AROUND THE NFL

Daily Briefing

Are QB TOM BRADY and WR ANTONIO BROWN a package deal?  Conor Roche of Boston.com:

Antonio Brown still doesn’t know if he’ll be punished by the NFL for his alleged sexual misconduct, but that apparently isn’t stopping Tom Brady from wanting to team up with him.

Two people close to Brown told ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler that Brady remains in “consistent contact” with Brown and told Brown that he wants to play with him wherever he goes next.

 “According to one of Brown’s attorneys, Brady has told Brown to keep mentally and physically strong so the two can reunite on the field at Brady’s next stop,” Graziano and Fowler wrote.

Graziano and Fowler noted that anything regarding Brown should be taken with “not a grain but a bucket of salt.”

It should also be noted that Brown is working to settle contract grievances with not only the Patriots, but also with the Raiders, who are reportedly interested in signing Brady.

This would obviously not be the first time that Brown and Brady would play together. Brown caught four passes from Brady for 56 yards and a touchdown in his only game with the Patriots, which was a 43-0 win over the Dolphins.

Brown was released five days after that game when a report from Sports Illustrated detailed his reaction to sexual misconduct allegations.

If true, that would seem to leave out the Raiders and Patriots from Brady’s list of landing spots.

This CBSSports.com podcast like Brady for the Titans or Buccaneers:

In the event Brady actually fields inquiries once he becomes an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, CBS Sports’ Pick Six Podcast crew seems to agree No. 12’s market could revolve around two teams: The Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“The Patriots have always been the favorites,” host Will Brinson said on Tuesday’s show, “but to me, (the latest odds) are a swing in the direction of him leaving.” (Brinson noted that some of the latest Brady props have New England as 1-2 favorites to re-sign the QB, with the Titans at 4-1 and Buccaneers at 14-1 to land the repeat Super Bowl champion.)

The Titans’ own coach, former Brady teammate Mike Vrabel, was rumored to have been FaceTiming the longtime Patriots QB during Brady’s visit to the Syracuse-North Carolina basketball game on Saturday alongside Patriots receiver Julian Edelman. “I don’t think it would qualify as tampering,” Brinson said, “but if you were to translate that to a marriage situation, like, you would definitely get in trouble, right? … It’s certainly toeing the line a little bit if you’re Tom Brady in terms of a flirtatious free agency situation.”

The Bucs, meanwhile, just might have the strongest selling points of any team in the market for a QB.

“A, it gets you out of the AFC; there’s no Patrick Mahomes to worry about … (and) you don’t want to go up against Belichick,” John Breech argued. “No. 2, Bruce Arians, his pitch is going to be, ‘Look, man, I’m 67 years old. I’m not coaching for five more years. I’m coaching for, like, two more years … I want to win right now, (and) I’ve got all these offensive weapons. I just feel like the Bucs have the best selling point as far as the most potential to win right now.”

Not only that, Breech added, but Tampa is also flush with salary cap space — so much so that if Brady were to request that the Bucs pursue other high-profile help, like Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, they’d be able to grant his wishes.

“I cannot picture him in that Tampa Bay jersey,” Sean Wagner-McGough countered in jest. “I just can’t do it.”

New uniforms for the Buccaneers though.

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

The Lions know they are in a great spot at #3 to trade their first round pick to a QB-needy team.  Vincent Frank of Sportsnaut.

We’re starting to hear a lot of rumors surrounding the top of the 2020 NFL Draft following the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis. While the Cincinnati Bengals are locked in to Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall selection, the next two picks are up in the air.

Earlier on Tuesday, ESPN’s Todd McShay broke some news by indicating that the Washington Redskins plan to pass on former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in favor of edge rusher Chase Young with the second pick.

Washington had been bandied about as a potential landing spot for Tua after reports broke this past week that it told the youngster the team was not sold on 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins.

If Washington does go Young at two, the Detroit Lions find themselves in a great position to net draft pick assets in a trade down from the third pick. According to an unnamed general manager, that’s exactly what the team is going to do.

“I THINK DETROIT IS GOING TO TRADE THE PICK,” THE GM SAID, VIA MIKE SANDO OF THE ATHLETIC. “PUT TUA IN THERE, BUT THEY WILL TRADE THE PICK. SOMEONE ELSE WILL TAKE TUA.”

Despite earlier rumors that they could look to trade franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford, that does not seem to be in the cards. If so, moving the third pick to a team looking to trade up for Tua could make the most sense. Of those squads, the Dolphins make the most sense picking No. 5 overall.

As it relates to the Lions, they have been linked more to defensive players. Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah and fast rising Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons come to mind. A trade down to five with Miami would pretty much guarantee that Detroit lands one of these two players.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

If QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER ends up in Tampa, is QB JAMEIS WINSTON really a candidate to be heir in waiting for QB DREW BREES?  Mike Sando of The Athletic:

Here’s an intriguing QB swap that would not involve a trade

Could Teddy Bridgewater parlay his 5-0 starting record with the New Orleans Saints last season into a starting job for Tampa Bay? Could Buccaneers starter Jameis Winston wind up replacing Bridgewater as a backup to the Saints’ Drew Brees? Taysom Hill would remain a featured player in New Orleans’ offense under such a scenario. Winston would have a shot at succeeding Brees longer term. And if Brees were injured or suddenly fell off, Winston would give the Saints a puncher’s chance.

“I am hearing Tampa Bay is hot on Bridgewater,” a GM said.

That would leave Winston on the outside for Tampa Bay, and possibly elsewhere. How many teams in a buyer’s market will offer a starting job to a player known for making poor decisions on and off the field? Winston was suspended for three games in 2018 after the NFL determined he touched a female Uber driver “in an inappropriate and sexual manner without her consent” two years earlier. Winston tossed 30 interceptions this past season.

“The only way you can put Winston behind somebody (as a backup) is if the starter is an old guy who is completely established and has one or two years left,” an evaluator said.

Which coach might think he could fix Winston?

“Sean Payton,” the evaluator replied. “New Orleans wants to keep Taysom as their gadget guy. To do that, they need a No. 2. They can sell it by saying Brees has one year left, so just spend a year with Sean and become the starter in 2021.”

That is the potential scenario Bridgewater lived this past season

Before we even think about whether this makes football sense – would Winston really take back-up money behind Brees?

– – –

The Saints are said to be interested in LB JAMIE COLLINS, a Patriots free agent.  Ryan Hannable of WEEI Radio:

Tom Brady isn’t the only free agent to be that the Patriots have this offseason.

In fact, they have a number of players on the defensive side of the ball, including linebacker Jamie Collins.

According to Larry Holder, who covers the Saints for The Athletic, New Orleans is expected to show interest in the linebacker. The Saints will be in the market for linebackers with A.J. Klein expected to test the open market, so showing interest in Collins would not be a surprise.

Collins did a good job getting his career back on track this past season with the Patriots (his second stint after 2.5 years in Cleveland). He finished with 58 tackles and seven sacks, although it’s worth noting he had just one sack after Week 8.

The Patriots also have linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts as free agents and it’s very unlikely they will be able to keep all three.

If there’s interest around the league, it seems unlikely the Patriots will be able to keep Collins given what he could receive financially.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Are the 49ers in play for QB TOM BRADY?  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

As our pal Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston recently explained, it’s not a done deal that Tom Brady will be leaving the Patriots. That said, there are suitors.

Appearing with Adam Schein of SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio, Curran was asked to predict Brady’s destination for 2020.

“It’s either gonna be New England or Tennessee,” Curran said, “with the 49ers closing hard on the outside.”

Yes, the 49ers chatter is real, Curran said. And it’s a mutual thing, with Brady interested in the 49ers, and the 49ers interested in Brady. And then the 49ers could simply trade Jimmy Garoppolo back to the Patriots.

“That would be the best-case scenario all the way around,” Curran said.

Many would agree that if the 49ers had Brady in 2019, they would have won the Super Bowl. Many also would agree that Brady gives them a better chance than Garoppolo to win it in 2020.

So what would the 49ers do for a quarterback in 2021, if Brady wins No. 7 and walks off into the sunset? Absent an extension, Kirk Cousins will be a free agent next year. And he’s the guy 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan thought the 49ers would be signing in 2018, until the team traded for Garoppolo.

– – –

A new deal for DE ARIK ARMSTEAD?  Erik Ting of the San Francisco Chronicle:

The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly in contract negotiations with impending free agent defensive end Arik Armstead, who had a breakout 2019 season.

ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported Monday that the 49ers “want DL Arik Armstead back and are working on getting a deal done,” but did not provide any details surrounding the potential terms of the contract.

It would be curious if the 49ers — a team already paying defensive end Dee Ford upwards of $15 million per season and likely on the hook for a similar contract in the near future for defensive tackle DeForest Bucker — bring back Armstead on a similar long-term, big-money deal. However, front office executive Paraag Marathe is notorious for negotiating rich contracts that contain easy outs for the team, so Armstead could potentially sign a deal that would give the 49ers the ability to back out when the salary cap situation starts getting really dire.

General manager John Lynch previously stated the franchise tag could be an option for Armstead, but due to his classification as a defensive end, that could potentially cost the team $19 million this year. The 49ers are currently just $13 million under the salary cap.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Kevin Patra of NFL.com hears that the Bengals are going to be active in free agency.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ roster as currently constructed has more holes than a colander.

Could Mike Browns’ team thwart the narrate his club is stingy in free agency in hopes of making a quick turnaround after compiling the worst record in the NFL in 2019?

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that the Bengals are expected to be active in free agency.

“Some of the buzz that I picked up in Indianapolis (during the NFL Scouting Combine) is that it’s really the opposite of what the narrative for the Bengals has been,” Rapoport said on NFL Network’s NFL NOW. “First of all, I would expect them to be involved in free agency, I’m not sure they’re going to go and break the bank for the top, top guy but I would expect them to be heavily involved in the upper and middle class of free agents. They have got a lot of holes on the roster. They’d like to get better. There are certainly some players who would help that team really at all levels. I would expect the Bengals to be heavily involved.”

Cincinnati currently has about $44 million in cap space, per Over The Cap, but could free up more room with potential roster moves, including moving on from Andy Dalton’s $17.5 million contract.

Historically, the Bengals have spent more to hang onto their own players than delving into the free-agent market to bring in additional talent.

“Since 2011, the Bengals are right in the middle, 15th in spending,” Rapoport noted. “Since 2013, they are 12th, so top half of the league in spending. And in 2016, they were actually sixth. So they may not go out and spend on other people’s free agents but if you are a young player, a good player on their own team … they will pay you. Part of the things that they’re trying to talk to Joe Burrow about and part of the frustration they have with the national narrative.”

The Bengals pay to keep their own players but rank 30th in guaranteed money handed out over the past five years, which generally is used to secure talent in free agency.

Aside from hanging on to A.J. Green by using the franchise tag if a long-term deal can’t be struck, Cincinnati has other holes to fill. The Bengals need help across the offensive line to block for their soon-to-be rookie quarterback. The defense needs help at every level, including on the edge and linebacker.

Aside from upgrading the roster, the belief that the Bengals might loosen the pocket strings a bit in 2020 could make potential No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow much more comfortable heading to Cincinnati.

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS

Mike Sando of The Athletic thinks QB PHILIP RIVERS makes sense for the Colts, but he also throws in the name of QB NICK FOLES:

The Colts need a quarterback, but with the 13th pick, they are not in prime position to select one in the draft, which makes Rivers such an intriguing option. Some coaches and evaluators who have studied Rivers think he can still play well when protected. The Colts possess arguably the best offensive line in the league, while the Chargers had significant problems up front last season. Rivers’ past association with Colts coach Frank Reich in San Diego completes the fit.

“Rivers to Indy just makes sense,” a GM said.

From 2013-2015, Rivers averaged 31 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions per season with Reich on the Chargers’ staff. That is about where Rivers was in 2018, but not in 2019. Reich’s presence and the Colts’ strong line arguably provide Rivers with his greatest opportunity to win a championship. But with so many veteran quarterbacks available, and with Rivers coming off a 20-interception season, it’s unclear what kind of market might exist for the 38-year-old quarterback. Would he be willing to spend half the year in Indiana? What are his contract expectations? This offseason could reveal how much Rivers wants to win.

“I could see them (the Colts) going in that direction and him wanting to go that direction and it being a really good fit,” a former GM said. “He has CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and they usually want to break the bank, but I do think that makes a lot of sense. I still believe he can play. For me, all of a sudden taking him, they are right back in the mix and they can draft a guy next year. They are so good at finding and developing guys.”

The Colts have a potential alternative with ties to Reich. Jacksonville’s Nick Foles, who won a Super Bowl with Reich for Philadelphia, is a candidate for a trade. While dealing Foles would carry salary-cap implications, the cash savings could be alluring for the Jaguars.

JACKSONVILLE

Another one-time mainstay is headed out of JAX.  ESPN.com:

The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to trade cornerback A.J. Bouye to the Denver Broncos for a fourth-round selection in this year’s NFL draft, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

The trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins March 18.

Bouye told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he was informed of the pending trade from both Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell and Broncos president/general manager John Elway.

“I’m on the way to get my kids, [and] I get a phone call from Caldwell, saying he appreciates everything I did for the team,” Bouye told ESPN. “Then Elway calls me, saying, ‘Welcome to Denver.’ Now everyone is calling. I’m just finding out. I want to thank Jacksonville.”

Broncos’ Von Miller says it’s time for Justin Simmons and Bradley Chubb to lead

Bouye was one of the key members of a 2017 free-agent class for the Jaguars that was regarded as the one of the best in franchise history. He is due to make $13 million and count $15.5 million against the salary cap in 2020.

Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr., a four-time Pro Bowl selection who has been with the team since being signed as an undrafted rookie in 2011, is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

“I’m definitely excited because Chris Harris always had good things to say about Denver,” Bouye told ESPN. “I’m about to watch film and look at their scheme some more and really study it. It’s cornerback-friendly. The three times I played there, the atmosphere and fan base was amazing.”

THIS AND THAT

BEAST MODE AT PRINCETON

Marshawn Lynch has accepted a coveted speaking role at Princeton’s June graduation.

Princeton University students have taken issue with the school’s announcement of Marshawn Lynch as the school’s Class Day speaker.

Nicknamed “Beast Mode,” Lynch is known for his bruising running style and his amusing, if not informative, clashes with the media.

In their announcement of Lynch as the speaker, the Princeton Class Day co-chairs recognized Lynch for him always having “prioritized community engagement and empowerment by leveraging his prominence as a professional athlete to promote opportunities for civic engagement and social justice.”

Marshawn Lynch taking care of his own ‘chicken’ with trademark application

Seniors who penned an op-ed in the school newspaper say the Super Bowl-winning running back isn’t the problem, but rather that the student body was largely not included in the selection process.

“Saying that Lynch has ‘unapologetically embodied and advocated for our own identities and values’ (as stated in the University’s official Instagram post) without actually consulting us, the Princeton community, is paradoxical and thus questionable,” the op-ed read. “We do not mean to criticize this choice of speaker in particular, but rather want to call attention to the opaque selection process for Class Day speakers.”

The three Class Day co-chairs are students at Princeton.

“Our goal was to invite a speaker who embodies the various experiences we have shared as a community during our Princeton tenure; someone whose professional and personal passions speak to the service-focused and intellectually rigorous interests core to the University,” the co-chairs said in a statement.

The previous two Class Day speakers have been actress Ellie Kemper, a Princeton alum, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

Lynch, 33, an Oakland native and Cal alum, came out of retirement this season to return to the Seattle Seahawks for the team’s stretch run. The free agent has played 13 seasons for the Buffalo Bills, Seahawks and his hometown Raiders.

Princeton’s Class Day this year is scheduled for June 1, one day before commencement.

CHANGES IN THE OFFICIATING DEPARTMENT?

Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, an officiating insider, talks about possible changes in the officiating department with rumors of a return for Dean Blandino:

An open secret wafted through the hallways of the NFL scouting combine last week. It had nothing to do with player medical reports or negotiations to complete a new collective bargaining agreement. Instead, it was a general understanding that the league is contemplating a leadership shakeup in its officiating department, one that would affect the game for years to come.

What it will look like, and who will be involved, remain uncertain. The biggest question is whether a cadre of internal advocates can successfully recruit former officiating chief Dean Blandino into a full-time job that would include supervision of the department.

Blandino’s 2017 decision to resign and join Fox Sports caught some league officials by surprise, and a return would require mended relationships. But he is widely regarded as one of the few people with enough credibility and public presence to manage the bureaucratic build-out and resource investment that will be necessary to reverse the decline of both on-field officiating and replay review.

It is far from clear whether the sides can or will agree on a reunion. Blandino settled in Southern California after leaving the league’s New York headquarters, and has kept busy not only as a broadcaster but also as a consultant to both the Alliance of American Football (AAF) and the XFL. And within the NFL office, there are varying opinions about the priority of restructuring the officiating department relative to CBA talks and looming television and streaming rights negotiations.

But what might seem like insider intrigue is actually one of the most important questions facing the NFL’s on-field product. The failure to implement replay review of pass interference in 2019 — “Not great,” committee member Mark Murphy said last week in an understatement — brought years of officiating deterioration into the spotlight. The corrosion ran so deep that the NFL Referees Association took the unusual but necessary step last fall of demanding additional supervisors to help train and improve its members.

That push prompted the NFL to hire retired referee Walt Anderson into a newly created job, one that carved out part of current officiating chief Al Riveron’s responsibilities. The NFL has not yet announced the move, but Anderson’s expected title is worth noting. As a senior vice president of training and development, he will sit at the same level on the organizational chart as Riveron, who is senior vice president of officiating.

Riveron made his annual presentations last week to the competition committee on behalf of the officiating department. But league sources continue to suggest that, one way or the other, he will not have final authority over the department when the 2020 season begins. He was not available for comment, nor was executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent. The NFL had no comment.

Per their CBA, on-field officials are in a “dark period” and won’t reassemble for training until May 15. But there is more urgency to finalize the leadership structure than you might realize. Later this month, owners are scheduled to gather for their annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. High on their agenda will be deciding whether to renew, tweak or eliminate pass interference review. Essential to that decision, it would seem, is the identity of the person in charge of it.

Riveron was responsible for the fundamental breakdown of the rule: a failure to establish a consistent standard for reversing the on-field call. There is no indication that he will be fired, but internal discussions about Blandino as well as Anderson’s hiring confirm what has been rumored for months: There will be additional authority alongside him and perhaps above him in 2020.

Some in the league have conceived a structure that would include a chief executive job to oversee a multimillion-dollar expansion of training, recruiting, grading, replay interpretation and perhaps rule-making itself. Anderson, Riveron, vice president of replay Russell Yurk and perhaps others would report through that person.

The list of qualified candidates beyond Blandino, however, is not long. It could include Dawn Aponte, currently the NFL’s chief football administrative officer who took on some supervisory duties within the officiating department last year. The default position would be a committee structure that ultimately reports to Aponte and Vincent.

It’s important to avoid getting caught up in organizational charts and instead focus on the bigger picture. The NFL is at a crossroads in a fundamental aspect of its product. Years of prioritizing other areas have left its officiating a mess and its rule-making far behind the curve of football innovation. It was five years behind the Canadian Football League on review of pass interference and has watched this spring as the XFL introduced smarter and more effective tweaks to the kickoff and point-after attempts than the NFL has implemented.

We’ll find out in the coming weeks and months whether the twin goals of efficient officiating and smart innovation are important to commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners he represents. They could choose to make the kind of fundamental changes that seem necessary. Or they could apply a new band-aid. It’s up to them.

Mike Florio chimes in:

“I think that there was a sense of, around the league office and some of the people in leadership positions, they didn’t value that position the way it should have been valued, and how important it is,” Blandino told #PFTPM in December 2017. “During the season, other than the Commissioner, the head of officiating is probably the most public-facing person in the office. And those decisions that are made, I mean, these affect the outcome of games, and that’s your product on the field.”

He’s absolutely right. And valuing the position isn’t solely about the money. The person responsible for making the replay-review decisions and explaining all close and controversial calls to the public should be doing only that, during football season. Someone else (like Riveron) should supervise the officiating function and the grading process over which the officials obsess like middle-schoolers looking at their Instagram likes.

It’s a clear and obvious fix, but it’s far from clear and obvious that the league will see what it needs to be done and then do it.

BROADCAST NEWS

Jay Busbee of YahooSports.com plays talent scout for the networks in their search for the next Tony Romo.

There’s no substitute for authenticity. You, my friend, could study football for six decades, you could know every depth chart and every coaching tree, you could look at any formation and predict 15 ways to score with it and 20 ways to stop it … and you’d still lose an announcing gig to a guy who spent two days in an NFL training camp in 2014.

NFL fans like to hear the voices of those who’ve been there in the trenches, probably because what happens out there is so foreign to the rest of us. And when those voices are sharp, funny and on-point, well … they can write their own paycheck, which is basically what Tony Romo did when he won himself a fat new $17-million-a-year deal.

Maybe the strangest aspect of Romo’s deal is the fact that it’s drawn no fan blowback. In the booth, Romo engenders a kind of near-universal fan love that he never heard outside of Dallas during his playing days. Everybody loves Tony!

You know where this is headed. CBS is committed to Romo for the next millennium, but ESPN, NBC, et. al., are going to be on the hunt for The Next Romo. 

JJ Watt

The closest thing the NFL has to Captain America, JJ Watt is going to be in your life for the rest of your life. A plus-sized Peyton Manning, he’s got the corn-fed charm that’ll open every door to every broadcasting booth after he’s done.

Jalen Ramsey

No one in the current NFL calls out players, by name and by brutally specific weakness, quite like Jalen Ramsey. You want honesty? He’ll give it to you, like it or not … just be prepared for him to rip your beloved team along with all the rest.

Drew Brees

He’s got the best eyes in the game, and can break down complex defenses as easily as parents can name their kids. Drew Brees is also one of the most charitable forces in the game. Is he too nice of a guy for a broadcast booth?

Richard Sherman

Maybe the smartest guy in the NFL. He’s seen it all. He’s done it all. He’s won it all. If Richard Sherman makes a pronouncement, he’ll back it up with both bluster AND evidence. He’d be amazing in a booth, but he’d also tick people off at how easily he’d diagnose their team’s flaws.

Tom Brady

This depends entirely on which Tom Brady we get in the broadcast booth. If we get the mechanical, quote-of-the-week Brady who usually shows up to news conferences, hard pass. But if he’s willing to open up and tell a few stories — particularly about his old coach — this could be a winning fit.

Cam Newton

Bear with me here. I see Cam Newton as football’s equivalent to the NBA’s Bill Walton. He’s going to take you on a journey, and you never quite know where you’re headed or how you’re going to get there, but man, it’ll be a heck of a trip.

Greg Olsen

Newton’s onetime tight end already has one cleat in the booth. Greg Olsen is polished, knowledgeable, efficient and effective; he’s going to be on your TV screen forever.

Mark Ingram

You don’t often see a Heisman Trophy winner drop into the role of hype man, but Mark Ingram did that this year for quarterback Lamar Jackson:

Imagine him bringing that kind of fire to a Monday Night Football intro. BEARS! DOLPHINS! BIG TRUSS!

Travis Kelce

As long as there’s a tapped keg running in the broadcast booth, we’d get moments like these from Gronk 2.0.

Sure, all that bellowing could get old fast, but put Travis Kelce on Thursday night games and add a jolt of electricity to your annual Titans-Jags slog.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

You know he went to Harvard. You know he’ll have tales to tell about pretty much every franchise in the league. And if ol’ Fitzmagic shows up to work like this, so much the better:

We’re not buying CAM NEWTON on this list.  We think RUSSELL WILSON would be a better choice.  And we are surprised not to see AARON RODGERS. 

There are those who think the country candor of PHILIP RIVERS who work well on TV. 

2020 DRAFT

Some thoughts on Utah State QB JORDAN LOVE.  Bryan D’Ardo of CBSSports.com:

Jordan Love entered the NFL combine, in many people’s eyes, as the fourth-best quarterback prospect in this year’s draft. But after an impressive week of interviews, measurements and on-field workouts, Love left Indianapolis having improved his draft stock while — in some people’s eyes — jumping over Justin Herbert as the third-best quarterback in the draft, behind Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa.

Love’s combine was so impressive that an anonymous NFL coach, according to NFL Network’s Kimberley Jones, called him “a poor man’s Patrick Mahomes,” the 2018 league and reigning Super Bowl MVP. Another evaluator was impressed with Love’s demeanor while comparing him to Josh Allen, who, in his first year as a full-time starter, led the Bills to a 10-6 record and AFC playoff berth.

There are tangible comparisons one can make between Love and Mahomes. They’re similar in size, with the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Love being slightly taller than Mahomes, who checks in 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds. Their combine results are also similar. Mahomes ran a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash while posting a 30-inch vertical jump and a 114-inch broad jump. Love ran a 4.74 in the 40 while recording a 35.5-inch vertical jump and a 114-inch broad jump.

When comparing their playing styles, both quarterbacks excel at making accurate throws outside the pocket. While neither one is considered a scrambler, Mahomes, and Love possess superior athleticism that enables them to break containment while making throws many other quarterbacks can’t. Like Mahomes, Love has displayed remarkable accuracy on his deep ball, one of the traits that will serve him well at the next level.

Also similar to Mahomes, Love will also have to show that he can have similar success in the NFL against far superior defenses. While Mahomes’ detractors pointed to Mahomes’ success against Big 12 defenses, similar things are being said about Love, who mostly played against Mountain West defenses.

In terms of their similar intangibles, Love has shown similar leadership skills to that of Mahomes, whose ability to will his teammates back from big deficits was on display during all three of the Chiefs’ postseason wins. While talent is obviously important, the ability to lead is another key determining factor when looking at how successful a young quarterback can be.

Another intangible is the fact that Love, like Mahomes, isn’t the marquee quarterback in his draft class. While Mahomes (the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft) watched as Baker Mayfield and Mitch Trubisky were selected with the first two overall picks, Love is expected to be picked after Burrow and Tagovailoa, who are both being tabbed as top-five picks.

As Mahomes has shown in Kansas City, sometimes, it pays to be the less heralded quarterback in your draft class. Instead of toiling on a bad team, Mahomes served as the missing piece to the Chiefs’ championship puzzle. And while Burrow and Tua are destined to land on perennially losing franchises, CBS Sports NFL draft analyst Ryan Wilson has Love going to the Chargers with the sixth overall pick in his post combine mock draft. While the Chargers are coming off a losing season, they are just one year removed from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. In Los Angeles, Love would also be armed with several formidable offensive standouts that include running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler and receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

We found this on Reddit, that more accurately expresses the DB’s thoughts:

First off, I’m not saying Jordan Love couldn’t become as good as Patrick Mahomes, but his ceiling could be Colin Kaepernick – and that’s okay. Every mock now has Love going to the Colts at the 13th pick or falling out of the 1st round. That should tell people something. This guy is a project and he might be a franchise quarterback one day. Currently he’s missing the make up of one. He’s like a lump of clay needing to be molded. With the right coaching he could max out his potential and resemble a version of Mahomes or he could only be as good as Kaepernick.

– – –

A GM gives Mike Sando of The Athletic his look at the top 10 in the upcoming draft:

At this time one year ago, there was a growing sense the Arizona Cardinals would select Kyler Murray first overall. This year, nearly everyone expects the Cincinnati Bengals to select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the top pick. Not everyone thinks Burrow will be a top-tier quarterback in the NFL, however.

1. Cincinnati Bengals

GM’s projection: Burrow

“You love his mind and the short accuracy, but he is not a big man, he has small hands, does not have a big arm and he has done it for only one season,” this GM said. “So, there are concerns. I would not take him but I think the Bengals will.”

An offensive coordinator said the Bengals should “cancel their football team” if they do not take Burrow first overall. This coordinator called Burrow a once-in-a-decade prospect who is ahead of where Andrew Luck was coming out of Stanford based on the offensive style LSU played. The GM thought Alex Smith and Andy Dalton were better comps for Burrow from a physical standpoint while allowing that Burrow possessed more in terms of makeup and moxie.

2. Washington Redskins

GM’s projection: Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

The Redskins are in a situation similar to the one Arizona encountered one year ago. The Cardinals drafted Murray and traded Josh Rosen even though they had used a first-round pick (10th overall) for Rosen just a year earlier. This year, Washington could conceivably use the second overall pick for a quarterback despite having selected Dwayne Haskins 15th overall in 2019. One big difference between the Cardinals and Redskins: Washington’s new coach comes from the defensive side of the ball.

“Ron Rivera will be running to turn in the card for Chase Young,” a personnel director said. “He is sprinting and doing cartwheels.”

3. Detroit Lions trade the pick

GM’s projection: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

For the sake of this exercise, the GM had the Dolphins trading into the third spot to land Tagovailoa, but he wasn’t specific on which team would move into this slot.

“I think Detroit is going to trade the pick,” the GM said. “Put Tua in there, but they will trade the pick. Someone else will take Tua.”

The team trading into this slot would not have to worry about the Giants selecting a quarterback fourth overall. The team would simply be jumping into a spot so that another quarterback-needy team would not get that chance.

4. New York Giants

GM’s projections: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

“The Giants will take an offensive lineman and I’ll go with the Georgia tackle or maybe (Mekhi) Becton,” the GM said. “Thomas would be a damn good pick for them.”

5. Detroit Lions, if they trade with Miami

GM’s projection: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

Okudah would give Detroit a promising successor to Darius Slay whether the Lions remained in the third overall slot or moved down.

“Let’s say it was Detroit and Miami who made the trade (for Tua),” the GM said. “Detroit would take the corner they need so badly. They are trying to trade Slay.”

6. Los Angeles Chargers

GM’s projection: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

The GM saw the Chargers selecting a quarterback or offensive tackle.

“If you are the coach in his situation, you might want to take another position in the draft and go with Tyrod Taylor, who has played in the playoffs, rather than go with Herbert and start over,” another exec said. “But here is the thing on the Chargers. The GM (Tom Telesco) is making the decisions just like when he was with the Colts (under Bill Polian). They are a GM-driven, personnel-driven team. Telesco would be doing the right thing taking the quarterback, but it might not be the best thing for the coach in the short-term.”

7. Carolina Panthers

GM’s projection: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama

“I see D-line or O-line,” the GM said, “unless you are sold on a quarterback. They are not good up front on offense and this would help.”

8. Arizona Cardinals

GM’s projection: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

It’s also easy projecting a wide receiver to the Cardinals “just because you have an offensive coach (Kliff Kingsbury) and you don’t have any speed,” a personnel director said. “I would take Jerry Jeudy among the receivers, but who knows, Kingsbury could like the other Alabama guy (Henry Ruggs III). Brown is the second-best defender in the draft.”

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

GM’s projection: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

“He’s good,” the GM said of Jeudy, “but I don’t know if he’s great.”

The Jaguars used the fifth pick in the 2012 draft for receiver Justin Blackmon, an elite talent whose off-field struggles limited him to 93 career catches. The 2020 draft is deep at receiver, however, so the Jaguars could justify heading in another direction.

“I’d go offensive line,” another exec said.

10. Cleveland Browns

GM’s projection: Mekhi Becton, OL, Louisville

“They take the best offensive lineman left and Becton is a big, strong, powerful man,” the GM said.

This would place three offensive linemen among the top 10 picks, along with three quarterbacks, two defensive linemen, a cornerback and a wide receiver.

– – –

And here is a full Mock Draft, post-combine, from Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com:

With the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in the books, here’s my updated mock for Round 1 of this year’s draft. To check out my mock draft from January, click here.

1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow – QB

School: LSU | Year: Senior (RS)

When it’s all said and done, I don’t foresee any drama here. The Bengals land their franchise QB.

2 – WASHINGTON

Chase Young – Edge

School: Ohio State | Year: Junior

I wouldn’t rule out the potential that Washington could snag QB Tua Tagovailoa with this pick. However, Young would give the Redskins one of the most dominant defensive lines in the league.

3 – DETROIT

Jeff Okudah – CB

School: Ohio State | Year: Junior

I fully expect the Lions to trade out of this pick. They can slide back a couple of spots and still grab Okudah.

4 – NY GIANTS

Tristan Wirfs – OL

School: Iowa | Year: Junior

Lots of good options here, but protecting QB Daniel Jones is the priority.

5 – MIAMI

Tua Tagovailoa – QB

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

If Tua’s medical reports continue to come back clean, he won’t get out of the top five.

6 – LA CHARGERS

Mekhi Becton – OT

School: Louisville | Year: Junior

The Chargers could grab Oregon QB Justin Herbert here, but if they aren’t sold on him, addressing the offensive line is a must.

7 – CAROLINA

Isaiah Simmons – LB/S

School: Clemson | Year: Junior (RS)

Simmons is a rare combination of height (6-foot-4), weight (238 pounds) and speed (4.39 40). New Panthers coach Matt Rhule wants to build a fast defense. This is a good start.

8 – ARIZONA

Jedrick Wills – OT

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

The Cardinals re-signed left tackle D.J. Humphries in February; adding Wills would give QB Kyler Murray two athletic bookends to work with.

9 – JACKSONVILLE

Derrick Brown – DT

School: Auburn | Year: Senior

The Jaguars hit a home run last year with pass rusher Josh Allen (10.5 sacks as a rookie), and they hit another one with this pick.

10 – CLEVELAND

Andrew Thomas – OT

School: Georgia | Year: Junior

The Browns need to address the offensive tackle position, and Thomas is a steady player.

11 – NY JETS

C.J. Henderson – CB

School: Florida | Year: Junior

It sounds like the Jets will aggressively address the offensive line in free agency. If so, they can address their need at cornerback right here.

12 – LAS VEGAS

Jerry Jeudy – WR

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

The Raiders (26.2 points per game in 2019, 24th in the NFL) need to score more. Enter Jerry Jeudy.

13 – INDIANAPOLIS

Jordan Love – QB

School: Utah State | Year: Junior (RS)

I believe the Colts will bring in a veteran QB (likely Philip Rivers), and that will allow Love plenty of time to develop.

14 – TAMPA BAY

K’Lavon Chaisson – Edge

School: LSU | Year: Sophomore (RS)

The Bucs need to work out the contract situation with Shaq Barrett, who is headed for free agency after posting 19.5 sacks in 2019, but adding more punch on the defensive line would make sense no matter what happens.

15 – DENVER

Kenneth Murray – LB

School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior

The Broncos need more speed and athleticism at linebacker.

16 – ATLANTA

Javon Kinlaw – DT

School: South Carolina | Year: Senior

The Falcons need an edge rusher, but I think Kinlaw is too good to pass up.

17 – DALLAS

CeeDee Lamb – WR

School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior

Assuming veteran receiver Amari Cooper departs in free agency, Lamb would be a great fit for Dallas.

18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

Henry Ruggs III – WR

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

The Dolphins have needs everywhere, but it would be fun to watch Ruggs reunite with Tua to ignite a stagnant offense.

19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

A.J. Terrell – CB

School: Clemson | Year: Junior

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock loves Clemson products, and Terrell is a long, athletic player who would fit beautifully with his former teammate, 2019 second-round pick Trayvon Mullen.

20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Patrick Queen – LB

School: LSU | Year: Junior

Jags GM David Caldwell has always coveted explosive linebackers (while sacrificing size) during his front-office career. Queen (4.5 40) can fly.

21 – PHILADELPHIA

Justin Jefferson – WR

School: LSU | Year: Junior

The Eagles need to give QB Carson Wentz more weapons.

22 – BUFFALO

Yetur Gross-Matos – Edge

School: Penn State | Year: Junior

The Bills could go WR here, but Gross-Matos is a big-upside player at a position of need.

23 – NEW ENGLAND

Justin Herbert – QB

School: Oregon | Year: Senior

It’s highly doubtful Herbert will make it this far, but I could see New England targeting him if he starts to slide.

24 – NEW ORLEANS

Brandon Aiyuk – WR

School: Arizona State | Year: Senior

Aiyuk is one of my favorites in this class. His run-after-the-catch skills would be featured in this Saints offense.

25 – MINNESOTA

Kristian Fulton – CB

School: LSU | Year: Senior

Fulton erased some concerns about his speed at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran a 4.46 40. He had some rough moments at the end of the year, but his body of work is solid.

26 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Austin Jackson – OT

School: USC | Year: Junior

The Dolphins can’t leave the first round without addressing the offensive line. Jackson is well-liked around the league.

27 – SEATTLE

Trevon Diggs – CB

School: Alabama | Year: Senior

This is a perfect scheme for Diggs, who has elite ball skills.

28 – BALTIMORE

D’Andre Swift – RB

School: Georgia | Year: Junior

The Ravens have always believed in taking the best available player. Mark Ingram, Lamar Jackson and Gus Edwards each ran the ball 133 times or more in 2019, but there are plenty of carries to go around in this offense.

29 – TENNESSEE

Joshua Jones – OL

School: Houston | Year: Senior (RS)

It looks as if the Titans will likely lose right tackle Jack Conklin in free agency. Jones would slide right into that spot.

30 – GREEN BAY

Denzel Mims – WR

School: Baylor | Year: Senior (RS)

Mims has helped himself as much as any player in the draft during the spring, between his awesome Senior Bowl and outstanding combine.

31 – SAN FRANCISCO

Xavier McKinney – S

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

The 49ers will not pick here. They don’t have a single pick in the second, third or fourth round, so trading back for more selections is a necessity.

32 – KANSAS CITY

Ross Blacklock – DT

School: TCU | Year: Junior (RS)

Blacklock would wreak havoc next to the franchise-tagged Chris Jones.