The NFL is set to play a doubleheader on Christmas Day, the league announced Tuesday.

Christmas Day, 2024, falls on a Wednesday and will be the first NFL game played on a Wednesday since 2020, when COVID-19 forced the league to hold a matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens midweek.

The NFL has shown an increased commitment to playing games on Christmas Day. Since 2020, the NFL has played nine games on Christmas. Before then, the league held 21 total games on the holiday.

But besides rescheduling the Ravens-Steelers matchup in 2020, the league has only played only one game on a Wednesday since 1948. In 2012, the NFL rescheduled the season opener between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants to a Wednesday to avoid running against then-President Barack Obama’s scheduled speech at the Democratic National Convention.

NFL executive vice president for media distribution Hans Schroeder said last year that the league is not “looking to play football on a Tuesday or Wednesday at this point.” He continued: “Especially this late in the year as we get close to the postseason. We want to focus on the run to the playoffs and for that competitive equity to really shine through. I don’t think we’re going to look at Tuesday or Wednesday football. We’re looking at the days where we’re already playing football and have the opportunity to celebrate something larger on a holiday with a lot of our fans together.”

The teams scheduled to play this season’s Christmas Day games will play the previous Saturday to allow for a four-day recovery window.

The NFL made several other changes Tuesday, as club owners approved significant changes to kickoff rules and moved the trade deadline to Week 9.

The NFL also announced that Peacock will stream the Week 1 game in São Paulo, Brazil and Amazon’s Prime Video, which just completed its first season streaming Thursday Night Football, will air an NFL Wild Card game this season.

The Philadelphia Eagles have already been announced as one of the teams playing in the first-ever game played in South America.

The NFL says this is just a Christmas thing.  Mike Florio doesn’t believe them:

In confirming that the NFL will stage a doubleheader on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, Commissioner Roger Goodell offered another “will not.” He said that the league will not play on Wednesdays on a regular basis.

“It will not be a regular thing,” Goodell said. “It will be when Christmas falls on a Wednesday.”

That’s always subject to change. Because money changes everything. If/when they can make a lot of money on another Wednesday night, they will.

What about the night before Thanksgiving? Money! What if a streaming company offers a couple billion dollars per year for a weekly standalone game on Wednesday? Money!

It’s always about the money, especially as the league keeps grabbing for more and more of it. Which is fine. But it shows that no absolutes should be believed. The NFL has proven that it can figure out how to play games any day of the week.

When critics rightfully raises concerns about Thursday night games on a weekly basis due to the potential injury risk, the NFL presented one very specific fact to support the move — the injury rate when playing from Sunday to Thursday is no different than when playing from Sunday to Sunday.

Last year, the NFL abandoned its prior policy of each team getting only one Sunday-Thursday turnaround per year. Once they embrace the idea that it’s fine and/or dandy to play with only three full days between games, the league can get very creative when it comes to scheduling.

And nothing spurs creativity like cash.

See HAPPY HOLIDAYS below for more.

– – –

See any over/under totals for wins that you would take a flyer on now:

@NerdingonNFL

DraftKings has posted all 32 Over/Under Win Totals for next season. Ordered by most wins to least:

KC: 11.5 wins

Over -110, Under -110

BAL: 11.5 wins

Over +110, Under -135

SF: 11.5 wins

Over +125, Under -150

BUF: 10.5 wins

Over -145, Under +120

CIN: 10.5 wins

Over -120, Under +100

DET: 10.5 wins

Over -105, Under -115

DAL: 10.5 wins

Over +100, Under -120

ATL: 10.5 wins

Over +110, Under -130

PHI: 10.5 wins

Over +110, Under -135

MIA: 10.5 wins

Over +125, Under -145

GB: 10.5 wins

Over +130, Under -155

HOU: 9.5 wins

Over -110, Under -110

NYJ: 9.5 wins

Over +125, Under -150

LAC: 8.5 wins

Over -160, Under +130

CHI: 8.5 wins

Over -135, Under +115

JAX: 8.5 wins

Over -125, Under +105

LAR: 8.5 wins

Over -110, Under -110

IND: 8.5 wins

Over +110, Under -135

CLE: 8.5 wins

Over +115, Under -135

TB: 8.5 wins

Over +125, Under -150

NO: 7.5 wins

Over -120, Under +100

PIT: 7.5 wins

Over -120, Under +100

SEA: 7.5 wins

Over -110, Under -110

WSH: 7.5 wins

Over +125, Under -145

LV: 6.5 wins

Over -135, Under +115

MIN: 6.5 wins

Over -135, Under +110

ARI: 6.5 wins

Over -110, Under -110

NYG: 6.5 wins

Over +115, Under -135

DEN: 5.5 wins

Over -140, Under +115

TEN: 5.5 wins

Over +115, Under -140

CAR: 4.5 wins

Over -125, Under +105

NE: 4.5 wins

Over -115, Under -105

There are 272 games (and 272 wins minus a tie or two) in the 2024 NFL season.  How many if you add up all 32 totals? 273, so they did a pretty good job.

We definitely think the Texans are undervalued at 9.5 wins.  We go with the over there.

And look at the eight teams with 10.5 wins.  Even with QB KIRK COUSINS do the Falcons really belong there.  We would bet that Atlanta does not win two more games than Tampa Bay (8.5).

SAN FRANCISCO

The 49ers payroll department blundered, and the team is now lighter in the draft pick department.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The NFL stripped the 49ers of their 2025 fifth-round draft pick and moved their 2024 fourth-round pick down in the draft order as punishment for what was termed a “clerical error.” San Francisco General Manager John Lynch says that error was a payroll mistake that led to a player getting an additional $75,000.

Lynch wouldn’t name the player who received the money but said it was simply an honest mistake with a new payroll system, not an attempt to circumvent the salary cap.

“It was a clerical error — there was a new system in place,” Lynch said, via TheAthletic.com. “We own our part. We went through a whole mitigation issue. But the league decided to impose that, so you take your medicine and move on.”

Lynch acknowledged the 49ers needed to promptly report the payment to the league, as every dollar a team pays a player must be reported.

“That’s where our culpability was,” he said. “So we’ve learned from that.”

Lynch did not answer directly when asked whether the team got the $75,000 back from the player.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams have taken a one-year, $10 million flyer on CB Tre’DAVIOUS WHITE who will be excellent if healthy.  Mike Florio of The Athletic:

Cornerback Tre’Davious White has a new job.

The 2017 first-round pick of the Bills, who had spent his entire career in Buffalo, has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Rams, via multiple reports. The Bills cut White earlier this month.

The deal is worth (wait for it) “up to” $10 million. ESPN.com puts the base value at $8.5 million. (We’ll wait for the official details before taking that as gospel.)

White suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 4 of the 2023 regular season. He’ll spend 2024 proving himself healthy and capable of a deal worth “up to” a lot more than $10 million in 2025.

– – –

Sean McVay was not taken aback by the retirement of DT AARON DONALD.  Jordan Rodrigue in The Athletic:

“People have asked, ‘when did you know?’” said Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay on Tuesday morning, during the NFC coaches’ breakfast at the annual league meetings.

McVay, of course, was referring to the decision of future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald — who announced his retirement earlier this month.

“We have such a good relationship, I knew the whole year. Or, at least I had a sense. There was kind of an unspoken understanding — even when we convinced him to come back after we won the Super Bowl in ‘21, there was kind of always an understanding that it would be a couple of years.”

McVay said he could see Donald “savoring certain moments” throughout the 2023 season, including bonding with his new, much-younger teammates. The Rams overhauled most of their defense — leaving Donald as the only “weight-bearing wall” (the words of general manager Les Snead) on the defensive side as a class of rookies entered the fold.

“He had a real joy — just watching him skip off the field with (defensive tackle Kobie Turner), you just saw things where you could really tell he was taking it all in,” McVay said.

In the Rams’ wild-card loss to Detroit in January, McVay waited for Donald outside of the locker room as players headed to the bus.

“I said to him, ‘this is it,’” said McVay, “and he said, ‘yeah, this is it.’ And then we talked a long time the following day. …

“We are so grateful for everything that he has done. He has changed my life. And I am forever indebted to him.”

A common phrase around the Rams’ buildings right now: There is no replacing Donald. But the team is now in a position where they’ll have to at least build a new world for a defensive line that features two up-and-coming second-year players who started in 2023 — Turner, and outside linebacker Byron Young — and a lot of unknowns.

As things currently stand — and pending the draft at the end of April — Turner will move full-time to the three-technique. That means more pass-rushing opportunities. Turner finished 2023 with nine sacks and was a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Young had nine sacks.

The Rams also tendered Michael Hoecht, who started the entirety of 2023 — he signed the tender on Tuesday, according to VP of football administration Tony Pastoors — but there is a strong indication from the team that they are far from done with adding to the position room. All last season, a lack of consistent complementary pressure was evident.

“From a stability standpoint, we have two players who have played a lot of snaps for us at OLB, but we’ve always said we want to add partners for them to have a more disruptive arsenal compared to last year,” Snead said on Monday.

How aggressive will McVay and Snead be at finding more players who can improve their pass-rush?

“That is such an important part — you get better on the second and third levels of your defense by being able to affect and influence the pass game with the guys that are rushing,” said McVay.

“There’s different ways to apply pressure. It might be through (a) four-man rush. It might be through simulated pressure. Bringing five (rushers). Those are the things that we are in the midst of really figuring out. I think I’ll have better clarity once we get through the draft. You don’t want to just say, ‘OK, we lost Aaron Donald. So now, we’ve got to go address this position.’ You want to be able to still continue to find the right kinds of people that can influence and affect positive change for us in the rush, whether that’s from the edge, from the interior. … There’s a bunch of quality players in this draft. Exactly who we come away with and how many we come away with that can do that is something we’re still working through.”

BALTIMORE

The Ravens have let the contract of oft-injured RB J.K. DOBBINS expire, but he’s now healthy and ready to take visits.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Dr. Neal ElAttrache has cleared free agent running back J.K. Dobbins for all football activities, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports.

ElAttrache, the team doctor for the Dodgers and Rams, repaired Dobbins’ Achilles on Sept. 15, five days after the running back tore it in the season opener against the Texans.

ElAttrache noted that Dobbins looks “outstanding” after his rehab.

Dobbins is expected to begin taking free agent visits soon, according to Pelissero.

He has averaged 5.8 yards per carry in his career but has played only nine games over the past three years.

After rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries as a rookie in 2020, Dobbins tore an ACL during training camp in 2021. He missed all of 2021 and the first two games of 2022 before returning, but then another knee injury sidelined him six weeks.

He played only 30 snaps in the opener before tearing his Achilles.

PITTSBURGH

With the NFL’s renewed emphasis on kick returns, the Steelers try to get ahead of the game by signing WR/RB/KR CORDARRELLE PATTERSON.  Sam Robinson of ProFootballRumors.com:

Cordarrelle Patterson has been a dominant return specialist during the period in which that job decreased in importance. As the NFL prepares to revive this play, the Steelers are bringing in a perennial All-Pro.

Pittsburgh is signing Patterson to a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This will reunite the versatile performer with Arthur Smith, who was at the controls when Patterson shifted to running back in Atlanta.

The NFL moved its kickoff line from the 30-yard line back to the 35 — its location until 1994 — in 2011. This did not stop Patterson from impacting games in the years that followed. The 2013 first-round pick was never able to catch on as a wide receiver, but he has been this NFL period’s premier kick returner and one of the greatest in NFL history. Not dabbling much in the punt-return game, Patterson has racked up four first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner. He has the most kick-return touchdowns (nine) in NFL history.

While Patterson’s return accomplishments are well known, he made a decent impact at a new position under Smith in Atlanta. The Falcons moved the former wide receiver to running back in 2021, making him their starter despite being at an age when running backs struggle to gain employment. Patterson became a running back at 30 and functioned as a regular for the Falcons at that post in 2021 and ’22.

The ex-Vikings top pick racked up 1,166 scrimmage yards in 2021, helping a team that had traded Julio Jones and saw Calvin Ridley leave early in the season due to mental health reasons. Despite Patterson being north of 30 at the time, the Falcons then gave him a two-year, $10.5MM deal. The 2022 arrival of Tyler Allgeier minimized Patterson’s backfield role, but he still gained a career-high 695 rushing yards despite missing four games that season. The Falcons ranked third in rushing that year. However, Bijan Robinson‘s 2023 arrival slowed the Patterson-at-RB experiment; he logged 50 carries last season.

Patterson, who turned 33 earlier this month, does not appear to have a clear path to a running back role in Pittsburgh. The team has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren on rookie contracts. That said, Smith coached the veteran playmaker for three seasons; gadget plays could certainly be in the offing. Though, the Steelers will obviously be set to put Patterson to work on special teams.

Overall, the Tennessee alum has six All-Pro honors (two second-team nods) on his resume. Earning first-team acclaim in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2020, Patterson has returned a kickoff for a score in seven separate seasons. Only one such jaunt came in Atlanta — as the others occurred while Patterson was with the Vikings, Patriots and Bears — but that 2022 TD broke Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington‘s NFL record. The extended production earned the 220-pound talent an All-Decade honor. He will soon get to work for a fifth NFL team.

INDIANAPOLIS

GM Chris Ballard on the value of continuity.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Colts fell short of the playoffs in 2023, but their response wasn’t to bring in a bunch of new faces in hopes of better results in 2024.

General Manager Chris Ballard’s focus in free agency was on holding onto the team’s players rather than chasing ones from other clubs. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., linebacker Zaire Franklin, cornerback Kenny Moore, defensive tackle Grover Stewart, punter Rigoberto Sanchez and defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis are among the players who have re-signed with the team and Ballard told reporters at the league meetings on Tuesday “different is not always better” in reference to his approach.

Ballard said that players don’t sit around and wait while teams engage with others during the negotiating window and that teams have to balance knowing what they have in “a bird in the hand” when thinking about pursuing outside additions.

“I think what gets lost is when you lose a player, it creates a void,” Ballard said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. “You lose a Grover Stewart, you lose a Kenny Moore, you lose a Pittman, now you’ve got a real void. Sure, you’ve gone and signed another player at another position, but you’ve created another void. We felt that all our players were legitimate players. They were all coveted. Anytime you can keep continuity in your own players, that’s a good thing.”

Quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor were both on the Colts last season, but they only played in one game together due to injuries so adding them to the group that fell just short of a playoff berth is part of the reason to hope that staying the course will pay dividends in Indianapolis this season.

We would note that continuity is something the Colts have not had at the QB position as 2024 will be the 7^th consecutive year that a different passer leads the team.

Passer

2023    Minshew

2022    Ryan

2021    Wentz

2020    Rivers

2019    Brissett

2018    Luck

NEW ENGLAND

Owner Robert Kraft has always had a high opinion of the organization he heads, but he admits it has taken a hit in the last few months – with a documentary and a survey.  Mike Reiss of ESPN.com:

Robert Kraft said he is “disappointed” at the portrayal of the New England Patriots’ championship teams in a recent documentary series and announced plans to upgrade the organization’s facilities in the wake of poor reviews in this year’s NFL Players Association survey.

Kraft addressed reporters for 15 minutes Tuesday at the annual league meeting, and among the topics he was asked about was “The Dynasty,” a 10-part documentary series directed by Matthew Hamachek on Apple TV+. The Patriots turned over their full internal video archives for the documentary, which was released in February, with Kraft and prominent members of the organization agreeing to lengthy, sometimes revealing interviews.

“I felt bad that there was so much emphasis on the more controversial and let’s say ‘challenging’ situations over the last 20 years,” Kraft said.

“I wish they had focused more on our Super Bowl wins, our 21-game win streak. I felt bad there were players who gave hours and hours of interviews and they felt only the negativity [was used]. … So a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of a real positive approach — especially for Patriot fans who have lived the experience with us.”

Former Patriots players Devin McCourty and Rodney Harrison, who were interviewed for the documentary, have been among the critics. McCourty, who said “I felt like I got kind of duped,” believed the documentary was slanted against former coach Bill Belichick.

On Tuesday, Kraft was asked to comment on those who felt Belichick was unfairly maligned in the documentary.

“Look, I’ll state this clearly: I feel so privileged that we had Bill here. We hope when he’s finished [coaching], that we’re going to have a chance to honor him the way we will do with Tom Brady this year. … I look forward to the privilege of putting Bill into the Patriots Hall of Fame one day in the future,” Kraft said.

Meanwhile, in the most recent NFL Players Association survey, the Patriots ranked 29th out of 32 teams. Their weight room ranked last in the NFL, and it was noted that they are one of seven teams that don’t provide day care support for players’ children on game day.

Kraft highlighted changes to come in those areas under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who has final personnel authority.

“I must tell you, I was unaware of how bad that was,” Kraft said. “We’ve had a plan, and we put in place, where we’re committing a whole new facility adjacent to ours that has been discussed with the young leadership team — a building that will be in excess of $50 million that will have the most [modern] facilities.

“We have to correct anything [unfavorable]. I was not aware, even of this day care issue. That’s something that’s fixable and we want to do. Look, the players are the heart and soul of the business. I’d be very surprised if that didn’t improve.”

Kraft expressed optimism about the Patriots’ direction under Mayo and Wolf, believing improvements have been made by retaining some of the team’s own free agents, such as offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, who signed a three-year, $57 million contract earlier in March.

At the same time, he acknowledged how the team missed out on free agent receiver Calvin Ridley, who signed a four-year, $92 million deal with the Tennessee Titans.

“As a foundation, if you want to win consistently, you have to draft well and then get those players on the second contract. We started to do that this year,” Kraft said.

“We pursued the people we wanted in free agency [from other teams]. There was one outstanding receiver [Ridley] that unfortunately we couldn’t close. It was not because of finance. He made clear his [wife] wanted to be in the South. And we had a situation where the taxes were, like, almost 10% higher; we offered, or were willing to keep going at that premium, but he didn’t want to be in the Northeast. And part of it might be the quarterback situation as well.”

Along those lines, Kraft said the fan in him hopes the Patriots select a quarterback with the third overall pick in the draft but said he will defer to Mayo, Wolf & Co. The team currently has veteran Jacoby Brissett, 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe and second-year player Nathan Rourke on the depth chart.

“In the end, you can’t win in this league consistently unless you have a first-rate quarterback and a first-rate coach,” Kraft said. “On the other hand, a lot of people are really desperate to move up, and so we’re going to be open to whatever can come our way. One way or another, I’d like to see us get a top-rate, young quarterback.”

THIS AND THAT

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Nerding on NFL on what late December is going to look like:

Here’s how I’m expecting the NFL’s standalone schedule to look for Week 16 and Week 17 in late December 2024

Needless to say, it’s going to be JAM-PACKED with football

——— WEEK 16 ———

🏈 TNF on Thursday Dec 19th

🏈🏈🏈 Triple-header on Saturday Dec 21st – In the past, the NFL designates five games as TBD for the Saturday/Sunday of December’s third weekend with three of the five being selected just weeks ahead of time as the official Saturday slate. Since the four teams that play on Wednesday Dec 25th must also play on Saturday Dec 21st, this leads me to believe that all three games will be determined on release day instead of getting the TBD designation. It’s also possible this just ends up being a Saturday double-header with the four Christmas teams as Albert Breer mentioned in his post (more info on that scenario under Week 17)… Also something to note here is that there will be an ESPN triple-header for the CFB playoff games on Saturday Dec 21st. This means that the NFL and CFB are confirmed to be going head to head on this date…

🏈 SNF on Sunday Dec 22nd

🏈 MNF on Monday Dec 23rd

———  WEEK 17 ———

🏈🏈 Double-header on Wednesday Dec 25th – These two games will be bid on by the networks. I’m assuming the times will be 4:30 and 8:15 ET

🏈 TNF on Thursday Dec 26th

🏈🏈 Double-header on Saturday Dec 28th – If a similar schedule as last season is followed, it would be one game at 4:30 ET and one game at 8:00 ET… Another scenario should be considered here where the Saturday triple-header I’m projecting for Week 16 is actually scheduled for Week 17, then placing this Saturday double-header into Week 16. This could then allow the 5 TBD designations to come back into play. Either way, I’m expecting five games in total on Saturdays during this two week period

🏈 SNF on Sunday Dec 29th

🏈 MNF on Monday Dec 30th – I’m not feeling so sure about this one. There was no MNF game for Week 17 last season, but ESPN will have this Monday night available to broadcast a game. My gut says they’ll bring it back this season

In total, we are looking at 13 NFL games in standalone spots over the course of 12 days in late December

This:

@NerdingonNFL

The triple-header can’t happen Week 15 this season. The NFL is allowed to begin playing Saturday games on the third Saturday in December, which happens to be Week 16 for 2024

Who “allows” this to happen?  The FCC?

2024 DRAFT

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com offers his third Mock Draft of the year:

1 – Chicago Bears (via CAR)

Caleb Williams             USC · QB · Junior

Trading Justin Fields to the Steelers paves the way for the Bears to add the USC standout as their franchise quarterback. Williams steps into an upgraded offensive lineup that should enable him to flourish as a starter from Day 1.

2 – Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels         LSU · QB · Senior

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s history working with Kyler Murray and other athletic quarterbacks could make Daniels the perfect fit for the Commanders’ new offense.

3 –  New England Patriots

J.J. McCarthy              Michigan · QB · Junior

Given Tom Brady’s success with the Patriots, taking McCarthy — the best quarterback in Michigan history — could be the move for Eliot Wolf. Despite his inexperience as a passer, McCarthy’s athleticism, intangibles and winning pedigree could fit Jerod Mayo’s profile for a QB1.

4 – Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr.     Ohio State · WR · Junior

The silky-smooth pass catcher is the WR1 Kyler Murray needs to take the Cardinals’ offense to another level.

5 – Los Angeles Chargers

Joe Alt                          Notre Dame · OT · Junior

Jim Harbaugh’s commitment to the running game could make the offensive line a priority in the draft. Alt is a technician with the toughness and tenacity that the coach covets in his front-line players.

6 – New York Giants

Malik Nabers                LSU · WR · Junior

If the Giants remain committed to Daniel Jones, they must add more explosive playmakers to the lineup. Nabers is a catch-and-run specialist who can score from anywhere on the field.

7 – Tennessee Titans

Olumuyiwa Fashanu      Penn State · OT · Junior (RS)

The Titans need to add an offensive tackle to complete the offseason makeover that will help Will Levis shine as a QB1.

8 – Atlanta Falcons

Dallas Turner                      Alabama · Edge · Junior

After getting his franchise quarterback in free agency, Raheem Morris could prioritize landing an impact edge defender on draft day. Turner’s size, speed and production should make him a Day 1 starter on defense.

9 – Chicago Bears

Rome Odunze                 Washington · WR · Senior

General manager Ryan Poles could add another weapon to the offense to help his rookie quarterback feel more comfortable as a first-year starter. A rugged playmaker with a high football IQ and positional flexibility, Odunze is a perfect WR3 to partner with a couple of veteran pass catchers (Keenan Allen and DJ Moore) on the perimeter.

10 – New York Jets

Brock Bowers                  Georgia · TE · Junior

With the team in win-now mode and Aaron Rodgers nearing the end of his career, the Jets could opt to take a pass catcher who can dominate the middle of the field.

11  – Minnesota Vikings

Drake Maye                     North Carolina · QB · Sophomore (RS)

Kevin O’Connell and Co. might have to move up the board to land a franchise quarterback, and they have two first-round picks to help them maneuver. Maye, an athletic playmaker with A-plus arm talent and mobility, is a perfect fit for the Vikings’ offense.

12 – Denver Broncos

Jared Verse                       Florida State · Edge · Senior

Sean Payton is rebuilding the Broncos, with a premier pass rusher among the team’s top needs. Verse is an energetic sack artist with the potential to reach double digits in that category.

13 – Las Vegas Raiders

Taliese Fuaga                     Oregon State · OT · Senior

Beefing up the offensive line should be a top priority for a team that wants to control the trenches. Fuaga is a mauler/brawler with the size, strength and nastiness to help the Raiders dominate the point of attack.

14 – New Orleans Saints

JC Latham                          Alabama · OT · Junior

With Ryan Ramcyzk’s knee putting his 2024 season in question, the Saints could opt for an offensive tackle at this point. Latham is a massive brawler with the strength, power and length to punish defenders in the running game.

15 – Indianapolis Colts

Quinyon Mitchell                  Toledo · CB · Senior

GM Chris Ballard is all about drafting talented prospects with prototypical traits and athleticism. Mitchell’s game matches his supreme athletic talent.

16 – Seattle Seahawks

Troy Fautanu                       Washington · OL · Senior

The ultra-versatile front-line blocker reunites with his college offensive coordinator (new Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb) as a potential plug-and-play starter at multiple spots.

17 – Jacksonville Jaguars

Terrion Arnold                      Alabama · CB · Sophomore (RS)

Adding a high-IQ cover corner with positional flexibility could help the Jaguars match up with the AFC South’s dynamic offenses.

18 – Cincinnati Bengals

Brian Thomas Jr.                LSU · WR · Junior

Thomas is an athletic playmaker with the size (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) and ball skills to thrive playing alongside Ja’Marr Chase and potentially Tee Higgins as well, if Higgins and the team are able to work through their stalemate.

19 – Los Angeles Rams

Byron Murphy II                  Texas · DT · Junior

After Aaron Donald’s recent retirement, adding an explosive interior defender should be a top priority. Murphy is an energetic playmaker.

20 – Pittsburgh Steelers

Amarius Mims                   Georgia · OT · Junior

The extra, extra large edge blocker (6-8, 340 pounds) would help the Steelers control the trenches as they transition to a ground-and-pound squad under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

21 -Miami Dolphins

Jackson Powers-Johnson    Oregon · IOL · Junior

Beefing up the offensive line could help the Dolphins upgrade an offense that struggled against physical defensive fronts last season.

22 – Philadelphia Eagles

Kool-Aid McKinstry                 Alabama · CB · Junior

The Eagles need to improve on the island. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme requires corners to read routes and tackle well on the perimeter. McKinstry might lack elite athleticism, but he plays like a 10-year veteran outside the numbers.

23 – Minnesota Vikings  (via CLE through HOU)

Cooper DeJean                        Iowa · DB · Junior

Adding a defensive back with a high football IQ and positional flexibility would give defensive coordinator Brian Flores another weapon to feature in his aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme.

24 – Dallas Cowboys

Graham Barton                         Duke · OL · Senior

Barton brings tackle-guard-center flexibility. The Cowboys could reshuffle the offensive line to put the best five blockers on the field, with Barton stepping in as a potential plug-and-play starter at multiple spots.

25 – Green Bay Packers

Payton Wilson                          N.C. State · LB · Senior

If Wilson clears teams’ medical evaluations with an injury history that dates back to his high school days, he is a potential impact playmaker as a see-ball, get-ball defender. Though off-ball linebackers are not usually considered premium prospects in the current NFL game, Wilson’s instincts, awareness and versatility could help him grade out as a blue-chip player early in his career.

26 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Laiatu Latu                               UCLA · Edge · Senior

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles loves to bring pressure from all angles. Latu is the most natural pass rusher in the draft, with the potential to rush from a three-point stance or stand-up position.

27 – Arizona Cardinals (via HOU)

Darius Robinson                      Missouri · Edge · Senior

Adding a disruptive pass rusher should be a top priority for the Cardinals. Robinson’s inside-outside versatility could help him evolve into a Cam Jordan-like playmaker at the point of attack.

28 – Buffalo Bills

Jer’Zhan Newton                        Illinois · DT · Senior

The Bills re-signed DaQuan Jones, but they still need to plan for the long-term on the interior. Newton is a versatile one-gap penetrator with a non-stop motor.

29 – Detroit Lions

Chop Robinson                      Penn State · Edge · Junior

The Lions need to find a complementary pass rusher to play opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Robinson is a freak athlete with exceptional first-step quickness.

30 –  Baltimore Ravens

Tyler Guyton                         Oklahoma · OT · Junior (RS)

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta needs to address the edges, with Morgan Moses traded away and Ronnie Stanley struggling to stay healthy. Guyton is an intriguing option as a potential Day 1 starter at right tackle, and he has enough athleticism to eventually move to the left side.

31 – San Francisco 49ers

Nate Wiggins                           Clemson · CB · Junior

The 49ers’ glaring need on the island makes Wiggins an ideal candidate for this spot. The slender speedster displays the footwork and instincts to flourish in the team’s zone-based scheme.

32 – Kansas City Chiefs

Kamari Lassiter                         Georgia · CB · Junior

With L’Jarius Sneed on his way out of town, the move could prompt the Chiefs to look for a corner at the top of the draft. Lassiter is a rock-solid cover man with superb tackling skills.