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New York Times
20 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bears CB Jaylon Johnson (leg) out for a few weeks
Follow for exclusive access and insight from The Athletic's writers as NFL training camps kick off this week Imagn Images Bears CB Jaylon Johnson will be out "a few weeks" with a leg injury he suffered in training, GM Ryan Poles said Tuesday. Johnson, the two-time Pro Bowl corner, begins camp on the non-football injury list. Poles did say he's "not overly concerned" about the injury keeping Johnson out long-term, but it's not what the team would've wanted to learn about their lockdown corner — someone who will finally get to travel with opposing star receivers in Dennis Allen's scheme. With Johnson out, it'll likely be Terell Smith opposite Tyrique Stevenson on the outside, and it could give rookie Zah Frazier some more reps, too. Poles also said the Bears signed defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, a 2017 second-round pick of the Chiefs when Poles was in Kansas City. Kpassagnon spent the past four seasons with the Saints, the last three with Allen. He adds depth to a relatively thin edge-rusher position. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said today that a timeline for defensive tackle Christian Wilkins' return remains "uncertain." Las Vegas placed Wilkins on the active/physically unable to perform list last week, which sidelines him from participating in practices or games as he continues to recover from the surgery he had to repair the Jones Fracture he suffered in his left foot last October. It typically takes three-to-four months to return from a Jones Fracture, so Wilkins' rehab process has obviously taken longer than expected. He didn't practice at all during OTAs and it's unclear when — or if — he'll be able to do so during training camp. If Wilkins remains on the PUP list through roster cut day, then he'll have to miss the first four games of the season. After that, the Raiders would have a five-week window to activate him from the list. If that window passed without him being able to return, then he'd be forced to miss the rest of the season Tyrann Mathieu has announced his retirement. He leaves a 12-year career with three first team All-Pro nods, three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl title (LIV). Fully healthy and with a new regime in charge, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is ready for his 10th training camp. It didn't take long for Patrick Mahomes to find Xavier Worthy in camp. The Chiefs will be depending on this connection as their offense hopes to regain some of the explosiveness that's made them a juggernaut in the AFC. Getty Images Sure, the left tackle battle between Braxton Jones and rookie Ozzy Trapilo will be a storyline. We'll watch how wide receiver Rome Odunze looks in Year 2, and how rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden step in after missing OTAs. But it's all about Williams. Over the years, we hear — and, in fairness, echo — the narratives, 'Well it's a veteran defense against a young group learning a new scheme.' At some point, the franchise should see its quarterback dominate camp practices. Maybe there will be understandable growing pains, but everything is supposed to be in place for Williams to thrive. Getty Images He rolled up to the plush private jet at Teterboro Airport and boarded with a bounce in his step, excited about where the journey might lead. Brian Schottenheimer would not be flying anywhere this chilly January afternoon. His career, however, was about to take off. An NFL offensive coordinator at 33, the son of a coaching giant was following what seemed to be a natural course. On this day in 2007, Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga had come to New Jersey with two other team executives to talk to Schottenheimer, who called plays for the rival New York Jets, about the team's vacant head coaching position. With Nick Saban having abruptly bolted for Alabama, Huizenga was looking to hire a hot, young offensive strategist. Enter Schottenheimer, who, in his words, 'was Sean McVay before Sean McVay.' The would-be prodigy known in NFL circles as 'Schotty' was interested — and feeling like his life was pretty charmed. He couldn't believe how big Huizenga's plane was, or that the man who'd built Blockbuster Video into an entertainment conglomerate was wooing a longtime customer who'd habitually incurred fees for failing to rewind. When Schottenheimer spools back to that moment now — and his decision to pass on the job — he wonders whether he was overly confident, or merely a tad clueless. Sitting in his office at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys' training facility, on a June afternoon, Schottenheimer recalls his mindset as he listened to Huizenga's pitch: 'I'm pretty convinced that I'm good at what I do. I think, 'There'll be more opportunities.'' Read more below. GO FURTHER How surprising was Brian Schottenheimer's Cowboys hiring? Even he didn't see it coming Micah Parsons is at the team's walk-through. Getty Images Not that this was in question, but amid contract talks, Kyren Williams has reported to Rams camp (source: Kyren Williams, who rolled up on a scooter with his suitcase in tow). Williams is entering the final season on his rookie contract and his third season as the starting running back (he rushed for over 1,100 yards respectively in 2023 and 2024). Because of his ability, his fit in McVay's offense and his energy with teammates, it seemed natural for the Rams to consider an extension a season before his deal expires – something they had not done with running backs since former All-Pro Todd Gurley was on the roster. Read more below about the Rams RB when he showed up to OTAs. GO FURTHER Rams' Kyren Williams at OTAs amid 'healthy' ongoing contract talks; other notes The Bills will sport red helmets in Week 18, their final regular season game at their current stadium. The new Highmark Stadium is set to open for the 2026 season. (Getty Images) 5. Green Bay Packers Last ranking: 7 The Packers have drafted six wide receivers in the first five rounds in the last four years, and they were second last season in yards per completion (12.8). Now, it's up to quarterback Jordan Love to smooth out the rough spots in his game. Love was 22nd last year in EPA per attempt (.13) and 30th in interceptions per attempt (2.6 percent). He's thrown 27 interceptions in the last two seasons, including five in the playoffs, which is two more than any other NFL quarterback in that span. 6. Washington Commanders Last ranking: 6 The Commanders added two offensive linemen — trading for Laremy Tunsil and drafting rookie first-rounder Josh Conerly Jr. — to protect the franchise's most important asset — second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. After a dynamic rookie season, Daniels is going to have to be great again. The Commanders finished in the bottom half of the league in almost every defensive category, lost defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and didn't make any serious personnel upgrades on that side of the ball. 7. Detroit Lions Last ranking: 5 The Lions had to replace offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and two of his assistants along with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and one of his assistants. They also lost cornerback Carlton Davis, edge rusher Za'Darius Smith, guard Kevin Zeitler and center Frank Ragnow. They also must bounce back from a shocking 45-31 loss to the Commanders in the playoffs last season. Coach Dan Campbell is 37-11 in his last 48 games, but this will be his toughest test in a while. 8. Houston Texans Last ranking: 10 C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, more than anyone other than Caleb Williams. More than 10 percent of his dropbacks ended in a sack or interception, and Houston's offensive line lost Laremy Tunsil. The defense might be good enough, though, to keep the Texans near the top of this list while the offense tries to regain its footing. Houston was second in defensive success rate (61.1 percent) and fifth in defensive EPA per snap (6.9) last year and added free agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Read the complete rankings here GO FURTHER Pre-training camp NFL Power Rankings: Eagles, Ravens on top; Steelers, 49ers worth watching (Getty Images) Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that quarterback Anthony Richardson is "good to go" for training camp. Richardson had been shut down on May 29 after feeling soreness in his surgically repaired throwing shoulder. However, Richardson had resumed throwing recently and looks ready to engage in a camp competition with Daniel Jones for the QB1 role. Ballard added that the team will 'probably limit' his volume with throwing, but he will have no other restrictions. The Colts' first training camp practice is slated for tomorrow. FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots got some good injury news the day before the first training camp practice. Three projected starters whose status for the beginning of camp was up in the air have been cleared to practice and are expected to join the team at the first session, Mike Vrabel said. Cornerback Carlton Davis (currently on the non-football injury list), linebacker Jahlani Tavai (currently on the physically unable to perform list), and wide receiver Stefon Diggs are all expected to participate in the team's first training camp session Wednesday. Diggs, of course, is the most meaningful of those three both because of his importance to the team, which badly needs a wide receiver to step up and help Drake Maye, but also because of how speedy his return is after suffering a torn ACL in late October last season. 'I would say it's a testament to how hard he worked,' Vrabel said of Diggs. 'I don't see any limitations right now.' It's unclear what injury Davis suffered, but he didn't participate in every spring session. Tavai suffered a calf injury during organized team activities in early June and missed minicamp because of it, but has been cleared to practice. The Lions threw Arnold into the fire last year and didn't apologize for it — largely because they know how he's wired. It takes a certain mindset to play cornerback for this coaching staff, which is why the team was hesitant to devote meaningful capital on the position until the stars aligned with Arnold. Ranked 10th on Dane Brugler's big board in 2024 with a Jaylon Johnson player comp, Arnold fell to No. 24, and the Lions traded up for him. He played the most man coverage snaps of any corner in the league as a rookie, and while there were growing pains, Arnold ended better than he started. Coaches believe it'll set him up for a big jump in Year 2. Some positive injury news from New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel: Stefon Diggs cleared for camp. 'I don't see any limitations right now,' Vrabel said. Carlton Davis likely able to practice tomorrow. Jahlani Tavai on PUP now, but expected to practice tomorrow. Finally getting to see the offensive line and running backs in full pads will be high on the list because of all the questions with Dallas' running game, but that's not close to Pickens. Trading for him was the most notable move the Cowboys have made since adding Amari Cooper during the 2018 season. In that situation, Cooper was at least able to play two weeks later. Pickens was at all of the organized team activities and minicamp, but that's nothing compared to seeing what he can do with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb while everyone is going live in full pads. The expectations for the passing game should be highlight plays just about every day in Oxnard, Calif. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs had a shot at history as they tried to become the first team of the Super Bowl era to three-peat. But offensive line struggles hampered Kansas City against Philadelphia in February. GM Brett Veach worked to upgrade the line this offseason, signing offensive tackle Jaylon Moore away from the San Francisco 49ers and drafting tackle Josh Simmons out of Ohio State. The Chiefs also used the draft to improve the depth of their defensive front and pass-catching departments, and they're banking on the healthy returns of wide receivers Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown to help restore explosiveness to their offense. With Mahomes, Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo leading the way, it feels like the Chiefs always have a chance. But will they quickly rebound to resume their dynasty run or will this rebound take time?
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
NFL grades: Training camps open, offseason report cards for each team
And while positional battles, injuries and the constant churn of league-wide transactions will continue to impact every team's roster and depth chart, issuing report cards for every team's showing since the 2024 season ended can no longer wait now that teams have essentially taken shape for the upcoming campaign. So, without further ado, here are each team's grades for their performances off the field over the past few months: Chicago Bears: A They might have won the offseason the minute they hired highly, highly regarded Ben Johnson as their head coach, not only adding an offensive wunderkind but damaging the rival Lions in the process given the impact he'd had on their attack, which ranked in the top five each of the past three seasons. Recently extended GM Ryan Poles made a series of other moves to not only help Johnson but also second-year QB Caleb Williams, who had an uneven rookie season (to put it mildly). Poles buttressed the blocking by trading for Gs Joe Thuney, an All-Pro, and Jonah Jackson before signing highly regarded C Drew Dalman. The draft also brought two new toys for Williams, TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden plus, maybe, his next left tackle (Ozzy Trapilo). Poles also put in work on the defensive side, extending LB T.J. Edwards for two years, signing two-time Pro Bowler Grady Jarrett and up-and-coming pass rusher Dayo Odeyingbo before snagging DL Shemar Turner in the draft's second round. Little room for further excuses here, though Johnson and Poles now seem to have far more security than the players. New England Patriots: A The return of Mike Vrabel to Foxborough as this team's new head coach should have the broadest impact on this franchise now and well into the future - and is also the stroke that should be the primary accelerant to second-year QB Drake Maye's career. But the Pats also did plenty from a roster standpoint to bulwark the league's worst offense - notably earmarking its first draft four picks to that side of the ball. First-round OT Will Campbell and second-round RB TreVeyon Henderson are both expected to immediately have major roles. New WR Stefon Diggs and RT Morgan Moses are veteran additions and somewhat damaged goods - both coming off knee surgery - but each should benefit Maye. Expect a big jump defensively after most of the team's copious free agent budget went there in order to sign DT Milton Williams (4 years, $104 million), considered perhaps the crown jewel of a thin free agent crop. LB Robert Spillane, OLB Harold Landry and DB Carlton Davis III all got three-year deals worth more than $130 million in sum - a lot to shell out for a trio with all of one Pro Bowl nod on their collective resumes. The return of DT Christian Barmore, who was sidelined by blood clots last season, adds an additional boost. If Maye continues along his trajectory, a team that won four games in 2024 could easily double that total. Last week was the cherry on top of Phase One of their cultural reset, WR Garrett Wilson and CB Sauce Gardner signing four-year extensions that not only solidify the roster's foundation but underscore the philosophical buy-in no-frills rookie head coach Aaron Glenn is getting before even working a game. Those deals followed what seemed like a strong draft headlined by first-round RT Armand Membou and second-round TE Mason Taylor, who should both be Week 1 starters while adding further steel to this club's backbone. New QB1 Justin Fields, tabbed to replace Aaron Rodgers after Glenn put an end to that era (error?), represented new GM Darren Mougey's biggest foray into free agency and will either put a wedge in the team's revolving door behind center or put them back in the market for a passer in what should be a strong 2026 draft at the position. CB D.J. Reed will be missed. Philadelphia Eagles: A- As has been the case with nearly every reigning champion during the salary cap portion of the Super Bowl era, you can't keep everyone. And while the Eagles will return their offense nearly intact - it should be fine sans RG Mekhi Becton - the defense took a few hits. Among the departed: OLB Josh Sweat, DL Milton Williams, DBs Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson and retired DE Brandon Graham. However EVP/GM Howie Roseman, who always seems ready for what's next, issued smart raises to RB Saquon Barkley and RT Lane Johnson, got new deals done for LB Zack Baun and C Cam Jurgens and, thanks to his drafting acumen, the defense appears backfilled by capable replacements, though there's no sugarcoating the loss of depth. (However Roseman did bring in a lot of accomplished veterans at low cost, a list that includes LBs Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche, CB Adoree' Jackson, TE Harrison Bryant and RB AJ Dillon.) Versatile first-round LB Jihaad Campbell, who likely wouldn't have fallen to the 31st overall pick had his shoulder been healthy, could also make up some of the shortfall. And watch out for second-round S Andrew Mukuba. In other good news, coach Nick Sirianni also got an extension ... as did the "Tush Push," perhaps partially thanks to a late shove from former pusher Jason Kelce. Baltimore Ravens: B+ AFC North champs the past two seasons, they're pretty nicely set up to make another very strong Super Bowl push - getting Pro Bowl LT Ronnie Stanley re-signed while adding veterans accomplished veterans such as WR DeAndre Hopkins and CB Jaire Alexander. Their top two draft picks, S Malaki Starks and OLB Mike Green, could make instant impacts. A tight cap could make anything further on the personnel side a challenge, but an extension needs to get done fairly soon for All-Pro QB Lamar Jackson - he carries a prohibitive $74.5 million cap hit in 2026 and '27 - and then new deals for young core players such as S Kyle Hamilton, C Tyler Linderbaum and TE Isaiah Likely should follow. Also, it remains to be seen what Baltimore gets from whomever replaces disgraced former K Justin Tucker, who was released last month. Denver Broncos: B+ A team that made a surprising playoff run in 2024 behind rookie QB Bo Nix could be poised to take the next step. Denver drafted DB Jahdae Barron and RB RJ Harvey - both could play a ton of snaps as rookies - and took a targeted approach to free agency, which brought TE Evan Engram, RB J.K. Dobbins, LB Dre Greenlaw and S Talanoa Hufanga ... though all of those veterans come with extensive injuries in their backgrounds. Yet if half of them pan out, Sean Payton's team could challenge K.C. for AFC West supremacy. Kansas City Chiefs: B+ You wouldn't think a cemented dynasty would have this productive an offseason or this much financial flexibility - and QB Patrick Mahomes deserves more credit there given his ongoing willingness to restructure his contract and allocate money elsewhere. And while not everyone will be back, notably Thuney and S Justin Reid, the team managed to extend G Trey Smith and DE George Karlaftis, re-signed LB Nick Bolton, WRs Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster and RB Kareem Hunt. GM Brett Veach was also able to add OT Jaylon Moore and CB Kristian Fulton. TE Travis Kelce will, at minimum, play out the final year of his contract, and WR Rashee Rice is back after last year's season-ending knee injury, though he could miss the early part of the season if the NFL hands down a suspension in the aftermath of his legal issues being resolved. The defense was heavily augmented by the draft, but the spotlight will be on first-round OT Josh Simmons who, along with Moore, will be vying to solidify the new-look left side of a line that failed the team during its Super Bowl 59 three-peat bid. It's a fascinating mix of stability and churn for a team that's only missed the Super Bowl once in the past six seasons. Yet the O-line does remain something of a question aside from Smith and C Creed Humphrey. New York Giants: B+ If HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen are truly on the hot seat ... gonna be interesting. First-round QB Jaxson Dart is clearly the future here, but will Daboll have the luxury of developing him in a redshirt manner after the team brought in veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston? How much will the secondary benefit after Schoen invested three years and nearly $100 million collectively for S Jevon Holland and CB Paulson Adebo? (Maybe a lot with No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux rushing quarterbacks.) A draft that brought Carter, Dart and RB Cam Skattebo could pay off handsomely ... whether it's for this front office or the next one. Seattle Seahawks: B+ A team that unexpectedly won 10 games and fell a tiebreaker short of postseason in 2024, Mike Macdonald's first as the coach, nevertheless took something of a sledgehammer to the top of its roster. Gone are QB Geno Smith and WRs DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, among others. In are Pro Bowl QB Sam Darnold, WR Cooper Kupp and DE DeMarcus Lawrence, among others. The trades of Smith and Metcalf paved the way for a big-time draft class that brought OL Grey Zabel, S Nick Emmanwori, TE Elijah Arroyo and highly intriguing third-round QB Jalen Milroe. Should be fascinating to see how a team more tailored to Macdonald's philosophy coalesces. Tennessee Titans: B Given QB Cam Ward was the top pick of this year's draft, there's been remarkably little national buzz around the player or his new team. And maybe that's not such a bad thing - ask the 2024 Bears. Ward has some decent weaponry around him, and rookie GM Mike Borgonzi prepared for his arrival by securing veteran G Kevin Zeitler and LT Dan Moore in free agency. And now it's undoubtedly fully speed ahead with Ward following Monday's news that last year's starter, Will Levis, will miss the 2025 season after opting to undergo shoulder surgery. Arizona Cardinals: B Heavy defensive emphasis, GM Monti Ossenfort taking DT Walter Nolen and highly regarded CB Will Johnson with his first two draft picks after plucking Sweat from the champion Eagles during free agency. Trey McBride also got a deal that briefly made him the league's best paid-tight end at $19 million annually. Will it be enough to vault a team that doubled its win total to eight last season into the playoffs? If WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has improved as much as he and the team think, maybe. Buffalo Bills: B Is their interminable Super Bowl quest over the top? Buffalo's biggest move was re-signing QB Josh Allen to a six-year, $330 million extension - which is actually below market value at $55 million per season. Securing the reigning league MVP is a huge plus, and GM Brandon Beane also reinvested heavily elsewhere in his roster (DE Greg Rousseau, WR Khalil Shakir, LB Terrel Bernard, CB Christian Benford). The team seems confident the development of WR Keon Coleman, addition of WR Josh Palmer and return to health by TE Dalton Kincaid can take the passing game up a notch. But will a generally conservative reliance on continuity be enough? Also first-round CB Maxwell Hairston is dealing with legal issues, and DE Joey Bosa (calf) is already coping with an injury. Green Bay Packers: B They made a splash - by Wisconsin standards - after taking Matthew Golden in the first round of the draft, breaking a 23-year streak when they'd avoided Round 1 wideouts. If he can establish himself as a No. 1 receiver, much as HC Matt LaFleur hates that label, this offense could reach a new level. GM Brian Gutekunst made other significant, if less noted, moves, extending OL Zach Tom and bringing in free agent G Aaron Banks and CB Nate Hobbs, all on four-year contracts. Hobbs basically replaces now-departed Alexander. Houston Texans: B After the offense regressed around second-year QB C.J. Stroud in 2024, a team that's won past two AFC South crowns should probably be given credit for not resting on its laurels, largely remaking the O-line and receiver room while firing coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was taking head coach interviews just the year before. It remains to be seen how Stroud fares with new play caller Nick Caley or behind a line that could have a different player in every spot but right tackle compared to the combinations Houston used in last season's playoffs. But with newly acquired vets like WR Christian Kirk and Gardner-Johnson plus a nice haul of rookies - OL Aireontae Ersery, WRs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel - and perhaps six picks in the first three rounds of next year's draft, it's easy to understand GM Nick Caserio's logic. And he gets extra points for moving quickly to extend All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars: B With the bold move up to get Hunter, rookie GM James Gladstone is banking on this as a transformative offseason that's potentially netted a new face of the franchise. Whether Hunter, who cost the Jags their second-rounder this year and a first next year, can effectively gain this team a roster spot or even consistently be a major presence on both sides of the ball game in and game out remains to be seen. His impact will also be largely dictated by the health of QB Trevor Lawrence, who underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder and is adapting to yet another head coach with rookie Liam Coen now in the post. But Lawrence should enjoy upgraded protection after Gladstone signed free agent OL Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey to three-year deals. But the organization really needs Coen, Hunter, WR Brian Thomas Jr. and maybe even new deep threat Dyami Brown to help the No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft blossom into the superstar he was projected to be coming out of Clemson. Los Angeles Rams: B You're forgiven if you thought a team that traded out of the first round basically spent the offseason swapping out Kupp for Davante Adams and tweaking its O-line. But GM Les Snead also got new deals done for QB Matthew Stafford and LT Alaric Jackson while adding NT Poona Ford to an ascending defense. Second-round TE Terrance Ferguson could quickly add a new dimension to the offense. Minnesota Vikings: B HC Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah both got deserved extensions in the wake of a surprising 14-win season and busily did what they could to put new QB1 J.J. McCarthy into an optimal situation as he prepares to take his first regular-season snaps following a rookie year completely lost to a knee injury. That's meant adding OL Will Fries, Ryan Kelly and first-rounder Donovan Jackson plus re-signing RB Aaron Jones. McCarthy should also benefit from a play-making defense reinforced by veteran DTs Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave plus the retention of S Harrison Smith and ascending CB Byron Murphy. But this whole thing might be undone if the decision to part with Darnold proves a mistake. Pittsburgh Steelers: B Ultimately, this season will be judged by whether a team nearly a decade removed from its last playoff win made the right call at quarterback ... something it hasn't done for some time. But after failing to convince Fields, who was benched for Wilson last season, to re-sign or pry Stafford loose from the Rams, per reports, coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan settled on Rodgers - for what's likely a one-year rental - rather than roll the dice on a rookie passer in a draft that seemed thin on QB prospects. Otherwise? In are Metcalf, CBs Jalen Ramsey and Slay and TE Jonnu Smith. Out are WR George Pickens, RB Najee Harris and S Minkah Fitzpatrick. For better or worse, soon-to-be 31-year-old OLB T.J. Watt just landed an extension averaging $41 million, meaning he's now the league's best-compensated non-QB for the next five minutes. A seemingly strong draft class headlined by DL Derrick Harmon and RB Kaleb Johnson, effectively gets an additional boost from 2024 first-round RT Troy Fautanu and speedy third-round WR Roman Wilson, who made one appearance apiece as rookies. Will they be enough to win more than 10 games and reach the divisional round of postseason? We don't have to tell you to stay tuned. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B A team that values stability as much as any certainly maintained it, extending the contracts of GM Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles as the organization eyes a fifth straight NFC South crown. WR Chris Godwin and LB Lavonte David are also back. OLB Haason Reddick and rookie WR Emeka Egbuka are seemingly the most prominent newcomers, though the draft brought quite a few defensive reinforcements. LT Tristan Wirfs (knee surgery) will miss the start of the season, but Godwin is hoping his ankle is ready to go for Week 1. Dallas Cowboys: B- Welp, it's never dull in Big D. The Cowboys began 2025 with the fairly surprising choice of naming Brian Schottenheimer to his first head coaching gig - he replaced Mike McCarthy - and his tenure seems to be off to a good start in the locker room. It helps to have QB Dak Prescott fully recovered from the hamstring injury that cut his 2024 season short. There's also been ample buzz following the trade with Pittsburgh for Pickens. Issues certainly remain - though, despite owner Jerry Jones' rhetoric, expect DE Micah Parsons to soon become the league's next highest-paid non-quarterback. Figuring out if they have an effective runner to replace departed RB Rico Dowdle, whether Joe Milton III is potentially ready to fill in for Prescott and if recently fined CB Trevon Diggs can get back into the team's good graces could actually be more difficult answers to find. Las Vegas Raiders: B- There's little doubt they should be more competitive on the heels of a 4-13 campaign. Yet with a soon-to-be 74-year-old coach in Pete Carroll and soon-to-be 35-year-old QB Geno Smith, it all feels very ... interim? The team locked up DE Maxx Crosby through the 2029 season. All-Pro TE Brock Bowers feels like the only other cornerstone right now, though rookie GM John Spytek certainly hopes he found more in RB Ashton Jeanty, WR Jack Bech and others in what could be a strong draft class. The uncertain status of DT Christian Wilkins (foot surgery), signed to a four-year, $110 million deal a year ago, remains a concern. San Francisco 49ers: B- Some bills came due, literally and figuratively. Primarily, Brock Purdy finally became eligible to come off the NFL's version of quarterback welfare, signing a five-year, $265 million extension. Two of the team's other linchpins, TE George Kittle and LB Fred Warner, also inked new deals. But there were unavoidable ripple effects, perhaps most notable the trade of Samuel. The defense was also stripped of several former mainstays, including Greenlaw, Hufanga, DE Leonard Floyd, CB Charvarius Ward, and DTs Hargrave and Maliek Collins. Former Jets coach Robert Saleh is back to run the unit but will have to try and revive it with a lot of new players after GM George Lynch devoted his first five 2025 draft picks to the defensive side of the ball before trading for DE Bryce Huff. On the health front, All-Pros Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams seem ready to return, but WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall are currently on the PUP list. Washington Commanders: B- Given QB Jayden Daniels enters his second season as a bona fide MVP candidate, you want to commend a team that's already going for it by adding veterans like OLB Von Miller. And retaining leaders like LB Bobby Wagner, TE Zach Ertz and QB2 Marcus Mariota should only pay current and future dividends. Rookies Josh Conerly and Trey Amos could also contribute heavily early and often. Yet it's worth asking if Washington will ultimately be happy with its trades for WR Deebo Samuel, who's a touch volatile and often banged up, and LT Laremy Tunsil, who led the NFL with 19 penalties in 2024 (12 of them false starts). Also, three years and $45 million for DL Javon Kinlaw? And it probably shouldn't have taken this long to reach a financial agreement with WR Terry McLaurin, who's been a good soldier here long before the team got good ... or even respectable. New Orleans Saints: C+ Derek Carr recently retired. Former All-Pro Ryan Ramczyk officially retired. The longtime 4-3 base defense was retired. Tyrann Mathieu juuust retired. At least the team's often tenuous cap situation improved. Reid, OLB Chase Young and TE Juwan Johnson are all good players who signed three-year deals. Rookies Kelvin Banks, Tyler Shough and Vernon Broughton, might be, too. However expectations for this season should be decidedly in check. Perhaps it's all ultimately for the best if Shough turns out to be the starting quarterback for rookie HC Kellen Moore much sooner than initially expected. Carolina Panthers: C Though they notably drafted WR Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth pick of the first round, the general lack of tinkering with the offense is indicative of how they feel about QB Bryce Young's progress last year and the pieces around him. The return of DE Derrick Brown, who missed all but one game in 2024 with a knee injury, should be the best news for a defense that gave up the most points and yards in the league last season. But GM Dan Morgan also paid to improve that side of the ball, signing S Tre'von Moehrig and DTs Tershawn Wharton to three-year deals averaging at least $15 million after missing out on former Eagles DT Milton Williams. CB Jaycee Horn also got a huge extension. OLB Jadeveon Clowney was released in May, and lingering concussion issues led to LB Josey Jewell's departure, at least for now. Cincinnati Bengals: C They deserve some credit after ponying up to extend WRs Ja'Marr Chase, who was the league's top-paid non-quarterback for a few months, and Tee Higgins, a development that kept QB Joe Burrow happy. But, at least in regard to Chase, an All-Pro who won the league's receiving triple crown, that was a no-brainer ... as it was last year, when he would have cost significantly less. One would also think giving All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson the raise he's earned going into the last year of his contract, or even simply signing first-round DE Shemar Stewart would similarly be no-brainers. But the Bengals have been Bengal-ing and risk immediately crippling their season at its outset if Hendrickson and Stewart, who's impressive skill set already needed polishing, remain absent from what's already a highly suspect defense. Los Angeles Chargers: C- They'll likely need to rely even more on their top two draft picks, RB Omarion Hampton and WR Tre Harris, following the July 4 eye injury suffered by RB Najee Harris, a free agent pickup, and WR Mike Williams, who decided to retire last week. (Good thing the Bolts drafted with a sense of redundance.) Beyond that, they hung on to OLB Khalil Mack but let Bosa go. The Chargers' two other biggest additions were Becton and CB Donte Jackson. Meh. Despite Harbaugh's optimism, tight end, corner and maybe even who will be QB Justin Herbert's top pass-catching alternative to WR Ladd McConkey remain concerns. LT Rashawn Slater still needs a new contract. Atlanta Falcons: D+ Unlike the Vikings, they haven't been able to optimize the supporting cast around QB Michael Penix Jr., who enters a season as the starter for the first time, because he's got a backup, Kirk Cousins, with a nine-figure contract. And now he'll loom over Penix from the sideline while hovering like a dark cloud over the salary cap. GM Terry Fontenot did manage to extend LT Jake Matthews but couldn't hang on to promising Dalman. Jarrett also left for Chicago. Maybe Fontenot will get more from a notoriously underwhelming pass rush after signing Floyd and drafting Jalon Walker and James Pearce in Round 1, though Pearce came at the exorbitantly high cost of next year's first-round pick. Indianapolis Colts: D+ As Brad Pitt's "F1" character, Sonny Hayes, said: "Hope is not a strategy." But kinda feels like that's where the Colts are as they assess whether Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones will be their Week 1 quarterback - an issue potentially exacerbated after the offensive line was raided during free agency. First-round TE Tyler Warren projects as an immediate difference maker. Sadly, much will be different in these parts for an organization rocked by the recent death of longtime owner Jim Irsay. Detroit Lions: D For those who see water in the glass, DE Aidan Hutchinson is on track to return from the broken leg that prematurely ended a 2024 season in which he seemed destined to win Defensive Player of the Year honors. All-Pro Kerby Joseph also became the league's highest-paid safety with a four-year, $86 million extension. But the injury bug also got an extension, DT Levi Onwuzurike already lost to a season-ending knee injury, and DT Alim McNeill still recovering from a torn ACL. C Frank Ragnow belatedly chose retirement over another season of pain. Rookie DL Tyleik Williams and OL Tate Radledge will need to be ready to play straight away. LB Alex Anzalone also seems to have some wounded pride as he awaits an extension heading into his walk year. But the main issue for this team, which is a bit of a victim of its own recent success, could be the departure of eight assistants, most notably OC Ben Johnson (Bears) and DC Glenn (Jets), both hired to their first head coaching gigs. A team that's gone 27-7 over the past two regular seasons will be severely challenged to maintain its momentum, much less build on it. Miami Dolphins: D A team that's been unable to win games of importance in recent years has been hemorrhaging talent, LT Terron Armstead retiring, Holland leaving during free agency, then Ramsey and Jonnu Smith traded last month. WR Tyreek Hill admits he's (still) working on his professionalism. Maybe first-round DT Kenneth Grant and second-round G Jonah Savaiinaea will provide toughness some have said this team lacks. GM Chris Grier and HC Mike McDaniel don't seem all that well positioned to justify the vote of confidence owner Stephen Ross gave the after last season's 8-9 finish. Cleveland Browns: I (for incomplete) They seem to be playing something of a long game, but it's just too early to know how it ultimately plays out as a team likely destined to finish last in the AFC North straddles the line between rebuilding and trying to remain competitive. They compelled DE Myles Garrett to stick around after making him the first non-QB with a contract averaging $40 million annually (over 4 years). Whether Cleveland should have cashed out on a 29-year-old at the peak of his powers who'd requested a trade earlier in the year remains an open question. After all, the Browns cashed out the No. 2 pick of the draft for a package that included Jacksonville's first-rounder next year. So what are we doing? TBD, which also sums up the team's four-way competition to determine its starting quarterback, a scrum that includes former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and fifth-round lightning rod Shedeur Sanders. Otherwise? Though GM Andrew Berry passed on the opportunity to pick Hunter, he brought in some very nice players, including DT Mason Graham, LB Carson Schwesinger and battering ram RB Quinshon Judkins - though his availability is currently in limbo after he was recently charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. Pro Bowl LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) is already out for the year. But hey, y'all, the team could be playing in a fancy new stadium in four years ... by when we'll know whether keeping Garrett, bypassing Hunter and picking Judkins and Sanders while likely punting on a long-term quarterback solution until 2026 were the correct decisions. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
As final training camps open, time to grade every NFL team's offseason
The NFL offseason, such as it is, officially ends today as the remainder of the league's 32 teams officially kick off their training camps. Or, as Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said after his team was the first to fully report to camp last week: "It's being reborn. It's the start of the year. Some would think it's January 1st. Those espoused to Catholicism, Christianity would think it's the birth of Christ. Us in football, it's the first day of training camp." As far as we know, it's not New Year's Day, nor are Three Wise Men set to report to Bethlehem. But we get it, Coach. Back to the football. And while positional battles, injuries and the constant churn of league-wide transactions will continue to impact every team's roster and depth chart, issuing report cards for every team's showing since the 2024 season ended can no longer wait now that teams have essentially taken shape for the upcoming campaign. So, without further ado, here are each team's grades for their performances off the field over the past few months: Chicago Bears: A They might have won the offseason the minute they hired highly, highly regarded Ben Johnson as their head coach, not only adding an offensive wunderkind but damaging the rival Lions in the process given the impact he'd had on their attack, which ranked in the top five each of the past three seasons. Recently extended GM Ryan Poles made a series of other moves to not only help Johnson but also second-year QB Caleb Williams, who had an uneven rookie season (to put it mildly). Poles buttressed the blocking by trading for Gs Joe Thuney, an All-Pro, and Jonah Jackson before signing highly regarded C Drew Dalman. The draft also brought two new toys for Williams, TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden plus, maybe, his next left tackle (Ozzy Trapilo). Poles also put in work on the defensive side, extending LB T.J. Edwards for two years, signing two-time Pro Bowler Grady Jarrett and up-and-coming pass rusher Dayo Odeyingbo before snagging DL Shemar Turner in the draft's second round. Little room for further excuses here, though Johnson and Poles now seem to have far more security than the players. New England Patriots: A The return of Mike Vrabel to Foxborough as this team's new head coach should have the broadest impact on this franchise now and well into the future – and is also the stroke that should be the primary accelerant to second-year QB Drake Maye's career. But the Pats also did plenty from a roster standpoint to bulwark the league's worst offense – notably earmarking its first draft four picks to that side of the ball. First-round OT Will Campbell and second-round RB TreVeyon Henderson are both expected to immediately have major roles. New WR Stefon Diggs and RT Morgan Moses are veteran additions and somewhat damaged goods – both coming off knee surgery – but each should benefit Maye. Expect a big jump defensively after most of the team's copious free agent budget went there in order to sign DT Milton Williams (4 years, $104 million), considered perhaps the crown jewel of a thin free agent crop. LB Robert Spillane, OLB Harold Landry and DB Carlton Davis III all got three-year deals worth more than $130 million in sum – a lot to shell out for a trio with all of one Pro Bowl nod on their collective résumés. The return of DT Christian Barmore, who was sidelined by blood clots last season, adds an additional boost. If Maye continues along his trajectory, a team that won four games in 2024 could easily double that total. New York Jets: A- Last week was the cherry on top of Phase One of their cultural reset, WR Garrett Wilson and CB Sauce Gardner signing four-year extensions that not only solidify the roster's foundation but underscore the philosophical buy-in no-frills rookie head coach Aaron Glenn is getting before even working a game. Those deals followed what seemed like a strong draft headlined by first-round RT Armand Membou and second-round TE Mason Taylor, who should both be Week 1 starters while adding further steel to this club's backbone. New QB1 Justin Fields, tabbed to replace Aaron Rodgers after Glenn put an end to that era (error?), represented new GM Darren Mougey's biggest foray into free agency and will either put a wedge in the team's revolving door behind center or put them back in the market for a passer in what should be a strong 2026 draft at the position. CB D.J. Reed will be missed. Philadelphia Eagles: A- As has been the case with nearly every reigning champion during the salary cap portion of the Super Bowl era, you can't keep everyone. And while the Eagles will return their offense nearly intact – it should be fine sans RG Mekhi Becton – the defense took a few hits. Among the departed: OLB Josh Sweat, DL Milton Williams, DBs Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson and retired DE Brandon Graham. However EVP/GM Howie Roseman, who always seems ready for what's next, issued smart raises to RB Saquon Barkley and RT Lane Johnson, got new deals done for LB Zack Baun and C Cam Jurgens and, thanks to his drafting acumen, the defense appears backfilled by capable replacements, though there's no sugarcoating the loss of depth. (However Roseman did bring in a lot of accomplished veterans at low cost, a list that includes LBs Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche, CB Adoree' Jackson, TE Harrison Bryant and RB AJ Dillon.) Versatile first-round LB Jihaad Campbell, who likely wouldn't have fallen to the 31st overall pick had his shoulder been healthy, could also make up some of the shortfall. And watch out for second-round S Andrew Mukuba. In other good news, coach Nick Sirianni also got an extension … as did the 'Tush Push,' perhaps partially thanks to a late shove from former pusher Jason Kelce. Baltimore Ravens: B+ AFC North champs the past two seasons, they're pretty nicely set up to make another very strong Super Bowl push – getting Pro Bowl LT Ronnie Stanley re-signed while adding veterans accomplished veterans such as WR DeAndre Hopkins and CB Jaire Alexander. Their top two draft picks, S Malaki Starks and OLB Mike Green, could make instant impacts. A tight cap could make anything further on the personnel side a challenge, but an extension needs to get done fairly soon for All-Pro QB Lamar Jackson – he carries a prohibitive $74.5 million cap hit in 2026 and '27 – and then new deals for young core players such as S Kyle Hamilton, C Tyler Linderbaum and TE Isaiah Likely should follow. Also, it remains to be seen what Baltimore gets from whomever replaces disgraced former K Justin Tucker, who was released last month. Denver Broncos: B+ A team that made a surprising playoff run in 2024 behind rookie QB Bo Nix could be poised to take the next step. Denver drafted DB Jahdae Barron and RB RJ Harvey – both could play a ton of snaps as rookies – and took a targeted approach to free agency, which brought TE Evan Engram, RB J.K. Dobbins, LB Dre Greenlaw and S Talanoa Hufanga … though all of those veterans come with extensive injuries in their backgrounds. Yet if half of them pan out, Sean Payton's team could challenge K.C. for AFC West supremacy. Kansas City Chiefs: B+ You wouldn't think a cemented dynasty would have this productive an offseason or this much financial flexibility – and QB Patrick Mahomes deserves more credit there given his ongoing willingness to restructure his contract and allocate money elsewhere. And while not everyone will be back, notably Thuney and S Justin Reid, the team managed to extend G Trey Smith and DE George Karlaftis, re-signed LB Nick Bolton, WRs Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster and RB Kareem Hunt. GM Brett Veach was also able to add OT Jaylon Moore and CB Kristian Fulton. TE Travis Kelce will, at minimum, play out the final year of his contract, and WR Rashee Rice is back after last year's season-ending knee injury, though he could miss the early part of the season if the NFL hands down a suspension in the aftermath of his legal issues being resolved. The defense was heavily augmented by the draft, but the spotlight will be on first-round OT Josh Simmons who, along with Moore, will be vying to solidify the new-look left side of a line that failed the team during its Super Bowl 59 three-peat bid. It's a fascinating mix of stability and churn for a team that's only missed the Super Bowl once in the past six seasons. Yet the O-line does remain something of a question aside from Smith and C Creed Humphrey. New York Giants: B+ If HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen are truly on the hot seat … gonna be interesting. First-round QB Jaxson Dart is clearly the future here, but will Daboll have the luxury of developing him in a redshirt manner after the team brought in veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston? How much will the secondary benefit after Schoen invested three years and nearly $100 million collectively for S Jevon Holland and CB Paulson Adebo? (Maybe a lot with No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux rushing quarterbacks.) A draft that brought Carter, Dart and RB Cam Skattebo could pay off handsomely … whether it's for this front office or the next one. Seattle Seahawks: B+ A team that unexpectedly won 10 games and fell a tiebreaker short of postseason in 2024, Mike Macdonald's first as the coach, nevertheless took something of a sledgehammer to the top of its roster. Gone are QB Geno Smith and WRs DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, among others. In are Pro Bowl QB Sam Darnold, WR Cooper Kupp and DE DeMarcus Lawrence, among others. The trades of Smith and Metcalf paved the way for a big-time draft class that brought OL Grey Zabel, S Nick Emmanwori, TE Elijah Arroyo and highly intriguing third-round QB Jalen Milroe. Should be fascinating to see how a team more tailored to Macdonald's philosophy coalesces. Tennessee Titans: B Given QB Cam Ward was the top pick of this year's draft, there's been remarkably little national buzz around the player or his new team. And maybe that's not such a bad thing – ask the 2024 Bears. Ward has some decent weaponry around him, and rookie GM Mike Borgonzi prepared for his arrival by securing veteran G Kevin Zeitler and LT Dan Moore in free agency. And now it's undoubtedly fully speed ahead with Ward following Monday's news that last year's starter, Will Levis, will miss the 2025 season after opting to undergo shoulder surgery. Arizona Cardinals: B Heavy defensive emphasis, GM Monti Ossenfort taking DT Walter Nolen and highly regarded CB Will Johnson with his first two draft picks after plucking Sweat from the champion Eagles during free agency. Trey McBride also got a deal that briefly made him the league's best paid-tight end at $19 million annually. Will it be enough to vault a team that doubled its win total to eight last season into the playoffs? If WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has improved as much as he and the team think, maybe. Buffalo Bills: B Is their interminable Super Bowl quest over the top? Buffalo's biggest move was re-signing QB Josh Allen to a six-year, $330 million extension – which is actually below market value at $55 million per season. Securing the reigning league MVP is a huge plus, and GM Brandon Beane also reinvested heavily elsewhere in his roster (DE Greg Rousseau, WR Khalil Shakir, LB Terrel Bernard, CB Christian Benford). The team seems confident the development of WR Keon Coleman, addition of WR Josh Palmer and return to health by TE Dalton Kincaid can take the passing game up a notch. But will a generally conservative reliance on continuity be enough? Also first-round CB Maxwell Hairston is dealing with legal issues, and DE Joey Bosa (calf) is already coping with an injury. Green Bay Packers: B They made a splash – by Wisconsin standards – after taking Matthew Golden in the first round of the draft, breaking a 23-year streak when they'd avoided Round 1 wideouts. If he can establish himself as a No. 1 receiver, much as HC Matt LaFleur hates that label, this offense could reach a new level. GM Brian Gutekunst made other significant, if less noted, moves, extending OL Zach Tom and bringing in free agent G Aaron Banks and CB Nate Hobbs, all on four-year contracts. Hobbs basically replaces now-departed Alexander. Houston Texans: B After the offense regressed around second-year QB C.J. Stroud in 2024, a team that's won past two AFC South crowns should probably be given credit for not resting on its laurels, largely remaking the O-line and receiver room while firing coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was taking head coach interviews just the year before. It remains to be seen how Stroud fares with new play caller Nick Caley or behind a line that could have a different player in every spot but right tackle compared to the combinations Houston used in last season's playoffs. But with newly acquired vets like WR Christian Kirk and Gardner-Johnson plus a nice haul of rookies – OL Aireontae Ersery, WRs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel – and perhaps six picks in the first three rounds of next year's draft, it's easy to understand GM Nick Caserio's logic. And he gets extra points for moving quickly to extend All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars: B With the bold move up to get Hunter, rookie GM James Gladstone is banking on this as a transformative offseason that's potentially netted a new face of the franchise. Whether Hunter, who cost the Jags their second-rounder this year and a first next year, can effectively gain this team a roster spot or even consistently be a major presence on both sides of the ball game in and game out remains to be seen. His impact will also be largely dictated by the health of QB Trevor Lawrence, who underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder and is adapting to yet another head coach with rookie Liam Coen now in the post. But Lawrence should enjoy upgraded protection after Gladstone signed free agent OL Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey to three-year deals. But the organization really needs Coen, Hunter, WR Brian Thomas Jr. and maybe even new deep threat Dyami Brown to help the No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft blossom into the superstar he was projected to be coming out of Clemson. Los Angeles Rams: B You're forgiven if you thought a team that traded out of the first round basically spent the offseason swapping out Kupp for Davante Adams and tweaking its O-line. But GM Les Snead also got new deals done for QB Matthew Stafford and LT Alaric Jackson while adding NT Poona Ford to an ascending defense. Second-round TE Terrance Ferguson could quickly add a new dimension to the offense. Minnesota Vikings: B HC Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah both got deserved extensions in the wake of a surprising 14-win season and busily did what they could to put new QB1 J.J. McCarthy into an optimal situation as he prepares to take his first regular-season snaps following a rookie year completely lost to a knee injury. That's meant adding OL Will Fries, Ryan Kelly and first-rounder Donovan Jackson plus re-signing RB Aaron Jones. McCarthy should also benefit from a play-making defense reinforced by veteran DTs Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave plus the retention of S Harrison Smith and ascending CB Byron Murphy. But this whole thing might be undone if the decision to part with Darnold proves a mistake. Pittsburgh Steelers: B Ultimately, this season will be judged by whether a team nearly a decade removed from its last playoff win made the right call at quarterback … something it hasn't done for some time. But after failing to convince Fields, who was benched for Wilson last season, to re-sign or pry Stafford loose from the Rams, per reports, coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan settled on Rodgers – for what's likely a one-year rental – rather than roll the dice on a rookie passer in a draft that seemed thin on QB prospects. Otherwise? In are Metcalf, CBs Jalen Ramsey and Slay and TE Jonnu Smith. Out are WR George Pickens, RB Najee Harris and S Minkah Fitzpatrick. For better or worse, soon-to-be 31-year-old OLB T.J. Watt just landed an extension averaging $41 million, meaning he's now the league's best-compensated non-QB for the next five minutes. A seemingly strong draft class headlined by DL Derrick Harmon and RB Kaleb Johnson, effectively gets an additional boost from 2024 first-round RT Troy Fautanu and speedy third-round WR Roman Wilson, who made one appearance apiece as rookies. Will they be enough to win more than 10 games and reach the divisional round of postseason? We don't have to tell you to stay tuned. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B A team that values stability as much as any certainly maintained it, extending the contracts of GM Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles as the organization eyes a fifth straight NFC South crown. WR Chris Godwin and LB Lavonte David are also back. OLB Haason Reddick and rookie WR Emeka Egbuka are seemingly the most prominent newcomers, though the draft brought quite a few defensive reinforcements. LT Tristan Wirfs (knee surgery) will miss the start of the season, but Godwin is hoping his ankle is ready to go for Week 1. Dallas Cowboys: B- Welp, it's never dull in Big D. The Cowboys began 2025 with the fairly surprising choice of naming Brian Schottenheimer to his first head coaching gig – he replaced Mike McCarthy – and his tenure seems to be off to a good start in the locker room. It helps to have QB Dak Prescott fully recovered from the hamstring injury that cut his 2024 season short. There's also been ample buzz following the trade with Pittsburgh for Pickens. Issues certainly remain − though, despite owner Jerry Jones' rhetoric, expect DE Micah Parsons to soon become the league's next highest-paid non-quarterback. Figuring out if they have an effective runner to replace departed RB Rico Dowdle, whether Joe Milton III is potentially ready to fill in for Prescott and if recently fined CB Trevon Diggs can get back into the team's good graces could actually be more difficult answers to find. Las Vegas Raiders: B- There's little doubt they should be more competitive on the heels of a 4-13 campaign. Yet with a soon-to-be 74-year-old coach in Pete Carroll and soon-to-be 35-year-old QB Geno Smith, it all feels very … interim? The team locked up DE Maxx Crosby through the 2029 season. All-Pro TE Brock Bowers feels like the only other cornerstone right now, though rookie GM John Spytek certainly hopes he found more in RB Ashton Jeanty, WR Jack Bech and others in what could be a strong draft class. The uncertain status of DT Christian Wilkins (foot surgery), signed to a four-year, $110 million deal a year ago, remains a concern. San Francisco 49ers: B- Some bills came due, literally and figuratively. Primarily, Brock Purdy finally became eligible to come off the NFL's version of quarterback welfare, signing a five-year, $265 million extension. Two of the team's other linchpins, TE George Kittle and LB Fred Warner, also inked new deals. But there were unavoidable ripple effects, perhaps most notable the trade of Samuel. The defense was also stripped of several former mainstays, including Greenlaw, Hufanga, DE Leonard Floyd, CB Charvarius Ward, and DTs Hargrave and Maliek Collins. Former Jets coach Robert Saleh is back to run the unit but will have to try and revive it with a lot of new players after GM George Lynch devoted his first five 2025 draft picks to the defensive side of the ball before trading for DE Bryce Huff. On the health front, All-Pros Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams seem ready to return, but WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall are currently on the PUP list. Washington Commanders: B- Given QB Jayden Daniels enters his second season as a bona fide MVP candidate, you want to commend a team that's already going for it by adding veterans like OLB Von Miller. And retaining leaders like LB Bobby Wagner, TE Zach Ertz and QB2 Marcus Mariota should only pay current and future dividends. Rookies Josh Conerly and Trey Amos could also contribute heavily early and often. Yet it's worth asking if Washington will ultimately be happy with its trades for WR Deebo Samuel, who's a touch volatile and often banged up, and LT Laremy Tunsil, who led the NFL with 19 penalties in 2024 (12 of them false starts). Also, three years and $45 million for DL Javon Kinlaw? And it probably shouldn't have taken this long to reach a financial agreement with WR Terry McLaurin, who's been a good soldier here long before the team got good … or even respectable. New Orleans Saints: C+ Derek Carr recently retired. Former All-Pro Ryan Ramczyk officially retired. The longtime 4-3 base defense was retired. Tyrann Mathieu juuust retired. At least the team's often tenuous cap situation improved. Reid, OLB Chase Young and TE Juwan Johnson are all good players who signed three-year deals. Rookies Kelvin Banks, Tyler Shough and Vernon Broughton, might be, too. However expectations for this season should be decidedly in check. Perhaps it's all ultimately for the best if Shough turns out to be the starting quarterback for rookie HC Kellen Moore much sooner than initially expected. Carolina Panthers: C Though they notably drafted WR Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth pick of the first round, the general lack of tinkering with the offense is indicative of how they feel about QB Bryce Young's progress last year and the pieces around him. The return of DE Derrick Brown, who missed all but one game in 2024 with a knee injury, should be the best news for a defense that gave up the most points and yards in the league last season. But GM Dan Morgan also paid to improve that side of the ball, signing S Tre'von Moehrig and DTs Tershawn Wharton to three-year deals averaging at least $15 million after missing out on former Eagles DT Milton Williams. CB Jaycee Horn also got a huge extension. OLB Jadeveon Clowney was released in May, and lingering concussion issues led to LB Josey Jewell's departure, at least for now. Cincinnati Bengals: C They deserve some credit after ponying up to extend WRs Ja'Marr Chase, who was the league's top-paid non-quarterback for a few months, and Tee Higgins, a development that kept QB Joe Burrow happy. But, at least in regard to Chase, an All-Pro who won the league's receiving triple crown, that was a no-brainer … as it was last year, when he would have cost significantly less. One would also think giving All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson the raise he's earned going into the last year of his contract, or even simply signing first-round DE Shemar Stewart would similarly be no-brainers. But the Bengals have been Bengal-ing and risk immediately crippling their season at its outset if Hendrickson and Stewart, who's impressive skill set already needed polishing, remain absent from what's already a highly suspect defense. Los Angeles Chargers: C- They'll likely need to rely even more on their top two draft picks, RB Omarion Hampton and WR Tre Harris, following the July 4 eye injury suffered by RB Najee Harris, a free agent pickup, and WR Mike Williams, who decided to retire last week. (Good thing the Bolts drafted with a sense of redundance.) Beyond that, they hung on to OLB Khalil Mack but let Bosa go. The Chargers' two other biggest additions were Becton and CB Donte Jackson. Meh. Despite Harbaugh's optimism, tight end, corner and maybe even who will be QB Justin Herbert's top pass-catching alternative to WR Ladd McConkey remain concerns. LT Rashawn Slater still needs a new contract. Atlanta Falcons: D+ Unlike the Vikings, they haven't been able to optimize the supporting cast around QB Michael Penix Jr., who enters a season as the starter for the first time, because he's got a backup, Kirk Cousins, with a nine-figure contract. And now he'll loom over Penix from the sideline while hovering like a dark cloud over the salary cap. GM Terry Fontenot did manage to extend LT Jake Matthews but couldn't hang on to promising Dalman. Jarrett also left for Chicago. Maybe Fontenot will get more from a notoriously underwhelming pass rush after signing Floyd and drafting Jalon Walker and James Pearce in Round 1, though Pearce came at the exorbitantly high cost of next year's first-round pick. Indianapolis Colts: D+ As Brad Pitt's 'F1' character, Sonny Hayes, said: "Hope is not a strategy." But kinda feels like that's where the Colts are as they assess whether Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones will be their Week 1 quarterback – an issue potentially exacerbated after the offensive line was raided during free agency. First-round TE Tyler Warren projects as an immediate difference maker. Sadly, much will be different in these parts for an organization rocked by the recent death of longtime owner Jim Irsay. Detroit Lions: D For those who see water in the glass, DE Aidan Hutchinson is on track to return from the broken leg that prematurely ended a 2024 season in which he seemed destined to win Defensive Player of the Year honors. All-Pro Kerby Joseph also became the league's highest-paid safety with a four-year, $86 million extension. But the injury bug also got an extension, DT Levi Onwuzurike already lost to a season-ending knee injury, and DT Alim McNeill still recovering from a torn ACL. C Frank Ragnow belatedly chose retirement over another season of pain. Rookie DL Tyleik Williams and OL Tate Radledge will need to be ready to play straight away. LB Alex Anzalone also seems to have some wounded pride as he awaits an extension heading into his walk year. But the main issue for this team, which is a bit of a victim of its own recent success, could be the departure of eight assistants, most notably OC Ben Johnson (Bears) and DC Glenn (Jets), both hired to their first head coaching gigs. A team that's gone 27-7 over the past two regular seasons will be severely challenged to maintain its momentum, much less build on it. Miami Dolphins: D A team that's been unable to win games of importance in recent years has been hemorrhaging talent, LT Terron Armstead retiring, Holland leaving during free agency, then Ramsey and Jonnu Smith traded last month. WR Tyreek Hill admits he's (still) working on his professionalism. Maybe first-round DT Kenneth Grant and second-round G Jonah Savaiinaea will provide toughness some have said this team lacks. GM Chris Grier and HC Mike McDaniel don't seem all that well positioned to justify the vote of confidence owner Stephen Ross gave the after last season's 8-9 finish. Cleveland Browns: I (for incomplete) They seem to be playing something of a long game, but it's just too early to know how it ultimately plays out as a team likely destined to finish last in the AFC North straddles the line between rebuilding and trying to remain competitive. They compelled DE Myles Garrett to stick around after making him the first non-QB with a contract averaging $40 million annually (over 4 years). Whether Cleveland should have cashed out on a 29-year-old at the peak of his powers who'd requested a trade earlier in the year remains an open question. After all, the Browns cashed out the No. 2 pick of the draft for a package that included Jacksonville's first-rounder next year. So what are we doing? TBD, which also sums up the team's four-way competition to determine its starting quarterback, a scrum that includes former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and fifth-round lightning rod Shedeur Sanders. Otherwise? Though GM Andrew Berry passed on the opportunity to pick Hunter, he brought in some very nice players, including DT Mason Graham, LB Carson Schwesinger and battering ram RB Quinshon Judkins – though his availability is currently in limbo after he was recently charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. Pro Bowl LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) is already out for the year. But hey, y'all, the team could be playing in a fancy new stadium in four years … by when we'll know whether keeping Garrett, bypassing Hunter and picking Judkins and Sanders while likely punting on a long-term quarterback solution until 2026 were the correct decisions. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Poland's Tusk unveils new cabinet in bid to reverse decline in polls
Find out what's new on ST website and app. WARSAW - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday in a bid to regain momentum amid falling approval ratings and potential clashes with the new, opposition-backed nationalist president. Since Karol Nawrocki's victory over Tusk's liberal ally Rafal Trzaskowski in June's presidential election, dissension within the ruling pro-European coalition has grown, raising doubt about its future under a veto-wielding head of state. Under the reshuffle, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski was promoted to deputy prime minister while keeping his current post. "We as a government need a very strong political figure in international relations," Tusk told reporters. To consolidate oversight of economic affairs, Tusk announced a new superministry combining finance and the economy to be headed by current Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski. "The most important structural undertaking is building a viable financial and economic centre. There will be a single centre operating transparently and implementing a comprehensive economic policy," Tusk said. Milosz Motyka from junior coalition party PSL will head a newly created energy ministry. A judge, Waldemar Zurek, was named to run the justice ministry as it seeks to shore up rule of law standards that critics say deteriorated under the previous nationalist government. Tusk's coalition has steadily declined in opinion polls since mid-2024. This month, the share of government opponents has risen to 48% while the government's support has held steady at 32%, the latest CBOS poll showed. Polls have traced the government's drop in popularity to public disenchantment with a lack of concrete achievements, with the opposition landing effective blows over a failure to stem undocumented migration into Poland. The reshuffle drew criticism from the main opposition Law and Justice party, which lost power in the 2023 election. "Reconstruction means nothing other than the further destruction of Poland. Some incompetents were replaced by others," the party's vice president, Mariusz Blaszczak, said in a post on X. Nawrocki, who will be sworn in as president on August 6, has questioned the coalition's pro-European, liberal agenda but said he is willing to accept moves to increase the tax-free pay threshold and deregulate parts of the economy. "All laws that will be good for Poles will meet with my approval," Nawrocki said in the televised interview on Monday. Tusk, in his remarks announcing the reshuffle, called on supporters not to despair after Nawrocki's presidential victory. "No defeat, including the presidential election, justifies this mood or despair, this slackness, these thoughts of surrender ... The time of post-election trauma definitely ends today," the former European Council president said. REUTERS
Euractiv
2 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
Tusk unveils major cabinet reshuffle amid coalition crisis
WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, removing key ministers and consolidating key portfolios in a move aimed at stabilising his embattled coalition government. The reshuffle follows the presidential election defeat of Civic Platform candidate and Tusk ally Rafał Trzaskowski, as well as slumping poll numbers that have emboldened junior coalition partners. The centre-right Poland 2050 party pushed for the creation of a deputy prime minister post, while the Polish People's Party (PSL) even suggested replacing Tusk with its leader and defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. These demands were ultimately dismissed. Although Tusk insisted that the overhaul would not alter the coalition's 'major goals' since taking power in 2023, the changes mark a clear shift in direction. Justice Minister Adam Bodnar, the architect of Poland's EU-approved rule-of-law plan, is set to leave the government. Although he was praised for unlocking EU cohesion and recovery funds that had been frozen under the PiS-led administration, Bodnar has faced mounting criticism over the slow pace of judicial reform. He will be replaced by Waldemar Żurek, a vocal critic of the judicial changes introduced during the PiS era, who is expected to continue the reform agenda. Tusk also announced that the number of ministries would be reduced from 26 to 21, stating that the goal was to build 'not the biggest government, but the best one.' Two new 'super ministries' were also announced: an energy ministry, which will be led by Miłosz Motyka (PSL); and an economy ministry, which has been added to the portfolio of Finance Minister Andrzej Domański. Despite the shakeup, public confidence remains low. A poll by SW Research for Onet found that 40% of Poles believe the reshuffle will do little to improve the government's image. (cs, de)
