Chiefs fans will likely have their two-time MVP quarterback return sooner rather than later. Patrick Mahomes is expected to be “fully cleared” this week, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer . Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in Week 15 and underwent surgery on Dec. 15. Mahomes was a full participant at Chiefs OTAs in May in both individuals and 7-on-7s, donning a yellow non-contact jersey. During Phase III, the team kept him out of 11-on-11 drills as a precaution. Mahomes also took part in mandatory minicamp, putting him on track to be ready for camp in July and August. Chiefs quarterbacks and rookies will report to training camp three days earlier than the rest of the team, so Mahomes will be back at Kansas City ’s facility in St. Joseph, Mo., on Friday. However, Mahomes will have to face defenders for the first time on the surgically repaired knee. Breer also noted the toughness of Kansas City’s offseason programs, noting that Mahomes has previously played in preseason games. During training camp, the Chiefs will also see action under center from Justin Fields , Chris Oladokun and rookie Garrett Nussmeier . It remains to be seen whether Mahomes will generally split time early in camp, and how the team will handle his reps in the preseason
Kansas City is accustomed to being the epicenter of the NFL universe during the postseason. But during the preseason? That’s a new development for the Chiefs. While several starting quarterbacks are expected to be cleared to start training camp after suffering season-ending injuries, only one is a two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion. Apologies to Daniel Jones (Colts), Bo Nix (Broncos) and Jayden Daniels (Commanders), but there is only one Patrick Mahomes . After suffering a torn ACL and LCL in December, Mahomes’ goal is to play Week 1 . So, Mahomes’ day-to-day involvement in practices — and how mobile he looks in the pocket — will create major news as the Chiefs look to squeeze more out of a dynasty that seemed to be on its last legs; the Chiefs were 6-8 even before his injury. Mahomes, 30, could have a renewed chip on his shoulder too, as fewer NFL talent evaluators than in the past see him as the clear top quarterback in the league. This could be the start of Mahomes’ final season throwing to his favorite target — newlywed Travis Kelce . And his next-favorite target, Rashee Rice , is expected back on the field after missing OTAs and minicamp while serving a 30-day jail sentence for a probation violation. The Chiefs’ Plan B if Mahomes is not ready is journeyman Justin Fields . Here are nine other storylines as NFL training camps get underway this week, beginning with Wednesday’s report date for the Panthers and Cardinals: Ever since the all-in Rams traded for Myles Garrett , future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald has fed speculation about possibly coming out of retirement after two seasons away. Donald reportedly isn’t looking for the half-season Roger Clemens Package. If he returns, he wants to be part of the full ride (starting Saturday) and perform like his dominant self rather than a part-timer. That presumably means Donald would want to be paid top dollar, too, and that part could get sticky: He had one year left on a three-year, $95 million contract when he retired. Love him or hate him, Aaron Rodgers is an NFL icon. The retiring Rodgers begins his 22nd and final season by reuniting with his former Packers coach Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh , where the Steelers are transitioning after 19 years under Mike Tomlin. Rodgers could catch Peyton Manning for No. 3 on the all-time touchdown passes chart this season. The battle in camp to be Rodgers’ backup is between Mason Rudolph , Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar . Can either Howard or Allar make a case to be his heir apparent? The three main battles are in Cleveland ( Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders ), Minnesota ( Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy ) and Atlanta ( Tua Tagovailoa vs. Michael Penix Jr.). The situations for Murray and Tagovailoa are similar: Former Pro Bowlers looking to restart their careers for playoff hopefuls by beating out 2024 first-round picks who have been beset by injuries. Watson hasn’t thrown for more than 1,200 yards or seven touchdowns since 2020 but is still eating up $40.9 million in salary cap space. Sanders is an ultra-confident lightning rod. And Dillon Gabriel — drafted two rounds ahead of Sanders in 2025 — already looks like the odd man out. Coaches every year vow to be patient with their rookie quarterbacks. They almost always give in to pressure. When will No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza force first-year coach Klint Kubiak’s hand with the Raiders? He already got “a ton better” in his first month in the NFL. Can placeholder Kirk Cousins — looking for redemption after his disastrous (but very lucrative) decision to leave the Vikings for the Falcons in 2024 — hold off Mendoza to get the Week 1 start? A handful of former 1,000-yard receivers changed teams during the offseason and could have big impacts on the expectations for their quarterbacks: Welcome to an era of the Patriots’ A.J. Brown , Broncos’ Jaylen Waddle , Bills’ D.J. Moore and 49ers’ Mike Evans . Free agent Stefon Diggs looms as another difference-maker. The R
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Three-time Super Bowl champion tight end Travis Kelce returns to the Kansas Chiefs in 2026 for his 14th and perhaps final NFL season. Kelce re-signed on a one-year, $12 million contract with two void years for salary cap purposes. The pact is structured for Kelce to decide whether to retire by June 2027, and after marrying Taylor Swift, he may look forward to more free time on his hands. Kelce doesn't have much left to prove. He ranks as the Chiefs' all-time receptions (1,080), receiving yards (13,002) and receiving touchdowns leader (82) while those same figures respectively have him ranked third, third and fifth all-time among all NFL tight ends. Receptions 1,080 1st 3rd Receiving yards 13,002 1st 3rd Receiving TD 82 1st 5th So what can we expect from a 37-year-old Kelce in 2026? The role is pretty clear, but the raw numbers are a little more murky. Kansas City will once again ask Kelce to be a focal point of their offense in his 14th season: he led the Chiefs in catches (76), receiving yards (851), while co-leading the team in receiving touchdowns (five). Since the Chiefs traded away All-Pro Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins in 2022, Kelce accounts for nearly a quarter of all of Kansas City's receiving at 22.7% (3,996), and Rice is second in that span at 10.2% (1,797). The 2010 All-Decade team tight end will continue to be heavily relied on in 2026. Travis Kelce 22.7% Rashee Rice 10.2% JuJu Smith-Schuster 8.6% Noah Gray 6.9% Xavier Worthy 6.6% * Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 offseason It's unclear if Patrick Mahomes will be the one throwing the ball to Kelce all season. Mahomes tore both his ACL and LCL in his left knee on Dec. 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers , and a torn ACL injury typically involves a nine-month recovery on its own. It's unclear how the combination of the ACL and LCL tear will affect Mahomes' timetable. If he's unable to suit up for Week 1, the Chiefs have Justin Fields and 2026 seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier competing to be Mahomes' placeholder. Kelce made history with a team-leading 851 yards receiving in 2025 at the age of 36. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez as the only tight ends in NFL history with 800-plus receiving yards in a season at the age of 36-or-older. Gonzalez accomplished the feat as a 36-year-old (930 in 2012) and as a 37-year-old (859 in 2013) with the Atlanta Falcons . With how much of a target share he'll likely continue to possess in a Kansas City offense lacking in reliable playmakers at the wide receiver position, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and head coach Andy Reid will likely continue to feature him in Year 14. Expect Kelce to produce numbers similar to his 2025 output in 2026
The Jets did not need to pay much to reacquire quarterback Geno Smith in the offseason. Smith returned to New York in a trade involving a late round pick swap. The Jets also gave Geno a small salary bump. The hope is that the veteran quarterback can provide some stability at the most important position on the field. Last week we asked Jets fans how well they expect Smith to do in his second stint with the team. It’s clear that expectations are not low. A majority of fans who voted in our survey expect Geno Smith to rank somewhere between the 11th and 20th best quarterback in the NFL this season. It would be quite a story if we he was able to do it. Geno’s first tenure with the Jets was tumultuous with little on field success. It’s rare to get a second chance, but that’s what Geno Smith has. Of course to get this outcome it will require Geno to significantly improve his level of play. He actually finished 2025 with a lower QBR than Justin Fields . He greatly struggled quarterbacking the 3-14 Raiders. Getting to a level of credible quarterback play likely would put him in the running for Comeback Player of the Year. Bet on the game with FanDuel Sportsbook, SB Nation’s official sportsbook partner!
Heading into the 2026 season, the Jets have made a series of moves to improve the state of their roster and overall depth, but are they ready to compete for a playoff spot? In this series, we’ll break down the depth chart for every position group. This time, we’ll go in depth at the quarterback position… Starter: Geno Smith Backups: Bailey Zappe , Cade Klubnik , Brady Cook Key additions/losses: Smith was acquired via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders , while previous starter Justin Fields headed to Kansas City in another trade and Tyrod Taylor departed in free agency. Klubnik was drafted in the fourth round, and Zappe was acquired on a futures deal at the end of last season. Top Performers in 2025: Fields made nine starts, winning two. He completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,259 yards and seven touchdowns with just one interception. He also rushed for 383 yards and four touchdowns. 2025 ranking per PFF: Smith was 37th out of 45 qualifiers last year, five places below Fields. Cook was dead last. Smith’s improbable return to the Jets sees him viewed very differently than he was when he left the Jets at the end of his rookie deal 10 years ago. He has matured a lot since then, leading the Seattle Seahawks to the postseason and earning two Pro Bowl invitations, the most recent of which was just three years ago. The Jets remain confident that the 35-year-old still has plenty left in the tank. They will be hoping to see the best version of him as he spearheads offensive coordinator Frank Reich ’s offense, which boasts stability on the offensive line and a retooled group of pass catchers. Head coach Aaron Glenn was probably being over-optimistic when he said that he believes Smith “can take the Jets to the promised land”. However, he refused to rule out Smith returning in 2027 if he plays well in 2026, despite the fact the Jets are widely expected to use a high draft pick on their quarterback of the future next April with Smith on a one-year deal. Behind Smith, the backup options are lacking in experience, and it would be a concern if New York entered the year being one Smith injury away from one of the current reserves being forced into significant playing time. Zappe is the most experienced option, with nine career starts, four of which his team won. However, he failed to crack a weak Cleveland Browns rotation last season and was without a team at the end of the year so he’s not exactly a sought-after talent. Klubnik is a former five-star high school recruit who many expected to play better in college and end up as a possible first-round pick. However, when the Jets took him in the fourth round, this was considerably earlier than most analysts expected based on his inconsistent collegiate career at Clemson. The Jets seem to like him a lot and obviously hope they can unlock some of his unrealized potential, but it would be a major gamble to assume he could be ready to play at the NFL level as a rookie. The other quarterback on the roster is Cook, who started the last four games in 2025 as an undrafted rookie. He looked out of his depth in those games and already seems to have already fallen behind Zappe and Klubnik in the pecking order. Ultimately, how Smith performs could make or break the Jets’ season. If he can play with the same level of efficiency as he did during his best years in Seattle, the Jets’ offense will be significantly improved, and the team should be competitive. Can we rely on that, though? Smith was poor with the Raiders last season as he led the league in interceptions and struggled to elevate a poor supporting cast. He was also the most-sacked quarterback in the league last year, which shouldn’t repeat with the Jets projected to have a solid offensive line. Perhaps with better protection, Smith can rediscover the fountain of youth. It would probably be smart for the Jets to figure out some way to get someone more established on the team as a more viable number two option. If they don’t, it look
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The start of the Aaron Glenn era actually wasn't a complete disaster for the New York Jets — at least, it wasn't quite as bad as we might remember. The Jets started 0-7 but were competitive in most games. Five of those games were decided by one possession, and some of those close games were against solid teams such as the Steelers , Buccaneers, Broncos and Panthers. No, an 0-7 record wasn't fun, but nobody should've assumed the 2025 Jets were going to be a playoff contender. It was reasonable for them to be playing competitive games even if the wins weren't coming (though sticking with Justin Fields too long early in the season and a damning clock-management error at the end of the first half against the Broncos were mistakes by Glenn that were signs of things to come). A miraculous win at the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8 stopped the bleeding. The Jets won their next game, too, at Cleveland . The good vibes were temporary. It got worse over the second half of the season, leaving everyone wondering if the head coach will make it through this season. The months since those two wins have been awful for the Jets. They traded away cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams , two of their best young players, signaling a full rebuild. They lost seven of their last eight, and the competitive games vanished. Every one of those seven losses was by 13 or more points. The Jets' closest game after the start of December was a 23-point loss. They were the first team in NFL history to lose five straight games by 23 or more points. Their point differential over the last eight games was a hideous minus-157. The most attention the Jets got late in the season was for setting a mind-boggling NFL record with zero interceptions as a defense all season. They became the first team in NFL history to finish last in point differential, turnover differential and yardage differential, according to QBgami on X . It was an absolute fiasco. "I let the players down. I let the organization down," Glenn said after the final game . "And that burns me. It really does." Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season In the offseason, Glenn turned over almost all of his coaching staff. The Jets replaced 12 of the 22 assistants from Glenn's first staff, via ESPN , including hiring new offensive and defensive coordinators. In addition, Glenn will take over defensive play-calling, something he didn't do last season. One of the key jobs of a head coach is hiring a staff, and Glenn struck out his first time doing it. He enters this season needing to show a lot of progress, and he'll do it with a roster that isn't close to being playoff-quality. The Jets practically punted on their permanent quarterback solution until the 2027 NFL Draft, trading for Geno Smith to be a stopgap starter. (They did, however, burn a fourth-round pick on Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.) New York worked to add some talent on defense through free agency and the draft, most notably using the second overall pick on pass-rusher David Bailey. He is an exciting prospect who matches elite college production with a top-end athletic profile. New York also made a low-cost trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick , who was the fifth-ranked safety in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus . The moves give Glenn a chance. Last season was his first as a head coach, and while the learning curve was steeper than anyone expected, perhaps he learned some lessons. Maybe taking back defensive play-calling — "To me, play-calling is my superpower, really," Glenn said — with a more experienced staff and an infusion of talent will turn things around. But given how the 2025 season ended, Glenn starts this season in a big hole. The Jets didn't fix their quarterback problem, but that was probably by design — and prudent. The 2027 NFL Draft will have plenty of options, and the Jets should have a high pick. That's what made their use of the 110th pick in this year's
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Alan Saunders of Steelers Now suggests the Pittsburgh Steelers trade for Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Brooks, an All-Pro who led the NFL in tackles last season, has one year remaining on his contract and could be a significant addition for the Steelers. The article also discusses potential roster moves involving Patrick Queen and other linebackers
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has decent long-term upside as a potential handcuff option for Patrick Mahomes' fantasy managers. Mahomes is currently recovering from a torn ACL, so Justin Fields is expected to start Week 1. Nussmeier might be able to jump Fields on the depth chart, but more than likely, he'll be the primary backup until Mahomes returns. The LSU product was projected to be a mid-round pick, but fell to the Chiefs in the seventh round. Nussmeier didn't look great during his senior year, but threw for over 4,000 yards in 2024. Mahomes will eventually take his starting gig back, but who knows what kind of toll that torn ACL will take on his body long-term. Nussmeier isn't a bad stash option, given he could be one injury away from the starting job
According to TMZ , the last time former star pass rusher Aldon Smith was spotted was feeding the homeless. That was hours before his sudden death. Unfortunately, there’s another clip from TMZ where Smith repeatedly said, “I’ve definitely had better days,” at a barbershop. In the video, you got the sense that Smith would’ve elaborated had it not been for the cameras. We’re going to focus on Smith in a positive light today. There’s no greater compliment than having two of the best left tackles to play the sport during the past 15 or so years call you the most difficult pass rusher they ever faced. That happened when Joe Staley was interviewing Trent Williams a couple of years ago. Both players counted to three before revealing, simultaneously answering “Aldon Smith.” Williams said, “When people ask me that, he’s the first face — not only his name. I just see him in his uniform, from the huddle, side view. Looking five yards, I just see those long arms. That’s what pops in my mind.” Smith had several incredible moments during his NFL career. He had 42 sacks in his first 43 games. As somebody who had to deal with insufferable Chicago Bears fans, watching Smith destroy that offense and the Bears to the tune of 5.5 sacks probably takes the cake for me. Who cares if it was Jason Campbell ? Jay Cutler , Justin Fields , Jim McMahon, or Rex Grossman wouldn’t have had a prayer against Smith that night. It was on Monday Night Football for the whole world to see, which made it better. The year before at Candlestick, in another primetime game, Smith put on a show as a rookie against the Steelers. He had 2.5 sacks against Ben Roethlisberger in a game where the broadcast joked that Aldon was responsible for the power outages because he was so dominant. One of Smith’s sacks was of the strip variety, thanks to his partner in crime, Justin Smith, gifting the Niners the ball inside the red zone. That was the game where Smith set the rookie record for sacks for the franchise. During the broadcast, Jon Gruden said, “Aldon Smith is going to the Hall of Fame if this game continues on much longer.” Teams are still chasing the Aldon prototype of a pass rusher. The long, gangly arms with an incredible first step. As a rookie, Smith sacked Drew Brees and Eli Manning in the playoffs. In a primetime game against Washington in 2023, he had two sacks against Trent Williams and a handful of other wins against the Hall of Famer to be. Smith was also responsible for an interception that night. He was truly an incredible talent. What was your favorite moment? Scroll down and let us know in the comments
The Cowboys are adding a former UFL player to their roster as they wrap up their offseason program. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that they will sign offensive lineman Chris Glaser . Glaser played for the Columbus Aviators during the 2026 UFL season. Glaser entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Chiefs in 2022 and saw his first regular season action with the Jets the next year. He played five games and made one start for the Jets and made three appearances for the Bears in 2024. The signing gives Glaser an opportunity to earn a spot with the Cowboys that would allow him to add to that total this fall
Does it seem like Jaylon Johnson has been a member of the Chicago Bears for a long time? He was drafted by Ryan Pace for Matt Nagy’s team. He has had six different defensive coordinators in his career. He was a Bear for the duration of the Justin Fields era, then changed his jersey number from 33 to 1 after Fields left. Speaking of quarterbacks, he’s watched as 10 different QBs have thrown a pass for the Bears. He also has two Pro Bowl nods and has made a 2nd Team All-Pro. Last season, his play suffered as he battled through a groin injury and core muscle surgery, which held him to only 9 total games (including the playoffs). Only three of those contests saw him play over 80% of the defensive snaps as the Bears rotated him at corner to keep him fresh. Watching him play in 2025 felt like his glory years were behind him, but did you realize he just turned 27 a couple of months ago? He’s in his athletic prime, and if he’s healthy, he’ll make a huge difference. At his Wednesday press conference, head coach Ben Johnson was asked if Jaylon had recovered from the injuries and was looking like his old self. “I don’t know that I ever saw ‘himself’ so it’s hard for me to gauge that, particularly this time of year,” Johnson said . “But I think he had a good day yesterday out there. He’s been able to stack a few of those throughout the OTAs. I think his mind is probably getting more confident in terms of the movements he’s making. So yeah, he’s a vital part of what we want to do. You know he’s been a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the past, and hopefully we can get that out of him again this year.” Yesterday, Jaylon had a nice practice with a couple of interceptions in the team portion, and today, he got a shout-out for a pass breakup on a long throw for Rome Odunze from Caleb Williams . Do you think Jaylon Johnson can return to the Pro Bowl form he showed just two years ago?
The annual NFL Top 100 Players list is coming soon, and the League just shared a promo clip where a producer asked several players who they believe should be number one. No Chicago Bears were asked; however, one Chicago Bear was mentioned, and he was mentioned by a member of the Green Bay Packers. “Yeah, Iceman,” Green Bay’s Micah Parsons said in the clip linked below. Iceman is, of course, the nickname of Chicago’s Caleb Williams, who was recently selected as the Madden 27 cover athlete. That’s some high praise from a division rival, but considering Parsons’ Packers were on the losing end of consecutive late-game heriocs from Williams, I can see why he views the Iceman that way. Parsons is a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro who is currently rehabbing from reconstructive ACL surgery and a meniscus cleanup. His recovery timeline is likely to land him on the PUP list, which would mean he’d miss at least the first four games of the season. Green Bay hosts the Bears in Week 5, with the rematch coming on Christmas Day in the Windy City (Week 16). The NFL Top 100 Players list is voted on by the players, so if Parsons handed in a ballot and if he did place Caleb at number one, then the weighted tabulation could have the Iceman ranked in a favorable spot. The highest a Bears player has ever ranked in the NFL Top 100 (which began in 2011) was Khalil Mack at #3 in 2019, and the only Chicago quarterback to ever make the list was Justin Fields in 2023 at #86. UPDATE: Parsons has weighed in on the video. Is Parsons implying his response was taken out of context? If the NFL did that for some cheap heat, that’s bogus. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to hear his full response to the question, and to hear what players say during the clip introducing Williams, wherever he ends up on the list. Where do you think Caleb Williams ends up ranked this year?
Happy Sunday, Jets fans! Below are your daily links. Michael Nania – Here’s where NY Jets’ top defensive trio ranks across the NFL Joe Blewett – NY Jets film session: What does Kingsley Enagbare offer the DL? Connor Long – The key difference between NY Jets’ 2025 and 2026 rosters Connor Long – Is Darren Mougey the NY Jets’ Leon Rose? Nick Faria – Jets’ Revolving Door at Kicker Could Finally Be Over Nick Faria – What Jets Fans Should Make of David Bailey’s Quiet OTAs Justin Melo – Sports Illustrated ranks Jets’ backup QB spot (and it’s not pretty) Justin Melo – Nahshon Wright is the wild card of the Jets’ cornerback position Jake Elman – The Athletic dropped a stunning take on the Jets’ Sauce Gardner trade Jake Elman – Sports Illustrated just made a bold Arch Manning-Jets prediction Mike Luciano – Jets fans have to question Justin Fields ’ spot in backup quarterback rankings Charlie Baduini – NFL draft expert says league is going to regret letting Jets get seventh-round steal Charlie Baduini – Jets draft pick’s Super Bowl MVP uncle believes defense is ready to break out Justin Fried – Garrett Wilson is on the verge of making Jets history again in 2026 Derek Praschak – Demario Davis receives high praise from long-time Jets rival Here are your missed connections from yesterday. Have a great day!
Well, we have ourselves another QB debate! The sides are lining up and slinging arrows already (yours truly included). Gotta love it no? I do not know what is going to happen but we have now reached the stage of bloggers, media types, and doofuses (of doofi – also raises hand) are speculating on trading JJ. Things move fast eh? I am going to guess that the team laughs about it internally. You cant stop the speculators from speculating. If the team, not any of us fans, decided to trade him they would eliminate any lingering summer quarterback controversy and eliminate media distractions. If Kyler starts and play most or all of the season then JJ is going to be sitting on the bench and his value will be less next year. You can see from the links below that some “writers” are already going way too far with some of the stuff liek JJ stretching away from the other QBs. Maybe Kyler is a gassy dude? Maybe JJ had gas? Who knows? I watched Edelman talking about Moss who always stretched with the defensive linemen. It’s much ado about nothing but that is the kind of stuff that will get written all summer. Every facial expression will be analyzed. I think the Jets who have three first round picks next year should jump at the chance to get JJ. They might do badly and have a top pick next year but if not, then they have to hoep to be able to trade up. The Vikings were unable to trade up for Maye (I’m told). Then, what do they do? Sign Baker Mayfield is he hits the market? IDK. I think the Jets have the draft capital to make a deal. The Jets send a 2027 2nd and a 2028 conditional 5th for JJ. Josh Rosen was traded for a 2nd and a 5th and McCarthy’s tape over his first 10 starts is vastly superior to Rosen. Darnold was traded for a 6th, 2nd, and 4th round pick. The Justin Fields trade is a bad analogy because he was traded after 38 starts. If the team was going to trade JJ then I think this makes a lot of sense on both sides. My guess? I do not know now. I think they will hang onto him longer but if they really do feel that Jyler is the one then they would be doing “right” by JJ to let him go to another team before training camp so that he can get into the offense. In the meantime, we shall “debate” away! A little note about links. I do not write these and they are what pops up when I google “Vikings news”. I usually post most of the links and unfortunately there are a lot of stories about the QB situation. Viking Rumor Watch: The Top Trade Piece, J.J. McCarthy “Controversy,” Week 1 Perk https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/viking-rumor-watch-top-trade-050500846.html Rumor: Kevin O’Connell was unfazed by J.J. McCarthy’s comments last week about his role in the QB1 roster battle. McCarthy’s comments about his role in the QB1 battle turned heads last week, and reporters were quick to ask O’Connell about his take on Thursday. He replied, “The interpretation of those comments will be what they are. I would just say, in the room, day to day, the dialogue between those guys, the interactions, have been very professional. And more than that, it’s been a positive room. I think Carson has a lot to do with that, as the veteran in the room.” “And I would never discount Josh McCown ’s extensive career as a player in those quarterback rooms and how he manages the room and everybody in there. So I didn’t make a lot out of it. I know there was some reaction to it. That’s probably not the first time there’s gonna be a reaction to those guys answering questions about the situation.” The skipper also said that he expects fierce competition and does not require his players to smile during camp battles. He continued, “That’s what the competition is all about. There’s no hiding anything. It’s going to be displayed on the field, and their teammates and coaching staff and the guys in this building have to feel a conviction about the direction we go, and you do that by your daily habits, and just improving.” O’Connell added about McCarthy, “I think he’
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Russell Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback, is joining CBS Sports' "The NFL Today" pregame show. He will replace Matt Ryan, who returned to the Atlanta Falcons. Wilson announced his move on social media, expressing his excitement to remain involved with the game
The 2025 Buffalo Bills season has been written, but the book is incomplete. Before we cast our full attention toward the 2026 season, let’s take one last glance back over our shoulder for our annual look at the Plays That Defined the prior campaign. For any newcomers, first and foremost; Welcome! When it comes to the “rules” of this exercise, we’re not voting for our favorite highlight necessarily, but the one that best captures the essence of the game. Put differently, if you had to choose just one play to show someone to explain as much of the contest as possible, which would you choose? Entering Week 2 of the season, the Buffalo Bills were traveling to New Jersey to take on the Jets after a nailbiter against the Ravens . The Jets had narrowly lost their own nailbiter to the Pittsburgh Steelers . What could the Buffalo Bills expect from new head coach Aaron Glenn? Would Justin Fields put together another solid outing? The Buffalo defense had looked shaky to put it mildly in Week 1. Despite Josh Allen throwing zero touchdowns, the game was over early for the star quarterback. Seconds into the fourth quarter, the Bills went up 30 -3 behind a ball possession offense that ultimately chewed up a preposterous 38:21 time of possession. The Jets offense wasn’t taken down by fluky turnovers either, with just one in the contest. They just simply got pushed around on that side of the ball too. Last time I noted how I like to try to find plays that are spread out over the game when I can and proceeded to give five plays from the fourth quarter. This is a little better but be warned four plays area from the first 21 minutes of game time. The game looked pretty much over at that point. It’s hard to have a dominant win without at least one Josh Allen highlight and this one gets the nod. On the Bills’ first drive, this play stalling could have changed the momentum of the entire game. Instead, a dominant run is a good way to illustrate the day. Another thing I try to avoid is plays that might cannibalize votes from similar plays. As you’ll see below, I coudn’t decide which James Cook touchdown deserved to win so I’m letting you decide. Not to sway votes, but rightfully a Cook TD is likely the way to go. Cook averaged more than six yards per carry, running for 132 yards and two touchdowns. I was tempted to do more defensive highlights, but decided one stand-in was fine. While it is true that the defense stymied the Jets all day, it’s also true the lopsided time of possession meant there just weren’t that many defensive plays in comparison. This fumble from harassment tells a lot of the tale on defense for what’s it worth. Here’s the second one. They’re both pretty amazing, right? We like Tyrod Taylor , so seeing him come in and throw a touchdown is pretty cool. Also, while this is technically a defensive lowlight, it speaks volumes about the day on how it played out. You have a veteran quarterback known for being good at protecting the ball and being a steady hand needing to squeak in a throw against backup defenders
Second-year analysis of the 2025 QB draft class, focusing on Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, discussing their potential and areas for improvement in the 2026 season
Earlier today, I compared the draft-pick cost for the Bills and Patriots to acquire DJ Moore and A.J. Brown respectively via trades this offseason. Now, I’ll be stacking Brown and Moore against each other as receivers on the field. In the draft-pick piece, I labeled Moore as “a half-tier below” Brown for the entirety of the time they’ve spent together in the NFL (since 2019). Of course, there’s no such thing as definitive, universally accepted quality tiers at any position in the NFL, so I wanted to provide you with everything imaginable to compare and contrast these now division rival receivers. A few of these statistics were featured in the original article, but I’ve added one metric and put them all into a table for convenience: (mtf = missed tackles forced, ctc = contested-catch, and fd = first down) That feels like Moore is a “half-tier” behind Brown, doesn’t it? Now, I am not the world’s biggest Jalen Hurts advocate, yet there’s no mistaking that Brown has had better quarterbacks throwing him the football to date in the NFL than Moore has — revitalized Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee and Hurts in Philadelphia . Compare that to Moore, who, as a rookie caught most of his passes from 29-year-old Cam Newton . The next year, Kyle Allen started 12 games for Carolina. Then, 2020 was Year 1 with Joe Brady as the Panthers OC, and Teddy Bridgewater was Carolina’s starter. In 2021, 11 starts for Sam Darnold . In 2022, the Matt Rhule Panthers rolled out a triumvirate of passers — Baker Mayfield , P.J. Walker , and Darnold. Of course, Moore then was traded to the Chicago Bears, and went for over 1,300 yards with Justin Fields throwing him the football before back-to-back seasons with Caleb Williams at the helm. It’s impossible to quantify the impact quarterback play has had on these two receivers, yet is nonetheless worth mentioning. Regarding Brown and Moore’s play against man coverage — which of course has been a major bugaboo for the Bills receivers lately: Since 2022, Moore saw 479 targets in the regular season. Brown received 521. When it comes to size, Moore and Brown are two strapping wideouts. Brown is lsted at 6’1” and 226 pounds. Moore is listed at 6’0” and 213. And they’re very comparable athletes. There’s no way to know much the athleticism has changed for these two since they’ve been in the NFL, but here is the side-by-side of their pre-draft workout figures: Reputation-wise, Brown is clearly ahead of Moore. He has three Second-Team All-Pro distinctions that he earned after the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons. Moore doesn’t have any. Brown has a Super Bowl ring, but of course, despite their exponentially increasing value to the NFL game, “WR Winz” are not really a thing. And it’s not specifically Moore’s fault he just made his playoff debut last season with the Bears. He did have 11 receptions for 116 yards and two scores on 16 targets in those two postseason contests. Moore and Brown are less than three months apart in age, with similar builds, athleticism, and play styles. They rock post-catch, win vs. man coverage, and are reliable reeling in the football in traffic. Individually, they’ve had similar productivity to date, with Brown accumulating more volume on better teams with better quarterbacks. And because they were injected into what should be a heated, tightly contested AFC East rivalry between Super Bowl contenders, from now on, it will be difficult to mention one receiver without quickly discussing the other
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is signing a deal with CBS to become the network’s newest NFL analyst, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. While the role is yet to be defined, it had been rumored that Wilson could replace Matt Ryan on The NFL Today after the former NFL MVP was named the President of Football Operations with his former team, the Atlanta Falcons . Wilson spent one year with the Steelers in 2024. After missing the first six games due to injury, he took over for Justin Fields , who helped Pittsburgh begin the season 4-2. Wilson led the Steelers to four consecutive wins, and went 6-1 in his first seven games as the starter before Pittsburgh lost its final four regular season games and were eliminated in the wild card round by the Baltimore Ravens . Wilson finished the year going 6-5 as a starter while throwing 16 touchdowns to five interceptions. Wilson spent the 2025 season with the New York Giants , going 0-3 as a starter before being replaced by Jaxson Dart . Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson is playing for his job Former Steelers OC Todd Haley fires back at Mike Tomlin comments Steelers rookie labeled player who must produce right away Steelers insider believes Mason Rudolph will be QB2 in 2026 Eric Ebron reveals reason why Steelers offense fell apart in 2020 season
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
