All but two NFL stadiums are set for full capacity in 2021 – and the two holdouts are not in noted Lockdown States and should get there soon.  Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com:

The NFL informed clubs Tuesday of two important developments for the normalization of the league calendar.

First, teams will be permitted to host fans at training camp this summer, subject to state and local guidelines, after keeping their doors closed during the pandemic-influenced camps of 2020. Second, all but two teams have now received approval from state and local governments to open their stadiums at full capacity when games resume.

Beyond those 28 stadiums that already have approval, the league also “feels good about the path” for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, who are still working with their local contacts to receive final authorization, according to Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of club business and league events.

The looming return of a relatively normal year made for a rousing business presentation to club presidents during the first of a two-day virtual spring league meeting. The NFL-wide season-ticket renewal rate has been about 90%, according to Reilly, fueled by a surge in the 10 days since the league announced its 2021 schedule. Over that period, ticket sales have run at an 83% higher rate than they did in the same timeframe after the 2019 schedule release.

Meanwhile, training camps will open July 27 for 29 of the 32 teams. The Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be permitted to open earlier because they are participating in the Hall of Fame preseason game or the Sept. 9 regular-season kickoff game (or both, in Dallas’ case). Negotiations are continuing with the NFL Players Association on a precise training camp protocol, but O’Reilly said he expected a few tweaks for fans compared with pre-pandemic years.

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

With the choice between appeasing a Hall of Fame franchise quarterback or sticking with an unproven GM – Packers president Mark Murphy is strongly on the side of the GM.  Steve DelVecchio of Larry Brown Sports:

It has been widely reported that (Rodgers’) biggest issue is with Brian Gutekunst, but the team has no plans to move on from its general manager.

ESPN’s Rob Demovsky said on “Get Up!” Tuesday that Packers president Mark Murphy has told everyone within the organization that the team is committed to Gutekunst. If Rodgers refuses to come back as long as Gutekunst remains in his current position, it sounds like the reigning NFL MVP is going to have to stay home.

“If he wants Brian Gutenkust removed as general manager, that’s not happening,” Demovsky said. “Packers president Mark Murphy has told everyone within the organization that we are recommitted and staying with Gutekunst as general manager, so that’s not happening. If that’s a condition of Rodgers returning, then this is not happening.”

Rodgers joined Kenny Mayne on Monday for the host’s final “SportsCenter” with ESPN. Mayne asked Rodgers multiple questions about the quarterback’s situation with the Packers. Rodgers insisted that Green Bay’s decision to trade up and draft Jordan Love in the first round last year was never a problem for him. He said he is more unhappy with the “philosophy” of the organization at the moment.

For whatever reason, Rodgers does not seem to like Gutekunst. That could be about communication. Rodgers may also be lying about his feelings on the Love pick. Either way, it does not sound like the two sides are close to finding a resolution.

– – –

If you thought a bright spot in QB AARON RODGERS skipping Packers OTAs would be that QB JORDAN LOVE gets some work with the top Green Bay receivers – wrong!  Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com:

A day after Aaron Rodgers spoke publicly about his ongoing feud with the Green Bay Packers, suggesting he objects to the current front office’s “philosophy,” declining to deny reports that he wants out and acknowledging his willful absence from team OTAs, it appears the star quarterback isn’t the only Packer set to stir the pot this spring. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, top wide receiver Davante Adams — and four of Green Bay’s other top pass catchers — joined Rodgers in skipping OTAs on Tuesday.

Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Devin Funchess and Equanimeous St. Brown were all no-shows at the start of this week’s voluntary program, per Schefter. While no veterans are required to attend the earliest OTAs, it’s not common for basically an entire position group to sit out, let alone on the same day the team’s MVP QB is also absent. Adams and Co. failing to attend Tuesday left stand-in QB Jordan Love, Green Bay’s 2020 first-round pick, “with a makeshift crew,” as Schefter put it. More importantly, it may indicate Rodgers has teammates willing to vouch for him in a reported dispute with team brass.

Adams has already gone on record questioning his own future in Green Bay in the event Rodgers doesn’t remain with the Packers long term. None of the other wideouts have talked extensively about Rodgers’ situation but have presumably been in contact with the QB. Previous reports have indicated Rodgers even informed some teammates he doesn’t intend to play for the Packers again.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

QB DAK PRESCOTT is present and busy at Cowboys OTAs per Todd Archer ofESPN.com:

Dak Prescott’s return from a dislocated and compound fracture of his right ankle has crossed another threshold with the Dallas Cowboys quarterback participating in the first two organized team activities the last two days.

“It felt great,” Prescott said. “After long months of recovery and just rehab, the main goal is to just getting back out there with my teammates, getting back on the field, running a huddle, building that camaraderie on the field. It’s just exciting yesterday and carrying over today, but so much we can build with the team and me personally. I’m just excited to know the game is back and I’m able to be a part of it.”

Prescott went through everything except the full 11-on-11 drills and the end-of-practice walkthrough Tuesday. The Cowboys are off on Wednesday and return for their third OTA on Thursday. They will go through three OTAs next week, followed by their mandatory minicamp that will run June 8-10.

Coach Mike McCarthy said Prescott will likely follow a similar protocol through the rest of the offseason program and not be held back when the Cowboys open training camp in July.

“I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily limited,” Prescott said. “I think we’re just being cautious and being smart in the fact of I’m not doing things when there’s a pass rush or guys potentially falling at the legs or something of that nature. But as far as saying I can’t do drills or I can’t do something, I’m pretty much full go.”

Prescott suffered the injury in the Week 5 win against the New York Giants. He had surgery to repair the ankle that night and had a second surgery a few months later on that ankle that was unrelated to the initial injury. He has spent almost all of his offseason rehabbing and training at The Star.

“He’s put a ton of work into this,” McCarthy said. “I’d say he’s ahead of schedule.”

About the only change in Prescott’s routine was a more involved warmup prior to the start of practice, which is something he anticipates continuing throughout the season.

“Get my legs going, rest of my body going,” Prescott said. “I like to break a sweat and do that just so my mind’s off of it and I’m not working out or dropping back on a cold ankle. After the fact not necessarily. With the rehab process there are still things I have to do so it’s not causing residual effect or nagging pain. For the most part it’s just following the trainers and doing everything they ask me to do. It felt good from Day 1 to Day 2 so right now I think it’s just building up that endurance and able to make sure if we’re going again tomorrow I can do that and go five, six, seven days straight if I needed to.”

McCarthy said Prescott’s rehab has the quarterback to the point where the coach is worried about bad habits forming because Prescott needs to compensate for the injury.

“If you have been out on the field the past couple of months, you would have seen the work and the rehab was very detailed and very similar to the same footwork drills we would do in quarterback school,” McCarthy said. “He’s been really at this for quite some time now.”

NEW YORK GIANTS

Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com with an update on RB SAQUON BARKLEY:

— Saquon Barkley’s rehabilitation from a serious knee injury has taken the running back from Arizona to Los Angeles this offseason. Most recently, he has been in New Jersey, working out at the New York Giants facility.

It has been almost seven months of grueling work to get Barkley’s knee ready for the 2021 NFL season. Session after session. Workout after workout. Physical therapy, massage, isometrics. If it’s going to help, Barkley has probably tried it.

After his injury in a Week 2 loss to Chicago last season, Barkley is “making good progress” following ACL surgery and a meniscus repair to his right knee, according to a source with direct knowledge of his rehab. There have been no significant setbacks since the October surgery.

Barkley is sprinting and jumping, impressing those around him, even if the current plan does not include him being involved in the offseason on-field workouts with the team. He is not expected to be a full participant in practices early in training camp. If he’s outside at practice during organized team activities and minicamp this spring, it will be mostly to watch.

There isn’t anything specific delaying the timeline or doubts about his long-term prognosis.

“We fully expect him to be as good as new,” Giants owner John Mara said earlier this offseason.

The Giants are taking a cautious approach with the centerpiece of their offense and playing the long-range game.

Giants management has made it clear this offseason they expect Barkley to be with the organization for many more years, which means eventually there will be a long-term deal. Barkley, the Giants’ No. 2 overall pick in 2018, recently had the fifth-year option picked up.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

WR JULIO JONES is mad at the highest level of the Falcons organization per Tori McElhenny and Jeff Schultz of The Athletic:

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank often has said he wanted Julio Jones to be a “Falcon for life.”

But on Monday, Jones said in a TV phone interview that he was “out of there” when asked of his future in Atlanta. And nobody was more hurt by it than Blank himself.

“You know who’s most upset about that? The owner,” one source told The Athletic on Tuesday.

Things between Jones and the Falcons have been deteriorating long before Monday’s live interview on “Undisputed,” and even long before trade talk started heating this offseason.

The issues between Jones and the Falcons go beyond his contract and the salary cap, according to multiple industry sources. If the Falcons really wanted to keep Jones around, they could make it work, the sources said. But things have been tenuous for some time.

The relationship hasn’t been the same since contentious contract negotiations in 2019, which resulted in a three-year, $66 million extension just before the start of the season. Jones sat out of training camp in 2018 before the Falcons adjusted his contract and considered doing the same in 2019 before Blank assured him he’d get a new deal. One source said it was much more difficult to negotiate that deal than the one Jones signed in 2015. Negotiations work best, the source said, when they can be win-win situations. Both sides believed they lost in this one.

Jones’ public comments Monday have put the Falcons in a challenging situation. While new GM Terry Fontenot and new coach Arthur Smith weren’t part of the group that negotiated that contract, they are dealing with the fallout. Smith faced reporters Tuesday and made clear the Falcons wouldn’t react publicly.

Smith said he wanted to keep conversations with Jones private, and wouldn’t answer any questions regarding potential roster moves out of respect for the players both present at OTAs and not present (i.e. Jones). So, the Falcons’ response to Jones’ “I’m out of there” comment to Shannon Sharpe on Monday was a resounding, “No comment.”

Asked whether or not Jones had access to the playbook and OTA meeting schedules, Smith said everyone on the current roster had access to everything. So, yes, Jones does, too.

If a trade talk was simmering before, it’s a rapid boil after the past 48 hours. The Falcons need cap space to sign their 2021 draft class, and the best ways to do that are to 1) part ways with Jones in a post-June 1 trade or 2) restructure or extend Grady Jarrett. Calls to broker the former came in well before the draft and well before Jones made any public comment about his future in Atlanta. And Fontenot has been relatively transparent from the beginning that he would take calls about Jones.

Where Jones goes, when he goes and if he goes are still undecided at this point with June 1 just a week away. Potential trade partners are wary about Jones’ base salary and giving up too much for an aging receiver who spent much of 2020 on the sideline.

But one source noted that wherever Jones lands, “he’ll have something to prove.”

– – –

Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com assesses five teams that should be in the market for WR JULIO JONES:

Jones has apparently been angling for an exit for some time; per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Jones asked the franchise for a trade months ago, and the team has been willing to pursue one. When healthy, the 32-year-old Jones remains one of the best receivers in the NFL. The problem is, he battled through a lingering hamstring injury most of last season, and he’s going to count for $23 million against the salary cap (per Over The Cap) on one of the most financially challenged teams in the league (which is also why Jones isn’t likely to be traded until after June 1, as the Falcons could save $15 million by dealing him after that date).

To be honest, it’s nice to focus on another superstar searching for a new home who isn’t named Deshaun Watson or Aaron Rodgers. Jones also has a much better chance of being traded than either of those two disgruntled quarterbacks, as he told Sharpe that he just wants to play somewhere he can win.

The question is this: Who should want him the most? After all, Jones has produced a career worthy of a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (848 career receptions, 12,896 yards and 60 touchdown catches), but he’s got a $15.3 million guaranteed salary this year, and the Falcons won’t just give him away.

Here’s this writer’s opinion regarding who should be in on the bidding:

1 New England Patriots

NFL Network’s Mike Giardi reported the Patriots have discussed this possibility internally, as they should. Head coach Bill Belichick opened free agency as if he was engaging in a wild shopping spree on Amazon. The Patriots loaded up on several veterans in the hopes of giving quarterback Cam Newton — and, eventually, first-round pick Mac Jones — a better supporting cast to work with on offense. They found a couple tight ends (Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith) and a couple receivers (Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne). However, they didn’t sign one player on offense who brings the credentials that Jones offers.

Even last year, when Jones only appeared in nine games, he amassed over 130 receiving yards in three contests and had at least 90 in two others. The dude can still play. You also might remember the success Belichick enjoyed when he acquired Randy Moss in a trade with the Raiders 14 years ago. Moss arrived in New England in his 10th pro season, when he was supposed to be a rapidly declining talent. He wound up re-energizing his career and helping the Patriots nearly go undefeated in his first season with the franchise. Of course, Belichick stole Moss from the Raiders, as New England only gave up a fourth-round pick in that deal. Jones is going to cost quite a bit more.

2 – Cleveland Browns

The Browns look like the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC currently. They’ve already made several impressive acquisitions this offseason, so they might as well go all in, especially as long as star quarterback Baker Mayfield is still operating on a rookie deal. The Browns have a few things working in their favor if they want to make a move like this. One is cap space. They’ve got nearly $21 million to play with, per Over The Cap, at the moment. The other benefit is roster flexibility. Cleveland already has two high-profile wide receivers on its roster — Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry — but Beckham only has one year of guaranteed money left on his deal, while Landry has none remaining in the final two years of his contract. The Browns also haven’t been afraid to add talented players to a crowded position (just look at how they made the combination of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt work at running back last season).

Now, there’s a valid argument to be made that Beckham and Landry offer more in the long run, because both are turning 29 this season. And it’s true that Cleveland needs to start signing younger stars like Chubb and Mayfield to long-term extensions in the near future. But let’s not ignore the fact that Cleveland’s window to win a championship is open right now, and they have to find a way to get past Kansas City. Remember, the Chiefs looked like a team that was overdoing it when they gave injury-plagued receiver Sammy Watkins a three-year, $48 million deal in 2018. He stayed healthy long enough in the playoffs to be a difference-maker in their Super Bowl run a year later. Jones could do the same thing for the Browns.

3 Indianapolis Colts

The Colts need to be thinking about this deal for one, simple reason: Carson Wentz. They made the trade to acquire the quarterback from Philadelphia because they believe in his talent and the impact head coach Frank Reich can have on a player he once coached. The Colts already have a strong supporting cast, especially with second-year running back Jonathan Taylor and a sturdy offensive line in place. Just imagine what Jones could do for a passing attack that sorely needs to bring the deep ball back into the game plan. The Colts have a solid receiving corps — most notably Michael Pittman Jr. and nine-year veteran T.Y. Hilton — but the presence of Jones would take that group to another level. Jones also would benefit from all the play-action opportunities that exist in an offense with such an effective running game.

As for the Colts, they are in a great cap situation, as they have nearly $20.5 million to work with right now, but the Wentz deal does impact their draft capital (a 2022 second-round pick becomes a first-round pick to the Eagles if Wentz meets certain conditions, one of which involves him playing at least 75 percent of the offensive snaps). The bottom line is, the Colts already have taken one gamble with their attempt to revive Wentz’s career. Jones is definitely worth a second risk, for exactly the same reason the Browns should be thinking about him: This team isn’t getting past Kansas City without a serious amount of firepower at its disposal.

4 San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers would be higher on this list if they had more to offer. The trade that put them in position to draft quarterback Trey Lance third overall also sent two future first-round picks to Miami (in 2022 and 2023). A first-round pick seems pretty high for a player of Jones’ age, but if that is what is needed to pull him away from Atlanta, then the 49ers can’t really join this party. On the other hand, they should be interested if the price is more sensible. This is still a team that has several key pieces remaining from its loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LIV. They’ve got $17.66 million in cap space and they’re about to have a quarterback operating on a rookie deal. Yes, the 49ers have two young, talented receivers in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. However, Jones is still more dangerous, and he also has a pretty good history with head coach Kyle Shanahan, which should count for plenty. Jones enjoyed his best professional season in 2015 (136 receptions, 1,871 yards) when Shanahan was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator. They reached the Super Bowl a year later and narrowly lost to New England Patriots in overtime.

Let’s also not forget that the 49ers have been extremely aggressive lately when it comes to building their roster. Along with that trade to draft Lance, they also just gave a six-year, $138.06 million contract to a 32-year-old Pro Bowl left tackle with his own history of injuries. The 49ers did that deal with Trent Williams because they wanted one of the league’s best pass-blockers to protect the blind side of Lance and current starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Finding a way to make room for Jones could do even more to help those quarterbacks feel good about their offense.

5 Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are in this conversation because they’re one of the usual suspects when it comes to courting big-name veteran players. It was only two years ago that Las Vegas was giddy over the prospect of acquiring Antonio Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a blockbuster offseason deal. We all know how that situation ended — Brown never played a game for that franchise after wearing out his welcome with a combination of aching feet, helmet complaints and straight-up insubordination — but don’t for a minute think that head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock have lost their nerve for acquiring disgruntled stars. The Raiders could use a receiver like Jones for the same reason the Browns and Colts could: He would give them a better chance of beating the Chiefs.

The Raiders actually did beat Kansas City last year (and nearly pulled that feat off twice) because quarterback Derek Carr had some dangerous weapons downfield, including wide receiver Henry Ruggs and Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller. The Raiders signed speedy veteran John Brown in free agency to replace Nelson Agholor, but again, Julio Jones is Julio Jones. Of all the teams on this list, the Raiders have the worst cap space situation (just over $6 million), but they have plenty of draft capital to offer. They also haven’t been reluctant to make wild moves this offseason, whether that’s breaking up the core of a strong offensive line or using a first-round pick on an offensive tackle who was widely regarded as a player who could’ve been selected in a later round (Alex Leatherwood). The Raiders do things their own way. If they want Jones badly enough, they’ll make it happen.

– – –

Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com helps us get to know TE KYLE PITTS.

Pitts arrived at Florida growing into his 6-foot-6, 240-pound body. He was willing to block, but needed to learn to do it better. He made catches at his feet, moves other tight ends couldn’t.

Six weeks in, Florida’s coaches saw this daily. Finding a way for him to play somewhere, they moved him to receiver as a freshman. He played around 15 snaps a game, gaining experience and a different vantage point.

By his sophomore year, it became clear: It was time to return to tight end.

“He was finally like, ‘I need to be what I am,’” Scott said.

Pitts became a coveted option for Florida as a sophomore. At times, he became the option for the Gators’ offense.

By then, Sunday meetings with Scott commenced, too, at Pitts’ urging. Usually, that’s a time for coaches to get ahead for the next week. For Pitts, it was a way to figure out what would be next and to continue consuming football.

The goal was to be a complete player. Even as a teenager, Pitts was close. He bought into the blocking. Receiving? Not a problem.

By the time Florida went to LSU at night on Oct. 12, 2019, Pitts was known in the SEC. But the Tigers would become the national champion three months later with an offense and defense littered with eventual pro players.

Pitts, a focal point for LSU’s defense, still caught five passes for 108 yards.

“The look in his eye, the approach, his mindset, how he played that game,” Scott said. “I was like, ‘Yep, the moment, the environment, none of that was too big for him.’”

It was the moment Scott realized Florida should make plans for a new tight end by 2021. Pitts probably would go pro after his junior season. Pitts said he didn’t think about it then. His coaches did. In a postseason planning meeting after the Orange Bowl, coaches started figuring out recruiting schedules.

The message was obvious. The Gators should sign two tight ends because Pitts, with his trajectory after 54 catches and 649 yards, was good enough to leave after the following season. At the time, Scott didn’t know he’d be leaving before that, becoming the head coach at Howard.

When Scott got the Howard gig, before Scott could even ask, Pitts reached out to two acquaintances at Howard to praise Scott for what he did for him as a person, giving his coach a good first impression he didn’t know he was receiving.

“He had a great impact on my life,” Pitts said. “The first day I got on campus, he was a father figure away from home with me coming down to Florida. He made sure I was on top of my school, football, trying to teach me how to be a professional, so I feel like he kind of laid the ground on how to be a professional at a young age.”

The two stay in touch, Scott often bringing up the laminated plan they discussed in one of their final meetings together.

When Tim Brewster arrived on Florida’s campus as the Gators’ tight ends coach in 2020, one of the first people he reached out to was an old friend he first met at a Duke-North Carolina basketball game: Arthur Smith.

Brewster had to tell the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans about his latest prospect.

“I texted Arthur and said, ‘Arthur, you’ve never seen one like this. You’ve never, ever seen one like this,’” Brewster said. “And I don’t gush about players. I’ve coached a lot of great players. But this guy, absolutely different.

“I told Arthur, point blank, right then and there, somehow, some way, you’ve got to find a way to get this kid. And that’s basically where it started.”

Throughout Pitts’ senior year, where he won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end with 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns, Brewster was impressed. His initial recommendation to Smith looked better by the week as Brewster saw a player with a “skillset like none other in the National Football League. None.”

After the season, with Smith hired as Atlanta’s head coach, he hired another tight end Brewster coached, Justin Peelle, to coach tight ends. Smith’s sports performance director, Jake Pfeil, had connections with Brewster, too.

And months after he first told Smith about Pitts, he wouldn’t stop talking about him to anyone involved with the Falcons.

“I’m reaching out to him saying, ‘Hey man, I got a dude. I mean, I. Got. A. Dude. And you got to see him,’” Brewster said. “And I basically told him you’re really going to like this guy.”

The Falcons did. Pitts became their target early in the draft. General manager Terry Fontenot said Pitts was a player they’d “coveted” for a long time. Pitts wasn’t sure how to put his emotions into words and a couple of days later, the reality of his journey sunk in – one for which he’ll almost certainly have a plan.

“To be here and just walk in the building, I was just like, this is real,” Pitts said. “This is happening.”

CAROLINA

Darin Gantt of Panthers.com updates us on QB SAM DARNOLD:

From a moving-to-a-new-place standpoint, Sam Darnold called joining the Panthers “a seamless transition.”

That confirms what everyone says about the new quarterback’s easygoing nature, because there are definitely a few seams.

While he’s enjoying getting to know his new place in the world, he’s doing it from a different point of view, and a different elevation. He joked Tuesday that because of COVID-19-related production delays, a lot of his furniture hasn’t made it here yet, which means he’s sort of living like a college student.

“Yeah, my bed’s still on the ground, which is great,” he said with a laugh. “So that’s been awesome, and I have half a couch right now.

“We’re working on it, but there’s no rush right now.”

Without a proper bed or the other half of his sectional couch, Darnold is free to spend his free time in his new apartment learning a new system, with new expectations.

Gone are the days when he was drafted third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft to be the savior of the New York Jets.

Here, they want him to be part of a greater whole, to fit in, to play comfortably and without the pressure that comes with being such a focal point.

And that sounds fine to him.

“It depends on how you see it,” Darnold said of the difference in pressure here in the second act of his professional career. “I’ve always had high expectations for myself, first and foremost. Expectations outside of that, to be honest, besides my teammates and my coaches, it doesn’t mean a whole lot.

“I think for me, it’s about what we expect as a team, what we expect to win, and for me, it’s about completing the ball and getting the team down the field and scoring touchdowns. That’s all I care about. As long as we do that and I do my job, we’re all good.”

The Panthers believe that Darnold can be a fit for them for a number of reasons, beginning with the fact he’s still just 23 and has time to grow into the job.

He’s mentioned in the past some similarities to the offense he ran his rookie year in New York, but this offseason has been about starting from scratch.

“He’s so young in what we ask him to do,” Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said Tuesday. “But he’s so young and has a great work ethic. He might have experience, but you don’t have experience in what we do. Every bit of experience Sam has, he can draw from it, but he’s done a great job with us saying ‘Hey what’s the cadence, how do you want me to drop,’ and those things. That’s good. That allows us to develop him really from the ground up.

“He’s a great guy great arm talent. Very likable, and he works hard. He wants to be good. He doesn’t want to not have a good rep. Everything we heard about him is what we’re seeing.”

The same is true for Darnold. The things he heard about coming to Carolina — namely having more skill position talent around him — is evident. He had the chance to work out with running back Christian McCaffrey before he arrived for the offseason program, and you can tell he enjoys it.

Darnold had a bit of time with late-stage Le’Veon Bell in New York, and sees a younger version of that kind of dual-threat back in his new teammate.

“Christian, he’s different,” Darnold said. “He can do some freaky things on the field, and he’s fast, he can run routes.”

And that all helps.

But so much of what the Panthers are building depends on Darnold being a better version than he was in New York, where he threw to the other team too often (39 interceptions in three seasons), and wasn’t able to lift that franchise up. That’s why they were willing to trade him and cast their lot with a new rookie quarterback savior (Zach Wilson) this year.

So now, he’s learning this system, spending time with offensive coordinator Joe Brady going over the things he likes and the things he’s less comfortable with. The arm strength is evident, even in the more relaxed atmosphere of an OTA workout, where the the only real heat comes from the unseasonably high temperatures, and not a pass-rush or the glare of the spotlight.

Rhule mentioned particular football things (such as being ready to move in the pocket) as things they want Darnold to focus on. And the way Darnold sidestepped the first volley of questions about opening against the Jets — “a good opportunity against a good opponent” — proved that his pocket awareness is coming along.

But Rhule likes the small steps Darnold is taking to improve.

“We really don’t want him holding the ball and letting it rip,” he said. “We want him to play in progression and play in timing.

“That’s new to him, but you can see a marked difference from the first day of phase two (of the offseason program) until now, from my perspective.”

Darnold appears to relish that kind of daily work. If the job is to fit in, then he’s doing that so far. Seamlessly, perhaps.

“For me, it’s continue to play my game,” Darnold said. “When you get out on the field, you’ve got to have a flow.

“You can’t be thinking about doing something a different way. I’ve got to play my style of ball. That’s why they brought me here, play my style of ball and make plays the way I do.”

If it works, perhaps they can all get up to the level (in the standings and off the floor of their apartments) they imagined they’d be.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Rather than look for a way out of SF, QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO is determined to beat off the challenge of QB TREY LANCE.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

The phone call from Kyle Shanahan came March 26. The coach told Jimmy Garoppolo the 49ers were trading up in the draft to take a quarterback — Garoppolo’s replacement.

Garoppolo didn’t know what to think, he said Tuesday. He hints he briefly thought of requesting a trade.

“When it initially happened, there’s a million emotions that go on throughout your head, and you think of all the possible scenarios and things like that,” Garoppolo said, via Matt Maiocco ofNBCSportsBayArea.com. “But at the end of the day, I want to play football. I want to go out there and win games. That’s what I do. And so it wasn’t anything too crazy. It took a little while to process everything. But once I did, it was just, ‘Go out there and ball.’ You got to go out and attack it. The NFL is a crazy business. Things happen, but you have to attack it day by day and make the best of it.”

High-ankle sprains limited Garoppolo to six games last season. He has missed 23 games since the 49ers made him their full-time starter.

Now, for the first time since the 49ers traded for him, Garoppolo isn’t the man. The 49ers didn’t draft Trey Lance third overall to sit him for long.

Despite the uncertainty about his future, Garoppolo vows to “keep pushing.” He took all the first-team reps in the team’s organized team activities Tuesday.

“Being in the NFL for as long as I have, you kind of get used to it,” Garoppolo said of criticism. “It kind of comes with the job. It’s one of those things that it keeps pushing you, though.

“When you hear those critiques and you hear those little things out there, it pushes you to take your game to the next level. We’re all competitors out there. We all want to go [play] the perfect game, and at the end of the day, that’s what we’re trying to do. I’ll keep pushing myself.”

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Optimism abounds as QB JOE BURROW is on the scene.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

Quarterback Joe Burrow delivered a welcome sight for the Bengals and their fans at the team’s first organized team activity of the offseason on Tuesday.

Burrow was on the field and taking part in the workout while wearing a brace on his left knee. Burrow tore the ACL in that knee last November and his participation on Tuesday is a good sign that he’ll be ready to go for the start of the regular season.

After the session, Burrow said his knee strength is about 80-85 percent and that there isn’t much he can’t do on the field right now.

“It feels good,” Burrow said. “What we’ve been doing out there today, we’ve been doing for basically the last month. . . . We’re out of the hardest part. Now the fun part begins.”

Burrow said he expects to be full go for training camp and wants to play in preseason games, but isn’t sure what the team will opt to do at this point. Whether he plays in those August games or not, the path he’s on is a good one for the Bengals.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

If a team wants to take a chance, it looks like QB DESHAUN WATSON will be available in 2021.  Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com:

The Deshaun Watson case has entered into discovery, which could play out well into the 2021 regular season, with depositions set to begin in September.

The 22 women who are suing the Houston Texans quarterback for alleged sexual assault would be deposed before Watson, who’s not scheduled until early 2022, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said Tuesday.

According to the docket for the case, Watson can’t be deposed before Feb. 22, 2022.

Hardin reiterated Tuesday that Watson is not currently in settlement discussions with the women suing him. Watson maintains he wants any settlement amounts to be public, although the two sides could mediate in confidentiality, as is customary.

Hardin said he hasn’t had any correspondence with the Texans and believes Watson hasn’t, either, though Watson’s agent, David Mulugheta, could handle such matters if necessary.

Earlier this month, Hardin, suggested Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the 22 women who have filed civil lawsuits against Watson, has attempted to settle the case on several occasions. Buzbee later denied that claim in an Instagram post.

Watson is not attending OTAs, and a source said the Texans loosely expect Watson to follow through on his trade desires by missing minicamp, too, unless those plans change.

Despite his trade market cooling in light of the case, which sparked investigations by the Houston Police Department and the NFL, multiple teams are still monitoring the situation in case there’s clarity down the line and a potential trade would make sense, according to a source.

JACKSONVILLE

If QB TIM TEbow can come back, why not WR Justin Blackmon.  Jeff Kerr ofCBSSports.com:

Justin Blackmon last appeared in an NFL game in 2013, yet the 31-year-old wide receiver may actually be attempting a comeback. Blackmon resurfaced in the social media world by rejoining Instagram this week (former Jacksonville Jaguars teammate Maurice Jones-Drew confirmed the news on his own Instagram account) and addressed a potential comeback to the NFL when a fan asked him if a Trevor Lawrence to Justin Blackmon connection is coming soon.

Blackmon’s response? “Let’s make it happen.”

Blackmon does mention on his profile he’s retired, but plans can quickly change if the Jaguars and league are willing to give him another chance.

In case the NFL world forgot how good Blackmon actually was when he was on the field, Blackmon was one of the best young wideouts in the league before personal issues halted an incredible start to his career. Blackmon had a promising first season in Jacksonville, leading all rookies in receiving yards (865), while tying for first in receptions (64) and recording five touchdowns. He played just four games for the remainder of his career after a series of arrests and an indefinite suspension by the league for violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy.

Blackmon was fifth in the NFL in receiving yards per game (103.8) in 2013, despite playing just four games. He had 29 catches for 415 yards and one touchdown after serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. During the Jaguars’ bye week of that season, he was suspended indefinitely without pay for again violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Blackmon was then arrested for marijuana possession during a traffic stop in 2014 and later denied reinstatement by the league.

Blackmon also was arrested for DUI in December of 2015 and pleaded guilty. He served one year of probation and was ordered to perform more than 100 hours of community service. Blackmon has not attempted to return to the NFL since, but the Jaguars have never released him from his contract.

If Blackmon does intend to return, has has to go through a two-month vetting process after applying for reinstatement to the league. The former top five draft pick out of Oklahoma State still has the most receiving yards per game (103.8) in a season since 2013 (minimum four games played) ahead of Julio Jones and Antonio Brown and still could have some prime years of football left if he chooses to return.

TENNESSEE

The Titans might be a good landing spot for WR JULIO JONES.  At least star WR A.J. BROWN thins so. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

A.J. Brown is the latest Titans player to state publicly that he wants Julio Jones in Tennessee.

Brown posted a message to Jones on Instagram, telling Jones that he’s fine with Jones becoming the Titans’ No. 1 receiver, but he’s also ready to be there to support Jones.

“Trust me, if you want to carry the load, you can carry it, but if you get tired, you know I can carry you,” Brown said.

Brown is the second high-profile member of the Titans’ offense to appeal publicly for a Jones trade, following running back Derrick Henry.

Ultimately, whether Jones ends up in Tennessee is up to the Falcons and the Titans, but Jones’ contract includes a fully guaranteed salary of $15.3 million in 2021, and the Titans are near the bottom of the NFL in available cap space. So where the recruiting pitch might come in handy is in persuading Jones to adjust his contract to make it easier for the Titans to afford him. Jones may be more eager to make a deal with a team where the star players are eager to have him as a teammate.