Bears general manager Ryan Poles appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday to break down the team's draft picks. After selecting Caleb Williams first, Rome Odunze ninth and offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie in the third round, the Bears picked Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the fourth.
McAfee was excited to hear what Poles had to say about the All-American Ray Guy Award winner and for good reason. Poles clearly feels like the Bears picked up a legitimate weapon in Taylor and feels like he's the kind of player who will make opposing teams "uncomfortable."
"I love taking advantage of field position and Tory Taylor is gonna make it uncomfortable for other teams..
“I didn’t expect him to get much further. Definitely didn’t think I’d be able to pick him up when we got to the fifth round,” Poles said. “And, really, the thought process there is to make anyone we’re playing really uncomfortable. I didn’t play much in the NFL but I know running onto the field and having the ball spotted inside the 10-yard line is a very uncomfortable feeling. It’s disheartening at times. And I love taking advantage of field position. And, really, that should help us with points as well. So I think he's going to add to our team and again make it uncomfortable for any team we're going against."
Contrast that with Caleb Williams' intial text message to his new teammate: "hey you're not going to punt too much here." That's the thing about punters. It's nice to have a good one, but no one actually ever wants to see them play because that means a drive stalled.
That's the beauty of football. It's eleven different players doing very different jobs in concert on every single play. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes almost as many to win a football game. If Taylor doesn't get much action this season, it would seem this was a wasted pick, but if he does see a lot of playing time, that's not a great sign for the Bears top pick either. Hopefully, the Bears can find a happy medium or Poles will end up being the one who feels uncomfortable.
Many were ready to pencil in the Atlanta Falcons as the NFC South winners for their 2024 NFL playoff predictions. That might have changed after the Falcons made their stunning selection of Michael Penix Jr. in the 2024 NFL draft.
The signal-caller out of Washington should help the Falcons in the future, but he didn’t make them better in the present, allowing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers to close the gap on the talented Falcons, who added immediate impact players with their first-round selections.
Kirk Cousins, who was signed in free agency to a four-year, $180 million deal, was left scratching his head at the Falcons’ first-round pick. But a few other teams in the NFC also made questionable moves during last week’s three-day draft as well.
Let’s examine how each NFC team did in the 2024 draft by ranking them from 16 to 1. Don’t expect a surprise for No. 16 …
16. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons used the No. 8 pick on Penix, who’s ready to start now after six years of college experience, including guiding Washington to the national title game. Instead of Penix following in the paths of Russell Wilson and Brock Purdy starting as rookies, he will have to wait his turn for a year or two, maybe three. And let’s not forget that Cousins’s contract includes guarantees of $90 million in the first two years with a $10 million option in Year 3.
The Falcons didn’t want to wait on a quarterback-succession plan, opting for what the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers did with Patrick Mahomes and Jordan Love despite not having a deep roster as those teams did. The Falcons, who haven’t made the postseason since 2017, dismissed the present for the future and passed on adding an immediate contributor with their first-round pick. Now the pressure is on second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and third-round edge rusher Bralen Trice to produce right away.
15. Seattle Seahawks
Murphy gives the Seahawks three stout defensive tackles.
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The Seahawks deserve credit for adding defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, even though they have committed plenty of money to Leonard Williams and Dre’Mont Jones. Murphy fits the scheme of new coach Mike Macdonald, but now the Seahawks have a dilemma with a log jam at the position. Murphy will likely receive starter’s snaps because he excels at stopping the run, a weakness of the Seahawks the past few seasons.
Without a second-round pick, the rest of the Seahawks’ draft class seems a bit underwhelming. But the Seahawks have plenty of talent throughout the roster. Perhaps all they need for a bounce-back season is for Macdonald to get the star-studded defense on the same page, which became easier with the selection of Murphy.
14. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers might have prioritized need more than taking the best player available when it came to adding a wide receiver. They found their physical outside receiver, selecting 6'3," 227-pound Xavier Legette with the last pick in the first round. Carolina took Legette over Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman and Adonai Mitchell. Time will tell if the Panthers selected the right receiver for Bryce Young and new coach Dave Canales.
Taking the best running back prospect in Jonathon Brooks should give Carolina a balanced attack after a dismal ground game in 2023. Overall, the Panthers added help for Young and found a way to gain a first-round pick.
13. Dallas Cowboys
Judging from the social media criticism, the Cowboys’ draft class likely received a low grade from most football pundits. But it wasn’t as bad as many made it seem because they prioritized the offensive line. Sure, the Cowboys haven’t made it to a conference title game this millennium, but they became perennial playoff contenders because they rarely neglected the trenches, drafting Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. They quickly found their Tyron Smith replacement with the first-round selection of Tyler Guyton, a left tackle with plenty of upside.
Dallas also continued loading up on edge rushers, adding Marshawn Kneeland in the second round to fill the void of Dorance Armstrong, who left in free agency to join the Washington Commanders. It’s never a bad draft strategy to add offensive and defensive linemen. But the Cowboys failed to address their needs at running back and inside linebacker. They also could have used another receiver to go with CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks.
12. New York Giants
Nabers has the makings of the next Odell Beckham Jr. or Ja'Marr Chase
SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA
Perhaps the Giants should be ranked lower than 12th on this list, but they landed standout wideout Malik Nabers with their No. 6 pick. Nabers has the makings of the next Odell Beckham Jr. or Ja’Marr Chase. Nabers’s explosiveness will expand the playbook for coach Brian Daboll, making him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
Daniel Jones gets another shot to prove himself with a dangerous downfield threat in Nabers—unless you’re buying the hype of Drew Lock possibly taking Jones’s job this summer. But the Giants likely know by now that Jones won’t ever reach elite QB status in the NFL. They had an opportunity to move up from No. 6 to third to select Drake Maye, but couldn’t come to a trade agreement with the New England Patriots.
11. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers passed on wide receivers who had more hype from the draft experts to select Ricky Pearsall with the 31st pick. San Francisco deserves the benefit of the doubt because Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk weren’t high-profile prospects when the team selected them. The 49ers might be forced to decide between Samuel and Aiyuk because they have drafted so well in recent years and don’t have enough cap space to keep all of their star players.
San Francisco gave itself flexibility with the Samuel-Aiyuk dilemma by adding Pearsall, who should be ready to slide in as a starter if Samuel or Aiyuk leave during the 2025 offseason. The best teams create options and plan ahead.
10. Minnesota Vikings
If J.J. McCarthy was the target all along, the Vikings played this well by only trading up one spot to get him at No. 10 instead of moving into the top five to select the Michigan quarterback. But Minnesota took a risk by banking on the fifth quarterback taken in the draft. As history has shown, it’s rare when five quarterbacks from one draft class develop into legitimate franchise signal-callers.
The Vikings tried to trade three first-round picks to the Patriots for the right to draft Maye, who likely has the best skill set among all of the QB prospects. McCarthy's ceiling might not be as high as the others, but he proved at Michigan he can run an efficient offense and will now get to throw to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. By not getting desperate for a quarterback, the Vikings also added Dallas Turner at No. 17 to pair with free-agent signing Jonathan Greenard.
9. Green Bay Packers
Morgan could compete for the starting left tackle job for the Packers.
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The Packers failed to add a top offensive tackle in last year’s draft, but they didn’t make that same mistake again, one they couldn’t afford because of the departure of David Bakhtiari. Jordan Morgan, the 25th pick, could compete for the left tackle job against Rasheed Walker, who filled in admirably for the injured Bakhtiari in 2023.
Morgan also has the flexibility to play guard, which could explain why the Packers chose him over Guyton, the Cowboys’ first-round pick. In the second round, the Packers took the first off-ball linebacker with Edgerrin Cooper. Perhaps the Texas A&M product could flourish as an immediate starter. Green Bay has invested plenty of draft picks in recent years on defensive players, but hasn’t received many positive returns.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With Canales now calling the plays for Young, the Buccaneers needed to find another way to make life easier for Baker Mayfield, who received a lucrative contract extension after a career year with Canales as the offensive play-caller in Tampa Bay. They did that by drafting center Graham Barton with the No. 26 pick. On paper, the Bucs’ offensive line has come a long way since 2022, when the unit failed to protect Tom Brady during his final season.
With a stout offensive line, Mayfield is well positioned to prove his 2023 season was no fluke. Coach Todd Bowles’s defense got better with second-round selection Chris Braswell, who will join last year’s standout rookie edge rusher Yaya Diaby.
7. New Orleans Saints
The Saints had a sensational start to the draft, selecting offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry in the first and second rounds, respectively. New Orleans had concerns at tackle with Ryan Ramczyk’s injury issues and Trevor Penning’s struggles on the field. Now they have less problems with the arrival of Fuaga, arguably the best run blocker in the draft.
Fuaga probably will start at right tackle, but he would fix more problems if he’s able to play left tackle. The Penning experience hasn’t worked out and it might be better for New Orleans to move him as a backup tackle. As for McKinstry, it won’t be easy for him to earn a starting job, but he adds youth to a veteran-filled defense. The Saints need more draft picks to become cornerstone pieces to finally gain cap-space flexibility.
6. Arizona Cardinals
Harrison has drawn comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and A.J. Green.
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The Cardinals didn’t overthink it and took Marvin Harrison Jr., possibly the best prospect in the draft. Yes, the Cardinals have many needs and would have benefited from the extra picks had they traded out of the No. 4 spot. But you don’t pass on a wide receiver prospect as good as Harrison, who has drawn comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and A.J. Green.
Kyler Murray will benefit from Harrison’s presence, as will offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who had impressive game plans in 2023 despite a poor roster. After taking the dominant Harrison, the Cardinals added Darius Robinson, who could be Arizona's best pass rusher this upcoming season. He’ll join a defensive unit lacking talent outside of safety Budda Baker.
5. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams filled defensive needs with two standout prospects. First, they took edge rusher Jared Verse to pair him with Byron Young, last year’s rookie standout. They followed that by moving up from No. 52 to 39 to select defensive tackle Braden Fiske, who impressed many at the Senior Bowl.
Fiske will have the pressure of filling the massive void left by the retirement of Aaron Donald, but he won’t have to do it alone because the Rams planned ahead. Last year, they drafted Young and defensive tackle Kobie Turner, who became a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. L.A. lost a legend in Donald, but now have four intriguing players on the defensive line. Also, the Rams were wise to select running back Blake Corum in the third round. He has a similar skill set to last year’s breakout star Kyren Williams. They should form a dominant duo, and Corum could help as a starter in case Williams deals with injuries again.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles neglected the secondary last offseason and it cost them during their end-of-season collapse. The secondary should be much improved after Philadelphia added cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and defensive back Cooper DeJean. Mitchell could soon take over as the team’s No. 1 outside cornerback because of his elite traits and athleticism. DeJean will probably flourish in Vic Fangio’s scheme because he can play cornerback and safety.
And it wouldn’t be a Howie Roseman draft without him taking at least one edge rusher. Third-round pick Jalyx Hunt has plenty of upside and could quickly find a rotational role behind Josh Sweat and Bryce Huff.
3. Detroit Lions
Similar to the Eagles, the Lions addressed their secondary needs with a pair of first-round defensive backs. Detroit gets the nod over Philadelphia because Terrion Arnold might be one of the safest picks in the draft. He’s a polished technician with a similar skill set to Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon. Arnold going at No. 24 could end up being the steal of the draft.
The Lions didn’t settle at cornerback and took Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second round. The Lions swung and missed on cornerback Cameron Sutton, who was released recently after being a top free-agent addition in 2023. Arnold should be a Day 1 starter, joining last year’s rookie sensation Brian Branch and veteran newcomer Carlton Davis III. It likely won’t take Rakestraw long to crack the cornerback rotation in Detroit.
2. Washington Commanders
Daniels gives the Commanders a chance at long-term success.
Matthew Dobbins-USA TODAY Sports
Jayden Daniels is set up for long-term success after all of the savvy moves Washington has made in its first offseason with a new owner, GM and head coach.
Daniels received a talented tight end in Ben Sinnott, a second-round pick. Daniels also might have the luxury of playing with a much-improved defense. The Commanders’ first pick in the second round was defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton, who was viewed by many as a first-round prospect. The Commanders’ second second-round pick was cornerback Mike Sainristil. Coach Dan Quinn now has enough talent to turn the Washington defense from one of the worst to a respectable unit in 2024.
1. Chicago Bears
The Bears could have two Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates after using their two top-10 picks on Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. On paper, GM Ryan Poles executed one of the best trades in recent years after flipping last year’s No. 1 pick to the Panthers for wide receiver DJ Moore and many draft picks, including two that turned into offensive tackle Darnell Wright and Williams.
But this trade won’t be remembered positively for years to come without Williams turning into an elite quarterback. The pressure is on the USC product, but the Bears have built an ideal surrounding for the top pick, with the trade for Keenan Allen and selection of Odunze, the savvy route router who can create plays on the outside and in the slot. Start the Bears’ hype train because they might be fun to watch with their two top-10 picks.
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.
The Dallas Cowboysreunited with running back Ezekiel Elliott this offseason, bringing him back for a second stint with the organization after he spent one season with the New England Patriots in 2023.
There will be one key change for Elliott in his return to the Cowboys, however.
Rather than re-claim the No. 21 jersey he wore throughout his first seven seasons in the NFL, he plans to continue donning the No. 15 that he wore at Ohio State and last year with the Patriots. The No. 15 had been occupied by quarterback Trey Lance in '23, but he's agreed to shed the digits and wear No. 19 in '24, per a team announcement.
Elliott returned to Dallas on a one-year deal with a maximum value of $3 million. He joins a running backs room consisting of Royce Freeman, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn, and figures to compete for a healthy share of the workload.
The 28-year-old had a down year in '23 with the Patriots, registering career lows with 184 carries, 642 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Across 103 games with the Cowboys from 2016 to '22, Elliott had four seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and scored a total of 80 touchdowns.
On Monday, reports emerged that ESPN had won the Jason Kelce sweepstakes. The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported the Worldwide Leader was to ink the former Philadelphia Eagles center to a deal that would add him to the Monday Night Countdown desk, the network's pregame show for Monday Night Football. On Wednesday, Kelce responded.
Sitting virtually across from his brother Travis on their latest episode of New Heights, Kelce made sure to say right off the bat that these reports are not yet set in stone. He has not put any pen to paper. With that out of the way the former All-Pro waxed poetic about how much of an honor it would be to work for ESPN, the very same network that he and Travis watched every single day as burgeoning sports junkies when they were young.
"Nothing's been offically inked yet or announced yet, but obviously there's been a lot of reports out there about me going to ESPN," Kelce said. "I think time will take care of that. But it's a tremendous honor to be considered to potentially work there. That network was everything Travis and I watched growing up.
"We talk about it all the time. We had Rich Eisen on here last year on the show. We talk about all these guys we grew up watching. We lived watching ESPN. SportsCenter, before phones, that was the only way to get all the coverage. We were glued to the TV each and every day. The fact that I may, potentially, probably, will be working there is pretty darn cool, man."
Between these comments and the previous reports it is all but certain Kelce will be on our televisions next fall, and he's clearly very excited about it. As are we all.
Kelce's magnetic personality is going to make him a quick television star, and the sky is the limit if he learns how to leverage his extensive football knowledge into engaging monologues for the audience. He probably won't be asked to do a ton on Monday Night Countdown, which is just as much about recapping the previous weekend's action as it is analyzing the game ahead.
But there will be plentiful opportunities for Kelce to flex some broadcasting muscle by doing the same thing that made New Heights popular: be a large, gregarious man who loves the game of football. And he also happens to be the brother of Taylor Swift's boo.
It will be fascinating to watch his career unfold. Until then, ESPN should rest easy knowing they're likely landing someone who appreciates what it means to work there.
Just 12—12!—short years ago, an NFL team was sold for under a billion dollars. Shahid Khan bought the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jan. 2012 for a mere $770 million.
How times have changed.
According to a Wednesday morning report from Safid Deen of USA Today, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross recently turned down an offer for the team and other assets worth an astounding $10 billion.
The offer made to Ross, 83, included the sale of Hard Rock Stadium and control of Formula One's Miami Grand Prix, which will be run Sunday at the Miami International Autodrome. It would have set an NFL record, surpassing the Washington Commanders' $6 billion sale in July 2023.
Per Deen, citing two people familiar with the matter, "Ross declined the offer because he wants to keep the assets in his family."
Under Ross's stewardship, the Dolphins have gone 116-127 and made three playoff appearances in 15 seasons.
This was the most difficult set of power rankings I’ve done since taking over the franchise at Sports Illustrated. I think post-NFL draft is the toughest time of year because we are blinded by expectations and are flying high on the magnanimous language used throughout the process by experts and scouts and coaches who lead us to believe that every single one of these players are going to immediately improve the prospects of their franchise when the reality is always more complicated. About half of these players aren’t going to make a tangible impact on the NFL, which is harsh but true. We just don’t know which half. And, some teams are going to have an entire class of contributors, while some teams will not have any.
So, this explains your inevitable outrage. There are going to be teams that made the playoffs who are not in the top 14. There are going to be other teams in the top 10 who, you feel, probably don’t belong. It’s guesswork, sure, but it’s also betting on established coach-and-quarterback combinations, then supplementing those bets with initial thoughts on the draft class which, again, we ultimately have no idea about.
With that in mind, here goes nothing. Love it? Hate it? Let’s talk.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
It’s funny how the conversation has shifted from the Chiefs staving off some kind of decline to a sort of inevitability that they will reach a third consecutive Super Bowl. Despite picking late each year, general manager Brett Veach has done a great job of finding quality starters, be it DE George Karlaftis from a few years back, or WR Xavier Worthy this year. The Chiefs have now sidled up next to the Miami Dolphins in terms of best linear speed wide receiver tandems in the NFL. And OT Kingsley Suamataia could most certainly develop into a quality starter with time and seasoning.
2. Detroit Lions
The Lions had an issue with their secondary heading into the draft, then hammered the position like a piece of old drywall. Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. are both rangy, physical cornerbacks who can parse through complicated offensive sets with bunched wide receivers. While the learning curve for a defensive back is steep in the NFL, we’ve also seen some pleasant surprises. Even if Detroit hits on 50% of its cornerback haul, the team has become all the more dangerous.
3. San Francisco 49ers
When Kyle Shanahan drafts a wide receiver, we should take note. This is no different than when Andy Reid takes a quarterback, or the Eagles take an offensive lineman (for the most part). Shanahan is clearly not infallible, but Ricky Pearsall gives me some strong Cooper Kupp vibes and I think he can help diversify San Francisco’s offense, which Shanahan has desperately needed to do. I also wonder, how come we keep letting the 49ers get great man-cover corners who are super aggressive such as Renardo Green?
4. Baltimore Ravens
I actually liked Rakestraw for Baltimore, but Nate Wiggins’s speed is a necessity at this point for any team. The Ravens also got a bump-inside tackle in the second round which helped them alleviate some departures at guard. Baltimore always finds useful contributors during the draft process, and I wonder if it’ll fare better in the later rounds simply because its process is strong.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals begin a run of teams that did not make the playoffs last year but have to be considered top 10 this year. I loved the pick of OT Amarius Mims, who I thought for certain was destined to become a Pittsburgh Steeler. This takes them out of having to start Trent Brown on the right side this year, and potentially end up using Brown as a swing tackle who could be more useful in different, bigger formations. Also, the selection of DT Kris Jenkins Jr. does not replace D.J. Reader, but it gives the Bengals some heft up front, which is necessary in the AFC North.
6. Philadelphia Eagles
DeJean was one of the better value selections in the NFL draft.
Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY
The Eagles and Lions were both clinical in addressing their needs in the secondary, with Cooper DeJean being, potentially, one of the better value selections in the whole draft. While I do like the big swing at edge rusher in the third round (Jalyx Hunt), my only question mark is how the Eagles are planning to supplement for the future losses on the offensive line and, really, throughout their defensive front seven with a few stalwarts nearing retirement age.
7. Buffalo Bills
WR Keon Coleman and S Cole Bishop were selections of need. My friend, Tyler Dunne, over at Go Long changed my mind on the Coleman pick. While I thought it was foolish for the Bills to invite Kansas City to the top of the draft to select a wide receiver, he saw it as a bit of a “come and get it” declaration, a message that the Chiefs don’t scare the Bills in particular and that they’ll treat them like any other team. This is a good year to see how Sean McDermott can refresh his coaching chops and get his staff to hit the ground running. The Bills are getting younger, but don’t want to spend time not winning the AFC East.
8. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams made a first-round pick! While I’m biased because L.A. just kept continually selecting some of my favorite players in this draft, I thought the Rams were as good as any team in the NFL in Rounds 1–3. And based on how GM Les Snead has found contributors during his streak of no first-round picks, there are high hopes for DE Jared Verse, DT Braden Fiske and RB Blake Corum. Corum in particular is scary to me. Sean McVay with another heady back and another year developing this newly tooled run game could be dangerous.
9. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are changing their offensive profile drastically. While OT Joe Alt won’t be an elite right tackle on Day 1, the Chargers will be tougher and more physical than they ever were during the Tom Telesco era. This was a point of emphasis for Jim Harbaugh. Justin Herbert will have a highly dependable and bruising running game, kind of like the one Brandon Staley preached at the outset of his arrival but never got. Ladd McConkey folds into this profile as well, and will be a physically imposing receiver despite his initial size and appearance.
10. New York Jets
This is an Aaron Rodgers-quarterbacked team, and I know that many of you view the Jets as perpetually superfluous. But I think if everyone remains healthy, this team is going to be seriously good. OT Olu Fashanu didn’t change my mind all that much. Hopefully he can be developed and eased into a starting role, or Morgan Moses can play guard until someone is pressed into playing one position out of necessity. I liked that the Jets invested in physical backs and receivers who can help alleviate the backfield pressure on Rodgers. When offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and Rodgers were at their best together, Rodgers had a stable of dependable backs and receivers who would break tackles off quick catches.
11. Houston Texans
Notre Dame OT Blake Fisher stands out as the Texans’ top selection, which gives them a major amount of positional versatility on the offensive line and should provide more of an ability for Houston to bring along its running game and protect C.J. Stroud, which is the ultimate goal moving forward. Adding CB Kamari Lassiter as a potential starting corner with their first pick isn’t shabby, either.
12. Cleveland Browns
The Browns have built, without question, the best defensive line in the NFL on paper. Michael Hall Jr. is a stylistic complement to the rest of the Browns’ front, and should provide DC Jim Schwartz with some real ammunition. Questions about playmakers are valid, though the Browns are far higher on the hidden developments of Deshaun Watson that we don’t see (even when he’s playing) than the rest of us. Perhaps that is informing their decision to ride heavily on Nick Chubb and Amari Cooper in 2024.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
Fautanu should help solidify the Steelers' offensive line in front of Russell Wilson.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers continue to remake themselves wholly, which, I would guess, invigorates the tenured Mike Tomlin as he reaches a point in his career where many wondered if he’d be better off coaching elsewhere. Starting a new left tackle and center in the same season can be terrifying, but when that center is draft favorite Zach Frazier, along with the sturdy Troy Fautanu, I like my chances. This may be the offseason to finally buy big on running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
14. Indianapolis Colts
From a pure value perspective, it’s fair to wonder if GM Chris Ballard and the Colts didn’t have the best pure draft of any team. WR Adonai Mitchell and edge Laiatu Latu have incredible upside, and while there is something about each of them—be it personal or medical—that scared other teams off, a good organization can embrace anyone and everyone. If the ceiling on both of these players hits, watch out.
15. Green Bay Packers
The Packers crushed this draft and took my favorite tackle, Jordan Morgan, out of Arizona. I think Morgan has tremendous potential and fits ideally in the kind of offense head coach Matt LaFleur is trying to build. I know there were coaches in the same system on other teams who also coveted Morgan. Nestled at the bottom of the draft was quarterback Michael Pratt out of Tulane, who I think could be an NFL contributor at some point. Now that he’s in Green Bay, we’ve all but assured Pratt will develop into a capable NFL passer at some point.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville disappointed me a bit, although I don’t know what the team’s private pre-draft evaluation of Brian Thomas Jr. looked like. Getting a top target for Trevor Lawrence has obviously been their goal for three consecutive offseasons, which made it seem like a move up to the top 10 for either Harrison, Nabers or Odunze would have made the most sense (it would seem like Atlanta was willing to move down, given the pick). Instead, they let WR4 come to them, which, again, may end up working out given what they thought of Thomas. I like the selection of a placekicker (Cam Little) deep in the draft in hopes of developing one. The back end of this year’s talent pool was poor, and so kicker becomes a value spot if you get the pick right.
17. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings traded up six spots to land Turner in the first round.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
I think I will be the most wrong about the Vikings out of any team. I came out fairly strongly against the J.J. McCarthy pick, which is a foolish stance given how good Kevin O’ Connell is at tutoring the quarterback position and the fact that McCarthy has two elite wide receivers and a great tight end. If Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hits on McCarthy and Dallas Turner, we could be looking at another GM with offensive and defensive rookies of the year potential. For the record, I hated Houston’s draft a year ago, too, so Adofo-Mensah is in good company.
18. Dallas Cowboys
All in? Not quite. Jerry Jones is trying to run off the fumes of the gasoline tank as he tightens his belt in preparation for CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons paydays. The Cowboys will end up being like a Las Vegas act, which draws due to some name recognition and branding power but is ultimately a fairly hollow experience. Their first-round pick, OT Tyler Guyton, will be a great player. Does he help the Cowboys reach championship level this year? I don’t think so. This may seem like a rough placement of Dallas, but the team lost Dan Quinn, is forcing Dak Prescott (it seems) to play on a one-year deal, has saber rattled about this being a prove-it year, and has not provided any additional resources. Maybe I’m wrong, but this doesn’t seem like the healthiest situation.
19. Chicago Bears
The Bears hit this draft with the entire barrel. Pairing QB Caleb Williams and WR Rome Odunze was a dream scenario I did not see possible when I did my mock draft last week. Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie is a sneaky mauler who I think will contribute down the road and has the determination to make the difficult leap from the Ivy League to the NFL.
20. New York Giants
The Giants had no business drafting a quarterback with Drake Maye off the board and I maintain that they’ll have more success with either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock and WR Malik Nabers than they would with a combination of Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix or McCarthy and no weapon. Additionally, their focus on friendly mid-range targets for Jones—and in building the core of the defense—shows a smart approach to the long term.
21. New Orleans Saints
I liked this draft for New Orleans because it very much fit the style of new OC Klint Kubiak. The Saints invested in athletic tackle Taliese Fuaga in the first round, and a vertical threat wide receiver in the fifth (Bub Means), giving Kubiak some of the very basic pieces necessary to run the scheme popularized by both his father, Gary, and his former boss, Kyle Shanahan.
22. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons still find themselves nestled in this middle tier because they didn’t exactly get better with the selection of Michael Penix Jr. —at least not yet. Penix is a long-term play, but the Falcons did also pound the edge (Bralen Trice) and defensive tackle positions (Brandon Dorlus and Zion Logue) in the following rounds, giving new head coach Raheem Morris some pieces to experiment with. This was an absolute necessity given the age and health of his front seven.
23. Seattle Seahawks
Murphy gives the Seahawks an explosive run defender.
Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman
This may seem too low for the Seahawks, and there are a couple teams on this list that, I’ll admit, I have no idea where to put them. Seattle, Dallas and Miami are all playoff contenders or fringe contenders from a year ago that I feel have not gotten significantly better this offseason. That said, feeding new head coach Mike Macdonald an explosive run defender (Byron Murphy II) and a tackle machine at off-ball linebacker (Tyrice Knight) is a good foundation for the season ahead.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Getting an athletic center (Graham Barton) helps put together a profile of offensive players that will be well suited for OC Liam Cohen to bring some Rams flavor to Tampa Bay. That was an important part of Tampa Bay’s offseason needs list, and center is typically a high success rate pick which makes sense if there’s a glaring hole in the lineup. I also appreciate GM Jason Licht’s continued insistence on not ignoring reality at the wide receiver position (Jalen McMillan), setting the foundation for a future not so far off in the distance.
25. Miami Dolphins
I know I’m going to get waxed for this, and I’m prepared to accept it. However, if Rodgers stays healthy for an entire season, it’s difficult for me to not anticipate another team in the AFC East getting knocked off their block a little bit. Miami is looking at Tua Tagovailoa in a contract year, Tyreek Hill now at 30 years old and an explosive running game as their forward-facing weapons. Mike McDaniel is a genius and a true people person, but I don't know if personnel decisions outside of the Hill trade have done him any favors. Can they get immediate production out of edge Chop Robinson and develop a large-wingspan tackle over the course of an offseason? The latter is more likely given that McDaniel is working with offensive line guru Butch Barry. We’ll see.
26. Washington Commanders
The Commanders could be this year’s Texans. QB Jayden Daniels was thought of in high regard and has a ton of experience. Washington was also methodical in the way it worked the early to middle rounds, with a tight end/H-back (Ben Sinnot) from “superback” powerhouse Kansas State who can diversify the Commanders offense, and another defensive tackle (Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton) to beef up an already impressive defensive line.
27. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals may not make the playoffs in 2024, but they are going to wallop some teams who don’t come prepared. I loved this draft, especially the way they bookended the first four picks with offensive playmakers (WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and RB Trey Benson) and, in the middle, handed Jonathan Gannon some versatile defensive pieces such as versatile edge Darius Robinson and Max Melton, who will provide value both in the slot and when working outside.
28. Denver Broncos
A team can do the right thing in the draft but still drop in the power rankings, if that makes sense. The Broncos are going to possibly start QB Bo Nix, which I think is great and the right course of action. But Sean Payton is starting over for the first time in a long time. There are going to be some hiccups, especially in a division that continues to get better and a slate of teams that can rush the passer well.
29. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders, like the Broncos, made the right pick. The issue is that a lot of other teams seemed to have gotten much better. TE Brock Bowers is going to create a lot of difficult moments for defensive coordinators and OT Jackson Powers-Johnson feels like a 10-year investment in the second round. However, Las Vegas was boxed out at quarterback and, also like Denver, we wonder if the team can swim in a difficult division full of opponents that will light up the scoreboard.
30. Tennessee Titans
Latham was the favorite offensive tackle in the draft for some teams.
Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK
This feels a little unfair to the Titans, but they’re another team I have no idea where to put. On paper, investing in Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard and new first-round offensive tackle JC Latham makes Tennessee a candidate for immediate improvement, but we’ve also seen these kinds of splashy, high-priced investments fail to yield much. Latham was the favorite offensive tackle for some, and giving Jeffrey Simmons a space-eating nose tackle to work off shows that GM Ran Carthon is willing to help his elite playmakers.
31. New England Patriots
I hope I’m wrong, but the Patriots will struggle this year. On draft night, I wondered if it wasn’t a better option to get the QB later and use the trade equity to build up the roster. Still, if you are in love with Drake Maye, you have to take him. Getting him a receiver (Ja’Lynn Polk) who stands out in 50-50 ball situations is a nice bonus as well.
32. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers begin this season where they ended the last. I liked Carolina’s draft and its continued insistence on making life easier for Bryce Young. The selection of a few high-character, aggressive offensive players (WR Xavier Legette and RB Jonathon Brooks) shows a desire for the Panthers to punch back throughout games this year. Young is still going to have to shoulder a huge burden, but that burden got significantly lighter through free agency and the draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs landed a perfect fit when they traded up and selected Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the 28th pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. The speedster seems pretty excited about joining the defending Super Bowl champs, and even got a new tattoo to commemorate his draft selection.
Worthy posted a video showing the process of getting a Chiefs logo tattooed on his arm above "R: 1, P: 28" which represents the round and position of his selection.
Rookie Xavier Worthy got some fresh ink dedicated to his new team 😤
Worthy ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine since 2003 when he sprinted the distance in 4.21 seconds. While he is on the smaller side at 5'11" and 165 pounds, he's an impressive receiver. His size and skill set are eerily similar to former Chiefs star Tyreek Hill. Worthy had a great career at Texas and capped his time in college by catching 75 passes for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns as a junior in 2023.
The Chiefs' biggest weakness last season was their receiving corps. They had seven pass catchers with three or more drops during the regular season. Kansas City's receivers began to improve in the postseason but it was still a massive problem that needed to be addressed. This offseason the team added veteran Marquise Brown and now the rookie in Worthy to a pass catching group led by Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. The revamped unit should keep star quarterback Patrick Mahomes happy.
Worthy and Brown's speed should stretch defenses, opening things up underneath for Kelce and Rice. Meanwhile, the two new receivers represent the best deep threats Mahomes has had since the Chiefs traded Hill away in 2022. On paper, it looks like Kansas City's offense got a whole lot better.
Given that he got a tattoo with his new team's logo, Worthy seems really excited to join the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach believes Travis Kelce isn't slowing down as the star tight end prepares to enter year 12 in the NFL.
The Chiefs on Monday signed Kelce to a new, two-year extension worth $34.25 million, making him the highest-paid tight end in the league. After making the deal official, Veach spoke to the media on a Zoom call, telling reporters he believes the veteran tight end is the rare type of player who can play well into his thirties.
"The odds of someone playing this far into the thirties are very low, but it does happen, and it happens with just unicorns in the profession, and Travis is one of those and we'll certainly celebrate this with him and hopefully we can ride this thing even longer," Veach said. "So, we'll just have to wait and see. But I've seen no signs of [Kelce] slowing down and everyone notices the kind of postseason he had, and he just found that extra gear and these special ones, these special players are always able to find that extra gear. If anybody could do it, Travis can.''
"Today we had the chance to get out there [on the field] for 'Phase 2,' and Travis was the first guy in line."
Brett Veach spoke about Travis Kelce's remarkable consistency and longevity earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ChTh16LYHp
Kelce, who will turn 35 in October, produced 984 receiving yards in 2023, his lowest output since the 2015 season. However, the star tight end still led Kansas City in receptions and yards during the regular season, then turned things up a notch in the postseason, racking up 32 catches for 355 yards and four scores while helping the Chiefs win their second straight Super Bowl.
Kelce missed the opening game of the 2023 regular season due to a knee injury, his first missed game due to injury since 2014.
Perhaps in an effort to take some of the load off of Kelce, Kansas City signed free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown to a one-year deal in March, then selected Texas receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft this past Thursday.
In 11 seasons, Kelce has amassed 907 receptions for 11,328 yards and 74 touchdowns. He is the NFL's all-time leader in postseason receptions.
The Detroit Lions won their division for the first time since 1993 last season, taking over a position the Green Bay Packers held for many of those years in between.
But despite the new division champ, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t sound too worried about falling short to the Lions this past year. In fact, he even seemed to subtly troll their NFC North rivals when speaking to media on Tuesday.
“Around here, we’ve never hung banners for division championships, so it’s never been about that," Gutekunst said, via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “It’s a nice starting point, but I think we’re always looking for bigger things.”
Fans guessed this comment was in reference to the Lions’ only two banners hanging in Ford Field for the four times the team has won the division. The Lions have never won a Super Bowl or appeared in the Big Game. The Packers have won four Super Bowl titles.
Lions fans came back with some shots as well toward Gutekunst, specifically referring to the fact that the Packers have hung zero banners since he’s been there. Take a look at some of the social media responses.
