| NFC NORTH |
| CHICAGOThe consensus, expressed here by Dan Wetzel of YahooSports.com, is that QB CALEB WILLIAMS is a special talent who is being taken down by the Bears. Caleb Williams is averaging 4.93 yards per passing attempt in the past three games for Chicago, a number so ghastly it seems impossible. Not surprisingly, the Bears lost all three, including a horrific 19-3 drubbing to lowly New England on Sunday. Chicago is 4-5 because it has an excellent defense. The easy part of the season is over though. The remaining schedule is Green Bay, Minnesota, at Detroit, at San Francisco, at Minnesota, Detroit, Seattle and at Green Bay. Only Seattle (4-5) has a losing record. It is not a stretch to wonder if the Bears can win another game this season. This is a five-alarm fire in a city that knows about great fires. It’s not so much that the playoff dreams appear to be lost — the NFC North is just so competitive (Lions, Vikings and Packers are a combined 21-6 and 18-3 against non-division foes). It’s that Williams appears lost and lacking confidence, tailspinning into a panicked pocket passer who holds onto the ball too long and too rarely uses his creative scrambling ability. He has taken 18 sacks during this three-game skid. Again, unfathomable. On Tuesday, the Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron — which may not change the trajectory of the season but suggests Chicago is aware of what the larger goal for this campaign should be. Save Caleb Williams. “After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offense. This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully,” head coach Matt Eberflus said. Barring some unexpected reversal, Eberflus won’t last past Black Monday in January, so this is just the condemned doing some condemning. In hindsight — not that plenty of Bears fans didn’t see it coming — Eberflus should have never returned this season. Williams was the No. 1 overall draft pick coming off of a Heisman-trophy winning career at USC. He was the product of a beautiful trade where the Bears landed a slew of Carolina draft selections (including what would be the first overall pick in 2024) for dropping eight spots in the 2023 draft. Carolina took Bryce Young out of Alabama — rather than Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State — and has lived to regret it. Young had a brutal rookie season and was benched for a stretch this year before returning the past two weeks and showing little. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sits on the bench in the closing minutes of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Caleb Williams has not thrown a touchdown pass in a month, while the Bears’ offense has failed to reach the end zone in eight straight quarters. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Now the Bears have Williams, who they took instead of Jayden Daniels out of LSU — the likely Offensive Rookie of the Year in Washington — and are desperate to avoid having the same story as Carolina unfold. The Bears’ new offensive coordinator? Thomas Brown, who spent last year as the OC for … Carolina. “Thomas is a bright offensive mind who has experience calling plays with a collaborative mindset,” Eburflus said. Sometimes you learn a lot in failure. The Bears better hope so. The 2024 draft was supposed to be a reboot, a chance to find itself a franchise quarterback and end a long drought of futility. Williams, so clearly talented as a collegian, represented that hope. The Bears willingly let go of their last QB savior, Justin Fields, and went all-in on Williams. Halfway through the season it looks like a regression. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown in a month. The confident leader who wowed at Oklahoma and USC isn’t popping off the field. Perhaps he’s being let down by his receiving corps not creating space, but he’s also holding the ball until the pass rush overwhelms him. The rollouts and scrambles aren’t materializing. Some veterans advocated for Williams to be benched, according to Mark Silverman of ESPN Chicago-1000. The Bears can’t have Williams end this season as a broken prospect, as too often happens. Maybe it is Thomas who can right the ship and make gains, even if the scoreboard doesn’t turn out positively for the team. Maybe it’s Eberflus who can simplify things so there is growth. At least then there will be a potential difference-maker at QB for the next staff. It couldn’t get much worse than a home loss to the previously two-win Patriots. The coaching firings have begun. A new voice, perhaps, brings some new results. Caleb Williams is too valuable to go down with this ship. Sounds like some of his teammates think Williams is taking down the Bears. |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSMedia “experts” have been saying QB DANIEL JONES has to be benched to keep a mulit-million dollar injury guarantee from triggering. GM Joe Schoen claims such thinking is the furthest thing from the collective mind of the Giants braintrust – although he didn’t rule out said benching as a “football decision.” Grant Gordon of NFL.com: With the New York Giants mired in a 2-8 season and the future murky at best, general manager Joe Schoen responded in the affirmative when asked if he thought he’d be back for a fourth season. When asked about the future of quarterback Daniel Jones, Schoen was anything but emphatic. With a decision on Jones remaining the Giants’ starter looming over New York’s bye week, Schoen did say that any determination would be about the on-field product rather than financials, specifically the quarterback’s $23 million 2025 injury guarantee. “We’re going to evaluate everything the rest of the week,” Schoen said Tuesday, “and the decisions we make will be football decisions.” Pressed with a follow-up as to whether the guarantee would be involved in analyzing the predicament, Schoen continued to make “football decision” the phrase of the day. “It will be a football decision,” Schoen said. “Any decisions we make moving forward as we evaluate the roster and what we’re doing for the final seven games will be football decisions.” Schoen’s bye week news conference came just a day after head coach Brian Daboll said he would “evaluate things” as it related to Jones remaining the starter. It was a response that has many expecting backup Drew Lock will be the QB1 instead of the maligned Jones when Big Blue is back in action in Week 12 against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since Schoen and Daboll were brought on to helm the Giants ahead of the 2022 campaign, the team has produced a 17-26-1 record. It began with the promise of a 9-7-1 2022 season in which New York earned a playoff berth and a playoff win. That success ultimately led to Jones re-signing with the team on a four-year, $160 million contract that was almost immediately lambasted by fans and media, alike. Thereafter, things haven’t been awesome. Jones has battled injuries and bad play with New York having gone 6-11 in 2023 and now sputtering through a five-game losing streak that included a 20-17 loss in Munich on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Jones, a 2019 NFL Draft first-round pick by the previous Giants regime, was particularly bad against the Panthers, throwing a pair of picks, no touchdowns and completing 59.5% of his passes. For the season, he’s averaging 207 yards per game, has thrown only eight touchdowns and seven interceptions and holds a 79.4 QB rating. He has always shown flashes with his arm and legs, but his valleys have been far more consistent than his peaks. Nonetheless, it’s a very real question as to whether Lock would give the G-Men a better shot at winning than Jones. Schoen indicated that would be the determining factor under center going forward and not freeing the franchise of $23 million by sitting Jones. It’s a move that many have speculated the Las Vegas Raiders pulled off when benching Derek Carr for the final two games of the 2022 season and the Denver Broncos followed suit with when they sat Russell Wilson for the last two contests of the 2023 campaign. “We have seven games left in this season, and that’s what we’re focused on,” Schoen said. “We’re focused on 2024, and how we can get better these final seven games.” Schoen’s presser was hardly an easy watch, as can be expected when the GM for a last place team addresses the media 10 games into a disastrous season. He was asked point blank if he thought he’d be retained for next season, to which he simply replied, “Yes.” However, when asked to analyze Jones’ play, Schoen was quick to point out the team has struggled in multiple facets, not just at QB. “It’s everybody,” the GM said. “Everybody’s got a hand in this. I know being the quarterback, offensive coordinator, head coach, people like to point to those guys in general. Daniel’s played some good games and there’s been some games where maybe you’d like to have some throws back or do things differently. But in general, it’s not one individual or one situation that keeps occurring. “Again, we’re going to look at solutions and evaluate everything like (Daboll) said yesterday.” |
| NFC SOUTH |
| NEW ORLEANSAfter Darren Rizzi wins his debut as interim coach, Mike Florio (with input from Rizzi) wonders why more special teams coaches don’t make it to head coach: From time to time, but not very often, former special-teams coordinators become NFL head coaches. When it happens, there’s usually some other gig that the coach has performed before making the next step, like John Harbaugh spending a year as defensive backs coach in Philadelphia before becoming the Ravens head coach in 2008. Or Joe Judge serving as both special-teams coordinator and receivers coach in New England for a season, before becoming head coach of the Giants. Yes, one of those worked out and one didn’t. But isn’t that how it usually goes for offensive and defensive coordinators who become head coaches? Special-teams coordinators often get the interim label when the head coach is fired. They rarely end up as the permanent head coach — even when they deserve the job, like Rich Bisaccia did after taking the Raiders to the playoffs after Jon Gruden left the Raiders during the 2021 season. So why aren’t special-teams coordinators more regularly in the mix for head-coaching jobs? I posed that question to the latest special-teams coordinator to become an interim head coach, Darren Rizzi of the Saints, after his team upended the Falcons in his debut. “I honestly believe that the number one reason is that organizations, GMs, owners, they want to win the press conference,” Rizzi told me by phone after the 20-17 win. “They want to make a splash, get the fans excited and it’s hard to get the fans excited — I mean, you saw what Joe Judge went through right but for every Joe Judge there’s a John Harbaugh and Bill Belichick.” Yes, Belichick spent nearly a decade as a special-teams coach. But he then became an excellent defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells with the Giants from 1985 through 1990, which resulted in his initial head-coaching job in Cleveland. The problem is that the introduction of the new coach is temporary. What happens next means a lot more. “You and I both know the initial press conference is going to be over and then there’s work to do,” Rizzi said. “I think more GMs and owners get tied up into that stuff you and not realizing that special teams guys might be the best.” It’s an interesting point. And it finds validity in the fact that the media tends to focus on the offensive and defensive coordinators of the best teams in any given season. Who gets the sideline closeups during games? Not the special-teams guy. Who gets promoted on TV and radio shows? Not the special-teams guy. Special-teams coordinators have important experience in dealing with offensive and defensive players. They’re not so caught up in one side of the ball that they lose sight of the other, essentially focusing on the function that got them there and throwing the keys to the other coordinator. Remember when Sean McVay first became the head coach of the Rams? When the defense was on the field, Wade Phillips basically ran the show while McVay was figuring out what to do the next time the offense had the ball. It’s not a criticism, and it’s hardly unique to McVay. Successful coordinators play to their strengths. And they sometimes fail to properly manage the entire team. Special-teams coordinators will be more inclined to do that. Even if they remain closely connected to the special-teams units, it’s not nearly as involved as concocting offensive or defensive game plans. As Rizzi tells it, the status quo will change only when owners and General Managers believe that hiring a special-teams coordinator will create the requisite excitement at the time of the hire. As a practical matter, that requires the media to focus not as heavily on the up-and-coming offensive and defensive masterminds but on the folks who are grinding away in relative obscurity at skills that might be more easily transferable to running the entire team. Unless and until that happens, it requires those who hire coaches to resist getting caught up in the notion that only an offensive or defensive coordinator can create the kind of buzz that will get the fans behind the hire. And, at some level, it requires the special-teams coordinators and their agents to work on finding ways to build the buzz when it’s not naturally going to emerge. Until that happens, special-teams coordinators won’t get a chance to show that they can do the job at the next level. If/when more of them do, then more of them will be considered in the future. |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAPete Prisco of CBSSports.com both thought the Cardinals would be improved and is surprised at how much (mirroring the DB’s thoughts on the matter): When the season started, my thinking was the Arizona Cardinals would be a nice story — an undermanned team that was well coached to the point they would be a tough out every week, but one that might not win a lot of games. Ten games into the season, they are much more than that. They are winning. They are leading the NFC West. They are for real. The Cardinals dominated the New York Jets and Aaron Rodgers on Sunday to win their third straight game and improve to 6-4 on the season. They did so with Kyler Murray playing near-flawless football, a running game again keyed by the toughness of James Conner, and a no-name defense that flies around and plays all out on every play. The latter is a tribute to second-year head coach Jonathan Gannon, who cut his teeth on the defensive side of the ball. But it’s the way the whole team plays that speaks volumes about Gannon and his coaching. They always seem to play hard and tough, which keeps them in games. The Cardinals aren’t a sexy team. They don’t get clicks or create buzz like the Cowboys or Steelers or 49ers. The average NFL fan would be hard-pressed to name one starter on defense not named Budda Baker. But they are a real contender. Just ask the Jets. Just ask Rodgers, who seemed to be finding the offense before the Cardinals’ domination on Sunday. As for the offense, Murray has taken to it in his second season, with his first shortened by an injury. He looks as comfortable as any point in his career. With playmakers to throw to in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride, and Conner running over people, the offense has a flow. But it’s the defense that is the true surprise so far. It is tied for 13th in scoring defense at 22 points per game, but it has allowed just 14.0 points per game in the three-game winning streak. It gives up 5.5 yards per play on the season, but 4.4 over the last three. A pass rush that averages 2.4 sacks per game has averaged 3.3 per game over the past three. The Cardinals are doing it without an elite edge player and a lot of youth. But that goes to the coaching of Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, who is a young coach teams should watch closely going forward, and he’s starting to get some rave reviews around the league. The Cardinals are up to 12th in my Power Rankings this week as they head into their bye. The schedule isn’t crushing after that bye. This is the task they face: At Seattle, at Minnesota, home against Seattle and New England, at Carolina, at the Rams and home against the 49ers. Not too bad. So maybe this team can win the division (they’re currently +140 at FanDuel Sportsbook) or at least earn a wild-card spot. If so, it’s a heck of a story. I thought they would be a year away, but that timetable seems to be accelerated now and Gannon is now a Coach of the Year candidate. (To see all of the betting odds for Coach of the Year, head on over to FanDuel) |
| SAN FRANCISCOThe Niners have given pretty big money to lock up CB DEOMMODORE LENOIR. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com: Even after a strong 2023 campaign and a training camp in which he was consistently one of the best players on the field, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was in no rush to sign a big-money contract extension until he could solidify himself as one of the league’s best at his position. As it turned out, it took only nine more games for that to happen, as Lenoir and the 49ers reached agreement on a five-year, $92 million contract extension, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday. The deal comes in the midst of a season when Lenoir has emerged as one of the Niners’ best — and most versatile — young players, even on a roster with plenty of star power. Through those nine contests, Lenoir has 53 tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions. He has allowed a passer rating of just 66.5 when targeted as the nearest defender, according to Next Gen Stats. He has done all of that despite bouncing between outside corner and playing in the slot when the Niners go into nickel packages. It’s a double duty he began taking on toward the end of the 2022 season before fully embracing last season, when he played 570 snaps at outside corner and 311 in the slot, allowing a minus-4.7 EPA (expected points added), 80.1 passer rating and just one touchdown when targeted. Despite starting this season on the final year of his rookie contract and the Niners’ desire to sign him, Lenoir told ESPN in August he wasn’t in a hurry to sign an extension because he was “at the point where I’m trying to be one of the top guys in the NFL as far as the corner position, the nickel position, just somewhere in the top where a lot of people starting to recognize me and remember my name.” When asked about the possibility of signing an extension before he would hit free agency, Lenoir didn’t dismiss the idea but made it clear he wanted to prove he deserved to be paid among the top corners in the league. Lenoir’s new deal averages $18.4 million per season, which places him 12th among cornerbacks and represents a significant pay raise for the 2021 fifth-round pick out of Oregon. He is making $3.116 million in base salary this season with a cap charge of $3,187,217. While the timing of Lenoir’s deal might be a surprise, there have been signs pointing toward the 49ers hoping to get something done before the offseason so they can clear the decks for a forthcoming payday for quarterback Brock Purdy. Coach Kyle Shanahan even seemed to hint at the end of October that something might be brewing. “He is exactly what you want a 49er to play like,” Shanahan said then of Lenoir. “He started out really well, made a couple mistakes early on as a rookie and lost his confidence just a little bit, I thought, his rookie year. Then that second season, the way he came back in the offseason, kind of just possessed to get that job back, and he’s kind of owned it ever since. He’s been a stud for a while to me, and he gets better each year. He’s having a hell of a year.” Lenoir is the latest in a line of homegrown middle- to late-round draft picks to ink lucrative contracts to stay in San Francisco, including linebacker Fred Warner (third round) and tight end George Kittle and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (fifth-rounders), with Purdy presumably next up. With Lenoir in the fold, the Niners still have plenty of other big-name players set to be unrestricted free agents in the offseason. It’s a list that includes fellow starting cornerback Charvarius Ward, safety Talanoa Hufanga, guard Aaron Banks and Greenlaw. But the Niners made it clear Tuesday that keeping Lenoir was a top priority. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYJess Eisenberg of YahooSports.com on the conundrum of the 9-0 Chiefs. It’s like facing criticism for being the least impactful Nobel Prize winner. Or the bottom of the class at Harvard. Or the slowest runner at the Olympics. People keep disparaging the imperfectly perfect Kansas City Chiefs as the NFL’s worst-ever 9-0 team. Thirty-four teams in NFL history have started a season 9-0. The Chiefs’ plus-58 point differential is the lowest of any of them. Their total margin of victory is barely a quarter of the plus-208 point differential racked up through nine games by the 2007 New England Patriots on their way to the NFL’s most recent undefeated regular season. Eight other NFL teams this season have a higher point differential than the Chiefs. The one-loss Detroit Lions lead the NFL at plus-113, followed by the two-loss Buffalo Bills at plus-97. Even the three-loss Washington Commanders (plus-73) and Los Angeles Chargers (plus-68) rank above Kansas City. Seven of Kansas City’s nine wins have come by a single score. Four have been in doubt until the final play of the game. It started back in September when the Chiefs beat the Ravens by a big toe and scraped past the Bengals thanks to a game-saving fourth-down pass interference penalty. Then earlier this month, the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss and drove for a touchdown to edge the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The crescendo came last Sunday against Denver when Kansas City pulled off a Houdini-esque escape to salvage a game that seemed all but lost. Leo Chenal clinched a 16-14 Chiefs victory by bowling over a Broncos lineman and diving to block Wil Lutz’s potential game-winning 35-yard field-goal attempt. “The thing that has impressed me with this team is that they don’t get down,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Monday. “That’s not what they are. They battle through stuff. And if somebody’s not doing well, they try to pick them up and do well in their area. “You’d probably say that [the Broncos] outplayed us yesterday and then they end up not winning the game.” The lingering question about these charmed Chiefs is how good they actually are. Are the two-time reigning Super Bowl champs lucky and vulnerable, as their legion of critics suggest? Or is their record in close games a testament to their formula of relying on an elite defense, a Super Bowl-proven head coach and sublimely talented quarterback? Reality, as so often is the case, is somewhere in between. These Chiefs aren’t as dominant or explosive as many previous 9-0 teams, but they’re also far from the worst of the bunch. Don’t tell me you’re not taking these Chiefs over the 2008 Kerry Collins-Jeff Fisher Tennessee Titans that couldn’t get out of the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. Or the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers that faded badly in December and then surrendered 48 points to the Cleveland Browns in their opening playoff game. It’s important to consider that these Chiefs have made it to mid-November without a loss despite facing the NFL’s eighth-hardest schedule thus far. This Sunday’s high-stakes matchup with Buffalo will be Kansas City’s fourth top-10-DVOA opponent. The nine teams that Kansas City has faced this season are 42-36 against opponents other than the Chiefs. The number of close games that Kansas City has played is also not entirely by accident. The Chiefs have adjusted their style of play to fit a roster that is light on skill-position talent and facing significant pass-protection concerns. Starting running back Isiah Pacheco has been on the injured reserve list since mid-September with a broken fibula. Receivers Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown both suffered season-ending injuries, depriving the Chiefs of an emerging star who thrives on underneath routes and a dangerous deep threat who creates space for others. Even if the Chiefs had a full complement of weapons to deploy, left tackle issues might still limit their ability to go for big plays. They have to get the ball out quickly with starter Wanya Morris dealing with a right-knee injury and rookie backup Kingsley Suamataia not yet ready to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside. The result is an offense that is second in the league in time of possession but among the NFL’s worst at producing chunk plays. The Chiefs are at their best this season when they rely on their defense, keep games close and give Mahomes the chance to win in the fourth quarter. No, that doesn’t make Kansas City a juggernaut. No, that doesn’t make a team that has won three Super Bowls in six years a fluky fraud either. Even last Sunday’s field-goal block wasn’t just a product of good luck. Kansas City identified a weak spot in the Broncos’ field-goal protection, attacked it three straight times during the course of the game and finally broke through when it mattered most. “You’re obviously worried because it’s out of your control,” Mahomes said Sunday, “but at the same time I have trust in my teammates that they’re going to go out there and make a play.” Call it resolve, call it making their own breaks, but the Chiefs’ 9-0 record is not luck. Well, it’s not all luck anyway. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONThe Texans expect a boost this week with the return of WR NICO COLLINS. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: Houston Texans star receiver Nico Collins practiced at the end of last week but didn’t return to the lineup in Sunday’s dramatic home loss to the Detroit Lions. Coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday that the decision to keep Collins sidelined wasn’t due to any complications from his hamstring injury. “No setback with Nico, that was just a game-time decision,” Ryans said on Tuesday, via the team’s official transcript. Ryans added: “Yeah, I anticipate him practicing (this week).” Despite Collins not playing since the first quarter of Week 5, the big-play wideout still leads the Texans in receiving yards (567) and is tied for the team lead with three touchdowns. The Texans are 2-3 since Collins suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 (started 4-1). C.J. Stroud’s numbers with and without Collins on the field are stark (per Next Gen Stats): On the field: 151 dropbacks; 70.5 completion percentage; 8.5 pass yards/attempt; 7-2 TD-INT ratio; 107.0 passer rating Off the field: 237 dropbacks; 57.9 completion percentage; 6.4 pass yards/attempt; 5-4 TD-INT ratio; 77.1 passer rating The hope is Collins’ potential return in Week 11 against Dallas on Monday night jumpstarts a stalled offense. “Any time you get a starting receiver back and Nico, a guy who’s been — before he was out, he was the top receiver in the league,” Ryans said. “So, I think any time you get him back, it’s going to help everybody.” How teams have matched up when Collins plays is also of note. Opponents have blitzed on 35.0 percent of dropbacks with Collins off the field and just 23.8 percent when he is on the field in 2024, per Next Gen Stats. Stroud has been pressured on 46.4 percent of dropbacks with Collins off the field and 33.8 percent with him on the field. The Texans’ second-half lulls have been notorious in recent weeks. Sunday, they scored zero points, allowing the Lions to make a roaring comeback. Ryans dismissed the idea that the issues have been defensive coach adjusting — noting that that happens in every phase all game — and believes his club simply needs to execute. “A lot of people can focus on whatever adjustments defenses make, but it’s about us and our focus and our execution and I’ll continue to speak about that because that’s the only thing that matters to me is the Texans and how we execute and how we operate,” he said. “And right now, first half, we had some really good things that happened that wasn’t all perfect and the second half of the game, we didn’t execute the right way. We couldn’t get plays started. We got penalties, we got negative plays, we’re not blocking the right people on our assignments. So, let’s do that right and then let’s see how we can play and finish in the second half.” Getting Collins back could go a long way in the Texans finishing in the second half. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW YORK JETSQB AARON RODGERS does not approve of the firing of Shane Waldron as Bears OC, but Mike Florio notes he doesn’t come right out and protest the firing of his head coach: Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has kept his mouth shut regarding his true views on owner Woody Johnson’s rash decision to fire coach Robert Saleh after only five games. Beyond protesting (perhaps too much) the suggestion that Rodgers made the termination happen, Rodgers has never said whether he agreed with it, or not. Appearing Tuesday on Pat McAfee’s show, Rodgers made some comments about the firing of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Chicago. The things Rodgers said, whether he intended it or not, apply to the firing of Saleh in New York. “Unfortunately, that’s the nature of our league now, right?” Rodgers said. “It’s coaches and play-callers on both sides of the ball aren’t making it through the season. . . . There’s just not a lot of patience anymore in the league. It’s, you know, ‘Get this guy out of here.’ Unfortunately what happens — and I really mean this — is a lot of it is ‘rinse and repeat’ under the guise of brand-new scheme, brand-new approach. And that’s the way the league is going too often. There’s not the patience to go, ‘I believe in X. This person, this scheme, this coordinator, this player. And we’re gonna weather these storms because it’s gonna make us a mentally tough group or a mentally tough person. And we’re gonna get behind these people and this is — I don’t care what you have to say outside the building — this is what we’re gonna do.” Hmm. Umm. Well. OK. “The consensus for all fans is, ‘If we’re not winning now, then everybody needs to get the hell out,’” Rodgers said. “And, listen, there are places, I’m sure, that are broken. Locker rooms that may not be sticking together or staffs that need a shakeup from time to time. But I would continue to preach patience for players and coaches. “But you know what it starts with? Ownership. Ownership has to come out and make strong statements. ‘This is the plan, this is what we’re doing. We’re gonna trust the process or trust the guys that are in place.’ Unless there’s a major problem, an issue, an arrest, or something that throws a wrench in the plans.” Rodgers added that he thinks opinions from “the social-media world” and “the incredible experts out there talking about football actually impacts decision-making at billion-dollar organizations.” Fine, Aaron. Give us your opinion, then. What was it in New York? Were you preaching patience when Saleh was fired? Or was there a “major problem” or “major issue” that threw a wrench in the plans? Rodgers has never been pressed on that point by the rough-and-tumble New York media, which apparently reserves its venom only for those who dare to question whether they’ve earned their reputation. Tomorrow, they’ll get their chance to ask Rodgers whether what he said on McAfee’s show about Chicago applies to New York. And, more specifically, whether Rodgers would have preached patience with Saleh or whether he believes there was a major problem or issue that was throwing a wrench in the plans. Folks, he has put the ball on the tee for you. Come his Wednesday media availability, will you give it a whack — or will you chase me around with a nine-iron because I’ve dared to point out that you might not be willing to swing? |
| THIS AND THAT |
| POWER RATINGSLet’s see how Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com stacks them up at the moment from 1 to 32: 1 Chiefs 9-0It isn’t pretty, but they keep finding a way. Now comes the real test against the Bills on the road. They will need to score in that game. 2 Lions 8-1 Winning the way they did on Sunday night against the Texans is proof of just how tough this team can be. They rallied in a big way, which shows their Dan Campbell grit. 3 Bills 8-2Here come the Chiefs this week. It’s the Bills chance to show they are the class of the AFC with a game against the kings of the conference — their nemesis. 4 Ravens 7-3The offense is dynamic, but it has to be. That defense is a mess, especially the pass defense. They can’t win a Super Bowl if it stays that way, and it has to change this week against the Steelers. 5 Steelers 7-2Mike Tomlin would be Coach of the Year right now. He’s earned that with his team’s 7-2 start. Russell Wilson and the moon balls keep winning, but here come the Ravens. 6 Eagles 7-2They have righted things in a big way. Their game Thursday with the Commanders is a big one in terms of division race. They are playing a lot better. 7 Vikings 7-2Sam Darnold needs to get back playing good football. That showing in Jacksonville was bad with his three picks. Good teams will make him pay for it. 8 Packers 6-3They come off their much-needed bye — injuries were piling up — with a division road game at Chicago. Jordan Love should be much healthier after the week off, which is a good thing for this team. 9 Chargers 6-3They can run it, throw it and play defense. Oh, they also have a great coach. This team will be dangerous come playoff time. 10 Commanders 7-3Blowing a 10-point lead in losing to the Steelers will be tough to get past. But they have no choice with an enormous Thursday game with the Eagles this week. 11 49ers 5-4Getting guys like Christian McCaffrey back is big for the playoff push. They still don’t look as crisp as I expect them look in the coming weeks. 12 Cardinals 6-4The “first-place Cardinals” doesn’t sound right this late in the season. They face a tough division game at Seattle after the bye to stay there. 13 Falcons 6-4That was a horrible loss on the road to the Saints. The good news for them is the Bucs lost behind them, but that wasn’t a good look in New Orleans. 14 Texans 6-4At 6-4, they have to be thankful the division isn’t good. They will win it, but they have to get back on track and start winning some games. 15 Broncos 5-5 The loss to the Chiefs on the blocked field goal will be a tough one to get over. But if the playoffs started today, they would be in, so there is no time for sulking. 16 Bengals 4-6They are the best 4-6 team this league has seen in a long time. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are special. But they must win the next two against the Chargers and Steelers to have a playoff chance. 17 Seahawks 4-5Did they find a defense during the bye? If not, their spiraling will continue, starting this week with a big road division game with the 49ers. 18 Rams 4-5So much for that momentum they had from their three-game winning streak. The offense did nothing in the loss to the Dolphins on Monday. 19 Buccaneers 4-6 The injuries have crippled this team, yet they are in games against good teams and still have a playoff shot. But they can’t afford many more losses. 20 Dolphins 3-6That was a season-saving victory against the Rams. The defense came up big in that game. They are still alive. 21 Bears 4-5They have to be making offensive changes after doing nothing the past three weeks. Caleb Williams has looked bad behind a bad offensive line. 22 Colts 4-6Two straight losses may have this team reconsidering the decision to play Joe Flacco. Maybe it’s time to go back to Anthony Richardson. 23 Browns 2-7They simply have too many injuries to overcome this season. Now they have to stew in the mess that is the Deshaun Watson situation for a few years. Good luck. 24 Jets 3-7Aaron Rodgers looks lost, the defense stinks and the coaching moves and trades to add guys like Davante Adams have done nothing to save the season. They quit against the Cardinals. 25 Cowboys 3-6They are done. Their quarterback is out for the year, and the backups aren’t any good. See ya. 26 Patriots 3-7Seeing Drake Maye outplay Caleb Williams in their victory over the Bears has to make them feel good. The defense came up big in that one. 3 3-7-0 27 Panthers 3-7They have to be encouraged by a lot of things the past two weeks. Bryce Young isn’t putting up gaudy numbers, but there is progress. 28 Saints 3-7Darren Rizzi brought some juice to this team as the interim coach. The question now is whether that bump carries over. 29 Titans 2-7Will Levis came back to play after missing three weeks in the loss to the Chargers and did some good things. That is a good sign for the future. Now he needs to build on it. 30 Giants 2-8It might be time to sit down Daniel Jones, especially for the injury guarantees. He isn’t playing well enough to risk injury, and he clearly isn’t their future. 31 Jaguars 2-8Trevor Lawrence’s injured shoulder bears watching going forward. The defense actually showed up against the Vikings, but it didn’t matter. This week might get ugly against the Lions. 3 32 Raiders 2-7We will find out if a change at offensive coordinator does anything for the offense, but it’s hard to do much when the quarterback position isn’t good. They have to find one in the draft. — |
| 2025 FREE AGENTSHere is a look at who might be on the market in March from Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen of ESPN.com: We’re officially into the second half of the 2024 NFL season, so many teams will soon start thinking about their offseason plans — and 2025 free agency. The negotiation period will begin March 10, and free agents will be able to officially sign two days later on March 12. Sure, that’s four months away, but we’re getting an early start. NFL analyst Matt Bowen looked at the current group of players primed to hit unrestricted free agency (expiring contracts or deals in line to void) and ranked the top 25 who might be available. Only two quarterbacks make the list, but Bowen stacked multiple playmakers on both sides of the ball, including one standout receiver at No. 1. Factors in making the list included age, positional value (the pair of QBs get a boost), expected future production and scheme versatility. But players don’t always reach free agency just because their contracts are expiring! Dak Prescott, Justin Jefferson, Derrick Brown and L’Jarius Sneed were all named on our way-too-early look at the class back in March, and they’ve all signed big extensions. We’ll see more extensions and a few franchise tags before free agency, just as players will join the free agent pool via cuts. And because many of the players listed below will ultimately re-up with their current franchises, senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler weighed in with the latest buzz on whether each might be re-signed or franchise-tagged by their 2024 team. Note: All ages are as of Sept. 4, 2025, a rough estimate of when the 2025 season might begin. 1. Tee Higgins, WRCurrent team: Bengals2024 salary: $21.8 millionAge entering 2025 season: 26Why he could get paid: Just entering his prime playing years, Higgins is our top free agent for the 2025 class at the moment. At 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, he has the ability to win on the boundary or create matchups from inside alignments. And despite playing alongside Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati, Higgins has the makeup of a No. 1 receiver. Injuries have limited Higgins to five games this season, but he still has 29 receptions for 341 yards and three touchdowns. — Bowen What we’re hearing: There’s little to no chance Higgins is in Cincinnati beyond 2024. People I’ve talked to feel pretty strongly about that, barring a major surprise. A second franchise tag would cost the Bengals around $26.2 million on a one-year rental. Higgins wanted out of Cincinnati last offseason, and the Bengals will likely allocate resources for a Chase contract. Higgins will have a strong market because of the number of receiver-needy teams and Higgins’ WR1 traits. — Fowler 2. Trey Smith, GCurrent team: Chiefs2024 salary: $3.4 millionAge entering 2025 season: 26Why he could get paid: Smith is a powerful mover in the run game, as his run block win rate of 76.8% ranks fifth among guards with at least 200 snaps. And in pass protection, Smith has the foot speed to mirror interior defenders and the strength at 6-foot-6 and 321 pounds to anchor against bull rushes. Given his traits and age, Smith should reset the market at the position. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The Chiefs would love to re-sign Smith but know that will be tough. In fact, there’s an expectation that Smith could become the highest-paid guard in the NFL. The top of the market currently sits at $21.5 million per year, and the Chiefs are at least bracing for life without him because of that price. Smith is a top-10 interior lineman in the league, and the Panthers giving Robert Hunt a $100 million free agency deal back in March had to get Smith’s attention. — Fowler 3. Jevon Holland, SCurrent team: Dolphins2024 salary: $3.4 millionAge entering 2025 season: 25Why he could get paid: Holland has the multidimensional traits that pro coaches look for at safety. He can play from depth, cover in the slot or mix it up as a box defender. The splash plays have been missing from Holland’s tape this season, as he is still looking for his first interception. But Holland does have 5 interceptions, 13 pass breakups, 5 forced fumbles and 5 sacks over his four years in Miami. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Holland will not be easy to re-sign. He’s considered a top-five safety in the NFL with versatility that teams covet. Miami’s priority last offseason was Tua Tagovailoa, but it did talk with Holland at some point over the summer about his contractual future and nothing materialized. It should be noted that Miami also extended Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill. People I’ve talked to have likened Holland’s situation to defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, whose high market forced him out of Miami without a franchise tag in March. It’s uncertain whether the Dolphins will have the resources to match the demand. The early sense is Holland’s next deal will land somewhere between Xavier McKinney’s four-year, $68 million contract with Green Bay and Antoine Winfield Jr.’s four-year, $84 million extension in Tampa Bay. — Fowler 4. D.J. Reed, CBCurrent team: Jets2024 salary: $11 millionAge entering 2025 season: 28Why he could get paid: Reed is a highly competitive coverage corner with press-man traits and the transition speed to break on the throw. More of a ball disruptor than playmaker, Reed has 37 pass breakups compared to six interceptions over his career. Reed should be viewed as a scheme-versatile corner who would fit in multiple NFL systems. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The Jets re-signing Reed would be considered a mild surprise. His market will be robust, the franchise tag for corners will be more than $20 million, and the Jets have Sauce Gardner to eventually pay. Complicating matters is whether general manager Joe Douglas, who is in the last year of his contract, will be back in 2025. Reed smartly signed a three-year deal with New York in 2022, giving him another crack at free agency at age 28. — Fowler 5. Charvarius Ward, CBCurrent team: 49ers2024 salary: $13 millionAge entering 2025 season: 29Why he could get paid: Ward has the man-coverage ability to press or pedal off the ball, along with the backfield vision to make plays in zone coverage. He posted career-best numbers in 2023 with five interceptions and 14 pass breakups. And while he hasn’t created the same on-the-ball production this season — zero interceptions, four pass breakups — Ward’s experience and technically sound game could upgrade a secondary. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Ward has a similar outlook to Reed. He’s a third-contract player who’s in his prime after playing out a three-year deal. The 49ers would love to keep Ward, whom some league evaluators consider a top-10 corner in the NFL, but bloated salaries on their books could be a factor. Six different veterans have a $20-plus-million hit on the 2025 cap, while 10 have at least a $10 million hit — including Ward’s $12.3 million in void money. — Fowler 6. Amari Cooper, WRCurrent team: Bills2024 salary: $20 millionAge entering 2025 season: 31Why he could get paid: Cooper is a highly detailed route runner who can uncover, and he brings three-level playmaking ability to the field. In nine games with both the Browns and Bills this season, Cooper has caught 29 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. In nine full pro seasons, Cooper has topped the 1,000-yard receiving mark seven times and has 63 career touchdown catches. — Bowen What we’re hearing: As is the case with most newly acquired players via trade, Cooper and the Bills need to see how the relationship develops on the field before making major decisions about the future. Cooper has the high-end offense — and quarterback — to catalyze his market for March. Buffalo is one of the more proactive teams in extending key players, so it wouldn’t surprise to see the Bills make a contract offer if Cooper is thriving. — Fowler 7. Ronnie Stanley, OTCurrent team: Ravens2024 salary: $7.5 millionAge entering 2025 season: 31Why he could get paid: At 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, Stanley can use his long frame to build a wall on the edge, which forces pass rushers to expand. He has allowed only one sack this season, and his 93.2% pass block win rate ranks sixth among tackles. Stanley’s movement skills are declining in his ninth pro season, but with his size and length, he still brings value at a premium position. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Stanley returned to prime form in 2024, making him tougher to keep in the fold after the Ravens forced him to take a pay cut in the offseason. Baltimore often lets its free agents walk, opting to backfill with draft prospects, but it could see Stanley as a legacy play after nine seasons with the franchise. And after years of health issues, Stanley is staying on the field and thriving right now. — Fowler 8. Sam Darnold, QBCurrent team: Vikings2024 salary: $10 millionAge entering 2025 season: 28Why he could get paid: Darnold has completed 68.6% of his throws, and his 17 touchdown passes are tied for fourth in the league. His decision-making can still be questioned here, and he has thrown at least one interception in seven of nine games played this season. But with his arm strength and mobility, Darnold will have options on the market if he can produce over the second half of the season. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell has deemed injured rookie J.J. McCarthy (knee) the franchise’s quarterback of the future, which seemingly sets the stage for Darnold to sign elsewhere. But Darnold and Minnesota are 7-2 together, so entertaining a bridge deal while the team continues to develop McCarthy behind the scenes shouldn’t be completely off the table. Darnold’s decision-making on the field down the stretch will determine a lot about his future. — Fowler 9. Haason Reddick, EdgeCurrent team: Jets2024 salary: $14.1 millionAge entering 2025 season: 30Why he could get paid: At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Reddick is a scheme-specific pass rusher with first-step quicks and the ability to bend on the edge. Reddick’s holdout limited him to just three games with the Jets this season, but he has posted 58.5 sacks and 17 forced fumbles in his career. And before this season, he put together three straight campaigns with a pass rush win rate over 20%. He can create impact plays. — Bowen What we’re hearing: No deal is imminent between Reddick and the Jets since he reported to the team Oct. 21. Anyone who has been paying attention over the past six months knows this relationship has had its challenges. The Jets and Reddick haggled over his contract situation throughout the offseason, leading to a monthslong holdout and his agency, CAA, parting ways with the star pass rusher. He promptly signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus, who helped get him into camp on a revised one-year deal. The sense from some people in the league is that Reddick will get as many sacks as he can and get out. — Fowler 10. Chris Godwin, WRCurrent team: Buccaneers2024 salary: $20 millionAge entering 2025 season: 29Why he could get paid: The season-ending left ankle injury that Godwin suffered in Week 7 impacts his overall ranking, but there’s no denying his production level. His 50 receptions over the first seven games were the most in the NFL to that point, and he caught 30 of them out of the slot. A savvy route runner with the toughness to work the heavy-traffic areas of the field, Godwin has the veteran traits to upgrade any wide receiver room. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Assuming his recovery is on schedule, as expected, Godwin would increase his market value by actually testing it. Too many other teams need the production of a high-end receiver in his prime. But Godwin also gives off “Buc for life” vibes as a team cornerstone and leader who loves playing in Tampa Bay. Mike Evans’ reasonable contract ($20.5 million per year) leaves room to extend Godwin as a bookend playmaker. — Fowler 11. Tyron Smith, OTCurrent team: Jets2024 salary: $6.5 millionAge entering 2025 season: 34Why he could get paid: Smith has started all 10 games for the Jets this season, quieting some concerns on his injury history. At this stage of his career, Smith’s level of play is starting to diminish. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound tackle has an 83.0% pass block win rate this season, below league average. But we still see the Hall of Fame flashes from the veteran. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Signing another one-year deal at a high clip is a sensible play for a player turning 34 in December but still playing well. Credit to Smith for staying healthy this season; durability was once the knock on an otherwise brilliant career. How the Jets finish the season looms large here, though at 3-7, much of the suspense with any key Jets player has dissipated. — Fowler 12. Zack Martin, GCurrent team: Cowboys2024 salary: $18 millionAge entering 2025 season: 34Why he could get paid: Martin still has the blend of size (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) and mobility that coaches want at the guard position, but he’s not as springy as he used to be, and he can be attacked on his edges at a higher rate. This season, Martin’s pass block win rate of 94.0% ranks 10th among guards. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Martin’s Hall of Fame career in Dallas could come to an end after 11 years and 158 starts. The Cowboys have replenished the offensive line with recent first-round picks Tyler Smith and Tyler Guyton, showing a willingness to move off aging talent. Martin is a legacy player who is a viable option to bring back on a short-term deal, but the Cowboys are a team in transition, and the sense is they want to get younger. — Fowler 13. Rasul Douglas, CBCurrent team: Bills2024 salary: $7.5 millionAge entering 2025 season: 30Why he could get paid: Douglas is physical corner with the length to disrupt the ball and the willingness to set an edge against the run. He’s an easy fit in a zone system that allows him to reroute underneath and drive top-down on the ball from the outside third of the field. Douglas returned one of his five interceptions for a touchdown last season, and he currently has three pass breakups this year. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The Bills appear open to extending Douglas, who has been a seamless fit since acquired via trade in 2023, but the team must also budget for emerging corner Christian Benford, a 2026 free agent. Buffalo has 2022 first-rounder Kaiir Elam ready to step into a starting role should Douglas walk. — Fowler 14. Asante Samuel Jr., CBCurrent team: Chargers2024 salary: $3.4 millionAge entering 2025 season: 25Why he could get paid: Samuel has a playmaking mentality at the cornerback position, with the foot quickness and sudden closing speed to break on the ball. A shoulder injury has limited Samuel to just four games this season, but he has six interceptions and 26 pass breakups during his four years with the Chargers. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Samuel is playing for a new Chargers regime, so there’s no telling how coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz will attack the offseason and strategize retaining key talent. But if Samuel hits free agency, there will be no shortage of teams needing a playmaker at cornerback. The Rams, Raiders, Vikings and Buccaneers all come to mind. — Fowler 15. DeMarcus Lawrence, EdgeCurrent team: Cowboys2024 salary: $10 millionAge entering 2025 season: 33Why he could get paid: A Lisfranc injury in Week 4 sent Lawrence to injured reserve, but when healthy, he is still a capable and productive pass rusher. Plus, he can also wreak havoc against the run. In four games played this season, Lawrence had three sacks. And over 11 years in Dallas, he has 61.5 sacks and 97 tackles for loss. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The Cowboys felt good about Lawrence’s play as a high-motor pass rusher who can disrupt off the edge and stop the run. But Dallas could commit to paying a different pass rusher — Micah Parsons — before anyone else at The Star. That inherently creates challenges to re-signing Lawrence, who should have a strong open market, though Dallas would of course leave the door open for discussions. Dallas has $8.7 million in 2025 void money from previously restructuring Lawrence’s existing deal, so if the Cowboys want to re-sign him, getting a deal done before the new league year would prevent the money from hitting the cap immediately. — Fowler 16. Camryn Bynum, SCurrent team: Vikings2024 salary: $3.1 millionAge entering 2025 season: 27Why he could get paid: An ascending player with centerfield range, Bynum has seen his value rise in Brian Flores’ defensive system in Minnesota. Over the past two seasons, he has 188 tackles, 5 interceptions and 10 pass breakups. He’s an interchangeable safety who can function and produce in multiple systems. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Minnesota has made efforts to extend Bynum, who is a natural successor to Harrison Smith as the Vikings’ leader in the secondary. Smith turns 36 in February. Five safeties make at least $16 million per year, and Bynum, whose value is rising after three interceptions and eight passes defensed this season, will look to become the sixth. The Vikings believe they are in a good place with him as far as a long-term working relationship. — Fowler 17. Khalil Mack, EdgeCurrent team: Chargers2024 salary: $19 millionAge entering 2025 season: 34Why he could get paid: Mack’s game has aged gracefully in his 11th pro season. Mack has 4.5 sacks and 22 pressures this season, and he can still heat up the pocket. With 106 career sacks and steady play speed, Mack could be scooped up as a designated pass rusher. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The demand for pass rushers is such that Mack should have viable options in free agency. Consistent veteran pass rushers command big money well into their 30s — think Von Miller signing with Buffalo a few years ago. The Chargers could certainly entertain extending Mack, but they also have Joey Bosa and Tuli Tuipulotu under contract. — Fowler 18. Justin Fields, QBCurrent team: Steelers2024 salary: $3.2 millionAge entering 2025 season: 26Why he could get paid: In six starts with the Steelers, Fields displayed improved footwork and vision in the pocket, completing 66.3% of his throws with five touchdown throws and one interception. Fields also rushed for 231 yards and five more scores on 55 carries. In a system that maximizes Fields’ dual-threat traits, he could be viewed as a lower-level starter. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The Fields experiment in Pittsburgh can be classified as a success; he played steady if unspectacular football in six games as the starter, winning four of them. So a return can’t be completely taken off the table at this point. But Russell Wilson’s quality play since taking over the job could force Fields to look elsewhere. Fields can follow the models of Darnold and Baker Mayfield, who recently signed one-year deals with teams in need of veteran quarterback help and excelled with good supporting casts. — Fowler 19. Nick Bolton, LBCurrent team: Chiefs2024 salary: $3.1 millionAge entering 2025 season: 25Why he could get paid: Bolton’s physical demeanor and quick play recognition fit at the second level in Kansas City, where he has averaged 8.3 tackles per game over his four pro seasons. He’s a downhill hammer against the run, already at eight tackles for loss this season. And in coverage, Bolton can get to depth in zone looks or match up inside. He has three interceptions on his career résumé. — Bowen What we’re hearing: There’s a path for Bolton to remain in Kansas City. The Chiefs linebacker is a team leader with great intangibles. Assuming the Chiefs can’t front the bill on Trey Smith, they could instead allocate resources to retain Bolton, who is more affordable as an off-ball linebacker. Bolton can work off Patrick Queen’s three-year, $41 million deal from March as a potential comp. His reps will speak to Kansas City some time after the season and see where it goes. — Fowler 20. Dre Greenlaw, LBCurrent team: 49ers2024 salary: $8.7 millionAge entering 2025 season: 28Why he could get paid: Greenlaw has yet to take a snap this season after tearing an Achilles in February in Super Bowl LVIII. But once cleared, he has the traits to make an impact for the 49ers’ defense. Greenlaw is a rangy linebacker with the pursuit speed to track ball carriers and the coverage awareness to close throwing windows. He has back-to-back 120-plus-tackle seasons, and he added 1.5 sacks last year. — Bowen What we’re hearing: How Greenlaw performs late in the season after his return will help determine his free agency path. Teams love his physicality and burst, so assuming he performs well down the stretch, the 27-year-old should have many suitors. The 49ers have several big contract decisions looming and probably can’t keep everyone, even though they love the way Greenlaw pairs with Fred Warner in the middle of the field. — Fowler 21. Garett Bolles, OTCurrent team: Broncos2024 salary: $16 millionAge entering 2025 season: 33Why he could get paid: Bolles’ pass block win rate of 93.2% ranks seventh among tackles this season, and his tape is solid. A long and linear mover with heavy hands to close down the edge in pass protection, Bolles could be targeted as a veteran bridge starter for a contending team in need of a 2025 upgrade. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Bolles is expected to play out the season and then decide whether to stay in Denver on a new deal or look elsewhere. An ideal time to reach an extension was over the past summer, but nothing materialized. Considering the scarcity of quality tackles leaguewide, Bolles will have several suitors. But he has expressed a desire to play for the Broncos for the rest of his career, which could help facilitate a deal. — Fowler 22. Budda Baker, SCurrent team: Cardinals2024 salary: $14.6 millionAge entering 2025 season: 29Why he could get paid: One of the most urgent defenders in the NFL, Baker has disruptive ability when playing downhill to the ball. He is averaging 10 tackles per game this season (one of two players over 100, joining Indianapolis’ Zaire Franklin), and he has accounted for 44 tackles for loss over eight pro seasons. Baker is a good fit for a Quarters scheme, which would allow him to run the alley and match inside. The veteran safety could upgrade a secondary with his tone-setting traits. — Bowen What we’re hearing: The people I’ve talked to believe there’s a realistic chance Baker and the Cardinals can reach a deal before free agency. Baker prioritizes winning, so if he believes he can win big in Arizona, staying there is a viable option. The Cardinals have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks. Baker is also about his business, as he showed with an April 2023 trade request. So the Cardinals would have to pay up for a 28-year-old with five consecutive Pro Bowls. — Fowler 23. Diontae Johnson, WRCurrent team: Ravens2024 salary: $7 millionAge entering 2025 season: 29Why he could get paid: Johnson has the inside/outside flexibility to play all three receiver spots. He can separate at the top of the route with his sudden movement and ability to run after the catch. In nine games with the Panthers and Ravens this season, Johnson has caught 31 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Johnson is in a precarious spot. Based on ability to beat coverage and win for his quarterback, he’s probably a $20-plus-million-per-year player. But he has been traded twice in less than eight months (most recently from Carolina to Baltimore) and has played 23 offensive snaps in two games with the Ravens. Where he falls in free agency will hinge partly on how he finishes in Baltimore, which has a streaky track record with accomplished receivers (See: Odell Beckham Jr.). He’s on a winner and will be plenty motivated down the stretch, though. Baltimore will likely take a wait-and-see approach toward a possible re-signing. Expect Johnson’s game to kick up as he gets more comfortable with the Ravens’ offense. — Fowler 24. Talanoa Hufanga, SCurrent team: 49ers2024 salary: $4.9 millionAge entering 2025 season: 25Why he could get paid: Injuries have limited Hufanga to just 12 games over the past two seasons. However, when healthy, the former All-Pro is a natural disruptor. In 44 career games, Hufanga has 7 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 1 defensive TD. He is at his best in a defined coverage scheme that allows him to play in split-field alignments and spin down to roam the front. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Here’s another top free agent out of San Francisco, which deepens the intrigue on the 49ers’ books. Hufanga has ball production, which typically warrants big money. How the safety market shapes up could be a factor in whether he stays. There are four safeties on this top-25 list and others who are just on the fringe. How many teams are willing to pay top dollar for one? Considering the position’s importance on defensive schemes, I’m guessing many. — Fowler 25. Cam Robinson, OTCurrent team: Minnesota Vikings2024 salary: $16.25 millionAge entering 2025 season: 29Why he could get paid: At 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds, Robinson has the ideal size, length and traits for the tackle position. Technical lapses have prevented him from playing at a consistent level, and his 84.0% pass block win rate is below average. But with the ability to engulf rushers at the point of attack and the foot speed to redirect, Robinson has the tools to improve his value in Minnesota. — Bowen What we’re hearing: Robinson’s stint in Minnesota seems like an audition for the rest of the league. Christian Darrisaw — once healthy again after tearing an ACL this season — will be the Vikings’ starting left tackle in 2025. The Vikings traded a midround pick to Jacksonville for Robinson because they believe he can help sustain the offense while Darrisaw is out. And if Robinson does so over the next two months, it will enhance his free agency value. — Fowler Others who could get paidAndre Cisco, SAaron Jones, RBMalcolm Koonce, EdgeStefon Diggs, WRCarlton Davis III, CBMike Hilton, CBBrandon Scherff, G |
