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It is time, once again, for another one of our SB Nation Reacts surveys, where we ask the readers of the internet’s leading Minnesota Vikings community their opinion on a question concerning our favorite football team.

We’re getting ever closer to the start of this year’s training camp, and we’re wondering who is going to lead the team in some of the big statistical categories this year. We’re going to start on the defensive side of the ball with the sack totals. We’re wondering who you think is going to get to the quarterback the most frequently in 2026 for the purple.

The four names that we have listed were the top four players on the roster in that category last season. Dallas Turner led the way for the Vikings in 2025 with eight quarterback sacks, Andrew Van Ginkel was right behind him with seven (despite missing five games over the course of the season), Eric Wilson picked up 6.5 sacks, and Jalen Redmond burst onto the scene in his second season with the Vikings with six sacks. Will one of those guys lead the Vikings in that category this season, or is there a dark horse candidate that we’re not picking up on that will surprise us?

As always, we invite you to make your voice heard by casting a vote in our poll, as well as sounding off in the comments section below.

Have at it, everybody! We’ll have the results of this week’s poll for you sometime over the weekend.

As the Miami Dolphins enter another season under a new regime and navigate significant roster changes, there is a palpable sense of uncertainty surrounding the team. Like many of you, however, I am eager to see how the squad performs once the regular season begins. Miami faces a challenging road ahead, as the team is still in a rebuilding phase and must contend with both the second-most difficult schedule in the NFL and the highest travel mileage of any team playing exclusively domestic games this season. Below is the 2026-2027 Miami Dolphins NFL schedule:

Week 1 (Sept. 13): at Las Vegas Raiders (4:25 PM, FOX)
Week 2 (Sept. 20): at San Francisco 49ers (4:25 PM, FOX)
Week 3 (Sept. 27): vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 PM, CBS)
Week 4 (Oct. 4): at Minnesota Vikings (4:05 PM, FOX)
Week 5 (Oct. 11): vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1:00 PM, FOX)
Week 6 (Oct. 18): BYE WEEK
Week 7 (Oct. 25): at New York Jets (1:00 PM, CBS)
Week 8 (Nov. 1): vs. New England Patriots (4:25 PM, CBS)
Week 9 (Nov. 8): vs. Detroit Lions (1:00 PM, FOX)
Week 10 (Nov. 15): at Indianapolis Colts (1:00 PM, CBS)
Week 11 (Nov. 22): at Buffalo Bills (1:00 PM, FOX)
Week 12 (Nov. 29): vs. New York Jets (1:00 PM, CBS)
Week 13 (Dec. 6): at Denver Broncos (4:05 PM, FOX)
Week 14 (Dec. 13): vs. Chicago Bears (1:00 PM, CBS)
Week 15 (Dec. 20): at Green Bay Packers (1:00 PM, FOX)
Week 16 (Dec. 27): vs. Los Angeles Chargers (1:00 PM, FOX)
Week 17 (Jan. 3): vs. Buffalo Bills (1:00 PM, CBS)
Week 18 (Jan. 9 or 10): at New England Patriots (Time/TV TBD)

So our Phinsider Question Of The Day is:

Which of the above 2026-2027 Miami Dolphins games are you most looking forward to and why?

Please share your thoughts and answers in the comments section below-

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The Baltimore Ravens are embracing the new in 2026. Save for a few assistants, they have an entirely new coaching staff, led by new playcallers on both sides of the ball in head coach Jesse Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Minter’s scheme is a variation of the one the Ravens have used for years, but Doyle’s offense will look vastly different from Todd Monken’s.

Another offseason change was the signing of All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract, the biggest free agent spend in team history. Not only has Eric DeCosta shied away from such big-money signings in the past, he has especially avoided aggressive pursuits of edge rushers in general. But the aborted Maxx Crosby trade and subsequent Hendrickson addition could be indicative of a new approach from the front office.

There are, of course, several other new players, including early draft picks Vega Ioane and Zion Young, who are expected to add some much-needed physicality in the trenches. But if Baltimore is truly going to make a Super Bowl run in 2026, a few longtime Ravens will need to bounce back from down years in 2025 and re-establish themselves as some of the league’s top players at their respective positions.

That brings us to this week’s Ravens Reacts survey. Which of the players listed below will make the biggest improvements from their relatively disappointing performance last year? Here’s the case for each one:

After a strong 2024 campaign, Mark Andrews posted career-lows of 422 yards, 8.8 yards per reception, and 6.0 yards per target last year. Target competition was hard to blame last year, as Rashod Bateman (next on this list) and Isaiah Likely did not produce much, either. But a weak offensive line affects the entire offense. Lamar Jackson’s injuries and inability to get comfortable behind the line of scrimmage no doubt affected his ability to find his favorite target downfield. But Bears tight end Colston Loveland led the team in receiving last season, so Doyle’s offense could not only bring Andrews back to more efficient play, but elevate him back to his Pro Bowl peak.

Bateman stands to benefit even more from improved offensive line play. During his breakout in 2024, he did most of his damage on deep balls. But Jackson hardly had the time to find his veteran wideout downfield last year, resulting in the lowest output of Bateman’s (just 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns). It seems impossible that he could do any worse this year.

Roquan Smith earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition in 2024 and another Pro Bowl last year, but he has still not been the same force multiplier as he was in 2022 and 2023 under Mike Macdonald. One theory is that Zach Orr, a former linebacker himself, simply put too much on Smith’s plate, and an injured defensive line in front of him didn’t help, either. Jesse Minter got solid linebacker play out of relatively unheralded players in Los Angeles, so incorporating a star like Smith into his scheme could get the 29-year-old linebacker back to his previous level of impact.

And then there’s Marlon Humphrey. For all the Ravens’ defensive struggles in 2024, he was a consistent bright spot and earned his first All-Pro nod since 2019. He allowed just 9.6 yards per completion and 5.8 yards per target, numbers that jumped to 14.4 and 9.3, respectively, in 2025. He was often caught out of position in coverage and did not make his usual impact along the line of scrimmage. But the arrival of Minter, a former secondary coach, and ex-Notre Dame passing game coordinator Mike Mickens could be just what Humphrey needs. Also, more than any other player on this list, he has the biggest financial opportunity this year. He is in the final year of his contract with a vastly bigger cornerback market awaiting him next year. He will not get to the top of the market, but he still stands to make a lot of money with a strong 2026.

All of these players have admitted, in one way or another, that their 2025 performance was not up to their standards. Who will hit the mark this year?

Generally, when a story with scandalous overtones makes its way through the NFL landscape, one of the things that fans of the Minnesota Vikings have a tendency to think is, “Well, at least our team wasn’t involved.”

In the case of what has been one of the bigger stories of this past offseason, it turns out that we just didn’t wait quite long enough to come to that conclusion.

A story surfaced earlier this week that Dianna Russini, the former NFL writer for The Athletic, had used her connections to FaceTime a current NFL coach in order to get herself out of a traffic ticket back in January. Now, I’m not going to rehash everything that led to her becoming the former NFL writer for the Athletic. . .you’ve almost certainly heard the story by now. . .but suffice to say that getting out of a traffic ticket is, at worst, the second-most egregious thing that she’s used those connections for.

As it turns out, however, the coach that she allegedly used her contacts with in order to get out of that traffic ticket was none other than our favorite team’s head coach, Kevin O’Connell. And she didn’t actually FaceTime him, but rather showed the officer that pulled her over a text conversation between her and O’Connell. We’ll get to some of that here in a bit.

The story, per Pro Football Talk, goes that Russini was breaking the story about the Buffalo Bills firing coach Sean McDermott and spending a lot of time on her phone while she was driving. She then tells the officer that she was talking to former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who she said was interested in the job.

Russini then asks if the officer is a fan of the Giants or the Jets, to which the officer replies that he is neither and that he is, “unfortunately”. . .his words. . .a fan of the Vikings. At that point, Russini shows the officer her text messages with O’Connell.

And then, just for fun, I guess, she decides to throw in, “their quarterback sucks.”

I can understand Russini not being a J.J. McCarthy fan. After all, McCarthy and his girlfriend/fiancee have been together and faithful to each other since they were in high school, so Russini hating him absolutely tracks. But I digress.

After that, the officer goes back to his vehicle and, upon returning to Russini’s vehicle, lets her know that he’s just going to let her off with a warning.

Now, while this does nothing to dissuade anyone from the notion that Russini’s ethics are somewhere between “lacking” and “non-existent,” it does make you wonder whether or not there’s a connection between some of her past reporting on the Vikings and her now-obvious connection to coach O’Connell.

As both Adam Patrick of the Viking Age and our friend Thor Nystrom have speculated, Russini was heavily reporting that the Vikings were pursuing Aaron Rodgers last season, a move that was reportedly vetoed by then-GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. When Adofo-Mensah was fired in January, Russini was the first to report that he had taken paternity leave and, after receiving backlash, walked it back a bit, pointing out that the Vikings had been supportive of that leave. Could Kevin O’Connell have told her that the Vikings gave him the go-ahead to take that leave of absence?

Moreover, could this potentially put any sort of strain on the relationship between O’Connell and McCarthy? O’Connell has said that the quarterback competition is an open and free one, but in light of all of this, could this perhaps leave a different impression? After all, if it was O’Connell who was, potentially, pushing for a more (allegedly) “viable” veteran option at quarterback last offseason, what does it say that there’s now one in camp this season?

All I know is that this team absolutely, positively did not need to be dragged into this garbage right now. But, dragged into it they have been, and now, hopefully, it won’t have any noticeable effect on them going forward as they prepare for the start of training camp in less than a month.

It is Day 75 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

It’s Day 75 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff and we revisit one of the most ridiculous, chaotic, and unforgettable Cowboys games of the modern era. The Cowboys trailed 20-0 after the first quarter, 29-10 at halftime, and 39-24 with under five minutes to play. Yet somehow, in Mike McCarthy’s first home game as Dallas head coach, the Cowboys still found a way to beat the Falcons. 

Sunday, September 20, 2020 — 1:00 p.m. ET

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 40, Atlanta Falcons 39

The start of the game could hardly have been worse. Dallas fumbled repeatedly in the first quarter, botched a fake punt, and gave Atlanta short fields over and over. Matt Ryan hit Calvin Ridley for a touchdown after a Prescott fumble, Ryan then found Hayden Hurst for another score after an Ezekiel Elliott fumble. Two Younghoe Koo field goals later, the Cowboys were staring at a 20-point deficit before the first quarter ended. This was a nightmare start. 

Dallas finally settled down in the second quarter. Elliott powered in from one yard out for the Cowboys’ first touchdown, and Greg Zuerlein added a 33-yard field goal. But Atlanta kept answering, including another Ryan-to-Ridley touchdown and a late Koo field goal, sending the Falcons into halftime up 29-10. At that point, the comeback felt out of reach.  

Dak Prescott changed that in the second half. He opened the third quarter with a rushing touchdown, then scored again on a quarterback sneak after a spectacular Amari Cooper catch helped set up Dallas near the goal line. Atlanta still pushed the lead back out, but the Cowboys kept coming. Prescott hit Dalton Schultz for a 10-yard touchdown, then later ran in his third rushing score of the game to cut the deficit to 39-37.  

Then came the play that gave the game its name. Zuerlein lined up for an onside kick and rolled the ball sideways with no tee, letting it slowly spin across the turf like a weird little watermelon. The Watermelon Kick got its title. Atlanta’s players surrounded it but did not dive on it before it reached 10 yards. Once it crossed the line, C.J. Goodwin pounced at the Dallas 46-yard line, giving the Cowboys life with 1:49 remaining.  

Prescott needed only one more key throw. He found rookie CeeDee Lamb for 24 yards to push Dallas into field-goal range, and Zuerlein finished the madness with a 46-yard kick and ended the game immediately. The Cowboys had their first win of the season, McCarthy had his first home win in Dallas, and the Falcons had somehow lost a game they had controlled almost all afternoon.  

This game belongs on the countdown because it is impossible to explain without sounding like you are exaggerating. Four early turnovers, a 20-0 hole, a 15-point deficit with less than five minutes left, a never-before-seen onside watermelon kick, and a walk-off field goal. It was not clean football, but it was pure Cowboys chaos, the kind of game that instantly becomes shorthand for an entire era.

Interesting Facts About the Game

Dak Prescott became the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 400 yards and rush for three touchdowns in the same game. 

Countdown To Kickoff by day:

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76

The New Orleans Saints have an interesting schedule this season facing the entire NFC and AFC North as well as the New York Giants. They will play 9 home games, one of which will be in Paris, France, the 1st NFL game in history played at the Stade de France.

Unfortunately, they will be on the road for their season opener in Detroit, followed by another road game for Week 2 in Baltimore, before finally getting to play at home in the Caesars Superdome in Week 3 against the Raiders. After two back-to-back games away from New Orleans, fans will be itching to see the Saints back home in New Orleans.

So, in this week’s reacts poll, we are asking readers which Saints home game are they most looking forward to this season? Vote in the link below and let us know your thoughts.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Saints fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s been well-documented that the Las Vegas Raiders had arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL last season. Addressing the trenches was one of the front office’s biggest priorities this offseason, adding Tyler Linderbaum to the roster in free agency by making him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in the league from a dollars per year standpoint, with a three-year, $81 million contract.

That should give the Raiders’ offensive line as a whole a big boost, but it’s only one of five positions on the unit. That begs the question of whether it’s enough to keep up with the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West?

1. Broncos

Projected Starters: LT Garett Bolles, LG Ben Powers, C Luke Wattenberg, RG Quinn Meinerz, RT Mike McGlinchey

There’s no debate on which team has the best offensive line in the division heading into the season. Denver’s group ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ pass blocking efficiency rating (89.5) last season, and four out of five starters earned PFF run blocking grades of 74 or better. Seeing as every starter–plus sixth-man Alex Palczeski, who made 10 starts in 2025–returns this season, it’s an easy choice for the topic unit in the AFC West.

Plus, it helps that Bolles and Meinerz were first-team All-Pros a year ago.

2. Chargers

Projected Starters: LT Rashawn Slater, LG Jake Slaughter (R), C Tyler Biadasz, RG Cole Strange, RT Joe Alt

To be clear, there’s a steep drop-off from the Broncos’ offensive line to the Chargers’.

While Los Angeles’ line was bad last year, a lot of that is tied to losing Rashawn Slater to a season-ending injury in training camp and Joe Alt playing in just six games. There aren’t many teams that can survive missing both starting offensive tackles for more than half the season, and the injuries forced Jim Harbaugh and Co. to shuffle up the trenches.

Los Angeles heads into 2026 with Slater and Alt expected to return, and three new starters at the interior spots. Biadasz is undoubtedly an upgrade over Bradley Bozeman, with the former Washington Commander posting a 70.7 PFF grade last season compared to the latter’s 51.5. The two guard spots are very much in question, though, bringing the Chargers’ o-line down a peg heading into the fall.

3. Chiefs

Projected Starters: LT Josh Simmons, LG Kingsley Suamataia, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, RT Jaylon Moore

It wasn’t easy picking between Los Angeles and Kansas City. Primarily because Humphrey is the best center in the league, and Smith is very good at his position, too. However, the difference is that the Chiefs have big question marks at offensive tackle.

Simmons was good in pass-protection as a rookie, but that was on a small sample size of just seven games, and he had issues as a run blocker. On the right side, Moore is expected to replace Jawaan Taylor, which could be an addition by subtraction. However, Moore has primarily been a backup throughout his career, making just eight starts in five seasons. On top of that, Suamataia showed significant improvement in his second season at guard, but a 64.9 PFF grade is nothing to hang your hat on.

In other words, outside of the two studs, the Chiefs have a lot of question marks in the trenches heading into the season.

4. Raiders

Projected Starters: LT Kolton Miller, LG Spencer Burford, C Tyler Linderbaum, RG Jackson Powers-Johnson, RT DJ Glaze

What’s killing the Raiders’ ranking heading into the season is that Miller and Linderbaum are the only proven linemen, and the other three jobs are up for grabs in training camp. Burford, Powers-Johnson and Glaze all could easily be swapped out with Caleb Rogers, Jordan Meredith, Trey Zuhn III or Charles Grant by the time Week 1 rolls around.

Also, outside of Burford, there isn’t much starting experience among the five contenders. Plus, 29 of the former San Francisco 49er’s 38 career starts came during his first and second NFL seasons before he was moved to backup duties in 2024 and 2025. His other nine starts all came last year and were due to Ben Bartch and Connor Colby suffering injuries.

With so much ambiguity and how last season played out, it’s hard to move the Silver and Black up the list at this stage.

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The Seattle Seahawks took a pass rush by committee approach to their Super Bowl winning 2025 season. There was no singularly dominant edge rusher, while the top interior defensive linemen both got their share of quarterback sacks. Last year’s sack leaders were a three-way tie among Uchenna Nwosu, Leonard Williams, and Byron Murphy II, all of whom had seven. DeMarcus Lawrence was not too far behind with six. Does anyone know who was next highest? You guessed it: Drake Thomas with 3.5.

Seattle’s pass rush is largely the same this year, except Boye Mafe is gone and Dante Fowler Jr is in. We’re expecting a breakout year for the recently extended Derick Hall, but we’ve seen with Hall that pressures haven’t always led to high sack volume.

This week’s survey question is your prediction for which Seahawks will top the sack charts. “Tie” is not an option because that’s just boring, but “Other” is up to your imagination. Maybe we should’ve included Drake Thomas, Ernest Jones IV, Nick Emmanwori, or Devon Witherspoon in the mix.

Vote in the survey below!

Check back at the end of this holiday weekend for the survey results!

One of the most frustrating parts of the late Bill Belichick era was the New England Patriots’ uncharacteristic inconsistency on special teams. The addition of coordinator Jeremy Springer under Belichick’s successor, Jerod Mayo, was a step in the right direction (and one of Mayo’s best decisions).

But while Springer does deserve plenty of credit, he is not the only one responsible for the recent turnaround. The group’s on-field leader is as well, and he continues to set the tone in the kicking game entering 2026.

Hard facts

Name: Brenden Schooler

Position: Safety/Special teamer

Jersey number: 41

Opening day age: 29 (5/30/1997)

Measurements: 6’1 5/8”, 210 lbs, 8 1/2” hand size, 32 1/2” arm length, 78 7/8” wingspan, 4.43s 40-yard dash, 6.71s 3-cone drill, 4.10s short shuttle, 37 1/2” vertical jump, 10’8” broad jump, 16 bench press reps, 9.76 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

NFL: New England Patriots (2022-) | College: Oregon (2016-19), Arizona (2020), Texas (2020-21)

A South California native, Schooler repeatedly changed high schools before his senior year at Mission Viejo, CA. In 2016, he joined the University of Oregon as a two-star wide receiver recruit and went on to spend four seasons with the Ducks. Playing on both sides of the ball as well as on special teams, he appeared in 41 games.

Schooler entered the transfer portal in 2020 and committed to Arizona to team up with his brother Colin, but he left the school a short time later when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Pac-12 season. He moved to Texas, where he spent the final two seasons of his college career — the first one as a wideout, the second as a defensive back.

When Schooler made the move to the NFL in 2022, he did so with a combined 62 games and 31 starts on his résumé. He also had intercepted four passes, forced a fumble and caught 42 passes for 488 yards with four touchdowns.

Despite his versatility, experience and being recognized as a first-team All-Pac-12 special teamer twice (2017, 2018), Schooler did not hear his name called in the 2022 draft. He arrived in New England as a free agent shortly thereafter and quickly made a name for himself as an understudy to Matthew Slater, one of the greatest special teamers in pro football history.

Despite his lack of draft pedigree, he was thus able to become a core special teams presence for the Patriots. Nothing has changed ever since other than Schooler eventually succeeding Slater as the leader in the room and a team captain. In total, he has played 1,531 special teams snaps over his 70 NFL games while leading the team with 56 tackles and a pair of blocks since his arrival. In 2024, he signed a three-year, $9 million contract extension and was both named first-team All-Pro and voted to his first Pro Bowl that very same year.

Scouting report

Strengths: As a size-speed athlete, Schooler is the total package. Standing at just under 6-foot-2 and weighing 210 pounds, he provides impressive length and reach as well as an an excellent athletic skillset. He is a strong linear athlete but also offers the burst and short-area quickness needed to fight his way downfield in kick coverage situations; Schooler is very good at shedding blocking attempts both due to his footwork and active hands at the point of attack.

His get-off and straight-line foot speed allow Schooler to more often than not be the first man to find his way to the returner, and to either make the tackle or disrupt any return lanes. In general, he is an able tackler with a proper wrap-up technique and advanced vision as well as a natural feel for attack angles; he can take down opposing returners even when approaching them at full speed and from the boundary.

Schooler furthermore has been praised for his leadership within the Patriots’ special teams operation. A high-energy presence whenever on the field — and he has been on the field a lot since joining the club — his tone-setting abilities extend from game day to practice.

Weaknesses: Schooler is a rather one-dimensional player entering his fifth season as a pro, with his special teams contributions much more consistent than any role he carved out on defense starting in 2024. His play on that particular side of the ball remains a work in progress, and he still has to build confidence as a coverage defender in both man and zone calls. He also has been a relative non-factor versus the run so far in his relatively short career as a safety rather than a special teamer only.

As for the kicking game itself, he has had some penalty issues. In 2025 alone, Schooler was flagged four times and ranked second on the team behind Carlton Davis in yards lost through penalties (55). He furthermore has had a fairly high missed tackle rate for most of his career.

2025 review

Stats: 20 games (0 starts) | 41 defensive snaps (3.2%), 416 special teams snaps (75.9%) | 5 tackles, 1 missed tackle (16.7%) | 3 targets, 2 catches surrendered (66.7%), 6 yards | 20 special teams tackles, 6 missed tackles (23.1%) | 4 penalties (incl. 0 declined/offsetting)

Season recap: A Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro in 2024, Schooler add another honor to his list of career accomplishments in 2025: for the first time since joining the Patriots, the special teams ace was voted a captain by his peers. The decision further reflected his status as the emotional leader of the club’s kicking game units, and as the spiritual heir to long time captain Matthew Slater.

Schooler’s performance on the field looked the part as well. A regular member of five of New England’s special teams groups, he finished the year with 416 snaps, tying Dell Pettus for the team lead despite missing one game (Week 13 vs. Giants) with an ankle injury.

As they had throughout his career, the Patriots used him in a multi-faceted fashion. Schooler lined up all over the place on the kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt return crews, for example. He furthermore served on the field goal and extra point blocking units, and was one of the gunners on the punt coverage team.

In his defensive roles, Schooler registered a team-high 20 tackles between the regular season and playoffs. He was credited with six missed tackles, although it needs to be pointed out that a) missed tackles on special teams are oftentimes not quite as dramatic as they can be on defense, and b) he still caused disruption even when not being able to finish some plays; he typically was among the first players to arrive at a returner.

While Schooler again performed at a high level on special teams, his defensive impact was less pronounced than it had been in 2024. A majority of his 41 defensive snaps came in two games, the Patriots’ late-season blowout wins over the Jets (26) and Dolphins (10). He did register five tackles overall on that side of the ball, but had a relatively quiet season as a defender.

On the whole, however, Schooler can be quite happy about how his 2025 season went — even though it ended in a Super Bowl loss and without any individual league honors.

2026 preview

Position: Multiple safety/Core special teamer | Ability: Depth player/Role player/Blue-chip special teamer | Contract: Signed through 2027 (2028 UFA)

What will be his role? Schooler has been given some opportunities on defense since 2024, but his main focus heading into the 2026 season will once again be on the kicking game. One of the top special teamers in the game today, he will be used on five units and keep finding himself among the team leaders in snaps as well as tackles. Defensively, meanwhile, he offers depth at both the free and strong safety positions and the ability to take the field as part of select packages.

What is his growth potential? Schooler is already an All-Pro-caliber special teamer whose admittedly marginal room for growth in that area mostly lies with his finishing and generating big plays. On defense, meanwhile, he needs to become more comfortable carrying out assignments that go beyond spying the quarterback or attacking the pocket as a blitzer. If he can do that, he could develop into a regular third or fourth option at the safety position. That said, the Patriots coaching staff seems pleased with the current arrangement of him being a core special teamer and “break glass in case of emergency” defender.

Does he have positional versatility? Schooler has been a versatile player going back to his high school days, but the Patriots have not fully explored this aspect of his profile yet. Based on his track record, therefore, the majority of his flexibility comes from the kicking game, where he can play at a high level on the Core 4 units (kickoff return, kickoff coverage, punt return, punt coverage). His willingness to help on defense is a definitive bonus, though.

What is his salary cap situation? As part of the contract extension he signed with the Patriots in October 2024, Schooler is carrying a cap hit of just under $3 million into 2026. The number consists of a base salary ($2M), signing bonus proration ($475k), roster bonus ($423k LTBE + $26k NLTBE) and workout bonus ($100k), and includes $950,000 in guarantees: his entire signing bonus is guaranteed as are $500,000 of his salary.

How safe is his roster spot? Schooler is one of the top-paid special teamers in the NFL, and for good reason: he is an elite and consistent performer both on and off the field. Accordingly, he is a lock to be on the 53-man roster come the regular season.

Summary: One of the biggest criticisms of the Patriots in the past few years has been the relatively low number of blue-chip players at their disposal. Heading into 2026, however, they have one in every phase of the game: Drake Maye on offense, Christian Gonzalez on defense, and Schooler on special teams. And just like the other two, the kicking game captain is a critical part of New England’s operation.

What do you think about Brenden Schooler heading into the 2026 season? Will he continue to be an elite special teamer? Will his defensive contributions increase again? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.

Brendan Sorsby is putting his football future on hold until 2027.

In a memo to teams obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the NFL confirmed with the NFL Players' Association and Sorsby himself that there will be "no further litigation regarding his entry into the NFL."

"Instead, Mr. Sorsby will focus on his preparation for entry into the League via the 2027 NFL Draft. For purposes of League and CBA rules, Mr. Sorsby will be considered a “Draft-Eligible” player for the 2027 NFL Draft. Mr. Sorsby will not be eligible to sign an NFL Player Contract until the completion of the 2027 NFL Draft," the memo read.

The league does not discipline for currently known prior misconduct, but it retains the right to investigate Sorsby’s conduct beyond what is in the current public filings, and to take past college misconduct into consideration when setting discipline for any future violations.

Sorsby took "100% responsibility" for his actions, he said in a statement released Tuesday. He recently completed an in-patient rehab program for a gambling addiction, and he's admitted to placing thousands of bets, including many on college football, during his collegiate career. "There has been a lot of news about me out there and I want to share this statement to make sure things are clear. I accept 100% responsibility for my actions."

"I did not have control of my gambling problem and it took getting caught for me to realize that, but it was truly the best thing that could've happened to me. Because of this, I have been able [to] get the help I need and fully focus on my recovery," he said in the statement.

"The news about the supplemental draft changes nothing about my recovery journey - I will continue to take it one day at a time. Focusing on making myself better throughout this process and making sure to share what I have learned and will continue to learn with others going forward. I am fully committed to being the best version of myself that I can be while getting ready for the 2027 draft. God makes no mistakes and I look forward to seeing the good that is to come from this."

Sorsby is expected to be able to participate in the pre-draft process for the 2027 NFL Draft as part of the settlement between himself, the NFL and the NFLPA, according to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. That will allow the 22-year-old quarterback to participate in "all non-league events, including the Senior Bowl, pro day and team," among other events.

This story will be updated.

Josh Butler has been waiting a long time to resume his football career. After missing all of 2025 on injured reserve, the cornerback is looking to show a whole new coaching staff that he belongs in the NFL and can help Dallas’ secondary improve this season.

Background

Years in NFL: 3
Acquired by: UDFA (2023)

It’s hard to believe that Butler turns 30 this November, but that’s part of his unorthodox NFL journey. After going undrafted in 2020, the former Michigan State Spartan didn’t catch on with any teams as a free agent. Butler didn’t give up on playing pro football, developing his craft and eventually joining The Spring League in 2021. After that league ended, Butler stuck to his goal and found his way to the Michigan Panthers of the USFL in 2023.

The Cowboys had already shown their interest in USFL talent a year earlier by adding that league’s 2022 offensive MVP, KaVontae Turpin. In 2023, they signed two more guys ahead of training camp: Butler and Brandon Aubrey. Though Butler didn’t immediately earn a roster spot the way Turpin and Aubrey did, he still did enough to stick around on the practice squad. Considering he was already 26-years-old at the time, that was no small compliment.

Butler never got called up that first year, and again started 2024 on the practice team. But he did get into action that November due to injuries. For five games, three of them as a starter, Butler showed promise with solid coverage and good run support. But a torn ACL in Week 13 cut his ride short, and unfortunately, would knock him out for an extended period.

Last year, Butler’s late-season injury kept him out of training camp and on into the season. While there were rumblings that he was ready to return, the Cowboys elected to keep him shelved in what quickly became a lost season. Butler’s contract expired, but it was a formality as Dallas had an inexpensive way to bring him back as an exclusive rights free agent.

Contract Status

Years Left: 1
2026 Cap Hit: $1.08 million

Since he spent all of 2023 on the practice squad, Butler only has two accrued seasons from the last two years. Despite his age, that’s what made him an ERFA last March and allowed Dallas to keep him for the league minimum. If Butler hits fre agency again in 2027, he’ll still be in restricted status.

2026 Projections

Role: Backup CB
Roster Chance: 15%

The fact that Butler is still here eating up a roster spot at 29, even on the cheap, says something. The Cowboys must believe that he has something to offer now, otherwise that spot would be better served on a developmental prospect with youth and upside. But Dallas must believe Butler is a contender for a down-roster role on the CB depth chart.

Barring injuries, it would certainly be down roster. If things go according to projectons, DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel, Cobie Durant, and Devin Moore quickly fill up the top four. The next spot or two will be decided by the likes of Butler, Caelen Carson, Derion Kendrick, Reddy Steward, and other prospects. And with the expectation that safety Caleb Downs will play slot corner in the nickel, that could mean Dallas goes longer at safety and only keep five true corners.

One roster spot that just opened up, compared to past years, is the longtime specialist role held by C.J. Goodwin. Though he was listed as a CB throughout his Cowboys run, Goodwin was never truly part of that room. With his recently-announced retirement, that could help an additional defensive back get to the 53. But there’s a good chance, given Goodwin’s departure, that special teams value will be a key need for anyone who hopes to benefit.

Josh Butler clearly has traits that the front office likes, otherwise he wouldn’t still be here. But will they be enough to beat out much younger DB prospects, and how will Butler even look after such a lengthy absence? Butler’s defied plenty of odds just to get to the NFL and still be it in it today, so count him out now at your own peril.

Check out our previous player profiles from this series:

RB Israel Abanikanda | S Justin Barron | G T.J. Bass | C Cooper Beebe | CB DaRon Bland | G Tyler Booker | S Alijah Clark | OT Ajani Cornelius | RB Malik Davis | DT Tommy Dunn | CB Cobie Durant | OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku | TE Princeton Fant | TE Jake Ferguson | WR Ryan Flournoy | C Matt Hennessy | S Malik Hooker | OLB James Houston | QB Sam Howell | WR Jordan Hudson | LB Shemar James | G Trevor Keegan | CB Derion Kendrick | OLB Isaiah Land | OLB Marist Liufau | S P.J. Locke | FB Hunter Luepke | RB Phil Mafah | QB Joe Milton III | WR Jonathan Mingo | CB Devin Moore | DT Otito Ogbonnia | LB DeMarvion Overshown | TE DJ Rogers | TE Luke Schoonmaker | LS Trent Sieg | WR Anthony Smith | TE Brevyn Spann-Ford | OT Terence Steele | CB Reddy Steward | OT Nate Thomas | S Jalen Thompson | DT Jay Toia | WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling | OLB Tyrus Wheat | RB Javonte Williams | OLB Sam Williams | DT D.J. Withers | S Julius Wood

LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers and will instantly become the top available player in NBA free agency.

James will have no shortage of interest as he prepares to change teams for the first time since he initially signed with the Lakers in 2018.

And that will include suitors from outside of the NBA, as a couple of NFL teams proved with social media posts following news of James' imminent departure.

LEBRON JAMES LANDING SPOTS: Where legend could play after Lakers exit

The running back room was on course to look mostly just like it did last season for the Denver Broncos. That is until the 2026 NFL Draft rolled around and on Day 3 Denver drafted Jonah Coleman. His addition adds great insurance behind JK Dobbins. Dobbins was having a fantastic season before injury and the running game never quite looked the same after he went down. So that begs the question, which of these guys will have the most impact on the offense? Vote below and we’ll be back later this week with the results!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Broncos fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Los Angeles Rams have several important games on the 2026 schedule, several of them involving NFC West foes. Fans know that matchups against the Seahawks and 49ers will be a blast, but there are plenty of exciting games outside of the division as well.

Here is a full ranking of the Rams’ non-divisional games on the upcoming schedule from #11-1:

11.) at Buccaneers (Week 17)

Last season, the Rams crushed the short-handed Buccaneers 34-7 on Sunday Night Football. Tampa Bay is nothing more than a mediocre NFC squad that won’t have the luxury of playing in the league’s weakest division any longer.

Both the Saints and the reigning NFC South champion Panthers figure to improve after promising finishes to the 2025 campaign. Even the Falcons could make some noise and cause a few headaches along the way. The Bucs might again be in playoff contention by the time they play L.A. in 2026, but there’s very little intriguing about them outside of Baker Mayfield’s flashes and wondering why the hell Todd Bowles still has a job.

The only thing I have to say about this one is snore!

10.) vs. Giants (Week 2)

This matchup should be higher. After all, this is John Harbaugh’s first season taking over the G-Men since the Ravens canned him.

However, given that this game is so early in the year, New York will likely not be in tip-top form as they adjust to Harbaugh’s leadership. If this game were played after Week 10, this one would rank much higher on the list.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Giants have the worst odds to win the NFC East at +550. That’s fair, as they’re coming off two straight last place finishes. Harbaugh will eventually right the ship, but making this a Monday Night Football matchup so early in the year should qualify as cruel and unusual punishment for the young G-Men against an experienced Rams squad.

9.) at Commanders (Week 9)

Similar to the Giants game, this one should be higher.

Assuming Jayden Daniels can stay healthy and return to form, Washington will be improved, even if they don’t reach the NFC Championship high from a couple seasons ago. Daniels is one of the most exciting players in the sport, and appears to have a stronger roster around him to help Washington return to relevance.

But the ranking of this game is dependent on whether Daniels stays healthy and doesn’t experience the Robert Griffin III curse.

8.) at Raiders (Week 7)

Part of me wanted to put this one in the top five, but I backed down at the last second.

The reason I was so willing to do so was dependent on whether Fernando Mendoza would be playing at this point in the season. First-year head coach Klint Kubiak seems willing to be smart and take his time with Mendoza, which is smart and very against type for the Raiders. Las Vegas has plenty of other fun players to keep an eye on, including Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty and Maxx Crosby (maybe).

Kirk Cousins and Stafford could still be fun, yet sometimes you want to watch the young gun sling it against the veteran.

7.) vs. Cowboys (Week 15)

If there weren’t more marquee games on L.A.’s schedule, Rams-Cowboys would be near the top.

This has all the makings of a potential shootout, especially if Dallas cannot get its act together on defense, despite solid additions to the unit this offseason. Something had to change in Jerry World, as the offense and defense were largely polar opposites of each other in 2025.

Rams-Cowboys will still be fun, but there are other games on the upcoming slate that deserve more hoopla.

6.) vs. Packers (Week 12)

Rams-Packers on Thanksgiving Eve? Say less!

Green Bay has had Sean McVay’s number under Matt LaFleur. Under LaFleur, the Packers have gone 5-0 against McVay’s Rams, including the playoffs. This is the best year for Los Angeles to change its fortunes against the cheeseheads.

The only reason this game falls outside the top five is due to Micah Parsons’ health. He is expected to miss much of the early half of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in December. Hopefully, he’ll return in time, because it’ll be a blast to see him and Myles Garrett give a pass rushing masterclass.

Talk about a fun appetizer to Thanksgiving.

5.) at Eagles (Week 4)

Do I need to explain this one?

Philly has been a thorn in the Rams’ side under Nick Sirianni, going 0-4 against the Eagles coach with Jalen Hurts under center.

Between giving up 26 unanswered points to lose in Week 3 last season and falling just short in the 2024 Divisional Round, this game truly cannot come soon enough. It’s redemption time.

4.) vs. Chargers (Week 8)

Let the Battle for L.A. commence!

The Chargers are a dark-horse AFC contender who will be hell-bent to prove to the Rams that they aren’t the little brother, even if the room’s not theirs. Jim Harbaugh has gotten the other Los Angeles team off to a solid start in his tenure. The only thing left for them to prove is that they can get over the hump and win a playoff game.

They have the talent to do so, and it could be enough to get them to play at SoFi Stadium in February.

3.) vs. Chiefs (Week 13)

Praise the football gods, this one is later in the season, since Patrick Mahomes will likely be back on the field way before Week 13.

The Rams and Chiefs have faced each other twice since 2018, splitting the series. Kansas City isn’t the sexiest pick following their first losing season under Andy Reid and parting ways with several key veterans — thank you again for Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson! Either way, they remain the class of the AFC, one-year hiatus or not.

This won’t be the classic 54-51 shootout from years ago, yet fans can still enjoy it for what it’ll be: a matchup between two of the NFL’s most successful teams of the last decade.

2.) at Broncos (Week 3)

Denver and Los Angeles nearly met in the Super Bowl in February, and it could happen again this season.

The Broncos are one of the most complete teams in the NFL and are led by an all-timer in Sean Payton. They got even better after trading for Jaylen Waddle during the Dolphins’ fire sale. Waddle provides depth for a receiving core that sorely needed it.

Bo Nix certainly helped Broncos Country move on from Russell Wilson, and his 24 wins since getting drafted in 2024 are two ahead of Stafford.

Broncos Country, let’s … not give you PTSD. Instead, let’s appreciate how fun this one will be.

1.) vs. Bills (Week 5)

You already knew this one had to be at the top.

Watching the last two MVPs going at it will be a treat, especially considering how thrilling their last matchup in 2024 was.

This could very well be a Super Bowl preview. The only complaint is that this game should be later in the season when both teams are deep in the fight for playoff seeding. Although that’s not going to stop anyone from getting the popcorn ready … perhaps with a side of buffalo wings.

We’re in the NFL’s dead zone until training camp begins in late July, which means it’s time for an annual Bleeding Green Nation tradition: checking to see which former Philadelphia Eagles players are still playing in the NFL … and other professional football leagues!

A trivia question for you before you scroll down to see the answer:

• What’s the only team in the NFL without a former Eagles player?

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE – NFL

NFC SOUTH (13)

CAROLINA PANTHERS (6)*

RB AJ Dillon, EDGE Jaelan Phillips, QB Will Grier, QB Kenny Pickett, WR John Metchie III, WR Ainias Smith

ATLANTA FALCONS (5)

WR Olamide Zaccheaus, EDGE Azeez Ojulari, WR Jahan Dotson, S Sydney Brown, CB A.J. Woods

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1)

RB Kenny Gainwell

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1)

RB Audric Estimé

AFC EAST (12)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6)

S Kevin Byard III, WR Mack Hollins, WR A.J. Brown, CB Kindle Vildor, DT Milton Williams, LB Christian Elliss

MIAMI DOLPHINS (4)

EDGE Josh Uche, WR Jalen Reagor, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., OT Gottlieb Ayedze

BUFFALO BILLS (2)

S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, FB Ben VanSumeren

NEW YORK JETS (0)

N/A

NFC NORTH (12)

CHICAGO BEARS(4)*

DT Kentavius Street, LB T.J. Edwards, RB D’Andre Swift, DB Josh Blackwell

GREEN BAY PACKERS(3)

DT Javon Hargrave, OL Darian Kinnard, QB Kyle McCord

MINNESOTA VIKINGS(3)

QB Carson Wentz, LB Eric Wilson, CB Isaiah Rodgers

DETROIT LIONS (2)

CB Avonte Maddox, LB Joe Bachie

AFC NORTH (11)

CINCINNATI BENGALS (4)

QB Joe Flacco, LB Oren Burks, EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, RB Kendall Milton

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3)*

P Cameron Johnston, OT Jack Driscoll, TE Jaheim Bell

CLEVELAND BROWNS (3)

TE Jack Stoll, EDGE Julian Okwara, OT Tyre Phillips

BALTIMORE RAVENS (1)

DB K’Von Wallace

AFC WEST (10)

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(4)

TE Albert Okwuegbunam Jr., LB Nakobe Dean, DT Thomas Booker IV, S Tristin McCollum

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3)

K Cameron Dicker, OG Kayode Awosika, OT Laekin Vakalahi

DENVER BRONCOS (2)

LB Alex Singleton, WR Hakeem Butler

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1)

LS James Winchester

NFC WEST (9)

ARIZONA CARDINALS (4)*

OG Isaac Seumalo, EDGE Josh Sweat, OL Matt Pryor, QB Gardner Minshew II

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3)*

TE Harrison Bryant, CB Josh Jobe, FB Brady Russell

LOS ANGELES RAMS (1)*

C Dylan McMahon

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(1)*

OL Brett Toth

NFC EAST (7)

DALLAS COWBOYS (3)*

QB Sam Howell, OG Trevor Keegan, OL Matt Hennessy (injured reserve)

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3)*

QB Marcus Mariota, S Jeremy Reaves, OG Julian Good-Jones

NEW YORK GIANTS (1)*

WR Xavier Gipson

AFC SOUTH (5)

HOUSTON TEXANS (2)*

CB Tremon Smith, S Reed Blankenship

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1)*

OG Josh Sills

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1)*

QB Nick Mullens

TENNESSEE TITANS (1)*

TE Kylen Granson

UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE – UFL

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (5)

WR Deon Cain, WR Elijah Cooks, CB Mario Goodrich, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, RB Tyrion Davis-Price

DALLAS RENEGADES (4)

S Ajene Harris, WR Greg Ward, WR Deontay Burnett, NT Siaki Ika

COLUMBUS AVIATORS (2)

WR Devin Ross, WR Rashard Davis

HOUSTON GAMBLERS (2)

TE Armani Rogers, CB Kary Vincent Jr.

LOUISVILLE KINGS (2)

OT Chim Okorafor, CB Mekhi Garner

ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (1)

QB Luis Perez

ORLANDO STORM (1)

S Nate Meadors

DC DEFENDERS (1)

LB Brandon Smith

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE – CFL

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (2)

WR KeeSean Johnson, WR Tyrie Cleveland

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (1)

WR Keric Wheatfall

OTTAWA REDBLACKS (1)

QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson

MONTREAL ALOUETTES (1)

WR Austin Watkins

EDMONTON ELKS (1)

OT Brett Boyko

BC LIONS (0)

N/A

CALGARY STAMPEDERS (0)

N/A

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (0)

N/A

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (0)

N/A

ARENA FOOTBALL ONE – AF1

KENTUCKY BARRELS (1)

WR Darius Prince

NOTABLE FREE AGENTS

EDGE Brandon Graham, CB Adoree’ Jackson, EDGE Ogbo Okoronkwo, EDGE Haason Reddick, OG Mekhi Becton, TE Zach Ertz, C Ryan Bates, EDGE Derek Barnett, RB Raheem Mostert, CB Rasul Douglas, WR DeAndre Carter, RB Miles Sanders, S Ugo Amadi, S Terrell Edmunds, CB Jalen Mills, LB Zach Cunningham, LB Devin White, OL Max Scharping, EDGE Janarius Robinson, EDGE Tarron Jackson, TE Tyree Jackson, WR Nelson Agholor

SOME VERY IMPORTANT THOUGHTS

• Trivia question answer: the J-E-T-S are the only NFL team without a former Eagle. In last year’s version of this activity, there were SIX teams that didn’t have a former Bird.
• I put an asterisk (*) next to the 14 teams the Eagles will play this season.
• The AFC North led the NFL in former Eagles players in June 2023. The NFC North led the league in former Eagles players in June 2024. The AFC North, NFC North, and AFC West were all tied for the lead in 2025. Now the NFC South leads in former Eagles players … after finishing second to last in 2025. The Panthers and Falcons are doing the heavy lifting. On a related note, Atlanta notably hired former Eagles executive Ian Cunningham as their general manager earlier this year.
• The AFC East had the fewest Eagles in 2025, which was weird because they usually had a lot. Now they’re one player short of the lead.
• Who’s one obscure player you’d like to have back?
• If the Eagles could reacquire one former Eagles player that’s currently under contract, who would you pick?
• If the Eagles could reacquire one former player who left prior to March 2026 (when the new league year began), who would you pick?

Up next in Silver and Black Pride’s Mendoza Mania series is the only 300-yard performance from Fernando Mendoza’s final College Football season, as the Indiana Hoosiers took down the Michigan State Spartans 38-13 in Week 8.

Statistically, this was the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL draft’s best performance of the season, completing 24 of 28 pass attempts (85.7 percent) for 332 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, one of those incompletions was due to a drop, and he tossed a couple of “big-time” throws to make the outing even more efficient and impressive.

So the negative plays were few and far between in this outing, allowing us to focus on the positives in this breakdown of the new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback’s performance and to dive into how his arm strength stood out in East Lansing, Michigan.

Beyond bombing the ball down the field, one way that Mendoza showed off his arm strength in this game was by putting velocity on his short to intermediate throws to beat coverage.

It’s third and 12 here, and Indiana runs a variation of four verts from a two-by-two formation. The outside receivers run go routes that they can convert into curls, as Elijah Sarratt does at the bottom of the screen, and the slot receivers run seam routes. However, Michigan State plays quarters coverage, which is a good defense for the offense’s play call.

The outside corners have the freedom to play in press coverage or not, since they’re essentially in man coverage, it’s just a matter of what they’re comfortable with. The two above are good examples of that, with the corner at the top playing press against Omar Cooper Jr. and staying in Cooper’s hip, while the corner at the bottom is in off coverage and stays on top of Sarratt to force the curl route.

So, the defense takes away the quarterback’s two one-on-one matchups, forcing him to move onto the slots, where the coverage has a pair of high-low brackets. The two underneath defenders are responsible for covering any short routes from the slot receivers or getting a reroute and passing the wideouts off to the safeties against a deep route, which both execute well on this play.

That leaves a tight window between the second and third levels of the defense for Mendoza to hit to pick up the first down. Also, the timing on the routes is thrown off because of the reroutes, meaning the ball will be a little later than normal or what would be ideal to throw into the window. As a result, it’s going to take a fastball to beat the coverage/safety and move the chains.

Luckily, Mendoza rears back and throws some heat to get the ball to his man before the safety can make a play on it or jar the pass loose with a big hit. Also, the placement of this throw is perfect, away from the defender and right in the receiver’s belly so that he can brace himself for the hit and protect the ball.

While this is only about a 15-yard completion, there’s plenty of arm strength involved in the throw, combined with some accuracy while dialing up the velocity.

This next clip is similar to the last one, but it’s a shorter throw and the timing is perfect.

The Spartans drop into Cover 3, but with a small wrinkle. They run a simulated pressure by blitzing the middle linebacker, but drop the edge defender at the top of the screen into the curl-to-flat area of the zone coverage. That changes the timing of the play for the quarterback, because a typical pass-rusher is dropping into the window he’s trying to throw into, and the passing lane shifts closer to the middle of the field with the linebacker blitzing.

However, Mendoza recognizes what the defense is doing and knows that the window in the middle of the field gets even bigger when the linebacker who stays in coverage (No. 5) widens with the running back’s motion. So, Mendoza stays calm, sees Cooper win on the slant route, and throws with perfect timing by letting the ball go once Cooper passes the edge defender who dropped in coverage.

That, combined with putting some zip on the pass, allows him to maximize the throwing window and beat the coverage for a first down.

Now, let’s combine the two previous clips and dive into an intermediate throw that’s on time and has good velocity to expose a window in the defense’s coverage.

Here, the Hoosiers run a Levels concept on the wide side of the field, where the slot receiver runs a deep or 20-yard dig route while the outside receiver runs an intermediate or 15-yard dig, and the running back releases for the checkdown. Meanwhile, the Spartans are in Cover 6, where they play quarters against the Levels concept.

So, the deep dig route occupies the safety, leaving the corner man-to-man with the outside receiver and no help over the top. But the curl-to-flat (nickelback) and middle hook (MIKE linebacker) defenders can help against a route over the middle, in theory. However, the linebacker steps downhill to pick up the running back on the checkdown, and the nickelback stops getting depth at the first down marker, leaving the corner out to dry.

Mendoza recognizes the big window in the middle of the field and hits the intermediate dig route with great anticipation and timing, starting his throwing motion right before the receiver passes the curl-to-flat defender, and with good velocity to make sure no one can make a play on the ball. That sets up an easy pitch and catch over the middle for a 20-yard gain.

That being said, the deep ball was alive against Michigan State, as we’ll get a look at one of the “big-time” throws mentioned above.

The Spartans are in Cover 6 or a split-field coverage, where the defenders at the bottom of the screen run Cover 2, and the defenders at the top of the screen run quarters. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers run a split-field read, with a Smash concept on the short side of the field and a Mills concept on the wide side.

Cover 2 is the perfect answer for Smash because the safety can take the deep route from the slot receiver (in this instance, it’s a slot fade instead of a corner route) and the corner can sit on the short curl. However, Mills is designed to beat quarters. The crossing route from the slot (in this instance, a basic/over route instead of a standard dig route) occupies the safety, leaving the corner to cover the post with outside leverage and no help over the top.

Watch Mendoza’s eyes/head post-snap. First, he looks at the boundary safety, seeing the safety working for depth and opening his hips toward the sideline to identify Cover 2 and know the Smash concept is taken away. Then, he finds the field/other safety, and recognizes that the defensive back is following the crossing route to execute the quarters coverage.

Now, the quarterback knows he has a favorable matchup with Cooper running a post against a cornerback who has no deep help. So, Mendoza rears back and delivers a dime that is on a line and hits Cooper in stride for a 48-yard touchdown.

We’ll wrap up with another deep shot and a great read to take advantage of a mistake by the defense.

Indiana comes out in 12 personnel and lines up in a three-by-one formation with the running back on the three-receiver side. So, Sarratt is on an island with the cornerback across from him as the single receiver and has a lot of lateral space to operate with the ball in the middle of the field. Meanwhile, Michigan State comes out in a two-high look and runs quarters again.

Typically, when playing quarters against a three-by-one formation, the defense will shift its safeties to favor the three-receiver side or passing strength, especially with the back also on the passing strength, and leave the corner in man coverage against the solo receiver. However, with the two inside receivers being in-line tight ends since the offense is in 12 personnel, it makes sense to stay in a standard two-high look so that the safeties can help against deep routes from the two receivers.

The problem is that the safety at the top of the screen is creeping downhill and is late to get depth post-snap, so he ends up covering nothing but grass. Once Mendoza gets the ball, he eyes that safety and sees the safety isn’t in a position to help the corner, creating a one-on-one opportunity for Sarratt. Granted, the corner has decent coverage, where he doesn’t allow any separation. The ball is just perfectly placed, where the receiver doesn’t have to slow down and can go up and get it in the front of the endzone.

Up next is another dominant performance from the Hoosiers, where Mendoza tossed three touchdown passes against UCLA in the 56-6 win.

After 12 seasons in the NFL and his last eight with the Dallas Cowboys, C.J. Goodwin has decided to hang up his cleats and announced his retirement. Goodwin, 36, was the Cowboys second longest-tenured player behind Dak Prescott.

Since joining the team in 2018 he’s played a total of 108 games, logging 2211 snaps on special teams. He’s been one of Dallas’ most impactful special teams players for nearly a decade and his retirement now leaves a hole that needs to be filled.

Who’s going to step up and fill Goodwin’s role as Dallas’ special teams ace? Do they even have any legitimate options currently on the roster? We believe there are a few players who could potentially step into that role with little to no drop-off in production.

OLB Marist Liufau

Liufau’s standing with the Cowboys currently seems to be somewhat in limbo. He spent his first two years with the organization as an off-ball linebacker, but now is making the position switch to outside LB. Despite that, he did play the second-most special teams snaps (74.59%), behind only CJ Goodwin (80.17%), last season. If he doesn’t get caught in a numbers crunch, he could become Dallas’ new special teams ace.

S P.J. Locke

As a free agent addition, P.J. Locke is a bit of a mystery as far as what he’ll contribute to the Cowboys this season on defense and special teams. He is expected to play a backup safety role as well as be a key contributor on special teams. Last season he played 42.04% of the special teams snaps in Denver and could see that total increase significantly this year.

S Alijah Clark

After paying $259,000 in guarantees to secure Alijah Clark’s services last year, the undrafted free agent gained national attention with his special teams play due to his try-hard attitude and never-quit effort. His special teams ability will once again be the key factor to making the 53-man roster, but he too has to avoid the numbers crunch in Dallas’ secondary. Proving his worth in training camp and preseason will be huge for him.

The NFC South division has been an interesting one the past few seasons. It certainly hasn’t been the best, but it surely has been entertaining. The Buccaneers won four straight NFC South crowns before last year’s collapse which allowed the Panthers to take over as the top dog in the division. Tampa Bay is looking to bounce back and re-claim their crown but how do they stack up to the other teams?

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot of questions for this Bucs team. They have a new offensive coordinator, questions about an inconsistent quarterback, an overhauled defense and a head coach that could be on the hot seat. However, they still have a lot of talent in many important areas. Their offensive line should still remain among the league’s best, and I do believe the defense will be at least slightly better in 2026.

Tampa Bay was actually still very close to winning the division in 2025 despite the collapse. They were eliminated from playoff contention after the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints. Had New Orleans won that game, the Bucs would have won the tiebreaker over Carolina and taken the division.

With all of that in mind, I still have the most confidence in this Bucs group out of the rest of these teams despite the questions I may still have about them. They remain the top team and I think it’s reasonable to expect them to win the division once again.

2. Carolina Panthers

Last year’s division winner ends up second here, but I do think Carolina did some good things this offseason. They spent big money in an effort to improve their defense, signing pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency. Both players were among the top of their positions available on the market and to be able to land both is good work by the Panthers front office.

My biggest concern with Carolina is the quarterback position. Bryce Young has rebounded nicely from what was looking like a potential end to his Carolina tenure when he was benched in 2024 but has become a much better player since then. However, I’m just not sure if he is good enough to carry a team to the postseason year in and year out. Some may disagree and that’s okay, there are things to like about Young’s game, but there are also plays that have you wondering what he was thinking. I don’t believe Carolina’s offense will be as good as Tampa Bay’s throughout the season, and I think that may be the difference.

3. Atlanta Falcons

This one was tough between the Falcons and Saints. I think both of these teams are very close but I gave the slight edge to Atlanta because I have liked the direction their defense has gone recently. Despite James Pearce Jr’s off field issues, they still have a lot of young talent on that side of the ball, and their 2025 draft class was one of the better ones in the entire league. Another reason is their skill position players are very good. Bijan Robinson is arguably the best running back in the NFL and Drake London is a super talented wide receiver. Add in inconsistent but always dangerous Kyle Pitts and that is an exciting group.

The question with Atlanta is easily quarterback. They have the most unstable situation out of all the NFC South teams and that is mostly because they don’t know exactly who the guy under center for 2026 will be. They signed Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Michael Penix Jr this preseason. Penix Jr has shown flashes, and I still believe there is a good quarterback in there somewhere, but he hasn’t quite put it together yet.

The 2026 Falcons may go as far as their quarterbacks will take them. If they find the right guy to get the ball to their weapons, they may very well be right there competing for the division title.

4. New Orleans Saints

I believe the Saints are slowly trending in the right direction. Kellen Moore appears to be a good hire as head coach, and they have some intriguing talent. Quarterback Tyler Shough played really well down the stretch to cap off a solid rookie season. If he continues to develop, the Saints offense will improve even more with Chris Olave as well as new additions like free agent signing Travis Etienne Jr and first round pick Jordyn Tyson.

As I mentioned earlier, the Saints and the Falcons are super close, and I honestly don’t think there is a bad team in this division. I just think the Saints are probably still a year away from truly threatening for the division.

What do you guys think? Who will win the division in 2026? Let us know in the comments below!

Subscribe to Football 301 with Nate Tice

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Nate Tice & Matt Harmon answer your biggest questions about the upcoming 2026 NFL season. The two hosts answer some of the toughest questions of the offseason, starting with identifying the most underrated position groups, most improved offensive lines, a few popular consensus NFL takes that could end up being way off and their thoughts on the movement to start J.J. McCarthy over Kyler Murray in Minnesota.

Next, Nate and Matt evaluate Brian Daboll's fit as a playcaller with Cam Ward, the top young offensive tackles in the league, the true gap between Myles Garrett & Jared Verse and more.

The two hosts wrap up the show with some critical players for contending teams, a few teams that could go worst to first in their division this season (shoutout Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints) and a conversation around which players or coaches could win in a true "him or me" ultimatum against their counterpart.

(4:20) - Underrated position groups, consensus takes, #startnine movement

(32:20) - Daboll & Cam Ward, best young tackles, Garrett vs. Verse

(53:00) - Critical players for contenders, worst to first, "him or me" scenario

(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of Football 301 with Nate Tice and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

There are few Pittsburgh Steelers with more to prove in 2026 than wide receiver DK Metcalf. The former Pro Bowler is currently the sixth-highest paid receiver in terms of yearly money, yet his production in 2025 didn’t come close to backing up his contract.

Metcalf caught just 59 passes in 2025 on 99 targets in 2025, and is 1.98 yards per route run was tied for 23rd in the league (min. 50 routes run). His performances were also very hit or miss. As Bill Barnwell of ESPN points out, Metcalf had four games of 85+ receiving yards, while the remainder of his games played all saw him total less than 55 yards.

With that in mind, Joey Bray and myself discussed Metcalf’s placement in the 2026 hierarchy of wide receivers on the latest episode of Steelers Central and came up with respective lists of pass-catchers we would take ahead of Metcalf.

After going team-by-team, I came away with 22 receivers I would take before Metcalf. Those players, in no particular order, are as follows:

1. Ja’Marr Chase
2. A.J. Brown
3. Garrett Wilson
4. Brian Thomas Jr
5. Carnell Tate
6. Nico Collins
7. Jaylen Waddle
8. Justin Jefferson
9. Amon-Ra St. Brown
10. DeVonta Smith
11. Malik Nabers
12. CeeDee Lamb
13. George Pickens
14. Emeka Egbuka
15. Chris Olave
16. Tet McMillan
17. Drake London
18. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
19. Mike Evans
20. Puka Nacua
21. Davante Adams
22. Marvin Harrison Jr

I slotted Metcalf in at 23rd, just ahead of other names such as Tee Higgins, Jakobi Meyers, and Rashee Rice. Joey, on the other hand, ranked Rice ahead of Metcalf, while also putting Jameson Williams and Alec Pierce in front of him, giving Metcalf a ranking of 26th – one spot ahead of Higgins. I’ll let Joey weigh in with his thoughts on the exercise:

Joey Bray: Jarrett and I used Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins as the “Metcalf line.” While neither of us would take Higgins over Metcalf, he felt like someone who has a similar skill set and should be ranked back-to-back with the Steelers wideout. I don’t think a lot of these guys need explanations as to why I ranked them above Metcalf, but I will try to walk you through my thought process for some of the ones that you might disagree with.

There are certainly some names on here that are arguable and very close to Metcalf overall. Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, in particular, is an interesting case to me. Williams has recorded 123 receptions in his last two seasons, while Metcalf has recorded 125. Metcalf has not reached over one thousand yards in the last two seasons, although recording a close 992 in 2024, while Williams has recorded at least one thousand in consecutive years. Williams is classified as more of a downfield threat gadget guy to most, but I value the speed and separation ability coupled with the production that Williams has posted over Metcalf.

Situation and context matter when ranking these receivers. Guys like Rashee Rice and Alec Pierce can be classified as “one-trick ponies,” but have provided their offense with valuable production in a specific role that warrants them being in the conversation among the top at their position. Guys like Rice and Pierce are also young, and we truly haven’t seen their full potential yet for one reason or another, making them more enticing players to me. It’s tough for me to see the same type of upside with Metcalf, who is 28 and has not had a thousand-yard season since 2023.

Sometimes, numbers don’t always tell the full story. That would be the case with guys like Carnell Tate, Marvin Harrison Jr., Brian Thomas Jr., and Emeka Egbuka. All of them have enticing traits, and some have cases of elite production, but outside factors may be limiting them from reaching their full potential, whether it be injuries or being stuck in a less than favorable offensive situation. However, I am not one for penalizing these guys due to injury or a bad situation when they have all shown flashes to be among the games elite.

I also have a small tier of guys that I could not in good conscience put above Metcalf as of this very moment, but I do believe could quickly surpass him this season. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden are both primed to have breakout seasons in offensive mastermind Ben Johnson’s offense with a budding superstar in Caleb Williams throwing them the ball. I also believe that Jordyn Tyson of the New Orleans Saints and Makai Lemon of the Philadelphia Eagles could emerge as immediate impact players in their rookie years.

It’s not Metcalf’s fault that the Steelers traded for him and gave him a loaded contract worth over 130 million dollars. However, expectations should be raised when you are making that kind of money, and it’s hard to look at his first season in black and gold and be satisfied with the early returns of the trade and contract.

The physical tools are obviously there with Metcalf, as is the pure talent – he’s a multiple-time Pro Bowler and a former Second-Team All-Pro for a reason. That said, he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since 2023. If he wants to see his name rise back up those rankings where he used to be, he needs to have a big season. He has the help at the position that he didn’t have last year in the form of Michael Pittman and Germie Bernard. That should open things in the offense to a degree they haven’t been in a very long time, and No. 4 has to be the nucleus that powers the passing game.

Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!

• Steelers reporter predicts Pittsburgh will cut Will Howard
• Steelers defender named as surprise trade candidate
• Steelers offense named one of worst in NFL
• NFL analyst tabs Steelers’ Mike McCarthy as NFL Coach of the Year candidate
• C.J. Stroud emerges as Steelers 2027 QB option

With training camp for the San Francisco 49ers beginning next month, the race for a spot on the 53-man roster will begin. For the 49ers, aside from a few spots, their starting defense and offense are set with multiple players returning from injury. Left guard and one spot on the defensive line in base downs come right to mind as available spots with the chance of a change at safety. With that in mind, which are the deepest and thinnest position groups for the 49ers?

Deepest: Quarterback

This answer feels like a cop out; however, the combination of Brock Purdy and Mac Jones helped the 49ers finish with 13 wins. It’s fair to wonder where the 49ers would have ended up in 2025 without Jones. Even with the impactful injuries, Jones kept the 49ers winning. Purdy played some of the best football of his career in 2025, but he has been injured during his time as the 49ers’ starter. Having someone like Jones is a huge safety net. Ideally, Jones would never have to take a snap unless the 49ers are involved in a blowout. Either way, the combination of Purdy and Jones is as good as it gets in the NFL.

Honorable mention: Wide Receiver

The addition of Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, and Christian Kirk has completely reshaped the receiver room. The reason the receiver group isn’t the deepest position group is the question mark behind Ricky Pearsall on the depth chart. Jordan Watkins? Demarcus Robinson? Jacob Cowing?

Thinnest: Linebacker

Fred Warner is back and is the best linebacker in the NFL. Dre Greenlaw returned on a one-year deal, and the 49ers shipped Dee Winters to Dallas. The reason this group is ranked as the thinnest is the injury concerns for Greenlaw and the potential replacements. Tatum Bethune filled in as best as he could before his season ended. The 49ers had to turn to Garrett Wallow and Eric Kendricks in a pinch. If Greenlaw misses extended time, Nick Martin will likely fill in, but he has very little NFL experience.

The issue with linebacker is much like many spots on the team for the 49ers. Unfortunately, you have to start any statement with “if they stay healthy.”

For a longer and more detailed discussion around each position group, check out the video below with Niners Nation’s Andrew Pasquini.

There may not be a single currently Detroit Lions player more negatively impacted by the team’s offseason moves than Giovanni Manu. The developmental offensive tackle is entering his third year with the team after being drafted in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and this was the season many hoped to see a jump in the depth chart. But in free agency the Lions signed offensive tackle Larry Borom and they drafted Blake Miller in the first round. With Penei Sewell not going anywhere, Manu is pretty firmly OT4 on the team right now.

Before the team broke from spring practices, Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network caught up with Manu, and the 25-year-old offensive lineman was clearly honest in that conversation.

“…I’m not going to sugarcoat anything, I was frustrated,” Manu said. “I definitely had to sit in my living room for a little bit and just weigh it out, you know? What’s this (mean for) me in the future, how am I going to handle it?”

Out of respect for Rogers’ paywall, I won’t give away the full story. But Manu did seek guidance from former NFL Pro Bowler LeCharles Bentley, who offered him some valuable advice. Combine that with Manu starting to get some reps at guard, and it’s clear he doesn’t believe his NFL fate has been written yet.

“I’ve faced harder situations in life than this, so if I can overcome those things, like this won’t break me,” Manu said.

On to the rest of the Notes:

• Over on The Feed, I thought RoarMore37 made an interesting point that I had briefly considered. How NIL money may help teams evaluate how players will handle money at an early age–and maybe prevent a Terrion Arnold-like situation :

• Congrats to former Lions defensive lineman Julian Okwara, who got married over the weekend. You know the photography was top-notch with Romeo there:

• DetroitLions.com has a light Q&A with rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder. Noteworthy: his walk-up music would be Eminem. He may have grown up in Chicago, but he’s Pure Michigan now.

• Barry Sanders: GOAT running back, GOAT human being:

• Ben Raven of MLive sets the table for an upcoming big camp battle at left guard.

• Looks like Terrion Arnold’s situation could get even worse if he gets out on bail:

The return of Odell Beckham Jr. to the New York Giants was one of the most notable stories of the off-season for Big Blue.

Even though it’s been a decade since OBJ rewrote the record books in his meteoric rise to fame, Beckham still gets Giants fans excited. Even diminished from his prime, a healthy Beckham has the potential to be a useful piece for the Giants.

Former Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall recently spoke to Hard Rock Bet, and says Giants fans are right to be excited about Beckham’s return.

“I saw Odell run up and down and get in and out of his breaks,” Hall said. “To me, it looks like he still has ‌it.

We haven’t heard his name for a while, but he’s such an influential guy for the culture. It’s great for the NFL to get him back on a roster. From what I saw during OTAs, he still looks good. We saw him play in the NFL flag football games, and I thought he was still moving really well. I’m excited to watch him.”

At one time, Beckham was the Giants’ whole offense. That time has passed and the Giants aren’t expecting him to be “The Guy” at this stage in his career. However — and assuming he makes the team — Hall believes that Beckham can help in the locker room as well as on the field.

“He can have a huge impact,” Hall added, speaking on how Beckham can help the Giants’ young offense. “Experience is so valuable, and you’re talking about someone who was one of the best players at his position. Someone who became one of the biggest stars in the league after making one of the best plays of all time. He will bring such a veteran presence to that locker room. Look at the young guys like Malik Nabers. He’s a great player already, but now he’ll be able to learn from Odell too. People can say what they want about OBJ, the celebrity. But the football player, that’s definitely a guy I want to put around my young receivers. He’ll help them develop their route running and be able to teach them how to get open in the NFL.”

Hall was a long-time veteran when the Giants drafted Beckham in 2014. He came into the NFL as a second round pick for the Atlanta Falcons in 2004 and joined the Washington Commanders in 2008. Hall was a mainstay in the Washington secondary by the time Beckham entered the NFL, and he says it was OBJ who convinced him it was time to call it a career.

“I had to cover OBJ as a young guy,” Hall said. “When I went up against him, that’s when I knew it was time for me to retire. That dude just moved differently.”

The confidence he plays with is infectious. When you have a guy who feels like he can win every one-on-one, it rubs off on every player in that locker room. I think the Giants needed someone with that type of bravado, too.”

There’s just something magnetic about Beckham, that eyes are drawn to him even at this point in his career. Hall believes that not only is that good for the Giants, it’s good for the NFL as a whole.

“The NFL is better when you have stars out on the field, and OBJ is a superstar,” Hall said. “He can still move, and he has some of the best hands I’ve ever seen. I like where the Giants are. They’re young. They hired a great head coach in John Harbaugh and got some good pieces in the offseason. If Nabers gets healthy, that could be some duo with Beckham Jr.”

“I’m rooting for OBJ.”

The Giants, and Giants fans, are rooting for OBJ too.

The Rams will meet their arch-rivals from the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers, about 10 weeks from now. Looking at the changes that the 49ers have made in the offseason, including the addition of Mike Evans and the return of Nick Bosa from a torn ACL, it’s not clear to me if San Francisco has improved as much as the media seems to think they have.

Did San Francisco’s changes actually improve their team?

Or will the 49ers simply look a little different but have the same outcome as every other season, over-achieving but falling short?

What has changed?

Saleh Out, Morris In

The loss of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator is huge. The former Jets and current Titans head coach helped Kyle Shanahan’s defense rebound in 2025, a year after San Francisco’s defense had an uncharacteristic collapse under DC Nick Sorenson, surviving the losses of Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to injury.

Saleh left the 49ers for Tennessee, and Shanahan hired Raheem Morris shortly after he was let go by the Atlanta Falcons.

Shanahan has known Morris about as long as Sean McVay has, so that’s a big reason why he’s been hired in San Francisco:

“I’ve been with Raheem a number of places,” Shanahan said. “That’s why I respect him so much as a coach, as a person. … Raheem has been in a lot of different schemes, knows how to utilize personnel, and I’ve always known he’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around.”

I can’t put Morris on the same tier as Saleh though. Not as a defensive coordinator.

Saleh has had more experience and more success as a defensive coordinator compared to Morris. Did Shanahan hire Morris because of talent or because of familiarity? And if anyone else is familiar with Morris’s defense, it’s McVay.

New Veteran Players

The 49ers have a few new faces on the roster this year that will be counted on to improve:

• WR Mike Evans
• WR Christian Kirk
• DT Osa Odighizuwa
• LB Dre Greenlaw
• CB Nate Hobbs
• P Corliss Waitman

GM John Lynch made a trade with the Cowboys for underrated defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Casual observers may not be as familiar with the name, but the Niners certainly put a lot of stock into him: San Francisco traded a third-round pick for Odighizuwa, less than a year after he signed a four-year, $80 million contract with Dallas.

The defensive tackle isn’t a sack-artist, but Cowboys fans love his team presence and hustle. In other words, good, not great, but an upgrade nonetheless. Shanahan has already called him one of the best leaders on the team however:

Greenlaw returns after he spent one year with the Denver Broncos and though he is not a Hall of Famer, or even a Pro Bowler, he knows the assignment and should be fully healed from a torn Achilles suffered in 2024. He’s still the best linebacker the Niners have found to put next to Fred Warner:

“After parting ways with linebacker Dee Winters during April’s NFL Draft, San Francisco’s fallback options aren’t exactly at Greenlaw’s level. Tatum Bethune is primarily a run-stopping linebacker, while Garrett Wallow and Luke Gifford are special teams aces. Second-year pro Nick Martin might be on the fringes of the roster after disappointing in 2025, and rookie Jaden Dugger has promise but is an unpolished first-year pro.”

The Broncos, however, released Greenlaw after he struggled to stay on the field, appearing in only eight games during the 2025 season due to injuries. Another one on the health watch list.

If these are not lateral moves, then they are just minor upgrades, at best.

Mike Evans is the big name addition

But so too is new number one receiver Mike Evans, and he’s also about to turn 33. The Niners signed the longtime Bucs star to a three-year, $42.5 million contract, despite Evans missing half of last season with hamstring and collarbone injuries. And he only had 368 yards in the eight games he played in.

Lynch didn’t stop there, also signing vet Christian Kirk to a one-year, $3 million contract. Kirk has just 618 yards over the past two seasons, and the Niners will be his third team in as many years. Between Evans, Kirk, Stribling, and Pearsall, will Purdy end up with even two star receivers this year?

It’s certainly not likely to be as good as Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as a duo.

That’s one of the reasons that L.A.’s acquisitions of cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson is so impactful:

Matching up those two players on any of Shanahan’s two receivers is more likely than not to yield positive results for the Rams. Furthermore, now it’s going to be Myles Garrett against Trent Williams at left tackle, giving Purdy even less time to improvise and dance in the pocket, one of his signature weapons as a quarterback.

Les Snead has done the work to slow down the 49ers with these moves on defense.

Bosa, Kittle working their way back

The Niners may have finished 20th in total defense in 2025, but Bosa was injured in Week 3 and missed all but three games. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year says he “plans on being ready” for Week 1, almost one year after he tore his ACL. Tight end George Kittle has the same goal, to be able to suit up for the Rams in Australia in Week 1.

How much of a threat the Niners will be in Week 1 will not only depend on the availability of those two stars, but also the viability. How ready for football action will they be in 2.5 months? That could depend on how much they’ve practiced, which nobody knows yet. Bosa and Kittle are two of the best players in the league at their positions, but I would much rather face them in Week 1 than Week 9 or Week 18, given their arduous rehabs.

And those aren’t the only issues facing San Francisco’s starters.

Wide Receiver Woes

Purdy’s receiving weapons, of which he ended up with almost no stars by the end of last season (Jauan Jennings, now departed, led all Niners wideouts with 643 yards and 9 touchdowns), continue to create more questions than answers.

• Brandon Aiyuk is refusing to play for the 49ers and demanding to be cut. Whether Lynch abides is not clear, but that’s one receiver we can assure won’t play for San Francisco again.
• Ricky Pearsall, a first round pick in 2024, has missed 14 games in two years. When he’s healthy, he’s more “average” than he is good, and he’s only put up 928 yards and 3 touchdowns since the draft.
• De’Zhaun Stribling, the 33rd overall pick in this year’s draft, is intriguing. But many also called him the biggest reach of the draft. Will he make Lynch look like a genius or a fool?

That’s one of the reasons that the Evans, Kirk, 33-year-old Kittle and 30-year-old Christian McCaffrey are so important. San Francisco’s other returning weapons have been largely disappointing.

The 49ers used their first pick in the draft on receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, but many called it one of the biggest reaches in the entire class.

Injuries

Above all, the Niners have to stay away from the sheer number of injuries they seem to accrue annually. Unfortunately, given the ages and the histories of many of their stars, that seems like an unlikely scenario. Collectively, Mike Evans (12), Trent Williams (8), Christian Kirk (13), Nick Bosa (17), Christian McCaffrey (13), Ricky Pearsall (14), and George Kittle (8) have missed eighty-five games over the past two years. That’s not even including Fred Warner’s 11 games missed last year.

Yet evenwith all their injuries in 2025, the 49ers rebounded by the end of the season to fall one win shy of the number one seed. Kudos to Lynch and Shanahan for applying the duct tape and coming up with great schemes on both offense and defense, but can they keep doing it if it keeps happening?

Their history says yes, but frankly, I don’t think so.

Because although the 49ers did address some needs and bring in some new faces, nothing they’ve done has quite gone up the level of being good enough to beat the Rams.

In less than a month, the Pittsburgh Steelers will report for training camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. These open summer practices will give us a good idea of what specific aspects will be different under new head coach Mike McCarthy.

With a bevy of draft picks this past April, Pittsburgh will have to make some tough cuts down to 53 players at the conclusion of the preseason. Here are three players who have something to prove, and may be fighting for a spot on the final roster this August.

QB Will Howard

Will Howard was given QB2 reps for the Steelers in OTAs and throughout their offseason program. It should be expected that this trend will continue into training camp. However, I wouldn’t necessarily pencil in Howard as the solidified backup quarterback just yet. In fact, I think we should be treating this training camp and preseason as more of a tryout period for Howard.

It’s important to keep in mind that Howard has played zero snaps in any preseason or regular season games in his career. Howard missed the majority of training camp last summer with a hand injury that prevented him from getting valuable reps. Now, Howard is very much a wild card in year two in a room with two established veterans in Aaron Rodgers and longtime backup Mason Rudolph. The new coaching regime also went out of its way to select Drew Allar in the third round to essentially have a redshirt year and develop as the third-string quarterback.

This leaves Howard in a very cut-and-dried situation. It’s to earn the backup spot or be cut. Steelers insiders seem to be echoing this sentiment in their early final roster projections. So much of the discourse online will almost certainly be about who looks better between Howard and Allar when, in reality, you should be comparing Rudolph and Howard.

Can the Steelers feel comfortable enough going into the season with Howard and Allar behind their soon-to-be 43 year-old quarterback despite having no regular season experience? That will be the question the coaching staff will be asking itself all summer. McCarthy raving about Howard after he was hired may have been a touch exaggerated, but make no mistake about it, the Steelers are giving the sixth round pick a shot this summer to make the team and catapult into an important backup role.

RB Kaleb Johnson

The 2025 third-round pick had a complete dud of a rookie year. Johnson only mustered 2.5 yards per carry on his 28 attempts, and made a major special teams blunder that all but kept him off the field in kickoff situations for most of the year. Johnson now has a brand new coaching staff that did not draft him in charge, and has arguably stiffer competition in the running back room as compared to last year.

The signing of Rico Dowdle killed any momentum towards getting serious carries for Johnson. Dowdle provides the Steelers with a true between the tackles back, something they could have used more of last year despite Warren being more than capable in that role.

It’s notable that both running backs who could challenge Johnson for a roster spot come cut day both have track records in special teams play. Homer was signed as a special teams ace, so it would make sense for him to make the team, but Heidenreich could be an interesting scenario.

What the Steelers want to list Heidenreich as on the final roster could be the difference between Johnson making the team or not. Heidenreich’s best shot to make the roster could very well be at receiver, clearing the way for Johnson to make the team.

Unfortunately, the former third-round pick seems to be fighting for a roster spot this summer. Even if Johnson makes the final roster, it is tough to see him earning any carries barring injury this season.

OL Spencer Anderson

Perhaps no single player on the Steelers’ roster got a bigger offseason bump than Spencer Anderson. Despite signing Brock Hoffman and drafting Gennings Dunker in the third round, it seems as though Anderson is going to head into Latrobe as the starting right guard with a legitimate shot at cementing that role.

The 2023 seventh-rounder has started 11 games over the last two years for Pittsburgh, and the team seems to be giving him a golden opportunity to become a full-time starter in 2026. He will have to battle with Hoffman, who was brought in for his versatility at both guard and center. Dunker figures to be a bit of a project guard as he played primarily tackle in his college career. While Dunker was clearly drafted to be the guard of the future, that leaves Anderson alone as the player with the most experience at the position and the familiarity within the organization.

I don’t believe Anderson will be fighting for a roster spot as much as the others, but he is someone who could play themselves into a legitimate starting role with a solid camp and preseason.

Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!

• Steelers reporter predicts Pittsburgh will cut Will Howard
• Steelers defender named as surprise trade candidate
• Steelers offense named one of worst in NFL
• NFL analyst tabs Steelers’ Mike McCarthy as NFL Coach of the Year candidate
• C.J. Stroud emerges as Steelers 2027 QB option

Wide receiver Dalevon Campbell is next up in our 90-in-90 series!

Let’s see how this former undrafted free agent came to be with the Chargers!

The Basics

Height: 6’4
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Illinois/Nevada/South Carolina
Experience: 1

Campbell was a standout on both the gridiron and the track for Fort Bend Marshall High School in Texas. He was a deep-play threat with 25 receptions for 545 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior. In the spring of his senior year, Campbell helped take home the Texas 5A state title in the 4×200 meter relay en route to winning the team title, as well.

Despite the lack of elite production in his prep career, Campbell earned a number of offers, eventually choosing to continue his career at the University of Illinois.

Campbell saw time in five games as a true freshman but did not record any stats. He played in seven and 11 games, respectively, over the next two seasons with two total starts and managed just six total receptions and 98 receiving yards over that stretch.

He transferred to the University of Nevada prior to the 2022 season and immediately earned a career-high seven starts while playing in 12 total games. He ended that year with a career-high 38 receptions for 459 yards and one touchdown. In 2023, Campbell hauled in 31 passes for 594 yards (led the team) and two scores, en route to earning Honorable Mention All-Mountain West honors.

For his final year of eligibility, Campbell transferred to the SEC to play at the University of South Carolina. That season, he started four games and played in 13 total. Campbell did not find the end zone during the season but he still hauled in 12 passes for 312 yards, including a 60-yard score that came in the bowl game against his former team, Illinois.

After going undrafted in 2025, Campbell signed with the Chargers after going through a tryout.

The Good

Campbell has shown that he can outplay his ho-hum college career by sticking around with the Chargers after his rookie season. He was plucked off the Chargers practice squad early in 2025 by the Panthers and was signed again after he was waived/injured in Carolina.

During the 2025 preseason, Campbell had a standout game against the 49ers with four receptions for 73 yards, including a pair of highlight grabs by the sideline.

Campbell still looks to be pigeonholed as a deep threat/50-50 guy but there’s a place for those receivers in the NFL and if he can get even better in that facet, he’ll likely be able elongate his stay in the NFL for quite awhile.

The Bad

Campbell played at three different schools and never quite found a place where he could put up decent production. His stat lines told the story of a raw route-runner who was best used for his height and speed combination as he was only used as a deep threat no matter what offense he played in.

His pre-draft marks in both the short shuttle (4.66) and three-cone drill (7.38) tells us he is a very limited athlete when it comes to moving laterally and executing sharp cuts.

2026 Outlook

Outside of the top six receivers who already look to be a lock for the active roster, Campbell looks like the most intriguing developmental prospect among the rest of the group. Notable height/weight/speed combinations will always be given longer looks. As of this moment, I would be surprised if Campbell is not kept on the practice squad for another season.

As a fit for McDaniel’s offense, Campbell’s lack of route-running polish is not the end of the world as he would be used in a similar role to Quentin Johnston as a player who can stretch the field both vertically and horizontally. Except here, Campbell would be utilized as more of an attention-grabber as opposed to a real option to get thrown to.

When Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, it changed the lives of many. An iconic franchise was restored in the form of a 90s dynasty when several coaches and players embarked on a path that took them all the way to the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Decades later, those great moments feel like distant memories as Jerry and his son Stephen are at the forefront of all things football in Dallas. However, there is one family member who doesn’t get talked about very much.

Charlotte Jones, the daughter of Jerry, is a co-owner and the Chief Brand Officer of the Cowboys. That title might not mean a whole lot to some people, but when you are the architect of the brand identity for the most valuable franchise in sports, it is kind of a big deal. Over the last 30 years, she has had a massive role in transforming the Cowboys into a global powerhouse. She has broken gender barriers in the NFL and turned the franchise into a charitable force.

Her Cowboys story started in typical Jones family fashion, right in the middle of a big controversy. When rumors circulated that Jerry intended to change the image of the iconic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders into something a little racier, widespread outrage ensued. Jerry called upon his daughter to step in and fix things, and that is exactly what she did. Charlotte not only retained their All-American image, she also transformed them from a popular sideline dance squad into their own $50 million pop-culture powerhouse. Between merchandising, live tours, and even a famed reality television show that aired for 16 seasons, the cheerleaders became an incredibly successful entity of their own.

Believe it or not, that is only one small element of Charlotte’s long list of achievements, even though it is the one fans associate her with the most. Jones was also a chief decision maker regarding the design of AT&T Stadium and The Star, as they became much more than just football facilities. They had a distinct look and became a major part of the fan experience because she was the creative visionary behind how this team was presented to the world. She oversaw the interior design and added upscale décor, while still creating a welcoming venue for the community.

Speaking of the community, this is where Charlotte truly thrived. In 1997, she took advantage of the huge television audience for the Thanksgiving halftime show and turned it into a massive money-raising extravaganza that launched the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign. She convinced network executives to forgo their commercial revenue and stay locked on the show. They agreed if she could deliver a star-studded performance, which she did. She turned a simple halftime intermission into a pop-culture phenomenon that has transformed into the longest-running annual fundraiser in sports. Using three decades of Cowboys tradition, this effort has raised over $3 billion to help millions of people in need over the holiday season.

In 2012, she became the first female chairman of the NFL Foundation, breaking major gender barriers along the way. Between fundraising initiatives and helping develop strategies for youth football safety, she stands as one of the league’s most underrecognized pioneers.

The biggest knock on the Jones family usually comes from Jerry and Stephen meddling in football things that genuinely belong in the hands of others. They just don’t want to stay in their lane. Charlotte also does not stay in her lane. She swerves all over the place, but it just so happens that she is driving on roads she handles quite well.

Whether it is building a brand, designing a world-class facility, or being a committed philanthropist, there is no “drought” on her résumé. This Jones family member does far more than just choose which hot pants the cheerleaders should wear, as she continues to be one of the league’s most successful visionaries.

If you’re new to this series, we’re reviewing how the Green Bay Packers offense performed in 2025 by down & distance. We’re doing that by building out a call sheet. I ran it all down in my initial post. This is the 9th article in the series, where we’re looking at 4th & Short (where “Short” is defined as needing 3 or fewer yards for a 1st down). We’ll reference Success Rate & Explosive Rate in this series, so here are the definitions. On 4th down, a play is considered a success if it gains 100% of the yards needed for a 1st down. A play is considered explosive if a pass gains 16+ yards or a run gains 12+ yards.

We’re winding down our callsheet series. This article marks our final entry in the down & distance section. After this, we’ll have a couple that cover Red Zone, and I think that’ll be it.

This should be a pretty short article, too (famous last words), as we only have a single play in this section. We’ll get to that, but first, let’s look at where the Packers stack up with the rest of the league. As always, we’re looking at plays outside of the red zone (as it’s basically a different game in the red zone), and we’re excluding Week 18, since that’s just a weird week across the league in terms of running a normal offense.

The Packers averaged 0.8 4th & Short plays per game, tied for 7th in the league. For context, the top team in the league was the Panthers at 1.2. The Raiders were 2nd at 1.1 plays per game. The Lions – known to be one of the more aggressive 4th down teams in the league – ranked 3rd with 1.0 plays per game.

Due to the small sample size of this situation, there are some wild swings in some of the rate data. When you’re only talking about 20 or fewer plays on the season for each team, one failed play can skew the numbers. With that little caveat out of the way, the Packers were middle of the pack in terms of success rate, coming in at 69.2%, tied for 14th in the league. That had them tied with the Rams, and just a tick behind the Ravens (70.0%). Their explosive play rate of 23.1% was 6th in the league.

The Packers had a pass rate of 53.8%, 15th in the league. That’s an area to address. When passing, they had a success rate of 85.7% (4th). When running, they had a Success Rate of 50% (26th). On the season, the Packers were a much better passing team than a running team, and that’s certainly reflected here.

Overall, the Packers were a much better 4th down team in 2025 than they had been over the previous few years in terms of deciding when to go. Here’s to hoping that trend continues into 2026, but with an uptick in the use of the passing game.

Speaking of which, let’s get to our play.

Two Man Stick (11.3 YPA, 100% Success)

With only 13 plays all season in this section, it was fairly slim pickings, but this concept rose above the rest. They ran some version of it 3 times, the most they ran any concept on 4th & Short. There were some other contenders – we’ll get to one later – but this is the clear favorite for multiple reasons.

It’s a quick-game staple, so it’s something the offense knows like the back of their hands. It’s a quick-hitter – allowing the QB to get rid of the ball at the top of a 3-step drop – but also has optionality and versatility.

In the diagram above, you can see the basics of Stick. At the very base level, it involves two receivers running quick outs 3-5 yards down the field. The inside receiver has an option to run the out route or break back on a quick hitch route, depending on the leverage of his defender.

On 4th downs this year, the Packers liked adding in a corner route over the top. That gives the QB a second option in the same line of sight as the Stick routes. If the defense is pinching the stick routes, the QB can quickly move to the corner route.

We see that corner route in the clip above, but we see Jordan Love hit Tucker Kraft on it in the next clip. Kraft is able to get outside leverage & create separation at the top of the route, making a nice target for Love to hit on 4th down.

A quick-hitting, versatile concept that the Packers are extremely familiar and comfortable with? That’s a no-brainer.

I wanted to put Mesh here because it’s a concept I love dearly, and I had a limited case when it came to the numbers: they ran Mesh one time on 4th & Short and it was a 22 yard TD. Pretty good! Here’s the play:

It’s a great play – one of my favorites of the year – but it’s not the core concept of Mesh doing the work. This play is a success because Love makes an insane throw and Dontayvion Wicks comes up with a beautiful catch, just barely getting that second foot down.

Besides the fact that Mesh is a longer-developing play than Stick, the entire concept hasn’t been very kind to the Packers over the past few years, and the success of this one play is not something you can really bank on consistently. Maybe next year, Mesh. Maybe next year.

Here’s how that section looks on our callsheet:

Here is where you can find the other parts of this series:
An Introduction
1st & 10
2nd & Long
2nd & Medium
2nd & Short
3rd & Long
3rd & Medium
3rd & Short

Albums listened to: Liz Phair – Exile in Guyville; Jeremy Enigk – Ghosts

The Las Vegas Raiders signed defensive tackle Gary Smith as an undrafted free agent.

Let’s take a closer look at Smith:

Size:

6-1, 319 pounds.

College:

Duke (2020-21), UCLA (2022-25).

College highlights:

He had 25 career college starts, including all 12 games for the Bruins in 2025 Smith was an honorable mention All Big-Ten selection in 2025 after missing the entire 2024 season due to a preseason injury.

How he will fit in with Raiders:

A lot of scouts like Smith and believe he has upside. He has been considered as one of the Raiders’ most promising undrafted free-agent signings. He is a space-eater and he could profile as a solid developmental nose tackle for the Raiders’ in their 3-4 base defense. I would think he has a strong chance to start his NFL career on the practice squad with a chance to be promoted to the active 53-man roster over time.

In the first round of our 2026 All-Time Historical Chicago Bears Fantasy Draft Tournament, we have Jack M Silverstein’s (1) Team Sweetness vs TJ Starman’s (8) Special Bears Unit.

• For more details on the rules of the draft, you can click here.

• You can check out the Google Doc with our full draft here.

Jack breaks down his entire team here, and TJ’s squad breakdown is right here.

Check out each position group in the image sliders below, and then vote for the GM who drafted the best in the poll.

QUARTERBACKS & RUNNING BACKS

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS

OFFENSIVE LINE

DEFENSIVE BACKS

LINEBACKERS

DEFENSIVE LINE

SPECIAL TEAMS

VOTE FOR THE BEST TEAM HERE

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy seemingly caught a stray from former NFL insider Dianna Russini when she was pulled over by police in January for texting and driving, as seen in video footage of the incident making rounds online.

Russini — who resigned from The Athletic after Page Six published photos showing her and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holding hands and hugging while at an Arizona resort in March — was on her phone while driving because she was breaking the news that Bills head coach Sean McDermott was getting fired.

The former ESPN insider said McCarthy “sucks” — although she did not specifically mention him — when she learned the officer was a Vikings fan.

“Obviously you were on your phone for a while … I understand you’ve got a job,” the officer said.

“You know who I was on the phone with? Brian Daboll. He wants the job,” Russini said of the then-vacant head coach job in Buffalo, adding that the two were on the phone when she got pulled over.

“I’m actually — I’m not a fan of either,” the officer said, to which Russini asked, “What is your team?”

“I’m a Vikings fan, unfortunately,” he replied.

Russini showed the officer her phone, and an apparent text exchange with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.

“Oh my God, wow, pretty cool!” the officer said.

“I love the Vikings, KOC [Kevin O’Connell] is awesome. Your quarterback sucks though,” Russini said.

It’s assumed she was referring to McCarthy since his second-year struggles plagued the team this past year and raised questions about his future with the team.

After handing over her registration, the cop went back to his car.

“I’m gonna cut you a break on the cell phone,” he said when he returned. “I understand your job requires you to be on the phone a lot. Just try to wait ‘til you get home, OK?”

The Bills named promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach on Jan. 27.

Daboll was hired as a offensive coordinator by the Tennessee Titans that same day.

After letting her go with a warning, the officer said, “Keep me updated with the Vikings, OK? Let me know if KOC is going to get a new quarterback.”

The Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray to a one-year deal in March after McCarthy’s injury-filled 2025 campaign.

McCarthy, the Vikings’ No. 10 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, and Murray will compete for the starting role.

Russini made headlines this week after after a New York Times article highlighted the incident — and rehashed a video of her discussing it while on the “Stugotz and Company” podcast in February.

At the time, Russini claimed she FaceTimed the officer’s favorite head coach and claimed that said coach “played all into it,” telling the officer that “you should let her go, she’s a good citizen.’”

Those events were not shown in the video footage of her being pulled over.

Russini’s storytelling on the podcast was “unacceptable conduct,” said Danielle Rhoades Ha, a Times Company spokeswoman — adding that editors at The Athletic, which is owned by the Times, had been unaware of the story.

Russini is currently under review by her former employer to determine if her reporting was influenced by her relationship with Vrabel.

She has not spoken publicly since she resigned from The Athletic on April 14.

Russini and her husband Kevin Goldschmidt have two sons together.

Vrabel, who received support from the Patriots amid the photo scandal, and his wife Jen have been married since 1999 and have two sons together.

ESPN handed out offseason grades for every NFL team, evaluating each move. The San Francisco 49ers were tied for one of the highest-graded offseasons, giving Trent Williams a new contract, signing Mike Evans, and trading for Osa Odighizuwa:

San Francisco 49ers: B+

Biggest move: Signing LT Trent Williams to a new contract
Move I liked: Signing WR Mike Evans
Move I disliked: Drafting WR De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick in Round 2

The Seahawks are fresh off a Super Bowl victory, and the Rams spent the offseason loading up for another run. But despite a quieter offseason, the 49ers shouldn’t be overlooked in the NFC West.

San Francisco scored an early victory in free agency, landing Evans on a three-year deal that pays him just over $14 million per year and is fully guaranteed for only the $14.3 million he’ll earn in 2026. It was clearly a below-market deal, and it’s a testament to Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers that Evans wanted to take it to play for San Francisco. And it meant the team could upgrade at wide receiver without sacrificing its future financial situation.

Jauan Jennings left in free agency (for cheap) for the Vikings, but the 49ers also added Christian Kirk and used its first draft selection on Stribling at pick No. 33. The Stribling selection was a bit of a head-scratcher. He’d been a late riser but this was a reach — and reaching in the draft is bad process.

The 49ers also had success on the trade market, exchanging a third-round pick for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Considering how inflated trade costs are for impact players in their prime, this was good work. Odighizuwa is coming off a season in which he recorded a pass rush win rate in the 84th percentile at defensive tackle, and he will cost only $16.75 million in cash in 2026.

And perhaps the biggest move was to maintain the status quo by signing Williams to a new two-year, $50 million contract, fully guaranteeing $37 million to placate the future Hall of Fame tackle. Even though Williams will be 38 in July, it still seems worthwhile considering how much top-tier talent costs at other premium positions. Given that — and how difficult it is to find quality tackle alternatives — the Niners did well to ensure Williams’ status on the team.

Evans is a colossal upgrade from the wideouts the 49ers were trotting onto the field a season ago when Ricky Pearsall was sidelined. Now, Pearsall will be the beneficiary of other teams giving their full attention to Evans.

There’s no argument for “reaching in the draft is a bad process.” However, Stribling is a much better fit in the 49ers’ offense than some of the wideouts who were selected before him. Kyle Shanahan will be able to call plays with Stribling on the field he couldn’t a season ago with Jennings. The offense added much-needed speed with Stribling.

We’re not convinced Kirk moves the needle. In fact, he might be a sneaky pick to miss the final 53-man roster. The Niners might be better suited to see what they have in Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins, provided they stay healthy.

Odighizuwa might prove to be the best offseason acquisition for the Niners. His presence will help everybody, from Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams to a secondary that has struggled to generate turnovers. Not all pressures are created equally, and Odighizuwa will prove the value of an interior pass rusher who can stay on the field.

Add in the veteran depth along the offensive line, and there aren’t many things you can complain about this offseason. Is a B+ a fair grade?

The Georgia Bulldogs enter 2026 with a defensive line that is at once experienced and still coming into its own. But the potential is certainly there for the trench ‘Dawgs to become an anchor for the defense. The unit lost All-SEC performer Christen Miller to the 2026 NFL Draft, where he was taken in the second round by the New Orleans Saints, but the group that remains is deep with blue chippers and bursting with developmental upside.

Senior Jordan Hall is the most experienced veteran in the group. Hall played and started in eight games in 2025, finishing the season with 12 tackles, three solo, and 2.0 tackles for loss. The Jacksonville native however spent much of his first two seasons dealing with leg injuries that limited his development, and missed spring practice with another injury suffered against the Florida Gators.

But a healthy Hall could be a first day NFL selection, ticking all the boxes scouts look for. At 6’4 and 320 pounds, Hall has an ideal frame and has taken on a leadership role on the team. With Miller gone, Hall enters 2026 as the most experienced returning presence on the interior and the anchor the unit needs. The question surrounding him is not talent but durability, and if he can stay on the field for a full season this unit’s floor goes up considerably.

Sophomore Elijah Griffin played in all 14 games during the 2025 season, earning spots on the On3 Freshman All-America Team, the Athletic Freshman All-America First Team, PFF All-Freshman Team, and the Freshman All-SEC Team. He recorded 22 tackles, 14 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack for seven yards, and one pass breakup.

Griffin arrived at Georgia as the consensus top defensive line prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle and justified the hype immediately. And after a serious offseason of conditioning he could be even better. Griffin was noticeably bigger and more muscular at G Day, which should allow him to take even more snaps on the interior.

He has already established himself as one of the stronger players on the roster physically, and Georgia ranked 4th nationally in run defense in 2025 with Griffin playing a key role. His pass-rush production was modest as a freshman, but my expectation entering 2026 is that Griffin takes a significant leap as a disruptive force. He may well be the most talented player on Georgia’s entire defense, and I can’t wait to see the havoc he can create.

Senior Xzavier McLeod also played in all 14 games in 2025 and made six starts, finishing with 17 tackles (8 solo), six quarterback pressures, and two pass breakups. The Charlotte product transferred to Georgia from South Carolina and has steadily worked his way into meaningful snaps. At 6’4 and 315 pounds, McLeod has the size to handle interior work and the experience in this system and in the SEC game to mentor younger players. I see him as a steady presence who gives reliable snaps whether starting or rotating in, adding real value to the rotation. His six starts in 2025 suggest he is in the mix for a larger role in 2026, likely his final season in Athens.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but Joseph Jonah-Ajonye also played in all 14 games in 2025 and made one start, finishing with 9 tackles, 5 solo, and 11 quarterback hurries. That pressure number stands out. Sure , some of that came as a late game sub once Miller and Hall were out of the rotation and teams were forced to throw a little more. Eleven quarterback hurries however in a rotational role is a strong indicator of a player who can affect the game without always showing up in the box score.

The former five star recruit out of Oak Ridge High School in Texas dealt with a foot injury early in his Georgia career but has progressively grown in the program. At 6’ 4 and 275 pounds, he plays with a lighter frame than Georgia’s primary interior tackles, giving the defense a quicker, more movement-oriented option off the bench. In 2026 his value could come from his ability to move and chase plays rather than simply take on blocks, making him a complementary piece who changes what the defense can do on passing downs.

Redshirt sophomore Nnamdi Ogboko appeared in 12 games last season as a reserve defensive lineman, recording 10 tackles, 5 solo stops, 1 tackle for loss, and a sack. At 6’4 and and 340 pounds, Ogboko is one of the heaviest players on the roster and brings a physical presence that is difficult to replicate. You can’t coach size, and most Kirby Smart defenses have been at their best with a huge, two-gap space eater in the middle. Could Ogboko be that guy in 2026?

I’m not saying he’s Jordan Davis just yet, but there’s potential there. The North Carolina product is still learning the game at this level, but the raw tools on display. His sack against Kentucky was a glimpse of what he can do when he wins his initial battle. Georgia’s two-gap defensive scheme benefits enormously from players Ogboko’s size, and he will be expected to eat blocks and free up space for the linebackers behind him.

Sophomore JJ Hanne remains an intriguing player as well. Hanne appeared in all 14 games during 2025 as a reserve, recording one tackle against Austin Peay and another against Florida in Jacksonville. His story is one of the more unique in college football. Originally from Berlin, Germany, Hanne only began playing American football in high school and arrived at Georgia still learning the fundamentals of the game. At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, his physical upside is considerable, and coaches have praised both his motor and his development throughout his time in the program. With a full year of seasoning now behind him, 2026 represents an important step in determining whether Hanne can grow into a reliable rotation piece.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 Georgia defensive line will look different from recent years, lacking the veteran continuity that came with someone like Miller anchoring the middle through multiple seasons. But the depth is there, and the level of experience is almost sneakily high. With major returning contributors and frequent starters like McLeod, Hall, and Griffin giving Tray Scott a solid base to work with. The unit also welcomes new additions in freshmen Preston Carey, Carter Luckie, AJ Lonon Jr., and Valdin Sone to provide additional bodies and competition. At least a couple of those freshmen could also work into the rotation by season’s end. If Hall stays healthy and Griffin takes the leap everyone expects, this group can still rank among the SEC’s better front fours. The ceiling is high; the floor is secure.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

The NFL is slowly unveiling its Top-100 Players of 2026 list, as voted by players. At the moment, they’re revealing two players at a time, and on Tuesday, they got to their first Detroit Lions player.

Jack Campbell ranked 88th on the list this year.

It’s the first time the Lions linebacker has made the list at all, and it comes after a breakout season from the 2023 first-round pick. In 2025, Campbell produced career highs in tackles (176), tackles for loss (9), sacks (5.0), and forced fumbles (three). For his phenomenal year, he was named to the Pro Bowl and earned First-Team All-Pro honors, as well.

While the NFL Top-100 list has gotten tired at this point, the best thing about it is hearing what other players around the league have to say about these players. And Campbell got some high praise from some of the NFL’s best players. Here’s a look at what some of them said:

LB Nakobe Dean:

“He did a little bit of everything this year. He stopped the run effectively, pass game effectively. He rushed the passer effectively. You can see it on the film. He uses his length and everything to his advantage. I feel like he’s just going to continue to get better.”

DB Cooper Dejean (and fellow former Hawkeye):

“It’s more the way he’s wired. Like the way he thinks about the game and plays the game, how aggressive he is.”

“He understands offenses really well, and that’s something I try to take from him–his film study and what he puts into the game. I learned a lot from him. I knew he’s be a great player, and he’ll be a great player for a long time.”

OT Tristan Wirfs (and fellow former Hawkeye):

“Jack’s a freak. First-team All-Pro this past year, 6-foot-5, runs like a deer, hits like a train.”

Last year, the Lions had seven players make the list: Penei Sewell (13), Jared Goff (15), Amon-Ra St. Brown (20), Jahmyr Gibbs (27), Aidan Hutchinson (55), Kerby Joseph (71), and Sam LaPorta (94).

We’ll see how many of those players land on the list again this year, and if there are any other newcomers in 2026.

Once upon a time Brian Martin and I worked on an article about how many roster spots were truly “available” at an upcoming Dallas Cowboys training camp. A rough guess is that this was around 2016 or 2017. We go way back.

The thought behind the exercise was that while there are 90-man rosters and a final 53-man roster, the reality of NFL roster composition is that most of the spots on the team are secured. Only something like 10-15 on average are truly unknown and “up for grabs” in the way we conventionally think of that term.

In a similar sense, let’s explore which player on the Cowboys roster has the most to gain at training camp when it kicks off a month from now. Stars on the team like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Quinnen Williams have already proven themselves, and even a rookie like Caleb Downs has immense hype surrounding his spot on the team.

Context matters is the ultimate point, so let’s keep that in mind when answering the question.

Shemar James has the most to gain of all players

On some level the way to start answering this question is by looking at the position group where the Cowboys have the least amount of options. The path is easier there. Linebacker really jumps out. We have all discussed at times across the offseason how dire of a situation this is, and while the Cowboys traded for Dee Winters during the NFL Draft, they are hardly ripe with options.

Last year I thought the veteran trades that the Cowboys made for Kenneth Murray and Kaiir Elam were sound in theory. Taking a chance on players with NFL experience if they can be had for cheap can be a winning proposition. Sometimes it works out, like Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks a few years ago, and other times, like with Murray and Elam, you are left wondering why you were ever willing to pay any price at all.

This is to say that we have no idea if the Dee Winters trade is going to really work. Winters is someone who has played for a very serious NFL defense during his time with the San Francisco 49ers, but the point here is that the linebacker spot is hardly taken care of simply because of his presence.

Similarly we all have high hopes for DeMarvion Overshown, but the reality of the first three years of his career is that because of injury he is hard to rely upon. It would behoove the Cowboys to treat that from the perspective of not necessarily relying on him, and that anything they can get out of Overshown is icing on the proverbial cake.

Shemar James is my answer for this reason. He is a light breeze away from having a number of serious opportunities.

James played moderately well across his rookie season, even though the defense at large was historically awful, but he is now a tried-and-true NFL veteran. That has to count for something, particularly in this context where there are so many question marks in his position room.

Looking elsewhere, you could make the case about James’ former teammate at the University of Florida, Devin Moore. We have no idea what the Cowboys are going to get out of DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel, or Cobie Durant, and it is possible that Moore rises to the top; however, that feels like something that may take a couple of regular season months to transpire as opposed to training camp specifically.

Who do you think has the most to gain out of Oxnard? Let us know in the comments below.

The Los Angeles Chargers know Justin Herbert as their starting quarterback for the upcoming season, but there is still a question mark surrounding who his backup will be.

The Chargers have Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei on the roster. While the former served as the backup last season, there is reason to believe that the latter could take over in 2026 with a strong training camp.

“With Justin Herbert throwing little this offseason while focusing on footwork and mechanics, Uiagalelei has taken advantage of his reps. The former undrafted free agent has been one of the Chargers’ most impressive players, thriving on intermediate and deep throws. If that carries into training camp, Uiagalelei could challenge Trey Lance for the backup job,” ESPN insider Kris Rhim wrote.

Lance earned the starting job in training camp last year from Taylor Heinecke and sat back while Herbert had a healthy 2025 campaign. His efforts prompted the Chargers to reward him with a one-year deal worth $6.75 million. However, Uiagalelei was waiting in the wings on the practice squad.

Uwe Aguillett has learned a lot during his first season in the NFL, and it’s clear that he has grown as a player. He’ll have a chance to win back the backup quarterback job, but it will take more than just good reps during OTAs. He’ll have to prove himself during training camp and the preseason, where he will get his biggest opportunity to show that he is more than a practice squad player.

BFTB community, what do you make of Uiagalelei’s ascent as a player? Can he actually take over the backup QB duties from Lance? Chime off in the comments section below.

It’s setting up to be a long, hot summer here on the east coast. It’s being made even longer by the fact that we’re still about a month away from the New York Giants training camp.

The folks over at ESPN took the opportunity to poll their beat writers for each team and get their early impressions of the NFL’s first round picks. So far Jordan Raanan has been impressed with both of the Giants’ first rounders, so we’ll go in reverse order and start with offensive lineman Sisi Mauigoa.

10. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

Mauigoa plugged in immediately at right guard next to tackle Jermaine Eluemunor with the first-team offense in the spring. Mauigoa’s desire to learn and impressive physical talent stood out to Eluemunor. It’s hard to imagine, considering his size and body composition, that Mauigoa isn’t immediately a plus run blocker from the start during his rookie season. 

If we’re being honest, there’s only so much an offensive lineman can show before the pads go on. The Giants’ practices have been more intense than we’re used to seeing at this point on the calendar, but there’s still not any real hitting.

Still, it’s a positive sign that Mauigoa has attacked learning how to be a pro and learning the Giants’ playbook. It’s also a good sign that the early indications are that he’ll (at least) be a strong run blocker as a rookie. Greg Roman simply loves the power run game, and one of the reasons he’s not with the Chargers anymore is that, as good as their offensive line is, they didn’t have the players to play they way he wants. Mauigoa, along with Andrew Thomas and Eluemunor, should be a much better fit for the run plays that Roman dreams up.

5. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Reese looks the part. Even on an NFL field, he stands out physically with his size (6-foot-4, 241 pounds), especially at inside linebacker where he’s playing. The Ohio State product impressed with his ability to cover and run with running backs. Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns said he was surprised by that part of his game and that he didn’t know it existed. The Giants were also happy with how Reese handled the mental aspect of the spring.

Like with Mauigoa, there’s only so much we can learn about a linebacker — inside or outside — before the pads go on. But it’s still a good sign that the athleticism we saw on tape at Ohio State and at the NFL Scouting Combine is translating to an NFL field and against NFL players.

Reese’s versatility and ability to handle the mental load could make him a key piece for the Giants’ defense and help him hit his stride quickly as a rookie. We’ve seen that the most “pro ready” rookies, players like Justin Pugh or Odell Beckham Jr., aren’t just the ones with the most athletic upside. But rather they’re the ones who have the mental intangibles to quickly pick up NFL playbooks and process the game at NFL speed.

About a month ago I wrote that Reese could be the key to the Giants’ defense in 2026 (and beyond).

One of the major challenges facing modern defenses is figuring out ways to contain high octane passing attacks without compromising run defense. One of the solutions has been to use versatile second level defenders to change from even to odd (ie: a 4 to 5-man) fronts underneath two-deep shells (Cover 2 or Cover 4). In addition to Reese’s explosiveness and bend as a pass rusher, his ability to play on the line of scrimmage or drop into coverage gives the Giants the same kind of versatility other teams are getting with hybrid safeties.

It could be a very good sign for Dennard Wilson’s group that Reese not only seems to fits right in with Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Tremaine Edmunds, but is already impressing the Giants’ coaching staff with his Football IQ.

Training camp and the preseason are taking their sweet time getting here, but they could be very fun this year.

We’ve reached the end of June, which means we’re just a few weeks away from training camp and the start of NFL preseason. For the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, their offseason has not been nearly as flashy as the Los Angeles Rams, but it hasn’t been completely silent. They kept most of their free agents in quantity, even if some of their higher profile free agents went elsewhere. There were also a couple of notable contract extensions, as well as another hotly debated use of a first-round pick on a running back.

ESPN’s Seth Walder has filed his offseason report cards for every team, basing his grades on all decisions made in the 2026 offseason. The Seahawks come in at a modest B-, but the move Walder disliked is one I don’t think I would’ve predicted even with five guesses.

Biggest move: Extending WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Move I liked: Extending OT Charles Cross
Move I disliked: Letting Edge Boye Mafe leave in free agency

After winning the Super Bowl, the Seahawks were inevitably going to have some departures. Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III went to the Chiefs. He was followed by safety Coby Bryant (Bears), cornerback Riq Woolen (Eagles) and Mafe (Bengals). And offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak became the Raiders’ head coach.

The Seahawks weren’t going to be able to keep their Super Bowl-winning roster intact, so they had to prioritize. And instead of bringing in outside personnel, they focused their spending on extending homegrown talent. Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, received a massive (and deserved) $42.15 million-per-year extension. Cross received a $26.1 million extension for his work at left tackle. Derick Hall was given a middle-class edge rusher extension at $14 million per year. Seattle also re-signed CB Josh Jobe and WR Rashid Shaheed.

Regarding those decisions on whom to keep and whom to let go, I’m less fond of the choice of Hall over Mafe. This was the easier path because Hall was still under contract, but I would rather have Mafe — who has proved to be very good against the run and the pass on a per-snap basis. Perhaps Seattle could have traded Hall and paid a few more million for Mafe.

I should note that Charles Cross was extended during last season, so that technically should not count as an offseason move, but whatever. Losing Mafe, who was a good rotational player but not as important as DeMarcus Lawrence or Uchenna Nwosu, does not seem like a big deal. Had Hall not been injured and suspended for the better part of three games, he would’ve likely been even with or outsnapped Mafe outright. Given the contract Mafe received and how much Hall’s extension cost for his production and potential, I’d keep Hall 10 times out of 10.

Maybe the biggest shock of this article is Walder giving the Los Angeles Rams a C+, with a lot of it based on the Ty Simpson draft pick. He also doesn’t seem to be a huge fan of the trade and extension of cornerback Trent McDuffie, and he acknowledged the value the Rams gave up in Jared Verse after acquiring Myles Garrett.

The San Francisco 49ers received a B+, led by their free agent signings of Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, while the Arizona Cardinals got a D and were hammered for the Jeremiyah Love pick.

The 2025 Buffalo Bills season has been written, but the book is incomplete. Before we cast our full attention toward the 2026 season, let’s take one last glance back over our shoulder through Buffalo Rumblings’ annual look at the Plays That Defined the prior campaign.

For any newcomers, first and foremost; Welcome! When it comes to the “rules” of this exercise, we’re not voting for our favorite highlight necessarily, but the one that best captures the essence of the game. Put differently, if you had to choose just one play to show someone to explain as much of the contest as possible, which would you choose?

Week 10: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

The Bills had traded punches with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9, and they came out victorious. Buffalo traveled with confidence to Miami to take on the 2-7 Dolphins, a team the Bills had already handled earlier in the year.

What should have been a cakewalk was a major struggle. Questionable strategy and let’s face it, terrible execution, led to a thrashing at the hands of the inferior Dolphins. No worries, it’s not like the Bills ended up losing the division due to a few regrettable dropped games like this or anything.

Cole Bishop’s INT (Q1; 13:41)

If you’ve been reading these over the years, you know sometimes I like to go a bit more abstract/poetic and offer a contrasting play as often it can be fun to “illustrate” something ironically. On Miami’s first drive, we got exactly what I think most of us expected for the game. Tua Tagovailoa heaves the ball looking to keep the drive alive, and arm punts it right to Cole Bishop.

Honestly, this isn’t a worse outcome than an incomplete pass would have been but it just feels like the game we should have had. We had so much hope for the first couple minutes.

Incomplete pass (Q1; 1:22)

Do you remember how great of a season James Cook III was having up to this point (and afterwards, too, really)? The Dolphins weren’t up by more than two scores until the middle of the fourth quarter. In other words, there wasn’t really much reason to abandon the run. The Bills’ regular-season distribution ended up with 495 passing attempts to 547 rushes.

That sum makes the 22 runs versus 40 passes in this game bewildering. I can’t think of a better symbol for the Bills deliberately abandoning the rushing game in favor of the passing one than the literal embodiment of it here. The result is fitting here too.

Jaylen Waddle’s TD (Q2; 15:00)

It’s not like the defense really did well either. Miami averaged just over 20 points a game last season. Letting them drop 30 is embarrassing. The hope is that cornerback Maxwell Hairston will learn to turn around and play the ball consistently, especially when the ball hangs in the air so long you suspect that it might be filled with helium.

Josh Allen’s INT (Q3; 6:08)

Back to the offense, which was indeed very offensive. Look at the timestamp. At this point in the game, the score was 16-0 in favor of the Dolphins. This was the 14th play of the 9:01 drive. It was nearly the start of a thrilling comeback, but y’know… it wasn’t.

De’Von Achane’s second TD (Q4; 3:24)

Wanna get really upset? This was the shorter of the two touchdowns by De’Von Achane. This was 35 yards, whereas his first was 59. Why go with the shorter of the two? First off, let’s face it. With touchdowns like this where the running back breaks through all the layers of the defense, the distance stops mattering as much. Second, this play was the moment that hope vanished. Down by 10 with just a few minutes to go it was bleak. This made “bleak” look awe inspiring.

Keon Coleman’s TD (Q4; 12:44)

We started with an ironic contrast, so let’s end with one. This catch and touchdown by Keon Coleman are what we hope we’ll see from him on consistent basis. Fingers crossed.

Which play best defines the Bills’ loss?

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …

QB questions for all 32 NFL teams: Contracts, injuries, more – ESPN
Is Jalen Hurts’ future in Philly on the line this season? It would feel terribly unfair if it were, given that Hurts was the Super Bowl MVP 16 months ago, they just traded away his best wide receiver and he has to learn a new offense for the forevereth offseason in a row. But this is Philadelphia, and Hurts knows very well that the Eagles are willing to move on at key positions when things aren’t working. That’s how he got the job in the first place, when the Eagles decided to get rid of Wentz shortly after signing him to a big new extension. Hurts has three years left on his contract and $22 million in guaranteed money set for 2027. But we’ve already heard rumblings out of Philly this offseason about Hurts’ level of perceived responsibility for the offense’s 2025 struggles. And those rumblings will only get louder if the offense struggles again in 2026. Hurts is a willing pupil, and he’s working diligently to learn and master the Sean Mannion offense this offseason. His career has been defined by his willingness and ability to make himself a better player in specific ways the organization has asked of him. Some years, the new offense in Philly works great. Other years, it does not. Which will this be? And if it’s the latter, what does that mean for Hurts’ future with the Eagles?

One outstanding question for every team as the NFL’s summer break begins – The Athletic
Does the system suit the quarterback? This is an important year for Jalen Hurts. The Eagles made no move to give him more contract security this offseason, and although he still has three years left on a deal that affords him franchise quarterback status, it’s feasible for the organization to move on from him after this season if it so chooses. While no player performed well in last year’s clunky system, the campaign revealed that Hurts indeed has limitations. New OC Sean Mannion’s scheme will call for the most under-center play of Hurts’ career, with a slew of other significant changes to boot. The offseason only offered a peek. Can Hurts get back to elite play? Will he earn that next major deal?

Eagles 53-man roster prediction: Updated after spring practices – BGN
WIDE RECEIVER: DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, Johnny Wilson (5) [11]. If you’re not confident that Smith is ready to be WR1, you simply haven’t been paying attention. He’s already proved more than capable. Lemon was repping with the first-team offense prior to missing the rest of spring practices due to a hamstring injury. Assuming he can stay healthy, he figures to have a big volume role as a rookie. To be determined what his efficiency will look like. Wicks is clearly viewed as a starting receiver on this team based on his practice reps and the way that Nick Sirianni talked about him. Sirianni lumped Brown (whom he referred to as “Quise” — nickname stock boost) and Elijah Moore into a similar bucket … and ditto for the pairing of Johnny Wilson and Darius Cooper. Brown had a solid spring and the Eagles are paying more money to him than Moore, who has no real special teams experience to speak of. Wilson’s size can be valuable and he’s shown some promise as a receiver. I have a real tough time cutting Darius Cooper, who is my guy, but he had a very quiet spring and didn’t seem to get much, if any, first-team reps despite the Eagles missing starting receivers in every practice. Cooper could very well come alive during the summer, just like he did last year, to force them to keep him around again. Britain Covey is probably the team’s best punt returner option but the Eagles should be able to keep him on the practice squad to start the season. I do think the Eagles could keep six at this position but we’ll say five for now.

Things to watch for at Eagles training camp: Quarterbacks edition – PhillyVoice
Tanner McKee has quietly gone about his business as a backup quarterback for the Eagles for three full years, diligently preparing as if he’s the starter. And when he has gotten his opportunities — with the exception of one game last season during which he played with the second-team offensive line and backups at the skill positions — he has mostly looked the part of a player who could earn a starting job at some point, even if with another team. And yet, despite his continued progression as a pro quarterback, he was competing for the QB2 job this spring with a 38-year-old Andy Dalton, who the team acquired via a mere seventh-round pick this offseason. Weird. McKee pretty clearly outplayed Dalton during the spring, at least during the media-attended practices, but it’s interesting that the team felt that he should have to earn the QB2 spot, which in my opinion, he already has the last three-plus years.

Roster Construction – Iggles Blitz
Special Teams. This ties into the gameday stuff mentioned above. You need guys to be good and willing contributors on STs. Elijah Moore is a better WR than Darius Cooper, but which guy is more likely to cover punts and/or kickoffs? That is an important consideration when choosing backups. You’re looking for guys who can cover, block or have return ability. Kelee Ringo is not a good CB. He is an outstanding gunner and that could earn him a roster spot and playing time.

Why this unheralded Eagles veteran is one of the 25 most important players in 2026 – PennLive
With Mukuba hurt, it was Epps who filled in and started four games opposite Blankenship. In 12 total appearances, Epps had 21 tackles and one TFL. Notably, he didn’t have any coverage busts or notable mistakes that cost the team. Fangio said he was “pleasantly surprised” with how Epps performed. “Maybe surprised is the wrong word because I just really didn’t know him,” Fangio said. “But when he had to play last year, he came in and showed his experience, showed his instincts that he has for the game. I was pleased with the way he played last year.” “I wasn’t considering him an old player at this point. But he’s obviously a veteran. I think he’ll do fine. … If he wins the job, we’ll be fine.”

Jeffrey Lurie honored as Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award winner – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
For his work supporting the global autism community through the Eagles Autism Foundation and the Lurie Autism Institute, Lurie has been named the recipient of the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award. The honor is part of ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Awards, held during ESPYS week in July. “I am truly humbled to be recognized as the recipient of this year’s Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award,” Lurie said. “This honor exemplifies the transformative power of sport and the life-changing impact it can have on people. Stuart was a trailblazer whose legacy was built on integrity, professionalism, and bravery. His authentic character and fearlessness in the face of adversity will live on forever through this distinguished award.”

Unlocking Alpha: Evaluating Cowboys receivers via advanced metrics – Blogging The Boys
Flashing Alpha: Ryan Flournoy “Ryan Flournoy, I really think is taking the next step,” Schottenheimer said, per the DMN. “I think he has a chance to be a terrific receiver in this league.” Ryan Flournoy’s metrics show an upward trajectory in both YPRR and YAC, but is there more to him than his ability to capitalize on spot-starts in a strong offense when injuries hit the depth chart? Analyzing Flournoy’s numbers show a hyper-efficient role player who made a significant sophomore leap by maximizing limited opportunities behind superstars CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in 2025. Solid WR Starter YPRR Baseline: Flournoy ran 273 total routes in 2025. Dividing his 475 yards by those routes yields a 1.74 YPRR. This places him comfortably in the “Solid NFL Starter” tier, and ranks him 27th out of 94 wide receivers with at least 250 routes run. For a late-round draft pick playing an ancillary role, this means he is actively winning his matchups and giving Dak Prescott a reliable option when targeted.

Washington Commanders roster rankings: Jayden Daniels sits at No. 2 – Hogs Haven
New offensive coordinator David Blough will challenge Daniels. That’s a good thing. He’ll have Daniels under center a lot more and will demand he orchestrate the running game well. He’ll also create passing lanes that should increase completion percentage if everything goes well. Daniels has been processing the new offense well during this offseason, creating optimism that the young quarterback can produce big numbers and have the renaissance that Caleb Williams had under Ben Johnson. Here’s hoping that Daniels can experience a big year in 2026. If he can, the Commanders will become relevant again and be a real factor in the NFC.

Are the NY Giants failing Jaxson Dart? – Big Blue View
Quarterback Jaxson Dart is the New York Giants most important player. I won’t spoil what Ed has to say about Dart in an upcoming piece, but considering quarterback is the most important position in the major American sports, Dart has to be the most important player on the Giants’ roster. As John Harbaugh said shortly after being hired, it’s all about the quarterback and you need to build around him. But have the Giants done a good job of that? Are the Giants surrounding Dart with the pieces he needs for the offense to succeed?

2026 NFL season: Ranking all eight candidates to go from worst to first in division races – NFL.com
3) NEW YORK GIANTS. John Harbaugh’s arrival has brought optimism to the Giants that they lacked in the past several seasons. The longtime head coach knows how to coax the best out of his crew and will be a stabilizing force for the club. The defense has legit playmakers up front. Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux can discombobulate quarterbacks. The loss of Dexter Lawrence hurts, but the addition of chess piece Arvell Reese provides Big Blue with a roving force in the middle. There are some questions on the back end, but if the front plays to its dominant potential in Dennard Wilson’s scheme, it will be a much-improved unit. Jaxson Dart flashed high upside as a rookie and owns the potential for a Year 2 leap — if he can avoid big hits. When Dart was in a groove, he provided playmaking and escapability. Staying on the field will be key. Ditto for bulldozer Cam Skattebo. The offensive line, with first-rounder Francis Mauigoa filling in at guard, should be a strength if Andrew Thomas can stay healthy. The big question is the health of Malik Nabers, who is working his way back from last season’s ACL tear. If Nabers misses significant time, New York lacks a field-tilting passing-game threat. The NFC East will be hotly contested, with the Eagles remaining a steady force and the Cowboys and Commanders each shoring up weaknesses this offseason. However, Harbaugh’s arrival brings belief that the Giants can swiftly turn things around.

Detroit Lions release CB Terrion Arnold after arrest – Pride Of Detroit
Just days after Terrion Arnold was arrested for his connection to a kidnapping incident in February, the Detroit Lions announced they have released the cornerback. Arnold was drafted by the Lions in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with the Lions trading up to draft the cornerback out of Alabama. [BLG Note: Good thing the Eagles selected Quinyon Mitchell instead of Arnold.]

Can you guess this NFL d-lineman in today’s in-5 trivia game? – SB Nation
Hello football fans! Welcome to the SB Nation NFL in-5 daily trivia game. Click on “Instructions” to learn how to play the game. Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

EXCLUSIVE: How Texas State Reached the Pac-12 – Texas Football
The inside story of Texas State’s climb to the Pac-12, featuring Kelly Damphousse, G.J. Kinne, conference realignment, and the pursuit of College Football Playoff relevance. [BLG Note: Shout out to Eagles legend G.J. Kinne, who has turned around the Texas State program.]

…

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We are within a month of the Kansas City Chiefs opening training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

It’s an annual tradition to have a “camp crush” heading into the first chance to watch the Chiefs in full-team practices, when there are 90 players, instead of 53 after cutdown day in September, to watch and overanalyze.

Former Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson was one of the most successful camp crushes in franchise history. Before he scored four times over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, he was a big-bodied wide receiver from Division II Valdosta State who went undrafted in the 2019 class.

On Tuesday, Fortson shared some practice highlights from his time as the ultimate “camp crush,” showing off his ability as the tall, strong possession receiver that Chiefs Kingdom craves after years of valuing speed among the wide receivers in head coach Andy Reid’s system.

Former Chiefs wideout Justyn Ross was next, and this year, undrafted receiver from the University of Cincinnati, Jeff Caldwell, could be following in line.

It remains to be seen if that role can be carved out as well as it was by Fortson, who successfully transitioned from wide receiver to tight end in order to realize his potential as a one-off playmaker and a red-zone threat, an underrated role for the Chiefs’ offense that was the best in the league and won Super Bowl LVII in 2022.

Who’s your camp crush with training camp on the way? Let us know in the comments.

In Today’s Links: the off-season and things we learned, our beloved Seattle Seahawks continue to be overlooked by the national media, behind the scenes of the draft, ‘Hawks rookies that we may need to play well immediately, our squad’s O, and more! Happy Tuesday. Yeah, it’s Tuesday. Enjoy the sun. Thanks for being here. Go, ‘Hawks!

#np Ceasefire by Zela Margossian Quintet

Seattle Seahawks News

What I’ve learned about the Seahawks this offseason – Seaside Joe
From welcoming new coaches to saying goodbye to old faces, the Seahawks proved that they’re not afraid of change or consistency…or the Rams

Disrespect of Super Bowl champion Seahawks ‘getting ridiculous’ – Seattle Sports
ESPN’s Kevin Clark called the Seahawks one of the “most disrespected Super Bowl champions of my lifetime.”

The Equation | Before The Noise: S3 E2 – Seahawks.com
The Super Bowl LX World Championship Parade is over, and the Seattle Seahawks’ front office is already back at work, and one of the biggest items on the to-do list is prepare for the NFL Draft.

Bids to buy Seahawks reportedly due Monday – The Seattle Times
Those interested in making a bid for the Seahawks have until Monday to get it sorted out, according to a new report.

3 Seahawks Rookies Who Must Step Up Right Away – si.com
The Seattle Seahawks have an eight-man draft class, but three of those players stand out above the rest in terms of playing major snaps in their rookie year.

SEAHAWKS Offense Finding Their Next Level? Sam Darnold & Rashid Shaheed Are Starting To Click!! – Seahawks Forever w/ Dan Viens
The Seahawks offense could be even better in 2026, and one of the biggest reasons may be the growing connection between Sam Darnold and Rashid Shaheed.

NFC West News

When the Cardinals almost moved to Evanston, Illinois – Revenge of the Birds
The Arizona Cardinals just might be the one NFL team to have the most team names.

How do the 49ers compare to the Rams and Seahawks? – Niners Nation
The 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks should be three of the best teams in the NFL next year. Who’s the best?

Draft class 2025 check-in: Rams betting big on Terrance Ferguson – Turf Show Times
Despite Myles Garrett trade, Josaiah Stewart should have large role on edge

The next installment of the Packers’ Top Plays of 2025 looks at a massive late-game 4th down conversion that helped earn Green Bay a win early on in the season.

Matt LaFleur’s career as a decision-maker has had a few phases. Early on, he epitomized the “All Gas, No Brake” mentality that he preached, proving to be one of the more aggressive coaches in keeping his offense on the field in 4th down situations. However, that aggressiveness waned over the past few years, and he became more apt to play for field goals and field position.

However, 2025 saw the pendulum start to swing back in the other direction, and one of the clearest examples of LaFleur getting his groove back came in the Packers’ week 7 game against the Arizona Cardinals. This late-game conversion comes in at #9 on our countdown of Green Bay’s top plays of the 2025 season.

The Game

It’s week 7, and the Green Bay Packers are in the midst of their longest road trip of the year as they face the Arizona Cardinals. After an early week 4 bye, Green Bay defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-18 the previous week at Lambeau Field to improve their record to 3-1-1.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals come into the week with a 2-4 record. Arizona won each of their first two games in thrilling fashion, getting 4th-down stops in the final moments against the Saints and Panthers in back-to-back weeks while clinging to a one-score lead. After that, however, the Cardinals dropped four straight games, each by four points or fewer. The 49ers, Seahawks, and Titans each defeated Arizona on last-second field goals, while the Colts got a go-ahead touchdown run from Jonathan Taylor with less than five minutes left and stopped the Cardinals on 4th down inside the 10-yard line to hold on for a win.

It should have come as no surprise, then, that Arizona would provide a dramatic ending for the Packers in this game.

The Situation

Indeed, Arizona played tough through the first half, seemingly ready to take a 13-3 lead into halftime after scoring a touchdown with seven seconds left in the first half. However, a 22-yard pass to Romeo Doubs set up a team-record 61-yard field goal from Lucas Havrisik to pull Green Bay back to within a touchdown at the break. The Packers tied the game after a Rashan Gary strip-sack of Jacoby Brissett led to a Josh Jacobs score, but the two teams traded touchdowns on the ensuing drive.

With 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Arizona took the lead with a field goal. After a three-and-out, the Packers defense stopped Brissett on a 4th-down quarterback sneak near midfield, giving Jordan Love the ball down by three with just under six minutes to play. Love converted an early 3rd-and-8 to Tucker Kraft, but after three runs by Jacobs netted 8 yards, the team faced a 4th-and-2 from Arizona’s 29-yard line and 2:32 left on the clock.

What’s the call if you’re in Matt LaFleur’s shoes? Settle for a 47-yard field goal attempt to try to tie the game? That would leave the Cardinals with 2:32 on the clock, sitting in good field position, and needing only a field goal to win. If you go for it and end up scoring a touchdown, that puts you up by 4 points, forcing Arizona to find the end zone, though if you fail you have to get a stop.

The Play

Matt LaFleur ended up taking a timeout to think about it and, after initially appearing to be prepared to kick, he sent the offense back out on the field after all, showing immense trust in Jordan Love to find a way to pick up those two yards.

And pick them up he did.

Green Bay lined up with three receivers in a tight stack to the left — Tucker Kraft on the line of scrimmage in the middle with Matthew Golden inside of him and Malik Heath a yard off the line just outside — and Romeo Doubs split wide right. After motioning Golden to the outside of the stack, Love took the shotgun snap with Josh Jacobs to his right and took a short drop to survey the receivers.

Heath sits down at the sticks, but he’s bracketed by a defensive back and safety Budda Baker. Golden is covered up well at the sideline as well. But Kraft runs a deep out against the man coverage of safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, gaining a few yards of separation. Love sees Kraft open at his break and lofts a perfect pass to him just inside the sideline. Kraft hauls it in for a massive 4th-down conversion and a gain of 15 yards.

Give the play a watch here.

The Impact

The drive stayed alive and the Packers offense paid off on LaFleur’s faith. Jacobs ran the ball three more times, using up the two-minute warning and the Cardinals’ first timeout before scoring a touchdown on his third attempt to indeed put the Packers up by four points. That margin proved to be critical as the Packers defense bent and allowed the Cardinals to get to the Packers’ 27-yard line on their final drive.

However, a sack by Micah Parsons, his third of the game, and a pair of incomplete passes by Brissett gave the Packers the game. Had the Packers settled for a field goal to tie the score, that would have left Arizona in position to kick one of their own for the win.

In a season where every victory was critical to keeping the Packers in the playoff hunt, this one was particularly important. It also showed that LaFleur, after a few seasons of being more conservative with his 4th down decision-making, seemed to be regaining his aggressiveness in important moments.

Frankly, when you have players like Love and Kraft to rely on in those critical situations, it’s a lot easier to feel comfortable going for it. In this case, they delivered one of the biggest plays of the season, helping the team’s record improve to 4-1-1.