NFL News

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Chicago Bears

Counting Moore, acquired from Carolina when the Bears traded down from first to ninth in the draft order, Chicago added players with $70 million in combined annual salary, most in the league. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Moore, guard Nate Davis, defensive end DeMarcus Walker and linebacker T.J. Edwards accounted for most of that.

“The Bears are interesting because people are like, ‘Do they really have to go all-in on off-ball linebackers?'” an exec said. “But in (Matt) Eberflus’ system, those guys are pretty critical. The good thing is, they have a plan. They had a ton of money. There wasn’t a top-heavy free agency class with a lot of big-money guys you are dying to get. Adding D.J. Moore is better than any receiver you are going to get in free agency.”

Chicago made the trade with Carolina earlier on the calendar than most similar trades are made. GM Ryan Poles indicated a deal with Houston for the second pick fell through. Had Chicago pulled off that trade, the team might have been able to double dip, moving down again. Waiting around in attempt to maximize value would have frozen some of the Bears’ plans for free agency, however.



“You can only put your focus and energy into so many parts of the roster when that type of deal is not done yet,” an exec said.

The Bears must feel good about addressing their offensive and defensive lines in the draft. Chicago holds the ninth pick, plus extra picks in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh rounds.

“If I’m a Bears fan, I’m still really pissed that we lost the 32nd pick in the draft for Chase Claypool,” another exec said, referencing the trade Chicago made with Pittsburgh during last season. “How bad does that move look now that you had to include D.J. Moore in the No. 1 pick trade?”


Cincinnati Bengals

At best, new left tackle Orlando Brown gives the Bengals a durable power upgrade for their running game and for protecting quarterback Joe Burrow from bull-rushing defensive ends, at a price that was lower than might have been expected.

“To me, it shows the effort of Cincinnati being willing to invest dollars in protecting their quarterback, and I’m good with them doing that,” an exec said. “At the same time, I’m hoping they have done their research, just from the standpoint that there’s a reason he is on his third team in four seasons.”

The Ravens and Chiefs were not willing to meet Browns’ salary expectations. The Bengals made Brown the NFL’s 10th-highest-paid left tackle on a deal for $16 million per year, well off the league-leading $25 million average Laremy Tunsil commanded from Houston.

“Problem is, I think (Brown) is a right tackle,” another exec said. “I think he played his best football in Baltimore’s system because he was protected. In terms of being a true blue-chip left tackle, I don’t see it. But he could look better in Cincy because Burrow gets the ball out faster than (Patrick) Mahomes.”

Burrow’s average time to throw last season was 2.4 seconds, compared to 2.7 for Mahomes.

“They are more gap-duo in their running game now after being more of a wide zone team, so he fits them more,” another exec said, “It doesn’t really bother Burrow when the tackle loses the edge. He can avoid that. It’s when the tackle gets collapsed back into him that there is no way to escape. Orlando Brown can cover his guy up.”


Cleveland Browns

Why would the Browns pay what execs universally called a premium price for defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson ($14.3 million APY)? Cleveland was desperate for run-stopping help and low on draft capital after acquiring Deshaun Watson.

“I think they paid the Cleveland tax, a cost of doing business when you are not an attractive destination,” an exec said. “You are not paying for third-down value with Dalvin, but you look at the picks Cleveland has left, it is hard to find a defensive tackle in this year’s draft, so I can understand why they did it, especially in that division.”

Defense and special teams were two areas Cleveland had to upgrade. Adding Tomlinson, safety Juan Thornhill and defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo addressed the defense. Reuniting former Bears and Colts linebacker Matthew Adams with new special-teams coach Bubba Ventrone addressed special teams.

Acquiring third-year receiver Elijah Moore from the Jets also stood out.

“I love Cleveland, back-to-back years with Elijah and Amari Cooper, getting premium positions, taking advantage of situations where they were able to get them at a discount,” another exec said. “If Deshaun can get back to what he was in Houston, that is a sneaky, dangerous team.”


Dallas Cowboys

Adding receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore by trade went over well even though both are well-traveled and Gilmore turns 33 in September.

“You always worry about aging corners, but because of his instincts and smarts and staying on top of routes and using his hands to reroute guys off the line of scrimmage, I thought he was a huge get for the Cowboys,” an exec said.

Cooks, who turns 30 in September, has been traded four times.

“He can still take the top off and he has been productive as a 1, so if teams choose to bracket CeeDee (Lamb) and roll coverage to CeeDee, Cooks is a player that can be pretty dangerous for them,” another exec said.

Re-upping with Tony Pollard at the expense of Ezekiel Elliott was logical, if painful. Losing tight end Dalton Schultz wasn’t the plan, but Schultz overestimated his value, taking less from Houston than Dallas had offered previously.

“Pollard makes the offense go; we saw that in the playoffs,” the first exec said. “They had to keep him. Schultz, I can’t believe what he turned down. Some of these guys want to hit the market so bad. With Cooks and Gilmore, Dallas got better for sure.”

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Denver Broncos

The Broncos made Mike McGlinchey the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid right tackle. They made Zach Allen the 10th-highest-paid defensive end. They made Ben Powers the 10th-highest-paid guard. Jacksonville implemented a similar approach last offseason and won its bets. There is risk.

“They are doing a lot of what the Saints do, getting the biggest names in free agency,” an exec said. “The top guys in the market, but not top guys at their positions in the league overall. Ben Powers is a good example.”

Execs marveled at the nearly $16 million average per year for Allen, a player teams liked, but not necessarily that much.

“We liked Zach and would have been interested in the $10 million range,” one of these execs said. “Then we heard he had something north of $13 million and then he signed for $15 million and it is, ‘OK, that is crazy.’ He has durability issues, too.”

Investing at tackle, guard, backup quarterback (Jarrett Stidham), running back (Samaje Perine), tight end (Chris Manhertz) and even fullback (Michael Burton) sent a message.

“Denver was going to let Russ cook, but now here comes 21 personnel,” another exec said. “All they need is Taysom Hill to take him out of short yardage. Big picture, they are trying to be physical. Their moves told you they are going to limit exposure to Russell.”


Detroit Lions

The Lions signed three starting defensive backs in cornerback Cam Sutton, safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley after ranking 30th in EPA allowed per pass play last season.

“Sutton and Moseley are solid vets, but I’m not in love with either of them,” an exec said. “Gardner-Johnson is a playmaker. Adding a ballhawk to a team that has one of the most diverse offenses and should be playing with a lead, I can understand what they are thinking. They want a ballhawk like Chauncey to close out games.”

Gardner-Johnson tied for the NFL lead in interceptions last season with six.

The signings at corner raise the possibility Detroit could trade 2020 third overall pick Jeff Okudah. However, Moseley is coming off a torn ACL and might need to proceed with caution. Another Lions defensive back, safety Tracy Walker, will be returning from a torn Achilles.

“If you are Detroit, you are excited Aaron Rodgers is leaving the division, and you are not exactly afraid of Minnesota or Chicago,” another exec said. “The NFC being so weak at quarterback is the best thing for Detroit. Does that make them a real contender? When they re-sign guys on defense like (Alex) Anzalone and (John) Cominsky, it’s a lot of the same people coming back. It’s not like they are bringing in upper-echelon pieces.”

Holding extra picks in the first and second rounds puts Detroit in position to land more of those.

“They are in a great spot,” the first exec said, “and they are getting a fully healthy (2022 first-round receiver) Jameson Williams.”


Green Bay Packers

The Aaron Rodgers fatigue is real. It feels tiresome to assign blame. Perhaps it was just time to move on.

“It was so bad and distasteful with Rodgers that anything is better,” one exec said. “It’s like divorce. It doesn’t matter. ‘Get me the hell out of here.’ That said, they have no idea what world they are walking into.”

That world is one the Packers have not inhabited since acquiring Brett Favre from Atlanta in 1992. Since that date, it’s been three decades of largely Tier 1 quarterback play.

“I look at it as no different than Tom Brady leaving New England,” another exec said. “I didn’t see the slippage with Brady, and I don’t see it with Rodgers. I see a Tier 1 quarterback changing teams, and if you look at recent history, it has been Peyton Manning with Denver, Tom Brady with Tampa, even Matt Stafford with the Rams — pretty good.”

Rodgers is coming off one of his worst seasons, however.

“I saw him coming back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter against Chicago (last season),” this exec countered. “That is not going to happen with Jordan Love as the quarterback. Just not how it works.”

As for the Rodgers trade itself, a deal still has not fallen into place. Meanwhile, the team has lost veterans Allen Lazard, Jarran Reed, Dean Lowry and Robert Tonyan in free agency, without adding replacements for them.

“The longer you wait, the more compensation you are going to have to ask for,” an exec said of the Packers. “If you wait until after the draft, unless you are talking about a player acquisition, you don’t have enough capital to make your roster better.”

Houston Texans

GM Nick Caserio won positive reviews last offseason for maximizing Deshaun Watson’s value. This year, the Texans’ many mid- and lower-tier signings in free agency failed to generate excitement. The team also traded top receiver Brandin Cooks.

“They load up on special-teamers, depth guys, and there is a pattern of similar type moves,” an exec said. “I’m not sure how they get better. Hopefully, with DeMeco (Ryans) changing the defense, they get better.”

Signing tight end Dalton Schultz from Dallas on a one-year deal for $9 million could be criticized in a year when tight ends appear plentiful in the draft. But as Houston likely prepares to pick a quarterback with the second pick, having a fully developed tight end could be advantageous.

“If you look at some of these tight ends, like Evan Engram, for example, they needed time,” an evaluator said. “Teams drafting quarterbacks are getting better at saying, ‘OK, what is the next step to give him the most possible success?’ Carolina is taking a quarterback, so they get a tight end in Hayden Hurst. Same for Houston with Schultz.”

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Indianapolis Colts

Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger. That is the Colts’ quarterback depth chart more than two weeks into free agency, with no indications Indy has any plans for Lamar Jackson.

“The Colts make sense (for Jackson) because they are picking so high (fourth) in the draft and the Ravens could think, ‘We can get a younger guy on a rookie contract,'” an exec said, “but if you are Baltimore and the contract is not terrible, why mess around? You know what you have.”

If the Ravens would be comfortable picking a quarterback with the fourth pick, why wouldn’t the Colts be comfortable doing so as well, without meeting Jackson’s contract expectations, and without trading a first-rounder next year as well?

“You have to think they are line for Anthony Richardson or who knows?” another exec said. “Maybe the owner thinks they are tanking this year, going the Minshew route, and then will be near the top of the order next year.”

With C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young likely off the board when Indy picks, would the Colts feel comfortable taking Richardson or Will Levis that early?

“Isn’t that why you get Shane Steichen, to work with a good athlete who has some tools?” a third exec said. “Shane has called it, and he has won with different quarterbacks and different young quarterbacks. With Justin Herbert as a rookie, Jalen Hurts in his second year and then he has done it with Philip Rivers. I could see Indy liking Will Levis, and I think there is so much pressure on them to take a quarterback, they have to at this point.”


Jacksonville Jaguars

Last offseason, the Jaguars went on a spending spree to land receiver Christian Kirk ($18 million APY), guard Brandon Scherff ($16.5 million), linebacker Foyesade Oluokun ($15 million), cornerback Darious Williams ($10 million), defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi ($10 million), tight end Evan Engram ($9 million) and receiver Zay Jones ($8 million).

The moves were criticized as overpays, but the Jaguars did not regret them. Their team improved significantly.

“They did a really good job, and I think just based on the way they are set up, they are set up better than anybody in that division right now,” an exec said.

This offseason, the Jaguars have made no significant signings in free agency, while losing tackle Jawaan Taylor, pass-rusher Arden Key and tight end Chris Manhertz. Jacksonville is behaving more like a playoff team.

“Their move that does not show on paper is the Calvin Ridley acquisition,” another exec said. “He is a better acquisition than any receiver in free agency. I would have been high-fiving if we had gotten him. I don’t know how that went down, but it was definitely very quiet and for what they had to give up to get him, I thought that was a helluva move.”



Kansas City Chiefs

There was some thought last offseason that Kansas City might restructure Patrick Mahomes’ contract to create salary-cap flexibility. The team traded top receiver Tyreek Hill instead in a move one exec called “legacy defining” after the Chiefs improved on offense and won the Super Bowl.

There was nothing as dramatic for the Chiefs in free agency this offseason, but there were significant changes.

“I give them credit for not (franchise) tagging Orlando Brown and not spending dollars on him,” an exec said, “because he was probably the weakest link on their line last year. It seems like they figured out as long as you protect Mahomes, nothing else matters. It is probably true.”

Out are Brown and fellow tackle Andrew Wylie, receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman, defensive linemen Frank Clark, Khalen Saunders and Carlos Dunlap, plus safety Juan Thornhill.

In are tackle Jawaan Taylor, defensive end Charles Omenihu, linebacker Drue Tranquill and safety Mike Edwards.

The Chiefs did tap into Mahomes’ contract, creating nearly $10 million in cap space with an accounting move affecting a $35 million bonus.

“They are in great shape, especially when you look at the rest of their division,” another exec said, comparing the Mahomes-era AFC West to the Brady-era AFC East.

The Mahomes-era Chiefs’ AFC West opponents have won 47.5 percent of non-division games, nearly matching the 47.4 percent rate for the Brady-era Patriots’ AFC East opponents.

“I think Denver is loading up in terms of they are going to be given every opportunity to improve,” another exec said, “but between the Chargers and Vegas, it can get ugly. If they are not competitive the first half of the season, those are potential in-season moves.”

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Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers sounded thrilled to add linebacker Eric Kendricks from the Vikings even if it meant losing Drue Tranquill to the Chiefs. Should they sound that way?

“It’s Groundhog Day,” one exec said. “Eric Kendricks is three years older than Drue Tranquill and has a lot more mileage on him. If Kendricks misses five games in his age-31 season, are we going to hear about more bad injury luck for the Chargers?”

Kendricks played in every game for the Vikings last season. He is reunited in Los Angeles with new Chargers linebackers coach Jeff Howard, who was a defensive assistant in Minnesota for Kendricks’ first five seasons, including when Kendricks earned Pro Bowl honors in 2019.

The fit should be good for a team that is desperate to realize short-term results, especially on defense, where the team ranks 28th in EPA over the past two seasons.

“With the Justin Herbert extension looming, this is their window before they are going to have to bet on some younger players and bet on their quarterback to elevate the performance of a lesser supporting cast,” another exec said.

Even with Herbert still on his rookie deal, the Chargers found themselves scrambling to comply with the salary cap. The restructured contracts for Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to such an extent that each has a 2024 cap figure higher than $30 million.

“It is hard to imagine a team being that leveraged when they are probably the fifth- or sixth-best team in the conference, they haven’t won a playoff game in four years and they just lost to the Jags,” an exec said.


Los Angeles Rams

The Rams felt their offseason diverged sufficiently to send a letter to season-ticket holders explaining how “we always knew that there would be a time when we would have to pull back on our typical approach to help continue our sustained run of success.”

Indeed, the Rams traded top corner Jalen Ramsey and lost a long list of free agents, including kicker Matt Gay, safety Nick Scott, backup quarterback Baker Mayfield, defensive lineman Greg Gaines, safety Taylor Rapp, guard David Edwards and others. They added tight end Hunter Long as part of the deal sending Ramsey to the Dolphins for a third-round pick.

“In my head, I was like, ‘How did Carolina not trade Brian Burns to the Rams for two ones and a two last season?'” an exec said of a proposal the Panthers rejected. “Now, the Rams are pivoting, probably thinking, ‘Good thing we didn’t do that.’ They are kind of in rebuild mode.”

While Carolina turned down the offer for Burns, the Rams in October were outbid for another Panthers star when San Francisco landed running back Christian McCaffrey. With a possible nod to this development, the letter to Rams season-ticket holders suggested other teams had copied the Los Angeles’ aggressive trading of draft picks for established players, making it harder for the Rams to compete in the market.

“Apparently, they invented using draft capital to trade for veteran players,” an exec from another team said. “Nobody was doing that before they started doing it.”

Nobody was doing it as aggressively, but for now, the Rams have gone quiet. Their defense is diminished. They will bank on Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp.

“I think Sean McVay gets back to his roots and stops being a drop-back team and a gun team and gets back to under center and doing your boot/naked movement and your mid and wide zones, your speed sweeps,” another exec said. “They can still be fairly formidable on the offensive side of the football. That will have to carry them.”


Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders have pointed to new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s leadership and winning history as the reasons they pursued him. But Garoppolo is coming from a 49ers franchise that ranked ninth in combined EPA on defense/special teams during his time with San Francisco to a Raiders team that has ranked 32nd over that span.

“It will be interesting to see how they protect Jimmy, because it won’t be outside zone and play-actions off of it, which protected him in San Francisco,” an exec said.

Las Vegas was so eager to unload Derek Carr, the team did so without getting anything in return for him. That is striking when one considers the Colts got two third-round picks for Carson Wentz last offseason even though owner Jim Irsay was openly contemptuous of him.

“The Raiders have been building for so long, tearing it down with each new regime,” an exec said. “This is a team that had Derek Carr and Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. Jon Gruden came in and wanted his guys. Josh McDaniels came in and wants his guys. Maybe they should have a coach who can work with the guys they’ve got. Now, Darren Waller is gone, too.”

The Raiders viewed Waller’s trade to the Giants for a third-round pick as a deal that cleared salary for newly signed receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers played under McDaniels in New England. So did Garoppolo. So did another newly added receiver in Phillip Dorsett.

“They want familiarity, but they have downgraded in every way,” another exec said.


Miami Dolphins

There’s no mystery behind what the Dolphins are attempting after trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and, to a lesser extent, signing linebacker David Long. They are loading up to win the AFC East and possibly more despite lingering questions about starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s long-term availability.

“I like what they have done,” an exec said. “You can tell there are directives from the owner of being all-in, or at least that is what it looks like. It almost feels like it is this year or bust. They see the window — can you make something happen this year?”

Getting insurance for Tagovailoa in ascending former Jets backup Mike White made sense.

“I like Long, I like Ramsey with (new defensive coordinator) Vic Fangio and I like Mike White,” an exec said. “Yeah, they are going for it. You got Ramsey and Xavien Howard going against Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill in practice. Those will be some good one-on-one periods. I like that they are staying aggressive, going for it with a quarterback on a rookie deal. I have no issues with what they are doing.”


Minnesota Vikings

Marcus Davenport’s signing to a one-year, $13 million contract was an intriguing addition.

The former Saints first-round draft choice has played in 63 of 82 games with 32 starts, 21.5 sacks and a healthy 14 percent pressure rate. Other first-round picks fitting a similar profile for weight, games played/started and sacks through five seasons include: Dante Fowler, Lawrence Jackson, Shaq Lawson, Nick Perry, Brandon Graham and Mathias Kiwanuka. Those players averaged 4.2 sacks in their sixth season.

Za’Darius Smith, the player Davenport is presumably replacing in Minnesota, outproduced Davenport last season in snaps (735 to 454), pressures (78 to 34), sacks (10.0 to 0.5) and pressure rate (16.7 percent to 13.3 percent). Davenport, 26, is four years younger. He played almost exclusively on the right side of the Saints’ defense.

“Davenport can be very disruptive,” an exec said. “There’s some thought that where the other guy in New Orleans (Cam Jordan) lined up might have affected opportunities for Davenport, preventing him from moving around as much. I’m anxious to see if this change does him good.”

This is a roster in transition. Kirk Cousins’ restructured contract makes him easier to move on from in the future. Running back Alexander Mattison’s re-signing could signal the end for Dalvin Cook. Adam Thielen, Patrick Peterson and Eric Kendricks are among the Vikings older than 30 who have signed elsewhere. There could be six new starters on defense, including newly signed cornerback Byron Murphy.

“They sold the fan base on being competitive while they rebuild, and they were 13-4 last season with a home playoff game, but they were more of a 9-8 or 8-9 type team, and point differential will tell you that,” an exec said. “My concern is, the GM is in his second year on the job, and he is in cap purgatory. They did move on from some veterans on defense, so maybe that is the rebuild.”


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New England Patriots

New England made modest targeted strikes for pass-catching help (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mike Gesicki) and offensive linemen (Riley Reiff among them) while re-signing cornerback Jonathan Jones, but it’s clear the Patriots are not counting on free agency to get back to the playoffs.

“What they are telling you is that they are perfectly comfortable with their defense and they feel like their new offensive coordinator (Bill O’Brien) is a big free agency signing,” an exec said. “I just think Bill (Belichick) looks at this team and his defense was good enough last year to be a deep playoff team. The quarterback took a step back, and now they have a new offensive coordinator who is going to make a difference.”

As for the biggest remaining concern? It could be on special teams, where New England has fallen off significantly.

“Overall, New England is kind of interesting, swapping out Jakobi Meyers for JuJu, swapping out Jonnu Smith for Gesicki,” another exec said. “I guess those are kind of a wash. I like Gesicki for what Mac Jones does. Good ball placement, put it on the top shelf for him, let him go get it. He will be more of a playmaker and red zone threat than Jonnu was.”


New Orleans Saints

Quarterback Derek Carr comes to the Saints from Las Vegas after the Raiders ranked 32nd in combined EPA (expected points added) on defense and special teams during his nine-year run there, a leading reason Carr won only 44 percent of his starts with the team.

Carr’s arrival in New Orleans coincides with a defensive exodus from the Saints. Marcus Davenport, David Onyemata, Kaden Elliss and Shy Tuttle left for deals totaling $38 million in average annual compensation. Defensive additions Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, Lonnie Johnson and Johnathan Abram combined to command about 30 percent of that value.

How far will the Saints fall on defense after ranking 15th in combined EPA on defense and special teams last season?

“They are banking on being an offensive team and Dennis Allen finding a way to make the defense hang in there,” an exec whose team faced the Saints last season said. “They are still formidable, don’t get me wrong, but at some point you need a reset, and I don’t know if acquiring Derek Carr is part of that. What is your goal? To be a championship club? I’d be surprised by that.”

Winning the NFC South? That seems doable.

“I’ll be honest, I think the Saints are going to be good,” an exec from a division rival said. “Offensively, with Carr dumping it off to (Alvin) Kamara, that is going to be a nightmare. Adding Jamaal Williams to go with Kamara gives them their (Mark) Ingram. You have (Chris) Olave in his second year, and Michael Thomas, depending on his health.”

As for the defense?

“You still have (Cam) Jordan, Demario Davis, (Marshon) Lattimore and Dennis Allen’s scheme,” this exec said. “I like Onyemata, but their major guys at each level are coming back.”


New York Giants

The Giants have done so much right under their new leadership over the past year. Signing quarterback Daniel Jones to an extension worth $40 million per year, tied for the seventh-highest figure in the league at the position, was the first major move inviting pushback.

“They would have been better off doing a bad deal with Saquon Barkley and (franchise) tagging Jones rather than the other way around,” an exec said. “Who was going to step out and pay Daniel Jones? That one was wild.”

Heading into free agency, some in the league stressed that Jones needed the Giants, specifically head coach Brian Daboll and coordinator Mike Kafka, more than the other way around. But so much depends on the evaluation of Jones, whom the Giants like more than some others do.

“That is surprising that they didn’t try to squeeze (Jones) a little bit, but the new regime just got there and won with him,” another exec said. “They probably want to continue to instill confidence in him. They overpaid Eli (Manning) in the past. That could just be a position they don’t want to mess around with and get too cute with.”

The additions of Darren Waller and linebacker Bobby Okereke were well-received.

“Okereke is a smart veteran, reliable, durable, you know what you are going to get, he is not going to get you beat,” an exec said.


New York Jets

We know the Jets will almost certainly be adding Aaron Rodgers. We do not yet know the terms or the timing. What else is there?

Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman are in as new receivers. Elijah Moore, Braxton Berrios and Jeff Smith are out. The defensive line lost Sheldon Rankins and Nathan Shepherd. The interior offensive line saw some shuffling.

Did we mention Rodgers might be on the way any month now?

“Rodgers is not as good as he was, but he will bring life to that place,” another exec said. “The first year, the honeymoon year, is going to be fine. It won’t blow up the first year. It will be better. There will be a freshness, which will go a long way. They have some pretty good skill guys.”

The Jets are banking on Rodgers delivering more than freshness.

“If they don’t trade for him this year and they went with Zach Wilson or Jimmy Garoppolo and did not make the playoffs, what happens to the GM and the head coach?” a third exec asked. “They are getting a Tier 1 quarterback, and they are saving their jobs as a result of it, even though they have done moderately well in drafting and even the trade they made for Jamal Adams. They’ve done some good things. Zach Wilson and Mekhi Becton are the big misses.”


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Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have sounded eager to extend quarterback Jalen Hurts’ contract. In the meantime, they re-signed key contributors James Bradberry, Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox while parting with players who signed elsewhere for more than $70 million in combined APY. That’s about seven times the value of players Philly signed from the outside.

“You can’t have the highest-paid guys at every position group,” an exec said. “When you have success, you tend to lose guys.”

Gone from the Eagles: defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, tackle Andre Dillard, safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, guard Isaac Seumalo, linebacker T.J. Edwards, running back Miles Sanders, safety Marcus Epps, linebacker Kyzir White, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew and receiver Zach Pascal.

“There is some concern when you lose your ‘Mike’ linebacker, because he’s your green dot, he’s your communicator, and T.J. Edwards is a smart player, but they drafted the kid from Georgia (Nakobe Dean), so they were prepared for that,” another exec said. “Their offense drives them, and I think they will be fine. They have an extra first-round pick. And I think Hurts will do a Mahomes-type deal with good structure for the team. He seems to get it.”


Pittsburgh Steelers

For the second time in as many offseasons under GM Omar Khan, the Steelers signed five outside free agents to deals worth at least $3.5 million per year: guard Isaac Seumalo ($8 million), linebacker Cole Holcomb ($6 million), cornerback Patrick Peterson ($7 million), guard Nate Herbig ($4 million) and linebacker Elandon Roberts ($3.5 million)

“That is five (potential) starters, which is big for them, and they also re-signed (Larry) Ogunjobi to a pretty big deal,” an exec said.

Adding two guards raised questions about the future of 2022 offseason addition James Daniels, who is scheduled to earn $8.25 million in salary. Daniels could remain at right guard with Seumalo at left guard and Herbig as a swing player. Some wondered if Daniels could be traded or released. Could center be his best position?

“It seemed like they were just plugging holes cheap so they can draft the guys they want,” another exec said, noting that the players Pittsburgh signed seemed to be one-for-one replacements for players they let go. “They have made no mistakes. They have been very safe, which is the M.O. of their franchise as a whole.”


San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers waved goodbye to their former starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, and filled most of his salary slot with the highest-priced defensive lineman in free agency, Javon Hargrave. It was on brand for a San Francisco team that remains in its Super Bowl window despite uncertainty at quarterback.

“What they have continually done is keep a strength a strength,” an exec said of the 49ers’ defensive line. “They are at an advantage because of what Kyle Shanahan can do with their offense and their offensive line. Then they say, ‘We are going to build our defensive line and everything else behind it, we can back-fill because we are just going to play coverage and get pressure with four.'”

Prioritizing Hargrave came after the 49ers failed to sufficiently replace DeForest Buckner. The signing comes as members of the defensive line rotation, notably Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu, found deals worth $8 million per year elsewhere. If newcomer Clelin Ferrell suddenly flourishes in San Francisco, the cycle might continue.

“Ebukam and Omenihu, you are going to find out whether those guys were good at all or just products of that defense,” another exec said. “Those are the kinds of guys you improve, recycle and move on from when you are in the 49ers’ current cycle. They know their formula. It is just whether they can get over the hump.”

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Seattle Seahawks

Re-signing Geno Smith without overextending was the priority entering a draft in which the Seahawks hold the fifth pick and might not see a quarterback worth selecting that early. The three-year, $75 million deal for Smith seemed to strike a balance.

“The Geno deal is really smart, very fair, because it is a year-to-year option on a player who played well for you over a single season, and who you respect, but might not be the long-term answer,” an exec said. “Dre’Mont Jones was a good signing. What they did was pretty good.”

The linebacker situation remains unsettled. Bringing back Bobby Wagner could provide a boost in the locker room and direction on the field while Jordyn Brooks and Jamal Adams rehab from injuries. A one-year, $3.5 million deal for Devin Bush matches the contract terms linebacker Cody Barton got from Washington after beginning his career in Seattle.

“Devin Bush is a better fit for Seattle than he was in Pittsburgh,” another exec said. “He is not a 30 linebacker. He is more of a search-and-flow guy.”



Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Timing can be everything, and in the Buccaneers’ case, the timing is interesting. They’ve got a roster in need of a reset, millions in dead money counting against their salary cap and a second-year coach who might need to win sooner than later. And they play in an NFC South division that might be as wide open as any in the NFL.

“They could have been more aggressive in restarting it, but I thought the deals they did were all smart,” an exec said.

Baker Mayfield and Greg Gaines were the most expensive additions in free agency. Keeping cornerback Jamel Dean on a four-year, $52 million extension was a plus. Bringing back franchise icon Lavonte David on a one-year deal surely felt good.

“They probably wanted to tear it down more, but the division is in flux, and they need to make their head coach feel like he has a shot,” the exec said.


Tennessee Titans

The Titans are an interesting team in transition under a new GM. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry are scheduled to earn $37.5 million this season amid questions about how long one or both will remain.

“They are a team that could be gearing up to build a stadium at some point, and are paying off their former GM, they went to (Kevin) Byard for a pay cut, and they just strike me as a team that is taking a little break paying guys,” an exec said. “If they moved on from Tannehill and Henry, they could really do it. But if you go another year, that is fine.”

Coach Mike Vrabel and GM Ran Carthon have committed to Tannehill publicly without committing to him unconditionally.

“They are a team that needs to be thinking similar to Minnesota when it comes to what the future looks like at quarterback,” another exec said. “Tannehill, multiple injuries, probably not going to give him an extension after this season. Where are they going at that position? The whole offense has been run-oriented, and they might trade the runner.”

The Titans hold the 11th pick in the draft.

“It would be interesting if they moved up for a quarterback, if one started to fall,” another exec said. “Depending how much tread Derrick Henry still has, pairing him with Anthony Richardson would be really, really intriguing if Tennessee wanted to go all-in on the run game.”

Building around a 29-year-old, high-volume running back and a developmental quarterback seems unlikely.

“Henry is a perfect trade-deadline candidate,” another exec said. “That is probably when you get the most value for him.”


Washington Commanders

Coach Ron Rivera has a 22-27-1 record in his first three seasons with the Commanders, but with owner Daniel Snyder reportedly close to selling the team, Washington proceeded in free agency without urgency.

“It looks like a group that was trying to do the best they could to compete a little bit, but knew they didn’t have the resources or the backing to do much more,” an exec said.

Defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne’s four-year, $90 million extension was significant, but the additions from the outside were measured: two lower-priced starting offensive linemen, Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates, a veteran quarterback in Jacoby Brissett and a part-time starting linebacker in Cody Barton.

“It was like they said, ‘Derek Carr, Jimmy G … our owner wasn’t going to give us the budget, and none of those guys were maybe worth it anyway,'” the exec said. “Sam Howell gives them some excitement around the team, an unknown, but beyond re-signing Payne, it looks like the rest is treading water, waiting for a new owner.”

Gates could stabilize the center position, where the team had four starters last season. Ideally, he and Wylie add toughness to a line that hasn’t had an identity, and the Commanders would finally get a full season from their opening-week quarterback.



Mike Sando joined The Athletic in 2019 as an NFL senior writer after 12 years with ESPN. He is a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an officer for the Pro Football Writers of America and has covered every non-pandemic Super Bowl since the 1998 season. Follow Mike on Twitter @SandoNFL

[Futureshock]

Former 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne convicted of rape in third trial

Posted by Mike Florio on April 4, 2023, 6:29 AM EDT

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Former 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne, an Australian rugby star who spent a season in the NFL before deciding to return to his primary sport due to the complexities of pro football, has been convicted of rape after a third trial on the same charges.

It wasn’t the rape allegation made against Hayne for an incident that occurred during his time in California. It arose from an assault that occurred in 2018.

In 2017, Hayne was sued for rape in Santa Clara, California, for an alleged incident during 2015, his lone season in the NFL. Prosecutors had decided in 2016 there was insufficient to charge him criminally.

In 2018, Hayne allegedly attacked a woman in her home in Newcastle, Australia after attending a bachelor party.

The first trial, in 2020, resulted in a hung jury. The second trial ended in a conviction. The verdict was overturned after Hayne spent nine months in prison.

He has now been convicted again.

Hayne had left the Australian Rugby League at the height of his career, for a shot at the NFL. He appeared in eight games with one start, gaining 52 yards on 17 carries and catching six passes for 27 yards. He also returned eight punts for 76 yards.

Hayne has vowed to appeal the latest guilty verdict.

[Futureshock]

Brian Daboll not satisfied after Giants “got smoked in the playoffs”

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 4, 2023, 4:26 AM EDT

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Brian Daboll was the coach of the year in 2022 after his Giants entered the season viewed as one of the worst teams in the league and ended up in the divisional round of the playoffs. But Daboll isn’t satisfied.

The Giants’ season ended with a 38-7 loss to the Eagles in the playoffs. And that’s what Daboll is focused on.

When a reporter prefaced a question to Daboll by listing the Giants’ 2022 accomplishments, Daboll interrupted and said, “Yeah, got smoked in the playoffs,” according to the New York Daily News.

Daboll wants his players focusing on what they need to improve, not resting on their laurels.

“We have a long way to go in terms of time, and we have a long way to go in terms of improvement,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re starting at ground zero, because they know our system. There’s a lot of things they know more than they did last year. But in terms of where we’re at and the things we gotta do, we got a long climb ahead of us.”

That’s the right attitude for a coach who exceeded expectations in 2022 but has now given himself great expectations in 2023.

[Futureshock]

LSU-Iowa women’s NCAA championship draws bigger audience than average Thursday night NFL game in 2022

Posted by Mike Florio on April 3, 2023, 9:48 PM EDT

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Women’s college basketball has had its moment. And it was a big one.

Sunday’s national championship game between LSU and Iowa, capped by an overblown taunting controversy that made the Twitter legacy account holders interrupt their collective blue-check evaporation vigil, drew an audience of 9.9 million on Sunday. It helped that the game was televised by ABC. Regardless, 9.9 million is a massive live audience for a sport that many insist no one cares about.

It’s more than the average audience of 9.6 million generated by Amazon’s Thursday Night Football in 2022. And, yes, there’s a difference between ABC and Amazon. But that highlights the league office’s current obsession with making Amazon’s package more attractive. That may be the only way to boost the streaming numbers toward a three-letter broadcast audience.

The league knew that the time was coming to pivot to streaming. And $1 billion per year from Amazon goes a long way toward prompting the league to tolerate lower numbers than the package would have gotten on a traditional network.

Still, these numbers help explain why Commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to ram Thursday night flexing through, even though Giants co-owner John Mara has publicly called it “abusive” to fans. And it is.

Hopefully, the league will come up with other ways to boost Amazon viewership. Of maybe the league just needs to accept that it’s going to take plenty of time for non-traditional TV to catch traditional TV. If it ever does.

[Futureshock]

Dalvin Cook “on his way to 100 percent recovery” from shoulder surgery

Posted by Charean Williams on April 3, 2023, 3:12 PM EDT

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Vikings running back Dalvin Cook underwent shoulder surgery on Feb. 14.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media provided an update on Cook’s rehab Monday and reports that the four-time Pro Bowler’s “shoulder is much more stable than it had been and he is on his way to 100 percent recovery.”

Cook has a history of shoulder issues dating to college, and the operation was to repair an injury to the shoulder from 2019. Cook also appeared on injury reports with a shoulder injury in 2021 and 2022.

He still appeared in every game for the Vikings in 2022, rushing for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season. It was his fourth consecutive season with at least 1,100 rushing yards.

Cook is signed through 2025 and is set to make a base salary of $10.4 million with a cap hit of $14.1 million in 2023.

[Futureshock]

Kenny Pickett: I’m expecting a big jump in Year Two

Posted by Josh Alper on April 3, 2023, 1:31 PM EDT

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Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said last week that he’s excited about how much he believes quarterback Kenny Pickett can grow in his second season with the team and Pickett didn’t take much time off before getting to work on doing that growth.

Pickett said that he took about a week off after the end of the Steelers season and then resumed training because he felt he “wasn’t acting myself” without it. He worked out with teammates last month to get a jump start on the offseason program and continue the progress he felt he made over the course of his rookie season.

“The biggest growth for me was mentally,” Pickett said, via the team’s website. “Just understanding of the system. It comes with reps. You want that fast. You can study on paper, you can study in the film room, but sometimes you really just need to go through some things and see it with your own eyes and then watch yourself go through it on tape. I felt like my growth mentally, when I’m out there processing things faster, week by week I saw growth. That’s always a real positive thing. Now I just want to keep growing there. . . . There are so many things I’m going to go through here in this offseason in order for me to take that big jump in Year Two, which I’m expecting myself to do. There were so many new things coming in this year that you can’t even put into this one interview that you’re going through as a rookie quarterback in the NFL. I just got so much more comfortable from the first day I walked in here to the last day of the season. It’s like night and day. I felt like I’ve been here for two or three years versus one season, how much time I’ve been around everybody. So having that groundwork, that base, the work in the offseason. I’m really excited.”

There’s plenty of excitement about Pickett in Pittsburgh after his rookie season and anything less than the kind of jump that Pickett projects for himself will likely be viewed as a disappointing development for the AFC North club.

[Cody_Russell]

Raiders going full-on Patriots West… signed Brian Hoyer as a backup QB and hired Danny Amendola as an assistant coach today.

What’s next? Matt Patricia? Build a hill next to the practice field…

AFC West is an intriguing division when it comes to entertainment value for what it’s worth.

[Futureshock]

Raiders going full-on Patriots West… signed Brian Hoyer as a backup QB and hired Danny Amendola as an assistant coach today.

What’s next? Matt Patricia? Build a hill next to the practice field…

AFC West is an intriguing division when it comes to entertainment value for what it’s worth.

[Futureshock]

He needs to go UNDER the jail...

Former first-rounder Darron Lee is arrested for assaulting his mother and mother of his child

Posted by Mike Florio on April 4, 2023, 3:05 PM EDT

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Darron Lee, a first-round pick of the Jets in 2016, has been arrested for allegedly assaulting his mother and the mother of his child.

Via TMZ.com, the mother of Lee’s two-year-old son called police on Monday to explain that Lee had attacked his mother, Candice Lee. Lindsey McGlone later told police that Darron Lee had attacked her in October 2022.

Candice Lee was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Darron Lee faces two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence and two counts of misdemeanor assault. As of Tuesday morning, he was still in jail.

A former Ohio State standout, Darron Lee spent three years with the Jets (2016-18), one with the Chiefs (2019), and one with the Bills (2020). After signing with the Raiders in 2021, he landed on injured reserve in August of that year, was released several days later, and has been out of football since then.

He appeared in 58 regular-season games, with 38 starts.