The Chicago Bears would need a "crazy" trade package to move down from the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Chicago will likely stay put and select its future franchise quarterback with the selection, Rapoport adds. The top signal-callers in the upcoming draft include USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, and LSU's Jayden Daniels.The Bears will almost certainly trade Justin Fields to a team offering the best trade compensation if they decide to draft a quarterback, Rapoport reports. However, the club was impressed with Fields' play in 2023, and it considers his skill set as rare, per Rapaport.The Bears drafted Fields 11th overall in 2021. He has a 10-28 record in 38 starts with Chicago, totaling 8,894 yards with 54 touchdowns and 41 turnovers. The 24-year-old finished the 2023 season strong, racking up 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns in his last 10 games."We are going to turn every stone to make sure that we are going to make a sound decision for our organization," Poles told reporters in January. "I did think Justin got better. I think he can lead this team. But at the same time, there is a unique situation."Bears star wide receiver D.J. Moore recently advocated for his team to build around Fields. Chicago also holds the No. 9 selection in the draft and has $46.8 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb in the same role, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Grubb was Washington's OC last season but recently accepted the position with the Crimson Tide. The 47-year-old was interested in Washington's head coach vacancy after Kalen DeBoer departed for Alabama. However, the program ultimately hired former Arizona sideline boss Jedd Fisch.Grubb led a Huskies offense that ranked 12th in the country in total yards per game (462.1) and 13th in points per contest (36). Quarterback Michael Penix ranked first among all Division I signal-callers with 4,903 passing yards.Washington finished the season 14-1 and fell 34-13 to Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship.Grubb takes over after former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron accepted the same position with the Chicago Bears.Seattle averaged 322.9 yards and 21.4 points per contest under Waldron in 2023, which ranked 21st and 17th in the league, respectively.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.On Monday, we made our pick for Super Bowl LVIII - arguing why the valuable side is the favorite on the moneyline. The short version of that argument is that the 49ers are available at -125 or an implied win probability of 55.6%, when, for much of the season, they would've been considered more likely to win this matchup than that.As we turn toward the Super Bowl MVP market, implied win probability is the cornerstone for shopping for value as we look to accompany our bet on San Francisco.The implied win probability column adds up to 118% - a sportsbook hold of 18% that doesn't account for the long-shot players not listed above. In the lead-up to the big game, that hold is often reduced, and the odds for each player get better. Unless one player stands out as a popular wager, it's worth waiting to place your bets.All of these odds are calculated with the implication that either team can win. Of course, this is true, but if you like one side or the other, betting on players from your selected team makes the most sense.Sixteen media members vote on MVP, accounting for 80% of the voting calculus. Meanwhile, there's a fan vote worth 20%. Popular players who are a factor early and often in the game have the best chance at winning MVP. While that's frequently the quarterback of the winning team - the reason Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy have the shortest odds - the signal-caller has won MVP only 56% of the time in Super Bowl history.Mahomes (+130) is expected to win MVP 43.5% of the time, but the Chiefs' moneyline (+105) suggests they win just 48.8%. Mahomes is taking up 89% of Kansas City's metaphorical MVP pie, making someone like Travis Kelce (+1400) a better potential choice if you like the Chiefs to win or think the game is close enough where a big performance from the internationally recognized and suddenly surging Kelce might earn him MVP in a losing cause.For the 49ers, Purdy (+225) is expected to take home Super Bowl MVP 30.8% of the time. Compared to the 49ers' 55.6% implied win probability, Purdy's odds line up with history, taking up 55.4% of the 49ers' pie.There's a reason for this discrepancy. Purdy's not seen as the central driver for San Francisco's success - a hurdle for something that's voted on. History states that if the 49ers win, there's a 44% chance that someone other than the quarterback will win MVP.With a game total of 47.5 points and a 49ers team that's made it to Las Vegas thanks to a well-rounded offense (as the defense has appeared to take a step back), we'll look to fill that remaining 44% of the pie with offensive players who could pile up attractive stats.Naturally, that starts with Christian McCaffrey, who, like Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp two years ago, will likely be named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year a few nights before the Super Bowl. With over 2000 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns, he's deemed 18.2% likely to be Super Bowl MVP. However, looking at the 49ers' games this season, it can be argued that McCaffrey was San Francisco's statistical MVP in five of their 12 wins (41.6%) and both 49ers playoff victories. With McCaffrey the best player on the field in half their wins, there's probably closer to a 25% chance he is again on Sunday.Interestingly, by the numbers, Purdy was the definitive 49ers MVP in just three games this season (Week 5 versus the Cowboys, Week 10 versus the Jaguars, and Week 11 versus the Buccaneers).As a threat on the ground in the red zone and capable of breaking short passes into long touchdowns, Deebo Samuel can also steal the statistical spotlight. He was the Niners' star in Weeks 3, 13, and 14 (21% of their wins, including playoffs). At +2000, Samuel is only supposed to earn a trip to Disneyland 4.8% of the time, or less than 10% of the time when the 49ers win. An 11% gap is significant and makes Samuel worth adding to our MVP bets.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank clarified that Bill Belichick never asked for roster control during interviews for the team's head coaching job."I do want to make it 1,000% clear, wanna go to 2,000% or 100,000, whatever percent you want to use. Bill Belichick never asked for, in our discussion, full control of the personnel or the building or anything of that nature," Blank said Friday, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein.Blank added that Belichick even sent him a text that said he would be happy to work alongside Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot.The former New England Patriots coach interviewed twice for the vacancy but was never offered the job, according to Blank.A six-time Super Bowl champion head coach credited with building a near two-decade-long Patriots dynasty alongside Tom Brady, Belichick and New England parted ways earlier this offseason.The Falcons ended up hiring Raheem Morris as their next head coach.Morris spent an 11-game stint as the Falcons' interim coach in 2020. He's since spent the last three seasons as the Los Angeles Rams' defensive coordinator.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Just because it's THEIR Super Bowl doesn't mean it has to be OUR Super Bowl. We don't have to risk our bankroll on a single result just to manufacture our own championship moment with dollar bills falling like confetti in the living room.But it is THE Super Bowl, and we're given two weeks of lead-up for one game, so there's ample betting opportunity within a menu of betting markets a mile long. So we'll attack those as the week goes on, digging into matchups and pricing. You have to start somewhere during football's longest week, and since no one's ever taken it easy on the first night in Las Vegas, we might as well start with who to bet to win Super Bowl LVIII and work from there.Like any other game, our job is to recognize value and make the bet that gives us the most bang for our buck.Chiefs vs. 49ers (-2, 47.5)On the surface, we're back to where we started with the point spread for Super Bowl LVIII. The 49ers opened just shy of a field-goal favorite, but the Chiefs were the target of the first influx of money, pushing the line down to -1. Since the initial reaction to the conference championships, the line has crept back up, leaving us to wonder whether it'll touch -3.While the betting line was officially created when the 49ers recovered the Lions' onside kick, had we known throughout the season that Kansas City would face San Francisco in Las Vegas, we could've tracked the line all year.For example, in Week 2, the Chiefs were getting back Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, while the 49ers had just crushed the Steelers during their opener in Pittsburgh. They were rated as the two best teams in the NFL and a virtual pick'em matchup on a neutral site.By mid-December, the Chiefs encountered some struggles, while the 49ers were considered historically good in the betting markets. A Week 15 matchup at the Super Bowl site might have had the 49ers favored by 4.5 points.Even going into last week, the 49ers would've been favorites of more than a field goal, but after another week where the Chiefs beat a quality team on the road and San Francisco got a scare - failing to cover as a big favorite versus Detroit - the perception of each team, relative to each other, has tightened.It's not hard to understand why there was initial fervor in buying the Chiefs. Winning in Baltimore was impressive. But taking a step back, the Ravens were complicit in helping K.C. to that win. Going away from their offensive identity - throwing on 20 of 25 first-and-10 plays - Baltimore didn't commit to testing the Chiefs' previously weak run defense.Even with that bizarre strategy, the Ravens were inches away from a touchdown that would've brought them within a field goal, with two more trips into field-goal range still to come. In keeping with season-long second-half offensive struggles, Kansas City didn't score in the final 30 minutes - a fact that would've been brought up endlessly had the Ravens executed a comeback that was theirs for the taking.Instead, only the 49ers scored a big comeback on championship Sunday, with 27 consecutive points in the second half. This is the primary concern when facing a top team: that no lead is insurmountable. Yet, the perception of San Francisco has dipped.Unlike every previous game since that Week 1 win in Pittsburgh - when the 49ers were favored by a point - San Francisco's not being asked to win by a significant margin. In fact, out of respect for the experience and artistry of Patrick Mahomes, we won't ask the 49ers to win by any prescribed margin.With a moneyline price depressed due to many bettors' interest in backing the Chiefs to cash as an underdog for the third straight time, we'll take the Niners to win the game, paying little more than we would if this was lined as a pick'em.Pick: 49ers moneyline (-125)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We've covered Super Bowl LVIII from head to toe with prop bets on all sides of the ball - passing, receiving, rushing, defense/special teams - as well as who'll score and what'll happen first. All that remains to close Super Bowl week is to dig deep into what's left to bet.Highest-scoring half: 1st half (-110 or better)We'll go back to something that cashed with ease for us in the AFC championship - a bet made based on the Chiefs' disparity between their first-half (sixth this season) and second-half scoring (27th).Each week, Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan put their mastery of Xs and Os on display in the opening offensive game script, usually 15 plays. The Chiefs' first drives this postseason have resulted in a touchdown, field goal, and touchdown on the way to first-half totals of 16, 13, and 17 points.Meanwhile, the 49ers scoring just seven first-half points in each of their two playoff games went against their habit of racking up points early, as they scored the fourth-most first-half points during the regular season (and slightly more than K.C.).49ers win 3rd quarter by shutout: Yes (+260)If you want to get a little spicier, using the handicap of the Chiefs' second-half scoring struggles (while avoiding Patrick Mahomes' aptitude in the fourth quarter), we'll take some odds on the 49ers to shut out the Chiefs in the third quarter.The 49ers' offense has shown it can adjust and settle into a rhythm after halftime in its first two playoff games, and all San Francisco needs is a field goal to hold up its end of the bargain here.Team to score longest touchdown: 49ers (-135)Here's the tale of the tape for the big playmakers in Super Bowl LVIII:POSITIONPLAYER30+ YARD PLAYSRunning backIsiah Pacheco3Christian McCaffrey8Tight endTravis Kelce2George Kittle8Wide receiverRashee Rice5MarquezValdes-Scantling5Brandon Aiyuk8Deebo Samuel5Of the players with the ball in their hands the most, the 49ers have 29 explosive plays to the Chiefs' 15. That's 66% of the big plays on San Francisco's side. If translated to a moneyline, that would be -200. So, while the 49ers are correctly favored, -135 is still a little short.Kansas City has more supporting characters with long gains, but not enough to expect them to score a long touchdown on Sunday. A defensive touchdown could end up as the longest TD scored, but each team is just as likely to find the end zone that way.Largest lead of the game: Under 14.5 (-125)Big leads in the NFL happen all the time, as evidenced by the Lions taking a 17-point lead on the 49ers in the NFC title game, and it doesn't mean the game won't be close or entertaining. However, despite having either a historically efficient offense (49ers) or having Mahomes, two conservative coaches should lead to a game where decisions are made to keep things close. The game being lined as close to a pick'em as possible and a game total (47.5) that isn't egregiously high also makes it less likely anyone gets up three scores.Will there be overtime?: Yes (+1100)Is overtime due? We'll close Super Bowl week with a bet based less on an edge in probability and more on tacking on a small bet for something fun to happen. Though, at +1100, theScore Bet has the best price in the market for the game going to overtime, so there's an implied edge compared to other sportsbooks.Two offseasons ago, the NFL changed the playoff overtime rules to give both teams a chance to have the ball. Last year, four playoff games were lined at a field goal or shorter, and three more this postseason. None of them went to overtime.Last year, the Chiefs just avoided overtime in two closely-lined games with late game-winning field goals, including in Super Bowl LVII. Brock Purdy's arm injury derailed one of the four tightly-lined matchups last year, and the Jaguars beat the Chargers by one point in another.This year's other short-spread games saw the Texans blowout the Browns, the Lions edge the Rams by one, and the Chiefs and Bills seem destined for overtime until Buffalo botched its last drive.That's six of seven games that were expected to be close and played out that way. Three of those included the Chiefs. Circumstances led to overtime being avoided, but with such narrow margins, there's reason to believe there's better than a 10% chance of overtime between evenly matched playoff teams.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Earlier in Super Bowl week, we looked at the betting market for the game itself. If you have a side to bet, you can tailor your prop betting portfolio to fit that result, but ideally, there'll be a path to prop victory even if the side or total doesn't come through.It's said that "he who laughs last laughs longest." But whoever said that didn't bet on Super Bowl props, where there's an entire section of the betting menu reserved for things happening first - allowing for some first-quarter chuckles if things go our way.49ers stay on script49ers first - Punt or Points: Points (-105)

Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower once roamed the field together as New England Patriots linebackers. Now, they'll coach together on the sidelines.Hightower has been hired to join Mayo's staff as a linebackers coach, his agency announced Friday.Mayo and Hightower played four seasons together with the Patriots from 2012-15. While 2012 was Hightower's rookie season, Mayo was already well-established in his career. The latter retired after 2015.Hightower spent his entire career with the Patriots after they selected him in the first round of the 2012 draft. He won three Super Bowls and made two Pro Bowls with the franchise.The 33-year-old retired in 2023, though his last on-field appearance came in 2021.Mayo was named Bill Belichick's successor earlier this offseason.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders believes the San Francisco 49ers found someone special in Brock Purdy.Sanders had high praise for the quarterback during an appearance on ESPN's "First Take" on Thursday, admitting he's hoping to find his own Purdy for the Buffaloes."Everybody in America has a title, whether you agree with it or not. They give us a title," Sanders said. "This kid is the best story, probably, that has been over two decades. Coming from the last player taken to (being) in the Super Bowl and (leading) his team to the Super Bowl because of his play. I love this kid, man."I mean, shoot, I'm looking for a Brock Purdy. Sorry, I can't recruit right now."Purdy was selected by the 49ers with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, becoming Mr. Irrelevant that year. He started his rookie season as the third-string quarterback behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo but was eventually thrust into the starter role due to injuries.The 24-year-old will become the third Mr. Irrelevant to play in the Super Bowl on Sunday when the 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jim Harbaugh is bringing an old friend with him to the Los Angeles Chargers.Los Angeles is targeting former San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman to be its new linebackers coach, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.The Chargers and Bowman haven't yet agreed on a deal, but it's expected to be completed, adds Rapoport.Bowman played for Harbaugh with the 49ers from 2011-14, earning three of his four first-team All-Pro nods under the Chargers' new coach.The 35-year-old acted as a defensive analyst at Maryland, in the state he grew up, during the 2023 season.Bowman spent seven years in San Francisco and ranks third on the franchise's all-time tackle list. He was released by the 49ers midway through 2017 and played his final NFL season with the then-Oakland Raiders before retiring with San Francisco in 2019.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks are planning to hire Dallas Cowboys assistant Aden Durde as their new defensive coordinator, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Durde has acted as Dallas' defensive line coach for the past three seasons and will now join new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's staff.Born in England, the 44-year-old played in NFL Europe for six seasons from 2003-08 and also spent time on the practice squads of the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs.Durde served as the head of football development at NFL UK and spent six seasons as the defensive coordinator of the London Warriors.He joined the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 under then-head coach Dan Quinn before following Quinn to Dallas in 2021.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kyle Shanahan will try to win his first championship on his third attempt: He was famously on the wrong end of the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history while with the Atlanta Falcons before falling short again with the San Francisco 49ers.But Shanahan isn't putting any thought into what another loss in the big game will do to his reputation ahead of Sunday's rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs."I deal with it the same way if we win," Shanahan said Thursday, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "I celebrate with our team. I celebrate with my family and I move on with the rest of my life, which is being a father or son and coaching and working and doing all that."Narrative, good or bad, is just a narrative ... I just don't want regrets. I just want to do everything that makes sense to myself, that makes sense for our team. And when you do that, that's what I have found."As the Falcons' offensive coordinator, Shanahan watched as the Patriots erased a 28-3 lead to win Super Bowl LI at the end of the 2016 season. Three years later, the Chiefs handed Shanahan his second Super Bowl defeat - this time as a head coach - when they also came back from down 10 points entering the fourth quarter.Questions about Shanahan's ability to secure the 49ers' first championship since the 1994 season intensified following back-to-back NFC title game defeats in 2021 and 2022.But Shanahan won't let the outside noise impact how he views himself."No matter how hard something is or good something is, you always keep perspective of what it really is," he said. "If you want your perspective to be someone else's narrative, good luck being happy in life. Or successful."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL will play a regular-season game in Spain in 2025 for the first time ever, the league announced Friday.It'll be played at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, home to decorated soccer club Real Madrid."Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 highlights the continued expansion of the league's global footprint and the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.It's the latest step in the NFL's efforts to increase global reach. Brazil joined the league's international series in 2024, as the Philadelphia Eagles will play their Week 1 game on Sept. 6 in Sao Paulo. The United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany have also hosted NFL games.The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium underwent a massive renovation project.NFL owners recently voted to approve an increase in international games to eight per season starting in 2025.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The public may see even more of Travis Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs tight end eyes an acting career.Kelce spoke about his Hollywood prospects at a press conference Thursday, telling reporters that he expects those discussions to happen once he's done with football. He believes he's best suited for comedy roles but is keeping his options open."Man, I'm comedy all the way. I don't know if I'm anything else. I just like to have a fun time and make people laugh," Kelce said, according to Michael Blinn of the New York Post. "I'll dabble into everything, though, just to see if I have fun doing it."I know there's definitely Hollywood talks out there, but I've been focused on football throughout the season. So, I'll probably have a lot of those meetings and conversations when it's all said and done."Kelce is already laying the groundwork for an entertainment career, inking a deal last year with talent company Creative Artists Agency for off-field representation. In a January interview with Zach Schonbrun of the New York Times, his business managers, Andre and Aaron Eanes, revealed that film scripts have already been shared with Kelce.For now, Kelce's focus remains on Sunday's big game against the San Francisco 49ers, where he and the Chiefs will be vying for their third Super Bowl championship in five seasons.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michigan is planning to hire former New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale as its new DC, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.A deal has yet to be finalized but it is expected to be completed, adds Schefter.Martindale will replace Jesse Minter, who followed former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers to become his DC.The 60-year-old Martindale parted ways with the Giants in January after two seasons. He helped New York to a surprising playoff appearance in 2022 but his unit regressed in 2023, finished 26th in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed.Michigan is coming off its first national title victory in 26 seasons. Former offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore was promoted to head coach after going 4-0 while leading the team during Harbaugh's four-game suspension this past season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class officially announced, it's time to turn our attention to the former NFL stars who could be immortalized next year.Here's the rundown on what the 2025 ballot could look like:1st-year eligible players Grant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / GettyThere are several interesting first-year eligible candidates for 2025, with the likes of Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, Marshawn Lynch, and Adam Vinatieri getting a shot for the first time. Here are some of the most notable former players who'll be in their first year of eligibility:Marshawn Lynch: Beast Mode is eligible for induction for the first time in 2025 and brings 12,627 total yards and 94 touchdowns with him. Lynch eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark six times in his career, led the league in rushing scores twice, and captured Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks.Luke Kuechly: Kuechly retired abruptly at 28 years old while still being one of the league's best linebackers. He spent his entire career with the Panthers, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) and Defensive Player of the Year (2013) while being named a first-team All-Pro five times.Eli Manning: A two-time champion responsible for arguably the most famous play and the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, Manning's case will be contentious. In addition to his clutch title wins, he ranks 10th in both career passing yards and passing touchdowns. But Manning has zero career All-Pro nominations and led the NFL in interceptions three times.Adam Vinatieri: No player has been responsible for more points in NFL history. Vinatieri's 2,673 points are 129 more than the next closest. He also led the league in field-goal percentage three times, won four Super Bowls, and made three first-team All-Pro teams during his 24-year career with the Patriots and Colts.Terrell Suggs: Suggs spent the bulk of his 139-sack career with the Ravens before playing for the Cardinals and Chiefs in his final season. T-Sizzle won both Defensive Rookie of the Year (2003) and Defensive Player of the Year (2011) during his 17-year career. He also won a pair of Super Bowl rings.Earl Thomas: One of the most-feared members of Seattle's Legion of Boom defense, Thomas was a rangy safety who could also deliver big hits. The Texas product was a first-team All-Pro three times, won Super Bowl XLVIII, and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team after racking up 30 interceptions, 71 pass deflections, and 12 forced fumbles.Marshal Yanda: A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, Yanda was a stalwart on the Ravens' offensive line from 2007-19. The Iowa product earned two first-team All-Pro nods, five second-team selections, and eight Pro Bowl berths.Clay Matthews: Matthews is the Packers' all-time leader in sacks and was instrumental in Green Bay's Super Bowl victory during the 2010 season. He was named to the Pro Bowl six times and boasts one first-team All-Pro nomination and one second-team nod.Joe Staley: Staley spent his entire 13-year career with the 49ers after being taken in the first round in 2007. He was a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, earned six Pro Bowl nominations, and was named a second-team All-Pro three times. Staley was a key piece during San Francisco's run to three straight conference title games and one Super Bowl appearance from 2011-13.Cameron Wake: Wake started his NFL career at 27 years old after terrorizing CFL quarterbacks for two seasons. The pass-rusher racked up 100.5 sacks during his time with the Dolphins and Titans despite that late start. He was a force in the run game, too, with 99 tackles for loss. Wake led the league in that category with 21 in 2010.Aqib Talib: A cornerback with a great eye for the football, Talib racked up 35 interceptions during his 12-year career. He started his NFL tenure with the Buccaneers before establishing himself as one of the NFL's best defenders during a four-year stretch with the Broncos that included a Super Bowl victory and four of his five career Pro Bowl nods.Best of 2024 modern-era finalists Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAntonio Gates: The Chargers legend not making it in his first year of eligibility was shocking. One of the most dominant receivers of all time, the eight-time Pro Bowler leads all tight ends with 116 career touchdown catches and also ranks third all time in receptions (955) and receiving yards (11,841) among players at his position. It's hard to imagine him missing the cut again in 2025.Jared Allen: Allen was a finalist for the fourth time in 2024, and he'll get in eventually. The 2025 class could be seen as stronger than this year's ballot, though, so he might have to wait an extra year. Still, Allen ranks in the top 15 on the all-time sack list. He should be inducted at some point after retiring with five Pro Bowl nods and four first-team All-Pro berths.Reggie Wayne: Few wide receivers in the modern era were as clutch as Wayne, who helped the Colts win a Super Bowl and also ranks in the top 10 for career catches (1,070) and receiving yards (14,345). He's been a finalist for five straight years.Torry Holt: Like Wayne, Holt is a five-time finalist who many thought would already be inducted by now. It'll be hard for him to make it, given how stacked the 2025 class could be, but the former Rams star has an impressive resume. Holt, a seven-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL in receiving twice, retired with the 10th-most receiving yards in NFL history.Willie Anderson: Anderson was one of two linemen who were finalists in 2024. It'll be harder for Anderson - a three-time finalist - to make the cut in 2025, but expect him to at least be a contender again. In his prime, the former Bengals blocker was a premier offensive tackle who claimed three first-team All-Pro nods while playing 195 career games.Jahri Evans: Evans' shot was arguably stronger in 2024 than it'll be next year. But the fact that the former Saints guard was a finalist in his second year of eligibility is a good sign. The six-time Pro Bowler, who started 183 games in his career, was a cornerstone of New Orleans' O-line for 11 seasons during the Drew Brees era and helped the team win its first-ever Super Bowl.Darren Woodson: Woodson was a finalist for the second time in 2024 but has been eligible for 16 years now. The former Cowboys defender was one of the most versatile safeties of his era and ended his career with 23 interceptions and 967 tackles.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was named the 2023 NFL MVP on Thursday, claiming the regular-season award for the second time in his career.Jackson, who previously won the award unanimously in 2019, was a finalist in this year's ceremony along with San Francisco 49ers stars Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey, as well as Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Buffalo Bills signal-caller Josh Allen.The Ravens superstar received 49 of 50 first-place votes to easily win the award again in 2023. Prescott ranked second despite not receiving any first-place votes. He was followed by McCaffrey and Purdy. Allen was the only other player who had first-place consideration, but he finished fourth.Jackson posted a 67.2% completion rate in 2023 - a career single-season high - to go along with 3,678 yards and 24 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions in 16 games. The first-team All-Pro QB also rushed for 821 yards and five TDs while helping the Ravens finish the regular season as the AFC's No. 1 seed.Jackson, Purdy, and McCaffrey were all considered MVP front-runners heading into Baltimore's Week 16 matchup with San Francisco. Jackson finished that game with 297 combined yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers, while Purdy was intercepted a career-high four times. McCaffrey did rush for 103 yards and one TD, but the Jackson-led Ravens beat the 49ers 33-19, making Jackson the new favorite for football's top individual award.The 27-year-old becomes only the 11th player ever to win multiple regular-season MVPs. Patrick Mahomes, Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Kurt Warner have also won the award twice. Peyton Manning tops that list as a five-time winner.A quarterback has now won the MVP award in the last 11 seasons and 16 times in the past 17 years. Former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was the last non-QB to take home the honor (2012).Jackson and the Ravens weren't able to replicate their regular-season success in the playoffs, as Baltimore fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced Thursday at the NFL Honors award show.Julius Peppers - a first-ballot inductee - headlines a group that also features Andre Johnson, Devin Hester, Patrick Willis, and Dwight Freeney. Antonio Gates missing the cut was this year's biggest surprise.Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael were also selected for enshrinement as part of the seniors category.Julius PeppersDefensive end, Carolina Panthers-Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers, 2002-18No one should be surprised to see Peppers in the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. One of the most accomplished defenders of his era, Peppers retired with the fourth-most sacks (159.5) and second-most forced fumbles (52) in NFL history to go along with nine Pro Bowl selections and seven All-Pro nods. The 2002 Defensive Rookie of the Year's longevity helped him earn two NFL All-Decade Teams nods (2000s and 2010s). Peppers also had at least one double-digit sack season with each team he played for.Andre JohnsonWide receiver, Houston Texans-Indianapolis Colts-Tennessee Titans, 2003-16Johnson's three-year wait may have been longer than many expected, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a bust in Canton. Johnson, the Texans' all-time leader in every major receiving category, was one of the most productive pass-catchers of his era. His 1,062 career catches and 14,185 yards rank 11th all time. The former third overall pick led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions twice and retired with seven Pro Bowl berths and three first-team All-Pro nods under his belt.Devin HesterKick returner/wide receiver, Chicago Bears-Atlanta Falcons-Baltimore Ravens-Seattle Seahawks, 2006-16Hester's case was an intriguing one, given that the speedster didn't contribute much as a receiver throughout his career but retired as arguably the greatest return specialist the NFL has ever seen. At the end of the day, Hester's excellence on special teams spoke louder. Over his 11-year career, the four-time Pro Bowler amassed 20 return touchdowns (14 punts, five kickoffs, and one missed field goal). He was also responsible for the fastest touchdown in Super Bowl history after returning the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI for a TD.Dwight FreeneyDefensive end, Indianapolis Colts-San Diego Chargers-Arizona Cardinals-Atlanta Falcons-Seattle Seahawks-Detroit Lions, 2002-17Freeney and his iconic spin move are finally going to Canton. Across 11 seasons with the Colts, Freeney earned seven Pro Bowl berths and three first-team All-Pro nods while helping Indianapolis win a Super Bowl title. Freeney, who led the NFL in sacks once, retired with 125.5 career sacks. He and Robert Mathis formed one of pro football's most dominant defensive duos, helping the Colts become perennial playoff contenders in the Peyton Manning era.Patrick WillisLinebacker, San Francisco 49ers, 2007-14The 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Willis had a relatively short career and abruptly retired at age 30. Still, his eight NFL seasons were enough to produce one of the most accomplished and dominant careers ever at linebacker. He led the league in tackles in two of his first three pro seasons. A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, Willis retired with five first-team All-Pro selections and seven Pro Bowl berths under his belt.Randy Gradishar (seniors category)Linebacker, Denver Broncos, 1974-83Gradishar was a cornerstone of the "Orange Crush Defense," one of the best defensive units in Broncos history that helped the franchise reach its first-ever Super Bowl during the 1977 season. He earned seven Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro berths (two first-team selections) in 10 NFL seasons. Gradishar was the 1978 Defensive Player of the Year.Steve McMichael (seniors category)Defensive tackle, New England Patriots-Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers, 1980-94McMichael is the sixth member of the 1985 Bears' historic defense to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a first-team All-Pro for Chicago that year. One of the most underrated defensive tackles in NFL history, the two-time Pro Bowler's 95 career sacks currently rank seventh all time among interior defensive linemen, according to Football Reference.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL recognized the top players, coaches, and moments of the 2023 season Thursday night in Las Vegas.Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson claimed the most prestigious award at the NFL Honors by taking home the MVP. Here are all the major winners:AwardWinnerMVPRavensQB Lamar JacksonRead moreOPOY49ers RB Christian McCaffreyRead moreDPOYBrownsDE Myles GarrettRead moreOROYTexansQB C.J. StroudRead moreDROYTexans DE Will AndersonRead moreComebackBrowns QB Joe FlaccoRead moreCoachBrowns HC Kevin StefanskiRead moreOther main awards went to Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward was named 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year for his excellence on the field and in the community. Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz captured 2023 Assistant Coach of the Year.The NFL's Moment of the Year went to a 92-yard Dallas Cowboys touchdown connection from Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco captured the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year award at the NFL Honors on Thursday.Flacco, 39, joined the Browns in November after starting the season unsigned. He averaged over 300 yards per game across five starts while helping Cleveland reach the playoffs despite several major injuries.The award marks the Browns' fourth honor of the evening. Head coach Kevin Stefanski was named Coach of the Year, defensive end Myles Garrett earned Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz received Assistant Coach of the Year.Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, Los Angeles Rams passer Matthew Stafford, and Miami Dolphins signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa were the other finalists for Comeback Player of the Year.Hamlin had the most first-place ballots with 21, but Flacco earned the most points - 151 to Hamlin's 140 - with 13 first-place and 26-second place votes, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Flacco finished the campaign with 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in his five appearances. All of those marks were the highest on the team.Awards only reflect regular-season performances, but Flacco continued to post big numbers in the team's postseason defeat. The veteran signal-caller had 307 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions in the club's loss to the Houston Texans.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was named the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday night.McCaffrey - a first-team All-Pro this season - was one of five OPOY finalists along with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson, and Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill.McCaffrey ran away with the award, piling up 39 first-place votes and 222 points. Hill ranked second with 139 points (seven first-place votes).The 49ers tailback led the NFL in several categories, including touches (339), rushing yards (1,459), scrimmage yards (2,023), and total touchdowns (21). McCaffrey, who joined San Francisco as part of a midseason 2022 trade, also averaged 5.4 yards per carry and scored at least one TD in 13 of the 16 games he played in 2023. He had five multi-touchdown appearances, including a four-score performance in Week 4.Hill was the Offensive Player of the Year favorite for most of the season after finishing the campaign's first half on pace to top 2,000 receiving yards. However, the Dolphins superstar didn't reach the historic mark and missed a game due to injury. The All-Pro pass-catcher still led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdown catches on 119 receptions.McCaffrey, Prescott, and Jackson were also finalists for the MVP award.With quarterbacks dominating the MVP in the last decade, the OPOY award has mostly been awarded to skill-position players. New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Los Angeles Rams wideout Cooper Kupp, and Minnesota Vikings pass-catcher Justin Jefferson were the NFL's most recent offensive players. Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes was the last quarterback to win it, doing so in 2018.McCaffrey can add another major trophy to his resume on Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson was named Defensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday.The Texans swept the rookie awards with quarterback C.J. Stroud being named Offensive Rookie of the Year. It's the second season in a row that one team has taken home both honors after New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner won them last year.Anderson posted seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 22 quarterback hits in 15 games (13 starts) after being selected No. 3 out of Alabama. The edge rusher was named to the Pro Bowl in his first season.His most productive game came in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos. The 6-foot-4, 243-pounder finished the 22-17 win with five total tackles (two for loss), a pair of sacks, four quarterback hits, and a pass deflection.Anderson captured 16 first-place and 21 second-place votes, per The Associated Press' Rob Maaddi. Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner both earned 14 first-place ballots but received 14 and six second-place votes, respectively.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns sideline boss Kevin Stefanski claimed the 2023 Coach of the Year award at the NFL Honors on Thursday.It's the second time Stefanski takes home the honor in the last four seasons, as he was also named the NFL's best coach in 2020, his first year with the Browns. Bill Belichick and Ron Rivera are the only other active head coaches to win the COY award multiple times. Brian Daboll of the New York Giants was last year's winner.Stefanski, 41, led the Browns to the playoffs with an 11-6 record despite Cleveland being decimated by injuries in 2023. The team became the first in the Super Bowl era to be in the postseason without its Week 1 starting quarterback, running back, left tackle, and right tackle, according to CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani. At the end of the season, the Browns had 27% of their salary cap on injured reserve, a league high among playoff teams, notes Dajani.Injuries forced the Browns to start four different QBs throughout the season: Deshaun Watson (six starts), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (three), P.J. Walker (two), and Joe Flacco (five). Cleveland also had Jeff Driskel under center in Week 18 while resting its main players.Stefanski helped Flacco post one of last year's greatest comeback stories after the franchise signed the former Super Bowl MVP in November. The 39-year-old Flacco, who began the season unsigned, provided the Browns' offense with a spark in the final stretch of the campaign by averaging 323 passing yards per game. Cleveland eventually lost to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.DeMeco Ryans of the Texans, Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions, John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, and Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers were the other finalists for Coach of the Year.Stefanski and Ryans were tied with 165 points in the race, but the Browns' sideline boss had an extra first-place vote to win via tiebreaker.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was named 2023 Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors on Thursday night.Garrett amassed 14 sacks in 2023 and beat out Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt to win the DPOY. Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland and Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby were also finalists in what was one of this season's tightest award races.Garrett had 23 first-place votes for DPOY and finished with 165 points. Watt ranked second with 140 points (19 first-place votes). They were followed by Parsons, who received seven first-place votes. Bland, who set an NFL single-season record with five pick-6s, received one first-place vote but finished fifth.Garrett put on a show to start the 2023 campaign, amassing 13 sacks and forcing four fumbles in his first 10 games. His production dropped in the campaign's second half, but that wasn't enough to prevent him from being named football's best defender for the first time in his career.The 28-year-old also led the league in pass-rush win rate, according to PFF.Garrett was a cornerstone of Cleveland's top-ranked defense. The Browns' defensive unit was crucial in helping the team make the playoffs despite major injuries on the offensive side of the ball.Parsons recorded 14 sacks in 2023. He's now finished in the top three for DPOY in each of his first three NFL seasons but has yet to win the award.Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, led the league with 19 sacks this past season. He earned a first-team All-Pro nod along with Garrett.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud claimed Offensive Rookie of the Year at the NFL Honors on Thursday night.The 2023 No. 2 pick, Stroud was widely expected to take home the award after recording one of the greatest rookie seasons ever this past year.The Ohio State product completed 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns against five interceptions in 15 games. He joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only players in the Super Bowl era to lead the NFL in TD/INT ratio and passing yards per game in the same season.Stroud had an all-time-great performance in Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, completing 71% of his passes for a rookie-record 470 yards and five touchdowns. He went 9-6 as a starter in Year 1, helping the Texans win the division with a 10-7 record after Houston won just three games in 2022. The AFC South team beat the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs.Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson were the other Offensive Rookie of the Year finalists.Stroud ran away with the award, receiving 48 first-place votes. Nacua was the only other first-year player to receive consideration for first place with two votes. LaPorta ranked third in the race.While Stroud, Gibbs, LaPorta, and Robinson were all top-35 draft picks, Nacua entered the NFL as a fifth-round selection. Nineteen wideouts were selected before the Rams took the BYU product 177th overall.Nacua set rookie records for catches (105) and receiving yards (1,486). The 22-year-old, who earned a second-team All-Pro berth, also caught six touchdowns.Stroud was the second quarterback off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft after Bryce Young, who went first overall to the Carolina Panthers.He becomes the first quarterback to be named OROY since Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020. Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase and New York Jets wideout Garrett Wilson won the award in 2021 and 2022, respectively.The Texans swept rookie awards in 2023, as edge rusher Will Anderson was named Defensive Rookie of the Year over Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys are set to reunite with Mike Zimmer to fill in their defensive coordinator vacancy, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.The 67-year-old will replace Dan Quinn, who recently left to become the Washington Commanders' head coach.Zimmer hasn't had an NFL job since serving as the Minnesota Vikings' head coach from 2014-21. He posted a 72-56-1 regular-season record in Minnesota, helping the team reach the playoffs three times.This will be Zimmer's second stint with Dallas. The longtime coach spent time with the Cowboys as an assistant (1994), defensive backs coach (1995-99), and defensive coordinator (2000-06). He was part of their Super Bowl-winning team in 1995.Zimmer also worked as defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons (2007) and Cincinnati Bengals (2008-13) before taking the Minnesota job. He was named 2009 Assistant Coach of the Year.Most recently, he was an analyst at Jackson State in 2022, working with one of his former players, Deion Sanders.The Cowboys also interviewed multiple veteran coaches for the defensive coordinator job, including Ron Rivera and Rex Ryan.Dallas' defense ranked in the top 10 in points allowed in all three seasons under Quinn, who joined the team in 2021. The Cowboys placed fifth in both points and total yards allowed in 2023.Zimmer established himself as one of the NFL's best defensive-minded coaches throughout his career, and he helped the Vikings boast football's top-ranked defense in 2017. However, Minnesota struggled defensively in Zimmer's final years in charge. The unit allowed the third-most points in the league in 2021.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is tired of losing and expects improvement in 2024."This is it," Johnson said Thursday at NFL Honors, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello. "We have to produce this year."The 76-year-old didn't provide a specific measure for what he views as success, but he expects better than the back-to-back 7-10 finishes the team had over the last two seasons."I'm not a playoff-mandate (guy), but we have to do a lot better than that," Johnson said, according to Costello.The Jets haven't won the AFC East since the 2002 campaign and haven't made the postseason since 2010. Their last winning season was in 2015 when they went 10-6.Robert Saleh owns an 18-33 record since he was named the club's head coach ahead of the 2021 campaign, and Johnson has apparently showcased his thinning patience to the 45-year-old and general manager Joe Douglas."The discussions we've had the last couple of months, they've seen me about as mad as I can be," Johnson said, per Costello.Saleh's defense ranked third in yards allowed per game (292.3) and 12th in points allowed per game (20.9) last season. However, the offense finished 31st in yards (268.6) and 29th in points (15.8).New York also committed more turnovers (33) than all but two teams in the league while starting signal-callers Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian, and Tim Boyle after Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles tear in Week 1.Johnson aims to address the backup quarterback position this offseason after the trio struggled in relief of Rodgers."We need a backup quarterback," Johnson said Thursday, per Pro Football Network's Adam Beasley. "We didn't have one last year."The Jets are reportedly expected to try to find a trade partner for Wilson, whom the club selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Danny Kelly of The Ringer joins Boone to break down the top NFL prospects in the 2024 draft class.

Earlier in Super Bowl week, we looked at the betting market for the game itself. If you have a side to bet, you can tailor your prop betting portfolio to fit that result, but ideally, there will be a path to prop victory even if the side or total doesn't come through.We've had great success during the regular season and in the playoffs backing players to score, and there's nothing more exciting than one of your picks crossing the goal line or hauls in a touchdown.We've also been profitable by combining on-field matchups, player opportunity, and pricing - not necessarily in that order. Travis Kelce's a good bet at +135, but not at -135, regardless of whether he finds the end zone.Deebo Samuel: Anytime touchdown (+160)We liked Deebo Samuel in the rushing prop market and the receiving prop market, so why not expect him to score as well?Christian McCaffrey takes up much of the touchdown-scoring probability pie, but Samuel is priced similarly to George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk and provides a threat on the ground that those other two pass-catchers don't, evidenced by his seven rushing touchdowns this season.Hurt after just nine snaps in Week 6 at Cleveland, Samuel missed the next two games and played sparingly in Week 18. In the 13 games where Samuel played more than 50% of the snaps, he scored 14 touchdowns in eight different games for a scoring rate of 61.5%. That percentage would translate into implied odds of -160. So, with a clean bill of health after an 11-target game in the NFC Championship, he's the best value for San Francisco.Isiah Pacheco: Anytime touchdown (-120)There are no guarantees in betting, but scoring in seven straight games as the clear top option for the Chiefs at the goal line is a good start. Kansas City is still prone to overthinking its play-calling, as evidenced by the Mecole Hardman debacle in Buffalo, but if the team plays it straight, Isiah Pacheco is more likely to score than a -120 price (54.5% implied probability) suggests.Skyy Moore: Anytime touchdown (+700)

Re-signing defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed is at the top of Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach's to-do list this offseason."Sometimes I look at our situation and I'm like, 'I don't know how we're going to do this,' but we usually work through things systematically and have a list of the priorities,'' Veach said Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "Certainly, Chris and LJ are at the top of the list."However, Veach admitted it may be an "extremely hard" task.Jones is an impending unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old held out of training camp and missed the club's Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions due to a contract standoff. He was entering the final season of a four-year, $80-million deal he signed in 2020.The Chiefs and Jones ultimately agreed to a revised one-year contract worth up to $25 million with incentives.Meanwhile, Sneed is coming off another multi-interception season. Since being drafted by Kansas City in 2020, he's recorded at least two interceptions every year.Jones acknowledged Super Bowl 58 might be his final ride with the team that drafted him."I know there's a possibility this could be my last game with the Chiefs," Jones said, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. "You just take it all in."I'll let the offseason do its thing. I don't really focus on it. I'm not too worried about it. After everything is settled and the dust clears, we'll see where we're at."Jones had another tremendous season in 2023, racking up 85 pressures, according to PFF, and 10.5 sacks. He secured his second consecutive first-team All-Pro nomination and his fifth Pro Bowl nod. Jones has 273 tackles and 75.5 sacks in 123 career games.In addition to Jones and Sneed, Willie Gay Jr. and Drue Tranquill are also set to hit free agency. The Chiefs currently have $24 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams is "really excited" about the arrival of new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who's had success working with the star wideout in the past."That was a good feeling knowing a guy that I've worked with. I know how he works, I know how his mind works, and we've had success together," the six-time Pro Bowler added, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez.Adams and Getsy began their NFL careers with the Green Bay Packers, who drafted the wideout in the second round in 2014 and hired Getsy as an offensive quality control coach that year.Adams played his first eight seasons with the Packers and established himself as a premier receiver before being traded to the Raiders in 2022. In Green Bay, Getsy also served as wide receivers coach (2016-17), quarterbacks coach (2019-21), and passing game coordinator (2020-21). He left the team to become the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator in 2022."He's going to be open to hearing things from the veteran players that know how this thing works and the best way to do things," Adams said of Getsy, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "So a lot of different things, but just the open-mindedness and, like I said, that innovation to the offense and a good run-pass balance. And that's what I'm used to, that West Coast style. Gonna be fun getting to work on a new system, something that's a little bit more familiar for us."The Raiders' offense struggled in 2023 after starting the season with head coach Josh McDaniels and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi. Las Vegas - which ranked 23rd in points scored - fired McDaniels and Lombardi, as well as general manager Dave Ziegler, in November.The AFC West team recently removed the interim tag on head coach Antonio Pierce, who received public support from several players, including Adams.The 31-year-old pass-catcher expressed his frustration over a lack of targets multiple times in the first half of the 2023 season. He still finished the campaign with 103 catches for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns - his first year without double-digit TD grabs since 2019.The quarterback position remains an issue for the Raiders, who started Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie Aidan O'Connell, and Brian Hoyer in 2023. Las Vegas is expected to pursue a new QB1 in 2024.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Earlier in Super Bowl week, we looked at the betting market for the game itself. If you have a side to bet, you can tailor your prop betting portfolio to fit that result. But ideally, there'll be a path to prop victory even if the side or total doesn't come through.After a season replete with player prop betting for yardage, completions, receptions, and touchdowns, the Super Bowl brings the opportunity to get deep into the defensive side of the ball.Trent McDuffie: Over 4.5 tackles (+110)Trent McDuffie averaged five total tackles per game this season, good for second on the Chiefs - something of an unusual achievement by a cornerback.McDuffie hasn't had more than four tackles this postseason, which might be why he's an underdog to go over in Super Bowl LVIII. However, those matchups didn't require a cornerback to be involved in tackling as much as Sunday's will.It was too cold for Miami's offense to function on the wide sides of the field. The Bills ran the ball 39 times - mostly between the tackles - while the Ravens didn't use their vaunted rushing attack, opting for a more vertical approach. The 49ers - with Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel - should be expected to test the Chiefs' perimeter defense in perfect offensive conditions.Will the opening kickoff result in a touchback? No (+230)The trendiest Super Bowl prop bet of 2023 left "No" bettors disappointed for the second straight year when Harrison Butker booted the much-ballyhooed commemorative kicking ball into the end zone. It was the second straight touchback after 26 of the previous 28 championship-opening kicks were returned.Touchbacks are more likely with the kickoff having moved to the 35-yard line. However, neither Butker's boot last year nor Evan McPherson's kick to open Super Bowl LVI was a soaring blast. The Rams instructed Brandon Powell to stand on the goal line and not return any kick that landed more than two yards deep in the end zone. The Eagles were 30th in kickoff returns last year and Boston Scott made little effort to jump in front of Butker's knuckling line drive.The Chiefs' strong-legged kicker had a hard time kicking the non-broken-in ball in Super Bowl LVII, and Jake Moody had a 60% touchback rate this season. Needing an implied win probability of better than 30% to give "No" a positive expected value, we'll make the first play of the game interesting by backing the underdog side.49ers: No successful field goal (+375)The 49ers are painfully conservative. That usually means Kyle Shanahan is more likely to take a field goal instead of risking a turnover on downs. However, perhaps he'll be less interested in leaving key moments to Moody's foot after watching the rookie kicker miss a field goal attempt in every playoff game.Additionally, the 49ers didn't have a field goal in five of 17 regular-season games, or 29.4% of the time. At +375, there's an implied 21.1% chance that San Francisco won't make a field goal. So, even though it's a moderate long shot, there may be an edge at these odds.Many field goals are a function of settling for three points at the end of a half, but the Chiefs are excellent at taking the time down before halftime.Finally, an overtime field goal is less likely with the relatively new rules that put a premium on scoring a touchdown.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andy Reid has no qualms with the San Francisco 49ers being the favorites to win the Super Bowl after an inconsistent season from the Kansas City Chiefs, but the coach will never call himself an underdog."I understand why we're the underdog - I get that - we had some ups and downs during the season," Reid said Thursday, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I never feel like an underdog going into a game, but I understand why it's been situated that way. It is what it is."Kansas City has produced its best defense of the Reid-Patrick Mahomes era. The unit ranked second in both yards and points allowed in the regular season before hitting an even higher gear in the playoffs, allowing just 41 points through three games.However, the previously dominant offense has struggled to match its usual standard. Mahomes and Co. were just 15th in points per game after five straight top-six finishes, including two league-leading results.The Chiefs are also much younger than their other three recent Super Bowl appearances, but Reid doesn't believe his inexperienced players will be impacted by the pressure of the big game."When you get through all of this, it's a game," Reid said. "It's faster than most games. It's crazy how, in the playoffs, every game's a little faster the higher you go up in the playoffs."So, it's fast, but it's still the game. So, you're professionals, arguably one of 32 guys at your position in the whole world, so you go play and do your job."Reid could become just the fifth NFL head coach to win three Super Bowl titles after Bill Belichick (six), Chuck Noll (four), Bill Walsh (three), and Joe Gibbs (three).Despite taking the title of the league's oldest coach with Belichick and Pete Carroll leaving their respective jobs, the 65-year-old Reid said Tuesday that he isn't considering retirement.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One-sided action is a term you'll often hear in the sports-betting world. It can sometimes occur during the NFL regular season when there's an extremely popular player or team playing in a prime-time setting.But it happens often during the Super Bowl - the most bet-on sporting event in North America - since there are so many people placing wagers. In scenarios like this, sportsbooks often allow lopsided exposure to build up on one side of a player prop and trust that their models are correct.And this year is no different, with quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy driving lopsided action at both theScore Bet and ESPN Bet, two sportsbooks run by PENN Entertainment.Mahomes is making his fourth Super Bowl appearance and is on the brink of winning the big game for the second consecutive year. Bettors appear to have more faith in Mahomes under the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium than any other player in the game.So far, 97.9% of the handle (money wagered) and 97.6% of the bets are on the over for Mahomes' passing touchdown total. These splits are spread across his over 0.5 (-1000) and 1.5 (-150) passing touchdown totals.A whopping 10% of all bettors who've placed a bet on the Super Bowl have included Mahomes over 1.5 passing touchdowns to their portfolio in either a straight bet or a parlay. The over for his passing touchdown total accounts for 4.4% of all player prop handle and 5.4% of all player prop bets.Mahomes passed for two or more touchdowns in 10 of the 19 games played this season, which is 52.6% of the time. His current odds of -150 imply a win probability of 60%, so bettors are banking he'll outperform his season average on Sunday.Mahomes has recorded two or more passing touchdowns in two of his three Super Bowl appearances. He threw for at least one passing touchdown in every game this season except a late October matchup versus the Broncos.Meanwhile, Purdy is garnering plenty of one-sided action for a completely different reason than Mahomes.So far, 99.7% of all handle and 99.1% of all bets placed on Purdy's interception total have been on the over. His current props are over 0.5 (-125) and over 1.5 (+400).The Chiefs field arguably the best defense in the NFL, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has already done an incredible job limiting the high-powered offenses of the Dolphins, Bills, and Ravens this postseason.Purdy threw an interception in seven of 18 games this season, with one of those coming against the Lions in the NFC Championship Game. The other games he threw interceptions were against the Ravens (four), Bengals, Vikings, Browns, and both matchups against the Seahawks. Aside from Cincinnati, those are all above-average defenses, which the Chiefs certainly have.Of the non-quarterbacks, Travis Kelce and Deebo Samuel are creating one-sided action.The over on Kelce's reception total has attracted 86% of the handle and 96.2% of the bets on the market. His most balanced line at the moment is 6.5 receptions, with the over having odds of -155. Kelce hauled in 11 balls in the AFC Championship Game but only recorded seven or more receptions in six of 17 games leading up to his explosion against the Ravens. He has six or more catches in all three of his Super Bowl appearances.The love for Samuel isn't coming in the passing game, as his carries total is being heavily backed, with 99.6% of the handle and 99.7% of the bets on the over for Samuel's rushing prop of 2.5 carries. Bettors clearly expect Kyle Shanahan to get the ball into Samuel's hands in different ways. The dynamic wideout had three carries in the NFC Championship Game and recorded three or more rushing attempts in eight of 17 games played this season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago wide receiver D.J. Moore wants the Bears to ride with Justin Fields as their long-term quarterback.When asked what he wants Chicago to do with its Nos. 1 and 9 picks this year, Moore said on "Up & Adams" "Stick with Justin (Fields) and trade back and get some more O-line, and then we need some depth at receiver."He added: "I'm an advocate for Justin. I'm gonna stick by my guy until otherwise."Chicago secured the No. 1 selection in the draft after the Carolina Panthers finished with the worst record in the NFL. The Bears acquired that pick in a trade that also included Moore for the 2022 No. 1 selection.USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, and LSU's Jayden Daniels are projected to be the top signal-callers in the 2024 NFL Draft.Fields has been with the Bears since they drafted him 11th overall in 2021. Chicago has struggled to rack up victories since with Fields going 10-28.The 24-year-old did elevate his play in 2023, totaling 16 touchdowns with 2,584 yards in his last 10 games of the year. Chicago finished the season 4-3 in its final seven contests.Moore set career highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364), and touchdowns (eight) with the Bears. His 1,364 receiving yards were the most by a Chicago player in a single season since Alshon Jeffery had 1,421 in 2013.The Bears' offense ranked 21st in yards per game in 2023. The club hired former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron for the same role after moving on from Luke Getsy.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Earlier in Super Bowl week, we looked at the betting market for the game itself. If you have a side to bet, you can tailor your prop betting portfolio to fit that result, but ideally, there will be a path to prop victory even if the side or total doesn't come through.This quarterback matchup features a significant discrepancy in resumes. Patrick Mahomes goes into Sunday looking for a third championship and Super Bowl MVP, while Brock Purdy is still trying to answer questions from his most stubborn critics and hasn't finished a playoff game away from home. That dichotomy might be creating some value in the passing markets, which raises two questions:

The Washington Commanders are hiring former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson to a prominent role on their offensive staff, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.Johnson will likely serve as the Commanders' pass-game coordinator, Fowler adds.Philadelphia promoted Johnson from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator last offseason when Shane Steichen took the Indianapolis Colts head coaching job. Kellen Moore replaced him as offensive coordinator after the Eagles and Johnson parted ways in January.Johnson spent three years at Florida as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before landing in the NFL with Philadelphia in 2021. He's worked with Jalen Hurts every year since the former second-round pick took over the Eagles' starting job, helping him become one of the league's better signal-callers.Philadelphia's offense took a step back in 2023 under Johnson after a tremendous 2022 campaign, finishing with fewer yards and points per game. The team struggled down the stretch and was held to nine points in its loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round.Commanders head coach Dan Quinn recently hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as his offensive coordinator. Johnson and Kingsbury will be tasked with helping a Washington offense that ranked 27th in EPA/play over the last two seasons.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is eyeing a big payday ahead of a possible contract extension."I want to break the bank and be a part of an organization that wants me and (is willing) to give me what I deserve,"Jefferson said on the "Schein on Sports" show on Mad Dog Sports Radio.The Vikings superstar and the club engaged in discussions regarding a contract extension prior to the start of the 2023 campaign. The two sides opted to table negotiations until the end of the season after failing to strike a deal.Jefferson is slated to play out the the fifth and final year of his rookie contract in 2024, which includes a $19.7-million salary, according to Spotrac. The 2022 first-team All-Pro wideout is confident that Minnesota will do right by him during the next round of negotiations."Eventually the Vikings will do what they need to do to have me in the building," he said.The 24-year-old receiver recorded 68 receptions for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns after missing seven games due to a hamstring injury. It was a slight drop in production for Jefferson, who paced the league with 128 catches for 1,809 yards a year prior.Jefferson isn't quite sure what his fate will be if he's unable to secure a new deal."I'm not really too sure at this very moment," he said when asked about a scenario in which the Vikings don't meet his demands. "I definitely am grateful for what Minnesota has done for me. I definitely wouldn't be in this situation if they didn't pick me."Jefferson has been the focal point of the Vikings' offense since he was taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He's set a historic pace by racking up 392 receptions for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns in 60 career games.The LSU product could eclipse the $30-million average salary of Tyreek Hill, the league's top-paid receiver, in his next deal. Fair compensation is important to Jefferson, but he's keen to remain in the place he's called "home" since entering the league."With everything I have gave to the organization, of course I would want to stay," he said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Dynasty Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team PPR leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values for each position.Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest.For fantasy managers looking to get a head start on the competition, here's the first look at our 2024 dynasty rookie rankings.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team PPR leagues.Follow the links below to see the dynasty trade values for veterans at each position.Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values

Hosting a Super Bowl party or looking to get some co-workers in on the action for Sunday's big game? Look no further.From die-hard football fans to the Swifties and Usher lovers only tuning in for the extracurriculars, our ultimate prop sheet is a fantastic way to get everyone involved in the Super Bowl madness.Share it, send it, print it, and - most importantly - enjoy the festivities of Super Bowl Sunday!The rulesAnswer every question. Every correct answer is worth one point. Whoever has the most points wins.If two or more entrants answer the same amount of questions correctly, the tiebreaker can be used to determine the winner.Let's do this.Ultimate Super Bowl LVIII prop sheetEditor's note: Article will be updated with correct answers on Feb. 12.Pregame1. Will the length of the national anthem be over or under 99.5 seconds?

If Patrick Mahomes has to be seen as the bad guy to keep racking up Super Bowl wins, the superstar quarterback will accept that deal."I think I just like winning," Mahomes said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "If you win a lot and that causes you to be a villain, then I'm OK with it. But at the end of the day, I'm going to enjoy playing the game and try to win as much as possible."Kansas City will play in its fourth Super Bowl in the last five seasons when they take on the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch from four years ago.The Chiefs will also attempt to become the first back-to-back champions since the New England Patriots during the 2003 and 2004 campaigns.The crowd booed the Chiefs at Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night on Monday.

Earlier in Super Bowl week, we looked at the betting market for the game itself. If you have a side to bet, you can tailor your prop betting portfolio to fit that result, but ideally, there will be a path to prop victory even if the side or total doesn't come through.With so many conceivable options for "most receiving yards," it's the most interesting of the superlative markets for Super Bowl LVIII after the quarterbacks dueling for most passing yards. Also, Christian McCaffrey is appropriately the heavy favorite for most rushing yards. But in a one-game scenario, anything can happen. It helps if it's happened before.George Kittle (+700)Let's ignore a meaningless Week 18 game and the 49ers' contest in Arizona when McCaffrey fell, got up, and caught a 41-yard touchdown pass on the way to leading the Niners in receiving. That means San Francisco's trio of primary pass-catchers - Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle - have each led the team in receiving yards five times. However, they're not given the same odds to have the most yards Sunday.Kittle added a sixth team-leading receiving game in the divisional round against the Packers, whose defensive backs are better than anyone the Niners have in coverage at the second level. In the regular season, 536 of Kittle's 1,020 total yards came in those five contests (while averaging just 44 yards in the other 11). When he's in the game plan, he goes off.Against the Chiefs, whose cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie are among the best duos in the league, there's reason to believe Kittle should be in the mix more than usual. Rather than betting Kittle to go over his prescribed total of 47.5 at -115, why not take him to lead the game in receiving at +700? Those are much longer odds than his teammates and the Chiefs' Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice.Rashee Rice: Longest reception over 21.5 yardsWe have Patrick Mahomes under on his pass yards, but we're trying to thread a needle here by going over Rice's longest reception - those two things should have an anti-correlation.However, we can try this because Mahomes has been finding Rice for chunk yardage plays despite the signal-caller rarely going over his passing yards through the season's stretch and into the playoffs. The rookie has a reception of over 21.5 yards in eight of his last 14 games, while Mahomes only went over his total in five of 14. Mahomes' depressed totals haven't hurt Rice's chances for a big gain.The Chiefs frequently use Rice on crossing routes, hoping he can get loose after the catch. The 49ers struggled to tackle Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown in the secondary last contest.Marquez Valdes-Scantling: Over 19.5 receiving yardsGoing into the playoffs, everyone complained that Mahomes' targets regularly dropped balls. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had that reputation throughout his career, but he's come down with three contested passes in the last two games. Suddenly somewhat reliable and on the field for 70% or more of the snaps, Valdes-Scantling's low number is too enticing to pass up, with Mahomes willing to look his way deep down the field.Deebo Samuel: Over 4.5 receptions (-130)There's no other way to put it: I think this will be a big game for Deebo Samuel. Given his style of play, there's usually an element of keeping Samuel healthy in the 49ers' play-calling. They can't overuse him during the regular season. Samuel caught two passes on the opening two drives in San Francisco's first playoff contest before suffering an injury. The ailment could have set him up for a conservative workload in the next matchup against the Lions, but he recorded eight catches on nine targets.The 49ers want to get Samuel the ball and make the Chiefs' good coverage secondary tackle one of the league's toughest players to bring down. Samuel had five-catch performances in the first 49ers-Chiefs Super Bowl and the 2022 regular-season rematch, and he's posted at least 12 combined targets and carries in every playoff game since Super Bowl LIV.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady is among those surprised that Bill Belichick remains unemployed after parting ways with the New England Patriots in January.On Monday's episode of his "Let's Go!" podcast, Brady shared his thoughts on Belichick failing to land a job during the latest NFL head coach hiring cycle."I'm not one to hire (coaches)," the former Patriots quarterback said. "I don't know the criteria for hiring these guys, for hiring coaches. I have never been a part of it."I mean, I'm surprised that the greatest coach ever doesn't have a job. Absolutely. But I'm surprised (by) a lot of things in the NFL."Brady, who played under Belichick for 20 years, pointed out that he was also passed over by several NFL teams after leaving New England in 2019."When I was a free agent, there was a lot of teams that didn't want me," he said, adding, "there's a lot of things that happen that, for one reason or another, don't go exactly the way you think they should go."The 71-year-old Belichick spent 24 seasons as head coach of the Patriots, leading the team to six Super Bowl titles and nine conference championships. He ranks as the second-most winningest coach in NFL history behind Don Shula with 333 victories.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf will take control of the personnel department and the 53-man roster, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Wolf will work closely with head coach Jerod Mayo, Rapoport added. A specific title for the 41-year-old's role has yet to be reported.The Patriots are also finalizing a deal to bring in the University of Miami's general manager of football operations, Alonzo Highsmith, as an executive in the personnel department, a source told Chad Graff, Manny Navarro, and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.Highsmith was an executive in the Seattle Seahawks' personnel department from 2020-22 and was the vice president of player personnel for the Cleveland Browns from 2018-19.The Patriots hired Wolf in 2020 as a scouting consultant after he spent two years as Browns assistant general manager. Wolf was named Patriots director of scouting two years after joining the organization.Wolf and Highsmith worked together in Cleveland and with the Green Bay Packers' personnel department from 2012-17.Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was also the general manager for 23 years before parting ways with the organization in January.New England has $66 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, and the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's how the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers stack up against each other at every position ahead of Super Bowl LVIII.QuarterbackThis is the Chiefs' biggest advantage. Brock Purdy has looked good, but no other team can top Kansas City at quarterback with Patrick Mahomes. He's the sport's best player and has achieved unprecedented playoff success through his first six seasons as a starter.Purdy is having an impressive start of his own early in his NFL journey. The last pick in the 2022 draft, he took over as a starter midway through his rookie campaign and helped San Francisco reach the NFC title game. A year later - with Purdy healthy after an elbow injury removed him from that contest - the Iowa State product led the NFL in yards per pass attempt, passer rating, and EPA/play in 2023. Ryan Kang / Getty Images Sport / GettyPurdy hasn't been as flawless this postseason: the 24-year-old's passer rating sits at 87.7. However, he led a clutch late drive in a comeback win in the division round and helped the Niners erase a 17-point deficit to claim the NFC championship. At least temporarily, he's silenced those who think he's just a game-manager playing in Kyle Shanahan's prolific offensive scheme.While football fans have debated Purdy's play over the last two seasons, Mahomes has made history. The Chiefs star led K.C. to its second Super Bowl title in four years last campaign while earning regular-season and Super Bowl MVP honors. With 27 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions, he had a relatively down year in 2023. But strong performances in road wins this postseason reminded us how special Playoff Mahomes is. He's yet to be intercepted this postseason. Mahomes is also 3-0 in his career against the 49ers, including a triumph in Super Bowl LIV.Advantage: ChiefsRunning backsDeath, taxes, and a Christian McCaffrey touchdown.The 49ers have made McCaffrey a central part of their offense since acquiring him in a midseason 2022 trade, and the results are incredible. McCaffrey led the NFL in touches (339), scrimmage yards (2,023), and scrimmage touchdowns (21) in the regular season. He's already scored four TDs this postseason while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. However, San Francisco hasn't used its other rushers often.Pacheco isn't nearly as skilled as McCaffrey, but the Chiefs tailback is also hot ahead of the big game. Though he's averaging four yards per rushing attempt, Pacheco has scored in each of his team's three playoff matchups while amassing 281 scrimmage yards. Kansas City also rosters Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who's had flashes but was limited to one carry in the AFC title game.Running back depth isn't a strength in the Super Bowl, evidenced by the fact that Purdy and Mahomes rank second on their respective teams in rushing this postseason. But McCaffrey gives San Francisco a clear advantage here. There's also Kyle Juszczyk, the All-Pro fullback who's a star in the 49ers' backfield. Juszczyk has only one carry this postseason, but his blocks and pass-catching ability have been clutch for Shanahan's outfit.Advantage: 49ersReceiversSan Francisco boasts football's most dynamic and explosive group of skill-position players. With McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle, the 2023 Niners became only the sixth team ever to have four players with 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage. San Francisco piles up yards after the catch more than any other team, which will be a big factor come Feb. 11. This group led the NFC in total yards in 2023.It's also worth keeping an eye on Jauan Jennings, an under-the-radar weapon. In addition to being a solid blocker, the 6-foot-3 Jennings had four first-down conversions in the divisional round and made a crucial one-handed catch on third down in the NFC championship. Michael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhile the 49ers have the luxury of having special weapons everywhere, the Chiefs struggled to find reliable targets all season. No Kansas City pass-catcher topped 1,000 yards in 2023, and its receivers led the NFL in drops. Even the great Travis Kelce looked rusty at some points. That said, Kelce and rookie Rashee Rice have come up clutch in the playoffs, ranking second and fourth in receiving yards this postseason, respectively. Depth remains an issue, but this group seems to be gaining momentum at the right time.An X-factor for K.C. could be Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Brought in to be a deep vertical threat after Kansas City traded away Tyreek Hill, Valdes-Scantling has had his least-productive season. He did make a 32-yard diving grab to seal the AFC title matchup; this team may need more of that Sunday. In Super Bowl LIV, Hill hauled in a 44-yard reception on third down with K.C. down by 10. That was the spark the team needed at the time. MVS is no Tyreek, but he's one of the few deep options Kansas City has.Advantage: 49ersOffensive lineThe Chiefs' O-line dominated the Baltimore Ravens' top-ranked pass rush in the AFC title game despite not having Joe Thuney. It doesn't sound like the All-Pro guard - who's played in four Super Bowls - will be fully healthy for the big game, so Nick Allegretti could step in again. Allegretti was solid versus Baltimore and also started at LG in Super Bowl LV versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jawaan Taylor will also draw attention, although he's mostly struggled in 2023. He's been called for an NFL-high 20 penalties, including the playoffs. Taylor looked better in the last two games, but the jury is still out.Led by All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco's offensive line might be the NFL's best in run blocking and deserves a lot of credit for McCaffrey's spectacular numbers. The Niners don't roster another high-profile offensive lineman other than Williams, but this dynamic group is as healthy as it could be this time of the year.An ideal Super Bowl offensive line would feature the 49ers' tackles and the Chiefs' interior group, led by Pro Bowl center Creed Humphrey. Both teams ranked in the top 10 for the fewest sacks allowed in 2023. This is a close call with Thuney banged up, but K.C.'s O-line ultimately takes it due to its momentum and Super Bowl experience.Advantage: ChiefsFront sevenFew front sevens, if any, feature as much star power and depth as the 49ers'. Led by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, San Francisco had football's No. 1 defense in 2022. The Niners added Javon Hargrave and Chase Young in 2023, creating more mismatch nightmares for opposing offenses. However, the front four has struggled against the run in the playoffs and has amassed just two sacks (all of which came from Bosa). Being outplayed in the trenches explains why San Francisco hasn't dominated this postseason.The Chiefs have turned heads with Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, and Co., most recently in the AFC championship when they limited MVP front-runner Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to 10 points. Karlaftis topped double-digit sacks in 2023 and leads the team in that category in the playoffs. His momentum, combined with Jones' All-Pro form, gives K.C. an unstoppable duo. Injuries are the biggest issue for Kansas City as starting lineman Derrick Nnadi and defensive end Charles Omenihu - who had a career-high seven sacks in 2023 - won't play. Willie Gay is battling a neck ailment but will likely be available after missing one game. Ryan Kang / Getty Images Sport / GettyBoth teams have front-seven weapons capable of stealing the show. The 49ers' unit hasn't performed at its best recently, but the Chiefs' depth is being tested. Here, San Fran deserves the benefit of the doubt due to its absurd amount of individual talent and how hungry this unit is to win its first title together. Kansas City spoiled Super Bowl dreams for Bosa, Warner, Arik Armstead, and Dre Greenlaw four years ago and for Javon Hargrave last year.Advantage: 49ersSecondaryIt's safe to say the Chiefs wouldn't be in this championship matchup if not for their stout defense, and their secondary is the unit's biggest strength. Somehow, Trent McDuffie was the only All-Pro or Pro Bowl defensive back from this team in 2023, but L'Jarius Sneed has also been great. McDuffie has broken up four passes in the playoffs, while Sneed recorded two pass breakups and a clutch forced fumble at the goal line versus Baltimore. Plus, the likes of Justin Reid, Mike Edwards, Jaylen Watson, and Joshua Williams all have Super Bowl experience.We can't say the same about the 49ers, who have depth issues in their secondary and lost former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL in November. But former Pro Bowlers Tashaun Gipson and Charvarius Ward - who won a ring with K.C. over San Francisco - have been good. Ambry Thomas, a starter who struggled in the NFC championship, left the Detroit Lions matchup with an ankle injury but is on track to face the Chiefs.San Francisco's secondary isn't bad by any means, but Kansas City's group of defensive backs looks flawless and is on fire at the moment. Its matchup against the 49ers' stacked group of skill-position players is one of the most interesting things to watch in Super Bowl LVIII.Advantage: ChiefsSpecial teamsNeither the Chiefs nor the 49ers have done a lot in their return game. Tommy Townsend hasn't been as effective as he was as an All-Pro punter in 2022, but he and Mitch Wishnowsky remain reliable veterans.The biggest difference between the AFC and NFC champions is at kicker. While Harrison Butker converted 94% of his regular-season field goals and is perfect in seven playoff FG attempts, Jake Moody has had ups and downs. The third-round rookie has missed two field-goal attempts this postseason.Special teams were huge for the Chiefs to lift the Lombardi Trophy last year. Kadarius Toney set up a fourth-quarter touchdown with a 65-yard punt return versus the Philadelphia Eagles - the longest punt return in Super Bowl history - and Butker later hit the winning field goal in the dying seconds of a 38-35 triumph.Advantage: ChiefsCoaching Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyThere are several interesting storylines behind the coaches in Super Bowl LVIII. Winning a third ring would bolster an already great resume for Andy Reid, one of the sport's most creative play-callers. The future Hall of Famer will coach in his fifth career Super Bowl on Feb. 11.On the other side, Shanahan is getting another shot at redemption after suffering comeback losses in his two Super Bowl appearances. The 44-year-old was the Niners' sideline boss against Reid's Chiefs four years ago, and he was the Falcons' coordinator and play-caller when Atlanta infamously blew a 28-3 lead against the Patriots. But Shanahan's system is undoubtedly effective and has helped former NFL MVP Matt Ryan, Jimmy Garoppolo, and now Purdy record career years.The defensive coordinators will be under the spotlight, too. Steve Wilks generated head coaching interest this year, but his game plans this postseason haven't been great, especially against the run. The Niners also need to pressure QBs more often. Meanwhile, K.C.'s AFC title game performance left many wondering why Steve Spagnuolo didn't get HC interviews this cycle. After helping the 2023 Chiefs build their best defense of the Mahomes era, Spagnuolo's unit put on a clinic on every level versus the Jackson-led Ravens. The three-time Super Bowl champion Spagnuolo is the only offensive or defensive coordinator ever to lift the Lombardi Trophy in that role with multiple franchises (New York Giants and Chiefs).Advantage: ChiefsCopyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys' vacant defensive coordinator position, sources told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.Ryan has been out of the NFL and working as an ESPN analyst since being fired by the Bills near the end of the 2016 campaign.The 61-year-old coached the Jets from 2009-14, leading the club to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in his first two years. Ryan finished with a 46-50 overall record in New York after struggles over the final seasons of his tenure.Ryan lasted just two years in Buffalo, going 15-16 and missing the playoffs in both campaigns. He previously acted as the Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator from 2005-07 and produced a top-six scoring unit each season.Ryan interviewed to be Sean Payton's DC with the Denver Broncos last year but lost out on the job to Vance Joseph.The Cowboys are eyeing experienced former head coaches to take over from defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who left for the Washington Commanders' top job. Dallas also reportedly interviewed Mike Zimmer and Ron Rivera.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers hired Jesse Minter to be their new defensive coordinator, the team announced Tuesday.The 40-year-old Minter will reunite with head coach Jim Harbaugh in L.A. after serving as Michigan's defensive coordinator for the last two years.Minter helped the Wolverines become one of college football's top-rated defensive units in 2023. Michigan surrendered the fewest yards per game (247) in the country en route to its first national title in 26 years.The Arkansas native will make his NFL return after assuming various defensive roles as an assistant under John Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens from 2017-2020. He also spent one season as the DC and safeties coach at Vanderbilt in 2021 before heading to Ann Arbor.Minter is expected to be joined by fellow ex-Wolverine Mike Elston, who'll be the Chargers' defensive line coach, according to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale is the only remaining defensive assistant in Michigan after Sherrone Moore became the Wolverines' head coach.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Jordan McNamara of Analytics of Dynasty joins Boone to discuss which players you should try to acquire heading into the offseason.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid responded with a life lesson handed down to him by his parents when asked about the possibility that he could retire after Super Bowl LVIII."My mom and dad told me this when they were working," Reid said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "They said, 'You'll know when it's time,' and I'm ready to go right now. Let's go."That's what they would tell me when I was young. ... Somewhere, you're going to know when it's time. Today's not the day."Reid is approaching the end of his 25th season as an NFL head coach. Despite his career mileage, the Chiefs' front office doesn't sense that he could be near the end."I have no sense from Andy that he's ready to retire," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said on Sirius XM's "Mad Dog Sports Radio." "We have that conversation each offseason, and so that's a conversation we'll have at the end of the year, but I am not expecting him to retire. He loves what he's doing. I know he's energized by the team that he has."He added: "I look forward to having Andy for many more years."General manager Brett Veach also previously agreed that he thought Reid had a "good chunk of time left," per Teicher.Reid has led the Chiefs to four Super Bowl appearances in five years. He'll be aiming to capture his third Super Bowl on Sunday when he matches up against the San Francisco 49ers, who the Chiefs previously beat in Super Bowl Super Bowl LIV.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.