Netflix's new NFL-focused show, Receiver, is set to premiere on Wednesday, July 10. The streaming service dropped the highly anticipated trailer on Thursday morning.
The trailer included clips of this season's featured players: Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown and Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams.
The show followed these offensive players throughout the 2023 season, including all the ups and downs on the field, along with some footage of their family lives at home.
Receiver is from the producers of last year's Netflix NFL show, Quarterback. The streaming service seemed to want to create a second season of Quarterback, but they ran into obstacles of current NFL quarterbacks turning down the offers. Some examples of quarterbacks who turned down the show include Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson, former Chicago Bears' Justin Fields and Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts.
There hasn't been much talk regarding a second season of Receiver will happen or not. It likely depends how popular this year's show is, and if the producers can find more receivers to agree to do the show.
We're just months away from the start of the NFL season and before we know it, we'll be betting on games and spending our Sundays watching Red Zone.
Despite the season still being a few months away, sportsbooks have already released all of the futures odds you can think of for the 2024 campaign. One of the betting markets that is already available is the odds to win the NFC.
The San Francisco 49ers were the best team in the conference from the opening week all the way until the Super Bowl, but the upstart Detroit Lions almost managed to pull off the upset in the NFC Championship. Will those two teams meet in the NFC Championship next season?
Let's find out what the oddsmakers think and take a look at the odds to win the NFC for all 16 teams.
The San Francisco 49ers are understandably once again the betting favorites to win the NFC. There's no reason to doubt them after what they've done the past two seasons and have only made moves that have improved their roster for 2024. There's a strong they'll be the No. 1 seed in the conference again in 2024.
Despite the two powerhouse teams in the NFC East, the Detroit Lions are second on the odds list to win the NFC and advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Can they finally do it? Did they improve their defense enough to hang with the 49ers?
The Eagles won the NFC two seasons ago but imploded in the second half of the season last year. Eagles fans are anxiously awaiting the start of the season to see which version of Philadelphia will show up in 2024. Oddsmakers seem to still have faith in them.
Not only is the NFC East a toss-up between these two teams, but the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have the same odds to win the NFC at +700. Of course, the Cowboys have to learn how to win in the playoffs if they want to pull it off.
The youngest team in the NFL got hot in the second half of the 2024 season and went on to upset the Cowboys in the wild card round of the playoffs. Can they take a step forward in this year's campaign?
The Falcons were seemingly a quarterback away from being a playoff team last year. Now that they have Kirk Cousins, they're amongst the top options to win the NFC, albeit still a step below the top dogs in the conference.
No rookie quarterback has ever started in a Super Bowl. The closest was Brock Purdy with the 49ers two years ago, but he was injured in the NFC Championship and the Eagles went on to win. Can Caleb Williams achieve the feat in his first year as the Bears quarterback?
The Los Angeles Rams will once again be a dark horse in the NFC but with the passing attack they have, they can beat anyone on any given Sunday.
Don't expect much from the Seattle Seahawks in their first year in the post-Pete Carroll era.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South last year. Can they run it back with Baker Mayfield as their quarterback once again? Do they have enough talent to compete with the top teams in the conference? Oddsmakers aren't so sure about that.
The Minnesota Vikings won't be NFC contenders in 2024.
While they look decent on paper, the Saints aren't in a position to make a run in the conference in 2024.
If Kyler Murray can play at an MVP level and their defense can step up in a big way, the Arizona Cardinals could be an interesting team to watch this season.
The Jayden Daniels era begins in the nation's capital.
It's a tough year to be a Giants fan. That's all there really is to say.
If Bryce Young can look like a competent quarterback in 2024, that's about as good of a win as the Panthers will get this season.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
The NFL news cycle slows to a crawl in June and July, making those months the perfect time for big team announcements that have little to do with how the roster will perform this upcoming season. On Thursday, the Minnesota Vikings did just that by unveiling their brand new all-white alternate uniforms— and fans loved them.
The organization dropped a release video featuring the team's stars like Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith showcasing the new kits. Appropriately, it was accompanied with the caption, "The coldest uniforms in the game."
Big name NFL media personalities further revealed still images of the alternates on X (formerly Twitter).
The #Vikings are unveiling sweet alternate unis, including an all-white helmet, to be worn for a winter whiteout game on Monday, Dec. 16. pic.twitter.com/6HCIheH5vz
Behold: The Vikings' "Winter Warrior" alternative uniforms. White satin helmet, gray stripe on pants, gold removed. They'll be worn for Monday Night Football, Dec. 16 vs. Bears. pic.twitter.com/rxNsUuvqui
These sorts of uniform announcements can sometimes go sideways if football fans decide they do not like them. But the Vikes' new threads have largely been praised in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.
Sometimes the answer to "why?" is "because it's going to look phenomenal on the field." And let there be no doubt: the Vikings Winter Warrior uniform is going to look phenomenal on the field.
— Tim - World's Strongest Kyler Super Collector (@bigwerms) June 6, 2024
As noted above, Minnesota will debut these uniforms on Monday Night Football against the division rival Chicago Bears and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams on December 16. Fortunately the game is at U.S. Bank Stadium, so there won't be any potential snow issues. Imagine wearing these hours after a snowstorm swept through Chicago and Soldier Field. Visibility would be an issue.
But the Vikings and their dome don't need to worry about such things. It'll be exciting to see them in action.
The NFL offseason continues on but with teams gearing up for next season we have odds for who will make the postseason.
One of the most hotly contested divisions in the 2024 season is the NFC East, which features the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles made a splash in free agency by adding running back Saquon Barkley as well as hiring former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Can the Eagles hold off the Cowboys in hopes of getting back on top of the division and make the postseason?
There will be plenty of heated races in the postseason in addition to the NFC East one mentioned above, including a crowded group in the AFC East and AFC North.
Below you will find the odds for each team to make the postseason in 2024.
There are a ton of quality teams heading into the season with the postseason in its sights.
Look at the AFC East, who have three teams projected to make the postseason in terms of implied probability greater than 50%. The Dolphins have an implied probability of 57.38%, the Bills are 62.69% and the Jets are slightly ahead, listed at 62.96%.
Elsewhere, the AFC North has three teams with heavy odds to contend for the postseason, with its longest shot, the Steelers at only +190 (34.48%). The Ravens (72.60%), Bengals (70.15%) and Browns (42.37%) all have more than a puncher's chance to make the postseason.
The NFC East race is for the division, but both are expected to make the postseason in a much weaker conference, will the two be able to hold up? The Eagles and Cowboys each have mandates to win and better hope to at least make the postseason in order to keep the status quo.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
The NFL offseason continues on, but that doesn't have to stop us from keeping an eye on the NFL futures market!
The top of the Super Bowl oddsboard is dictated by the two teams that made it to the big game last season with the San Francisco 49ers slightly favored over the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl 59.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are once again viewed as a true contender to win the Super Bowl for a third straight year with the team set to return a majority of its core, but it's the 49ers who have the edge at the top of the oddsboard.
It's worth noting that the Niners are in the far easier conference relative to the AFC, and that's indicated in the odds. After the two aforementioned teams, the AFC has seven of the 12 other teams that have shorter than 25-1 odds.
Moreso, three of the next four teams are in the AFC with the Ravens, Bengals and Bills all viewed as legitimate threats to win the Super Bowl this season.
With training camp still a few months away, it's worth keeping an eye on more movement in the Super Bowl odds ahead of the 2024 season.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
We’re into the month of the schedule being released and spring practices (aka OTAs) starting, so let’s get into it …
• The New England Patriots’ expectation, I believe, is coming closer to reality, with the team honing in on finalizing its football operations structure for 2024.
With the blessing of the league office, New England punted on hiring a “primary football executive” in January. That role had been filled by coach Bill Belichick, was vacated upon his firing and wasn’t conferred over to Belichick’s replacement on the coaching side, Jerod Mayo. The idea from ownership here, as we explained in January, was to do a thorough vetting of the football operation as it stood, before making big-picture decisions post-draft.
Why? Well, because the Krafts felt like, to a large degree, Belichick’s shadow had been cast for years over capable people in the scouting department. From the selection of N’Keal Harry over Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown in the first round in 2019, to a mass exodus of personnel folks right around that time, it was apparent to ownership that Belichick’s decisions didn’t always jibe with the evaluations of his scouts.
So Robert and Jonathan Kraft resolved to give the guys in-house, whom they liked, a chance to show what they had without that shadow enveloping them. They moved Eliot Wolf—son of Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, and with experience as the No. 2 with two different franchises—into the top role, leapfrogging him over director of player personnel Matt Groh with the belief that Wolf was best prepared and suited for a GM-type of job.
As such, Wolf got a three-month audition to show what he had, with Groh and Pat Stewart, who came up in the Patriots’ system, and was a top exec in Carolina under Matt Rhule and Scott Fitterer, as his top lieutenants. And the Krafts did leave a breadcrumb out there for anyone who wanted it, authorizing the hire of Alonzo Highsmith, who came up with Wolf in Green Bay, and went with him to work for John Dorsey in Cleveland.
And now, all signs are pointing toward Wolf landing the job in New England, to the degree where the Patriots have been turned down by prospective candidates with other teams that they’ve sought to interview (such as Buffalo’s Terrance Gray and Cincinnati’s Trey Brown), with those candidates leery that this is a done deal.
The truth being that it probably is.
• The one other detail on that to watch is how they handle the new primary football executive’s title. This will be Kraft’s 33rd season owning the Patriots, and he’s never had a general manager in title. Bobby Grier, Scott Pioli, Nick Caserio, Dave Ziegler and Matt Groh all entered the top scouting role under the title of director of player personnel. Grier and Pioli eventually ascended to vice president of the player personnel.
The last Patriots GM was Patrick Sullivan, the son of then owner Billy Sullivan. He held the title from 1983 to ’91.
Now, there would be a very real and functional reason to give someone like Wolf the title. Doing it would allow for the team to hire an assistant GM, and that title allows you to poach from another team without the other team having to let such a person out of their contract. So theoretically, the Patriots could use the GM interviews to search for an assistant GM, then use that assistant GM title to pull the candidate away from another organization.
If the Patriots were to do something like that, it’d be smart to look toward the Packers’ organization, and maybe someone like director of pro scouting Richmond Williams, to find guys who’d fit under Wolf.
• Great news from Cincinnati, where the Bengals released video of Joe Burrow, back from surgery on his throwing wrist, spinning the ball as he normally would (albeit with a sleeve over his right arm) inside the team’s practice bubble. He also told the team website that the timetable has allowed for him to have a relatively normal offseason, since he wouldn’t be throwing in earnest until OTAs, which is when he usually ramps things up anyway.
My understanding is that, through two days of throwing on-site, his velocity and deep range have been normal, and he’s in great shape, while there is a little rust and the team is monitoring his workload. I’d expect the Bengals to be careful with their franchise quarterback (with rest days, etc.), especially since he somehow still hasn’t had a full and normal offseason as a pro. Burrow lost time to ACL rehab in 2021, appendicitis in ’22 and a calf injury last summer.
Beck will be returning to Georgia for a fourth season.
Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
• Every year, there’s a lot of noise in May over who the top quarterbacks will be in the following year’s draft. This year is no different. And sometimes, it can be tough to decipher what’s real, and what’s not (remember Spencer Rattler’s “stock” in the summer of 2021).
So I’d just say looking at the names, the guy I’ve heard the most real, genuine, this-guy-could-make it buzz in a class that looks just so-so right now is Georgia's Carson Beck. Scouts visiting Athens in November were alerted to the reality that he was almost certainly returning to school for a fourth season. But at that point, there was a thought that he could be taken in the top half of the first round in 2024. Making the idea of that real for ’25.
Obviously, we’ll be talking plenty about guys such as Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Texas’s Quinn Ewers too.
• The addition of Tyler Boyd to the Titans’ roster is a sharp one for Brian Callahan, who was together with the veteran receiver in Cincinnati. Every new head coach is well-served to have people who know the program, and the coach’s expectations, coming in. And until now, Callahan had only Chidobe Awuzie coming over from the Bengals with him.
That Boyd’s a pro’s pro only adds to the logic of the signing.
• It’s worth mentioning here, given the battle royale that’s ensued between college all-star games over the past few years, that the Senior Bowl remains at the top of the heap. Among the players who at least participated in practices at the various all-star games, the Senior Bowl had 25 of the 26 guys taken in the first two rounds (including all 10 first-rounders), and a 45-5-1 edge over the East/West Shrine Bowl and Hula Bowl, respectively, over the first four rounds.
Also, the one Hula Bowler taken in the first four rounds, Boston College CB and Arizona Cardinals third-rounder Elijah Jones, was a late injury add to the Senior Bowl, meaning he’d been high on their list. So … good job by Jim Nagy and the folks in Mobile on all of that.
• The Panthers added Rashaad Penny to a crowded running back group that already has Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard, which, rightfully, raised some question on the readiness of second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, who tore his ACL in November as a Texas junior.
My understanding is that Brooks will be held out of spring drills, with the expectation that he’s cleared on July 1, and starts training camp on a pitch count. That should give him a chance to play from the start of his rookie year, though he’ll have fewer early opportunities to make an impression on new coach Dave Canales and his staff. (It is worth noting that Penny was with Canales in Seattle for the first five years of his career.)
• Keep an eye on Chiefs fourth-rounder Jared Wiley. Some saw him as a top guy in the tight end group behind Brock Bowers in his class, and he turned some heads at the team’s rookie minicamp (his raw size and hands stood out). Plus, he’ll get to learn from a pretty good one.
• Not for nothing, I think the Vikings are pretty comfortable with Sam Darnold playing quarterback, which gives them flexibility with J.J. McCarthy. I’d also expect that Kevin O’Connell will have a detailed set of markers for McCarthy to hit as he tries to compete to become the starter. So if he does, that’s great news for the team. And if he hits the normal rookie speedbumps, that’s O.K. too, with Darnold in tow.
• Justin Simmons is one current free agent I’d be calling if I were a team.
With the 2024 NFL draft in the books, teams can now form their initial depth charts before mandatory minicamps in June and training camps in late July.
Some teams, such as the Chicago Bears, suddenly have fewer holes on the rosters after stellar draft classes. It helped that the Bears had an extra first-round pick, which they used on Caleb Williams, courtesy of last year’s trade with the Carolina Panthers.
That trade seems to get worse by the month for the Panthers, but they too have fewer needs on their roster with the selection of wide receiver Xavier Legette (though they still have a long way to go before fielding a playoff-worthy roster).
No matter how pleased each club is feeling about their post-draft and post-free agency roster, there are still improvements to be made. Here are the biggest remaining holes for all 32 teams.
Arizona Cardinals: IDL, LB, CB
Wide receiver is no longer a critical need after the selection of Marvin Harrison Jr. The Cardinals, however, have a long way to go to fill out the defense. The unit did benefit from the team’s second first-round pick, edge rusher Darius Robinson. Coach Jonathan Gannon’s defense will rely on veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting to help in the secondary.
Atlanta Falcons: Edge, CB, LB
The Falcons go into another season without much help for defensive lineman Grady Jarrett. Instead of using the No. 8 pick on an edge rusher, the Falcons chose to draft Michael Penix Jr., who likely won’t play in 2024 because of the arrival of Kirk Cousins. Perhaps this blurb will be wrong in November if second-round pick Ruke Orhorhoro and third-round selection Bralen Trice make immediate impacts.
Jackson formed a strong connection with Flowers, who had a team-leading 858 receiving yards in 2023.
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Baltimore Ravens: WR, OT, Edge
The Ravens addressed their needs at cornerback and offensive guard with the draft selections of Nate Wiggins and Roger Rosengarten in the first and second rounds, respectively. Those were likely the right moves, but again, Lamar Jackson will have a thin receiving corps unless Rashod Bateman finally puts it together to help Zay Flowers. Baltimore is also thin at edge rusher, with Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy as the top options.
Buffalo Bills: Edge, WR, CB
Buffalo hit on some needs in the draft, selecting WR Keon Coleman and S Cole Bishop to shore up immediate weak spots. However, it was surprising to see the Bills not take another receiver. Additionally, Buffalo is thin at pass rusher with only Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa as reliable pieces. The Bills are also dancing with danger at corner, as the first reserve is Kaiir Elam.
Carolina Panthers: TE, OT, Edge
The Panthers deserve credit for improving the receiving corps with the trade for Diontae Johnson and first-round selection of Xavier Legette. And they might finally have a reliable running back after drafting Jonathon Brooks. But they also might be hurting at tight end with Tommy Tremble and fourth-round pick Ja’Tavion Sanders. As for another glaring need, Carolina has issues at offensive tackle and are banking on a bounce-back season from Ikem Ekwonu, the 2022 No. 6 pick.
Chicago Bears: Edge, IDL, OL
The Bears could be a fun offense to watch after the draft selections of Williams and Rome Odunze. But they’re going to need the offensive line to play better than last year after veteran guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright—a 2023 first-round pick—both struggled. Chicago has plenty of talent throughout the defense, but the team could use more depth on the defensive front.
Cincinnati Bengals: CB, Edge, G
Cincinnati used three of its first four draft picks to build in the trenches, but never added a guard. With Alex Cappa entering the final year of his deal and Cordell Volson being inconsistent, that could have been an option on the second or third day. Meanwhile, with Trey Hendrickson demanding a trade, the Bengals are already thin on the edge and could be in a huge bind if Hendrickson plays hardball.
Cleveland Browns: QB, ILB, OLB
The Browns really need a quarterback, but they’re stuck with Deshaun Watson and his contract for two more years. Defensively, the second level is a big concern beyond Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush are in line for serious playing time, and at this juncture, neither are prolific. Losing Sione Takitaki this offseason in free agency may loom large.
Dallas Cowboys: RB, C, IDL
Ezekiel Elliott is once again the Cowboys’ No. 1 running back. Just one problem: It’s 2024. Elliott is no longer in his prime and the Cowboys don’t have much stability behind him on the depth chart. Dallas also has concerns at center, but the team drafted Cooper Beebe in the third round. He’ll likely compete with Brock Hoffman for the starting job. Regardless of who’s snapping the ball to Dak Prescott, they’ll be surrounded by plenty of talent with Zack Martin, Tyler Smith and 2024 first-round pick Tyler Guyton.
Denver Broncos: C, ILB, CB
The Broncos’ list could have been 10 positions deep, but let’s be kind. Denver lost Lloyd Cushenberry in free agency and never replaced him. Denver also saw Josey Jewell head for the Panthers and did little to shore up that spot, with Alex Singleton and Cody Barton in line to start. At corner, it’s Patrick Surtain II and a lot of question marks—specifically if Levi Wallace will hold onto his job for 17 weeks.
Hutchinson (No. 97) has posted 21 sacks over his first two seasons.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Lions: WR, Edge, LB
It was tough finding three roster holes for the stacked Lions. They might be forced to draft a wide receiver next season if Jameson Williams doesn’t make the leap in 2024 to help recently-paid Amon-Ra St. Brown. Also, star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson needs a long-term running mate. For now, they’re banking on free-agent newcomer Marcus Davenport. After spending the past year writing about the Lions’ needs at cornerback, they drafted Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to form an intriguing cornerback group.
Green Bay Packers: OL, CB, IDL
The Packers’ offensive line appears incomplete because they haven’t decided what to do with first-round pick Jordan Morgan, who can play tackle and guard. If Morgan plays guard, this unit might be close to complete. But Green Bay is going to need another stellar season for Rasheed Walker, who filled in admirably last season at left tackle. Cornerback Jaire Alexander might again need help, but at least the team made defensive upgrades with free agent addition Xavier McKinney and rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
Houston Texans: DT, CB, OLB
Not surprisingly, the Texans’ needs are exclusive to the defense. Houston brought in Denico Autry to shore up the interior of its line, but the rest of the defensive tackles are underwhelming, and Autry is 34 years old. On the second level, Houston is thin, relying heavily on Christian Harris and Azeez Al-Shaair. At corner, it’s Derek Stingley Jr. and a ton of hope, with rookie Kamari Lassiter expected to play a big role.
Indianapolis Colts: CB, S, TE
This wasn’t a great year to need a tight end, but the Colts not making any effort to upgrade at the position was a bit surprising. Defensively, Indianapolis has a solid front seven that should be good against the run and the pass. However, the secondary is banking big on corners JuJu Brents and Kenny Moore II, while hoping Dallas Flowers and Nick Cross are ready for increased roles.
Jacksonville Jaguars: CB, S, Edge
The Jaguars treated the cornerback position this offseason as though they have Sauce Gardner. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, and corner is a major concern. Safety isn’t much better, with Andre Cisco and questions galore. At edge, the starters are terrific in Josh Allen and Travon Walker, but Jacksonville could have used a rotational pass rusher. Perhaps it still finds one.
Kansas City Chiefs: RB, DT, CB
After trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans, the Chiefs created a need at corner, but didn’t address it until the sixth round. They’re banking on Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, who are both in their third year but have so far been unspectacular. At defensive tackle, Chris Jones is incredible, but depth is a minor question. Finally, who backs up Isiah Pacheco? Maybe Jerick McKinnon comes back later.
Las Vegas Raiders: QB, RB, CB
Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell will compete for the starting job under center, while running back Josh Jacobs left in free agency and was never replaced. Suffice to say, Las Vegas has some problems in the backfield. Defensively, the front seven is rounding into form under coach Antonio Pierce, but the secondary remains a concern with corner being the biggest problem.
Johnston was a first-round pick in 2023 but struggled during his rookie season, tallying just 38 catches for 431 yards.
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Chargers: WR, ILB, CB
Los Angeles is in the middle of overhauling its roster, and should be competitive in Jim Harbaugh’s first year. That said, the Chargers have significant questions at receiver, with rookie Ladd McConkey and 2023 draftee Quentin Johnston headlining the group. On defense, Los Angeles has weak points on all three levels. The biggest questions are whether rookie linebacker Junior Colson can play immediately and if Ja’Sir Taylor can hold up in the slot.
Los Angeles Rams: OT, LB, CB
The Rams had a near perfect draft on the defensive side after using first- and second-round picks on edge rusher Jared Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske. If they add a veteran linebacker in the coming months, the Rams could have a sneaky good defense during their first year without Aaron Donald. Los Angeles, however, is taking a chance with Alaric Jackson as the starting left tackle again.
Miami Dolphins: C, DT, S
The Dolphins have real questions on both sides of the ball. At center, Connor Williams remains a free agent after tearing his ACL late last season, and while Aaron Brewer was signed, he’s not on the same level as Williams. Defensively, Christian Wilkins’s departure leaves a huge hole in the middle of the front. On the back end, Miami needs help at safety and corner, with Jordan Poyer being heavily relied upon.
Minnesota Vikings: OL, IDL, CB
The Vikings don’t have much stability on the offensive line after stud left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Perhaps good coaching and elite skill players could mask the lack of talent on the offensive line. But that might not be enough to help the erratic Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings have a fearsome duo at edge rusher with Jonathan Greenard and rookie Dallas Turner. As for the interior, they might not have one standout defensive tackle.
New England Patriots: G, S, K
Yes, kicker. Did anybody else watch Chad Ryland kick the ball last year? He was terrible. Ryland hit on just 16-of-25 field goals, including missing half of his 10 attempts between 40–49 yards. Additionally, safety Kyle Dugger is excellent, but Jabrill Peppers is only decent and the depth behind them is questionable. On offense, the offensive line is a concern, with guard particularly thin.
New Orleans Saints: OL, IDL, Edge
The Saints might be overthinking it by not placing first-round pick Taliese Fuaga at offensive tackle. If they move him to guard, that means they’re giving 2022 first rounder Trevor Penning another shot at proving himself at left tackle. They’re also banking on Ryan Ramczyk staying healthy. If Chase Young has a bounce-back season, the Saints could be in good shape on the defensive front. But they need to get younger on the defensive line.
New York Giants: RB, TE, S
The Giants are going to need Devin Singletary to have a career year in his sixth NFL season because they didn’t do much to replace Saquon Barkley. They could soon have a giant hole at tight end if Darren Waller decides to officially retire. New York gained a dynamic weapon after drafting WR Malik Nabers, but this offense still needs plenty of work.
New York Jets: DT, TE, WR
This might seem like an odd list, but hang in there. The Jets are banking heavily on Mike Williams staying healthy … at 30 years old … on the MetLife Stadium turf. If he doesn’t hold up, it’s rookie Malachi Corley and Garrett Wilson. Not bad, but unsettled. Tight end is much worse, with Tyler Conklin and not much else. At defensive tackle, Quinnen Williams is fantastic, but there’s not much around him.
Philadelphia Eagles: LB, S, IDL
GM Howie Roseman got plenty of love for another impressive draft class. But he neglected the linebacker position, perhaps the weakest group for the Eagles last season. Roseman must really like the free-agency addition of linebacker Devin White. Philadelphia is going to need 2022 draft picks Jordan Davis, a defensive tackle, and Nakobe Dean, a linebacker, to step up and assist the defensive front.
Pickens will need to develop chemistry with a new quarterback in 2024.
Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers: CB, WR, QB
The Steelers have George Pickens on the outside, but beyond him? Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson and rookie Roman Wilson will all compete for serious snaps. Opposite receiver, the corner room is unsettled with Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson starting outside, but question marks Darius Rush, Cory Trice Jr. and rookie Ryan Watts are all projected to serve as rotational pieces. And, yes, Pittsburgh has two quarterbacks and none at the same time.
San Francisco 49ers: Edge, IDL, IOL
The 49ers are banking on veterans to replace edge rusher Chase Young and defensive tackle Arik Armstead. Time will tell if the rotation of Leonard Floyd, Drake Jackson and Yetur Gross-Matos is enough to assist Nick Bosa. The 49ers tend to make it work on the offensive line, but they’re lacking talent on the inside.
Seattle Seahawks: IOL, LB, TE
The Seahawks will need Nick Harris to step up at center to protect Geno Smith. They’re also taking a chance with Noah Fant as the full-time starter at tight end—they lost Colby Parkinson and Will Dissly in free agency. Seattle didn’t do much to fill the voids left by the departures of inside linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OG, CB, Edge
Ben Bredeson has plenty of experience as a former starting guard for the Giants, but they had one of the worst interior offensive lines the past few seasons. Perhaps Bredeson will have better luck in Tampa Bay playing alongside a revamped offensive line, which added center Graham Barton in the draft. The Buccaneers lack experience at cornerback outside of Jamel Dean.
Tennessee Titans: ILB, S, RT
The Titans did a nice job with the roster this offseason, upgrading both sides of the ball. However, Dillon Radunz is a question mark at right tackle alongside Nicholas Petit-Frere. On defense, the inside linebacker combo of Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Gibbens doesn’t inspire confidence. Teams will try to exploit them repeatedly, especially in play-action situations.
Washington Commanders: OL, Edge, CB
The Commanders might have waited too long to address their need at left tackle. They had three second-round picks and didn’t use one on an offensive lineman. They now need Brandon Coleman, a third rounder, to be an immediate contributor at left tackle. Washington’s defense could have a much-improved season with the many new arrivals, but the unit could suffer from a lack of depth at edge rusher and in the secondary.
This is my least favorite story to write because who truly knows one week after the draft which top picks won’t do well in the NFL? The draft is mostly a crapshoot and not every pick pans out.
Those are things I tell myself to feel better about writing this story again. But before we continue, I gotta hold the “L” on listing Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs as a potential bust from last year’s draft. That guy is a stud and I know nothing. O.K., now I feel better about writing this story.
It wasn’t easy finding five players for this story because we tend to associate busts with players selected inside the top 15. In the NFC, Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze could have immediate success with how well the Bears have built their roster the past two seasons. Can’t add Marvin Harrison Jr. because he has the makings of being a special wide receiver. And it’s always difficult knocking offensive linemen because they tend to hit at a high rate, and about 10 were taken in the first round.
But there’s always pressure on every first-round pick, and as we know, not every top 32 pick becomes a star in the NFL. Here are the five most likely draft busts from the NFC.
5. Jordan Morgan, OL, Green Bay Packers
The Packers got it right by adding a top offensive lineman with the No. 25 pick to help Jordan Love, who enjoyed a breakout 2023 season. But I can’t help but wonder whether the Packers selected the right offensive lineman.
They needed a left tackle after cutting David Bakhtiari, but they selected Morgan, whom many draft experts viewed as a better guard than tackle. If they wanted a true tackle, the Packers could have selected Tyler Guyton, who went four picks later to the Dallas Cowboys. Perhaps the Packers favored Morgan’s versatility and they know he can play left tackle if needed—he was Arizona’s starting left tackle the past few seasons. Green Bay does need help in the interior of the offensive line.
With the arrival of Morgan, the team has options if Rasheed Walker isn’t the long-term answer at left tackle. It’s difficult to knock the pick, but maybe the Packers passed on a prospect with more upside at tackle.
4. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta Falcons
It’s somewhat strange adding Penix to this list because he might not play for a few seasons. But succession plans don’t always work out, with Trey Lance and the San Francisco 49ers being the most recent example. Lance waited to play for a year before eventually replacing Jimmy Garoppolo as the starter. Injuries occurred, the 49ers stumbled on Brock Purdy and Lance is now a backup in Dallas.
Obviously, Atlanta’s situation could turn out much differently than what played out in San Francisco. But this partnership is already off to a rocky start after failing to inform Kirk Cousins of the pick in a timely fashion. What if Penix is thrust to play immediately if Cousins suffers an injury? Will the Falcons prepare for that scenario by having Penix take snaps with the first-team offense during training camp and regular-season practices? If the Falcons truly want to make this a succession plan, they need to put themselves in awkward situations to prepare for all scenarios.
With the Giants' quarterback struggles of recent years, will Nabers be able to reach his full potential in New York?
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
3. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
I absolutely love this pick for the Giants because you can’t teach the type of explosiveness Nabers possesses. For the past seven years, we have seen various teams attempt to draft the next Tyreek Hill, but only a few have come close to that, including the Cincinnati Bengals with Ja’Marr Chase and the 49ers with Deebo Samuel. It’s a luxury to have a player who creates matchup nightmares for defenses and one who’s capable of turning quick completions into 60-yard touchdowns.
But there are a few risks with adding Nabers. He lacks size at 6'0" and 200 pounds, which could be a factor if teams prevent him from utilizing his blazing speed. As for the biggest concern, will the Giants help Nabers reach his highest potential? They have quarterback issues with Daniel Jones and they might not have enough weapons to take the attention away from Nabers—Darius Slayton is the No. 2 option. The Giants are going to need coach Brian Daboll to design creative plays, especially if Jones has another pedestrian season.
2. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
The comparisons to Lamar Jackson are well earned because Daniels is the only player in FBS history to pass for at least 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards. His athleticism likely set him apart from Drake Maye, especially with coach Dan Quinn knowing well how difficult it is to game plan for signal-callers who can extend plays and gain yards on the ground.
But Daniels, who has a slim frame at 210 pounds, will need to learn how to avoid hits in the NFL and develop precise timing on when to take off running. For the most part, Jackson has done that in the NFL, but he’s had his fair share of injuries. Also, the Commanders haven’t gotten much right since the 1990s and they don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt just because they have new ownership and decision makers. If Daniels displays durability, we could definitely see the No. 2 pick play up to the Jackson comparisons.
1. J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy might have the best surroundings among the first-round quarterbacks, including what Williams has in Chicago. The Vikings get the nod over the Bears because the coaching staff, led by Kevin O’Connell, has proven they can produce a dynamic offense and they have Justin Jefferson.
McCarthy doesn’t have to be a star signal-caller to turn the Vikings into a playoff team, but teams don’t use top-10 picks on safe game managers. McCarthy received plenty of draft hype because his low volume of throws in a run-heavy Michigan offense somehow gave him more upside because there’s a bit of mystery as to how much the 21-year-old can improve. He doesn’t have the skill set of Maye, the experience of Penix and isn’t as good of a creator as Williams and Daniels.
That could explain why he was the fifth quarterback taken in the NFL draft. But as a top-10 pick, the Vikings can’t afford McCarthy to be the fifth-best quarterback when it’s all said and done. The bar is set high for McCarthy and we’ll soon learn whether he had the most upside among his peers or he’s just a serviceable signal-caller with limitations. The Vikings are hoping for the former.
Five years ago, in “The Art of Coaching” documentary that highlighted the bond between Bill Belichick and Nick Saban, the then-Alabama coach ripped off a rant on NFL teams, and how they handled evaluating his players ahead of the draft.
“One thing that you do, that a lot of the NFL guys don’t do, I don’t know that you’ve ever picked one of our guys if you never talked to me before picking him,” Saban said to Belichick. “And there’s a few other guys in the league that do that. But then there’s another 30 teams that I never hear from, and then they pick somebody and I’m saying, ‘They picked that guy?’ And then they say, ‘Well, we didn’t know this.’ Well, all you had to do is call and I would have told you the good stuff and I would’ve told you any issue.”
Count the Detroit Lions as a team that listens to Saban.
Two consecutive years, they’ve come away from the NFL draft with the guy NFL folks had tabbed as the legendary coach’s favorite in the class. Last year, it was Brian Branch, who became an integral part of the Detroit defense, and a Swiss Army knife for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. This year, it’s Terrion Arnold, a corner the Lions never thought would be there in the 20s.
Detroit had actually laid groundwork for a trade up—I believe Missouri DE Darius Robinson was the target—which made it easy to pivot and get aggressive in going up from No. 29 to No. 24 to land a falling Arnold.
For his part, Saban loved how Arnold took hard coaching, and attacked the challenge the coaches put in front of him, in sticking with him at corner rather than projecting him to safety like other schools had in recruiting him. Also, Detroit took note of how Saban played him at the “star” position (nickel corner), as well as outside corner. As the Lions see it, being deployed as the star at Alabama is a huge sign of trust and respect from Saban, because of the mental and physical burden he puts on that spot, and the versatility he demands from it.
Branch, for what it’s worth, played a lot there, too.
In this case, it wasn’t like it had been the year before, where GM Brad Holmes personally connected with Saban (they’d talked about Branch and Jahmyr Gibbs last year). But Detroit did have a couple of high-level staffers get to Saban on Arnold, confirming what they’d seen. Which, in the end, made going after Arnold a no-brainer when he slipped.
• There are a lot of stories where a fortunate twist can play into a team drafting a certain player—and the Chargers will have one of those from 2024 if, years from now, OT Joe Alt becomes the sort of franchise cornerstone Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh think he can be.
The fact that the GM and coach were new did limit, to a degree, what they were personally able to do during this draft cycle. But the Chargers were able to get guys out on the road enough, both on the coaching and scouting side. And one such lieutenant that traveled around was veteran line coach Mike Devlin.
As luck would have it, he was assigned to run drills for the offensive line prospects at Notre Dame’s pro day in March. That allowed Devlin to challenge Alt, and to also get to know him better with the extra time he’d get with the Irish captain. Now, it’s not like there were too many revelations on the visit. Everyone knew what sort of player he was. But with the Chargers also liking Alabama RT JC Latham, the little things did make a difference.
The biggest question now is where Alt will fit on the line. All 33 of his starts at Notre Dame came at left tackle, the position Rashawn Slater plays for the Chargers. The plan is to let Alt compete for the starting right tackle spot. That said, he played tight end in high school, and wound up starting at left tackle as a true freshman at Notre Dame. So the lift might not be as heavy for Alt as it would be for others.
And that’s what made this pick so easy for the Chargers. Alt will figure it out, and at a baseline be a really good pro with a chance to be much better, making him the rare high floor-high ceiling prospect. He has some stuff to work on such as his ability to anchor (though the Chargers would tell you to watch how, in those spots, he bends and recovers). But with the presence and intelligence he showed the Chargers in meetings, it’s a good bet that Alt will keep ascending.
The Chiefs guaranteed all $17 million of Kelce's salary for 2024.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
• The Chiefs did right by Travis Kelce, giving the future Hall of Famer what amounts to a plain-old raise Monday—usually teams will require adding years to a player’s contract in exchange, or moving money away from a future year, for giving them this sort of pay bump.
Kelce’s existing contract had a $12 million base salary for this year, with another $750,000 in per-game roster bonuses, and a $250,000 roster bonus. The Chiefs gave him another $4 million, guaranteeing all $17 million for 2023. They left his $17.25 million for 2025 intact, added a trigger that’ll guarantee most of it in March (in the form of an $11.5 million roster bonus due on the third day of the league year), and force the team to make a decision on whether to keep him at the start of free agency.
The two-year deal makes Kelce the highest paid tight end in the NFL heading into a season in which he’ll turn 35. It’s also, truth be told, not that big of a number. He’s making less, in fact, on an APY (average per year) basis than Cleveland Browns WR Jerry Jeudy. Which is to say everything is relative, and in that sense a great tight end is a much better deal in today’s NFL than is a good receiver.
• As happy as the Minnesota Vikings were to get J.J. McCarthy where they did with the 10th pick, I’d say they were more surprised that pass rusher Dallas Turner slipped as deep into the teens as he did, which prompted the reaction from Kevin O’Connell that the team’s in-house crew captured.
In the end, they got two guys who were projected in the top 10 in a series of trade-ups without giving up an additional first-round pick to do it. The downside? It comes in volume. They wound up with seven picks after coming in with nine, and none of those picks came on Day 2 (they had one pick between 17 and 177, and that was at 108). As it stands now, they will have only four picks next year—their own first-rounder, a third-round compensatory pick for Kirk Cousins, their own fifth-rounder, and another fifth-rounder they acquired in the Za’Darius Smith trade.
• With the deadline Thursday, we know that nine of the top 12 picks in the 2021 draft have had their fifth-year option picked up. The three that haven’t, and won’t, are all quarterbacks who have been traded—Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Justin Fields.
The teams that took those three certainly felt the pain of the misses, but each has recovered nicely. And throw Mac Jones in there, and you have four of five first-round quarterbacks from that year’s class dealt, without a single Day 1 or Day 2 pick included in any of the four trades.
• Interestingly enough, only six of the remaining 22 first-rounders from that year have had their fifth-year options picked up.
• Ezekiel Elliott showed last year with the New England Patriots that he can still play. That said, the Dallas Cowboys can’t run him the way they did in Elliott’s previous stint. I was pretty surprised, as such, that the Cowboys didn’t use one of their eight picks on the position, though they do think highly of Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn.
• It wasn’t a huge surprise that the New York Giants punted on quarterback with Drake Maye three picks before their first-round selection at No. 6—word circulated around the NFL that New York had become a Maye-or-no-QB team over the couple of weeks leading up to the draft. And since they did offer their 2025 first-rounder to get to No. 3, you can see New York saw a gap between the top three and the next three in the class.
• As for how the teams had the guys ranked, the Vikings really dove in on the guys after the top two, and had Maye (for whom they offered 11, 23 and a 2025 first-rounder, with pick swaps favoring them bringing some value back), then McCarthy. The Falcons had Michael Penix Jr. behind Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels (with a few folks in their building personally having Penix second). And Denver had Nix behind only Williams and Daniels.
Latu could be a huge get for the Colts if his neck in healthy.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
• I can appreciate the video of Colts GM Chris Ballard saying the Indianapolis Colts got the draft’s best pass rusher in Laiatu Latu. Most people, maybe all, I talked to about the UCLA star before the draft told me his tape was the best among the pass rushers. But that’s not the question with Latu; it’s the condition of his nick. But if he’s healthy? Paired with DeForest Buckner in that front, look out.
