early returns are positive on second round Gators QB KYLE TRASK who gets incredible praise for his mental prowess from Coach Bruce Arians.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

In 2012, Bruce Arians was the offensive coordinator of the Colts and ended up spending most of the season as the interim head coach, and rookie quarterback Andrew Luck led that team to the playoffs. Now Arians is coaching the Buccaneers, and he has a rookie quarterback who reminds him of Luck.

Arians said today that second-round draft pick Kyle Trask may not be on Luck’s level as an all-around quarterback prospect, but Trask has a mental approach to the game that rivals Luck’s as a rookie.

“I’m really impressed,” Arians said of Trask. “Mentally, he’s not far behind what Andrew did in the same offense. What Andrew did that year was unbelievable. I’m not saying he’s Andrew Luck, but mentally he’s really, really sharp.”

That’s high praise. Although the Bucs’ plan is for Trask to spend at least one year learning from the sideline while Tom Brady plays, Tampa Bay views Trask as a potential starting quarterback some day.

We didn’t know this, but Trask did not start a varsity football game in high school after his freshman year.  Sam Khan, Jr. wrote this about Trask in 2019 at ESPN.com:

While Kyle Trask was lifting Florida to a pivotal come-from-behind victory over Kentucky on Saturday night, a host of his former high school teammates reached for their phones.

Houston quarterback D’Eriq King, glued to the game from the Bayou City, didn’t wait for it to end to send a message.

North Texas quarterback Kason Martin was midflight, returning home from a game at Cal, only to open his phone upon landing to see messages from a jubilant group chat flood in.

Texas State linebacker London Harris, having just finished a game against SMU, said the thread — which included numerous Manvel (Texas) High School football alumni — was “booming.”

“Kyle’s in! Kyle’s in!”

The enthusiasm was infectious, because the participants know better than most how long the 6-foot-5 redshirt junior quarterback has waited for an opportunity. How patient he was, how hard he worked, how loyal he remained.

When the No. 9 Gators host rival Tennessee on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN), Trask will start at quarterback for the first time since he was a high school freshman, making him a 2019 college football unicorn. He’ll fill the void left by starter Feleipe Franks, who suffered a dislocated ankle in the Kentucky win that will end his season. It’s not the way he envisioned it, but Trask’s opportunity has finally arrived.

“I just trusted my gut in this whole process,” Trask told reporters Monday.

So far, it hasn’t led him astray.

Trask was content to wait his turn, regardless of how much waiting that entailed. It began at Manvel High, a hotbed of Division I talent.

“When I got there, I was the eighth quarterback on the depth chart,” said King, recalling his freshman season. “[Trask] was No. 3. Out of those eight quarterbacks, six of them transferred and he’s the [other] one that stayed.”

King and Trask were in the same class. It wasn’t long before head coach Kirk Martin realized he had two capable, talented signal-callers.

Trask immediately drew attention with his size. He backed it up with his skill.

“He’s a pure passer,” said Brian Thiebaud, a quarterbacks coach who has worked with Trask since 2014. “[It looks] effortless; the ball jumps out of his hand … he’s a good athlete. He has a lot of things going for him.”

King had a lot to offer, too. Though diminutive (he was 5-8 in his early high school years), he was a walking highlight reel.

“He was explosive,” said Kason Martin, Kirk’s son who succeeded King as Manvel’s starting quarterback in 2017. “Every time the ball was in his hands, something amazing was going to happen.”

Kirk Martin’s preferred offensive style included a healthy dose of quarterback run game. That meant the speedy, agile King was a better fit. It’s hard to quibble with the decision: King went on to set the Texas Class 6A state record for career touchdown passes with 140 and is a highly productive quarterback at Houston.

But Kirk Martin knew Trask was good enough to play and ensured that he received snaps.

“He could’ve started at most high schools in the state of Texas,” said former Syracuse and Texas A&M offensive tackle Koda Martin, who also played at Manvel for his father. “Kyle continued to work hard and do the little things. He was always a team player, never complained, and my dad loved him for that.”

Trask wouldn’t have had to go far if he wanted to start elsewhere. Manvel, just south of Houston, is nestled in a fertile high school football region. Other programs would’ve welcomed him with open arms.

But he grew up in Manvel. Went to elementary school and junior high there. It’s where he wanted to be. Once, when Kirk Martin heard a rumor that Trask might consider transferring, he brought him into his office.

Trask politely replied, “I was born and raised in Manvel, Texas. As long as you’re going to let me compete for the starting job, I’m not going anywhere. If D’Eriq King is better than me, he’s gonna have to prove it.”

Martin, now the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse, agreed, and the subject was never broached again.

While King continued to dazzle, Martin looked for opportunities to work Trask in. When Manvel built a large lead — which was often — Trask would get his chance.

King estimated that his senior season included six games in which he played just the first quarter. Manvel would race out to a lead and Trask would come in so he could get time with the first team before halftime. In his final two seasons, Trask completed more than 70% of his passes, for 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions.

“On our team, guys didn’t look at him as a backup,” King said. “It was kinda like a 1A and 1B.”

It wasn’t just on the field that Trask earned respect. How he conducted himself every day — “he was always positive,” King said — was noticeable, as was his attitude in the weight room.

Harris, who was a year younger than Trask, recalled being in the same weightlifting group. He found Trask’s work ethic to be contagious.

“I really wasn’t a big weight guy,” Harris said. “I was skinny. I wasn’t big enough to work out with the linebackers so I got put with Kyle and the quarterbacks. He was pushing me. He was really an extremely hard worker. And he loved the weights. So he pushed me and I got big with him.”

So no starts from 2012 to 2019, his last three years at Manvel and his first three years at Florida.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Will the career of TE DELANIE WALKER go full circle?  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Delanie Walker could be headed back to where his NFL career began.

The free-agent tight end is flying to Santa Clara for a workout with the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported, per a source informed of the situation.

The 36-year-old TE began his career in San Francisco, spending seven years in the Bay Area after he was selected in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. Playing alongside draft-mate Vernon Davis, Walker compiled 1,465 yards and eight touchdowns from 2006-2012 with the Niners.

When Walker left San Francisco for Tennessee in 2013, his production ballooned. The athletic pass-catcher made three Pro Bowls in seven seasons with the Titans, compiling 4,423 yards and 28 TDs on 381 receptions. A weapon on every area of the field, Walker earned a 1,000-plus yard season and three years over the 800-yard mark in Tennessee.

Age and injury derailed his final two seasons with the Titans. He played in just eight games between 2018-2019.

After being released by Tennessee, Walker sat out the 2020 campaign, citing, in part, the COVID-19 pandemic.

A reunion in San Francisco could bring his career full circle, depending on how the workout goes after a full year off. Behind star TE George Kittle, the Niners currently employ Ross Dwelley, 2020 sixth-round pick Charlie Woerner and undrafted free agent Josh Pederson.

AFC WEST

DENVER

WR JERRY JEUDY pledges that with a new maturity, his hands won’t clank a bunch of passes in 2021.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Jerry Jeudy’s rookie season didn’t pan out quite like the Denver Broncos receiver envisioned.

The wideout finished fifth in his class in receiving, netting 856 yards on 52 catches with 3 TDs, well behind Justin Jefferson’s record-setting 1,400-yard campaign. Jeudy’s ups and downs were highlighted by several pressure-packed drops.

Entering his second season, the talented receiver says he’s grown and ready to reach new heights.

“I feel like I’ve matured,” Jeudy said Tuesday, via the team’s official website. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into [during] your first year of doing something. This is my second year and I feel like I have learned a lot from my first year. I know how to overcome whatever I had in past years to make this year better.”

Having a full offseason program should help Jeudy in Year 2. Many receivers make a leap from their rookie to sophomore campaigns. Despite wideouts entering the NFL more capable of making immediate contributions than years of old, seasoning still matters.

Jeudy characterized the drop problem as a concentration issue, noting he was “so quick to catch and run to hurry up and make a play instead of catching first, then [running].”

The Broncos wideout was credited with 10 drops last season and an 8.8 drop rate, second only to Diontae Johnson among receivers with at least 100 targets. Next Gen Stats credited Jeudy with a -10 catch rate above expectation. The next closest wideout in that metric was Johnson with a -6.9.

The Broncos are confident that Jeudy will move past the drops — a notably fickle stat — in 2021.

“I think he’s in a far better place than he was last year at this time,” head coach Vic Fangio said. “I think a big that happened with Jerry — like I told you guys back when it happened, in the 15th game last year when he had some drops in that game [against the Chargers] — I thought it was going to be a defining moment in his career and how he played the following week. Then in our last game, he had a very good game and caught a bunch of balls for a bunch of yards. I think that was a very defining moment in his career. I see a more focused and more diligent receiver on the details. He knows he can’t slack. I see a much more mature guy right now.”

Negating the drops isn’t Jeudy’s only focus. The 22-year-old said improving his route running will aid his improvement.

“Being that this is my second year, you just know the plays,” Jeudy said. “You know the tempo of the plays and the timing of the plays. That really helps you on the timing of your route-running, knowing what to do and what not to do because of how familiar I am with the plays. It really helps me a lot on becoming a better route-runner and knowing the timing of the plays.”

The Broncos selected Jeudy in the first round last year with the thought that he could exploit matchups opposite Courtland Sutton. The latter’s early injury in 2020 wiped out that plan, putting more on the rookie’s plate than intended. In Year 2, Sutton’s return and a full offseason program for Jeudy should get that plan back on track.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Longtime Bengals with Italian-sounding first names starting in “G” are on the way out in Cincinnati.  First it was RB GIOVANI BERNARD, now DL GENO ATKINS. TheRedZone.org:

Eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins is still a free agent. The Bengals released 33-year-old in March.

Cincinnati added defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and brought back veteran Mike Daniels, but Atkins could give them much needed depth on the interior of their defensive line—especially at 3-tech.

NFL insider Malik Wright doesn’t believe a reunion is going to happen, James Rapien of SI.comreports.

“I asked specifically about Geno Atkins and I was told that ship has sailed,” Wright said on ESPN 1530. “I’m sure things can change. You’re just an injury away from calling a guy, but from what I was told it seems like that ship has sailed. I’m not sure if Geno Atkins wants to continue playing.”

The Bengals took Atkins in the fourth-round (120th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played in 96 consecutive games before suffering a shoulder injury last August that forced him to miss half the season. He was ineffective when he was on the field due to the injury, which has hurt his value in free agency.

Atkins will get a job if he wants to continue playing, but it doesn’t sound like it will be in Cincinnati.

– – –

QB JOE BURROW wants to be an even better deep passer.  This from a nice look at Burrow’s whole rehab process from Albert Breer of SI.com:

Five or six weeks later, at the beginning of April, he was able to start mixing drops in.

“With my knee, it felt the same,” he says. “But I tweak my throwing motion every offseason and tweak my base. It was actually kind of beneficial for me, because I really started from the beginning and was able to refine some things that needed refining.”

He also was able to work on something else he found needed fixing, based on all the film work he’d done to pass the time.

“There was some good and some bad [from 2020],” he says. “I’d like to be more explosive. And I think I was really good in quick-game situations. On fourth down, we were really good. Empty, we were really good. But we need to be more explosive with play-action passes. All of our downfield passing needs to improve.”

Then, getting more specific, he adds, “I just wasn’t accurate as I was the year before [at LSU] down the field. And that was frustrating to me, because I’ve always been a good down-the-field thrower. Just getting back to the basics of that, really focusing on my fundamentals. I just started running and throwing a few weeks ago, so standing and throwing, and focusing on the fundamentals helped.”

Part of that led to a focus on getting stronger through his hips, to give him a shot to get more consistent juice throwing it. And that, as he sees it, worked. “Just getting my hips stronger through my rehab has gotten a ton more velocity on my ball,” he says. “I’ve been very happy with that.”

THIS AND THAT

BEST OFFSEASON MOVES

Mike Clay of ESPN.com has 25 offseason moves that he thinks were smart.

Here are the 25 biggest veteran position upgrades from the 2021 offseason. Whether it was via free agency or a trade, these teams improved their chances of 2021 success by making these significant acquisitions. Rookie impact is unpredictable, so first-year players were omitted, though I did recently examine 2021 projections for first-year players. Also, remember that some veterans like Richard Sherman, Todd Gurley II and Melvin Ingram III are still unsigned and could represent an improvement at key positions for some teams.

These 2021 team and player projections are my own, compiled through a thorough process that is both quantitative (league, team, coaching and player trends) and qualitative (projected depth chart placement and role). For all offensive linemen, I provided ESPN’s pass block win rate (PBWR) and run block win rate (RBWR), as well as Pro Football Focus’ player grades from last season. OK, let’s start with the No. 1 player upgrade of the offseason.

1. Arizona Cardinals, DT: J.J. Watt replaces Zach Allen

Allen’s 2020 stat line: 35 tackles, 2.0 sacks

Watt’s 2021 projection: 52 tackles, 6.7 sacks

The top spot goes to one of the best defensive players the league has ever seen. Watt might be past his prime at 32 years old, but he showed in 2020 that he remains one of the league’s most impactful defenders.

Watt played a team-high 92% of Houston’s defensive snaps and produced 5.0 sacks, 52 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. His 19.7% pass rush win rate ranked 15th in the NFL and was fourth if we exclude pure edge rushers. Watt’s skill set is unique, as he has the ability to play at a high level on the edge or in the interior. He mostly did the former last season but figures to play inside a lot more this season with Chandler Jones, Markus Golden and Devon Kennard (not to mention versatile LBs Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons) rushing from the edge.

Allen is only 23 years old and will maintain a role, but he won’t be counted on to play nearly 80% of the snaps moving forward.

2. Los Angeles Rams, QB: Matthew Stafford replaces Jared Goff

Goff’s 2020 stat line: 370 of 552, 3,952 yards, 20 TDs, 13 INTs

Stafford’s 2021 projection: 399 of 610, 4,575 yards, 25 TDs, 12 INTs

Coach Sean McVay did his best to maximize Goff’s skill set during their time together, but the Rams finally made the decision to upgrade during the offseason. Stafford, meanwhile, had a lot on his shoulders while dealing with underwhelming supporting casts and a head coach merry-go-round during 12 seasons in Detroit.

The 33-year-old is now matched with an elite mind in McVay in Los Angeles and will have a sufficient line and solid group of targets led by Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Cam Akers. The Lions might have struggled last season, but Stafford showed he was still an effective passer, ranking 16th in Total QBR, 13th in PFF grade and 13th in average net yards per attempt. It’s possible we’ve yet to see the best McVay offense, and perhaps Stafford will unlock its ceiling.

3. Cleveland Browns, S: John Johnson III replaces Andrew Sendejo

Sendejo’s 2020 stat line: 0 INTs, 66 tackles

Johnson’s 2021 projection: 2.3 INTs, 106 tackles

Spoiler alert: The Browns’ defense will make several appearances here after a massive offseason overhaul that included the departure of eight of their top 10 players in 2020 snaps. But the biggest signing was that of former Rams star safety Johnson. The 25-year-old played a team-high 1,116 of a possible 1,118 snaps for Los Angeles’ elite defense last season and has quietly emerged as one of the league’s best at the position. He was PFF’s third-highest-graded safety in 2020.

Johnson, who has reached 105 tackles in each of past two full seasons, could also be joined by Grant Delpit in the starting lineup. The 2020 second-round pick is expected back after missing all of his rookie season with a torn Achilles. Add Ronnie Harrison to the fold, and Cleveland suddenly has a ton of ability and upside at the safety position.

4. Los Angeles Chargers, C: Corey Linsley replaces Dan Feeney

Feeney’s 2020 stat line: 88% PBWR, 63% RBWR, 48 PFF grade

Linsley’s 2020 stat line: 96% PBWR, 77% RBWR, 90 PFF grade

Offensive line has been a problem for the Chargers for quite a while, but the franchise made big improvements during the offseason by signing one of the league’s best centers in Linsley and drafting tackle Rashawn Slater in the first round. Linsley is the focus here, of course, as he’s a known commodity.

The former Packers star ranked sixth in pass block win rate and first in run block win rate among centers last season. He also graded out as the best center in the NFL at PFF. Feeney, meanwhile, had the worst PFF grade among non-rookie centers, and the 2017 third-round pick is now with the Jets.

5. New England Patriots, TE: Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry replace Ryan Izzo, Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene

Patriots’ total tight end 2020 stat line: 34 targets, 18 receptions, 254 yards, 1 TD

Smith’s 2021 projection: 78 targets, 52 receptions, 548 yards, 4 TDs

Henry’s 2021 projection: 73 targets, 49 receptions, 540 yards, 3 TDs

You read that 2020 stat line correctly: New England tight ends combined for 18 receptions. That ties the 2016 Jets for the second fewest in a single season over the past decade. Coach Bill Belichick & Co. obviously weren’t pleased with the personnel at the position, as they spent big on Smith and Henry during the early stages of free agency. The Patriots had two-plus tight ends on the field for a league-low 3% of their offensive snaps last season, but they’ll surely be among the league leaders in the category moving forward.

Henry has struggled with durability but is a capable blocker and receiver who caught 196 passes for 2,322 yards and 21 TDs in 55 games with the Chargers. Smith, meanwhile, is a post-catch playmaker who set career-high marks in targets (65), receptions (41) and receiving yards (448) while totaling nine touchdowns in Tennessee last season. The Patriots landed the two best tight ends on the market, and while that might drive fantasy managers crazy, it is great news for New England’s offensive prospects.

6. Kansas City Chiefs, OL: Orlando Brown Jr. and Joe Thuney replace Eric Fisher and Nick Allegretti

Fisher’s 2020 stat line: 88% PBWR, 70% RBWR, 80 PFF grade

Allegretti’s 2020 stat line: 93% PBWR, 62% RBWR, 66 PFF grade

Brown’s 2020 stat line: 89% PBWR, 75% RBWR, 76 PFF grade

Thuney’s 2020 stat line: 93% PBWR, 72% RBWR, 74 PFF grade

Fisher was a very good left tackle in Kansas City, but the team decided to upgrade for the long term by trading for one of the game’s top young tackles in Brown. Since he was drafted in 2018, Brown’s 90.9% pass block win rate ranks 11th, and his 77.0% run block win rate ranks eighth among 63 qualified tackles.

Thuney was one of the top free agents on the market and is a major upgrade over 2020 Week 1 starter Kelechi Osemele and his eventual replacement Allegretti. The former Patriot ranked above average in PBWR, RBWR and PFF grade while playing on the franchise tag in 2020.

Though Brown and Thuney are the two most notable upgrades, the Chiefs could enter 2021 with five new starters on the line, with center Austin Blythe, tackle Mike Remmers and guards Laurent Duvernay-Tardif or Kyle Long all good bets to start. After the display we saw against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl, this overhaul is music to Patrick Mahomes’ ears.

7. New York Giants, WR: Kenny Golladay replaces Golden Tate

Tate’s 2020 stat line: 52 targets, 35 receptions, 388 yards, 2 TDs

Golladay’s 2021 projection: 120 targets, 70 receptions, 1,072 yards, 7 TDs

I realize these two don’t play the same position — Golladay is a big, vertical perimeter weapon, whereas Tate primarily works the short area from the slot — but Tate is out and Golladay is in when the Giants roll with three-WR sets. New York has quickly put together one of the league’s deepest wide receiver corps, having also added first-round pick Kadarius Toney and speedy John Ross to a group that includes Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton.

Golladay was limited to four full games due to injury last season but was his usual dominant self when active. In those four games, he racked up 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 28 targets. The 27-year-old’s last full season was his best pro campaign, as he posted a strong 65-1,190-11 receiving line in 2019. With a talented and deep supporting cast, third-year QB Daniel Jones has the tools he needs for a breakout season.

8. Las Vegas Raiders, Edge: Yannick Ngakoue replaces Arden Key

Key’s 2020 stat line: 15 tackles, 0 sacks

Ngakoue’s 2021 projection: 34 tackles, 9.3 sacks

Ngakoue had a busy 2020 season, being traded from Jacksonville to Minnesota and later to Baltimore. The 26-year-old still managed to rack up 8.0 sacks and four forced fumbles. That’s par for the course for a player who joins Aaron Donald, Derrick Thomas, DeMarcus Ware and Reggie White as the only players in NFL history with at least 8.0 sacks in each of their first five NFL seasons. The 2016 third-round pick has also proved durable, racking up at least 400 pass-rush attempts in each of his five seasons.

Ngakoue is a huge addition for a Raiders defense that ranked 29th in sacks last season and hasn’t ranked better than 24th in the category since 2015. Las Vegas now has plenty of potential in the sack department, with Ngakoue joining youngsters Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell and Malcolm Koonce on the edge.

9. Minnesota Vikings, DT: Dalvin Tomlinson replaces Shamar Stephen

Stephen’s 2020 stat line: 34 tackles, 0.5 sacks

Tomlinson’s 2021 projection: 52 tackles, 3.1 sacks

Minnesota’s 2020 defensive performance was one of the worst we’ve ever seen from a Mike Zimmer unit. The Vikings ranked 27th in yards allowed after finishing in the upper half of the league in the previous six seasons. They finished 28th in points allowed after five straight top-seven finishes and also ranked near the bottom of the league in forced fumbles, sacks and tackles for loss.

That all being said, it was no surprise that the team made aggressive moves to upgrade personnel during the offseason. The biggest acquisition was Tomlinson, a 2017 second-round pick by the Giants who has emerged as one of the league’s top interior defensive linemen. Last season, the 27-year-old racked up 49 tackles (9.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks and four passes defended. He’ll join Michael Pierce, who opted out of the 2020 season, to give Zimmer a revamped and much-improved duo at defensive tackle.

With these two in place up the middle, Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr all back healthy, and an improved secondary, the Vikings’ defense should be much better in 2021.

10. Washington Football Team, CB: William Jackson III replaces Ronald Darby

Darby’s 2020 stat line: 55 tackles, 0 INTs

Jackson’s 2021 projection: 55 tackles, 2.5 INTs

Let me start here by pointing out that Darby is a solid corner. But Jackson is one of the league’s best cover corners, which makes his signing one of the best of the offseason. A 75th percentile or better cornerback per PFF grades in three of his four NFL seasons, Jackson has made an impact despite being tasked with occasional shadow duties against top wide receivers. His 2020 assignments included the likes of A.J. Brown, T.Y. Hilton, Terry McLaurin, DeVante Parker, Darius Slayton and DeSean Jackson.

Jackson was targeted on 69 of his 434 coverage snaps and limited his opposition to a weak 33-524-2 receiving line. Jackson and the underrated Kendall Fuller form one of the league’s best cornerback duos, which helps fill out what is a very good Washington defense.

11. Denver Broncos, CB: Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby replace Michael Ojemudia and A.J. Bouye

Ojemudia and Bouye’s combined 2020 stat line: 85 tackles, 0 INTs

Fuller and Darby’s combined 2021 projection: 90 tackles, 3.0 INTs

Darby was replaced in Washington, but he’s part of a big cornerback room upgrade in Denver. Darby and Kyle Fuller were both signed during free agency — and Denver wasn’t done there, drafting Pat Surtain II in the first round of April’s draft. Combined with returning Bryce Callahan and 2020 third-round pick Ojemudia, Denver now has one of the league’s best and deepest cornerback groups. And if we include safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson, the Broncos have arguably the league’s best overall secondary.

Fuller was terrific during his time in Chicago, which included a 2020 season where he allowed a 47-600-3 receiving line on 80 targets while handling 512 coverage snaps (fifth most among corners). Darby was also busy in 2020, ranking sixth in coverage snaps (505) while allowing a 61-814-2 receiving line on 108 targets.

Fuller, Darby and Surtain figure to battle it out for snaps on the perimeter, with Callahan in the slot and Ojemudia learning from the bench. Denver’s defense has finished 27th and 29th in forced turnovers during the past two seasons, but the offseason injection of talent figures to lead to a better showing in 2021.

12. Miami Dolphins, WR: William Fuller V replaces Preston Williams

Williams’ 2020 stat line: 35 targets, 18 receptions, 288 yards, 4 TDs

Fuller’s 2021 projection: 109 targets, 72 receptions, 974 yards, 5 TDs

Miami entered the offseason eyeing help for second-year QB Tua Tagovailoa, and it certainly achieved that goal. The Dolphins added two speed weapons, one via free agency (Fuller) and another with the sixth overall pick of the draft (Jaylen Waddle). The two join DeVante Parker to form one of the league’s best wide receiver trios.

Fuller, a 2016 first-round pick, was in the midst of breakout 2020 season — a 53-879-8 receiving line with a league-best 11.4 yards per target — before being suspended for the final five games. (That suspension concludes in Week 1 this season.) Fuller’s durability has been an ongoing issue, as he missed 22 games during his first four NFL seasons, but he held up prior to the suspension last season and is still in his prime at 27 years old. Williams, a 2019 undrafted free agent find, is now buried on Miami’s depth chart after he struggled with injuries himself during his first two pro campaigns.

13. New York Giants, CB: Adoree’ Jackson replaces Isaac Yiadom

Yiadom’s 2020 stat line: 45 tackles, 0 INTs

Jackson’s 2021 projection: 77 tackles, 1.4 INTs

Jackson appeared in only three full games last season due to injury, but need I remind you that he was a very good cover corner during his first three seasons in the league? The 2017 first-round pick has allowed 7.1 yards per target and a 61% catch rate — both strong numbers — since entering the league.

Jackson, who is still only 25 years old, takes some pressure of James Bradberry in what is certainly one of the league’s best CB duos. Bradberry has been one of the most utilized shadow corners in the league over the past half decade, while Jackson has occasionally traveled with top wide receivers, including the likes of Marquise Brown, Tyreek Hill, DJ Chark Jr., Josh Gordon, T.Y. Hilton, DeAndre Hopkins, Antonio Brown and Brandin Cooks. Perimeter wide receivers facing the Giants are sure to have their hands full in 2020.

14. Washington Football Team, WR: Curtis Samuel replaces Cam Sims

Sims’ 2020 stat line: 48 targets, 32 receptions, 477 yards, 1 TD

Samuel’s 2021 projection: 107 targets, 74 receptions, 875 yards, 5 TDs; 21 carries, 119 yards, 1 TD

Washington won the NFC East in 2020 despite some serious depth issues at wide receiver behind Terry McLaurin. They took steps toward rectifying the issue during the offseason by signing Samuel and Adam Humphries and drafting third-rounder Dyami Brown.

Samuel is obviously the biggest prize, as the dynamic offensive weapon reunites with former coaches Ron Rivera and Scott Turner. He actually had his best NFL season without Rivera and Turner in 2020, catching 77 passes for 851 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing 41 times for 200 and two more scores. But he obviously has a path to a full-time role in Washington with McLaurin and Logan Thomas serving as his primary competition for targets in an offense now led by Ryan Fitzpatrick. With one of the league’s best defenses, a solid offensive line and an improved group of offensive skill players, Washington is primed for another playoff run.

15. Miami Dolphins, LB: Benardrick McKinney replaces Elandon Roberts

Roberts’ 2020 stat line: 61 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 0 INTs

McKinney’s 2021 projection: 127 tackles, 1.4 sacks, 0.8 INTs

Miami continued its defensive overhaul during the 2021 offseason by upgrading to McKinney at middle linebacker. McKinney had been a solid defender for Houston during his first six seasons in the pros. He racked up 95-plus tackles in four consecutive seasons spanning 2016 to 2019 before missing all but four games last season due to injury. He also has 11.5 career sacks.

McKinney is ticketed for an every-down role, and his acquisition could free up Jerome Baker to rush the passer more often. (He did so on 18% of his snaps last season, a high mark for an off-ball linebacker.) Adding a veteran McKinney helps solidify a young Miami front seven that will be relying heavily on recent early-round picks Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis and Jaelan Phillips.

16. New England Patriots, DL: Kyle Van Noy, Matt Judon, Henry Anderson and Davon Godchaux replace John Simon, Shilique Calhoun, Adam Butler and Byron Cowart

Simon, Calhoun, Butler and Cowart’s combined 2020 stat line: 132 tackles, 7.0 sacks

Van Noy, Judon, Anderson and Godchaux’s combined 2021 projection: 186 tackles, 15.6 sacks

The Pats were as busy as any team during the offseason, and part of the process was a massive overhaul up front on defense. Anderson and Godchaux will join the likes of Lawrence Guy and rookie Christian Barmore inside, with Van Noy and Judon set to lead the charge at edge rusher. The team also added DT Montravius Adams and DE Ronnie Perkins.

The overhaul was necessary for a Patriots defense that dropped off in a big way in 2020 after a dominant 2019 campaign. New England fell from 11th to last in forced fumbles, seventh to 26th in sacks, first to 15th in yardage allowed, 22nd to 31st in pass rush win rate and 24th to 30th in tackles for loss. The offseason injection of talent, coupled with a terrific secondary and the return of Dont’a Hightower at linebacker, makes it very likely that the Patriots’ defense will bounce back in 2021.

17. Baltimore Ravens, G: Kevin Zeitler replaces Ben Powers

Powers’ 2020 stat line: 95% PBWR, 73% RBWR, 59 PFF grade

Zeitler’s 2020 stat line: 90% PBWR, 70% RBWR, 66 PFF grade

Baltimore’s offensive line took a hit when the team traded star tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to the Chiefs during the offseason, but that was offset to some extent by the signing of Zeitler. It’s possible Zeitler is no longer at his peak after a solid but unspectacular 2020 in New York, but he’s still only 31 years old and has been one of the league’s best guards since his days with the Browns.

Zeitler was a top-10-graded guard at PFF as recently as 2019 (he ranked eighth), and his solid 70% run block win rate last season is surely a plus in Baltimore’s run-heavy scheme. Zeitler has also been extremely reliable, playing at least 773 snaps every season since he was drafted in 2012.

18. Philadelphia Eagles, S: Anthony Harris replaces Jalen Mills

Mills’ 2020 stat line: 74 tackles, 1 INT

Harris’ 2021 projection: 103 tackles, 2.0 INTs

Mills was a solid find by the Eagles as a seventh-round pick back in 2016, but the versatile defensive back was not the answer as Malcolm Jenkins’ de facto replacement at safety last season. Mills is now in New England and will be replaced in Philadelphia by a more traditional safety in Harris.

The 29-year-old broke out with a league-high six INTs in 2019 before he was slapped with the franchise tag by Minnesota. He wasn’t quite as dominant last season, as he failed to record a single interception, but he did increase his tackle total from 60 in 2019 to a career-high 104. Nonetheless, Harris provides an upgrade and solid starter with upside opposite Rodney McLeod in an Eagles secondary that badly needed an injection of talent. The Eagles have ranked 22nd or worse in interceptions each of the past three seasons, with a total of 29 during the span.

19. Washington Football Team, QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick replaces Alex Smith

Smith’s 2020 stat line: 168 of 252, 1,582 yards, 6 TDs, 8 INTs; 3 rushing yards

Fitzpatrick’s 2021 projection: 363 of 543, 4,069 yards, 22 TDs, 15 INTs; 254 rushing yards

This is the third appearance on this list by a Washington team that got much better during the offseason. Smith was the well-deserved Comeback Player of the Year last season, but he has since retired, leading Washington to replace him with the veteran Fitzpatrick. Fitz has been in and out of starting lineups throughout his career, but after Washington failed to select a rookie QB in April’s draft, the 38-year-old is cemented as the starter for a legitimate playoff contender.

Fitzpatrick has played better than you probably realize in recent seasons, ranking fifth in Total QBR in 2020 and eighth in 2019. Fitzpatrick will be working behind a solid line and has a decent group of targets led by Terry McLaurin, Logan Thomas, Curtis Samuel and Antonio Gibson. The veteran’s history of inconsistency is a concern, but his play the past two seasons suggests he can lead Washington to another playoff appearance.

20. Cleveland Browns, Edge: Jadeveon Clowney replaces Olivier Vernon

Vernon’s 2020 stat line: 36 tackles, 9.0 sacks

Clowney’s 2021 projection: 42 tackles, 6.4 sacks

Clowney was a major impact addition for the Browns, but he’s not ranked higher here simply because the man he replaced — Vernon — was pretty good as well. Clowney is a polarizing player, as he’s flashed his elite ability at times but has also missed action while failing to rack up sacks in recent years.

Of course, there is reason for optimism for the Browns. Despite failing to record a sack last season, Clowney’s 18.4% pass rush win rate ranked 17th among 81 edge rushers with 200-plus pass-rush attempts last season, after he ranked top five in the category in both 2018 and 2019. As for his perceived injury red flag, yes, Clowney missed nine games last season, but he had missed a total of five games during the previous four seasons (2016-19).

Clowney is only 28 years old and a strong candidate for a rebound campaign opposite Myles Garrett. Note that Cleveland also added Takkarist McKinley at edge rusher. His 24.0% pass rush win rate since he was drafted in 2017 is fifth best among edge rushers.

21. New York Jets, Edge: Carl Lawson replaces Tarell Basham

Basham’s 2020 stat line: 33 tackles, 3.5 sacks

Lawson’s 2021 projection: 41 tackles, 7.5 sacks

We’ve been banging the table for the Jets to add an impact edge rusher for years now, and they finally did so during free agency. Lawson was a home run pick by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, as he exploded for 8.5 sacks as a rookie. He then missed most of 2018 with a torn ACL before rebounding with 10.5 sacks, 71 pass rush wins and 54 hurries (fourth most in the NFL) during the 2019-20 seasons. And Lawson is coming off arguably his best all-around season, as he ranked 16th among edge rushers in pass rush win rate (18.8%) and second in hurries (32) while playing 68% of the defensive snaps.

This is a big acquisition for a Jets team that has ranked no better than 16th in sacks in each of the past five seasons. Lawson is easily New York’s top edge rusher and will be on the field as much as reasonably possible in Robert Saleh’s defense.

22. Minnesota Vikings, CB: Patrick Peterson and Mackensie Alexander replace Jeff Gladney and Mike Hughes

Gladney and Hughes’ combined 2020 stat line: 94 tackles, 0 INTs

Peterson and Alexander’s combined 2021 projection: 106 tackles, 2.8 INTs

Mike Zimmer made it a mission to improve his defense this offseason following a rough 2020 showing. One of the big overhauls came in the secondary, as it’s possible that only Harrison Smith and Cameron Dantzler will return as starters. New to the fold are three-time first-team All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler Peterson and old friend Alexander.

Peterson was not his usual dominant self in Arizona’s man-heavy defense in 2020, but he had a lot on his shoulders. His 555 coverage snaps were third most among corners. A bounce-back is very possible in a Zimmer scheme that has leaned more on zone in recent seasons. Peterson has been around for 10 seasons, but he’s only entering his age-31 campaign.

Alexander is back with the team after a successful 2020 season in Cincinnati and will handle slot duties. The team also added Xavier Woods as Anthony Harris’ replacement at safety. This is a good group with the potential to be very good.

23. Las Vegas Raiders, CB: Casey Hayward Jr. and Rasul Douglas replace Nevin Lawson and Lamarcus Joyner

Lawson and Joyner’s combined 2020 stat line: 145 tackles, 2 INTs

Hayward and Douglas’ combined 2021 projection: 84 tackles, 2.5 INTs

The Raiders are another team that made multiple impact additions on defense. Las Vegas has invested a ton of draft capital into the secondary in recent seasons, including corners Trayvon Mullen (2019 second round), Damon Arnette (2020 first round), Nate Hobbs (2021 fifth round), Isaiah Johnson (2019 fourth round) and Amik Robertson (2020 fourth round), as well as safeties Johnathan Abram (2019 first round), Trevon Moehrig (2021 second round) and Tyree Gillespie (2021 fourth round). It hasn’t worked out thus far, leading the team to sign veterans Hayward and Douglas as starting-caliber options at corner.

Hayward was one of the league’s top shadow corners as recently as 2019, but he’s now 31 years old, and his play took a step back in 2020. Perhaps he’ll rebound with his former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley now calling the Las Vegas defense. Douglas enjoyed a bounce-back campaign as a starter in Carolina’s zone-heavy scheme last season and will battle Mullen and Arnette for playing time.

Las Vegas’ secondary has a lot of pedigree and raw talent, but time will tell if the team’s coaching staff can translate it to an effective defense. At the very minimum, the situation is much improved for a Raiders defense that has failed to clear 10 INTs in three of its past four seasons, and after a 2020 season in which the Raiders allowed 8.9 yards per target to opposing wide receivers (seventh worst).

24. Cleveland Browns, CB: Troy Hill replaces Terrance Mitchell

Mitchell’s 2020 stat line: 65 tackles, 0 INTs

Hill’s 2021 projection: 66 tackles, 1.4 INTs

Mitchell paced all cornerbacks in coverage snaps (563) and played a team-high 98% of the defensive snaps for a Cleveland defense that struggled last season. It was an admirable showing by the journeyman, but stepping into his place in 2021 will be Hill, who played 95% of the snaps for the Rams’ elite defense in 2020 while handling both slot and perimeter duties.

Hill’s 500 coverage snaps were eighth most in the NFL, his 77 tackles ranked sixth among corners, and he graded out as the league’s 27th-best corner (among 121 qualified) at PFF. Granted he was a situational player until 2020, but Hill has now posted an above-average PFF grade in four of his six NFL seasons, including top-end showings in both 2019 and 2020. And Hill is one of 12 corners with two or more INTs in each of the past three seasons.

Cleveland’s CB room has a ton of upside, with Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Greg Newsome II and Hill.

25. Arizona Cardinals, C: Rodney Hudson replaces Mason Cole

Cole’s 2020 stat line: 94% PBWR, 73% RBWR, 55 PFF grade

Hudson’s 2020 stat line: 94% PBWR, 66% RBWR, 74 PFF grade

Hudson’s release by the Raiders was one of the most surprising developments of the offseason, but one of the league’s best centers didn’t have to travel far to find a new home. Hudson’s 2020 efficiency stats don’t jump off the page, but he was still above-average in pass block win rate and was PFF’s eighth-highest-graded center. In fact, he has now posted a good or great PFF grade in eight consecutive seasons as a full-time player.

Hudson has also proved to be very durable, playing at least 800 snaps all eight of those seasons, including over 1,000 six times. The 31-year-old slots in as Arizona’s new pivot and undoubtedly improves an offensive line that needed work.