The Daily Briefing Wednesday, November 3, 2021

GREEN BAY

There may never be a match-up between QB AARON RODGERS and QB PATRICK MAHOMES with this stunning news from Green Bay.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

When the Packers and Chiefs met in 2019, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes a chance to match up with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers because of an injury.

The two teams are set to meet again this Sunday, but Mahomes and Rodgers still won’t be meeting up. It’s COVID-19 rather than an injury that will keep the two past MVPs from sharing the field.

According to multiple reports, Rodgers has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss his first matchup with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love will make his first NFL start in place of Rodgers.

The Packers placed practice squad quarterback Kurt Benkert on the COVID-19 reserve list on Tuesday and there’s no other quarterbacks currently in the organization, so the team will have to find someone else to back up Love against Kansas City.

Is Rodgers vaccinated? Rodgers said he was “immunized” in August.  But, perhaps not.  Because otherwise, wouldn’t he be able to satisfy the NFL protocols with a clean test (we are of course assuming his case of COVID isn’t very serious in the real world, but there are exceptions).

He may have gotten the dread virus from his receivers.  ESPN.com:

Green Bay had been without receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard due to COVID for last Thursday’s game vs. Arizona.

Adams, who had been on the reserve/COVID-19 list, was not at practice on Monday when the Packers returned from their weekend off. Lazard was deemed a close contact of Adams, and because Lazard is unvaccinated, he was automatically ruled out for five days.

And now comes word that he, ahem, was less than truthful.

@RapSheet

#Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is unvaccinated, per me and @MikeGarafolo.  . That’s why he’s out for Sunday vs. the #Chiefs.

So he’s out for 10 days, even if he never shows a symptom.

This may not be the end of it:

@rachelhopmayer

Rodgers’ positive test could have widespread implications on the #Packers after their Halloween party last weekend…

A media frenzy seeking to place blame will ensue.

@TomSilverstein

If Rodgers wasn’t vaccinated, #Packers have to answer about whether he has been wearing a mask, getting tested everyday and if he has been a high-risk close contact. Or maybe the #NFL has to answer.

Vin Santangelo @VinMan626

Replying to @TomSilverstein

Rappoport said he has been seen wearing a mask around the facility. Don’t know if it’s true but he mentioned it on his TV report

Mike Florio is on the case, and it isn’t good for Rodgers:

Rodgers led reporters to believe in August that he’s vaccinated. Technically, he said he’s been “immunized.” But he clearly implied that he’s been vaccinated, because he said in the next breath that he won’t chastise teammates who aren’t vaccinated.

“Yeah, I’ve been immunized,” Rodgers said in August. “There’s guys on the team that haven’t been vaccinated. I think it’s a personal decision, I’m not gonna judge those guys.”

So, basically, he lied. He lied in order to hide the fact that he’s not vaccinated.

And it wasn’t just his cagey use of the term “immunized,” followed by his vow to not judge a group to which he secretly belonged. A G.M. with another team tried to tell me weeks ago that Rodgers isn’t vaccinated. I looked up photos of Rodgers from the preseason, standing on the sideline in street clothes. (The photo attached to this article comes from one of those games.) He wasn’t wearing a mask. I told my source that this means that Rodgers was vaccinated. In actuality, it means that he was deliberately and flagrantly violating COVID policies to create the impression that he’s vaccinated.

What other protocols did he violate? Was he fined for it? How often was he fined? What other consequences were imposed or threatened?

And why? Why not just be openly unvaccinated?

Here’s why. Rodgers abhors criticism. If he’d been open about his unvaccinated status, he would have heard about it from the media. And so the guy who is so sensitive that he’s sensitive about being called sensitive chose to create the false impression that he’s vaccinated, all because he didn’t want anyone to call him out for not being vaccinated.

That makes it much worse. He deliberately violated COVID protocols in order to keep secret his status — in order to avoid being criticized. And he surely will now use his various platforms to argue that people like me shouldn’t have a platform to criticize him for not being vaccinated, and for endangering others in order to perpetrate his ruse. Which is exactly what he did.

Albert Breer:

@AlbertBreer

We all criticized Carson Wentz, Kirk Cousins and Lamar Jackson. But at the very least, those guys owned their decisions.

As we go to press, word of an “alternate treatment” that Rodgers, but not the NFL, considered to be “immunization.”  Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com:

Rodgers, 37, petitioned the NFL to have an alternate treatment that he underwent before he returned to the Packers that would allow him to be considered the same as someone who received one of the approved vaccinations, sources told ESPN. After a lengthy back and forth, the league ruled that Rodgers would not get the same consideration and would be considered unvaccinated.

Sources said Rodgers follows masking protocols while interacting with players and coaches inside the team’s headquarters at Lambeau Field. However, Rodgers does not wear a mask while in the media auditorium during his weekly and postgame news conferences. The Packers have put other unvaccinated players on Zoom instead of at in-person media sessions.

NEW YORK GIANTS

A COVID case in Giants camp.  The AP:

New York Giants running backs coach Burton Burns has tested positive for COVID-19 and the organization is requiring all players, coaches, team personnel and management to retest for the virus on Wednesday.

Coach Joe Judge said 13 members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. Burns was the only one in that group who tested positive when retested.

Burns, who turned 69 last week, and his wife are staying in their condo, Judge said. He would not say whether the coach was experiencing any symptoms.

The Giants (2-6) were supposed to start practicing for Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium at 11:10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday. Judge said the workout would be pushed back about 30 minutes. He added some players would not practice because of injuries and others may not depending on the COVID-19 tests.

There was a line of about 20 players waiting to be tested at a trailer the Giants use for daily COVID-19 testing.

Judge said the majority of Giants players are vaccinated. He would not say how many are not. The NFL requires team personnel to be vaccinated.

This from Ian Rapoport:

@RapSheet

#Giants RB Saquon Barkley tested positive for COVID-19 on his initial test, source said, and he is one of several players being retested. He is vaccinated, so he needs two negative tests within 24 hours and no symptoms to play if his positive is confirmed.

NEW ORLEANS

A relapse is reported for WR MICHAEL THOMAS.  He won’t play return to the Saints anytime soon.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

New Orleans Saints star receiver Michael Thomas has suffered a setback that continues to keep him from returning to the field.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday morning that Thomas is dealing with a new and separate ankle injury, per a source informed of the situation.

Rapoport added that Thomas saw a specialist recently, and it remains undetermined when the start receiver might be able to return.

Thomas has been on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) from the start of the season after late offseason surgery. He was eligible to come off the list in Week 7, but the Saints have yet to make a move. We now know why.

The new ankle injury is the latest blow to a wideout who opened his career with four straight 1,000-plus yard seasons. Thomas played in just seven games in 2020, putting off surgery to battle for a Super Bowl in Drew Brees’ final season.

The Saints receiving corps badly misses the big-bodied wideout. Marquez Callaway leads all receivers in receptions with just 19 for 284 yards and three TDs — that reception total places him tied for 107th among all NFL players in 2021. New Orleans has moved the ball on the strength of Alvin Kamara (480 rushing yards and two TD on 133 carries; 28 catches, 256 yards, 4 TDs) and a piecemeal pass-catching corps.

Rapoport noted that the Saints called around to try to acquire receiver help — Giants wideout Darius Slayton one potential target — at Tuesday’s trade deadline, but none came to fruition.

Sitting in prime playoff position at 5-2 after beating rival Tampa Bay at home on Sunday, the Saints continue to wait and hope that Thomas might return at some point this season. With Jameis Winston out for the season, New Orleans needs help bolster an offense that has done just enough to buffer one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Thomas issues a statement that says his 2021 is over before it ever started:

“To my displeasure, I will not be able to make it back in time for this season but will do everything in my power to get back to the player I have always been. I know God doesn’t make mistakes so I will continue to follow in his path, and can’t wait to be back on the field in front of the best fans on the planet.”

The Saints did not pull the trigger on a deal for Browns WR ODELL BECKHAM, Jr. per Kimberley Martin:

@ByKimberleyA

I’m told there were discussions re: Odell going to the #Saints — but both sides couldn’t agree on a workable deal, given how much OBJ is owed the rest of the year.

Plus, there still is optimism in the #Browns building that OBJ can be a big part of their second-half playoff push

For now, OBJ remains in CLE … despite him not wanting to be there. #browns

KimberLEY A. Martin

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Barring intervention from the Missouri Supreme Court, it looks like the Rams will have to face a St. Louis jury helmed by a St. Louis judge as they are tried for absconding from Missouri.  Joel Currier of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

The Missouri Court of Appeals at St. Louis on Tuesday rejected a bid by the Los Angeles Rams, its owner and the National Football League to move January’s relocation lawsuit out of St. Louis.

An order signed by Robert M. Clayton III, the eastern district appeals court’s presiding judge, denied an appeal filed last month by the Rams, owner Stan Kroenke and the NFL seeking to overturn a circuit judge’s Aug. 31 ruling that keeps the trial in St. Louis. The order provided no legal explanation for denying the request.

Keeping the trial in St. Louis, the Rams, NFL and Kroenke argued, would give the plaintiffs — St. Louis, St. Louis County and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority — “undue influence” over prospective jurors. They also sought to move the trial because of what they called “extensive and continuing prejudicial pretrial publicity” in St. Louis.

Circuit Judge Christopher McGraugh closed his courtroom to the public Aug. 31 to allow the NFL, Rams and Kroenke’s lawyers to argue for a change of venue. After McGraugh reopened his courtroom, he rejected the motion to move the trial.

The Rams, NFL and Kroenke could still petition the Missouri Supreme Court to try to move the lawsuit elsewhere.

The 4½-year-old suit claims the NFL broke the league’s relocation rules by allowing the Rams to leave St. Louis after the 2015 season, and misled the public about its intention of staying here. The plaintiffs claimed the Rams’ departure cost the city millions in amusement, ticket and earnings tax revenue. The suit alleges breach of contract, fraud, illegal enrichment and interference in business by the Rams and the NFL, causing significant public financial loss.

The trial is set for Jan. 10.

We wouldn’t think there is much hope with the Missouri Supreme Court.  Is there a federal issue that the NFL could find?

DENVER

A big week for COVID – as it strikes in Denver.  Jon Heath of USA TODAY:

The Denver Broncos also placed tight end Noah Fant on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.

This gives Fant an uncertain status for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. If Fant is not cleared from the COVID protocol in time for Week 9, Albert Okwuegbunam will be in line to serve as the team’s top tight end.

Denver also has Eric Saubert and Andrew Beck available at tight end. Fant will not count against the 53-man roster while on COVID reserve.

LAS VEGAS

The Raiders have disposed of WR HENRY RUGGS, a 2020 first round draft choice, within 24 hours of his felonious auto accident.  NFL.com:

Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III has been arrested and booked on a charge of DUI resulting in the death of another person following his involvement in a traffic collision at approximately 3:39 a.m. PT on Tuesday in Las Vegas, according to police.

Late Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Raiders announced they had released Ruggs.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced Tuesday that officers responded to a traffic collision involving a Chevrolet Corvette and a Toyota Rav4. Responding officers located the Toyota Rav4 on fire, and fire department personnel located “a deceased victim inside the Toyota,” according to authorities.

In a press release Tuesday afternoon, LVMPD announced the deceased victim was a 23-year-old woman. Pending notification, her name has not been released.

LVMPD identified the driver of the Chevrolet as Ruggs, who remained on the scene and “showed signs of impairment.”

Ruggs, 22, and a 22-year-old female passenger, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, were transported to a local hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries, per police. Ruggs was booked at 2:11 p.m. PT into Clark County Detention Center.

In addition to the charge of DUI resulting in the death of another person, Ruggs also faces a charge of reckless driving. Any possible bail will not be determined until Ruggs sees a judge.

Ruggs’ attorneys, David Z. Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, released the following statement Tuesday:

“On behalf of our client Henry Ruggs III we are conducting our own investigation as of this writing and ask everyone to reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered.”

The NFL released the following statement:

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim of this horrific tragedy. We will continue to gather facts and monitor the matter under our policies, but our thoughts at this time are with those impacted by this devastating incident.”

The Raiders released a statement Tuesday prior to announcing Ruggs’ release.

“The Raiders are aware of an accident involving Henry Ruggs III that occurred this morning in Las Vegas,” the statement read. “We are devastated by the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family. We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Ruggs was selected 12th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Raiders. In his second season with the team, he had totaled 24 receptions for 469 yards and two touchdowns.

This:

@MySportsUpdate

Former #Raiders WR Henry Ruggs is accused of driving 156 mph seconds before the crash. He was at 127mph when airbags deployed. His blood alcohol level was .161, which is more than twice the legal limit. A loaded gun was also found in the car.

The speed of his being cut would indicate that the Raiders had at least heard rumors, and perhaps more, that Ruggs was otherwise out of control with his life.

We have seen Rainbow Boulevard, the scene of the crash, described as a 3-lane road.  To be clear, it has 6 lanes, 3 in each direction (with a raised median).

PITTSBURGH

The Steelers K CHRIS BOSWELL was slammed to the ground after he attempted a pass Sunday (no flag thrown).  He still is concussed.  Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Steelers kicker Chris Boswell remains in concussion protocol, and the team signed former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo to the practice squad in the event Boswell is not cleared before the game against the Bears on “Monday Night Football” next week.

Boswell, who was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit when he attempted a pass on a fake field goal against the Browns, tweeted Sunday night that he is OK.

“There is nothing that alarms us in terms of the process he’s in, but it is a process,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. “Obviously, if Boz is cleared and ready to go, he’ll be our kicker on Monday night.”

Boswell was injured late in the first half, and the Steelers did not attempt any field goals or point-after kicks in the second half. The Steelers were 0 for 2 on two-point conversion tries after touchdowns. Punter Pressley Harvin III handled kickoff duties.

“We have an emergency kicker,” Tomlin said. “[Harvin] is a component of that. We have an emergency snapper. We have Ben as our emergency holder. Sometimes we get in those circumstances and just because you have someone identified doesn’t mean that you’re comfortable. It doesn’t mean they’re varsity. So because someone occupies the position, you still have a decision to make if that’s the most prudent thing to do.”

Tomlin then cited the example of James Harrison having to be used as the emergency long snapper in a game against the Giants in 2008. Harrison snapped the ball over the punter’s head, and the Giants got a safety.

“You think about moments such as that when you’re in those unusual circumstances,” Tomlin said.

Lambo kicked for the Chargers in 2015 and 2016 and the Jaguars from 2017 until earlier this season when he was released. In addition to signing Lambo to the practice squad, the Steelers signed defensive end Taco Charlton to the 53-man roster. He was elevated from the practice squad to the 53-man roster for the Browns game and played 10 snaps.

HOUSTON

The Buccaneers need cornerbacks – as a Jason Licht first-rounder goes on the market:

@NFL_DovKleiman

#Texans are cutting former #Bucs 1st round pick, CB Vernon Hargreaves, according to @AaronWilson_NFL

THIS AND THAT

AIKMAN RATINGS

This from the 33rdTeam.com on the current state of the Aikman Efficiency Ratings:

The Buffalo Bills bounced back from their Week 8 loss against Tennessee with a dominant second half performance against the struggling Miami Dolphins. Along the way to their 26-11 victory, Buffalo racked up the statistical profile to ascend to No. 1 on both offense and defense in Troy Aikman’s Efficiency Ratings.

Sitting at 5-2, Buffalo will likely only strengthen their lead in the Aikman Efficiency Ratings with their upcoming three game schedule against the Jaguars, Jets and Colts – teams that are a combined 6-16 on the season.

While the Bills are in a comfortable position, they are just one of 5 clear contenders emerging for the second half of the season. Four other teams have earned placement in the top 10 of Week 9’s rankings on both offense and defense. They include the Arizona Cardinals (No. 3 on both offense and defense), Dallas Cowboys (No. 5 on offense and No. 10 on defense), Baltimore Ravens (No. 6 on offense and No. 5 on defense), Los Angeles Rams (No. 2 on offense and No. 6 on defense), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 4 on offense and No. 9 on defense).

Those 5 teams make up 5 of the 6 top teams in The 33rd Team’s weekly NFL Power Rankings, showing that these teams have established themselves as top contenders both statistically and on film.

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The only team in our Power Rankings that is not in the top 10 on both offense and defense in Aikman’s Efficiecy Rankings? Green Bay.

Despite their 7-1 record and place atop the NFC playoff picture, the Packers sit at just No. 16 on offense and No. 19 on defense, a mere minor improvement on last week’s rankings.

Here are the Aikman Combined Rankings with the Patriots moving into the top 10.

Rank   Record                                    Comb  Off       Def      NFL   Off       Def       Comb

1        5-2       Bills                  185.7   96.9     88.8                6            1          7

2        7-1       Cardinals         172.2   94.9     77.3                8            4        12

3        7-1       Rams              166.2   95.3     70.9                5          21        26

4        6-2       Buccaneers     164.4   94.6     69.8                  2          8        10

5        5-2       Ravens            164.2   93.3     70.9                  3        25        28

6        5-2       Saints              163.4   85.3     78.1                29        10        39

7        6-1       Cowboys         162.9   93.7     69.2                  1        19        20

8        5-3       Bengals           156.2   88.0     68.2                14        17        31

9        4-4       Patriots            154.8   84.1     70.7                15        13        28

10        6-2       Titans              154.7   89.7     65.0                11        22        33

11        4-4       Broncos           154.4   78.5     75.9                21          6        27

12        3-4       Vikings             154.0   88.8     65.2                  7        20        27

13        3-5       Seahawks       153.5   87.6     65.9                27        31        58

14        3-5       Colts                152.1   83.5     68.6                16        12        28

15        3-5       Eagles             151.2   90.7     60.5                19          9        28

16        3-4       49ers               150.8   88.8     62.0                13          5        18

17        7-1       Packers           150.1   86.0     64.1                22          7        29

18        3-4       Browns            149.7   86.0     63.7                10          3        13

19        5-2       Raiders            149.6   87.9     61.7                  9        14        23

20        4-3       Chargers         148.9   88.2     60.7                12        18        30

21        4-4       Panthers          148.7   78.4     70.3                25          2        27

22        4-3       Steelers           147.2   79.1     68.1                24        11        35

23        2-6       Giants              143.0   77.4     65.6                20        23        43

24        4-4       Chiefs              142.2   87.7     54.5                  4        29        33

25        3-4       Falcons           140.2   82.4     57.8                23        16        39

26        3-5       Bears               139.1   74.6     64.5                32        15        47

27        2-6       Washington     132.9   75.7     57.2                18        27        45

28        1-6       Jaguars           132.7   75.7     57.0                17        26        43

29        2-5       Jets                 132.3   74.0     58.3                28        28        56

30        1-7       Texans            130.6   74.4     56.2                31        30        61

31        1-7       Dolphins          130.2   73.5     56.7                30        32        62

32        0-8       Lions                126.4   74.5     51.9                26        24        50

84.7     65.5

BROADCAST NEWS

2022 DRAFT

Let’s see how Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com sees the First Round (QBs at 7 and 11):

Last week, it was Sam Howell sneaking into Round 1. This time, it’s Malik Willis, who has been a favorite of the media mock-draft community for months. And while there’s much to like about Willis’ game, we haven’t yet seen enough to be convinced that he’s a slam-dunk first-round pick. A lot of that is because we have to project where he’ll be in 2-3 years, which isn’t that different to the conversations we were having about Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming. That said, if Willis balls out against Ole Miss on Saturday — against Matt Corral, no less (and we’ve had Corral as the first QB drafted in recent mock drafts) — then that will certainly change the conversation, and along with it, his draft stock.

Elsewhere in the first round, the aforementioned Corral again finds his way to Washington while the Broncos take a flier on Carson Strong, who would be our QB1 if there weren’t concerns about his knee (and depending on how his medicals play out, could end up out of Round 1 altogether). And that’s it — three first-round quarterbacks in a year when we have questions about all of them. Put another way: If this group came out last year, the first one off the board would be QB6 after Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones.

Alright, let’s get to all 32 picks, which this week includes six wide receivers.

One other thing, and this is important: the draft order below was determined using SportsLine’s Super Bowl odds but in reverse order. We know folks are going to be very angry about why we have their team picking so high but it’s not our fault. These are your team’s current odds of winning a Lombardi Trophy.

1 – NY JETS
Kayvon Thibodeaux DE

OREGON • SOPH • 6’5″ / 258 LBS

Addressing the offensive line could be an option here but the Jets have four of the first 75 picks in this draft, so instead of overthinking it, they’ll take Thibodeaux here. He battled an ankle injury early in the season but has since proven that he’s just about unstoppable when he’s on the field — to the point that it’s almost unfair.

2 – JACKSONVILLE

Evan Neal OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’7″ / 350 LBS

Evan Neal is the best offensive lineman in this class (though Tyler Linderbaum has made his case) and the Jags need to protect Trevor Lawrence. They have RT Jawaan Taylor, but Cam Robinson is in the final year of his current deal.

3 – HOUSTON

Derek Stingley Jr. CB

LSU • JR • 6’1″ / 195 LBS

The Texans’ defense has been replacement-level this season, according to Football Outsiders, but the secondary could use an infusion of youth, especially with Desmond King and Vernon Hargreaves possibly entering free agency after the season. Stingley is CB1, even if he doesn’t play another snap for LSU this season.

4 – DETROIT

Aidan Hutchinson DE

MICHIGAN • SR • 6’6″ / 265 LBS

If there was a QB worth taking in the top five, the Lions would be all over it here. Unfortunately, this class doesn’t have a clear-cut franchise passer so the Lions will have to look elsewhere to fill that need. Hutchinson, isn’t a bad consolation prize. He’s had a huge season for the Wolverines and immediately improves Detroit’s defense against both the pass and the run.

5 – NY GIANTS

Kyle Hamilton S

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’4″ / 219 LBS

The Giants have young safeties Xavier McKinney and Julian Love, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room in the secondary for Kyle Hamilton, too. He’s a 6-4, 220-pound version of Ed Reed — a sideline-to-sideline ballhawk — and that makes him a Day 1 impact player.

6 – PHILADELPHIA (from Miami)

DeMarvin Leal DL

TEXAS A&M • JR • 6’4″ / 290 LBS

Originally a defensive end, Leal, at 6-foot-4, 290, has the versatility and athleticism to play up and down the line, and that versatility would be welcome in Philly, where the Eagles’ defense has been a bottom-third-in-the-league unit, according to Football Outsiders.

7 – WASHINGTON

Matt Corral QB

OLE MISS • JR • 6’2″ / 205 LBS

Ryan Fitzpatrick is hurt and Taylor Heinicke has struggled with consistency. Corral has been both spectacular and tough this season for Ole Miss, most recently on Saturday night against Auburn. He has the tools to be a Josh Allen-type quarterback but he’s still incredibly raw and will likely need some time to grow into the starting role at the next level.

8 – PHILADELPHIA

Andrew Booth Jr. CB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’0″ / 200 LBS

The Eagles are on track for three first-rounders, and if they don’t package some (or all) of those picks for a QB, addressing the defense would be smart. Booth could end up being one of the best cornerbacks to come out of Clemson in recent years, and he’s proven that at points during the ’21 season.

9 – NY GIANTS (from Chicago) 

Kenyon Green OL

TEXAS A&M • JR • 6’4″ / 325 LBS

We love Tyler Linderbaum here — and we’ve had him going to the Giants in this spot in recent weeks — but New York has several needs along the offensive line, and Green, who lined up at left guard last season and has played every offensive position during his career, would bring both nastiness and versatility to NYC.

10 – NY JETS (from Seattle)

Ikem Ekwonu OT

NC STATE • SOPH • 6’4″ / 320 LBS

Ekwonu is a monster, and more importantly, beefs up a Jets offensive line that has struggled to protect Zach Wilson. Ekwonu lines up at left tackle for the Wolfpack, and while some people think his future may be inside, he could be dominant on the outside in the NFL, too. Wherever he lines up, he’ll be the favorite to lead the NFL in pancake blocks.

11 – DENVER

Carson Strong QB

NEVADA • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS

Carson Strong is our QB1 but with one pretty big asterisk: His draft status is all going to come down to the medicals on a knee injury he suffered in high school, which is why we have Matt Corral going ahead of him in this mock draft. That said, Strong is the most consistent QB in this draft class and the Broncos need to upgrade the position, either through free agency or trade, or the draft.

12 – CAROLINA

Tyler Linderbaum OL

IOWA • JR • 6’3″ / 290 LBS

Quarterback makes all the sense in the world here, especially now that the Panthers appear to be out of the running for Deshaun Watson. But again, if Corral and Strong are already off the board, Carolina will have to reach for a passer here. Instead, they bolster the offensive line. Linderbaum is one of the best O-linemen in the country, and while going 12th overall might seem high for a center, a) Linderbaum is that good, b) the Panthers can move on from 32-year-old Matt Paradis after the season.

13 – ATLANTA

Kaiir Elam CB

FLORIDA • JR • 6’2″ / 196 LBS

A.J. Terrell and Isaiah Oliver have been solid in coverage this year but Oliver has battled injuries and he’s also in the final year of his deal. Elam has the size (6-foot-2, 190) and athleticism to be one of the best draft-eligible corners in ’21.

14 – NEW ENGLAND

Garrett Wilson WR

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’0″ / 192 LBS

Same as last week, mostly because while the Pats have needs along the O-line and the secondary, they also need to give Mac Jones a legit downfield threat, something this offense has lacked for years. Wilson and Chris Olave both have been unstoppable for Ohio State and those traits will transfer to the next level.

15 – PITTSBURGH

Charles Cross OL

MISSISSIPPI STATE • SOPH • 6’5″ / 310 LBS

The Steelers, like a lot of teams, really, really need a QB. And we’ve had them taking Corral and Strong in previous mock drafts. But with both players gone, Pittsburgh upgrades the offensive line, which has improved over the first half of the season but could use a stud on the outside, and Cross has that kind of potential.

16 – PHILADELPHIA (from Indianapolis)

Nakobe Dean LB

GEORGIA • JR • 6’0″ / 225 LBS

Dean plays with the type of urgency and physicality that has been lacking at times in the middle of this Eagles defense. And while Dean’s playing on the best defense in the country, don’t be fooled — he’s not riding on the coattails of a dominant defensive line — he’s been a huge reason for its success.

17 – MIAMI (from San Francisco)

George Karlaftis DE

PURDUE • JR • 6’4″ / 275 LBS

Tua could use some playmakers, sure, but this Dolphins defense has been surprisingly bad and upgrading the D-line wouldn’t be a bad move here. Karlaftis, who reminds us of AJ Epenesa, has flashed this season for Purdue. And while injuries and the pandemic saw him play limited snaps in ’20, he was nearly impossible to stop in ’19 when he recorded 17 TFLs and had 7.5 sacks.

18 – MINNESOTA

Roger McCreary CB

AUBURN • SR • 6’0″ / 190 LBS

The team has already parted ways with 2020 first-rounder Jeff Gladney, and Patrick Peterson is on a one-year deal. Wide receiver could also be an option here but stockpiling defensive backs is never a bad strategy, and McCreary, who has gotten better each year against some of the best WRs in the country, is having a great season for the Tigers.

19 – LAS VEGAS

Jaxson Kirkland OL

WASHINGTON • JR • 6’7″ / 310 LBS

Rookie first-rounder Alex Leatherwood has been moved to guard (in part, due to injuries) and should the move be permanent, the Raiders could use a tackle and Kirkland’s athleticism makes him an interesting middle-of-the-first-round option for teams looking to improve up front.

20 – NEW ORLEANS

Chris Olave WR

OHIO STATE • SR • 6’1″ / 188 LBS

The Saints’ passing offense hasn’t been nearly as explosive without Drew Brees and Michael Thomas. The good news is that Thomas will return at some point, though, and the Jameis Winston injury adds another wrinkle. But if New Orleans passes on a QB here, targeting a savvy, big-play wideout would be logical and Olave fits that description.

21 – CINCINNATI

Jordan Davis DL

GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’6″ / 330 LBS

Think about this: The Bengals don’t have a ton of needs! And while DJ Reader has been one of Cincy’s best players, Larry Ogunjobi is in the final year of his deal, and more importantly, Davis has consistently been a one-man wrecking crew for Georgia.

22 – CLEVELAND

Drake London WR

USC • JR • 6’5″ / 210 LBS

London, who was one of the few bright spots in a disappointing USC season before going down with a season-ending ankle injury, isn’t going to run a 4.3 but he’s a high-point-catch machine who can take over games. In Cleveland, Odell Beckham still doesn’t look to be fully recovered from a knee injury and who knows what his future will be with the team. Jarvis Landry is still a go-to target, but after that, only second-year player Donovan Peoples-Jones and rookie Anthony Schwartz are under contract.

23 – LA CHARGERS

Kingsley Enagbare LB

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’4″ / 260 LBS

Joey Bosa has been his usual dominating self but he could use a bookend edge rusher now that Melvin Ingram is in Pittsburgh. Enagbare is a twitched-up athlete who flashes every week, and will only get better with more reps and added muscle.

24 – TENNESSEE

Devin Lloyd LB

UTAH • JR • 6’3″ / 235 LBS

The Titans’ defense has been better in ’21 but there’s still room for improvement, especially in the middle of the unit. Lloyd is a twitchy, sideline-to-sideline player who fits the mold of off-ball linebackers we’ve seen coming into the league the last 7-8 years.

25- KANSAS CITY

Trent McDuffie DB

WASHINGTON • SOPH • 5’11” / 195 LBS

Even though McDuffie plays cornerback, we get Tyrann Mathieu vibes when we watch him. We love him as a slot corner who serves as an enforcer in run support and locks down short and intermediate routes, though he has been balling out on the outside for the Huskies this season.

26 – DALLAS

Treylon Burks WR

ARKANSAS • JR • 6’3″ / 225 LBS

The defense really has been a pleasant surprise — in part because Dallas stocked up on that side of the ball in the ’21 draft — which is why the team targets wide receiver here (also worth noting: Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson could be free agents in the spring).

27 – BALTIMORE

Ahmad Gardner CB

CINCINNATI • JR • 6’2″ / 188 LBS

Jameson Williams had just 15 receptions in his previous two seasons though he averaged more than 17.5 yards per catch. That was when he was still at Ohio State, where he had to leave to get more playing time. Now at Alabama, and in a post-DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle world, Williams has been way better than advertised — to the point that it’s hard to wrap your brain around the idea that he had to transfer (to ‘Bama!) to get playing time. But through eight games, Williams has 35 catches and six touchdowns, all while averaging a whopping 20.3 yards per reception. We think Aaron Rodgers can work with that.

28 – ARIZONA

Darian Kinnard OT

KENTUCKY • SR • 6’5″ / 345 LBS

Darian Kinnard is a mauler who plays with an edge and he can wreak havoc as both a run and pass blocker. He may have to kick inside at the next level but his ability to open holes in the running game make him an immediate asset for this Cardinals offense.

29 – GREEN BAY

Jameson Williams WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’2″ / 189 LBS

Jameson Williams had just 15 receptions in his previous two seasons though he averaged more than 17.5 yards per catch. That was when he was still at Ohio State, where he had to leave to get more playing time. Now at Alabama, and in a post-DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle world, Williams has been way better than advertised — to the point that it’s hard to wrap your brain around the idea that he had to transfer (to ‘Bama!) to get playing time. But through eight games, Williams has 35 catches and six touchdowns, all while averaging a whopping 20.3 yards per reception. We think Aaron Rodgers can work with that.

30 – DETROIT (from LA Rams)

Malik Willis QB

LIBERTY • JR • 6’1″ / 195 LBS

This is the first time all fall Willis has made an appearance in our mock draft. So what changes? It’s mostly due to the end-of-week expectations. Specifically, if he balls out against Ole Miss on Saturday he will have made a good case for why he deserves to be in the first-round conversation. If he’s something less than that, or if Matt Corral (assuming he’s healthy) clearly outplays him, then those questions will remain. And for us, that means a likely Day 2 grade. But don’t misunderstand: We like a lot about Willis’ game, and the toughest part of the evaluation is projecting what type of player he’ll be in 2-3 years. But right now, he hasn’t done enough to merit going early in Round 1.

31 – BUFFALO

Derion Kendrick DB

GEORGIA • SR • 6’0″ / 190 LBS

The Bills have the NFL’s best defense, according to the advanced stats, but there isn’t much depth behind Tre White and Taron Johnson. Kendrick is a first-round pick all day long, and he’s proven that again this season with Georgia after transferring from Clemson. The biggest issue for NFL teams will be off-field issues; if Kendrick has matured since his time with the Tigers, he’ll be worthy of a top 32 selection all day long.

32 – TAMPA BAY

Justyn Ross WR

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 205 LBS

WR isn’t a huge need but Antonio Brown is on a one-year deal and the Bucs will have to make a decision on Chris Godwin, whom they franchised last offseason. Ross, meanwhile, missed the 2020 season because of a neck injury but he was on track to be a first-round pick. He’s showed glimpses this season of what makes him special — consistently winning at the top of the route, reliable hands, and his ability to high-point throws over defenders helpless to do much about it — on an offense that has sputtered without Trevor Lawrence.