NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Hmmmm.  QB JARED GOFF is feeling “empowered.”  Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com:

Outside of a couple of weeks of OTAs and one day of mandatory minicamp, Jared Goff doesn’t have much experience with the Detroit Lions.

Even without playing in an official regular-season — let alone preseason — game in Honolulu blue and silver, the sixth-year quarterback says he feels the new situation, with first-year head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, has already “empowered me.”

“I think that’s been a healthy relationship and something that’s been fun for me to experience and be a part of guys that are really wanting to hear from me and wanting to hear what I like,” Goff said.

Goff clarified that he wasn’t taking a jab at his former team, the Los Angeles Rams, but he was simply emphasizing that things have gotten off to a great start in his new home.

“I don’t want this to turn into I’m saying this in regards to anything that’s happened in my past, it’s just been fun to be a part of that. There were times where it was like that in the past and there weren’t times where it was like in the past, it’s a little bit of both,” Goff said. “For this to start off on that foot, I think is the best thing I can say. It’s been fun. It’s been really cool and I’ve had a lot of fun having that ownership and being able to really use my strengths and use my knowledge and use what I know, and at the same time continue to learn from these guys.”

Goff was traded in the offseason for Lions great Matthew Stafford, which marked the first time that No. 1 overall draft picks were traded for each other in the common draft era (since 1967).

Goff has also reunited with new Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who spent his entire front-office career in the Rams’ organization. Goff’s 42 wins over the past four seasons are tied with Russell Wilson for the second-most over that span, according to ESPN Stats & Information research, but team success wasn’t on the same tier as his individual passing stats, which is something he hopes can change.

The Lions’ coaching staff is putting a system in place, but it hasn’t hesitated to include Goff’s input on details.

There have been many questions concerning Detroit’s new wide receiver corps, but Goff says he’s building “great” chemistry with the guys. Before reporting to Michigan for minicamp, he organized workouts with the group in Los Angeles to start building chemistry.

“I want him to feel comfortable enough to say what’s on his mind, like, ‘Why are we not converting these?’ And either I’ll tell you, ‘This is why we’re not,’ or ‘A-Lynn [says], this is why we’re not converting these,’ or, ‘You know what, it’s a good idea. Let’s do it,'” Campbell said. “I want him to have open dialogue with us, I want him to have feedback. There’s things that if he feels like this is something he can do, and we feel good about putting it in his hands, that’s what we want to do, because I think if you do that and you feel like he can handle it, he really does gain a lot more ownership into it and the guys will feel that, the guys around him.

“That’s what we want. I don’t want to just put him in a box and say, ‘No, no, no. This is who you are. You have to stay in this confinement, and you cannot deviate out of this box whatsoever. No, no, no.’

“I want him to be able to come out of that box at times. You’ve got things that you feel like you can do, you can handle, we can handle as a team, then we’ll put on him whatever we feel like we can put on him because I think that will help him grow and become better as our field general.”

GREEN BAY

Earlier this week, Peter King provided his advice to the Packers and QB AARON RODGERS on how to resolve their dispute.  Now, Mike Sando of The Athletic takes a swing:

No shock here, but when NFL teams use first-round draft choices for quarterbacks, those quarterbacks enter the starting lineup within a couple seasons. It’s the way of the pro football world, and it’s why Aaron Rodgers’ outlook changed the moment his Green Bay Packers used a 2020 first-round pick for quarterback Jordan Love. Attempts to spin Love’s selection any other way became laughable long before Rodgers skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp in protest of the front office this week.

The numbers are difficult to spin. From the moment the Packers selected Rodgers in 2005 through the 2020 draft, NFL teams chose 45 quarterbacks in the first round. In 43 of the 45 cases, those first-round quarterbacks became their teams’ full-time starters within two seasons. Paxton Lynch was one of the exceptions, only because he failed to perform well enough to start. Love is the other, unless he starts for the Packers this season.

Rodgers, speaking late last month to the longtime ESPN personality Kenny Mayne, questioned the Packers’ philosophy, character and culture, suggesting they had not “done things the right way” — vague references that became clear when he said “a lot of this was put in motion last year, and the wrench was just kind of thrown into it when I won MVP and played the way I played last year.”

In other words, the Packers were planning on moving on from Rodgers sooner rather than later, until Rodgers enjoyed one of his finest seasons in 2020, and now the Packers must pay for their miscalculation. If Rodgers seems to delight in making the Packers squirm, what did anyone expect? Asked on draft night 2005 whether he was disappointed the San Francisco 49ers did not select him No. 1, the cocky quarterback from Cal replied instantly with a line for the ages. “Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn’t draft me,” he said.

The Packers aren’t going to win a war of witticisms against Rodgers. They’ll be best served, in my view, following a blueprint based on some key principles. Here is why the Packers should not trade Rodgers this year, and how they should navigate the coming months.

1. Maximize the chances Rodgers plays for Green Bay this season.

The best-case scenario for the Packers would be for Rodgers to play for the team in 2021, keeping the team in contention with his outstanding play. There is zero chance that happens if the team trades him. The chances Rodgers returns to the field for Green Bay in the absence of a trade are high until Rodgers proves otherwise.

It’s been more than a decade since a prominent veteran quarterback held out deep into a season. Carson Palmer did it in 2009, ultimately forcing his way out of Cincinnati. The Bengals were a decrepit organization. Whatever flaws the Packers have are minor by comparison. Rodgers knows this. He also knows he has a decent shot at the Super Bowl in Green Bay.

2. Find out for sure whether this divorce is final.

Various reports and Rodgers’ own comments suggest he has serious issues with the front office, specifically general manager Brian Gutekunst. But how serious are those issues ultimately? The burden of proof is on Rodgers to show he has the emotional commitment to miss a season at age 37, at great financial cost. Perhaps he does. It’s a good bet he does not. Holding on to Rodgers instead of trading him this year is the only way to find out for sure whether the quarterback is bluffing when he lets stand the impression that nothing short of finding a new GM will appease him.

If the Packers become convinced Rodgers is finished with the organization, they’ll have to consider trading him, but that threshold should be extremely high. By most accounts, the Packers erred in trading up for Love. At best, they miscalculated. However, as noted, the Packers have not committed organizational felonies in their operation of the team. They’ve made some mistakes and could have done a better job in certain areas, but that is true for almost every team. The Packers shouldn’t overreact to what might be just an offseason temper tantrum.

Rodgers has three years remaining on his contract, limiting his leverage. His legacy could be negatively affected if he pushes too hard. Those factors are working in the Packers’ favor if they are patient.

3. Do not let Rodgers lead another team to glory in 2021.

If Rodgers holds out and Green Bay struggles, that is bad for the Packers. If Rodgers is traded, Green Bay struggles and Rodgers lives a wonderful new life elsewhere, that is worse.

When the Indianapolis Colts reluctantly parted with Peyton Manning in 2012, allowing him to sign with Denver and lead the Broncos to Super Bowls, Manning was not coming off an MVP season. Also, Andrew Luck’s presence was more than just a consolation prize. He was an all-time great prospect. Love is not Luck.

Are the Packers disappointed in the Rodgers situation? Not as disappointed as they’ll be if he’s throwing touchdown passes for another team this season.

4. Maximize Rodgers’ value next offseason, not sooner.

If Rodgers returns and plays well this season, perhaps the Packers do not trade him at all. If he returns and plays poorly or is injured, his trade value could suffer, but those are risks worth taking for having an MVP quarterback in the fold. If Rodgers does hold out, thereby convincing the Packers he will never again play for the team, then trading him after the 2021 season provides some advantages over dealing him sooner. By then, Green Bay will know the draft order for 2022, allowing the Packers to target the best package of picks in return. The Packers also could know by then what they have in Love, a critical variable as they decide how to proceed.

A longtime NFL executive suggested Rodgers’ trade value could fall with the passage of time even if the quarterback sat out this coming season. I countered by suggesting the value would be falling relative to what Green Bay might have gotten for Rodgers before the recent draft. Subsequent depreciation would seem to be smaller. Any perceived depreciation across the league becomes irrelevant if more than one team badly wants Rodgers at that time, which almost certainly would be the case.

Between now and next offseason, the Packers would naturally pay attention to landmarks on the NFL calendar. The end of training camp could be one juncture when the team considers its trade options if Rodgers has not reported. A couple games into the regular season could provide another opportunity, depending upon what Love shows early. The November trade deadline provides another chance to consider the options.

5. Take the high road at all times.

This is a sensitive situation. There’s no advantage to Green Bay making it even more fraught by further alienating Rodgers unnecessarily. Let Rodgers get in his shots at the team and its leadership without retaliating, in hopes the quarterback feels in the end as though he has punished the team sufficiently for its alleged mishandling of him and the situation. Refrain from embracing narratives suggesting Love is faring well in his development while Rodgers is away. Prove to Rodgers and the world there’s nothing personal about this dispute from the team’s side, and that this is a professional operation. Make sure all public comments about Rodgers are positive, even welcoming, despite temptations to manage the public narrative for short-term gain.

This is more difficult than it seems from afar. Consider how Gutekunst might feel. Surely some level of organizational weariness with Rodgers’ prickliness played into the decision Green Bay made to trade up for Love. On some level, the Packers were eager to move on from Rodgers with a new coach and relatively new GM. Then came the passive-aggressive comments from Rodgers about how the team handled a critical fourth-down decision in the playoffs, followed by revelations this offseason that Rodgers had referred to Gutekunst as “Krause” in conversations with teammates. It was a reference to late former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause, whom Michael Jordan criticized for dismantling a championship team prematurely and for suggesting organizations, not individuals, win championships. Rodgers might see himself as Jordan (not coincidentally, Rodgers told Mayne his frustration stems from the Packers “maybe forgetting that it is about the people that make the thing go”).

Rodgers is an expert needler, probably one of the last NFL players anyone would want to engage in a public dispute, especially in this situation, when the team did make an important miscalculation.

When team president Mark Murphy recently published comments suggesting the Rodgers situation was dividing the fan base, some in the league saw this as an attempt to demonstrate that some fans are turning against Rodgers. Whether or not that is true, why say it? Does Murphy really think most Packers fans supported the decision to select Love in the first round after Rodgers lobbied for immediate upgrades at receiver? If Rodgers reads those comments and thinks, “OK, let’s see how many fans support you when I’m not there,” what is gained from a team perspective?

As mandatory camps continue and training camp nears, now is the time for the Packers’ leadership to commit itself to the long game. The time for trading Rodgers might come, but that time is not now.

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

How much can the Giants count on RB SAQUON BARKLEY in 2021?  He’s not ready to go yet.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Nearly nine months after he tore his ACL, Giants running back Saquon Barkley is not ready to participate in minicamp, and coach Joe Judge is just fine with that.

Judge said the Giants won’t rush anything and only want Barkley on the field when he’s ready to play.

“We are going to make sure that we take Saquon’s rehab at the correct rate for his individual body and injury,” Judge said, via Newsday. “We have to make sure that we let him get it at his pace and when we put him on the field he can play 100% aggressive and confident and he’s going to play safe and he can play effective.”

Barkley was in attendance at minicamp and has been participating in team meetings and doing what he can in the offseason program, but his priority now is rehabbing his knee.

“He comes in every day, he attacks every day from a rehab standpoint,” Judge said. “He’s had a phenomenal attitude and great motivation, he’s been tremendously positive . . . Couldn’t be happier with how he is working, showing tremendous leadership this offseason. He’s champing at the bit to get back on the field. We are taking it day-by-day and he’s getting better every day.”

Last year Barkley played in just two games, gaining 34 yards on 19 carries. This year the Giants are hoping to get a whole lot more out of Barkley, but they’re cognizant that they still have three more months to get him ready before the season starts.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

This from New Orleans from Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Saints had a pair of quarterbacks address the media on Tuesday, which served as a reminder of the biggest storyline of their offseason.

Drew Brees retired and the team is holding a competition between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston to replace him as their starter. The two players have very different styles that would call for different offensive mindsets, but head coach Sean Payton said on Tuesday that the core of the offense will remain the same regardless of which player is ultimately chosen to lead the team.

“We’ve always tried to look closely at the strengths of our players, what they do well and we’ll build a little bit around that player accordingly,” Payton said in a press conference. “And that’s something that we did when Drew first arrived here, and we would do with either these two players. . . . there’s certain things that you might do, specific to one or the other. And yet, there’s still an overall philosophical approach that these guys will learn to play offense. But yeah, it’s not a whole different game plan for each one of them. There are certain things that we would do maybe differently with each one, but we’ll work that out.”

The Saints altered their offseason schedule this year and are not holding formal practices during OTAs, which means the summer will be the time when the competition for Brees’ successor will really take off. Once it does, there should start to be a greater sense of just what the offense will look like come the fall.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

The 2021 season has already seen the loss of two 49ers players to season-ending injuries.  Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

After their 2020 season was ravaged by injury, the San Francisco 49ers hoped that 2021 would bring better health. They’re not off to a promising start.

During an organized team activity Monday, the Niners lost two players to what will almost certainly be season-ending injuries more than three months before the 2021 campaign begins. Offensive lineman Justin Skule suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, and safety Tarvarius Moore tore his Achilles, according to a team spokesperson.

While neither Skule nor Moore has been an established starter for the Niners, both have played prominent roles in recent seasons.

Skule has played in 31 regular-season games over the past two years with 12 starts at tackle and guard. He was expected to compete with Shon Coleman for the swing tackle job in training camp before the injury.

Moore had played a similar role in the secondary, appearing in all 48 regular-season games over the past three seasons with 13 starts. He had 49 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2020 when he started eight games. He was expected to compete for the starting job at strong safety before Monday’s injury.

Without Moore, the Niners have a group including veterans Jaquiski Tartt, Tavon Wilson, Marcell Harris and Tony Jefferson, who signed on Monday, and rookie Talanoa Hufanga to compete for spots on the safety depth chart.

Skule and Moore are the latest in a long run of disappointing injuries to the 49ers. In 2020, the Niners lost 161.6 games to injury, the second most of any team in the past 20 years, according to Football Outsiders’ adjusted games lost metric (which also factored in players missing game for COVID-19 reasons).

AFC SOUTH

TENNESSEE

WR A.J. BROWN offered to give up his #11 to incoming WR JULIO JONES, but Jones said no.  Turron Davenport of ESPN.com:

Wide receiver A.J. Brown offered his No. 11 to Julio Jones, but the Tennessee Titans’ newly acquired playmaker declined. Instead, Jones will wear No. 2 with his new team.

Brown has worn No. 11 since his rookie year after originally sporting No. 18 during rookie minicamp.

“#11 until I retire. I tried to give it up and he wouldn’t take it. Respect,” he tweeted Tuesday. The Titans later announced that Jones will wear No. 2.

Jones commented for the first time Tuesday on being traded from the Atlanta Falcons to Tennessee, saying in a statement posted to social media that he’ll “never forget my time as an Atlanta Falcon” and thanked the Titans and their fans for the “warm welcome” he and his family have received.

“Thank you ATL for all the love you’ve shown me over the years. It’s been an amazing 10 years playing for the city & all the fans. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me over the years & will never forget my time as an Atlanta Falcon.

“Excited for the next part of my journey here in Nashville. To the fans, I want to thank you all for the warm welcome for me and & my family. We are very excited to be part of the Titans family.

“Ready to get to work!”

It’s no surprise that Brown would offer his number to Jones given how much he lobbied to get the Titans to trade for the 10-year veteran. Brown has always admired and studied Jones dating back to his days at Ole Miss, when wide receiver coach Jacob Peeler used to make cutups for him to watch.

“He’s a big receiver just like me, but the thing he does special is he runs routes just like a smaller guy,” Brown told ESPN on Sunday. “For me, in college, he was teaching me everything and didn’t even know it. That’s when I didn’t know him and was just watching him.”

Brown wore No. 1 at Ole Miss and considered making that his number when the NFL made rule changes allowing players other than quarterbacks, punters and kickers to wear single-digit numbers. He was going to ask Warren Moon for permission to wear the retired No. 1 jersey. But that was before he discovered how impactful Moon was to the Oilers/Titans organization.

“I was about to bother you and ask you is there anyway I could wear the #1 until I read your Bio … I’m not even deserving tbh,” he tweeted in April. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for the game. Legend!! Salute!!”

The Titans were able to absorb Jones’ $15.3 million cap number after starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill agreed to restructure his contract to create over $15 million in cap space. Tannehill now holds a $41.8 million cap hit in 2022 and a $39.8 million cap hit in 2023. Jones will have an $11.5 million cap hit in each of the next two seasons.

THIS AND THAT

CLASS OF 2018

With three years to judge, Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks the 32 draft classes from 2018:

These power rankings are based on the quality of players selected and overall value.

* Player is still with original team

1. Baltimore Ravens

Best player: Lamar Jackson

Unsurprisingly, one of the NFL’s best drafting teams had a fantastic haul in 2018, including the only player from the class to earn MVP honors. Jackson was a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Louisville, but could he develop the consistency as a passer to be a winning NFL quarterback? With a coaching staff willing to cater the offense around the passer (novel idea, huh?) and a player with unique, electric talent, Jackson has become a borderline top-five quarterback. In three seasons, he has completed 64 percent of his passes and combined for 87 total touchdowns. The Ravens have won 31 of his 41 starts, including playoffs. The irony with this pick is the Ravens drafted a tight end seven picks before Jackson – even the team that believed in him the most had its doubts, but the gamble has paid off.

Best value (outside the first round): Orlando Brown

After trading up for Jackson at No. 32, the Ravens had to wait over 50 picks for their next selections, but they nailed both of their third-round picks with Brown and Mark Andrews. While he was considered a possible first-round pick early in the process, Brown had an historically poor combine with 5.85 40-yard dash, 19.5-inch vertical, 6-foot-10 broad jump, 5.38 short shuttle and 7.87 three-cone. Those numbers dropped him to the back half of the third round and into the Ravens’ laps. After starting 26 games at right tackle his first two seasons, Brown moved to left tackle in 2020 to replace the injured Ronnie Stanley and played well. With a potential big pay day looming, he requested a trade to remain at left tackle and landed with the Chiefs this offseason in a deal that included Kansas City’s first rounder going to Baltimore. Undrafted free agent cornerback Darious Williams deserves mentioned here as well. He lasted only two months in Baltimore, but has developed into a legitimate starter with the Rams.

2. Indianapolis Colts

Best player: Quenton Nelson

In his second draft as Colts’ general manager, Chris Ballard nailed this class, including the first three picks. For most clubs, Darius Leonard would be the easy choice for “best player,” but the answer for Indianapolis has to be Nelson. In his three seasons, the Notre Dame product has started every game and earned first-team All-Pro honors. Over the last three decades, he joins Barry Sanders as the only players to earn such honors in their first three pro seasons. Nelson is on a Hall of Fame trajectory and will soon cash in as the NFL’s highest-paid interior offensive lineman.

Best value (outside the first round): Darius Leonard

Leonard has a very compelling resume and is the obvious answer here. Over the last three seasons, he leads the NFL in tackles per game (9.9) and has tallied 416 total tackles, 15 sacks and seven interceptions. No player comes close to that production in all three categories.

3. Buffalo Bills

Best player: Josh Allen

While Tremaine Edmunds (355 total tackles and two Pro Bowl appearances) has been terrific, Allen has emerged as one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Although he was a polarizing prospect because of his inconsistent play at Wyoming, the Bills traded up and bet on his exciting physical traits and imperturbable demeanor. Allen has gradually improved, leading the Bills to 13 wins last season and a spot in the AFC Championship Game. He was named second-team All-Pro with 45 total touchdowns (37 passing, eight rushing) and a completion percentage that jumped more than 10 points from the previous year to 69.2 percent.

Best value (outside the first round): Wyatt Teller

The good news for the Bills is they found an All-Pro talent in the fifth round. The bad news is he plays for the Browns. Teller started seven games as a rookie for Buffalo before former Cleveland general manager John Dorsey traded two late-round picks for him just days prior to the 2019 season. Teller became a starter midway through the 2019 season and was named an All-Pro guard in 2020. Some might argue that Taron Johnson was the best value of the Bills’ 2018 class. Johnson has been up-and-down at times as Buffalo’s nickel defender, but he played well down the stretch last season, including a 101-yard pick-six against Jackson and the Ravens in the playoffs. Undrafted free agent cornerback Levi Wallace also deserves mention.

4. Cleveland Browns

Best player: Nick Chubb

Both of their picks from the top five have been impactful performers: Baker Mayfield is arguably a top-10 quarterback and Denzel Ward is a Pro Bowl candidate when healthy. But Chubb is one of the best players in the NFL at his position. In three seasons, he has rushed for 3,557 yards – only Derrick Henry and Ezekiel Elliott have more over that span and both played in more games. Since he came into the league, Chubb’s 5.23 rushing yards per carry is second to only Lamar Jackson (6.03).

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Best player: Vita Vea

It can be tough for nose tackles to receive proper attention because their contributions do not always show in the stat sheet. But watching the Buccaneers’ defense last season, it was obvious when Vea was on the field and when he was not — and not just because he is a nimble 350-pound behemoth. He missed most of the 2020 season due to a right leg injury, but it helped showcase his value because he was sorely missed during his recovery.

Best value (outside the first round): Carlton Davis

There is no doubt that he has allowed his share of completions, but no NFL player has more passes defended (37) over the last two seasons than Davis. He has seven more than Jaire Alexander and James Bradberry, who are tied for second (30). Davis was essential during the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run, when he allowed only seven catches over four games against several of the NFL’s premier pass-catchers.

6. San Francisco 49ers

Best player: Fred Warner

Warner has started every game over the last three seasons and is coming off an All-Pro campaign when he finished with 125 tackles and a pair of interceptions. As one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL, he rarely leaves the field. He’s played at least 94 percent of defensive snaps each of the last three seasons. The only question with Warner: How lucrative a contract will it take to extend him?

7. Denver Broncos

Best player: Bradley Chubb

In hindsight, John Elway should have drafted Josh Allen, but Chubb has been as advertised when on the field for the Broncos. Although injuries have affected his impact, most notably a season-ending ACL tear in 2019, he has combined for 20.5 sacks and 28 tackles for a loss over 34 games. A Pro Bowler last year, Chubb has the talent to be a top-10 pass rusher in the NFL.

Best value (outside the first round): Courtland Sutton

Sutton missed almost all of the 2020 season with a torn ACL, but he had a breakout sophomore season for the Broncos, earning a Pro Bowl spot with 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. Sutton is entering a contract year with plenty to prove. An honorable mention goes to running back Phillip Lindsay, who proved to be a fantastic undrafted free-agent addition.

Biggest miss: Royce Freeman

A common theme of the 2018 class is all the misses at running back, including Freeman in the third round.

8. Atlanta Falcons

Best player: Calvin Ridley

Ridley ranks sixth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns (26) since he entered the league, ahead of DeAndre Hopkins, Stefon Diggs and several others. He leads all players from the class in catches (217) and is coming off a Pro Bowl season when he led the Falcons with 90 catches for 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Ridley, who is now Atlanta’s No. 1 receiver after the Julio Jones trade, was an easy prospect to like out of Alabama due to explosive quickness and route-running, and the Falcons received terrific value outside the top 25 picks.

9. Chicago Bears

Best player: Roquan Smith

Since he entered the league, Smith has been one of the most productive defenders in the NFL. Over the last three seasons, only two players have combined for at least 300 tackles, 10 sacks and four interceptions: Smith and Darius Leonard. He also has more tackles for loss (31) over the last three years than Khalil Mack (29). The Bears made Smith a top-10 pick to be a difference-making linebacker, and he has played near that level. He earned his first All-Pro nod in 2020.

10. Green Bay Packers

Best player: Jaire Alexander

Coming off a Pro Bowl season, Alexander is the slam dunk best player for the Packers’ class. He’s one of only seven players over the last three seasons with 41 passes defended or more. He was the second player at his position drafted (behind Denzel Ward), but Alexander has been the best cornerback from the class.

Best value (outside the first round): Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Since he entered the league, Scantling has been one of the better downfield receiving threats in the NFL. Among players with at least 40 catches over the last three seasons, only DeSean Jackson (18.3) and Breshad Perriman (18.2) have a higher yards-per-reception average than Valdes-Scantling (17.8). At 6-foot-4, he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the combine and moved his name into the fifth-round territory, where the Packers landed a steal.

11. Los Angeles Chargers

Best player: Derwin James

As a rookie, James posted 105 tackles and three interceptions and appeared to be on the fast track to becoming a perennial Pro Bowl safety. Unfortunately, he has played in only five games over the last two seasons due to injuries. James has the unique blend of size, athleticism and awareness to play myriad positions and can carve out a special career if he stays on the field.

12. Dallas Cowboys

Best player: Michael Gallup

After his Pro Bowl rookie season, Leighton Vander Esch appeared to be the easy answer to this question, but neck and collarbone injuries have put his future in limbo. Gallup had a breakout season in year two with 66 catches for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns over 14 games, when he led the team in receiving yards per game. With the addition of CeeDee Lamb, Gallup’s future in Dallas is clouded, but he should cash in next offseason.

The ninth receiver drafted in 2018, Gallup has combined for 1,950 receiving yards the past two seasons. That’s 24th in the NFL and second among receivers drafted in 2018 (behind Calvin Ridley). With 80 players chosen ahead of him, Gallup has certainly outplayed his original draft spot. The Cowboys also found a steal among the undrafted free agents with cornerback Charvarius Ward, whom they traded to Kansas City, where he has 16 passes defended over the past two seasons as a starter.

13. Philadelphia Eagles

Best player: Dallas Goedert

Despite being stuck in the shadow of Zach Ertz, Goedert has been productive in a supporting role as one of only 10 tight ends with 130-plus catches and 12-plus touchdowns over the last three seasons. With Ertz likely on his way out, Goedert will see his target share and role expand, which could put him in line for a rewarding extension.

Best value (outside the first round): Jordan Mailata

A native of Australia, Mailata was a professional rugby player before moving to the United States and trying out for NFL teams. The Eagles took a flyer on him in the seventh round, and after missing almost all of his first two seasons, he saw significant reps in 2020 filling in for the injured Jason Peters. Mailata improved significantly late in the season and is in position to earn Philadelphia’s starting left tackle job.

14. Miami Dolphins

Best player: Minkah Fitzpatrick

It is uncommon for a team’s best player from a draft class to switch teams so quickly, but Fitzpatrick was unhappy with his role for a losing franchise and requested to be traded after only one season in Miami. He fetched a first-round pick from the Steelers and has twice made the Pro Bowl as a safety in Pittsburgh.

Best value (outside the first round): Jerome Baker

The Dolphins’ leading tackler the last two seasons, Baker is one of only five players the last three seasons with 300-plus tackles and double-digit passes defended and sacks. He was undeveloped in several key areas as a prospect, which is why he fell out of the top 70 picks, but teams were ready to bet on his athletic profile while the rest caught up.

15. Carolina Panthers

Best player: D.J. Moore

The Panthers made Moore the first receiver off the board, and he has not disappointed with back-to-back seasons of 1,100-plus receiving yards. His struggles to find the end zone have frustrated fantasy football owners — of the 56 players with at least 1,800 receiving yards since 2018, Moore is dead last in touchdown grabs (10). However, Moore leads all receivers from the class in receiving yards (3,156), and he is one of only three players over the last three seasons with 160-plus catches and over 15 yards per reception (with Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill).

16. Detroit Lions

Best player: Frank Ragnow

The first center drafted, Ragnow has not disappointed. He earned a Pro Bowl spot last season and recently signed a $54 million contract extension. The Arkansas product was a good learning experience for me as an evaluator. He appeared uneven and off-balanced on several of his college tapes, but I found out later that he was injured in those games, which skewed my perception of his ability. While injuries are part of the game, Ragnow often played through injuries that would have put most players on the sideline.

Biggest miss: Kerryon Johnson

Johnson was such an easy prospect to like when studying his college tape because of his toughness and win-at-all-cost attitude. He was the 2017 SEC Offensive Player of the Year and boosted his draft stock into the second round. Johnson posted 641 rushing yards and 32 catches as a rookie, but his usage and production declined the past two seasons, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. The Lions invested a second-round pick in D’Andre Swift in 2020 and waived Johnson last month. He was claimed by the Eagles.

17. New York Giants

Best player: Saquon Barkley

The debate about his value as the No. 2 selection is certainly valid, but there is no question that Barkley is the best player among the Giants’ haul. And to draft a running back that high, he better be. Despite missing almost all of the 2020 season due to an ACL tear, Barkley has been one of the most dynamic weapons since he was drafted. Since 2018, only Christian McCaffrey (135.2) and Dalvin Cook (115.2) have averaged more scrimmage yards per game than Barkley (114.9).

Biggest miss: Kyle Lauletta

The lone member of the Giants’ class no longer on the roster, Lauletta was drafted with the idea that he would compete for the long-term job when Eli Manning retired. A two-time team captain at Richmond, he was billed as a high-character prospect, but pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct offense in 2019 after an incident with police and played in only two games. Lauletta didn’t make the 2019 roster and has bounced among several teams the past two seasons (he has still yet to complete an NFL pass).

18. Cincinnati Bengals

Best player: Jessie Bates

Bates has announced himself as one of the top free safeties in the league. Since 2018, he is the only NFL player with at least 300 tackles and nine interceptions, notching three interceptions in each of his three seasons. He has started all 48 games the last three years.

Biggest miss: Billy Price

In the first round, the Bengals had the right idea, but poor execution. They added Cordy Glenn in a trade with Buffalo by moving back from pick No. 12 to No. 21 and drafted Price. Unfortunately, neither player has worked out for Cincinnati. Glenn was released after the 2019 season and Price, viewed as Cincinnati’s backup plan after Frank Ragnow was drafted at No. 20, started only one game last season for a team desperate for offensive line help.

19. Las Vegas Raiders

Best player: Kolton Miller

After missing out on Mike McGlinchey, the Raiders traded back six spots and drafted Miller, a selection that was widely panned as a reach. But to his credit, the raw prospect has steadily improved since entering the league and played like a top-15 tackle in the NFL. Miller has started 46 games at left tackle over the last three seasons, and the Raiders recently made him one of the highest-paid tackles in the league with a three-year extension with $42.5 million worth of guarantees.

20. Washington Football Team

Best player: Daron Payne

Payne played well over his first two seasons, but he was unblockable at times throughout last season (watch the Tampa Bay tape) and out-performed his average final season statline (54 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles).

Biggest miss: Derrius Guice

There were some raised eyebrows on draft weekend when Guice fell out of the top 50 picks and seemingly became a steal for Washington in the late second round. However, in hindsight, the drop was not only precipitous but deserved. After missing most of the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to multiple knee injuries, Guice was released prior to the 2020 season following an arrest for domestic violence. In the aftermath of that arrest, several women accused Guice of sexual assault during his time at LSU.

21. New England Patriots

Best player: Isaiah Wynn

This was a tough pick. Wynn is the easy answer based on talent, but he has played in only 18 games due to injuries. After missing his rookie year with a torn Achilles, he started eight games in 2019 followed by 10 in 2020. Despite his missed time, the Patriots recently picked up his fifth-year option, which guarantees his $10.4 million salary in 2022.

22. Seattle Seahawks

Best player: Poona Ford

The Seahawks drafted nine players in 2018, but the best player from that class was a prospect who went undrafted. At the time, it was mind-boggling that 32 teams allowed Ford to go unselected. That is even more true now after three productive seasons in Seattle. He started all 16 games last season and posted 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss and a forced fumble, which earned him a two-year extension.

Biggest miss: Rashaad Penny

The Seahawks surprised most of the league when they drafted Penny in the first round, and so far he has not come close to justifying the selection. In three seasons, he has not finished better than third on the team in rush attempts and has logged the same number of starts as you and me. Injuries have obviously played a part, but even when he was on the field, he didn’t show the consistency expected of a first-round pick.

23. Minnesota Vikings

Best player: Brian O’Neill

O’Neill is the only established starter that the Vikings have to show from the 2018 draft. He filled in at right tackle as a rookie and has started 42 games there over the last three seasons. O’Neill has developed into one of the better run-blocking tackles in the league, and his pass protection has been solid.

Biggest miss: Mike Hughes

Hughes is the only one of the three cornerbacks drafted in the first round (Denzel Ward, Jaire Alexander) not to perform up to expectations. He has spent most of his career on injured reserve, playing in only four games last season. This year, the Vikings dealt Hughes and a seventh-round pick to Kansas City for a sixth-round pick in 2022 — not the value you want from a first-rounder.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars

Best player: D.J. Chark

Although he wasn’t a developed route-runner out of LSU (and still isn’t), Chark has the explosive speed that stresses the defense. He became a starter in his second season and led the Jaguars in receiving yards and touchdown grabs each of the last two years. Chark earned a spot in the Pro Bowl in 2019 and ranks fifth among all receivers drafted in 2018 in receiving yards (1,888).

The eighth receiver drafted, Chark has put himself in position to sign a big contract next offseason (maybe something similar to what Corey Davis signed this offseason?). Chark has already outplayed his draft spot. An honorable mention goes to receiver Allen Lazard, who signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent and spent most of the 2018 season on the Jaguars’ practice squad before joining Green Bay.

Biggest miss: Taven Bryan

The Jaguars have drafted in the top 10 in 13 of the last 14 years, with the one exception being 2018 when they selected Bryan No. 29 overall. Since he entered the league, he has been a part-time starter with minimal production. Unsurprisingly, the Jaguars declined his fifth-year option.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers

Best player: Terrell Edmunds

Edmunds has been polarizing. He has been productive with 251 tackles and three interceptions over 43 starts, but has had his share of missteps. Still, Edmunds has been the best player from the 2018 class for Pittsburgh.

Biggest miss: Edmunds

It usually is not a great sign when a team’s best player from the draft class is also their biggest miss. But that is the situation with the Steelers. Ranked No. 90 overall on my 2018 draft board, it was a surprise to hear Edmunds’ name called at No. 28. And while he has been productive and qualifies as the top player from the Steelers’ class, he has not lived up to being a first-round pick.

26. Los Angeles Rams

Best player: Joseph Noteboom

After trading away their first- and second-round picks (for Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins, respectively), the Rams were spectators until the third round. Noteboom spent his rookie season on the bench and started six games at guard in 2019. Then when Andrew Whitworth was hurt last season, the TCU product stepped in at left tackle and held his own. With another step forward this season, Noteboom will receive NFL starter-level money.

27. Tennessee Titans

Best player: Harold Landry

Landry is the easy choice. Although he has not been the answer to Tennessee’s pass-rushing woes, he has been a steady starter who will get paid next offseason if the Titans do not extend him. Over the last two seasons, Landry has combined for 137 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and two interceptions.

28. New York Jets

Best player: Sam Darnold

Did Darnold live up to expectations in New York? Unequivocally, no. But he displayed flashes of talent that reminded everyone why he was viewed as the top quarterback in the class by several NFL teams. The supporting cast in New York, including the coaching, did him no favors, which is why the Panthers were willing to give up three draft picks, including a 2022 second rounder, to acquire Darnold and pick up his fifth-year option ($18.9 million in 2022).

Biggest miss: Darnold

This is a unique scenario. When then-general manager Mike Maccagnan traded up from No. 6 to No. 3 and landed Darnold after Baker Mayfield went No. 1 and Saquon Barkley went No. 2, it was widely viewed as a franchise-changing pick. However, Darnold’s development was stagnant in his three seasons in New York. In several ways, the organization failed him. But whatever the reasons and the trade compensation from Carolina, this pick goes down as a miss.

29. Houston Texans

Best player: Justin Reid

The Texans used their first-round pick to trade up for Deshaun Watson in 2017 and their second-round pick to unload the Brock Osweiler contract. That left them with the 68th pick. Still, Houston came away with a solid player in Reid, who has started 40 games over the last three seasons. He was somewhat underwhelming in 2020 and needs a strong bounce-back season to warrant the extension he is looking for.

30. New Orleans Saints

Best player: Tre’Quan Smith

The Saints had only two top-100 picks in 2018, and they whiffed on all five of their day three selections, although Boston Scott has had a productive resurgence with the Eagles. Over the last three seasons, Smith ranks third on the team in receptions (80) and receiving yards (1,109) and second in touchdown catches (14). He set career-bests last season with 34 catches for 448 yards over 10 starts.

Biggest miss: Marcus Davenport

I will never forget seeing the “trade alert” graphic pop on the screen signaling that the Saints had traded up from No. 27 to No. 14. My initial gut reaction: this had to be a move for Lamar Jackson, right? You do not move up that far in the first round (and surrender a future first-rounder) unless you want a quarterback. Wrong. The Saints made the move for Davenport, a raw, toolsy pass rusher with a high ceiling. Unfortunately for New Orleans, the edge defender is still more potential than production, posting only one sack in 11 games last season. The Saints have not given up, however, and picked up his fifth-year option.

31. Arizona Cardinals

Best player: Chase Edmonds

It is tough to get excited about any player in the Cardinals’ 2018 class. Best player? The choice comes down to Christian Kirk and Edmonds. Kirk has had better production, although some would argue he did not do enough with his 6.5 targets per game the last three seasons. Edmonds has been more of a change-of-pace option, but he was one of only six NFL backs with 50-plus receptions last season. I am giving the edge to Edmonds because that is basically what the Cardinals did this past offseason by giving $6 million guaranteed to A.J. Green and drafting Rondale Moore in the second round while only adding James Connor to the backfield after losing Kenyan Drake.

Biggest miss: Josh Rosen

There is no debate. The Cardinals traded up from No. 15 to No. 10 to draft Rosen, making him the fourth quarterback drafted. He started 13 games as a rookie and the Cardinals quickly realized the pick was a mistake. With the No. 1 pick the following April, Arizona drafted Kyler Murray and became the third franchise in 50 years to select quarterbacks in consecutive first rounds. Rosen was traded to Miami in the 2019 season and he spent last year as a backup in Tampa Bay and San Francisco.

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Biggest miss: Breeland Speaks

The Chiefs spent their first rounder in the trade up for Patrick Mahomes the year before — obviously a worthwhile sacrifice. Then Kansas City traded up eight spots in the second round to made Speaks their first pick, which has not aged so well. Speaks started four games as a rookie before spending the 2019 season on injured reserve. He was released prior to the 2020 season and bounced among several different practice squads.