| Mike Jones of The Athletic has a piece on the challenges facing the new offensive playcallers. They are all here. Some appear below in today’s DB. |
| NFC NORTH |
| DETROITMike Jones of The Athletic on John Morton, the new Lions OC: Detroit Lions: John MortonCan the longtime assistant pick up where Ben Johnson left off? Under Johnson, Detroit boasted one of the most explosive offenses in the game. Jared Goff went from Rams castoff to MVP candidate, and the Lions displayed great versatility and effectiveness. Morton has big shoes to fill. Lions coach Dan Campbell hopes his fellow Sean Payton disciple (Morton previously served as Denver’s pass game coordinator) can keep things rolling in Detroit, where the Lions have painfully fallen short in the playoffs the last two years. Morton has just one season of play-calling experience (2017 with the Jets). So in addition to figuring out how to help stars such as Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown take another step forward, he’ll have to get back into the play-calling flow. Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com on the retirement of C FRANK RAGNOW, another challenge for Morton: The Detroit Lions should still be one of the NFL’s best teams this upcoming season. But the Lions have already been one of the best teams for a couple seasons. If this group doesn’t make a trip to the Super Bowl, it will be a massive letdown for hungry Detroit fans. The Lions’ shot at a Super Bowl didn’t disappear with center Frank Ragnow’s surprise retirement on Monday at 29 years old. But it surely doesn’t help Detroit. Ragnow was a four-time Pro Bowl player. He was the second-best center in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades. It’s a big loss, especially on June 2 when it’s hard to come up with a decent replacement plan. And it’s not the only big loss for the Lions this offseason. The Lions went 15-2 last season and should feel like they can have one of the best records in the NFL again. But this offseason has shown how hard it can be to maintain that level in a competitive and ever-changing league. Lions have had some attritionThe Lions’ biggest losses this offseason weren’t from the 53-man roster. When coordinators move on for better jobs, those can be underrated subtractions. And the Lions lost two coordinators who were considered among the top three or four candidates in the entire head coaching cycle this past offseason. Ben Johnson did a phenomenal job with the Lions’ offense during their rise the past couple seasons. He is now the Chicago Bears’ head coach. Maybe the Lions can keep cruising on offense, but that’s not guaranteed. The Lions led the NFL with 564 points scored with Johnson calling plays last season. It’s tough to replicate that. Aaron Glenn was a highly respected defensive coordinator who was hired to be the head coach of the New York Jets. Glenn adeptly made adjustments when the Lions’ defense was hammered with injuries last season and kept the unit afloat until it collapsed in a divisional-round upset against the Washington Commanders. The losses to the coaching staff shouldn’t be discounted. The roster didn’t have that type of attrition in the offseason, but then the Lions lost one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. The Lions hadn’t had any huge losses in the offseason, in terms of players. They saw cornerback Carlton Davis III sign with the New England Patriots, but quickly replaced him with D.J. Reed. Other losses weren’t great, though guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency for Tennessee. Combine that with the Ragnow retirement and the Lions’ offensive line isn’t quite as good as it was. And that was perhaps the biggest strength of the team during a fantastic 2024 regular season. Ragnow could be replaced by second-round draft pick Tate Ratledge, but he was a guard at Georgia and would be a rookie being asked to change positions and replace a four-time Pro Bowler. This is how Super Bowl windows pass quickly. Coordinators leave after having wild success. A strength like a dominant offensive line loses two of five starters. Other players are a year older. In the Lions’ case, the other three teams in the NFC North all look like threats to make the playoffs. Detroit has one of the toughest projected schedules in the NFL this season. The roadblocks pile up. Add it all up and it will be hard to return to the position Detroit was in last season, when it was the No. 1 seed in the NFC just two home wins from making a Super Bowl. It’s a massive challenge to become a Super Bowl contender in the NFL. The Lions are finding out that it’s also very hard to stay at that level. |
| MINNESOTALongtime Vikings hero Jim Marshall has passed at age 87. Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com: Longtime Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall, who for decades held the NFL record for most consecutive games played, died Tuesday after a long hospitalization, according to the team. He was 87. Marshall joined the Vikings in their inaugural season in 1961 and played in every game thereafter. His record of 282 consecutive games played (270 with the Vikings), which he established upon retiring in 1979, stood until quarterback Brett Favre broke it — while also in a Vikings uniform — in 2009. Marshall attended a Vikings practice that season to congratulate Favre and said at the time: “I told him I admired his career and was really happy that he was the one that is breaking that record.” Marshall gained a permanent place in NFL Films lore in 1964 when he returned a fumble the wrong way in a game against the San Francisco 49ers, celebrating what he thought was a touchdown but instead was a safety. But his career accomplishments far outweighed that gaffe. Marshall remains the NFL career record-holder, now tied with Jason Taylor, for opponent fumbles recovered with 29. He was a Vikings captain for 14 seasons and appeared in four Super Bowls as part of the franchise’s famed Purple People Eaters defense. Although sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982, a research project coordinated by Pro Football Reference credited him with 130.5, which would tie him for No. 22 in NFL history. Two other Purple People Eaters rank ahead of him: Alan Page (148.5) is eighth, and Carl Eller (133.5) is tied for 18th. “The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is mourning the loss of Jim Marshall. No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie and passion more than the all-time iron man,” Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf said in a statement. “A cornerstone of the franchise from the beginning, Captain Jim’s unmatched durability and quiet leadership earned the respect of teammates and opponents throughout his 20-year career. Jim led by example, and there was no finer example for others to follow. His impact on the Vikings was felt long after he left the field. Jim will always be remembered as a tremendous player and person. Our hearts are with his wife, Susan, and all of Jim’s loved ones.” Is he the last of the Purple People Eaters? No. Carl Eller and Gary Larsen are both still with us, each aged 83 years. Alan Page passed away in 2015. |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASMike Jones of The Athletic on Cowboys new head coach Brian Schottenheimer: Dallas Cowboys: Brian SchottenheimerCan this rookie head coach really supercharge an offense that often looked disjointed, anemic and ineffective when he was Mike McCarthy’s offensive coordinator? The promotion of Schottenheimer, who did not call plays as McCarthy’s offensive coordinator, to head coach felt like a sorely underwhelming move for Jerry Jones. But the Cowboys hope Schottenheimer’s familiarity with the roster serves him well and helps them avoid needing a complete reset. Schottenheimer hasn’t served as a full-time play caller since his time in Seattle (2018-20). It’ll be interesting to see if he can implement dramatic changes now that he’s calling the shots, or if it’ll be more of the same for the Cowboys. Dallas does get back a healthy Dak Prescott and moved this offseason to pair former Steelers wide receiver George Pickens with CeeDee Lamb while also attempting to improve its running back position.– – -Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is not a fan of how the Cowboys are taking their time getting down to brass tacks with EDGE MICAH PARSONS: The Cowboys have a bad habit of dragging their feet when it comes to paying key players. They’ve done it multiple times in recent years, and they’re doing it again with linebacker Micah Parsons. There’s no upside in delaying the inevitable. Because, one, it’s inevitable. And, two, it only gets more expensive over time. That’s what has happened with Parsons. The market has mushroomed for pass rushers from $35 million per year in new-money average to $40 million. The Steelers will push the bar even higher, once linebacker T.J. Watt signs his next contract. Whatever the target for Parsons (and he arguably deserves $50 million per year), waiting will not make the number any smaller. If/when Parsons has to hold out of training camp to get the contract the Cowboys should have given him a year ago (if they weren’t dragging their feet with receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott), Parsons will be less prepared than he could and should have been for the regular season. But the Cowboys keep doing the same thing, over and over. While more and more fans are seeing through it, there’s still the stray media moron or two who can’t or won’t understand it. (And, no, we can’t tell whether they’re stupid or simply angling for access — or maybe even a job with DallasCowboys.com.) Why can’t the Cowboys get back to the NFC Championship? There are many reasons for it. One is that management is cheap, shortsighted, and not nearly as smart as it thinks it is when the time comes to negotiate contracts with players who have earned them. There’s nothing the fans can do about it. They’re stuck with the decisions made by ownership, because they’re stuck with the ownership that’s currently in place. Meanwhile, teams with owners who understand the value of moving quickly to reward core players (like the Eagles) will keep thriving, while the Cowboys and a few stray media apologists are left to wonder why the Cowboys are experiencing “this drought that people say we’re in.” |
| WASHINGTONBill Barnwell of ESPN.com points out that although the QB is young, the rest of Washington’s refurbishment has included plenty of veterans: The superlative: Most likely to eat an early dinner and go to sleep at a sensible time When a team breaks through as quickly and dramatically as the Commanders did last season, it’s natural to think of them as a young squad on the rise. The heartbeat of the franchise is their 24-year-old superstar quarterback, Jayden Daniels. They got great work out of rookie second-round picks Mike Sainristil and Jer’Zhan Newton a year ago. Guard Sam Cosmi was on pace to be a Pro Bowler before he fell off in the second half. Those are all impressive players, but they represent most of the young talent who played meaningful snaps on this roster in 2024. The Ron Rivera regime didn’t deliver many successful draft picks to general manager Adam Peters, who took over in 2024, so the former 49ers executive filled in the many gaps on the roster with free agent additions. Tight end Zach Ertz, linebacker Bobby Wagner, offensive lineman Andrew Wylie and pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. all held their own in propelling Washington to an unexpected playoff berth. Those four all have something in common: They’re over 30. Owing to the imported veterans filling out starting roles on both sides of the ball, the Commanders were the league’s seventh-oldest team on a snap-weighted age basis. They were one of just four to rank in the top 10 for snap-weighted age on both offense and defense, joining the Vikings, Falcons and Browns. On top of that, the Commanders didn’t get appreciably younger this offseason. Most of the veterans Peters brought in who played well in 2024 were brought back for another season. They and the rest of the remaining members of the roster will be a year older. This organization had only three top-200 picks in April’s draft by virtue of several Peters trades, which means the team won’t have an influx of young talent throughout the roster from the draft. The offseason moves made by the organization didn’t make them younger, either. The Commanders traded for wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. (29), and he’ll take the snaps that went to the departed Olamide Zaccheaus (27). Laremy Tunsil (who turns 31 in August) will step in at left tackle, which will take snaps away from either Brandon Coleman (24) or Wylie (30). (Some of those tackle snaps did go to 33-year-old Cornelius Lucas.) Cornerback Jonathan Jones (who turns 32 in September) replaces Benjamin St-Juste (27), while Will Harris (29) steps in for Jeremy Chinn (27) at safety. Not all of the moves made the Commanders older. They’ll be a little younger in swapping Jonathan Allen for Javon Kinlaw at defensive tackle, while edge rusher Deatrich Wise is about the same age as Fowler, who left for the Cowboys. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will also try to find roles for 2024 Day 2 picks Luke McCaffrey and Ben Sinnott, who would make the receiving corps younger. It’s too early to draw conclusions about their futures, but it’s also fair to say there wasn’t a ton ahead of them on the depth chart last season, and they combined to catch 23 passes. There’s a fine line between old and experienced, and a veteran roster didn’t stop the Commanders from making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game last season. As they look to go further in 2025, though, I’d consider what happened to the most similar team in roster construction to these Commanders. The 2023 Texans broke through quickly after landing a star quarterback in the draft, but they surrounded that passer with one of the league’s oldest rosters. In 2024, while the Texans won their division and a playoff game, they battled through a frustrating season and didn’t take the step forward many were hoping. The Commanders should still be good, but this might be more of a consolidation year than one in which they challenge for a Super Bowl, in part because their roster doesn’t have many key contributors who project to get better at this point of their careers. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAMarc Raimondi of ESPN.com, with the help of ESPN’s other correspondents, tries to figure out who might want QB KIRK COUSINS and how much they would pay: The latest on a potential Kirk Cousins tradeThe relationship between the Falcons and Cousins has been fraught with drama, going back to the four-year deal he signed last offseason. He accidentally snitched on the Falcons for tampering in his introductory news conference before expressing displeasure over the Michael Penix Jr. selection after the 2024 draft. Cousins was then benched for Penix in Week 16, having thrown 18 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. And during Super Bowl week, Cousins admitted he was dealing with an injury late in the season that the Atlanta brass didn’t know about. Penix is the starter, and the organization has said it is comfortable with Cousins as the backup. The Falcons figure if they’re set to pay Cousins $27.5 million of guaranteed money in 2025, they might as well hold on to him — or at least get something in return. He wants to be a starter, pleading his case to be released in a phone meeting with team owner Arthur Blank. And he does have a no-trade clause. For the Falcons, a team taking on the bulk of Cousins’ guaranteed money is the priority if a trade comes together. He is due a $10 million bonus in 2026. — Marc Raimondi, Falcons reporter Four hypothetical trade offers for Cousins Cleveland BrownsJeremy Fowler’s offer: Falcons get: QB Kenny Pickett, 2026 sixth-round pick, cash considerations Browns get: Cousins, 2026 seventh-round pick Why this deal makes sense for both sides: This destination always made the most sense for Cousins, who has a long history with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski from their time together in Minnesota. After going through OTAs and minicamp, the Browns might realize they need another veteran to compete for the starting job. Cleveland currently has Joe Flacco, rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and Pickett competing for the QB1 spot with Deshaun Watson out (Achilles). The Falcons could strike a deal where they front $17.5 million of Cousins’ guaranteed money for 2025, and Pickett would be Atlanta’s new QB2. Minnesota VikingsDan Graziano’s offer: Falcons get: 2026 fifth-round pick, 2027 seventh-round pick and cash considerations Vikings get: Cousins Why this deal makes sense for both sides: Well, it makes sense for all three sides, really, counting Cousins himself. He wants a chance to start and could use his no-trade clause to nix a deal to any place he doesn’t want to go. But if he has to be a backup, we know he liked living in Minnesota and playing for the Vikings. Plus, J.J. McCarthy is still an unknown after his major knee injury, so maybe this could turn into more than just a QB2 destination. In this scenario, the Vikings would agree to pay $10 million of the guaranteed money on Cousins’ contract for 2025. Pittsburgh SteelersBen Solak’s offer: Falcons get: 2026 sixth-round draft pick (can become a fifth-rounder with performance conditions) Steelers get: Cousins, cash considerations Why this deal makes sense for both sides: The Steelers’ quarterback room is about as thin as one could get ahead of training camp. And if signing Aaron Rodgers falls through, the Steelers must trade for a veteran who can start. Mason Rudolph is currently No. 1 on the depth chart. Cousins is a good fit for coordinator Arthur Smith’s offense, which doesn’t need its quarterback to move much out of the pocket. This late of a draft pick is close to Cousins’ value, and I’d imagine the Falcons are still willing to swallow $20 million — maybe even more — of his salary to get this deal done. Minnesota VikingsSeth Walder’s offer: Falcons get: QB Sam Howell, cash considerations Vikings get: Cousins Why this deal makes sense for both sides: The key to the compensation for a Cousins deal is how much of his guaranteed money the acquiring team will take on. I’ll raise Dan’s offer and say the Vikings pay $12 million of it. This would allow Atlanta to save a little face and get out of the situation with a different backup quarterback. For Minnesota, the upgrade at backup QB is more important because of the McCarthy situation. Cousins will have to accept a lesser role with his old team, but at least he’d be reunited with coach Kevin O’Connell. The verdict: Cleveland’s offer has the most upsideAll of these are compelling for the Falcons. But for Cousins, both offers from the Vikings are dead on arrival. He wants to start, and he more than likely won’t do that in Minnesota. Even if he loved living there, this would be basically the same situation as Atlanta (being behind McCarthy instead of Penix). Using his no-trade clause, Cousins would likely nix the Vikings. Solak’s offer with the Steelers would be a great scheme fit for the signal-caller, but the Browns’ offer works in more ways. For the Falcons, they get Pickett, who showed with the Eagles last season that he could be a serviceable backup. Most importantly for Atlanta, it would be relieved of $10 million of Cousins’ 2025 guaranteed money. Meanwhile, he would be reunited with Stefanski and likely start in Cleveland over the rest of its QB options. A win for all. — Raimondi |
| TAMPA BAYThree offensive coordinators in three years for QB BAKER MAYFIELD. Mike Jones of The Athletic on the newbie, Josh Grizzard: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh GrizzardCan he ensure a seamless transition and help the Bucs get over the hump? Baker Mayfield revived his career when he signed with the Buccaneers in 2023 and filled the void caused by Tom Brady’s retirement. Then-offensive coordinator Dave Canales played a key role in Mayfield and the Buccaneers’ success, but he left for the Panthers’ head coaching job. Liam Coen then came in last season and helped Mayfield deliver a career year despite rampant injuries at wide receiver. But Coen also has his own head coaching job now, with Jacksonville. Next in line at offensive coordinator: Grizzard, last year’s pass game coordinator, who inherits a unit that returns all 11 starters. The Buccaneers have won four straight NFC South titles, but they haven’t gotten past the divisional round in any of those seasons, and lost twice in the wild-card round. Could this be the year they finally get over the hump? Grizzard is optimistic, estimating that he and his players are further ahead now than they were at this point last season because they didn’t have to go through a dramatic reset. |
| NFC WEST |
| SEATTLEIn 2012, Matt Flynn was a free agent QB signed by Seattle to a starting quarterback’s contract. He never started a game for the Seahawks, as Pete Carroll gave the job to third round rookie Russell Wilson before the first game was even played. Flash forward 13 years – and QB SAM DARNOLD has the big free agent quarterback and rookie third round QB JALEN MILROE is flashing. But the rookie has no chance to start this time, according to current Coach Mike Macdonald. Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report: Mike Macdonald cleared the air on any debate over a quarterback battle for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. The head coach laughed off a question about the possibility of someone other than Sam Darnold emerging as the team’s starting quarterback at the start of the season. “No, you guys are crazy,” Macdonald said during an interview with Seattle Sports 710-AM (h/t ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “I respect that you’ve got to ask it, but it’s just a crazy question. It’s just not going to happen. Sam’s our starting quarterback. We love him. He’s doing a tremendous job.” Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks after a career year with the Minnesota Vikings. The 27-year-old threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, both of which were career highs, leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record. Though Seattle signed Darnold with the intention of making him the starter, the Seahawks also took Alabama standout Jalen Milroe in the third round. Milroe threw for 2,844 yards and 16 touchdowns added 726 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground with the Crimson Tide last year. The Seahawks also brought back Drew Lock in free agency after his sole season with the New York Giants. Macdonald made it clear with his comments on Tuesday that neither Milroe nor Lock will rival Darnold for his starting position this year. |
| AFC WEST |
| LAS VEGASMike Jones of The Athletic on the new OC of the Raiders, Chip Kelly: Las Vegas Raiders: Chip KellyCan he get more out of the Raiders’ skill players than his predecessor? Former Raiders coach Antonio Pierce made the curious selection of Luke Getsy for his offensive coordinator despite his failings in Chicago. Las Vegas went on to struggle mightily, and Getsy didn’t last a full season. But the play caller wasn’t the only problem. The Raiders had real talent deficiencies at quarterback and beyond. New coach Pete Carroll lured Kelly, a heralded offensive guru, back to the NFL by paying him $6 million per season — the richest for an offensive coordinator in the game today. Kelly will be tasked with restoring explosiveness to a long-anemic unit. Geno Smith is an upgrade at quarterback. He should develop good chemistry with young tight end Brock Bowers. And the Raiders have a promising rookie running back in Ashton Jeanty. However, Kelly has to find ways to elevate the Raiders’ supporting cast — including an offensive line that yielded 50 sacks (seventh most) and a receiving unit that, outside of Jakobi Meyers, proved very pedestrian. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIBen Baby of ESPN.com entertains offers for EDGE TREY HENDRICKSON: Four hypothetical trade offers for Hendrickson Indianapolis ColtsJeremy Fowler’s offer: Bengals get: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick Colts get: Hendrickson Why this deal makes sense for both sides: This sort of urgent move from Indy general manager Chris Ballard would solidify the edge of new coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defense. Anarumo would gladly reunite with Hendrickson after they spent four seasons together in Cincinnati. It’s clear the Bengals aren’t getting a first-rounder for Hendrickson — or else a deal would have been done by now — but the elite pass rusher still has immense value. They would be smart to capitalize on a trade like this if they aren’t going to pay him what he wants. The Colts have around $20 million in cap space to orchestrate a new contract for Hendrickson. Buffalo BillsDan Graziano’s offer: Bengals get: 2026 second-round pick Bills get: Hendrickson Why this deal makes sense for both sides: The Bengals have made it clear they don’t want to give away Hendrickson, so I’m not even sure the Bills’ (likely late) second-rounder would be enough. But if the Bengals’ demands drop, I could see Buffalo pouncing to secure the veteran edge rusher it needs to take down Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. With offseason pickup Joey Bosa already injured, this move would help the Bills’ pass rush add a stronger, healthier option. Hendrickson might not get the new contract of his dreams, but perhaps Bills general manager Brandon Beane could sell him on an improved chance to get to the Super Bowl. Detroit LionsBen Solak’s offer: Bengals get: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fourth-round pick (can become a third-rounder with performance conditions) Lions get: Hendrickson, 2026 fifth-round pick Why this deal makes sense for both sides: Lions general manager Brad Holmes has acknowledged the fan base wants a secondary edge rusher far more than he does, but I imagine a player of Hendrickson’s caliber would change Holmes’ calculus slightly. Hendrickson isn’t the sort of run defender the Lions might prioritize, yet a pass-rush duo of Aidan Hutchinson and Hendrickson might be the scariest in the NFL. The Lions are still legitimate Super Bowl contenders and should behave as such with aggressive veteran trades. They have plenty of cap space to extend Hendrickson, which he would demand of an acquiring team. Washington CommandersSeth Walder’s offer: Bengals get: DT Jer’Zhan Newton, 2026 third-round pick, 2027 seventh-round pick Commanders get: Hendrickson Why this deal makes sense for both sides: Washington is in win-now mode, but Dorance Armstrong is its best edge rusher. Adding Hendrickson, who recorded the second-best pass rush win rate at edge last season (24%), would be a huge boost. Losing Newton would make an old defense older, but the Commanders have strong veteran options on the interior defensive line in Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw and Deatrich Wise Jr. (who can move inside if needed). By including Newton in the deal, the Commanders can put together a feasible package without a second-round pick — they lost their 2026 second-round selection as part of the trade for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Newton would be appealing to the Bengals as immediate help. The verdict: Detroit’s offer could get the job doneSolak’s offer is very good for the Bengals. Let’s say the Lions give Hendrickson a three-year deal worth $90 million. It is less than what the Texans gave Danielle Hunter in terms of average annual value ($35.6 million), which would be a bargain for Detroit if Hendrickson continues his All-Pro form. And for the Bengals, trading him to an NFC contender instead of an in-conference rival such as the Bills is a bonus. By acquiring picks in 2026 and 2027, the value of the trade would be prolonged for the Bengals over the course of those players’ respective rookie deals. Based on ESPN’s trade models and the Fitzgerald-Spielberger basis of trade evaluation, this offer actually gives the Bengals a good return. With Cincinnati tying up money in Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins through 2028, finding quality players at a value can help the Bengals maximize their championship window with this trio. Trading Hendrickson would place more pressure on Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy and Cam Sample to increase their productivity on the defensive line. The Bengals could also use their extra cap space to add depth to the unit, perhaps with a designated pass rusher on third downs. — Baby |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONMike Jones of The Athletic on Nick Caley, the new Texans OC: Houston Texans: Nick CaleyCan he fix the Texans’ offense despite a lack of coordinator and play-calling experience? The Texans thought they found the next bright offensive mind in Bobby Slowik, but after an impressive first season as play caller, he struggled last year to further evolve the offense and mask deficiencies. DeMeco Ryans then replaced Slowik with Caley, pairing the former Rams tight ends coach with first-year offensive line coach Cole Popovich. The Texans have a talented young quarterback in C.J. Stroud. But he regressed in year two, sustaining 52 sacks (second most in the NFL) and his interception totals spiked from five in 2023 to 12 in 2024. Caley and Popovich must elevate a revamped offensive line, find ways to alleviate pressure on Stroud and position him to take a big leap forward. There should be some carryover: Caley learned under Sean McVay, who runs a similar offense to the system Slowik learned from Kyle Shanahan. Caley also coached under Bill Belichick for five seasons. Can the 42-year-old apply all of the lessons learned from McVay and Belichick, two Super Bowl-winning head coaches, and keep Stroud on a positive trajectory? |
| AFC EAST |
| MIAMIA CB JALEN RAMSEY update from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: Now that June 1 has come and gone, it becomes much easier from a cap standpoint for the Dolphins to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey. But a trade still hasn’t happened. Coach Mike McDaniel was asked about it on Tuesday. Here’s what he said: “I don’t really check in on a day-to-day [basis]. Zero has changed from my end. I let [General Manager] Chris [Grier] work, and I’m diligently coaching.” It makes sense, but it underscores the reality that McDaniel has moved on from Ramsey. It’s just a matter of where he goes, and when he goes. The real question is whether the Dolphins can lure multiple teams to the table. If they can’t, they won’t have much leverage when it comes to maximizing the pick(s) they’ll receive and minimizing the amount of the remaining $20 million-plus in salary he’s owed. With offseason programs ending next week, there’s no rush. The Dolphins can wait to get the deal done before training camp opens. |
| NEW YORK JETSMike Jones of The Athletic on Tanner Engstrand, the new OC of the Jets: New York Jets: Tanner EngstrandHow will he help Justin Fields and the ever-changing Jets offense achieve a level of consistency? In the last 15 seasons, the Jets have had 11 play callers, and not even Aaron Rodgers could bring stability and consistency to this side of the ball. Starting over again, the Jets turned to Engstrand, the 42-year-old former pass game coordinator of the Lions. Helping Fields, the Jets’ new starting quarterback, find comfort within yet another system will rank high on Engstrand’s to-do list. Given Fields’ mobility and the talented running back tandem of Breece Hall and second-year pro Braelon Allen, the Jets likely will lean heavily on the rushing attack. But they do have a promising receiving unit featuring Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds. |
