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Nate Tice is joined by Bill Barnwell & Gregg Rosenthal to draft the top 18 NFL quarterbacks heading into the 2026 season. The trio snake draft their way through the QBs they’d want at the helm for 2026, as Bill takes Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen first overall and the three hosts debate their more contentious top picks (Lamar Jackson at two? Drake Maye top three? How far does Patrick Mahomes deserve to fall?)

Next, Nate, Bill and Gregg cover the latter half of the top ten, including where quarterbacks like Jordan Love, Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence and Brock Purdy stack up, before rounding out the top 18 with conversations on Jared Goff, Caleb Williams, C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray (!), Jalen Hurts and more.

(7:20) - Top 6 NFL quarterbacks

(49:10) - Quarterbacks 7-12

(1:30:35) - Quarterbacks 13-18

(Photo by Ryan Kang/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

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed a total of 21 undrafted free agents this off-season, with 20 on the roster after releasing TE Matt Lauter for TE Patrick Gurd. The Raiders have seen some success from their undrafted free agents in recent seasons, and with the roster lacking depth at a few spots, there’s a good shot that a few undrafted free agents will at no worse push for a roster spot. Las Vegas has consistently churned the roster signing five undrafted free agents since they ended their minicamp just two days ago, at the time this was written. With that in mind, there’s a chance that a few of these players are off the roster at the time of reading.

Las Vegas carried three undrafted free agents last season with cornerback Greedy Vance, TE Carter Runyon, and EDGE Jahfari Harvey saw snaps in different situations. Las Vegas reportedly wanted to keep more undrafted free agents, though disagreements between the coaching staff & front office led to some being released or remaining on the practice squad.

* While they are placed into relatively similar “buckets” or tiers, they are not fully ranked in that tier *

Highest Chances (50%+):

LS Tyler Duzansky:

• Duzansky will have to compete with LS Alex Ward, who has experience with ST Coordinator Joe DeCamillis. Ward started nearly 25 games for the Rams, before a few botched or low snaps caused his release in the 2025 seasons. Las Vegas signed him near the end of the season as insurance and competition to Jacob Bobenmoyer. Duzansky was considered the best, or a top two, snapper in the 2025 class and has a lot of quality traits to help adapt to the NFL level. He’s shown good mechanics, elite snap times, and does well as a tackler as well.
• Competition: Alex Ward

K Kansei Matsuzawa:

• Matsuzawa or the “Tokyo Toe” will give Matt Gay a run for his money, but the biggest mark will be how well Matsuzawa can kick from 50+ after attempting just 2 from that range in his two seasons with the Rainbow Warriors. Matsuzawa did hit from 50+ on 5 of his 6 attempts during his pro day, including a 63 yarder. Matsuzawa has clean mechanics, a powerful leg, and doesn’t’ need to adjust for longer distances. Veteran Matt Gay does have experience with Joe DeCamillis as well, and he did have his best career season with the Rams during their super bowl run.
• Competition: Matt Gay

ILB Xavian Sorey:

• Sorey is an excellent athlete, logging a 8.85 RAS and it shows on the field. He’s an explosive first step linebacker, closes gaps well, has good size at 6’2/230, and his understanding of both the run and pass game at his age gives him a strong chance to push for a roster spot. The Raiders do lack depth at linebacker behind Nakobe Dean & Quay Walker, which could allow Sorey a chance to make the roster as a special teams option with weakside/mike flexibility. Sorey diagnoses plays well, works to find the ball, and he’s been productive at both Georgia and Arkansas. He’s more towards 50%, and it could come down to the roster numbers on how many linebackers Rob Leoanrd, Klint Kubiak, and John Spytek want to hold on the 53 man roster. The biggest key for Sorey will be standing out on special teams, where other Raiders linebackers have done well.
• Competition: Segun Olubi, Cody Lindenberg, Chris Thomas (R)

True Roster Battle (35 – 49%):

T Isaiah Jatta:

• Jatta has 909 snaps at LT, 144 at RT, and 6 at guard in his career. He has really good size at 6’6, 315, moved well, and he’s a good athlete who could’ve been drafted had he not logged 11 penalties in his first full season playing. Jatta has just 1060 career snaps through his career, with 870 of those coming in 2025. His footspeed is quick, he has a strong core, his hand combat skills flash, and as a run blocker Jatta will get into space, drive defenders, and play aggressive. He’s better as a run blocker, does show good ability to flip his hips, and the lower body athleticism will be his biggest driving factor. The Raiders have almost no competition with Dalton Wagner for the fourth tackle spot, and Jatta is the most likely to give him a push of the three undrafted tackles they signed (Henning, Missouri). Henning is an exceptional athlete, does show good traits, and there’s a world he could push for the 4th spot off sole leverage being able to go to the CFL instead of practice squad. Jatta needs to cut the penalties, but he’s an athlete with size, and could be someone Las Vegas looks to develop as a fourth tackle. There’s a world that Jatta does develop into a solid swing T with more experience, limiting penalties, and refined technique.
• Competition: Dalton Wanger, Niklas Henning (R), Kamar Missouri (R), Free Agent Signing

EDGE Cian Slone:

• Of the undrafted free agents, I truly think Slone can be an impactful player in 2026 and beyond for Las Vegas. He’s an elite athlete, plays extremely aggressive, works well on special teams, and has a red hot motor. His hands are active, violent, and advanced. He’s a tad underszied, will need to add mass, but plays very similar to Maxx Crosby coming out of Eastern Michigan. Slone will have a tough competition to make the roster with the Raiders possibly only carrying 4 EDGE rushers, but if that opens to 5, then his odds rise closer to 55-60%. As a true pass rush specialist, it’s hard to see another Raiders depth pass rusher really providing the juice, and special teams value, that Slone can.
• Competition: Jahfari Harvey, Brennan Jackson

ILB Chris Thomas:

• Don’t sleep on Thomas, Las Vegas has Walker & Dean as mentioned, behind them sits Eichenberg, Olubi, Lindenberg, and then Sorey & Thomas both undrafted rookies. If Las Vegas carries five linebackers, it’s likely a tough route to make the team over Lindenberg or Olubi who both have shown flashes on special teams. That said, Thomas does a few things better in the run game, he’s a very fluid athlete (better than Sorey), and he’s shown a history of success on special teams with 11 tackles and a forced fumble. Thomas does struggle to turn his hips at times, but shows coverage instincts, he plays physical, doesn’t miss many tackles, and overall proved to be a very consistent, productive, and high impact player for Maine. He’ll need to show out on special teams, and really play exceptionally well vs the run or improve in coverage, but Thomas does do a few things better than Sorey, though the jump from FCS to NFL is a lot more to overcome than Arkansas to NFL.
• Competition: Segun Olubi, Cody Lindenberg, Xavian Sorey (R)

WR Chase Roberts:

• Roberts is older, but he was likely a draftable prospect if he declared in 2024 instead of 2025. Roberts has a big frame at 6’4/215, he works well on special teams, runs quality routes, and has shown inconsistent flashes of being a quality contested catch receiver. Roberts will have some steep competition with Dareke Young, who’s thrived on special teams but been limited as a receiver. If Roberts can show more as a receiver, and not see a huge drop off as a special teams gunner, there’s a good shot he’ll push for at least a tough consideration on the roster especially with being the most physical and biggest receiver of the group.
• Competition: Dareke Young, Dont’e Thornton, Malik Benson (R), Shedrick Jackson, Phillip Dorsett, Brenden Rice, EJ Williams (R), Corey Rucker (R), Jonathan Brady (R)

RB Roman Hemby:

• Get familiar with Indiana, because there’s a few more coming on this list. The Raiders have Ashton Jeanty, and they drafted Mike Washington who will anchor the second role behind Jeanty. Las Vegas is lacking a third, or possibly fourth option. Hemby will have a competition, but with the Raiders runningback room being pretty limited after Washington/Jeanty, Hemby will have a strong chance to push. He’ll need to show an emphasis on his special teams ability, and truly make an impact as a receiver to supplement Jeanty. Hemby did well as a short yardage runner with the Hoosiers & with Maryland in his career. He’s a semi limited athlete, and if he can’t produce on special teams it’s tough to see a full path for him going forward. Dylan Laube has a history of being a decent receiver, and his special teams impact is notable as well with over 1000 career kick return yards, and Collier has shown better athletic traits.
• Competition: Dylan Laube, Chris Collier

NT Gary Smith III:

• Smith has your prototypical size for a nose tackle at 6’3/315. The Raiders won’t run a traditional 0/1-Tech on the field consistently, likely less than 200 snaps on a season, which can be accomplished by players currently on the roster as is. If Rob Leonard wants to carry a traditional nose tackle, as they have in recent seasons, then his path for the spot becomes a little more clear, though also a tough one with who’s on the roster. Adam Butler can play the nose tackle role as a 0/1-Tech as he’s done nearly 1000+ snaps in his career. Additionally, JJ Pegues has a chance to play that role, as he did at Ole Miss, and Thomas Booker has shown comfort working as a 0-Tech as well. The Raiders drafted Brandon Cleveland in the 7th round, and he’s a true nose tackle with over 70% of his snaps coming at 0, 1, or 2i. Smith needs to translate to a full time nose, after working across the board during his college snaps, and it all could come down to who’s the better pass rusher between him & Cleveland if those two are the final spots for a true 0/1.
• Competition: Brandon Cleveland | JJ Pegues would be at NT, but he’s versatile across the DL and not truly at risk for being cut

Depending Roster Numbers (15-34%):

QB Jacob Clark:

• Clark is limited as I noted in my scouting reports, when it comes to his arm talent & true mobility, that said, he’s shown an ability to be a pretty fluid quarterback who can diagnose coverages, manipulate a pocket, and simply make smart reads to allow his receiver a chance on the ball and to create a play as well. Clark is physical, he can run an offense similar to that of what Kubiak has ran in Seattle & New Orleans when it comes to bootlegs, mobile pockets, and RPO’s. Las Vegas has Aidan O’Connell, and he’s the biggest path between Clark and a roster spot, though both are also limited by how much the Raiders want to carry a third quarterback. If Las Vegas isn’t carrying a third quarterback, I’d expect Aidan O’Connell to be traded and Clark to the practice squad, if a third quarterback spot is open, then it’s truly a competition between the two.
• Competition: Aidan O’Connell, Roster Spot

CB Caleb Offord:

• I do like Offord, I think he’s among the more talented Raiders undrafted rookies, but his path to the roster is a little difficult to find. The Raiders tossed a ton of draft capital at defensive back in the 2026 draft cycle spending picks on DB’s Treydan Stukes & Dalton Johnson who provide safety/nickel versatility, and then another two picks on corners Jermod McCoy & Hezekiah Masses. Masses has a shot to make a play for a key depth role, and McCoy if healthy can compete to start. The Raiders also have 2025 third rounder Darien Porter who played 550 snaps in 2025, and showed good traits for his 4th season at CB. Additionally, DeCamarion Richardson, a 2024 4th rounder, is still on the roster after being the lone Raiders player to not take an offensive or defensive snap but play a special teams snap last season. The Raiders also have Taron Johnson at nickel, and 2025 undrafted cornerback Greedy Vance. Offord shows good ball skills, he tackles well, has versatility between the nickel and boundary, and overall does perform on special teams as well. His chance for the Roster may be tough in 2026, but I could see a route in 2027 or later into the season with injuries.
• Competition: DeCamarion Richardson, Chigozie Anusiem | NCB/ST: Greedy Vance, Devyn Perkins (R)

G Justin Pickett:

• Las Vegas added four undrafted rookies on the offensive line, with Pickett being the best. At 6’6/315 he’s shown the ability to play G and T, though he’s made his career at guard. Pickett moves well, he’s got quick feet, good strength, and his technique was fairly consistent through his time at Duke. Pickett did struggle at times to anchor, he’s shown a very limited ceiling, and his movement initially does lack a lot of traits that you want to see as a consistent NFL player. Pickett’s size and versatility gives him an advantage, though he’s in a rather loaded room. The only reason he’s not in the next category, which I think is more likely, is if the Raiders possibly move off veteran Jordan Meredith/Spencer Burford after pre-season as trade pieces, or if a Jackson Powers-Johnson trade does come to fruition as well should the team look to gain capital and key in on younger players on the roster (Zuhn, Caleb Rogers, Charles Grant).
• Competition: Niklas Henning (R), Spencer Burford, Atonio Mafi, Will Putnam (C)

SAF Tanner Wall:

• Wall has spent just three seasons at safety, but he has more forced incompletions than receptions, tackles better than you’d expect, and his previous time as a HS QB/College WR gives him a good understanding of passing concepts, passing lanes, and how to manipulate a quarterback. Wall is athletic, he shows good closing speed, his initial burst is above average, and Wall tracks the ball well with good ball skills. As mentioned with Offord, the Raiders have depth at defensive back, it’s tough to find a true spot for Wall, and he’ll need to really push for the roster through his time on special teams. Wall can make plays if given the chance, has a true free safety versatility option, and Wall has shown good special teams before with 7 tackles, a FR, and blocked kick at BYU. Should the Raiders really choose to carry 5 safeties, then the spot for Wall becomes a bit more open, but special teams will be the priority for his chances.
• Competition: Tristin McCollum, Devin Lafayette (R), Devyn Perkins (R), Roster Spot

DB Devyn Perkins:

• As mentioned with Wall, a roster spot is key for Perkins chance to make the 53 man roster. He’s an elite athlete, and the Utah Tech product showed exceptional ball skills, tackled well, and he’s a very fluid mover in every aspect. Perkins has the ability to play special teams, he’s done so at Utah Tech, and he did so well. He also has an ability to slide between the nickel, boundary, free safety, and strong safety which helps into the Raiders requirements for versatility in their secondary. Perkins has an ability to be a kick/punt returner as well which could provide him an upside to the roster. Perkins is a tad undersized, Las Vegas has depth at both cornerback and safety, and his size/lack of true position could be a tough challenge for him. Perkins best chance to the roster is likely as a true nickel, though I’d expect he’s more in the fold for 2027 if he’s still with the team.
• Competition: NCB – Greedy Vance | SAF – Tanner Wall (R), Devin Lafayette (R) | CB – Chigozie Anusiem, Caleb Offord (R)

Likely Practice Squad/Released (0-14%):

WR EJ Williams Jr:

• EJ Williams was the fourth receiver for Indiana in 2025, which isn’t a bad thing given 1-3 are all NFL caliber receivers and both Charlie Becker & Omar Cooper Jr are going to be or are, first round picks. Williams, a massive 6’3/200 does have true NFL size, and he’s a good athlete as well posing a 4.47 40. He sinks his hips well, is able to drive on the ball, shows good route running, and can be a YAC threat. Additionally, Williams worked as a gunner on special teams as well with a little over 200 snaps. He’s coming off a 2025 as one of Mendoza’s go to targets on the 8-14 yard range having 36 receptions, 438 yards, and 6 TD. Williams has a s hot to push for the roster with his size/athleticism combo, though a season on the practice squad to refine his route running, instincts, and other NFL traits will be crucial for his future success.
• Competition: Chase Roberts (R), Corey Rucker (R), Shedrick Jackson, Phillip Dorsett, Brenden Rice

WR Corey Rucker:

• The third Raiders UDFA WR, Rucker does show some traits that could cause him to push for the NFL roster. He glides around the field, was exceptionally productive across his 6 year career, can work on special teams, has good lower body athleticism, and does a lot with the ball in his hands. Rucker at 6’0/205 is more of a slot, Z receiver than an X like Roberts & Williams, though he’s not a pure slot like Brady. Rucker can work on screens, he didn’t play as a punt/kick returner, though Rucker did show an ability to do so at the Shrine Bowl. Rucker logged 256 receptions, 4121 yards, and 28 touchdowns in his career, and he’s logged nearly 40% of his career production in YAC. Rucker is older, but he does have some interesting traits, good instincts, and of course the YAC that could cause him to be a tough competition at the Z position. The Raiders really don’t have a ton of depth at their receiver room, and he’ll need to show a lot on special teams or really push out someone at Z.
• Competition: Shedrick Jackson, Brenden Rice, Jonathan Brady (R), EJ Williams (R), Phillip Dorsett

SAF Devin Lafayette:

• Lafayette is coming off a breakout 2025 with 115 tackles, 4 TFL, a sack, 2 INT, and 11 PBU, plus 2 FF in 10 games with another 19 career tackles & a blocked kick on special teams. Lafayette has good size, plays a true strong safety, but does have nickel defender versatility. Lafayette is an average athlete, he struggles to flip his hips, he’s a limited mover at times, and heavily relies on his initial burst/twitch. Lafayette will need to make plays more on special teams to force his way onto the roster, again if Las Vegas wants to carry five safeties. Lafayette has the history on special teams, but his biggest competition will be two others with the same experience and better defensive film, though I wouldn’t fully write him off as an option.
• Competition: NCB/ST – Devyn Perkins (R) | SAF – Tanner Wall (R), Tristin McCollum

WR Jonathan Brady:

• The Raiders just signed Brady May 4th, and the former Cal/Indiana receiver will have to make his strides as a special teams player over a receiver. He’s logged just 112 receptions, 1432 yards and 13 TD in his career which includes just 115 yards & 3 touchdowns through 16 games with Indiana in 2025. Where Brady does excel is as a punt returner where he logged 21 attempts, 347 yards, and a touchdown with a 16.5 average ranking 5th in the nation. Brady does have good explosiveness, his first step is quick, and while he lacks a lot of change of direction, long speed, or physical traits to be a WR at the NFL level, Brady does show the ability to be a special teams player, has good vision, and he’s tough. It’s hard to keep a pure punt returner, so showing something as a kick returner, gunner, and all around special teams player will be crucial for him, especially at just 5’8/185.
• Competition: Brenden Rice, Corey Rucker (R), EJ Williams (R), Shedrick Jackson | All Punt Returners

T Niklas Henning:

• I don’t think Henning has a full shot at the roster in 2026, but he’s got a track record from his time at Queens over the last four seasons, and the Canadian OL does show some flashes. He’s an excellent athlete, the rare Canadian who’s wrestled, but he needs a lot of work as well. Henning moves well in space, his initial quickness is notable, he fires off the line of scrimmage, and he’ll be a finisher in space with a good ability to identify second level blockers, play physical, and he wins heavily off his athleticism. The biggest things Hennings needs to refine is his position, with decent length, but not true NFL length despite being 6’6, 290. He’s a good mover, lacks strength, needs to get better with his hands, and overall adapting to the NFL from Canadian college. Henning was the 2nd overall pick in the CFL Draft, and he may choose that over being a practice squad player, but the 6’7/290 T shows a lot of traits to be a capable NFL swing tackle with development over 1-2 seasons.

OL Kamar Missouri:

• Missouri signed as a UDFA with the Raiders following a rookie minicamp invite, he’s likely to kick into G with sub 33” arms, a 6’5/325 frame, and he also needs to get better utilizing his hands. Missouri, a former Rutgers starter at RT did transfer down to UTSA where he carved out a solid two seasons allowing 7 sacks, 7 hits, and 56 pressures through over 1800 snaps all at LT. Missouri does have intriguing movement in his lower half, good core strength, uses his hands well, and does best in the run game. His hands are lacking as a pass protector, he’s limited with his footwork, and overall he doesn’t really seem comfortable at T which won’t translate to the NFL. Missouri has a tough uphill battle, though Las Vegas has genuinely almost no depth for their fourth tackle spot, and it’s a good situation to be in.
• Competition: Dalton Wagner, Niklas Henning (R), Isaiah Jatta (R)

TE/FB Patrick Gurd:

• Like others on this list, Gurd signed after a rookie minicamp invite, and the former Ohio State TE now makes it 4 TE from the 2024 Ohio State team in the NFL & 4 from the 2022 Ohio State team in the NFL (fun fact). Gurd is likely more of a fullback, and I could have him in a higher tier than he currently is if the Raiders truly want someone to compete with Connor Heyward who signed a 2 year, 5.5 million deal this off-season. Gurd has a good frame at 6’4/250, though he’s logged just 5 receptions and 61 yards in his career on 6 targets. He’s been consistent on special teams, has a ton of power and strength, and his blocking technique is exceptional. Gurd has a wide base, drives his full body through the rep, gets into space well, and he moves well initially to fire into the rep. Gurd’s played 300 career snaps, with just 186 coming inline, 45 as a FB & 43 in the slot. If Gurd is competing for a FB spot, he’s going to be a high end athlete that forces the Raiders hands, and he’ll also add ST value with 6 tackles in his career.
• Competition: Connor Hayward | IF at TE (I doubt) then Carter Runyon/Ian Thomas as blockers

The Miami Dolphins are into their first set of Organized Team Activities for the 2026 offseason training program, getting the players into offense versus defense drills for the first time this year. With a new head coach in former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley leading the way, the Dolphins are looking to rebuild the team after a disappointing end to the Mike McDaniel era in South Florida. A new year brings with it new expectations and new hopes. What will 2026 look like for Miami?

Today seemed like a great day to bring back an old favorite here on The Phinsider: the 90-in-90 roster breakdown. We will work through the Dolphins’ roster, taking a closer look at each player. That will include a look at their salary cap situation, a sensitive topic for Miami this season, as well as a review of last year and a projection for this season.

To start the series, we turn to one of the major focal points for Miami this offseason, the cornerback position. Our first player in the 2026 90-in-90 series is fourth-year cornerback JuJu Brents.

Biography

Name: Julius “JuJu” Brents
Number: 8
Position: Cornerback
Height / Weight: 6’3” / 198
Age (at start of season): 26
Experience: 4th year (Indianapolis Colts 2023-2024, Dolphins 2025)
College: Kansas State (Iowa)
Draft: 2023 second-round (44th overall) (Colts)
Acquired: 2025 waiver claim

Contract and 2026 salary cap

Contract: 4-year, $8.2 million (rookie contract with Colts); Dolphins assumed 2 years, $3.4 million

2026 salary cap: $1.9 million

Contract details via OverTheCap.com.

2025 review

Games played: 7 (2 starts)
Tackles: 14
Passes defensed: 1
Fumble recoveries: 1

Brents joined the Dolphins at the end of the preseason when the Colts waived him. He appeared in the first seven games for the team before a foot injury forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. He has the size and the speed every team wants in a cornerback, but the injury bug has been the story of his career thus far. His rookie year included nine games played, the most he has played in a season in his three years. Miami acquired Brents after the team traded away Jalen Ramsey and saw Kader Kohou and Artie Burns sustain injuries. The team needed depth at the cornerback position and, until his injury, Brents provided that and more.

After taking a few weeks to get up to speed, Brents became a force on the Dolphins’ defense. He only allowed four completions when targeted in 2025, but, of course, that was in a shortened season.

Offseason moves

Cornerback signings: Alex Austin, Darrell Baker, Jr., Miles Battle, Marco Wilson

Waived: Isiah Johnson

Drafted: Chris Johnson (1st Round)

2026 expectations

Assuming first-round pick Chris Johnson is starting at one of the outside cornerback positions, Brents is in competition for the other spot. If he is healthy, he absolutely could claim that role and the Dolphins could see him break out. He fits the mold of size Hafley seems to want in his defense, and the skills are there. He could be challenged for the starting spot by Storm Duck, but if he is healthy, Brents is a lock for the roster and could be a major player on defense this season.

The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins will have a joint practice before the teams meet on Saturday, Aug. 22 for a Week 2 preseason game in Miami. Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley made that announcement Tuesday morning.

The Giants, due to the FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium and construction at their practice facility across the parking lot, will spend the early part of training camp at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. Dates for that have yet to be confirmed, but camp figures to begin at the end of July and the Giants should return to East Rutherford, N.J. well before their preseason opener Aug. 15 at MetLife Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Giants and New York Jets meet in a Week 3 preseason game at MetLife Stadium. In recent years the teams have done at least one joint practice prior to their annual preseason game. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported Tuesday afternoon that the teams will not conduct a joint workout this season, and the practice with the Dolphins will be the only joint workout this summer.

The New England Patriots are officially set to kick off the upcoming NFL season in Seattle. 

It will mark 213 days since the Patriots walked off the field in Santa Clara on the wrong side of Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks.

While winning the September matchup won’t change those results, there will be some extra motivation.

“I think you always have a chip on your shoulder when you’re up against somebody who you previously lost to the year before,” captain Brenden Schooler said. “I’m treating it just like another game. I’m going to go out there, I’m going to be composed just like I was in the Super Bowl when we played them. Nothing’s really changed except just the date we’re playing each other and the location we’re playing each other. So I’m going to go out there and kind of treat the game just how I did in the Super Bowl.”

Following their Super Bowl run last February, the Patriots had a short offseason before returning to the facility for the voluntary offseason program. New England will kickoff OTAs next week before wrapping up the program with minicamp ahead of training camp later this summer.

For fellow captain Marcus Jones, the opener becoming official is another reminder that the season is approaching, but there is plenty of work still to do.

“I feel like at the end of the day, it’s a new year. I’m happy about the situation of hearing the schedule off, the fact that we’re getting closer to what we love to be a part of. But at the end of the day, like, we’re not looking too far forward,” Jones said.

“Of course, Super Bowl rematch. But at the end of the day, controlling what we can control. And it’s a lot of things that we got to get installed, training camp that comes down to it, build during preseason and everything. But we’re excited about Week 1.”

Schooler called the Week 1 matchup a “great opportunity” for the Patriots to showcase the improvements they have made — and continue to make — this offseason.

A win in Seattle would provide a strong start for a team hoping to return to the Super Bowl and finish with a different result. 

“At the end of the day, we put in a lot of work. You get all the way to where you wanted to be and we didn’t get the job done,” Jones said. “I mean, we understand it, but we know our potential and we know how far we can go. You have a lot of guys that’s back on the team that’s been in those situations, so we understand that. We don’t want that to happen again.”

NFL Coach of the Year odds were high on Mike Vrabel entering last year, and he delivered, guiding the New England Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl.

Looking forward to a new season, a similar storyline is emerging, with DraftKings favoring John Harbaugh as he begins his first campaign as head coach of the New York Giants.

With Harbaugh listed at +600 to win Coach of the Year — an award he captured in 2019 with Baltimore — here’s a look at the latest NFL odds for the 2026–27 season.

NFL Coach of the Year odds

Coach	Preseason Win Total (O/U)
John Harbaugh	7.5	+600
Jesse Minter	10.5	+800
Robert Saleh	6.5	+1000
Kellen Moore	7.5	+1200
Joe Brady	10.5	+1400
Todd Monken	6.5	+1400
Mike McCarthy	8.5	+1600
Kevin Stefanski	7.5	+1800
Brian Schottenheimer	8.5	+1800
Klint Kubiak	5.5	+2000

Odds as of 5-19-2026. Odds from DraftKings, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our DraftKings promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

NFL Coach of the Year opening odds

Here is a look at the opening odds for NFL Coach of the Year. John Harbaugh (+500) opened as the betting favorite. 

• John Harbaugh (+500)
• Jesse Minter (+750)
• Joe Brady (+950)
• Robert Saleh (+950)
• Kellen Moore (+1200)
• Mike McCarthy (+1200)
• Kevin Stefanski (+1400)
• Brian Schottenheimer (+1400)
• Jim Harbaugh (+1600)
• Todd Monken (+2000)
• Klint Kubiak (+2200)
• Ben Johnson (+2200)
• Aaron Glenn (+2200)
• Matt LaFleur (+2200)
• Dan Campbell (+2500)
• Shane Steichen (+2500)
• Liam Coen (+2500)
• Kevin O'Connell (+3000)
• Jeff Hafley (+3000)
• Dan Quinn (+4000)
• Demeco Ryans (+4000)
• Zac Taylor (+4000)
• Sean McVay (+4000)

NFL Coach of the Year prediction

The New Orleans Saints caught fire at the end of last season, winning four of their last five games. With a full season of Tyler Shough under center, Kellen Moore could see this team take a big step forward in his second year as the Saints’ HC.

Based on last season’s win-loss records, the New Orleans Saints are set to have the second-easiest schedule in the NFL this season. New Orleans could quietly emerge as a contender to win the NFC South, a title it hasn’t claimed since 2020.

COY Pick: Kellen Moore (+1200 at DraftKings)

Popular NFL futures markets

• NFL MVP odds
• NFL OPOY odds
• NFL DPOY odds
• NFL ROY odds

NFL Coach of the Year trends

• There has not been a back-to-back Coach of the Year winner since 1982 and 1983 (Joe Gibbs).
• There have been 13 multiple winners of the Coach of the Year award, with three coaches (Don Shula, Chuck Knox, Bill Belichick) taking it home 3+ times.
• Only one man has won NFL Coach of the Year honors despite his team finishing below .500 in the standings that season (Jimmy Johnson in 1990). 

NFL Coach of the Year history

A quick look at the NFL COY winners since 2000.

Year	NFL COY Award Winner
2025	Mike Vrabel
2024	Kevin O'Connell
2023	Kevin Stefanski
2022	Brian Daboll
2021	Mike Vrabel
2020	Kevin Stefanski
2019	John Harbaugh
2018	Matt Nagy
2017	Sean McVay
2016	Jason Garrett
2015	Ron Rivera
2014	Bruce Arians
2013	Ron Rivera
2012	Bruce Arians
2011	Jim Harbaugh
2010	Bill Belichick
2009	Marvin Lewis
2008	Mike Smith
2007	Bill Belichick
2006	Sean Payton
2005	Lovie Smith
2004	Marty Schottenheimer
2003	Bill Belichick
2002	Andy Reid
2001	Dick Jauron
2000	Jim Haslett

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With OTAs beginning for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team is on the field as a whole for the first time in the Mike McCarthy era. While all the attention has been on the quarterback position, specifically Aaron Rodgers returning for a 22nd season, the Steelers’ offensive line has several new faces – most notably, first-round pick Max Iheanachor.

The Arizona State product was drafted as a right tackle, but offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio says that they will try him out at multiple positions on the offensive line.

“We’ll move him around,” Angelichio said to the media. “[We’ll] take some looks at him [and] see where he fits well. We’ll certainly give him options. He will learn multiple positions.”

The Steelers have already seen a ton of movement on their offensive line. On the first day of OTAs during team periods, Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick went from right tackle and right guard, respectively, to left tackle and left guard. Spencer Anderson was slotted in as the starting right guard and Dylan Cook was in at right tackle. Center Zach Frazier was the only player to stay at his 2025 position.

All eyes will be on offensive line coach James Campen and assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans as they try to find the best combination of players and positions through the rest of the offseason program and training camp.

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!

• Antonio Brown goes off on JuJu Smith-Schuster in social media rant
• Germie Bernard already impressing Steelers coaches at OTAs
• Steelers OT Troy Fautanu makes feelings clear on potential position change
• Steelers QB Will Howard surpasses Mason Rudolph to begin OTAs
• Steelers make big changes on offensive line to begin OTAs

There will be a new plaque delivered to Seattle Seahawks superstar and Offensive Player of the Year winner Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

As shared on Monday, JSN’s NFL Honors award for OPOY had a bit of a problem. It looks like he’s won Defensive Player of the Year, which would’ve been amazing in an alternate universe.

The league has responded and apologized, but with a twist. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told The Athletic on Tuesday that it wasn’t a “Defensive” error, but a misspelling of “Offensive” as “Oefensive,” which actually seems plausible when looking at the “Of” on the plaque. Or maybe he’s the Defensive Player Df the Year. Either way, it’s wrong.

“The league made the mistake. We sincerely apologize to Jaxon for the error and are in the process of creating and shipping him a new trophy,” McCarthy said. “Of course, like the teams he played against this year, we know how great an offensive player he is. We just had a problem spelling it.”

We’ll keep tabs on whether or not the new trophy JSN gets is 100 percent accurate. Maybe it should also come with an apology letter from Druski.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs enter the season looking to reestablish themselves atop the AFC West, with the two-time MVP targeting a September return after suffering a devastating ACL tear late in the 2025 campaign.

While there’s still no official timetable for Patrick Mahomes’ return, the superstar joins new Minnesota Vikings signal-caller Kyler Murray among the early favorites in the NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds.

Here are the latest NFL odds as we build toward Week 1.

NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds

Player	Position
Patrick Mahomes	QB	+150
Kyler Murray	QB	+550
Micah Parsons	Edge	+1000
Malik Nabers	WR	+1000
Daniel Jones	QB	+1600
Nick Bosa	DE	+1900
Fred Warner	LB	+1900
Tucker Kraft	TE	+2500
George Kittle	TE	+2500
Cam Skattebo	RB	+2700

Odds as of 5-19-2026. Odds from FanDuel, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our FanDuel promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

NFL Comeback Player of the Year opening odds

Here is a look at the opening odds for NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Patrick Mahomes (+150) opened as the betting favorite. 

• Patrick Mahomes (+150)
• Kyler Murray (+550)
• Micah Parsons (+1000)
• Malik Nabers (+1000)
• Daniel Jones (+1600)
• Nick Bosa (+1900)
• Fred Warner (+1900)
• Tucker Kraft (+2500)
• George Kittle (+2500)
• Travis Hunter (+2700)
• Cam Skattebo (+2700)
• Brock Bowers (+3000)
• Garrett Wilson (+3300)
• Trey Hendrickson (+3500)
• Sam LaPorta (+4000)
• Geno Smith (+4000)
• Quinshon Judkins (+4000)
• Malik Willis (+4000)
• Tua Tagovailoa (+4000)

NFL Comeback Player of the Year prediction

Concussion history aside, Tua Tagovailoa will really benefit from a change of scenery.

Heading into a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, the former fifth overall pick will have a leg up on Michael Penix Jr. in training camp, as Penix continues to recover from the partially torn ACL he suffered a year ago.

Tua spent three consecutive years from 2022–2024 leading the league in either passer rating, passing yards, or completion percentage, and landing in an offense featuring Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts could give the Falcons quarterback production similar to his best days under Mike McDaniel.

Tagovailoa will also escape the cold conditions of the AFC East, no longer having to play in Buffalo or Foxborough, instead spending half his time indoors at home in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, along with favorable environments in New Orleans and Tampa Bay. 

If anything, Tagovailoa should feel like he's back in his SEC college days.

CPOY Pick: Tua Tagovailoa (+4000 at FanDuel)

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NFL Comeback Player of the Year betting trends

• Over the last eight years, the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has gone to a quarterback seven times.

• From 2014 to 2018, every Comeback Player of the Year had suffered a season-ending injury during the previous year, and Alex Smith won in 2020 after recovering from a devastating leg injury that almost required amputation. 

• Joe Burrow joins Chad Pennington (2006 and 2008) as the only player to win this award twice.

Previous NFL Comeback Player of the Year award winners

Year	NFL CPOY winner	Team
2025	Christian McCaffrey	San Francisco 49ers
2024	Joe Burrow	Cincinnati Bengals
2023	Joe Flacco	Cleveland Browns
2022	Geno Smith	Seattle Seahawks
2021	Joe Burrow	Cincinnati Bengals
2020	Alex Smith	Washington Commanders
2019	Ryan Tannehill	Tennessee Titans
2018	Andrew Luck	Indianapolis Colts
2017	Keenan Allen	Los Angeles Chargers
2016	Jordy Nelson	Green Bay Packers
2015	Eric Berry	Kansas City Chiefs
2014	Rob Gronkowski	New England Patriots
2013	Philip Rivers	Los Angeles Chargers
2012	Peyton Manning	Denver Broncos
2011	Matthew Stafford	Detroit Lions
2010	Michael Vick	Philadelphia Eagles

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The 2026 NFL Draft offered plenty of drama, and the league’s hottest prospects have found their new homes in the NFL Rookie of the Year odds.

After Tetairoa McMillan and Carson Schwesinger came away with ROY honors at preseason odds longer than +1000, could another dark horse be waiting in the wings for the upcoming campaign?

With training camp kicking off in July, let’s take a look at the latest NFL odds for Offensive ROY and Defensive ROY.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds

Player	Position
Jeremiyah Love	RB	+430
Fernando Mendoza	QB	+430
Carnell Tate	WR	+650
Jordyn Tyson	WR	+650
Jadarian Price	RB	+850
Makai Lemon	WR	+1500
Carson Beck	QB	+2700
KC Concepcion	WR	+3000
Omar Cooper Jr.	WR	+3000
Antonio Williams	WR	+3300

Odds as of 5-19-2026. Odds from FanDuel, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our FanDuel promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorites

Jeremiyah Love (+430)

Jeremiah Love’s name gained serious steam over the past couple of weeks, and that momentum led to the Arizona Cardinals bringing him to the desert with the third overall pick.

A complete three-down back who boasts explosive speed, Love eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in both 2025 and 2026 at Notre Dame, averaging 6.9 yards per carry in each season.

Fernando Mendoza (+430)

Fresh off both a national championship title and a Heisman Award to boot, Fernando Mendoza brings plenty of hope to the Silver & Black.

With Klint Kubiak installed as head coach and Mendoza flanked by Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers, the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense can only go up from here — especially after Geno Smith's disastrous campaign in Sin City.

Carnell Tate (+650)

Although Carnell Tate isn’t flashy and spent the majority of his time in the shadow of both Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka at Ohio State, he’s an excellent route runner who brings little ego to a Tennessee Titans offense looking for a No. 1 WR.

With Brian Daboll coming in as the Titans’ new OC, Tate could hit the ground running in Nashville.

Here is a look at the opening NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds. Jeremiyah Love opened as the betting favorite.

• Jeremiyah Love (+290)
• Fernando Mendoza (+320)
• Carnell Tate (+650)
• Jordyn Tyson (+850)
• Makai Lemon (+950)
• Jadarian Price (+1300)
• KC Concepcion (+2000)
• Omar Cooper Jr. (+2200)
• Kenyon Sadiq (+2500)
• Denzel Boston (+2700)
• Ty Simpson (+3300)
• Mike Washington Jr. (+3300)
• Nick Singleton (+3500)
• Emmett Johnson (+4000)
• Eli Stowers (+5000)

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds

Player	Position
David Bailey	Edge	+500
Rueben Bain Jr.	Edge	+500
Arvell Reese	LB	+850
Caleb Downs	S	+850
Mansoor Delane	CB	+900
Sonny Styles	LB	+1000
Akheem Mesidor	Edge	+1300
CJ Allen	LB	+1900
Jacob Rodriguez	LB	+2200
Dillon Thieneman	S	+2200

Odds as of 5-19-2026.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites

David Bailey (+500)

The New York Jets got their edge rusher at No. 2 by selecting David Bailey, who’s fresh off a 14.5-sack season with Texas Tech.

Paired with Will McDonald IV on the other side, the two could complement each other well and give the Gang Green rookie a quick boost right off the bat.

Rueben Bain Jr. (+500)

Questions about combine measurables — as well as an off-field incident — caused Rueben Bain Jr. to slide to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the NFC South champs are bringing in a player who fits multiple fronts and is an elite run defender.

Bain was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 and finished with 9.5 sacks at Miami last season, helping lead the Hurricanes to a national title appearance.

Arvell Reese (+850)

A former consensus All-American, Arvell Reese can play off the edge or set up as an off-ball linebacker, and he’ll be deployed as a do-it-all playmaker for the New York Giants.

Reese really impressed scouts with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, tying with Sonny Styles for the best mark at the position.

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Here is a look at opening NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds. David Bailey opened as the betting favorite.

• David Bailey (+470)
• Rueben Bain Jr. (+500)
• Arvell Reese (+700)
• Sonny Styles (+850)
• Caleb Downs (+850)
• Mansoor Delane (+850)
• Dillon Thieneman (+2000)
• Akheem Mesidor (+2000)
• Malachi Lawrence (+2500)
• Keldric Faulk (+3000)
• Jacob Rodriguez (+3000)
• Jermid McCoy (+4000)
• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (+4000)
• Colton Hood (+4000)
• D'Angelo Ponds (+4000)

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• NFL MVP odds
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NFL Offensive ROY betting trends

• Of the last 21 winners of the NFL OROY Award, 19 were drafted in the first round.

• While quarterback is an extremely difficult position to excel at as a rookie, 11 of the last 22 OROY winners played the position, including four QBs that were selected first overall in the draft.

• Running backs have won four of the last 12 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Awards. However, in recent years when top rookie RBs have gone head-to-head against top QBs for OROY honors, they've often come out on the losing end. Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in rushing in 2016 but lost the OROY to his teammate Dak Prescott, while Kyler Murray took home the hardware over Josh Jacobs in 2019.

• No offensive lineman has ever won the award, despite recent linemen like Joe Thomas, Matt Kalil, Jack Conklin, Ryan Ramczyk, and Quenton Nelson all making the Pro Bowl in their first year.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year history

Here's a look at the award history dating back to 2009 (preseason favorite and winner odds courtesy of Sports Odds History):

Year	Favorite	Winner
2025	Ashton Jeanty (+260)	Tetairoa McMillan (+1400)
2024	Caleb Williams (+130)	Jayden Daniels (+500)
2023	Bijan Robinson (+250)	C.J. Stroud (+850)
2022	George Pickens (+900) & Kenny Pickett (+900)	Garrett Wilson (+2000)
2021	Trevor Lawrence (+350)	Ja'Marr Chase (+1800)
2020	Joe Burrow (+200)	Justin Herbert (+3000)
2019	Kyler Murray (+150)	Kyler Murray (+150)
2018	Saquon Barkley (+155)	Saquon Barkley (+155)
2017	Leonard Fournette (+350)	Alvin Kamara (+5000)
2016	Ezekiel Elliott (-140)	Dak Prescott (+900)
2015	Jameis Winston (+600)	Todd Gurley (+1450)
2014	Sammy Watkins (+550)	Odell Beckham Jr. (+2500)
2013	Montee Ball (+400)	Eddie Lacy (+800)
2012	Andrew Luck (+225)	Robert Griffin III (+400)
2011	Julio Jones (+400) & Cam Newton (+400)	Cam Newton (+400)
2010	Dez Bryant (+200) & Ryan Mathews (+200)	Sam Bradford (+500)
2009	Knowshon Moreno (+300)	Percy Harvin (+1200)

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year winners by position

Position	OROY winners
Running back	40
Quarterback	12
Wide Receiver	2
Tight end	1

Bears legend Mike Ditka became the first — and so far only — tight end to win Offensive Rookie of the Year when he received the honor in 1961.

NFL Defensive ROY betting trends

• Of the last 36 winners of the NFL DROY Award, an incredible 32 were drafted in the first round. Of the four winners that weren't first-rounders (DeMeco Ryans, Kendrell Bell, Darius Leonard, and Carson Schwesinger), all were still selected within the Top-40.

• Nine of the last 20 DROY winners played linebacker. Two others (Von Miller and Shawne Merriman) were listed at LB but would count as edge players in modern NFL defensive schemes. That said, that number is heavily inflated by four straight DROY-winning linebackers from 2006 to 2009. Over the last 12 years, only four LBs have taken home the award. 

• Four of the last 10 DROY winners played college ball for Ohio State. Three of those (the Bosa brothers and Chase Young) were edge rushers. 

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year history

Here's a look at the history of the award dating back to 2009 (preseason favorite and winner odds courtesy of Sports Odds History):

Year	Favorite	Winner
2025	Abdul Carter (+225)	Carson Schwesinger (+2800)
2024	Dallas Turner (+400) and Laiatu Latu (+400)	Jared Verse (+800)
2023	Will Anderson Jr. (+400)	Will Anderson Jr. (+400)
2022	Aidan Hutchinson (+450)	Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner (+1200)
2021	Micah Parsons (+600)	Micah Parsons (+600)
2020	Chase Young (+150)	Chase Young (+150)
2019	Devin Bush (+500)	Nick Bosa (+700)
2018	Bradley Chubb (+375)	Shaquille Leonard (+3050)
2017	Reuben Foster (+350)	Marshon Lattimore (NA)
2016	NA	Joey Bosa (NA)
2015	Stephone Anthony (+660)	Marcus Peters (+3500)
2014	Jadeveon Clowney (+275)	Aaron Donald (+900)
2013	Ezekiel Ansah (+800) and Jarvis Jones (+800)	Sheldon Richardson (+2000)
2012	Luke Keuchly (+450)	Luke Keuchly (+450)
2011	Von Miller (+400)	Von Miller (+400)
2010	Ndamukong Suh (+175)	Ndamukong Suh (+175)
2009	Aaron Curry (+450)	Brian Cushing (+1200)

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winners by position

Position	DROY winners
Linebacker	29
Defensive end	13
Cornerback	10
Defensive tackle	7
Safety	2

A safety hasn’t won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in over 20 years, dating back to when Mark Carrier (1990) and Erik McMillan (1988) won the award twice over a three-year span.

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The NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds are stacked with pass rushers, which isn’t surprising given that eight of the last 10 winners recorded at least 11 sacks.

Leading the way is Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who is coming off setting the league’s single-season sack record, cruising to his second Defensive Player of the Year award.

With odds already on the board for the 2026–27 campaign, here’s a look at the latest NFL odds. 

NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds

Player	Team
Myles Garrett	Cleveland Browns	+500
Maxx Crosby	Las Vegas Raiders	+800
Aidan Hutchinson	Detroit Lions	+800
Will Anderson Jr.	Houston Texans	+800
Micah Parsons	Green Bay Packers	+1100
Nick Bosa	San Francisco 49ers	+1300
Nik Bonitto	Denver Broncos	+1400
Jared Verse	Los Angeles Rams	+1400
Brian Burns	New York Giants	+1800
T.J. Watt	Pittsburgh Steelers	+1800

Odds as of 5-19-2026. Odds from DraftKings, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our DraftKings promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year opening odds

Here is a look at the opening odds for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Myles Garrett (+425) opened as the betting favorite. 

• Myles Garrett (+425)
• Micah Parsons (+800)
• Maxx Crosby (+800)
• Aidan Hutchinson (+800)
• Will Anderson Jr. (+800)
• Nik Bonitto (+1200)
• Nick Bosa (+1200)
• Jared Verse (+1200)
• Brian Burns (+1200)
• T.J. Watt (+1400)
• Trey Hendrickson (+2500)
• Jalen Carter (+2500)
• Danielle Hunter (+2500)
• Laiatu Latu (+2800)
• Fred Warner (+3000)
• Tuli Tuipulotu (+3000)
• Josh Sweat (+4000)
• Chris Jones (+4000)
• Quinyon Mitchell (+5000)
• Montez Sweat (+5000)
• Kyle Hamilton (+5000)
• Josh Hines-Allen (+5000)
• Cooper DeJean (+5000)

NFL Defensive Player of the Year prediction

New York Giants pass rusher Brian Burns is coming off a 16.5-sack season, trailing only Garrett. 

Burns also finished Top 5 among all edge rushers in pass-rush win rate on third down last season. With New York expected to contend for a playoff spot following its coaching staff overhaul, his odds could shorten quickly if the Giants start stacking wins early.

At +1800, I wouldn't mind taking a shot on Burns prior to Week 1 action. 

DPOY Pick: Brian Burns (+1800 at DraftKings)

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• NFL MVP odds
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NFL Defensive Player of the Year betting trends

• Since this award was first given out in 1974, eight defensive players have claimed this award more than once. However, no defensive back has ever won it multiple times. 

• While voters for the NFL MVP Award seem to take team success into the equation, the same hasn't necessarily been true for DPOY accolades. Five of the last 10 winners of the DPOY award were on defenses that ranked outside the Top 10.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year history

A quick look at the NFL DPOY winners since 2000 and the position they played.

Year	NFL DPOY Award Winner	Position
2025	Myles Garrett	DE
2024	Patrick Surtain II	CB
2023	Myles Garrett	DE
2022	Nick Bosa	DE
2021	T.J. Watt	Edge
2020	Aaron Donald	DT
2019	Stephon Gilmore	CB
2018	Aaron Donald	DT
2017	Aaron Donald	DT
2016	Khalil Mack	Edge
2015	J.J. Watt	DE
2014	J.J. Watt	DE
2013	Luke Kuechly	LB
2012	J.J. Watt	DE
2011	Terrell Suggs	Edge
2010	Troy Polamalu	S
2009	Charles Woodson	DB
2008	James Harrison	Edge
2007	Bob Sanders	S
2006	Jason Taylor	Edge
2005	Brian Urlacher	LB
2004	Ed Reed	S
2003	Ray Lewis	LB
2002	Derrick Brooks	LB
2001	Michael Strahan	DE
2000	Ray Lewis	LB

NFL Defensive Player of the Year winners by position

Linebackers have historically dominated this honor, and only two defensive backs have taken home the award in the last 10 seasons.

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The San Francisco 49ers got their schedule release last week, and it features several high-profile games, including five standalone games, as they received a third-place division schedule.

The 49ers will play the AFC West, NFC East, six division games, and three other teams that finished third in their divisions last year.

While the 49ers did get a third-place schedule, it is still quite a tough look from the early go (although year-to-year success is very variable). So, let’s break down the schedule into chunks and see how favorable it is for San Francisco.

The early home stretch

The 49ers start the year with four home games, although the first is in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams. That feels like the NFL’s way of rewarding them for the international game, but they don’t get any extra rest in Week 2, playing at 1:25 p.m. against the Miami Dolphins.

San Francisco could have one of the best games of the year in Week 1 against the Rams, and they’ll have two favorable matchups against some of the NFL’s worst projected teams in Weeks 2 and 3 against the Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.

So, there’s a solid chance the 49ers start the season 3-0 for the second straight year. Week 4 presents another big challenge: a home game against the Denver Broncos, who were the best team in the AFC last year. Bo Nix is expected back for the start of the year, so he should be in action here.

Denver will be coming off a game against the Rams, so they’ll have two tough matchups in a row, but will be on the West Coast for back-to-back weeks.

The travel begins

San Francisco doesn’t get consecutive home games again until Weeks 11 and 12, as they have alternating home and road games from Weeks 5 to 11.

Things start off with a road game in Seattle, which surprisingly isn’t on primetime. The Seahawks have back-to-back home games here, and the 49ers get another difficult matchup after facing Denver.

They then return home to face the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football, getting an extra day of rest before traveling to the East Coast to face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7.

Following that trip comes the 49ers’ bye week, which is an interesting time. Yes, the 49ers traveled to Australia, but they had three home games after that. Then, it was a short trip to Seattle and one major east coast trip to Atlanta before the bye. That sets up for a pretty tough post-bye schedule with a ton of road games.

Out of the bye is the Las Vegas Raiders at home, followed by a road trip to Jerry World to face the Dallas Cowboys. Another pretty interesting and potentially difficult matchup.

Then, San Francisco heads back home to face the Minnesota Vikings, and they get a back-to-back at Levi’s with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12. That stretch there can be pretty tough with the travel, but San Francisco will really need to capitalize here in these first two parts of the schedule. After the home games to start the year, the 49ers face only one playoff team (Seattle 2x) over a span of eight weeks.

Rough ending

The 49ers really didn’t get any favors with the end of their schedule.

After facing the New York Giants on the road with a cross-country trip, they return back home for part two against the Los Angeles Rams. If that wasn’t tough enough, the 49ers get back-to-back road trips against the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs in the next two weeks, with the Chargers game coming on short rest on Thursday Night.

Do the 49ers get a break after that? Nope. They return home to face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17 before ending the year against the Arizona Cardinals on the road.

San Francisco faces three playoff teams in four weeks, with the other being the Chiefs, who should be far better with Patrick Mahomes back from injury.

That’s why it’s imperative the 49ers start the year strong, giving them some wiggle room over the back half of the schedule.

Of course, it’s far too early to predict every single game’s outcome. Injuries are a part of the game, and one-score games can shape records to be better or worse than expectations. But, this is quite the schedule for the 49ers, and one where they’ll truly get tested throughout the year against great opponents.

Jahmyr Gibbs continues to be the centerpiece of the Detroit Lions’ offense, and with fellow running back David Montgomery traded out of the Motor City, the dynamic playmaker could be in line for career-high numbers. 

Gibbs headlines the early NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds, though plenty of familiar faces are also in the mix for this coming season. 

NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds

Player	Team
Jahmyr Gibbs	Detroit Lions	+750
Bijan Robinson	Atlanta Falcons	+800
Ja'Marr Chase	Cincinnati Bengals	+950
Puka Nacua	Los Angeles Rams	+1100
Christian McCaffrey	San Francisco 49ers	+1100
Jaxon-Smith Njigba	Seattle Seahawks	+1100
Justin Jefferson	Minnesota Vikings	+1400
Saquon Barkley	Philadelphia Eagles	+1600
CeeDee Lamb	Dallas Cowboys	+1600
Jonathan Taylor	Indianapolis Colts	+1800

Odds as of 5-19-2026. Odds from DraftKings, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our DraftKings promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

NFL Offensive Player of the Year opening odds

Here is a look at the opening odds for NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Jahmyr Gibbs (+750) opened as the betting favorite. 

• Jahmyr Gibbs (+750)
• Ja'Marr Chase (+900)
• Bijan Robinson (+900)
• Puka Nacua (+1000)
• Christian McCaffrey (+1000)
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+1100)
• Saquon Barkley (+1400)
• Justin Jefferson (+1400)
• CeeDee Lamb (+1400)
• Jonathan Taylor (+1800)
• James Cook (+1800)
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (+1800)
• Malik Nabers (+2000)
• Derrick Henry (+2000)
• Rashee Rice (+2200)
• Nico Collins (+2800)
• De'Von Achane (+2800)
• Tetairoa McMillan (+4000)
• Omarion Hampton (+4000)
• Kenneth Walker III (+4000)
• Drake London (+4000)
• Ashton Jeanty (+4000)
• Josh Allen (+4500)

NFL Offensive Player of the Year prediction

Jonathan Taylor looked set to run away with OPOY honors last year, as the Indianapolis Colts running back was the odds-on favorite through the first half of the year.

Then came the collapse. The Colts stumbled down the stretch, losing nine of their final 10 regular-season games, which included noticeable dips in Taylor’s production.

Despite the team’s struggles, the Colts’ running back still finished with the second-most rushing yards in the NFL, falling just 26 short of James Cook.

Backed by a stout offensive line and a run-heavy scheme, Taylor remains a solid pick heading into a fresh campaign. 

OPOY Pick: Jonathan Taylor (+1800 at DraftKings)

Popular NFL futures markets

• NFL MVP odds
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NFL Offensive Player of the Year betting trends

• Since this award was first given out in 1972, seven offensive players have claimed this award more than once. However, Jerry Rice is the only receiver to win it multiple times. 

• Only five receivers have won OPOY since '72, but four of the five (Michael Thomas, Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba) have won it in the last six years.

• Among the 52 Offensive Player of the Year winners, 28 were named Most Valuable Player in the same season.

• Running backs have won OPOY the most, with 29, and quarterbacks are second with 20.

NFL Offensive Player of the Year history

A quick look at the NFL OPOY winners since 2000 and the position they played.

Year	NFL OPOY Award Winner	Position
2025	Jaxon Smith-Njigba	WR
2024	Saquon Barkley	RB
2023	Christian McCaffrey	RB
2022	Justin Jefferson	WR
2021	Cooper Kupp	WR
2020	Derrick Henry	RB
2019	Michael Thomas	WR
2018	Patrick Mahomes	QB
2017	Todd Gurley	RB
2016	Matt Ryan	QB
2015	Cam Newton	QB
2014	DeMarco Murray	RB
2013	Peyton Manning	QB
2012	Adrian Peterson	RB
2011	Drew Brees	QB
2010	Tom Brady	QB
2009	Chris Johnson	RB
2008	Drew Brees	QB
2007	Tom Brady	QB
2006	LaDainian Tomlinson	RB
2005	Shaun Alexander	RB
2004	Peyton Manning	QB
2003	Jamal Lewis	RB
2002	Priest Holmes	RB
2001	Marshall Faulk	RB
2000	Marshall Faulk	RB

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It’s difficult to predict how players will perform season-to-season in the NFL. One year, you’re on top of the football world. The next, you’re down in the dumps, an afterthought in fantasy football. Yahoo analyst Matt Harmon takes you through 10 players who underperformed relative to expectations in 2025 and could use a reboot for this upcoming season.

Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens

Lamar Jackson was a consensus top quarterback in drafts last season but finished outside the top-15 at the position in points per game. Even when he was on the field, he wasn't the same hyper-productive player. He had some of his least effective games in November of last year. 

Jackson will play this season under a new coaching staff that includes offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. The 29-year-old will be a primary play-caller for the first time in his career but was the offensive coordinator under Ben Johnson last season. We should all expect the structure of Baltimore’s attack to resemble that of Chicago’s in 2025. That’s a solid change for Jackson at this stage of his career and fits some of the players in place. I still have questions about some of the non-Zay Flowers pass catchers, Jackson’s own current athleticism level as he enters his 30s in January and the ceiling of the offensive line. That may be enough to keep me from making Jackson a priority target as the QB2 overall in ADP, but I’m still open to a bounce-back season from the Ravens passer. 

Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders

Much like Jackson, most but not all of Jayden Daniels’ slip in 2025 can be chalked up to injuries. Daniels only played in seven games and left two early. He only cleared 20 points in two contests, however, and was not as hyper-efficient as he was as a rookie. The Commanders' offense was severely limited by their wide receiver personnel beyond Terry McLaurin, who was also injured for much of the season.

Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season

Daniels will get a fresh start with David Blough taking the controls from Kliff Kingsbury and set to install more pro-style concepts in the passing game. Daniels can play from under center and execute a passing game that works the intermediate middle of the field. I expect him to make this transition well and like some of the ancillary pieces like Antonio Williams and Chig Okonkwo, the team added to complement a hopefully healthy McLaurin. Daniels is one of my favorite quarterback targets this season, especially if he goes in the 60s. 

Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles

We’ve all spent many hours discussing, diagnosing and debating what went wrong in the Eagles passing attack last year and seemingly forgot that the running game took a step back. Saquon Barkley was a regression candidate no matter what but he was still drafted as a consensus early Round 1 selection despite that risk. He finished as the RB14 in both points per game and overall. 

The Las Vegas Raiders had a busy NFL free agency, adding several players

I’m going to list my favorite additions NOT NAMED TYLER LINDERBAUM. Clearly, the huge-money center is the Las Vegas Raiders’ big free-agent prize. But there are some other nice additions as well.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean:

I had my eye on Dean as a potential impact free agent for months before he was signed. He was an underrated player on a defenses full of big names. He is the Raiders’ best linebacker addition in many, many moons. The only worry here is he has a significant injury history dating back to college. Other than that, there’s a lot to love about this signing.

Linebacker Quay Walker:

I don’t love the Walker addition as much as I do the Dean signing. But he is definitely an upgrade and he is a quality player. He is a extremely sound tackler and we all know the Raiders could use a dose of better tackling. But there are some flaws in his prime, including in coverage that offenses can exploit. But, overall, he should help the Raiders’ defense.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins:

Look, the whole idea is for Cousins not to have to play for very long. But he is a perfect addition for this team. He can play on a temporary basis and provide solid experience while/if Fernando Mendoza starts the season on the bench. Also, you could do worse than Cousins as a backup when Mendoza does take over.

Wide receiver Dareke Young:

Like the Cousins deal, I like the addition for Young for what it is — a solid depth piece. He played for new Raiders’ head coach Klint Kubiak in Seattle. While he is mostly a special teamer (a very good one at that), Kubiak does believe Young as a wide receiver. I just think this guy helps lengthen the roster and that vital in building a quality roster.

Who are your favorite Non-Linderbaum free-agent additions this offseason?

Throughout their history, the New England Patriots have rostered some top-tier tight ends. Newly-voted Patriots Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski, arguably the best tight ends in NFL history, tops a list that also includes the likes of Ben Coates and Russ Francis.

Hunter Henry might not have reached those same echelons yet, but he is very well on his way. Entering his sixth season as a Patriot, he very much has cemented his spot among the franchise’s top ever players at the position.

That is true both for his on-field contributions and his leadership off the field, something one of the Patriots’ 2026 offseason additions can attest to.

“I’ve got a hell of a vet in that room. Hunter Henry is a hell of a guy,” said free agency signing Julian Hill about his new teammate. “I’ve been working with him. He’s been helping me so much in the pass game.”

One of three additions to the Patriots’ tight end room this spring alongside rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin, Hill arrived on a three-year contract in March. The details of that deal show that he very much is locked into a roster spot this year, presumably to serve as a blocking-first option at the position.

The former Miami Dolphins UDFA does bring the experience of 46 NFL games to New England. But even though he is heading into his fourth season in the league, he knows that job security is not a given in his profession.

That is exactly what makes Henry’s career — he entered the league as a second-round draft choice in 2016 — so impressive in Hill’s eyes.

“He’s going on Year 11? I mean, how many guys can say that and produce as he’s produced?” Hill asked. “How he moves at his age, his mindset of the game, his approach to the game, you can’t make that up. I have a lot of respect for guys who have been in the business for a long time, because as y’all know, this is a short-lived business. That’s what makes him a hell of a vet.”

McVay is unquestionably a football nerd, which is apparent from his freaky recall of specific plays through his coaching career. But even he admitted that his dalliance with stepping away after the 2022 season was real.

“It took that 5-12 year where you're really getting broken down and I almost quit coaching," McVay said this week on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast. "You could use the narrative that I was going to go to media or whatever, but the truth would have been I was quitting because I couldn't handle the losing."

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McVay obviously came back, and has built the Los Angeles Rams back up to being one of the best teams in the NFL.

But as the Rams go into this season with Super Bowl hopes, McVay’s interview is a reminder that this fantastic run of success for the franchise isn’t guaranteed to last forever.

Robert Gauthier via Getty Images

Sean McVay’s growing legacy

McVay has 102 wins, counting postseason, in nine seasons. At that pace, he’d pass Don Shula’s unbelievable record of 347 wins in his 31st season. He’d be 61 years old, which isn’t that old for an NFL coach. It’s clearly possible he can reach the heights of being considered among the all-time greats.

But that’s assuming he wants to keep coaching for a little more than a couple decades. McVay has said he feels rejuvenated a few times since 2023, and maybe he does keep coaching for a long, long time. But the thoughts of stepping away in 2023, after a rough season following up a Super Bowl championship, could always resurface. Burnout among NFL coaches is real.

McVay is married and has two young sons. He could step onto just about any network’s studio set the moment he decides to quit coaching; a media opportunity was one reason he even thought about retiring a few years ago. That life is a lot less stressful than putting together a game plan to beat the Seattle Seahawks or San Francisco 49ers.

McVay has seemingly snapped out of his funk and isn’t close to leaving coaching. But nothing is guaranteed to last that long in the NFL. And who knows, maybe a second Super Bowl championship might leave him wondering if it’s time to leave on a high note.

Rams might have a short Super Bowl window

The Rams are in a great position. They have arguably the best roster in the NFL. They enter this season as Super Bowl favorites in the betting world.

But the window might not be open forever. Matthew Stafford is 38 and has hinted at retirement himself. Ty Simpson was drafted to be his replacement but that might not work out. Other key players, like Davante Adams, who is 33, are getting close to an age in which they could either see their production drop or want to quit football too.

The fact that a coach who is as maniacal about football as McVay considered giving it up after a rough season says that the NFL is an impermanent league. McVay famously takes losses hard. It’s hard to do that for two or three decades. Whatever opportunity the Rams have now, they better take advantage of it.

Maybe McVay sticks around long enough to topple Shula and be recognized as perhaps the greatest coach ever. Perhaps Simpson becomes McVay’s next great quarterback and the Rams never experience a downturn. The Rams are adept at player acquisition and development, so this could be a successful run for a long time.

But everything is year to year. It can all change quickly. It almost did for the Rams three years ago, as McVay had his doubts about continuing to coach.

I would normally sit here and tell you that a quarterback winning his first MVP and putting together his best individual season at age 37 is not a predictive indicator of what is to come. Smart bets would usually lean towards a return to normalcy and career baselines.

I’m known for finding the contrarian angle and embracing it in full. Today I’m embracing the consensus and building the case for why Matthew Stafford’s best season yet was real and potentially predictive for his performance in 2026.

Stafford was objectively great in 2025

One contrarian opinion is that Stafford won the MVP by default. That Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, and others usually in the conversation spent too much time on the sidelines to create an opening for a player who had never seriously been in consideration.

But Stafford was the NFL’s best signal caller last season with no qualifications.

Stafford received Pro Football Focus (PFF)’s highest offensive and passing grades out of any quarterback who stepped on the field in 2025 at 92.0 and 91.7, respectively. On his heels was Joe Burrow—who played only eight games—at 91.8 and 91.3.

Even late into his 30’s, Stafford is still able to manufacture big-time throws with the best of them. He led the NFL with 58 such passes at a clip of 7.7%. The next closest players were Caleb Williams (one fewer game; 37 passes, 5.4%) and JJ McCarthy (7.3%).

Stafford was also one of the most aggressive quarterbacks in football with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 9.8. This is the second-highest mark of his tenured career and second in the NFL to only Marcus Mariota. Mariota’s offensive coordinator from last season, Kliff Kingsbury, is now a senior assistant on the Rams staff. The aggressiveness is not going anywhere.

But with aggression comes mistakes. Stafford is also more prone to turnovers when compared to the top of his peers like Burrow and others. Of all quarterbacks with at least 151 dropbacks, Stafford finished 23rd in turnover-worthy play rate at 3.3%. Burrow (0.7%), Jared Goff (2.0%), Josh Allen (2.4%), Dak Prescott (2.7%), Caleb Williams (3.1%), and Patrick Mahomes (3.1%) were all notably lower.

And Stafford isn’t the NFL’s most accurate passer either, which in part is attributable to his deeper depth of target. Using the same volume thresholds, Stafford ranked 31st in adjusted completion rate (ADJ%) at 72.3%. Goff (80.2%) and Brock Purdy (78.7%) were towards the top of the class.

The encouraging sign is that we know this is who Stafford is and it’s been the case for mostly his entire career. His performance in turnover-worthy play and adjusted completion rate were middle of the pack for his overall body of work. There are no indicators that Stafford’s skillset is declining, and that should give fans optimism heading into 2026.

PFF passing grade, big-time-throw rate, turnover-worthy play rate, average depth of target, and adjusted complete rate are the most stable and reliable indicators to predict future performance. Stafford either led the entire NFL in these marks or showed evident improvement from other stages in his career.

His MVP season was real. His likelihood to sustain this production into 2026 should also be high.

The subjective lens for how Stafford took a step forward

The Rams offense today is vastly different than how it looked when Stafford stepped under center in Los Angeles for the first time in 2021. LA is no longer a primary 11 personnel team. One of the most interesting wrinkles over the championship season—Stafford’s first with the team—was the deployment of empty formations to force decisions by the defense and trigger the quick passing game.

That is not who the Rams are any longer.

Instead, LA has recently leaned into heavier personnel packages with multiple tight ends and revamped their running game. The Rams are primarily a gap-based running scheme that now features a two-headed monster with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.

So while Stafford made hay in his early Los Angeles days by getting away from play action passes that asked him to turn his back to the defense, he took a step forward in 2025 by the reintroduction of this element into the offense.

In terms of how often play action comprised his total dropbacks last season, Stafford (34.2%) finished third behind only Mariota (35.9%) and Daniel Jones (34.7%). In 2021 only 23.5% of Stafford’s dropbacks featured the play action concept.

And 2026 should be a continuation of this trend, especially considered Kingsbury’s offense with Mariota also deployed play action at a similar rate. While play action can at times be considered a crutch for bad quarterbacks, it can also be a mechanism for unlocking elite performance from great players. That was and is the case for Stafford.

Can Stafford replicate a historic season?

Setting the bar at winning MVP in back-to-back years is a losing game. Taking home the award requires near perfection, and the degree of difficulty is easily evidenced by the fact Stafford has only been in real consideration a single time over nearly two decades in the NFL.

But if not Stafford, then who? Burrow would seem to be real competition if he’s able to stay healthy (a big if). The Chiefs have not fixed their core offensive issues and that gives me concern that Mahomes may not return to form—and that goes without mentioning his significant injury from last year. Similarly, the Bills have not surrounded Josh Allen with much in the way of weaponry. Lamar Jackson perennially belongs in the conversation and a fresh coaching staff could breathe new life into the Ravens organization.

It’s difficult to bet against Stafford and Sean McVay. The Rams have found magic in their refreshed offensive approach, and the areas in which they performed well last season are stable indicators.

LA clearly has Super Bowl expectations. Stafford has taken a step forward late in his career and is playing the best football we’ve ever seen from him.

There are no convincing reasons other than age to expect Stafford to have a down year. He’s primed for success again in 2026.

Working our way through previewing the Dallas Cowboys 2026 schedule, it is time to look at the Arizona Cardinals. Starting with the Baltimore Ravens, who the Cowboys will play internationally in Brazil, and moving on to the Cardinals is much more than just a bird to bird transition (leaving the Seahawks and Eagles still waiting). It is also another matchup where second-year Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer will be pitted against a 2026 first-year head coach, like Jesse Minter for Baltimore. That coach will be Mike LaFleur, looking to continue the Cardinals’ strong recent success against the Cowboys.

The Cardinals have a franchise-long 36-56-1 record against the Cowboys, but they have won four straight in this series dating back to 2020 and eight of nine going farther back to 2008. The last Cowboys win against the Cardinals was week three of 2017 in Arizona, meaning they’ll be looking for their first win against them in Arlington since a 2005 game featuring Drew Bledsoe versus Josh McCown at quarterback.

Getting a shot at the Cardinals for a second year in a row after the 2025 defense was embarrassed by Jacoby Brissett in a week nine Monday Night Football meeting will be an important measuring stick for Christian Parker’s defense. This new defense will have to have answers to old faces in the Cardinals lineup like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride who both caught touchdowns from Brissett in this game last year, but also third overall pick Jeremiyah Love at running back.

What the Cowboys can prove against the Cardinals in 2026, runs much deeper than just a tightened up defense though. As ridiculous as it feels to say about playing against a team that just picked in the top five for the second time in three years, ending the losing streak to the Cardinals will also be a test of the culture Schottenheimer has put in place. They will be a team desperate to show they have the competitive edge to match the raw talent on the roster against a team where talented rosters have gone to waste countless times in recent history.

Let’s take a closer look at the Cardinals team that will be making the trip to Jerryworld for the second time in as many seasons, the first instance of this happening for the Cardinals playing at the Cowboys since 2000-01, when both teams were in the NFC East.

Cardinals Key Free Agent Signings/Departures

* SIGNED IN FREE AGENCY

• RB Tyler Allgeier

• DT Andrew Billings

• WR Kendrick Bourne

• WR Devin Duvernay

• QB Gardner Minshew

• SAF Andrew Wingard

• OL Isaac Seumalo

• OL Matt Pryor

• OL Elijah Wilkinson

* DEPARTED IN FREE AGENCY

• SAF Jalen Thompson (Cowboys)

• QB Kyler Murray

• DL Dalvin Tomlinson

• DL Calais Campbell

• WR Greg Dortch

The Cardinals are in the midst of a serious offensive line rebuild, paired with yet another quarterback change with Kyler Murray now in Minnesota. Seumalo, Pryor, and Wilkinson all project as potential new starters brought in to join second-round pick Chase Bisontis and form the line the Cardinals can build around Jeremiyah Love at running back. The Cardinals drew a lot of skepticism for using this third overall pick on Love, but won’t have to look any further than Cowboys fans when it comes to underestimating the immediate impact a dynamic back behind a talented offensive line can make. The Cardinals also adding an experienced back like Allgeier to pair with Love, while also having James Conner, Trey Benson, and Bam Knight still rostered, gives them an impressive amount of options and versatility out of the backfield.

In the secondary, the Cardinals maintained depth with Will Johnson, Budda Baker, and Sean Murphy-Bunting, but will play against their former safety Jalen Thompson now with the Cowboys when they come to AT&T Stadium.

Having an answer at quarterback has to be part of this equation for Arizona though, and right now their depth chart at the most important position in the game is unclear. Brissett is still in place after starting 12 games last season, Minshew is another veteran option with starting experience, and the team drafted Carson Beck out of Miami with the first pick of the third round – which brings us to the rest of the Cardinals draft.

Cardinals 2026 Draft Class

• Round 1, Pick 3: RB Jeremiyah Love

• Round 2, Pick 2 (34 Overall): OL Chase Bisontis

• Round 3, Pick 1 (65th Overall): QB Carson Beck

• Round 4, Pick 4 (104 Overall): DT Kaleb Proctor

• Round 5, Pick 3 (143 Overall): WR Reggie Virgil

• Round 6, Pick 2 (183 Overall): LB Karson Sharar

• Round 7, Pick 1 (217 Overall): OT Jayden Williams

The Cardinals draft class for their fourth new head coach since 2018 tells a bit of a conflicting story. Taking a running back in the top five broadcasts a sense of urgency to the rest of the league, but in a division with the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks and two other playoff teams from a year ago in the Rams and 49ers, this signal may not be fully received by the Cardinals rivals just yet. The rest of their draft class is an indicator of this too, as they went for prospects with lower floors but potentially high athletic ceilings, and possibly found a QB of the future but not the present with Beck.

Arizona did keep continuity on the defensive coaching staff with Nick Rallis returning as coordinator, so landing Kaleb Proctor outside of the top 100 and a reliable Iowa linebacker in Sharar in the sixth round is solid work for a front seven that was pushed around too much in 2025, but should be able to play faster and more physical in 2026.

What other coaching staff changes have the Cardinals made this offseason? Let’s look at that next.

Cardinals 2026 Coaching Changes

* New to staff this season:

• Head Coach Mike LaFleur

• Offensive Coordinator Nate Hackett

• Quarterbacks Matt Schaub

• Running Backs Matt Merritt

• Wide Receivers Tony Sorrentino

• Tight Ends Jake Morland

• Defensive Line Pete Kwiatkowski

• Cornerbacks Zac Etheridge

• Inside Linebackers Rod Wilson

• Special Teams Coordinator Michael Ghobrial

The Cardinals being behind the curve on trends in modern football may not come as shocking or anything too new. After all, they own the record for fewest playoff appearances relative to years in existence of any professional sports franchise in the US. With that said, they’ve gone to the Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan coaching tree for 2026, hiring a near NFC West lifer in Mike LaFleur.

LaFleur got his start in the NFL with the Browns while Kyle Shanahan was offensive coordinator there, then followed Shanahan to both the Falcons and the 49ers, was briefly with the Jets, and then ended up out West again with McVay and the Rams. This division in the last several years has been known for coaches and players that know each other incredibly well, giving the interdivisional games something of a college rivalry feel. Even though the Cardinals yet again have the newest head coach of this group, they’ll have a fair case that LaFleur keeps them competitive in this area.

Around the offensive-minded LaFleur is more veteran experience at OC and QB coach with Nate Hackett and Matt Schaub. The Cardinals also retained defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, but do have new position coaches on all three levels of his defense, as well as a new special teams coordinator.

How the Cowboys defense stacks up against these Shanahan style offenses has been a question that’s left this team short of real playoff success countless times during postseason appearances under Mike McCarthy or even Jason Garret before that. This question was put on hold last year while all of the Cowboys fanbase was instead asking if the defense could stop the common cold. Unlike with the Ravens matchup, the Cowboys will see all of the other teams from this division in 2026. Considering the games against the defending champs and the Rams will be on the road, the importance of the Cowboys finally getting in the win column at home against the Cardinals is heightened this year.

Doing so while giving themselves a good test defensively against LaFleur’s system, stopping Love out of the backfield, and seeing Schottenheimer have success calling plays against a DC both he and Klayton Adams schemed against last season would all be good signs for Dallas. Equally, the Cardinals will be looking at this game as winnable regardless of where they are in their debut season under LaFleur. The Cowboys will have to be ready going against one of just three non-NFC East teams that comes to AT&T Stadium in 2026 that did not qualify for the playoffs in 2025 – the others being the Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Previous 2026 opponent previews:

Baltimore Ravens

I did not scout any member of the Buffalo Bills 2026 UDFA class before the draft. Therefore, I can’t provide my pre-draft thoughts on any of them.

In fact, safety Wande Owens was the only Buffalo Bills UDFA I scouted before the draft in 2025. Because of that, and the fact we’re entering the lone slow period on the NFL calendar, now feels like the perfect time to feature him. And I really think he has a shot to make some noise on this roster.

(By the way, Sean Murphy’s awesome 90 players in 90 days series starts sooner than you might think, and Owens absolutely will be part of that too.)

My uncle and I text about the Bills a lot — and after every draft he always sends a message asking if I scouted any of the Bills UDFAs. This year, no bueno. A season ago, it was Owens. And he recently followed up asking about the “Yale/New Hampshire kid,” wondering his whereabouts. I admittedly did not know he was still on the Bills roster.

Anytime a UDFA survives an entire season on his original team and remains on the roster the following season, your ears should perk up. Mine certainly did when to my surprise, a quick search of the Bills roster confirmed that Owens, indeed, was still there.

And I have a guess as to why the Bills haven’t given up on the former Yale-turned-New-Hampshire product just yet — he’s a ridiculously explosive athlete.

At 5’11” and 205 pounds, this is how Owens performed during his pro-day workout in 2025 (along with the percentile at the safety position since 1999):

40-Yard Dash: 4.58 seconds (41st percentile)
10-Yard Split: 1.53 seconds (69th)
Vertical: 43 inches (98th)
Broad Jump: 135 inches(97th)
Three-Done: 6.99 seconds (53rd)
Short-Shuttle: 4.05 seconds (87th)

Owens is an electric athlete. There’s no question about it.

And while Owens did not play in any regular season games as rookie — not even that quasi-scrimmage in Week 18 against the Jets to close the old Highmark/New Era/Ralph Wilson/Rich Stadium — he appeared in two preseason games last August.

On 45 snaps against the Giants and Bears, Owens made a rather resounding five tackles — two of which were stops, or tackles that constitute a loss for the offense based on down and distance. In coverage he allowed two catches on two targets in his coverage area for 18 yards and a touchdown without a pass breakup or interception.

In short, he flashed as a ball-seeking tackler and needs more reps in coverage before he or the Bills feel comfortable with him on the field handling those duties.

Buffalo did re-sign special teams gunner ace Sam Franklin Jr. and have Joe Andreessen for another year on his rookie deal — they’ll the club’s incumbent core special teamers. Yet gone is Reggie Gilliam, who logged the third-most special teams snaps (378) on the team in 2025. Other key members of Buffalo’s special teams unit a season ago are also no longer with the team (Cam Lewis, 231 snaps) or rehabbing a serious late-season injury (Tyrell Shavers, 243 snaps).

That means, special teams opportunities are relatively bountiful on the 2026 iteration of the Bills, and entering Year 2 in the NFL, with quality size and elite-level explosiveness, I like Owens to make an impact in minicamp, training camp, and preseason on fourth down, which will inch him closer to seeing regular-season defensive snaps as an insurance option at safety, nickel back, or linebacker.

Owens is my favorite under-the-radar, against-all-odds story at the moment on this Bills team. I’ll be monitoring him closely in the summer months leading into start of the season in September.

In terms of talent, Antonio Brown is one of the 10 best players to ever put on a Steelers uniform. It’s what has come after that has really stained his legacy.

Since leaving the Steelers, a slew of legal issues and social media rants bashing his former team have led many to sour on the former All-Pro receiver. His latest tirade took aim at former teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster, saying that the Steelers tried to make the USC product a better player than Brown.

“And the guy they did wanna make better than me fumbled [our] whole season,” Brown said. “And they still gave him MVP because they didn’t wanna give me the fifth one in a row.”

Brown then hinted that this played a big part in him wanting out of Pittsburgh.

“What would you do if your own team betrayed you? They tried to make the No. 2 be better than you… how do you give a guy who fumbled our season the f–king MVP? You know why? Because they’re jealous of AB.”

Brown is of course referencing the 2018 game in New Orleans agains the Saints in which Smith-Schuster fumbled late in the fourth quarter, which led to the Steelers losing and ultimately cost them a playoff spot after starting the season 7-2-1.

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!

• Germie Bernard already impressing Steelers coaches at OTAs
• Steelers OT Troy Fautanu makes feelings clear on potential position change
• Steelers QB Will Howard surpasses Mason Rudolph to begin OTAs
• Steelers make big changes on offensive line to begin OTAs
• Steelers rookie changes jersey number ahead of OTAs

The Cleveland Browns returned to the practice fields in Berea on Tuesday for OTAs. While there is no media presence for the first practice, we will have video, pictures, and interviews on Wednesday. Excitement continues to build around the team with rookie WRs KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston getting attention, including Boston’s route tree being compared to one of the best in the game.

As always with GM Andrew Berry, the Browns roster remains in flux. At rookie minicamp, the first under new HC Todd Monken, Cleveland had 25 tryout players in Berea. Tuesday, the Browns roster saw six changes, including two of those tryout players signing to the 90-man roster:

Signed

• WR Aaron Anderson
• LB Reid Carrico
• DE Markees Watts

Anderson and Carrico were among the tryout players at rookie camp, while Watts is entering his fourth season after spending the last three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last season, Watts played in 15 games, had nine tackles, one QB hit, and a half sack. He played just 26 snaps on defense, but 235 on special teams.

Waived

• DT Bernard Gooden
• TE Caden Prieskorn
• WR Isaiah Wooden

Gooden was signed as an undrafted free agent shortly after the NFL draft. Prieskorn and Wooden signed future/reserve contracts after the 2025 season ended.

Opinions aren’t split about the San Francisco 49ers brass. In fact, 71% of our poll voters believed John Lynch was the right man for the job. This was after Lynch and Kyle Shanahan caught flak, as they tend to do around NFL Draft time, for selecting a couple of players higher than what was expected against the consensus.

When you look at the hit rates in each round of the NFL Draft, the 49ers are in line or exceeding expectations compared to the rest of the league. The one round that’s done them in? The most important one. Naturally, that’s what most will remember.

Even if Ricky Pearsall or Mykel Williams don’t live up to their draft status, NFL Insider Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show that we shouldn’t expect the 49ers to part ways with Lynch or Shanahan anytime soon:

I don’t see a world where John Lynch ever gets fired by the San Francisco 49ers. Same thing with Kyle Shanahan. They stabilized that franchise after; if you remember how things were for several years before they got there, it was a constant churn. It was the end of the Jim Harbaugh era, which became the Jim Tomsula era, which became the Chip Kelly era. The 49ers are competitive year after year.

The 49ers have become one of the most successful franchises of the 2020s. The organization feels like it should have some hardware to show for it. They’ve been on the doorstep of a championship on more than one occasion. Barring their most important players getting hurt, this team has been a shoo-in for a postseason appearance.

Pelissero continued, this time speaking about the moves the team has made:

They certainly, I think it’s fair to say, have supplemented a lot through trades and, at times, free agency because they’ve had some misses in the draft. I know there was a minor uprising in the media and among fans because you take De’Zhaun Stribling with your second-round pick, and that’s the starting point for your entire draft.

They’ve been really good at drafting guys on Day 3. Brock Purdy, of course, was a pick there, along with guys like George Kittle and Fred Warner, who were not first-round picks. At the top of the draft, the bang for buck hasn’t always been there.

The 49ers have built a strong enough foundation through their stars that has given them a long enough leash. It’s how they’ve maintained success without hitting on a first-rounder this decade. Purdy saving the day certainly helps.

Pelissero believes it’s more likely that Lynch would pursue something else than being fired:

I don’t think it’s a matter of whether you fire John Lynch. If anything, at some point, could John Lynch decide, ‘I’ve had enough, and I’m going to walk away. I’m going to go into an emeritus role?’ They’re structured differently, too, because Kyle Shanahan has such a huge voice in everything they’re doing. They’ve also got a lot of accomplished front office people.

Pelissero used trades like Christian McCaffrey. There’s Trent Williams. Even the process of acquiring Dee Ford was a good one. The same is true for Emmanuel Sanders. The 49ers have taken swings. If I were a fan of a team, I’d want my front office to be aggressive.

When that’s the case, you can expect several misses. But if that’s the mindset and the approach is consistent, you’re going to end up with several hits. And that explains the 49ers roster.

Which is why Pelissero finished where he began, by saying, “No, I don’t think John Lynch gets fired.”

Nashville is ready for the big stage.

The "Music City" was officially tapped to host Super Bowl 64 in 2030 following a vote by the owners during the NFL's spring meetings on May 19. It marks the first time that the big game will be held in Nashville and it coincides with the opening of the new Nissan Stadium in 2027.

"We are thrilled that the new Nissan Stadium will host Nashville’s first Super Bowl in 2030," Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. "This is an exciting moment for our city and our entire state. We cannot wait for our community to experience an event of this magnitude and for the world to see the energy, hospitality, and culture that make our city so special on a global stage.

"Thank you to (NFL commissioner Roger Goodell), my fellow owners, and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp for their partnership throughout this process. We look forward to bringing an unforgettable Super Bowl experience to Nashville together."

"The 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville was one of the greatest fan events in our history," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Super Bowl LXIV at the new stadium is the next step in this remarkable football journey. The vision of Amy Adams Strunk and the Tennessee Titans helped make this moment possible. With great partners at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. and Tennessee Titans, we can’t wait to put on an unforgettable show in 2030.”

Reports of the impending vote initially emerged on May 18.

Nashville has been on the NFL's radar before. The city hosted the 2019 NFL Draft, marking one of the more memorable drafts in recent years.

The city has been a popular tourist destination for years thanks to its music and food scene, as well as its party atmosphere. Sports will now play a factor as well. The Tennessee Titans will officially open their new stadium in advance of the 2027 season, which is expected to cost about $2.1 billion for the domed, state-of-the-art venue.

Designed with the intention of hosting the biggest events in sports and music, the new Nissan Stadium already has the crown jewel of sporting events on the calendar.

SUPER BOWL 64: How did Nashville get Big Game? Inside the decades-long momentum

Here's what to know.

Cornerback seemed like a clear and obvious Commanders need heading into the NFL Draft. General manager Adam Peters didn’t take one with any of his six selections.  

We may have had a different discussion had the Kansas City Chiefs not traded up to take LSU’s Mansoor Delane at No. 6 overall, but we’ll never know what Peters would have done.  

Delane or Sonny Styles? No way Peters will let that preference go public. The Commanders looked to receiver Antonio Williams in the third round and other positions after that, leaving the defensive backfield alone.  

That doesn’t mean he won’t address it as spring turns to summer. As a matter of fact, Peters probably should. There aren’t many cover corners on the open market who flow with his objective to get younger, but the position group can surely get stronger and deeper and more dependable by adding Rasul Douglas.  

The 30-year-old isn’t a household name and has bounced around a fair amount recently, but Douglas is a guy who can come in and compete. He’s a bigger cornerback at 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds, and could certainly fit into new coordinator Daronte Jones’ scheme.  

Adding Douglas isn’t an original thought. Our John Portis and Matt inBrisVegas have brought him up a bunch, and I like their logic. He has been a steady starter throughout his career, including the 2025 campaign in Miami. He had 62 tackles, two interceptions and a sack, allowing just a 72.6 passer rating when targeted.  

That’s, you know, pretty good.  

Incumbent cornerback Mike Sainristill, by contrast, allowed a 109.7 passer rating when targeted. And a 71.3% completion rate.  

It’s safe to say that Trey Amos will lock down one outside cornerback spot. The Commanders would surely like Sainristil to develop and secure his position atop the depth chart. They used a second-round pick on him for a reason.  

Adding Douglas brings competition and valuable experience to the position group. Whether he’s injury protection, a hedge against Sainristil’s development or quality depth, it’s a good investment.  

Signing Douglas won’t break the bank and should add positivity to the locker room culture. There’s no downside to this one, as Peters continues to fortify a defense that simply must be better than it was last season.  

Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year contract to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for his 22nd NFL season.

Rodgers' new offensive coordinator, Brian Angelichio, is thrilled to have Rodgers at his disposal and noted it was "unbelievable" to have him in the building for Pittsburgh's OTAs, which began May 18.

"Aaron's such a great mentor … His feedback and the information he provides, you can’t beat that," Angelichio told reporters May 19, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "He is very willing to help the players … I think that certainly is a big plus for us."

The NFL draft is set to go somewhere it's never gone before: the far northern reaches of the United States.

During the league's spring meeting in Orlando, the NFL announced on May 19 that Minneapolis won its bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft. ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to report the news of Minneapolis winning its bid.

Minnesota's state capital will be the 16th different host city for the NFL draft since its inception in 1936 and the eighth to get its first NFL draft since the league moved the event out of its New York City exclusivity in 2015. Minneapolis will also be the northernmost city to ever host an NFL draft. The previous record was held by Green Bay, which is just a bit further south than the Minnesota metropolis and hosted the 2025 NFL Draft.

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"Minnesota knows how to show up for big moments, and we've experienced it firsthand," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement. "Working with the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Sports and Events, we look forward to bringing the 2028 NFL Draft to this great community, driving positive economic impact throughout the region, and hosting an incredible event for fans and the next generation of the NFL."

Before the NFL heads to Minneapolis for its draft two years down the road, it will first head to the nation's capital. Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft on the National Mall.

It's the second time the District of Columbia will host the NFL draft. The first NFL draft in D.C. was at the Willard Hotel, two blocks away from the White House, in 1941.

I think I can, without a doubt, say that second-year tight end Oronde Gadsden II is one of the most exciting Chargers fans are looking forward to watching in 2026 after a great rookie season. He became a dangerous weapon for Justin Herbert once he cemented himself in the team’s starting lineup and will once again be looked upon to make plays under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Even with the host of other under-the-radar players across the Chargers, including some of their free-agent signings this offseason, Gadsden was actually named the team’s best-kept secret by Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski.

Here’s what the analyst had to say:

“Oronde Gadsden II has always been a weapon in the passing game. At Syracuse, the tight end/oversized wide receiver posted two 900-plus yard seasons when healthy. The fact Gadsden entered the Los Angeles Chargers’ lineup as a rookie and caught 49 passes for 664 yards came as no surprise whatsoever.“

“The 165th overall pick in last year’s draft should expect a bigger workload this fall.“

“First, Keenan Allen hasn’t re-signed, which frees up 122 targets. Also, the organization brought in veteran tight end David Njoku on a one-year deal to be the primary in-line option. The Chargers can lean heavily on 12 personnel without losing any playmaking thanks to Gadsden and Njoku’s capabilities.“

“The former has the potential to become Justin Herbert’s new security blanket and control the middle of the field.“

Gadsden was always going to be expected to take that next step in his sophomore season. That notion only gained further momentum when the Chargers added Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator. However, the additions of tight ends Njoku and Charlie Kolar were not made without the idea that both would also be used as receiving threats, even if the latter is deemed one of the best blocking players in the league at his position.

Still, as Sobleski highlighted above, Keenan Allen’s absence from the offense means there’s well over 100 looks left on the table. The expectation remains that Gadsden is likely to lead the room in production by the end of the year, but now the Bolts have three very reliable players to be utilized in a number of ways. And heck, don’t be surprised to see all three of them on the field at the same time quite a bit throughout the season.

In addition to announcing their regular season schedule, the Detroit Lions also announced on Thursday their three-game preseason schedule, although without the dates.

This year’s schedule, as usual, features a couple of nearby opponents to minimize travel. It’s also worth noting that Lions coach Dan Campbell already expressed that he doesn’t want to do any joint practices this year. So Detroit’s interaction with these three teams will just be on gameday.

That said, it could mean these preseason games carry a little more weight. Campbell suggested that because of the lack of joint practices, he may be more willing to play starters in the preseason more than he has in the past.

“Maybe we play some of these guys in the preseason more than we have, that’s where they get some of it,” Campbell said during the annual league meetings.

Detroit’s preseason kicks off with a trip down to Ohio for a battle against the Cincinnati Bengals. Then they return home for their sole preseason matchup—a game against the Washington Commanders. They close out the preseason by heading down to Indiana for their preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

On Tuesday, May 19, the Lions announced the finalized dates and times for all three of those games:

Preseason Week 1: at Bengals — Thursday, Aug. 13 — 7 p.m. ET
Preseason Week 2: vs. Commanders —Saturday, Aug. 22 — 12 p.m. ET
Preseason Week 3: at Colts — Saturday, Aug. 29 — 3 p.m. ET

All preseason games are expected to be televised on the Detroit Lions TV Network. You can find out which of your local channels carry that network here.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is entering his seventh season with the team and it could be his best one yet.

Herbert has made it to the playoffs in three of the last four years, but has not pulled out a win quite yet. This could be the year where that drought changes. The Chargers have made some changes around Herbert that could lead to him achieving some playoff success soon. In order for the Chargers to get there, Herbert and the team will need to perform better in the regular season.

Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton believes Herbert could win his first MVP award this season.

“Herbert posted Pro Bowl numbers in a less-than-ideal situation. He’ll be able to raise his level of play with a healthy group,” Moton wrote. 

“The two-time Pro Bowl signal-caller will also benefit from a change at offensive coordinator. The Chargers hired play-caller Mike McDaniel, who fielded the No. 1 passing offense for the 2023 season with Tua Tagovailoa under center during his time as Miami Dolphins head coach.

“McDaniel can expand his playbook with Herbert, who’s more mobile and has a stronger arm than Tagovailoa. His play-calling could help the Chargers’ star quarterback reach an MVP level.”

The Chargers have the tools to be elite in the NFL. Now they just need someone who can sharpen those tools and use them correctly. If McDaniel can do that, Herbert will benefit and the Chargers can achieve their goals.

BFTB community, does Herbert have what it takes to win MVP? Who is his biggest competition for the award? Let us know in the comments section below.

The New York Giants’ offseason is fully underway, and the roster is beginning to take shape under the leadership of John Harbaugh. While the ultimate goal is to bring another Super Bowl title to a once renowned New York Giants franchise, the journey back to contention is built on achieving the smaller milestones that have long eluded the franchise on a consistent basis.

Winning in the division is one of those milestones that the Giants have struggled to achieve. The Brian Daboll era was marred by divisional losses, and New York will look to switch those fortunes; it all starts with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The New York Giants did defeat the Eagles, 34-17, on Thursday Night Football in 2025 – a game where Cam Skattebo scored three touchdowns. Still, the Eagles have won 13 straight home games against the Giants; the last time New York won at Lincoln Financial Field was in 2013 – a game where Matt Barkley started for the Eagles.

Philadelphia has won two Super Bowls since the last time the Giants defeated them on their home turf. Howie Roseman continues to show the NFL how to manage a roster, but Philadelphia has hit a few snafus along the way. Their offensive line is ageing, preeminent offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is no longer with the franchise, questions surround both the head coach and quarterback, and there is some turmoil in the locker room.

Nevertheless, Roseman and the Eagles have seemingly found a way to assuage the AJ Brown situation, albeit the nothing becomes ‘official’ till after June 1. Brown is rumored to be heading to New England in a trade at that time, which is logical when analyzing the trade up for USC wide receiver Makai Lemon and the selection of Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.

As it pertains to the Giants, New York must find a way to consistently threaten the Philadelphia Eagles. They haven’t been a contender for quite sometime, and challenging Philadelphia – and the Dallas Cowboys – will be the first major steps to become the New York Giants of old. Let’s take a look, though, at how Philadelphia’s off-season went early in 2026.

Key additions: WR Marquise Brown, QB Andy Dalton, edge Jonathan Greenard, WR Dontayvion Wicks, CB Riq Woolen, TE Johnny Mundt, RB Dameon Pierce, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, edge Arnold Ebitketie, CB Jonathan Jones, WR Elijah Moore

Key subtractions: S Reed Blankenship, LB Nakobe Dean, WR Jahan Dotson, edge Brandon Graham, CB Adoree’ Jackson, edge Jaelan Phillips

2026 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick 20:Makai Lemon (WR, USC) (Trade two fourth rounders)

Round 2, Pick 54: Eli Stowers (TE, Vanderbilt)

Round 3, Pick 68: Markel Bell (OT, Miami)

Round 5, Pick 178: Cole Payton (QB, NDSU)

Round 6, Pick 207: Micah Morris (G, Georgia)

Round 7 Picks: Cole Wisniewski (S), Uar Bernard (DT), and Keyshawn James-Newby (EDGE)

With Brown likely on his way out, the additions of Lemon and Stowers give the Eagles two young, quality weapons who aren’t limited to working the middle of the field, though that may be where they’re best utilized. That creates an intriguing dynamic for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ passing attack moving forward. Elijah Moore will compete for a roster spot as well, and is best suited as a middle of the field operative.

Hurts has historically struggled targeting over the middle of the field. He’s now on his seventh offensive coordinator since entering the league in 2020, and Shawn Mannion will be tasked to try and design an offense that can allow Hurts to comfortably see and target the middle of the field – this is Hurts fifth consecutive season with a different OC.

Roseman did add other offensive weapons that will allow the Eagles’ offense to stay vertical. Marquise Brown and Dontavyion Wicks both join DeVonta Smith in the wide receiver room, giving Mannion an effective and explosive 11 personnel package that is diverse. However, the addition of Stowers gave the Eagles a dynamic mismatch 12 personnel package that will dictate to the defense.

Stowers isn’t a blocker, per se, but the combination of Dallas Goedert and Stowers – along with their current offensive line – does give the Eagles a more explosive 12 personnel pairing that can possibly get the play-action passing attack working. Plus, Grant Calcaterra is still on the roster at tight end, and the addition of Johnny Mundt will certainly help the rushing attack.

Andy Dalton is a solid addition as a veteran backup to compete with Tanner McKee behind Hurts, and Dameon Pierce will compete with Carson Steele on special teams for snaps. Big hulking Markel Bell was also selected out of Miami to replenish the offensive line depth; he will be a developmental piece behind Lane Johnson at right tackle, and this could be the future Hall of Famers final season.

The Eagles finished 19th in points scored last year, averaging just 22.3 points per game, after finishing seventh in 2024 (27.2 PPG) on their way to their second Super Bowl title. Last year, though, the Eagles finished 11-6 with another NFC East title, but it was their elite defense that only allowed 325 points against (fifth-best in the NFL) that lead the way.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is one of the best football minds in the sport, and he received plenty of personnel upgrades to replenish the loss of edge Jalen Phillips, safety Reed Blankenship, and linebacker Nakobe Dean.

Roseman traded two fourth round picks for Jonathan Greenard, Arnold Ebiketie, and signed Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to join Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt on the edge. Greenard is just 28 years old and is coming off a 47 pressure season on 270 pass rushing snaps with Brian Flores and the Vikings.

Greenard had 84 pressures in his first seasons with Flores and 53 pressures in 2023 with Houston. He was a massive acquisition by Roseman. Ebiketie returns to Pennsylvania after four solid seasons with the Falcon – he signed a one-year, $4.3 million contract that can reach $7.3 million in incentives. 

The trenches were upgraded and filled with depth, with Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell still operating inside, but arguably the most significant upgrade was made at cornerback; Roseman signed Riq Woolen, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, to a one-year, $12-million contract. Woolen replaces Adoree’ Jackson, who was the biggest liability for Fangio’s defense last season. Veteran Jonathan Jones was signed as depth behind Cooper DeJean.

Philadelphia did not draft a defensive player until the seventh round when they selected three. The plan to hone in on young offensive developmental pieces through the draft to become a different type of offense was obvious, but I did also love the swing on Nigerian International Pathway Program player Uar Bernard.

Rosman found All-Pro left tackle, Jordan Mailata, in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, and he attempted a similar swing with Bernard, who possess 36-inch arms and a rare athletic profile in a muscular twitchy body. His foundational traits are uncommon, and he’s well worth the selection in the seventh round.

Final thoughts

The Eagles’ offseason is not over yet, and the Brown domino has yet to officially fall. Still, Philadelphia is in a transitional period — one that places their quarterback in a situation he has yet to consistently prove he can navigate effectively, particularly when it comes to maximizing two top draft assets who would be best utilized over the middle of the field.

Philadelphia is likely losing its best receiving threat, but the Eagles 11 personnel package is more flexible and their multi-tight-end sets are more explosive, while maintaining a physical nature with the addition of Mundt. The loss of Jeff Stoutland could have a deleterious effect on the offensive line, as a whole, and that can’t be understated. 

New offensive line coach, Chris Kuper, has legendary shows to fill, but unlocking third round pick Markel Bell’s potential would make the Eagles’ 2026 draft that much more impactful. I do like what the Eagles did defensively, specifically getting Woolen to replace Adoree’ Jackson, but I wouldn’t say there were massive upgrades along the defense, for three quality players did walk out the door in free agency.

Overall, the Eagles had a solid offseason, but questions still remain offensively on the ceiling of the offense with the current personnel. It was a solid offseason, but I wouldn’t say it was spectacular. 

Grade: B- 

The Pittsburgh Steelers have lacked any depth at the wide receiver position for the last several years. With the likes of Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, Allen Robinson, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all getting notable snaps in recent memory, Pittsburgh’s receiving corps has rightfully been the butt of many jokes.

The Steelers finally addressed their lack of pass-catchers this offseason, trading for Michael Pittman and drafting Germie Bernard out of Alabama in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio was asked about Bernard on Tuesday and raved about his preparation.

“He has risen to that challenge with great study habits outside of the building in addition to what he is doing daily,” Angelichio said via Nick Farabaugh.

Angelichio also added they feel the confidence to “push the envelope” with Bernard early on.

Bernard has a real chance to be the No.3 receiver as the team’s starting slot receiver, with his competition boiling down to third-year receiver Roman Wilson. Ben Skowronek will get a roster spot as the team’s special teams ace, but won’t be called upon as a receiver at anything resembling a high clip. Considering what we’ve seen from Wilson in his first two years, the No. 3 spot feels like Bernard’s to lose.

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!

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• The good and bad with Aaron Rodgers in 2026

Sean McVay acknowledged that drafting Ty Simpson was not an easy decision, but that as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams it’s important to balance moves that will be better both for the short-term and the long-term. In an interview with the podcast Bussin’ with the Boys on Tuesday, McVay told hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan that he had a conversation with Matthew Stafford before drafting Simpson that “wasn’t exactly agreed upon” but that the reigning MVP understood where the franchise was coming from in terms of his timeline and needing a backup plan in case he retires next year.

Based on how McVay tells the story of drafting the Alabama quarterback and the fallout after the fact by fans and media members skeptical of making a long-term move while Stafford is in a Super Bowl window right now, the Rams became comfortable with Simpson’s lack of experience based on the film and some of the maturity he showed as a leader by waiting for his turn instead of transferring and accepting responsibility for mistakes instead of blaming others.

“I like that it wasn’t easy. I like that he had to wait at Alabama,” said McVay. “And the easy thing, especially nowadays, would’ve been able to run away (in the transfer portal). I like that they lose to Florida State and the sky is falling and they find a way to kinda have some resolve and they get into the SEC Championship and there’s a lot of good things in the midst of it. I like the way that he responded when guys would drop balls and he didn’t flinch. Or guys would give up a free runner and he didn’t say a word except, “Where can I be better?” Those were the things that the tape communicated to me.“

The Rams head coach also got into the “special” relationship he has with Stafford, how close the Rams were to putting him on injured reserve with a back injury last year (“We were nervous as hell”), and gave a hint that the quarterback does not agree with the team’s decision to draft a quarterback. But that it’s not going to stop him from trying to win a new Super Bowl for L.A., and in L.A., next season.

Here’s more of what McVay had to say about Simpson and Stafford:

“We have to plan for the short and the long term and what does that look like? Let’s go it right now but let’s also be able to sustain over a long period of time. We’ve got the reigning MVP of the league. (Stafford) is like a fine wine, he’s getting better with age. My relationship with him is special. There’s a connection. I think our personalities really balance each other out. It’s a really cool thing that we have and I don’t take that for granted. But he’s earned the right to walk away whenever he wants to. Going into year 18, we have to be mindful that we’re so lucky to have him be doing his thing. But if he said at the end of next year that it’s it for him, he’s earned the right to do that.”

It’s interesting to think about how close the 49ers were trading for Stafford instead of the Rams in 2021, and how different the last five years would have gone if that happened. McVay’s ability to connect with Stafford as someone slightly younger than Kyle Shanahan (Stafford is 38, McVay is 40, and Shanahan is 46) could help the two have a smoother relationship than most HC-QB combos.

On Simpson, McVay explained why the small sample size wasn’t too big of a concern.

“If there’s an opportunity to get someone at 13 to upgrade his team. We addressed some needs in free agency … You got a lot of continuity from last year but you’re saying ‘Okay, there’s some really good players at 13, but you also say that there’s a guy that based on the film, you project this guy to potentially be a starting caliber quarterback. You like the body of work because of the way that (Simpson) played the position.

Is it a short sample size? Yeah, it is. But it’s easier to evaluate that short sample size because it’s easier to evaluate because you’re evaluating all parts of, in the drop-back pass game, the 3-step, the 5-step, the 7-step; the way the field is distributed; the types of coverage contours he’s seeing in the SEC are similar to what he would see in the NFL; reading with his feet with a timing and rhythm; he’s re-directing protections; he’s under center and throwing play action under 7-step, 1-hitch, or 8-step, 1-hitch timing; anticipating second-level in-cuts with frontpad throws; making a little bit of plays off-schedule.“

But McVay said it was not an easy decision and specifically called out three draft prospects who many feel the Rams should have drafted instead, saying that they “appreciate” those guys but clearly they didn’t blow L.A.‘s front office away.

“But with that being said, was it an easy decision? No. Because how are we always balancing? If you told me that we could ensure that if we took a player at 13, like if we took Makai Lemon, Kenyon Sadiq, players that we had a lot of appreciation for, Rueben Bain’s still on the board at the time, if drafting them would’ve ensured that we’re going to show at SoFi Stadium next year (for the Super Bowl), I’d say sign me up. We’re taking that guy.

It doesn’t work that way. I’m hopeful Matthew plays as long as he can. I don’t take for granted how lucky I am.“

Although Matthew Stafford might support McVay and Les Snead, it does not sound like he was necessarily encouraging the Rams to draft a quarterback instead of someone who could help the team right now.

“He handled it exactly like you want somebody to handle it. But he also understands. He’s been in this thing and even if it doesn’t have to be exactly agreed upon, he’s like “I get it.” Because this guy can think from an empathetic perspective He understands the positions that I’m put in as a leader to make those calls. Do I know if it’s going to be right? We’ll see down the line. I’m grateful having #9.“

One of the reasons that the Rams might have felt the pressure to draft a quarterback in preparation for next year was how worried McVay was that Stafford would miss at least part of last season. As McVay tells it, other teams were telling Stafford he was lucky to get so much off-time last year, but that it wasn’t a vacation. Noting that he all but told Stafford he was going on IR, until “the chamber” and other unique methods got him back on the right track for Week 1.

“We were nervous as hell about Matthew Stafford’s back injury. That was real. People don’t realize how close…he and I sat down, this isn’t responding how we had hoped, let’s put you on temporary IR, where we feel this anxiety of having to have a timeline of being ready to go. Jimmy Garoppolo had taken all the reps (in practice). This alien decides, he did some different things that only he could articulate in terms of unique treatments and outside-the-box thinking where he’s going to a torture chamber for 48 hours. But you could also see that there’s mindset there that is only in the greats, where he was like ”F—- it, I’m going to swing“ and he did it and he never looked back.”

The Rams reportedly plan to take a very similar approach with Stafford this offseason, giving him as many rest days as possible so he’s fit for Week 1. That’s another reason to draft a quarterback, especially with Garoppolo looking at retirement. Even McVay says he almost “quit” after the 2022 season because he couldn’t handle losing:

You just never know when a player might choose to walk away. Today it could be Garoppolo, tomorrow it could be Stafford, and that’s why last month the Rams drafted Simpson.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has built a justified reputation as one of the most electrifying receivers in the NFL. So it was understandable that the Seahawks star was surprised when he received a trophy for the league’s defensive player of the year.

Smith-Njigba actually won the NFL’s offensive player of the year after setting franchise records with 119 receptions and 1,793 receiving yards last season. But when he received his trophy the engraving read “Defensive Player of TheYear”.

“I really want to expose them. It’s getting disrespectful, guys,” Smith-Njigba said in an Instagram video.

Smith-Njigba, who made three tackles last season, noted the word “Defensive,” saying, “Defense? Come on, bro.”

He then pointed to “TheYear” and said, “One word? Man.”

The 24-year-old said he was considering returning the trophy. “Just keep the award at this point,” Smith-Njigba wrote in a caption. “Leave it in the history books, tho”.

Smith-Njigba signed a four-year, $168.6m contract extension this offseason after his stellar 2025 campaign, which culminated in the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl.

Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!

Commanders links

Articles

ESPN

Projecting 2026 NFL rookie leaders in 10 stat categories

Tackles

1. Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders: 123
2. Arvell Reese, New York Giants: 116
3. CJ Allen, Indianapolis Colts: 94
T-4. Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys: 82
T-4. Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears: 82

Shaquille Leonard’s 163 tackles in 2018 are the most by a rookie over the past decade, though he is one of only four rookies (all picked in the first two rounds) to reach 125 during the span. In fact, zero rookies reached 100 tackles in 2023 or 2024 prior to three (Carson Schwesinger, Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter) hitting that total in 2025.

Styles’ projection is a big one, as 122 would be sixth most among rookies over the past decade. The large number isn’t by accident, as the No. 7 overall pick is expected to replace Bobby Wagner as a near-every-down player in the middle of Washington’s defense. Reese (No. 5 overall) was selected before Styles, but his role (is he more of an edge or an off-ball linebacker?) is a little less clear. Considering the underwhelming state of the Colts’ off-ball linebacker room, Allen has a path to a full-time role as a second-round pick.

The most tackles by a rookie safety over the past decade is 147 by Jalen Pitre in 2022. Only 12 others reached 80 during that span, with three hitting 100. First-rounders Downs and Thieneman are positioned as every-down starters in Dallas and Chicago, respectively. Both should put up solid tackle numbers in Year 1.

Sports Illustrated

NFL Draft picks that already look dangerously close to getting cut

Athan Kaliakmanis, QB, Washington Commanders

It was a little surprising to see the Washington Commanders select quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the seventh round. Such late-round picks are dart throws, but he feels like a known asset after making 42 college starts. Marcus Mariota is among the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL behind Jayden Daniels. Will the Commanders carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, or will Adam Peters attempt to sneak Kaliakmanis onto Washington’s practice squad? He makes full-field reads with mechanics, but maintaining poise under pressure has been an issue.

Heavy.com

Commanders Rookie QB Athan Kaliakmanis Expected to Replace Popular Veteran

While Washington brings backup Marcus Mariota back for a 3rd season on a 3rd consecutive 1-year contract to play behind Daniels, they showed they don’t have as much confidence in their 3rd quarterback spot, occupied by popular reserve Sam Hartman the last 2 seasons.

The Commanders drafted Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the 7th round (No. 223 overall) of the 2026 NFL draft — a move that seems to show they’re keen to move on from Hartman.

“Jayden Daniels is the runaway No. 1 QB, Marcus Mariota the clear No. 2,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote. “Kaliakmanis enters after that, as he must unseat Sam Hartman for the No. 3 job. Hartman struggled last preseason, and Washington clearly views Kaliakmanis as someone who can win the job. He is also a good fit in new coordinator David Blough’s play-action system. The question is whether Kaliakmanis is able to develop into a No. 2 option, but we’ll have to wait a couple years to answer that.”

The Commanders essentially showed they have zero faith in Hartman at the end of the 2025 regular season when, having already been eliminated from the playoffs, they decided to bring in journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson to start 2 games late in the season with both Daniels and Mariota out.

If Hartman didn’t know the Commanders’ offensive system after 2 years playing there, there’s some question as to why they would even be keeping him on the practice squad, where he’s been parked most of the last 2 seasons.

Commanders.com

Washington is the right culture fit for Athan Kaliakmanis

Kaliakmanis is joining the Commanders’ roster with no mystery about his role. Jayden Daniels is the undisputed starter on the team, and Marcus Mariota is the primary backup. Kaliakmanis is here to compete for the third spot on the depth chart — a role that will require him to play few, if any, reps in the best circumstances. If he wins that job from incumbent Sam Hartman, he will learn the offense and focus on his development to possibly compete for the primary backup role in the near future.

Kaliakmanis isn’t shying away from that. It’s actually what excites him the most that he can learn from the “greatness” he said exists in the Commanders’ quarterback room.

“These are great QBs with historic stats,” Kaliakmanis said. “All three of them have historic stats. I’m excited to learn from them. I’m excited to come in and compete but learn; take as much as I possibly can from each one of them. They’ve done great things in their careers, and one day, I hope to do what they do.”

And when it comes to what he can bring to the room in the immediate future, it’s a lot of what already exists: competitiveness, a good work ethic and his intelligence.

“I feel like I’m getting smarter as a football player,” Kaliakmanis said. “If they have questions or if I have questions, we’re just gonna work together as a team, and we’re gonna help each other get better.”

The Athletic (paywall)

UDFA kicker Drew Stevens could be one to watch

It’s been seven years since the Washington Commanders had one kicker for a full season who finished above the league average in field goal percentage.

Seven. Years.

In the span since Dustin Hopkins made 83.3 percent of his field goal attempts in 2019, Washington’s NFL team has rebranded twice, changed its uniforms at least three times, started nearly a dozen quarterbacks, hired two head coaches, had a change in ownership and broken ground on a new stadium in D.C. And yet, the franchise is still searching for that consistent specialist to spell the offense and do what so many kickers now do routinely: hit 50-plus-yard field goals with consistency.

Kicker Drew Stevens, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound undrafted rookie out of Iowa, signed with Washington after the draft and will compete with incumbent Jake Moody for a spot on the initial 53-man roster. The team re-signed Moody to a one-year deal in March after acquiring him during the season amid issues with former kicker Matt Gay.

Kicker is one of multiple jobs up for grabs in Washington, but it could be one of the most impactful — for better or worse.

At a time when special teams are significantly influencing the outcomes of games, and when kickers are proving their value well beyond routine 33-yard extra-point attempts, Washington’s shortcomings at the position have been costly.

The value of the 40-yard kick, a specialty of Hopkins’ in his seven seasons in Washington, has diminished. Kickers are bigger, stronger and arriving at the pro level with more specialized training.

Stevens will be No. 9 on the Commanders’ list of recent kickers, but he has a resume that fits what Washington has been searching for at the position.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Stevens as the third-best kicker in the Class of 2026 with the projection he could go in the seventh round of the draft.

A former high school soccer player, Stevens set or equaled school records at Iowa for the most made field goals (76), 50-plus-yard field goals (12) and longest field goal (58 yards) and was one of three kickers invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.

In his four seasons of kicking at Iowa, he connected on 80.0 percent of his field goal attempts (76 of 95) and missed only two of 126 extra-point attempts.

WUSA9

Commanders 2026 joint practices: Miami and Baltimore dates locked in

The Washington Commanders attempted in 2025 to host a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens, but the two teams ultimately canceled it, with head coach Dan Quinn citing scheduling conflicts as one of the drivers behind the decision. This preseason, the two geographical neighbors will take another run at it (this time at the Ravens’ home), while the Burgundy and Gold will also play host to one day of joint practice with the Miami Dolphins.

Dolphins Coming to Ashburn: The Commanders are locking in a one-day joint practice session with the Miami Dolphins at Commanders Park on August 12 ahead of their preseason Week 1 matchup.

Breaking the Drought: This represents the first time the franchise has hosted a visiting NFL team for a joint practice session since 2018.

Baltimore Locked In, Detroit Out: The Ravens officially announced a road joint practice with Washington for August 26 in Owings Mills, while logistical constraints have completely ruled out a Week 2 session with the Detroit Lions.

JP Finlay substack

Commanders schedule has early trouble but opportunities later

Hard Open – Starting the 2026 NFL season with back-to-back division games on the road presents a difficult task for Washington. Following that up with a home opener against the freaking Super Bowl champs makes it among the hardest opening stretch in football. Seriously: @ Philly, @ Dallas, home against Seattle. The Commanders will likely be underdogs in all three contests, and after that get “rewarded” with a home game in London. Seattle at home does present an immediate chance for Washington to show improvement from last season. As much as the Commanders got blown out in 2025, no game was as lopsided as the home loss to the Seahawks. It was 31-7 at halftime and Jayden Daniels got hurt late in that game. Remember the whole “Dan Quinn was going to take Jayden out and then he got hurt” storyline? Week 3. It’s back.

Wood chopping season – From Week 10 to 13 the Commanders don’t face a single playoff team from last season. Three of those four teams had worse records than the Commanders last year (NYG, Arizona and Tennessee). Granted, Washington also missed the playoffs last year, but if the Commanders can get through the first nine weeks of the year hovering close to .500 then real opportunities open up to rip off a 3 or 4-game win streak.

WTOP

Rest easy, Commanders fans — 2026 schedule is a gift within the NFL’s misplaced priorities

[A]nalysis shows there are structural advantages baked into Washington’s calendar — and they come with an uncomfortable asterisk.

According to NFL analyst Warren Sharp’s annual rest disparity analysis, Washington enters 2026 with more than nine days of net rest over its opponents — meaning across 17 games, the Commanders will enjoy substantially more rest than their opponents on a cumulative basis. That figure ranks fourth in the entire league, alongside Dallas, Buffalo and Chicago.

“In four of the last five seasons prior to this year, they have had negative net rest handed to them by the NFL,” Sharp told WTOP. “So to get not just positive net rest, but plus nine days of net rest should stand out.”

Furthermore, the Commanders will face zero opponents off a bye week, have only one short-week road game and a Week 7 bye placed near the midpoint of the schedule. Sharp noted that Washington’s one rest-disadvantage game is almost an advantage itself.

“They only have one game where they play at a rest disadvantage all year, and it’s only a one-day rest disadvantage that happens to come Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals, the worst team in the NFL this year,” Sharp said. “So if there’s ever a period where you want to be playing with a rest disadvantage, it’s against the worst team in the NFL.”

And when Washington has had that rest edge, it’s shown up in the results. According to Sharp, the Commanders over the last two seasons are 4-2 straight up in games where they’ve had a rest advantage — and 3-4 when they haven’t.

A to Z Sports

4 things the NFL nailed on the Commanders’ 2026 schedule: The league clearly still believes in Jayden Daniels and Co.

Commanders are once again on track to get a good chunk of the spotlight

You can’t complain about the lack of spotlight when it comes to the Commanders’ 2026 schedule, that’s for sure!

Right now, the team has eight games that are considered either primetime, standalone, or 4:25 p.m. ET kickoffs: Eagles, Cowboys, Colts, 49ers (MNF), Eagles (SNF), Giants (TNF), Bengals (MNF), and Cardinals.

That’s nearly half the schedule and more could be added down the line considering the final three games are TBD. It looks as if the league is giving the team a pass for last year’s disaster and believes it can get back to the 2024 version that captured the NFL.

Monday Night Football after TNF

The NFL did the Commanders a big favor by giving them a Monday night game after their TNF matchup. The days in-between games after Thursday night are already considered a “mini-bye”, so getting that extra day is pretty clutch.

Photos

Commanders.com

PHOTOS | 2026 rookie minicamp

Podcasts & videos

My Conversation with @Eric_Edholm

NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

Blogging the Boys

Josh Downs

Josh Downs is not a pure vertical receiver, he is a chain-mover and leverage winner. His 2025 line was 58 catches for 566 yards and four touchdowns, but the important number is 36 first downs on those 58 catches, a 62.1% first-down rate. In 2024, when his role was bigger, he posted career highs with 72 catches, 803 yards and five touchdowns. Over three NFL seasons, he has 198 catches for 2,140 yards and 11 touchdowns. The deeper numbers show why Josh is a difficult matchup for a rookie nickel. He had an 18% target share, a 66% catch rate and a 8.4 yard average depth of target in 2025. That profile says the Colts use him in the underneath and intermediate areas where separation is created by timing, stems, leverage and quarterback trust rather than raw speed.

Caleb Downs

Caleb’s case is built on a different kind of evidence. At Ohio State in 2025, he produced 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions in 14 games. He allowed a 53.4 passer rating when targeted, surrendered 25 receptions in coverage and recorded two interceptions. That is the profile of a defensive back who does not need gaudy interception totals to control space.

If the standard is impact per target, Caleb should be favored. Josh’s 2025 usage was efficient but not explosive at 9.8 yards per catch and only four 20-plus-yard receptions. Caleb’s best traits are route recognition, physical tackling, zone awareness and versatility. He’s built to squeeze short-area windows, force throws underneath and prevent catch-and-run damage.

The decisive stat is first-down prevention. Josh converted over 60% of his 2025 receptions into first downs, so Caleb’s job is not merely to hold him under 60 yards. It is to make catches harmless. If Josh catches six passes but only two move the chains and none gain 20 yards, Caleb wins. If Josh catches five passes, converts three or four first downs and scores in the red zone, Josh wins. That is the real battle, not receptions, but leverage snaps.

Final Analysis

The verdict then? Caleb Downs should win the individual matchup, narrowly, because his profile is almost purpose-built for this assignment. He has the size advantage, the coverage production, the tackling résumé and the versatility Dallas wants in the nickel. Josh has the experience and route craft to steal reps, especially early, but the deeper data points toward Caleb limiting explosive damage and forcing the Colts to win elsewhere. Expect Josh to get catches, expect Caleb to win the battle.

Blogging the Boys

The Cowboys quiet new defensive anchor

[O]ne acquisition that remains largely undiscussed is free agent defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia. Today, we’ll take a closer look at the big fella and get a better sense of what the Cowboys have in their latest man in the middle acquisition.

In 2024, he looked like a legit force [for the Chargers]. He was finally healthy, starting all 17 games and logging 37 tackles. He effectively transformed from a developmental depth piece into a certified fixture along the interior of the defensive line. It wasn’t a large sample, but it was enough for the Cowboys to be interested in him, signing the 25-year-old to a one-year $2.75 million deal in March.

Here’s some fun little trivia. Ogbonnia played alongside Osa Odighizuwa for three seasons at UCLA. Ogbonnia was signed on March 10th, and Odighizuwa was traded to the 49ers on March 11th. On paper, these two former Westwood walls were teammates again for one day. Ironically, it was a change in defensive scheme that made the Cowboys go from one double-O to another.

He’s an unselfish nose tackle anchor to absorb punishment in the middle. By taking on those grueling interior double teams, Ogbonnia essentially acts as a human shield for the linebackers behind him. This setup ensures the second-level defenders stay clean, allowing them to fly downhill and make plays without an offensive guard climbing up and getting in their grill.

Furthermore, he is perfect for the gap-and-a-half technique that Parker relies on. Ogbonnia uses his raw power to control the primary A-gap, striking the center with enough force to halt any forward momentum. He keeps his eyes in the backfield to track the ball. Once the running back commits, Ogbonnia uses his strength to shed his blocker and choke out the play. It is a highly disciplined style of play that requires patience and brute strength, two traits he has mastered.

His role in the [Cowboys] defense

Looking at the blueprint for the upcoming season, his projected role on this defense is well-defined. He is going to be a classic two-down player, acting as an early-down run-stopping specialist who leaves the field when it is time to rush the passer. You should not expect him to light up the stat sheet with flashy sacks, forced fumbles, or, quite honestly, any type of splashy play except the occasional running back takedown at the line of scrimmage. Instead, he provides a solid floor for their third DT piece and allows the coaching staff to get Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark some occasional rest, keeping the entire defensive line fresh and energized down the stretch.

Ultimately, this signing represents a sound piece of roster building by the Cowboys. While everyone loves the flashy trades and higher-priced signings, Ogbonnia provides low-cost muscle and grit required to keep opposing teams in third-and-long situations. He brings the exact type of unselfish, tone-setting physicality that great defenses need. Cowboys fans should be excited to watch this absolute unit clog up the trenches and bring some old-school toughness back to the defensive interior.

Big Blue View

8 storylines as the NY Giants begin first OTAs with John Harbaugh as head coach

Employing the pass rush

With Brian Burns, 2026 No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter, 2022 No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, and 2026 No. 5 overall pick Arvell Reese the Giants have an embarrassment of riches as potential stand-up pass rushers. How will Wilson deploy them? It is unlikely we will see everything Wilson has in mind this spring, but we will get an idea.

Opportunity at wide receiver

No. 1 wide receiver Malik Nabers is not expected to practice until at least late in training camp as he continues an arduous recovery from a pair of surgeries for a torn ACL. Veteran Darius Slayton will not participate in spring workouts as he recovers from core muscle surgery.

That means we will get a good look at newly-signed veteran wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin over the next few weeks. Rookie Malachi Fields, too.

It also means there will be plenty of opportunity for players competing for the final one or two spots on the depth chart to show what they can do.

That group includes Dalen Cambre, Beaux Collins, Xavier Gipson, Ryan Miller, Isaiah Hodgins, and — yes — Jalin Hyatt. Can one or more of those players take advantage of the extra reps?

Big Blue View

Grading the Washington Commanders offseason: Did Washington get better?

Overall, it’s easy to see what Dan Quinn is attempting to do – get younger and faster on defense while adding explosive weapons on offense. There’s still a void in overall proven talent on offense, although Williams may be a diamond in the rough. Okonkwo will provide a different level of athletic ability than Ertz did, and perhaps Ben Sinnott will take a year three jump.

I was a massive Sonny Styles fan and believe he is the perfect piece for Quinn. Still, the overall personnel of Washington remains a question mark. Much of their 2026 success is contingent on Daniels’ health and development. A step from Josh Conerly Jr. on the offensive line may really assist the stability of the offense under new coordinator David Blough. I understand the vision, but remain skeptical of how it translates and if there’s enough skill around Daniels that can allow him to unlock his potential. At the very least, though, the defense should be much improved.

NFL league links

Articles

Front Office Sports

NFL ‘Tempting Fate’ With Open-Armed Embrace of Streamers

[S]ports media executives like John Skipper are sounding the alarm that the league could “kill the golden goose” when it comes to its broadcast partners.

As the industry knows full well, the NFL wants to opt out early from its $111 billion, 11-year deals with CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video, which were signed in 2021. The league is seeking increases of roughly 50% or more from media partners. The talks have already started with CBS Sports, which could see its annual payout rise to more than $3 billion a year from the current $2.1 billion for its Sunday afternoon game package.

Yes, the NFL believes its rights are undervalued. Yes, legacy broadcast networks should kiss Commissioner Roger Goodell’s ring to ensure their futures at a time when scripted Hollywood dramas, sitcoms, and reality TV shows are falling by the wayside.

But Skipper, the former president of ESPN, is raising eyebrows by warning that the NFL is getting too greedy. In the future, only the tech giants will be able to afford $4 billion to $5 billion media deals, he warns. By playing hardball with legacy media partners like Fox Corp., Goodell’s league could price them right out of the football business.

[W]hat happens when leverage flips the other way? Tech giants like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple don’t have to have the NFL to survive. They could walk away from the table if the prices get too high. That gives them leverage. Especially if the legacy bidders are financial non-factors. As Skipper learned the hard way at ESPN, these trillion-dollar tech giants can be brutal negotiators. If Goodell doesn’t know it yet, his successor will find out in a hurry. The NFL is “tempting fate” by playing legacy media partners off streamers, according to Skipper.

“The next Commissioner is going to deal with the fact that these big tech companies have more leverage over you–and they don’t need your product as much as the traditional broadcasters do,” the Meadowlark Media co-founder said. “The NFL is at this position right now because these traditional media companies cannot exist without an NFL package. If the delta gets to be billions of dollars, they will have to decide to exist without it. They’ll decline faster. Cable TV will decline faster. And the only people who will be able to afford the NFL’s packages will be great, big, trillion dollar market cap companies. But they are also tough, mean companies.”  

It’s in the NFL’s interest to keep struggling legacy partners alive for more reasons than one. It gives the league more bidders for a limited inventory. Keeping a high percentage of games on free, over-the-air television should help keep critics like FCC chairman Brendan Carr at bay. Don’t forget, the league now owns 10% of Disney’s ESPN. It also holds an equity stake in CBS following Skydance Media’s acquisition of Paramount Global, the network’s parent company. So the NFL has a bottom-line financial interest in keeping some of its legacy partners afloat.

The Athletic (paywall)

NFL eyeing pro flag football launch for 2027, EVP Peter O’Reilly says

The NFL is eyeing a late-spring or early-summer 2027 launch for its two professional flag football leagues — one for men and one for women — Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said during a Monday interview on the “Up & Adams” show.

“We’re in the lab, if you will, of really building what that league’s going to be like,” O’Reilly told host Kay Adams. “Thinking about what’s the structure of it, where are we playing games, how does it roll out? Incredibly exciting to be having conversations with the athletes who are going to play in this league, who maybe dreamed one day there might be a professional flag league, and now we’re saying, ‘This is real.’

“There’s going to be a combine for this pro flag league. There’s going to be a draft. There’s going to be an opportunity to play this sport at the highest level, and it’s going to be awesome.”

In March, the NFL announced the selection of TMRW Sports as its developmental and operational partner in launching professional flag football. TMRW Sports has made a name for itself through the development and launch of the primetime golf league TGL, which capped its inaugural season in March and was seen as a general success ratings-wise.

Flag football is becoming more established at the high school and college levels across the country. The National Federation of State High School Associations says the sport is offered at the high school level in 39 states: 17 have it as a sanctioned sport, while 22 are pilot programs. In April, eight teams participated in the first college women’s flag football tournament, which signaled the latest step toward the sport being recognized by the NCAA.

O’Reilly described the future of flag football as “limitless.”

aBit o’Twitter

In Today’s Links: another look at the Seattle Seahawks’ 2026 schedule and their advantages there within, odds (if you are into that sort of thing), the sophomore class, lessons from the GM, and a little bit more of what you are looking for from us here at Field Gulls. Thanks for being here. Go, ‘Hawks!

#np Sometimes by Faye Webster

Seahawks News

The Seahawks exposed Sean McVay’s biggest weakness – Seaside Joe
If Mike Macdonald is “Bizarro McVay”, will the Rams have any counter-punch to Seattle’s counter-punch?

Seahawks have an underrated advantage in their 2026 schedule – Seattle Sports
The Seahawks have a challenging schedule, but their overall rest differential is in their favor.

Oddsmakers weigh in on Seahawks’ chances in 2026 | Analysis – The Seattle Times
Oddsmakers have the Seahawks’ schedule in hand. Here’s what they think of their chances in each game and what they think about their chances to repeat as champs.

Growth of Sophomore Class Gives Seahawks Shot to Be Even Better in 2026 – Emerald City Spectrum
Like most Super Bowl winners, the Seattle Seahawks leaned heavily on their established stars on the way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy last season.

Three More Candidates To Make Big Improvements In The 2026 Season For The Seahawks – si.com
Don’t forget about these guys making a significant leap in 2026 to help Seattle reach their 2025 heights once again.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba reveals ‘disrespectful’ mistake on OPOY trophy – ESPN.com
Jaxon Smith-Njigba apparently has another reason to feel slighted — and this time, he’s speaking out about it.

500: Seahawks Super Bowl Window Then vs. Now — Lessons John Schneider Learned – Sea Hawkers Podcast
Episode 500 looks back at the Seattle Seahawks previous championship window to spot what fueled the decline from back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.

NFC West News

Jacoby Brissett once again missing from voluntary workouts – Revenge of the Birds
The Arizona Cardinals veteran quarterback is still holding out for a new contract.

49ers news: Is Kyle Shanahan “pass happy” as a playcaller? – Niners Nation
Where does Shanahan rank in the NFL?

The most divided backfield we’ve seen in the Sean McVay era? – Turf Show Times
Sean McVay historically does not share running back work: Kyren Williams and Blake Corum seem ready to split the load

Feed Post of the Day

Ross Douglas knows what it takes for a wide receiver to make it in the NFL.

And Douglas has no doubt his former wide receiver at Oregon, Malik Benson, has what it takes to succeed at the next level.

“There’s no doubt,” Douglas told Silver and Black Pride in a telephone interview. “His professionalism really showed last season. He knows how to take advantage of opportunities He showed up (in 2025) as a fourth or fifth receiver and just kept earning the trust of the coaching staff and the quarterback. He just got better and better as the season wore on. I wish I had more than one season with him, but the Raiders are getting a player whose best football is ahead of his and he will have a great attitude.”

The Raiders took Benson in the sixth round of the draft and there has been a lot of buzz that he can carve out a role for himself early in his career.

Douglas, who has two seasons of NFL experience as the New England Patriots’ wide receiver coach, said he believes Benson has all the traits of being a successful NFL player.

“He runs well and has has good ball skills, anytime a player has those skills it will translate well to the NFL,” Douglas said. “He has a great attitude as well. He’ll be one of the first guys in the building and one of the last to leave. His best football is ahead of him. He has good habits of a pro and I think he’ll play for a long time.”

Douglas said he was “surprised” that Benson lasted until the sixth round and he believes the Silver and Black got a steal.

“I understand the business and the nature of the draft,” Douglas said. “Some other guys may have had more consistent production through their careers … But based on my experience with him and his tape from last season, I thought he’d be taken higher … But I think he’s in a great spot to have success in the league.”

Many of us take great pleasure in playing GM, constructing our own roster, and making calls on who stays and who goes. Now, you can do just that with our 2026 Dallas Cowboys Roster Builder.

With the tool embedded below, whittle down the roster from 90 to 53 players, build a practice squad, change player positions, see the dead money pile up, agonize over the last cuts, and have fun doing it!

And then delete it and start over again. And again. And again.

Here’s how it works:

• You can cut players by dragging them into the red “Cut Players” box at the bottom. The dead money tally at the bottom tells you how much dead money you have accrued with your cuts.
• You can also move up to 16 players to the practice squad by dragging them to the practice squad box at the bottom of the tool. Technically, you’re allowed a maximum of six veterans on the PS, but the tool will let you place whoever you want on the PS.
• The player count gives you an always up-to-date number of players you still have on the roster.
• You don’t like the pre-configured ranking of the players in the position groups? Simply drag and drop them until you have them in the order you like.
• You think some players are listed in the wrong position groups? You can change that as well. Within the secondary (S/CB/NB), the front seven (ILB/Edge/DT), and the O-Line (OT/G/C) you can move players around as you see fit, but you won’t ever be able to make a wide receiver out of a running back.
• DT Adedayo Odeleye is an IPP player with roster exemptions: If you keep him on the roster, you’re allowed 54 players in total, if you put him on the practice squad, you’re allowed 17 players in total on the PS.
• If you click on the “View Roster Snapshot” Button, you’ll open an extra window with a clean version of your roster on one page.

You’ll find that the cuts get progressively tougher, and that you’ll have to make some really hard choices as you get to your final three or four cuts.

Discuss your choices in the comments section below and let us know who ended up being your hardest cuts.

Have fun!

Ctrl/Cmd+P to print or screenshot · Blogging The Boys

Over the next few months, we’ll be breaking down all of the rookies added by the Jets during the draft and as undrafted free agents. We continue today with long snapper Garrison Grimes.

The 25-year old Grimes is listed at 6’2” and 220 pounds and was a second team all-American last season, after having transferred from Baylor to BYU.

Background

Grimes was a two-time all-state and all-region tight end in high school, where he caught 73 passes for 926 yards in his career and also served as the long snapper.

From there, he headed to Baylor, which has a rich tradition at the long snapper position, to the point where some have referred to it as “Long Snapper U”. Jon Weeks and Ross Matiscik are among those who have snapped there previously.

After redshirting the 2021 season, Grimes was a three-year starter in the long snapper role, then transferred to BYU ahead of the 2025 season.

At BYU, he earned second team all-American honors and was regarded as one of the top prospects at his position when he declared for the 2026 draft.

The Jets signed Grimes as an undrafted free agent, on a contract with just $1,000 in guaranteed money.

Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Grimes brings to the table, based on in-depth research and film study.

Measurables/Athleticism

Grimes is listed at 225, but actually weighed in at 236 ahead of his pro day workout. He has bulked up considerably since he was a 200-pound high school recruit.

That pro day workout has taken on legendary status, leading to him being referred to as the most athletic long snapper in history, although this requires some context.

That assertion comes from Grimes’ RAS score, which is a metric compiled by draft analyst Kent Lee Platte that takes into account the workout numbers of draft prospects and then compares it to those of previous prospects at that same position. Grimes scores a perfect 10 out of 10 in this category, placing him first in that category.

Obviously there aren’t many workout numbers for long snappers to compare this to, though, so it’s a little hyperbolic to talk about him in those terms. So, let’s instead give it some better context.

The three players on the current Jets roster who are closest to 236 pounds – Grimes’ weight when he compiled his workout numbers – in terms of listed size are running back Braelon Allen, tight end Chase Curtis and linebacker Jaden Keller.

Grimes ran 4.82, posted a 32.5-inch vertical and 115-inch broad jump and managed 22 bench press reps.

Allen posted 26 bench press reps and very similar numbers for broad and vertical, which in theory reflects well on Grimes. However, those jumps were both well below average for the running back position.

Also, Allen famously didn’t do a 40-yard dash because he said he felt it was irrelevant how fast he runs “in his underwear”, but he’s been clocked at 21.3 miles per hour on the field, which supposedly translates to a sub-4.5 time.

Keller’s speed and explosiveness numbers were also significantly better as he outperformed Grimes in each of the jumps by 3-4 inches and also ran a 4.50. His bench press was similar at 21 reps.

Finally, Curtis, who plays Grimes’ old high school position, also ran faster than him at 4.70 with similar explosiveness numbers but just 17 reps.

Ultimately, although Grimes is clearly more athletic than most long snappers, he’s still below average in the context of NFL players generally. Of course, that’s historically been the case with long snappers.

However, the “most athletic long snappers in NFL history” claim unfortunately falls apart when considering Zak DeOssie’s numbers, which aren’t listed among the long snapper dataset because he originally tested as a linebacker. The two-time pro bowl long snapper ran a 4.58 at 248 pounds while posting 26 bench press reps and superior jumps.

Nevertheless, Grimes’ ability to get downfield well shows up on film and he obviously is athletic enough to play at this level. He may need to bulk up a little more, though.

Usage

Grimes has only played as a long snapper during his college career, despite having also been a productive tight end in high school. As is the case with most other long snappers, he wasn’t risked in any other role, including kickoff coverage.

Snapping

Snapping the ball accurately and efficiently is clearly the most important role a long snapper can have. The experts in this field praise the accuracy and speed of Grimes’ snaps and analysis site Pro Football Focus confirmed that they didn’t grade any of his 114 long snaps in 2025 negatively. You can see from his game film that most of his snaps are bullseyes.

He wasn’t perfect over the course of his career though with occasional punt snaps that were slightly off-line or short, including one low snap that the punter had to bend down to scoop up, almost leading to a block – although there was a flag on the play anyway.

He also had this notably bad snap that led directly to a missed field goal while he was at Baylor.

Blocking

Blocking is not a major function of the long snapper’s role, as their main priority is to get the ball back quickly and accurately. However, they do need to be alert to interior rushes at times.

Grimes wasn’t challenged too often in these situations on punts, often just running downfield as quickly as he could rather than staying in to slow up a rusher.

This play, which likely would have been a penalty anyway under NFL rules, saw Grimes allow interior pressure that led to a block and ultimately a return for a touchdown.

At BYU, they ran a handful of fakes on punts and field goals and Grimes was required to carry out a run blocking assignment on most of these. On one, he executed a double team block with the right guard which allowed the holder to run for a first down over the left side.

Coverage

Grimes racked up five tackles and also recovered two fumbles during his college career with his ability to hustle downfield effectively. He also downed some punts.

Those two fumbles both came in the same game against Texas and each saw him dive on a muffed punt opportunistically.

You can see here how Grimes gets downfield well but remains under control so he can break down and make the stop.

As noted, Grimes would often just snap the ball and run downfield immediately rather than staying in to block. When he did this, he was usually unblocked but in situations where opposing teams schemed against this and left someone in the middle of the field to block him, he often got held up.

On this play he takes an over-aggressive angle and enables the return man to cut back and avoid his tackle attempt for some extra yardage.

Here’s another example of Grimes getting downfield well and then closing on the return man to get in on the tackle.

Instincts/Intelligence

Grimes had a solid GPA in high school and went on to earn first team academic all-Big 12 honors in 2022, along with a spot on the commissioner’s honor roll.

His father is Jeff Grimes, who is the current Wisconsin offensive coordinator and coached at Baylor in the same role from 2021 to 2023 while his son was on the team. As a coach’s son, Grimes is regarded as coachable.

Attitude/Demeanor

When he was at Baylor, Grimes was praised by head coach Dave Aranda for his maturity, work ethic and care factor in terms of details and preparation.

Grimes, who is a man of faith and was a high school captain, does admit that he and the other specialists “goofed off” at times early in his career, leading to dumb mistakes, but noted that they took things more seriously and saw positive outcomes from that in 2024.

As noted above, he recovered two fumbles in a rivalry game against Texas, the second of which sparked a wild celebration on the sideline with a large group of other special teamers jumping up and down around him. While this speaks to the fact that he’s obviously a popular teammate, Baylor was actually losing 38-6 at the time, so such over-exuberance was arguably inappropriate.

Nobody seems to have made a big deal over that and it likely wasn’t of major significance but perhaps this is one of the things Grimes was talking about in terms of goofing off and making mistakes.

Injuries

In 2023, Grimes suffered a torn ACL in the fifth game of the year and missed the rest of the season. He started all of 2024, though, and it doesn’t seem to have impacted him since.

Scheme Fit

You probably wouldn’t consider systems to have much significance for your long snapper generally speaking, but the main concern arising out of Grimes’ film would be that he will have more blocking responsibilities at the NFL level with the different rules leading to differences between the protection schemes employed. As a result, he might need to bulk up and work on that area more.

He was a teammate of two of the other undrafted rookie signings for the Jets; kicker Will Ferrin and cornerback Mo Bamba. Ferrin was already released though.

While he was redshirting at Baylor in 2021, Grimes was also a teammate of current Jets offensive lineman Xavier Newman.

Conclusions

Grimes was one of the more interesting undrafted rookie signings for the Jets this year, but in order to win a role with the Jets, he would have to oust the longest-tenured Jet, Thomas Hennessy.

It may soon be time for the Jets to move on from Hennessy, who will be 33 at the start of the 2027 season and Grimes represents a potential long-term answer because it is felt by many he has an NFL future.

However, if the Jets opt to groom him to be Hennessy’s successor via a spot on the practice squad, there is a danger he could be poached during the season if there is an injury or a performance-based cut elsewhere around the NFL at that position.

While we shouldn’t overreact to the whole “best athlete ever” discussion, Grimes does have good tools and the dedication to compete hard for a long-term role so it will be interesting to see if he sticks.

Herm Edwards delivered one of the most iconic lines in NFL history when he passionately stated during a 2002 news conference, "You play to win the game."

He and Judy Battista – the reporter who asked him the question that prompted the famous spiel, during which Edwards encouraged any players who didn't care about winning to retire – reminisced about the moment during a May 19 appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football."

"It was instincts," Edwards explained of his passionate response to Battista's question. "I never knew it would take the avenue that it took."

Nothing is simple in the world of sports, and the Cleveland Browns have been a strong example of chaos since The Return in 1999. Browns majority owner, Jimmy Haslam, who also owns the Columbus Crew and part of the Milwaukee Bucks, hasn’t steadied the ship since he took over in 2012.

Even in the ownership suite, uncertainty has reared its head. Last year, Charles Woodson was announced as having bought a minority share of the team in Cleveland, only to back out due to his desire to build his alcohol brand.

Recently, the NFL approved the ability for private equity firms to purchase parts of teams, on a very limited basis. Today, the league owners will vote on whether to approve Arctos to purchase a part of the Browns. The interesting piece of information here is that Arctos already owns parts of the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills:

As noted in the opening, nothing is simple anymore.

Arctos Partners found a bit of NFL-related drama last month when InStudio Ventures, which helps fund Arctos, claimed it had found a loophole to be a part of NFL ownership despite not being an NFL-approved private equity firm. A nuanced issue that the NFL took exception to:

Be that as it may, sources familiar with the NFL’s private equity program say the difference between Arctos and InStudio’s position is abundantly obvious, and rules prohibit those lower-tier investors from promoting their association with the league. Everyone in sports knows how carefully the NFL polices anyone trading on its name.

Given that Arctos has already been approved and already owns parts of two different teams, it is likely that Haslam will have an influx of money coming his way in exchange for 3% of Cleveland’s team. According to Forbes, the Browns are valued at $6.4 billion, which would net Haslam around $192 million from the sale.

TEAM TALK

• Julieann Challacombe tells us the football journey of Patriots 196th overall pick Dametrious Crownover is rooted in transcending footwork, physical growth, and mental strength.

LOCAL LINKS

• Alex Barth breaks down the Patriots 2026 schedule from the easiest to hardest games on the slate: There are 5 types of games.
• Conor Ryan ranks the Patriots’ 2026 schedule from least to most exciting games.
• Mark Daniels addresses the Kayshon Boutte trade rumors and why the young receiver could be dealt.
• Alex Barth talks about what the Patriots could reportedly net in a Kayshon Boutte trade.
• Brian Ferzocopredicts the outcome of every 2026 Patriots game.
• Brian Ferzoco suggests 5 free agents Patriots could still target.
• Doug Kyed’s Patriots Mailbag: Is a first-round pick too much for AJ Brown?
• Colin McCarthy says the vibe at Gillette reportedly is better than two weeks ago with Mike Vrabel.
• Alex Barth notes that over the weekend QB Aaron Rodgers re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers – who the Patriots will host in their home opener.
• Meredith Perri highlights Albert Breer on how NFL owners are set to vote for more international games in the 2027 season. /Sure, let’s play ALL the games overseas.
• Conor Ryan highlights Bill Belichick on ’Pardon My Take’, as he dove into Brady’s evolution from fourth-string QB to five-time Super Bowl MVP — noting that it was Brady’s own drive and determination that made him grow from a raw prospect into a franchise star.
• Pats Procrastination podcast:Clare & Chudders discuss the Pats’ 2026 schedule and all the off season chatter. (32 min.)
• Patriots Daily podcast: Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick take a look at the Patriots top 5 most important year 2 leap candidates for the Patriots. (25 min.)
• Patriots Daily podcast: Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick discuss the top 5 dark horse candidates to make the Patriots roster. (25 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) DE Janarius Robinson to work out for Patriots.
• Matt Bowen (ESPN) Best NFL team fits for 14 free agents.
• Mike Clay (ESPN) Projecting 2026 NFL rookie leaders in 10 stat categories. No Pats.
• John Breech (CBS Sports) Patriots hit with bizarre scheduling quirk the NFL hasn’t seen in 40 years, plus 21 other schedule oddities.
• Mike Kadlick (SI) The best game of every week throughout the 2026 NFL season. Patriots included: Week 9 vs. Packers and Week 17 vs. Broncos.
• Conor Orr (SI) Eight teams that got screwed by the 2026 NFL schedule. Jets and Bills included.
• Eva Geitheim (SI) Full NFL Black Friday game schedule and history.
• Report (AP) Rob Gronkowski again named grand marshal of Indy 500 Snake Pit.
• Sam Neumann (Awful Announcing) NFL considering eliminating home game protections for international series.
• Conor Orr and Albert Breer (SI) How many international games is too much? (9 min. video)
• Sam Neumann (Awful Announcing) Is the NFL’s Wednesday season opener here to stay? “I think you’ll see us certainly playing on a couple of nights, weekday nights to start the year going forward.”
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick finally explains his “no days off” motto. /..this was a mystery?
• Pardon My Take podcast (Apple podcasts) Bill Belichick interview (58 min. mark)
• Matt Yoder (Awful Announcing) Sports are reaching a breaking point in the endless pursuit of cash.
• Conor Orr (SI) Time for the NFL world to move on from the Vrabel–Russini story: After a five-week public humiliation phase, the story is now mostly harming family members who deserve privacy.
• John Breech (CBS Sports) Jaguars win $30 million battle against Urban Meyer: Ex-NFL coach reportedly loses arbitration case over firing.

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

2026 NFL offseason: Best NFL team fits for 14 free agents – ESPN
Mekhi Becton, G. Best team fit: Philadelphia Eagles. Becton produced subpar tape last season in L.A. However, a return to Philly, where Becton allowed four sacks and had a 71.2% run block win rate in 2024, makes sense as a depth/competition move. At his best, Becton has the size (6-foot-7, 364 pounds) and physical tools to overwhelm defenders.

Eagles Film Review: Jonathan Greenard is a very good and diverse pass rusher – BGN
I’ll get into why below, but I think Greenard is an obvious tier below the elite freakish talents. Elite pass rushers are often superhuman athletes. Greenard is not one of them. He is not Micah Parsons. He is not Maxx Crosby. But he is an excellent pass rusher who wins without help, creates problems for quarterbacks every game, and does it on all three downs. If he can rediscover the finishing ability that produced 12.0 sacks in 2024, he pushes back into the conversation as one of the better edge rushers in the league outside that elite handful. And even if the finishing never fully returns, what he provides in pure pressure generation is already worth a lot.

Patriots mailbag: Is a first-round pick too much for A.J. Brown? – Boston Herald
@MasHamburguesa: Why are the Patriots giving up a future 1st round pick for AJ Brown (29, premium position, fringe top 10 at his position, unhappy) when Jon Greenard (28, premium position, fringe top 10 at his position, unhappy) went to the Eagles for two thirds? That’s a good question. I think the most important thing to clarify, though, is that Jonathan Greenard was traded before the 2026 NFL season for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick. The most widespread speculation is that Brown will be traded before the 2026 season for a 2028 first-round pick. The draft capital in the proposed trade for Brown is still more valuable, but maybe not by as much as you think. The picks traded by the Eagles are worth roughly 54 points on the Rich Hill trade value chart. It’s hard to gauge how much a 2028 first-round pick is worth. Typically, a pick one year into the future is worth roughly half of what a present-day pick is worth. So, a 2027 first-round pick is worth around 82 points. A 2028 first-round pick is valued even less. If it’s valued at 40%, then that would be 76 points. If it’s valued at 1/3, then that would be 63 points. There are other factors in play, though. Greenard wanted a new contract and had a down season in 2025. He missed time with a shoulder injury and produced just three sacks. Brown, meanwhile, generated his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season. Edge defenders are generally valued more heavily than wide receivers, but it’s difficult to find elite players at both positions. Brown, based on his contract ($32M/year) is more highly valued than Greenard ($30M/year), though it is close.

Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Didn’t Attend AJ Brown’s Wedding – TMZ Sports
Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts was NOT at the wedding of his longtime friend and current NFL teammate A.J. Brown, TMZ has learned. Sources close to the situation tell TMZ that despite knowing each other for years and playing on the same team … we’re told Jalen didn’t make the lavish beachside ceremony. However, it’s unclear if he was invited. Jalen’s absence is interesting on a number of levels. He’s known A.J. since high school and is the godfather to A.J.’s daughter, Jersee. Jalen tried to recruit A.J. to Alabama to play together in college, and pushed hard for the Eagles to acquire him a trade. But after 4 years together in Philly, there are rumors of a rift.

What’s Next: Eagles, Chargers Face Rest Deficiencies, But NFL Disputes Disadvantage – FOX Sports
Two analysts for the NFL, Mike Lopez and Tom Bliss, wrote a paper in 2024 titled “Bye-bye, bye advantage: estimating the competitive impact of rest differential in the National Football League,” laying out their research. Before the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was agreed to in 2011, teams coming off a bye had a 2.2-point advantage on other teams. But once the CBA mandated time away from the team for players, that advantage lessened, suggesting the edge was in additional practice time, not just time to rest and prepare. Their estimate in the 2024 paper was that teams coming off a bye week have a 0.3-point advantage, nearly negligible in a game’s outcome.

Why two holidays for the Eagles, why the Rams’ game is at 1 p.m., and more schedule questions answered – Inquirer
North said when the league first began scheduling international games, they largely let teams dictate the terms surrounding their travel, including a home game before and a bye week after. That’s no longer the case. “We talked to everybody. I like to think we’re pretty honest and transparent, I hope the clubs would say the same, but nobody gets to dictate,” North said. To add insult to injury, the Carolina Panthers will be coming off their bye week when they face the jet-lagged Eagles after their London trip in Week 6. NFL teams that don’t have a bye week following an international matchup are 27-21 in the following game, according to the league. Teams that have a bye are 36-39-1 in their next game.

Jordan Mailata talks Philadelphia Sports Legacy Honors – NBC Philadelphia
A special award ceremony will take place this week honoring Philadelphia sports figures for their work both on the field and in the community. Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Tackle Jordan Mailata and Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative Executive Director Beth Devine speak with NBC10’s Erin Coleman about the event.

AG Gaston Boys and Girls Club celebrate 60 years of impacting Birmingham youth – CBS42
During the dinner, attendees took a look back over the last 60 years at how far the organizations’ efforts to mentor and provide a safe space for Birmingham youth have come. With words from sponsors and city leaders, there was also a fireside conversation with special guest Jalen Hurts, who also spoke on the vital impact of investing in the youth.

Next Woman Up: Steph DeAngelis, Facility Operations Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles – NFL.com
Women are rising up the ranks throughout professional football, earning positions of power in a space that for too long was ruled almost exclusively by men. We’re seeing more and more women breaking barriers in the sport, but what are the stories beyond the headlines? Who are the women shaping and influencing the NFL today? Answering those questions is the aim of the Next Woman Up series. While the conversational Q&As are edited and condensed for clarity, this is a forum for impactful women to share experiences in their own words. Without further ado, we introduce: Steph DeAngelis, Philadelphia Eagles. Position: Facility Operations Coordinator.

Patriots host speedy edge rusher on free agency workout – Pats Pulpit
Janarius Robinson suffered a season-ending leg injury during his rookie training camp and the following summer was waived ahead of roster cutdowns. He ended up on Minnesota’s practice squad but was poached by the Eagles shortly thereafter. When he left Philadelphia in August 2023, he was still waiting for his NFL debut.

The Cowboys have sneaky depth at this position – Blogging The Boys
Trevor Keegan arrived in Dallas thanks to a little bit of division rival thievery. The team monitored the waiver wire closely during final roster cuts last year, and the second the Philadelphia Eagles exposed him, the Cowboys pounced. Of course, making room for him also required some roster gymnastics as the team opted to release wide receiver Ryan Flournoy. It was a risky gamble, and the Cowboys were incredibly lucky that Flournoy managed to clear waivers unclaimed so they could stash him back on the practice squad. For them to even be willing to take that risk, it tells you everything you need to know about how highly they viewed Keegan.

The 10 worst contracts in the NFC East – PhillyVoice
1) Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys: Prescott had the best season of any quarterback in the NFC East in 2025, and he made our First-Team All-NFC East team. So, you know, he’s a good player, though inconsistent from year to year. However, if you were asked to make a list of all the quarterbacks you would want to have heading into the 2026 season, would Prescott make your top 10? (Personally, I think he’s borderline. I’d have him somewhere in between 9 and 12.) The Cowboys have botched Prescott’s contract situation since 2019. For the sake of brevity we won’t get into the ugly year-by-year details, but the end result was that he was able to score the league’s first $60 million per year contract, and he remains the highest-paid player in the NFL, still by a fairly decent margin. I imagine Cowboys fans will object to Prescott’s placement on this list, given his productive season in 2025. I get that. Certainly, there are plenty of teams around the league who would take Prescott over their trash at quarterback. But ultimately the highest-paid player in the NFL should be elite, not a guy who has been in the league for 10 years who only has two playoff wins.

Why Washington Commanders should sign veteran receiver Stefon Diggs – Hogs Haven
It sure seems like Peters will win this game of chicken with his willingness to wait. Even if there’s leverage in that stance, should the Commanders go big on a talented, yet mercurial receiver in Aiyuk who hasn’t played since 2024 and hasn’t starred since a 2023 campaign where he had 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns? Maybe. But also maybe not. Especially with Stefon Diggs on the open market. There are several pros to signing the steadily productive veteran pass catcher. For one, the dude’s from the DMV. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native and University of Maryland alum is proud of his roots and might be drawn to a team with potential that he could push over the top.

8 storylines as the NY Giants begin first OTAs with John Harbaugh as head coach – Big Blue View
Jon Runyan Jr. has been the starting left guard for the past two seasons, and he remains at the top of the depth chart. He is the starter. Until he’s not. After an active offseason of remaking the depth on the offensive line, the Giants have options at left guard should they want to explore them. Daniele Faalele has never played left guard, but he started at right guard for Harbaugh in Baltimore the past two seasons. He would likely have beeen the starter at that spot in New York had the Giants not drafted Sisi Mauigoa. The Giants surprisingly have given Evan Neal another chance to revive his career. Could he win the job? How about Josh Ezeudu if the Giants let him concentrate on playing guard? Lucas Patrick has 65 NFL starts at center and both guards across a nine-year career. Could he push to be more than a key interior offensive line reserve? What about second-year man Marcus Mbow or rookie J.C. Davis? Could one of them get moved inside? Runyan is an adequate NFL starting guard, not more or less. The Giants could save $9 million against the salary cap if they were to decide they could get the same level of play for less from someone else.

Brendan Sorsby’s gambling allegations could end his college football career. Is NFL Supplemental Draft next? – SB Nation
Brendan Sorsby was one of college football’s highest-paid players in the transfer portal, and he was considered a possible first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The 6’3 quarterback left Cincinnati for Texas Tech after a tremendous junior season for a reported sum of $5 million. Just when the Red Raiders were celebrating the addition of one of the country’s top QBs, Sorsby was caught up in gambling allegations that sent him to rehab and likely ends his college career. It now looks like the best bet for Sorsby’s immediate future is to turn pro through the NFL Supplemental Draft, which is expected to be held in mid July. What is the Supplemental Draft? How much interest would Sorsby really draw? Let’s dive into the history of the NFL’s other draft, with more context on what makes Sorsby such an enticing prospect.

…

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The San Francisco 49ers are looking like one of the more complete rosters in the NFL following free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, as they’ve addressed quite a few holes without losing much talent overall.

Some of the key issues addressed this offseason were wide receiver and defensive line, where the 49ers added Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and De’Zhaun Stribling for the former and Osa Odighizuwa, Romello Height, and Gracen Halton for the latter.

But, there are still ways to improve the roster with a ton of free agents still on the board, and the compensatory formula is no longer an issue when signing players. So, who could San Francisco still target in free agency this late in the offseason?

ESPN’s Matt Bowen broke down the best fits for the top remaining free agents left on the board, and unsurprisingly, the 49ers were listed for multiple players.

The first was veteran free agent guard Kevin Zeitler, who will be heading into his 15th NFL season.

“The veteran has a physical inside presence, using his power to displace defensive tackles. And he has the movement ability to pull on gap schemes, which fits into Kyle Shanahan’s system,” Bowen wrote.

“Zeitler also uses his strong base in protection, ranking 37th out of 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate last season (92.4%). He would be an upgrade to the interior of San Francisco’s O-line, which saw left guard Spencer Burford leave for the Raiders in free agency.”

Zeitler could be the answer at left guard, as the 49ers don’t have a clear-cut option there yet.

The other free agent that fit best for San Francisco in Bowen’s eyes was defensive end Joey Bosa, who remains unsigned after one season with the Buffalo Bills.

“Bosa has answered some availability questions over the past two seasons, playing in at least 14 games in each, and he fits as a pass rusher in Raheem Morris’ defense,” Bowen wrote. “Bosa played 36.3 snaps per game last season in Buffalo, finishing with five sacks, five forced fumbles and 42 pressures.”

“We still see Bosa’s speed-to-power ability on tape, and he still keeps high energy to make stops later in the down. He would provide quality depth for a 49ers’ pass rush that ranked last in pressure rate (24.9%) and total sacks (20) in 2025. And why not have some fun and put him next to his brother, Nick?”

The 49ers were interested in Bosa last offseason, but he took a more lucrative offer with Buffalo, spurning San Francisco and the Miami Dolphins. Bosa has been healthier in recent years, and he would provide a pass-rushing edge to a team that didn’t have it last year.

But San Francisco has also made an effort to stay younger over the past few years, and both of these additions would go against that idea. Still, in an offseason where the 49ers have gotten stronger, they could look to put the finishing touches on this roster and give themselves the best chance to compete for a Super Bowl in 2026.

The Seattle Seahawks will open the season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, hosting the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch. The Seahawks are 4.5-point favorites.

There is an ever increasing slate of international games — nine in total this season — including the first-ever NFL game played in Australia between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. The game is on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET and the Rams are 2.5-point favorites.

We also know the Thanksgiving games — headlined by Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills hosting Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs as 2.5-point favorites on Thursday night — and that we have the NFL’s first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams.

Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament

Here are the odds at sportsbooks for every NFL game this season (spread is the first number in parentheses and game total is the second):

Week 1

Wednesday, Sept. 9

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks (-4.5, 45.5)

Thursday, Sept. 10

San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (-2.5, 49.5) in Melbourne, Australia

Sunday, Sept. 13

Chicago Bears (-2.5, 45.5) at Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars (-7.5, 39.5)

Buffalo Bills (-1.5, 44.5) at Houston Texans

Baltimore Ravens (-3.5, 49.5) at Indianapolis Colts

Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5, 41.5)

New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (-2.5, 38.5)

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions (-7.5, 48.5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5, 51.5)

Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders (-3, 40.5)

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5, 47.5)

Green Bay Packers (-1.5, 46.5) at Minnesota Vikings

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers (-9.5, 46.5)

Dallas Cowboys (-2.5, 47.5) at New York Giants

Monday, Sept. 14

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-2.5, 42.5)

Week 2

Thursday, Sept. 17

Lions at Bills (-3, 52.5)

Sunday, Sept. 20

Packers (-6.5, 42.5) at NY Jets

Eagles (-4.5, 42.5) at Titans

Saints at Ravens (-7.5, 46.5)

Panthers at Falcons (-1.5, 43.5)

Patriots (-4.5, 43.5) at Steelers

Vikings at Bears (-3.5, 45.5)

Bengals at Texans (-2.5, 46.5)

Browns at Buccaneers (-5.5, 42.5)

Raiders at LA Chargers (-8.5, 42.5)

Jaguars at Broncos (-2.5, 43.5)

Seahawks (-10, 44.5) at Cardinals

49ers (-10.5, 46.5) at Dolphins

Commanders at Cowboys (-4.5, 51.5)

Colts at Chiefs (-5.5, 47.5)

Monday, Sept. 21

NY Giants at Rams (-8.5, 47.5)

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 24

Falcons at Packers (-7.5, 46.5)

Sunday, Sept. 27

NY Jets at Lions (-9.5, 45.5)

Seahawks (-3.5, 46.5) at Commanders

Titans at NY Giants (-3, 45.5)

Patriots at Jaguars (-1.5, 45.5)

Bengals (-1.5, 47.5) at Steelers

Panthers (-1.5, 39.5) at Browns

LA Chargers at Bills (-2.5, 48.5)

Texans (-1.5, 45.5) at Colts

Chiefs (-7, 44.5) at Dolphins

Vikings at Buccaneers (-1.5, 44.5)

Cardinals at 49ers (-11.5, 46.5)

Ravens (-2.5, 52.5) at Cowboys

Raiders at Saints (-3, 42.5)

Rams (-2.5, 45.5) at Broncos

Monday, Sept. 28

Eagles at Bears (-1.5, 46.5)

Week 4

Thursday, Oct. 1

Steelers (-2.5, 40.5) at Browns

Sunday, Oct. 4

Colts at Commanders (-1.5, 48.5) (London)

Patriots at Bills (-3, 49.5)

Cardinals at NY Giants (-7, 45.5)

NY Jets at Bears (-8.5, 45.5)

Rams (-1.5, 47.5) at Eagles

Cowboys at Texans (-2.5, 47.5)

Titans at Ravens (-8.5, 47.5)

Jaguars at Bengals (-2.5, 51.5)

Packers (-1.5, 47.5) at Buccaneers

Dolphins at Vikings (-7.5, 43.5)

Broncos at 49ers (-2.5, 46.5)

Chiefs (-5.5, 43.5) at Raiders

LA Chargers at Seahawks (-3, 45.5)

Lions (-3, 47.5) at Panthers

Monday, Oct. 5

Falcons at Saints (-2.5, 45.5)

Week 5

Thursday, Oct. 8

Buccaneers at Cowboys (-3.5, 52.5)

Sunday, Oct. 11

Eagles (-2.5, 44.5) at Jaguars (London)

Raiders at Patriots (-8.5, 44.5)

Browns at NY Jets (-1.5, 39.5)

Bengals (-5.5, 49.5) at Dolphins

NY Giants at Commanders (-2.5, 48.5)

Texans (-3.5, 43.5) at Titans

Vikings (-1.5, 44.5) at Saints

Colts at Steelers (-2.5, 47.5)

Broncos at LA Chargers (-2.5, 44.5)

Bears at Packers (-3, 49.5)

Lions (-8.5, 49.5) at Cardinals

49ers at Seahawks (-3.5, 48.5)

Ravens (-4.5, 48.5) at Falcons

Monday, Oct. 12

Bills at Rams (-3, 53.5)

Week 6

Thursday, Oct. 15

Seahawks (-2.5, 43.5) at Broncos

Sunday, Oct. 18

Texans (-1.5, 41.5) at Jaguars (London)

Panthers at Eagles (-6.5, 43.5)

NY Jets at Patriots (-9.5, 42.5)

Saints at NY Giants (-2.5, 45.5)

Bears (-3, 47.5) at Falcons

Steelers at Buccaneers (-1.5, 45.5)

Titans at Colts (-3.5, 48.5)

Ravens (-6.5, 44.5) at Browns

Cardinals at Rams (-13.5, 47.5)

Bills (-6.5, 47.5) at Raiders

LA Chargers at Chiefs (-2.5, 46.5)

Cowboys at Packers (-3, 51.5)

Monday, Oct. 19

Commanders at 49ers (-5.5, 50.5)

Week 7

Thursday, Oct. 22

Patriots at Bears (-1.5, 47.5)

Sunday, Oct. 25

Steelers (-2.5, 42.5) at Saints (Paris)

Bengals at Ravens (-3.5, 52.5)

Dolphins at NY Jets (-2.5, 41.5)

49ers (-4.5, 47.5) at Falcons

Browns at Titans (-2.5, 40.5)

NY Giants at Texans (-5.5, 43.5)

Buccaneers (-1.5, 45.5) at Panthers

Colts at Vikings (-3, 47.5)

Broncos (-7.5, 43.5) at Cardinals

LA Rams (-7.5, 46.5) at Raiders

Packers at Lions (-1.5, 50.5)

Chiefs at Seahawks (-3, 45.5)

Monday, Oct. 26

Cowboys at Eagles (-3, 48.5)

Week 8

Thursday, Oct. 29

Panthers at Packers (-7, 45.5)

Sunday, Nov. 1

Titans at Bengals (-6.5, 49.5)

Raiders at NY Jets (-1.5, 41.5)

Cardinals at Cowboys (-10.5, 49.5)

Browns at Steelers (-5.5, 39.5)

Ravens at Bills (-2.5, 51.5)

Vikings at Lions (-4.5, 47.5)

Falcons at Buccaneers (-4.5, 46.5)

Colts at Jaguars (-4.5, 49.5)

LA Chargers at LA Rams (-3.5, 48.5)

Patriots (-7, 45.5) at Dolphins

Chiefs at Broncos (-1.5, 43.5)

Eagles (-2.5, 46.5) at Commanders

Monday, Nov. 2

Bears at Seahawks (-4.5, 47.5)

Week 9

Thursday, Nov. 5

Jaguars at Ravens (-4.5, 49.5)

Sunday, Nov. 8

Bengals (-4.5, 48.5) at Falcons (Madrid)

NY Jets at Chiefs (-9.5, 41.5)

Lions (-6.5, 47.5) at Dolphins

Broncos (-3, 42.5) at Panthers

NY Giants at Eagles (-5.5, 44.5)

LA Rams (-4.5, 50.5) at Commanders

Cowboys (-1.5, 52.5) at Colts

Browns at Saints (-3.5, 41.5)

Texans at LA Chargers (-1.5, 43.5)

Raiders at 49ers (-8.5, 46.5)

Packers at Patriots (-1.5, 46.5)

Cardinals at Seahawks (-13.5, 45.5)

Buccaneers at Bears (-3.5, 48.5)

Monday, Nov. 9

Bills (-3, 48.5) at Vikings

Michael Owens via Getty Images

Week 10

Thursday, Nov. 12

Commanders at NY Giants (-1.5, 47.5)

Sunday, Nov. 15

Patriots at Lions (-1.5, 48.5) (Munich)

Dolphins at Colts (-6.5, 47.5)

Texans (-4.5, 38.5) at Browns

Jaguars (-2.5, 45.5) at Titans

Vikings at Packers (-4.5, 45.5)

Bills (-7, 46.5) at NY Jets

Chiefs (-4.5, 45.5) at Falcons

Panthers at Saints (-1.5, 43.5)

LA Rams (-10.5, 47.5) at Cardinals

Seahawks (-7, 43.5) at Raiders

49ers at Cowboys (-1.5, 52.5)

Steelers at Bengals (-3.5, 47.5)

Monday, Nov. 16

LA Chargers at Ravens (-2.5, 48.5)

Week 11

Thursday, Nov. 19

Colts at Texans (-5.5, 45.5)

Sunday, Nov. 22

Buccaneers at Lions (-4.5, 49.5)

Cardinals at Chiefs (-11.5, 44.5)

Titans at Cowboys (-6.5, 48.5)

Jaguars (-1.5, 46.5) at NY Giants

Dolphins at Bills (-11.5, 47.5)

Saints at Bears (-6.5, 46.5)

Ravens (-4.5, 46.5) at Panthers

NY Jets at LA Chargers (-9.5, 41.5)

Steelers at Eagles (-5.5, 42.5)

Raiders at Broncos (-8.5, 41.5)

Vikings at 49ers (-3.5, 46.5)

Monday, Nov. 23

Bengals (-1.5, 52.5) at Commanders

Week 12

Wednesday, Nov. 25

Packers at LA Rams (-3.5, 49.5)

Thursday, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving)

Bears at Lions (-2.5, 51.5)

Eagles at Cowboys (-1.5, 49.5)

Chiefs at Bills (-2.5, 49.5)

Friday, Nov. 27

Broncos (-1.5, 41.5) at Steelers

Sunday, Nov. 29

Saints at Bengals (-6.5, 48.5)

Titans at Jaguars (-5.5, 45.5)

Ravens at Texans (-1.5, 45.5)

NY Jets at Dolphins (-1.5, 40.5)

Raiders at Browns (-2.5, 39.5)

Falcons at Vikings (-4.5, 43.5)

NY Giants at Colts (-2.5, 47.5)

Commanders (-4.5, 47.5) at Cardinals

Seahawks at 49ers (-1.5, 46.5)

Patriots at LA Chargers (-2.5, 45.5)

Monday, Nov. 30

Panthers at Buccaneers (-3.5, 44.5)

Week 13

Thursday, Dec. 3

Chiefs at LA Rams (-3.5, 47.5)

Sunday, Dec. 6

Jaguars at Bears (-2.5, 47.5)

Commanders (-1.5, 46.5) at Titans

49ers (-3, 47.5) at NY Giants

Packers (-4.5, 45.5) at Saints

Bengals (-4.5, 45.5) at Browns

Dolphins at Broncos (-9.5, 42.5)

Lions (-3.5, 48.5) at Falcons

LA Chargers (-1.5, 46.5) at Buccaneers

Eagles (-8.5, 43.5) at Cardinals

Bills at Patriots (-1.5, 48.5)

Panthers at Vikings (-3.5, 42.5)

Texans (-1.5, 41.5) at Steelers

Monday, Dec. 7

Cowboys at Seahawks (-4.5, 48.5)

Week 14

Thursday, Dec. 10

Vikings at Patriots (-4.5, 43.5)

Sunday, Dec. 13

Colts at Eagles (-5.5, 46.5)

Texans (-2.5, 44.5) at Commanders

Saints at Panthers (-2.5, 43.5)

Falcons at Browns (-1.5, 40.5)

Titans at Lions (-7.5, 47.5)

Buccaneers at Ravens (-6, 48.5)

Broncos (-5.5, 39.5) at NY Jets

Bears (-5.5, 46.5) at Dolphins

LA Chargers (-5.5, 43.5) at Raiders

NY Giants at Seahawks (-7.5, 45.5)

Chiefs at Bengals (-1.5, 48.5)

LA Rams (-1.5, 49.5) at 49ers

Bills at Packers (-1.5, 49.5)

Monday, Dec. 14

Steelers at Jaguars (-3, 44.5)

Week 15

Thursday, Dec. 17

49ers at LA Chargers (-2.5, 47.5)

Saturday, Dec. 19

Seahawks at Eagles (-1.5, 43.5)

Bears at Bills (-3.5, 51.5)

Sunday, Dec. 20

Browns at NY Giants (-4.5, 40.5)

Jaguars at Texans (-3, 43.5)

Falcons at Commanders (-3.5, 46.5)

Ravens (-2.5, 45.5) at Steelers

Colts (-1.5, 47.5) at Titans

Dolphins at Packers (-10.5, 45.5)

Saints at Buccaneers (-3.5, 45.5)

Bengals (-2.5, 47.5) at Panthers

NY Jets (-1.5, 41.5) at Cardinals

Cowboys at LA Rams (-5.5, 52.5)

Broncos (-4.5, 41.5) at Raiders

Lions (-1.5, 46.5) at Vikings

Monday, Dec. 21

Patriots at Chiefs (-2.5, 45.5)

Week 16

Thursday, Dec. 24

Texans at Eagles (-2.5, 41.5)

Friday, Dec. 25 (Christmas)

Packers at Bears (-1.5, 47.5)

Bills (-1.5, 46.5) at Broncos

LA Rams at Seahawks (-1.5, 47.5)

Sunday, Dec. 27

LA Chargers (-7, 44.5) at Dolphins

Cardinals at Saints (-5.5, 44.5)

Patriots (-6.5, 41.5) at NY Jets

Browns at Ravens (-9.5, 43.5)

Buccaneers (-1.5, 45.5) at Falcons

Commanders at Vikings (-2.5, 46.5)

Panthers at Steelers (-3.5, 41.5)

Titans at Raiders (-1.5, 42.5)

Bengals (-1.5, 52.5) at Colts

49ers at Chiefs (-2.5, 46.5)

Jaguars at Cowboys (-2.5, 51.5)

Monday, Dec. 28

NY Giants at Lions (-5.5, 48.5)

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Week 17

Thursday, Dec. 31

Ravens at Bengals (-1.5, 51.5)

Sunday, Jan. 3

Seahawks (-5.5, 42.5) at Panthers

Colts (-1.5, 43.5) at Browns

Steelers (-1.5, 42.5) at Titans

Commanders at Jaguars (-3.5, 48.5)

Bills (-7.5, 47.5) at Dolphins

Broncos at Patriots (-2.5, 42.5)

Saints at Falcons (-1.5, 44.5)

LA Rams (-3.5, 48.5) at Buccaneers

Vikings (-3.5, 40.5) at NY Jets

NY Giants at Cowboys (-4.5, 49.5)

Raiders (-1.5, 42.5) at Cardinals

Lions at Bears (-1.5, 49.5)

Chiefs at LA Chargers (-1.5, 45.5)

Eagles at 49ers (-1.5, 45.5)

Monday, Jan. 4

Texans at Packers (-2.5, 42.5)

Week 18

Sunday, Jan. 10

NY Jets at Bills (-10, 43.5)

Raiders at Chiefs (-8.5, 40.5)

Buccaneers (-1.5, 43.5) at Saints

Browns at Bengals (-7.5, 43.5)

Falcons at Panthers (-2.5, 41.5)

Cowboys (-1.5, 49.5) at Commanders

Lions at Packers (-2.5, 47.5)

LA Chargers at Broncos (-1.5, 41.5)

Dolphins at Patriots (-10.5, 42.5)

Titans at Texans (-7, 39.5)

Eagles (-3, 41.5) at NY Giants

Steelers at Ravens (-5.5, 43.5)

Jaguars at Colts (-1.5, 46.5)

Bears at Vikings (-1.5, 43.5)

49ers (-8.5, 44.5) at Cardinals

Seahawks at LA Rams (-2.5, 45.5)

The full schedule for all 32 teams in the National Football League came out last week — including all preseason games for each club. Eagle-eyed Dolphins fans quickly spotted a preseason tilt against the Atlanta Falcons taking place on Friday, August 28th at Hard Rock Stadium, which meant former starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be returning to South Florida to square off against the team that drafted him with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

On Tuesday, Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley met with the local media following the team’s OTA practice and was questioned about Miami’s plans for joint practices with preseason opponents.

According to Miami’s new coach, the Dolphins will not be conducting joint practices with the Falcons prior to their preseason matchup — which means Miami’s fans and media will not be seeing Tagovailoa going to work against the Dolphins prior to their scheduled exhibition battle. It’s also possible that the lefty signal-caller could sit out that preseason game due to it being the final one for Atlanta prior to the regular season. If that happens, curious eyeballs would have to wait even longer until they could witness Tagovailoa suiting up for an opposing team against Miami.

We’ll have to wait and see what comes to pass on game day, but one thing we know for certain is that Tagovailoa and the Falcons will not be squaring off with Hafley’s Dolphins any sooner than their preseason matchup.

During the same availability, Hafley did confirm the Dolphins would practice against the Washington Commanders and New York Giants ahead of their preseason clashes against each other, so the Dolphins will not be missing out on the “iron sharpening iron” portion of the NFL preseason.