In a five-part series, theScore's football editors give a verdict on whether 2019 breakout players will continue their success in 2020.We end with defenders.Categories

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't mince words when discussing the lack of diversity on NFL sidelines and in front offices.Shanahan believes the systemic racism plaguing the United States is evident in the league's hiring process."It's tough because white people don't feel it. You're not going to think someone's racist but, you know what? How the heck are there only four black head coaches out of 32? How are there only two GMs?" Shanahan said, according to Scott Bair of NBC Sports.Shanahan added, "The majority of our players are black. The fact that there are that few (in positions of power) is not debatable. I don't think people openly think that they're doing it, or that people assort to that, but that's what the problem is. The number is not debatable, and that is an issue. I think we talk about it a lot and it is something that has to get better."The league's hiring practices came to the forefront again after top head coaching candidates such as 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh - an Arab-American - and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy - a black man - were passed over.San Francisco has both a diverse coaching staff and front office. There are eight African-Americans working as coaches and three in the personnel department. The Niners also employ a white, female offensive assistant who is the first openly gay coach in the NFL."I can only speak for myself, and I try to hire people that I work with that are prepared for (the job). Fortunately, that has worked out well for me," Shanahan said. "We have a Muslim coordinator. We have a black coordinator. We have a lesbian on our staff. ... It's not to show people that we're trying to be diverse. It's because I have been around these people and they are really good at what they do."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Arians is a straight shooter.Earlier this offseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach said the team would go after Tom Brady, and the Bucs landed the six-time Super Bowl champ.On Thursday, Arians admitted the team would be interested in free-agent running back Devonta Freeman."If his price tag was reasonable," Arians said, according to Jon Ledyard of Pewter Report. "He's asking for a lot of money and we don't have a lot of money."The Buccaneers could use a veteran running back to complement their explosive passing game. However, Tampa Bay has $4.8 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap. The Seattle Seahawks were reportedly interested in Freeman but ended up signing Carlos Hyde to a one-year, $4-million contract.Freeman is reportedly willing to sit out the 2020 season if he doesn't receive an offer that reflects his own evaluation of his worth.The 28-year-old addressed the situation Thursday evening on Twitter.

Luke Kuechly may have retired as a player, but he'll still be part of the Carolina Panthers moving forward.The organization announced Thursday that the seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker will officially be joining the front office as a pro scout."During the season, it'll be player evaluation and then advance scouting stuff. So if we play a team next week, we've got to get everything set up and ready to go, so when the coaches come in Monday, they're not starting from square one," Kuechly said in the team's release.The 29-year-old shocked the football world when he announced his retirement from football in January. While he had opportunities to join a broadcast booth, Kuechly said the chance to remain with the organization was too good to pass up."I explored some other things, and they were all really cool opportunities. But I like being around the team," Kuechly said. "I like being around Charlotte, I like the guys upstairs (in the front office), and this will give me, I think, the closest thing I can get to playing."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has offered a second apology for comments he made Wednesday about players potentially kneeling throughout the U.S. anthem during the upcoming season.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has opened up some more seats for sports fans in his state.Abbott announced Wednesday that professional and collegiate sports venues in Texas will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity effective immediately, according to the Dallas Morning News.The announcement, part of the third phase of Texas' economic reopening, comes just one week after Abbott allowed outdoor venues to operate at 25% capacity. Wednesday's announcement marked the first time that NCAA sports were included in the reopening.Baseball fans in Texas could be the biggest beneficiaries of Wednesday's announcement, assuming Major League Baseball begins its 2020 season. MLB is leaning toward using local and municipal government rules to determine whether or not fans can attend home games this year, two sources told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News on Thursday.Texas is the only state allowing even a percentage of fans to attend live sporting events, meaning the state's two MLB teams - the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros - could have a major home-field advantage. Under the new guidelines, both Globe Life Field, the Rangers' brand-new stadium, and Houston's Minute Maid Park could potentially host just over 20,000 fans per game this season.MLB and its players' association are still negotiating terms for a shortened 2020 season. Talks between the sides have grown contentious in recent weeks.Under the terms of last week's announcement, all leagues wishing to have some fans in attendance for events in Texas would first need to gain approval from the Department of State Health Services. Any plans to host spectators at Rangers or Astros home games would also be subject to change, Grant reported.Upcoming sporting events in Texas include an IndyCar race in Fort Worth this weekend and the PGA Tour's Charles Schwab Challenge beginning June 11. Both events will still be contested without fans, according to the Morning News.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback Jake Fromm apologized Thursday after racist text messages he sent in March 2019 were posted on social media.In the texts, Fromm wrote that "guns are good." After discussing suppressors, he added, "just make them very expensive so only elite white people can get them."Fromm wrote in his apology that he is "against racism 100%," and that he addressed the texts with his teammates in a virtual meeting:

After Drew Brees expressed remorse for his "insensitive" remarks about disrespecting the U.S. flag, New Orleans Saints wide receiver and teammate Michael Thomas tweeted that he accepted his quarterback's apology.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees inadvertently showed Wednesday that if NFL games are going to be played this fall, the league better be prepared for a public-relations nightmare that likely won't go away. All because the NFL once treated protesting players as a public-relations nightmare that had to go away.In response to a direct question from Daniel Roberts of Yahoo Finance, Brees really stepped in it. Roberts asked Brees about the possibility of players again taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality against black citizens. The topic has renewed resonance in the wake of protests that have fanned across the country in response to the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis."I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America, or our country," Brees said, before explaining that both of his grandfathers had served in the U.S. military during World War II.“So every time I stand with my hand over my heart, looking at that flag and singing the national anthem, that’s what I think about. And many times, it brings me to tears thinking about all that has been sacrificed, not just those in the military, but for that matter, those throughout the civil rights movement of the '60s, and all that has been endured by so many people. And is everything right with our country right now? No, it's not. We still have a long way to go. But I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to the flag with your hand over your heart is it shows unity. It shows that we are all in this together, we can all do better, and we are all part of the solution.”Brees strained to be nuanced, but by conflating protests with "disrespecting the flag," he struck a nerve. His answer echoed what he had said in 2016, when Colin Kaepernick became the first NFL player to protest racial injustice by taking a knee. But in June 2020, the reaction was much different. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty ImagesCurrent and former NFL players quickly started dragging Brees for his remarks. One of his teammates, safety Malcolm Jenkins, recorded a video in which he told Brees to "shut the f--- up." Hall of Famer Ed Reed repeatedly called Brees a "sucker." Even LeBron James got in on the act. It's clear that black athletes in general - and NFL players in particular - are increasingly unafraid to speak their minds, even at the risk of alienating a star white player.And why shouldn't they be? The league didn't listen to Kaepernick; it effectively blackballed him after the 2016 season, and it eventually paid an out-of-court settlement to make him go away. About a year after Kaepernick first took a knee, President Donald Trump used protesting players as props for his never-ending culture war, and the league barely put up a fight. In truth, both Trump and the NFL were playing to type: The same shallow patriotism that animates Trump's divisiveness is a feature of the NFL's longstanding strategy of using the American flag and its military as branding vehicles to promote its sport. Please be respectful. Scott Cunningham / Getty ImagesMost of the league's players responded to Trump's comments by taking a knee during the anthem the following weekend, but the message of those protests was soon subsumed by team owners like Jerry Jones, who made a spectacle of a unified, bastardized version of Kaepernick's kneel-down before quickly threatening any players who sought to continue to protest during the anthem. The NFL's message was clear: It was time to move on from this "social justice" crap.Then, after a contentious October 2017 meeting between players and owners in New York, the league decided against implementing a formal policy that would define how players should comport themselves during the anthem. Even John Mara of the Giants, as blue-blooded as any owner in the league, came away admitting his "hard-line" position against the protests had "evolved a little bit" after listening to what players actually had to say. Racism wasn't being eliminated, but important conversations were being had, and voices were being heard. It was something.By the end of the 2017 season, fewer than 10 players were still consistently protesting. That didn't stop the owners from cobbling together a punitive anthem policy in May 2018 anyway - without consulting the players. Trump, seen here showing far less respect to the anthem than any protesting player ever did, was still hammering the league, and rather than stand up for the players, the owners capitulated. The players filed a grievance through their union, and within two months the league agreed not to implement the policy.The matter fizzled out - just as the NFL wanted all along - and the league turned its attention toward co-opting the cause by agreeing to give $90 million to the Players Coalition, a group of players and ex-players working in social justice advocacy at the community level. The Coalition froze out Kaepernick, and his ex-49ers teammate Eric Reid, who had continued to protest and to speak out, was among several players to withdraw from the group due to concerns about its intent and decision-making. For $90 million - a rounding error for its $16-billion business - the NFL purchased some goodwill, made its PR nightmare disappear, and developed another marketing tool.Then last summer, the NFL partnered with rapper Jay-Z's company, Roc Nation, "to enhance the NFL’s live game experiences and to amplify the league's social justice efforts." At a celebratory press event, Jay-Z sat in a boardroom yukking it up with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Though he had once referred to Kaepernick as an "iconic figure," Jay-Z on that day said he had "moved past kneeling," as though Kaepernick's protest were a mere inconvenience that could be shrugged off. In the fall, the NFL made a ham-fisted attempt to give Kaepernick a tryout in front of all 32 teams, but the hastily arranged endeavor was quickly revealed for the sham it was. The league's work was complete. Kevin Mazur / Getty ImagesNow, this. Brees wound up issuing an apology Thursday morning. But with millions of people in cities across the world continuing to protest, it's clear the NFL can no longer frame police brutality and racial injustice solely according to its bottom line. The league will have to listen - really listen - to what players are saying, even if those things will be painful for its largely white audience to hear. The NFL will have to do something substantive, like offering Kaepernick a real shot at a job - or cleaning up the Ivy League-admissions-style nepotism that permeates its process for hiring coaches and executives, which so often limits opportunities for black candidates to advance or to get second chances.The statement the league issued on behalf of Goodell over the weekend wasn't encouraging. It mentioned the killings of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery in the passive voice, as though all three had been hit by falling pianos. It pointedly never mentioned race, or cops, or police violence. "Instead," as Samer Kalaf wrote for Slate, "when shown incontrovertible proof of Kaepernick's message - that law enforcement dehumanizes and kills black people as well as other people of color - in the form of a video of officer Derek Chauvin suffocating Floyd with his knee for more than eight minutes, the best the NFL could do is say it now realizes 'the power of our platform in communities and as part of the fabric of American society.'"That kind of empty rhetoric may not cut it any longer, as numerous players revealed to Drew Brees in the last 24 hours. Any actions the NFL might take certainly won't solve racism, but the league still has a chance to show its largely black workforce it's serious. This isn't just a PR nightmare for the NFL, and it never was.Dom Cosentino is a senior features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.On March 12, 2019, the Cleveland Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr., adding the star wide receiver to an already loaded offense to take the AFC North by storm.On November 3, 2019, the Browns owned a 2-6 record, crumbling beneath an attacking unit that ranked 26th in the league in DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) offense.To say the Browns underwhelmed in 2019 would be a disservice to those who appreciate the sport.Despite assembling a video game-like unit, Cleveland saw its offensive DVOA somehow regress from No. 17 in the NFL in 2018 to No. 20 by the end of last season; the scoring dropped from 22.4 points per game to 20.9.You may be reluctant to invest in an offense that probably cost you some money in 2019 - Cleveland covered just five of its 16 games - but this could be the best buy-low spot in the player prop market, especially when it comes to last year's trade chip.Here's why Beckham is slated for a monster 2020 season.Odell Beckham Jr. - O/U 1050.5 receiving yardsOver: -110

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a league-wide memo Thursday allowing coaches to return to team facilities starting Friday.

Odell Beckham Jr. has impressed his Cleveland Browns coaches in 2020 as he works toward a bounce-back campaign.Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who coached the team's quarterbacks last season, expressed his excitement to work with Beckham despite being limited to virtual offseason activities."It's been great. I've known of Odell, obviously," Van Pelt told reporters Wednesday, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. "Ben McAdoo (coached) Odell in New York and everything that Ben talked to me about with him I've seen. He's a worker. He loves football. He's smart as hell. He's just been a model guy this offseason."I can't wait to get him in the building, get him on the field. He's been outstanding."Beckham endured a disappointing first season in Cleveland following a trade from the Giants. He played through a core muscle injury in 2019 and finished with 74 receptions for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns - all career lows outside of his injury-shortened 2017 campaign.The star receiver underwent surgery in January and was the subject of trade rumors yet again this offseason. The Browns have denied all reports on the matter, and Beckham appears to be focused on moving forward."He's all-in," Van Pelt said. "He's bought in. He's been there and it's awesome."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After his comments about players potentially kneeling during the U.S. national anthem were met with backlash from the NFL world, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees issued an apology on Thursday.

In a five-part series, theScore's football editors give a verdict on whether 2019 breakout players will continue their success in 2020.Next up are the wide receivers.Categories

Warning: Story contains coarse languageDrew Brees' comments on players kneeling in protest during the U.S. national anthem quickly drew criticism from other NFL players on Wednesday.In 2016, the New Orleans Saints quarterback said he agreed with Colin Kaepernick's message in protesting police brutality and racial injustice, but not his method. Asked in an interview Wednesday about the potential of players kneeling during the anthem when the NFL returns, Brees said, "I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country."Stars from around the league, including Brees' teammate Michael Thomas, weighed in via Twitter on the quarterback's remarks.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson spoke passionately about race relations in America right now during a video conference call with reporters on Wednesday."When you think about the idea of Black Lives Matter, they do matter," Wilson said, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson. "The reality is that me as a black person, people are getting murdered on the street, people are getting shot down, and the understanding that it's not like that for every other race."Wilson revealed that his great-great-grandparents were slaves, and he was raised to understand that racism is real. Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, Wilson's father instructed him to never put his hands in his pockets when exiting his car at gas stations."And the fact that my dad even had to tell me that is a problem," he said. "And going to the grocery store, the assumption that somebody may accuse you of stealing or something like that is a terrifying thought."Wilson said his thoughts are with the black community as the death of George Floyd while in police custody last week fuels protests nationwide."I think about my stepson, I think about my daughter, I think about our new baby boy on the way, and it's staggering to watch these things happen in front of our faces, so I have a heavy heart right now," Wilson said.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With fantasy draft season underway, theScore has the award-winning rankings and expert advice you need to dominate your league. Make sure to check back for daily updates right up until the regular season kicks off.You can also subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section. theScore's Justin Boone was the winner of FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019, marking the seventh time he's placed in the top 10. Follow the links below to see his rankings for every position heading into 2020.QBRBWR1. Jackson1. McCaffrey1. Thomas2. Mahomes2. Barkley2. Adams3. Prescott3. Elliott3. JonesMoreMoreMoreHalf PPR

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 iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Michelle Magdziuk of Ball Blast joins Boone to discuss where to find value in some of the league's crowded backfields.

Warning: Video contains coarse languageMalcolm Jenkins is clearly upset with New Orleans Saints teammate Drew Brees after the quarterback said Tuesday that he'll "never agree with anybody disrespecting" the American flag by kneeling during the anthem.In a since-deleted video directed at Brees, Jenkins said, "I considered you a friend. I looked up to you. You're someone I had a great deal of respect for. But sometimes you should shut the f--- up."

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James issued a strong rebuke of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees after the latter maintained Wednesday he still doesn't agree with NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, even as thousands of people protest police brutality and anti-black racism.

Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio apologized Wednesday for his comments about racism and discrimination in the NFL."After reflecting on my comments yesterday and listening to the players this morning, I realize what I said regarding racism and discrimination in the NFL was wrong," Fangio said in a statement. "While I have never personally experienced those terrible things first-hand during my 33 years in the NFL, I understand that many players, coaches, and staff have different perspectives."I should have been more clear and I am sorry."I wanted to make the point yesterday that there is no color within the locker rooms I have been in or on the playing fields I have coached on. Unfortunately, we don't live or work only within those confines. Outside of those lines - both in the NFL and society - there is a lot of work to be done in the areas of diversity and providing opportunities across the board for minorities."As the head coach, I look forward to listening to the players - both individually and collectively - to support them and work hand-in-hand to create meaningful change."Fangio said Tuesday he doesn't "see racism at all in the NFL" while discussing racism in the United States and comparing it to what he's experienced during his NFL career."I think our problems in the NFL along those lines are minimal," he said. "We're a league of meritocracy, you earn what you get, you get what you earn. I don't see racism at all in the NFL, I don't see discrimination in the NFL."Fangio, 61, has been coaching in the NFL since 1986, excluding a one-year stint as Stanford's defensive coordinator in 2010. He's considered one of the best defensive coordinators in football and landed his first career head coaching job with the Broncos last season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule wants athletes to use their voices to support social change, he said Wednesday as he addressed racism and the protests across the United States after George Floyd was killed in police custody last week."I want to have a team full of men who know their purpose in life is not just to play football," Rhule said, according to Panthers.com's Myles Simmons.Rhule added, "If you want to fix this, you can't fix it from one side," according to Will Kunkel of FOX 46. "We need to have a discourse. And I know as a white man sometimes it can be daunting to talk about issues like racism. To be quite honest, we can sometimes be fearful that if we say the wrong things that we can be seen in a way that we don't really feel, but we have to step up."The Panthers' new head coach said it's time for "fundamental change.""I can't shy away from this moment," he said, according to Jason Huber of WFNZ. "I don't think anyone can shy away from this moment. It is time for a fundamental change in our societies and time for a fundamental change in how we do things. I certainly don't have all the answers."Rhule wasn't the only NFL coach this week to address racial and social injustice."It's 400 years ago," Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop, alluding to slavery. "It's segregation. It's police brutality. It's not equal opportunities. It's so much deeper. ... And we have to stand with the black community."The Texans are canceling their virtual meetings on June 9 to allow players to attend Floyd's funeral. O'Brien is planning to attend.Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel said he wanted to acknowledge "a social blind spot that either I was unaware of or chose not to see" and stated that he'd learned a lot from listening to players over the previous two days in team meetings."Leaders are prepared. Leaders take decisive action and inspire a group of people towards a common goal," Vrabel said Tuesday, according to Jim Wyatt of the Titans' website. "That common goal is inclusion, diversity, equality, opportunity. So, on behalf of the Tennessee Titans ... we want to support and will continue to help lead our players as we work towards that common goal."Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll recognized the importance of quarterback Colin Kaepernick's demonstrations in 2016. Kaepernick kick-started NFL protests against police brutality and racial inequality by at first sitting and then kneeling during the U.S. national anthem."I think it was a big sacrifice, in the sense that a young man makes," Carroll said on the podcast "Flying Coach," according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. "But those are the courageous moments that some guys take and we owe a tremendous amount to him, for sure."Carroll also called the current protests "an extraordinary demonstration that we need to see," urged schools to do more to teach the history of racism, and said white Americans "can't live with an oblivious way of looking at this."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said Wednesday that he's pledging $1 million to "improve our police training and address systemic racism through education and advocacy in our country."Prescott made the announcement in a four-page statement on Instagram:

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Here are the teams that had a better DVOA offense (Defense-adjusted Over Value) than the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019:

Amid the ongoing nationwide protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees hasn't changed his stance on players kneeling during the U.S. national anthem.Brees, who publicly disagreed with the method of Colin Kaepernick's protests against police brutality and racial injustice in 2016, reiterated his belief in an interview with Yahoo Finance."I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country," Brees said. "Let me just tell what I see or what I feel when the national anthem is played and when I look at the flag of the United States."I envision my two grandfathers, who fought for this country during World War II - one in the Army and one in the Marine Corps - both risking their lives to protect our country and to try to make our country, and this world, a better place. So, every time I stand with my hand over my heart looking at that flag and singing the national anthem, that's what I think about."Brees continued: "Is everything right with our country right now? No, it's not. We still have a long way to go. But I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to the flag with your hand over your heart, is it shows unity. It shows that we are all in this together, we can all do better, and that we are all part of the solution."Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas seemingly responded to Brees' comments in a series of tweets.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has offered to "take care of anything" for the family of Louisville business owner David McAtee, who was shot and killed by law enforcement Monday during a protest.Garrett took to Twitter to ask for help getting in contact with McAtee's family.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.A new NFL season brings new hope to teams that failed to meet expectations the year before. It's almost a certainty that at least one team fans and pundits expect to be a bottom-feeder will surprise and compete for a division title. Last season, it was the San Francisco 49ers, who went from 4-12 to playing in the Super Bowl.We previously explored which team in the NFC has the best chance to surprise this season. Which team in the AFC is most likely to go from worst to first? We analyze the field to find the best bet.Miami Dolphins Odds to win AFC East: +900The Dolphins offer more value to win their division in 2020 than any other last-place team from last season. The Buffalo Bills are slight favorites over the New England Patriots for the divisional crown, but the AFC East is wide-open after Tom Brady bolted for the Buccaneers.Miami was one of the NFL's most active teams this offseason, adding defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, cornerback Byron Jones, and running backs Matt Breida and Jordan Howard. The team also drafted quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Veteran signal-caller Ryan Fitzpatrick will begin the season as the starter, but the talented Tagovailoa will be on deck if Fitzpatrick struggles.Based on their respective rosters, the Dolphins arguably have more talent than the Patriots. New England head coach Bill Belichick is an obviously significant X-factor, but the Patriots are +120 to win the division while Miami is the longest shot in the AFC East at +900.Cincinnati BengalsOdds to win AFC North: +2500No team in the NFL has longer odds to win its division than the Bengals, who stumbled to a 2-14 record last season. But things are looking up for Cincinnati after the club selected quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick of the NFL draft. Burrow will start from Day 1, and if he lives up to expectations, the Bengals will be vastly improved this season.The problem for Cincinnati is that vastly improved means something around six wins. In addition to a rookie starter at quarterback, the Bengals still have question marks on the offensive line and a defense that allowed an NFL-worst 148.9 rushing yards per game in 2019. The Bengals will be more competitive this year, but they aren't winning a division that includes the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns.Jacksonville JaguarsOdds to win AFC South: +2000Oddsmakers aren't expecting the Jaguars to be very good in 2020. Jacksonville has the NFL's lowest projected win total (five) and longest odds to win the Super Bowl (250-1). The Jaguars opted against drafting a quarterback and will enter the season with Gardner Minshew and Mike Glennon under center.On paper, the Jaguars aren't very deep, and three teams in the AFC South - the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, and Houston Texans - are all expected to be playoff contenders. Jacksonville is a little undervalued at 20-1, but a division title isn't likely. If you like the Jaguars to be better than expected, grab over five wins instead.Los Angeles ChargersOdds to win AFC West: +800The most obvious worst-to-first candidates are the Chargers. Picked by some to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl last season, Los Angeles instead finished a disappointing 5-11.Gone is longtime quarterback Philip Rivers, replaced by Tyrod Taylor with rookie Justin Herbert waiting in the wings. An optimist will say L.A. was unlucky last year, with multiple injuries to key players like safety Derwin James and tight end Hunter Henry. A pessimist will say the Chargers still have issues on the offensive line, questions at quarterback, and a head coach in Anthony Lynn who's 11-15 in games decided by eight points or fewer since 2017.The bottom line: Los Angeles is still loaded with talent and will be one of the most improved teams in the NFL if Taylor provides some consistency under center. The AFC West is no joke though, with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs standing between the Chargers and a division title.Best betDolphins +900The Chargers are the most obvious play here, but they need to get by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to cash at +800. The best bet on the board is Miami. The Bills have a loaded roster and are the deserving favorites in the AFC East. But with Brady gone, the division is up for grabs. The Dolphins should be right in the mix, and with a few breaks, they'll reward bettors with a division title at juicy +900 odds.Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn hasn't followed his peers in issuing a statement about racial injustice because he's more concerned about the ultimate resolution.One of four minority head coaches in the NFL, Lynn participated in protests against police brutality in Huntington Beach, California, after George Floyd was killed by a white officer in Minneapolis last week."After an hour or so, I sought out the leader and we had a conversation and we talked about what was the endgame," Lynn told LZ Granderson of the Los Angeles Times in an extended Q-and-A. "After the protests, what is this going to lead to? That's when I got a little disappointed because there was no plan. The protest was there to help people express themselves, but there was no endgame, no plan."All of the sacrifice and protest, I wanted to know at the end of this, if something was going to be done. I don't want to be doing this again 20 years from now, and so I'm looking for ways to sit at the table and have a conversation about this broken system."He added: "But this stuff that's taking place with police brutality and unarmed black men dying and white people feeling like they can use their privilege to threaten black people like that white woman did in Central Park, that's ridiculous. How do we effect that type of change? Where's the accountability for that kind of (expletive)? That's where I'm at right now. I'm angry, I'm pissed off, and I don't want to just put out a pretty statement."The sports world has been flooded with statements since Derek Chauvin held his knee against Floyd's neck for over eight minutes while Floyd was handcuffed on the ground. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was among those to issue a statement, saying his league is committed to serving as an agent for social change.In his interview with Granderson, Lynn said he was recently pulled over for a "bogus" reason."The lights come on, I pull over, and the first thing the police officer asked (was) if I was on parole or if I had ever been to jail," he recounted.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Luke Kuechly could soon be a member of the Carolina Panthers again.The retired star linebacker is considering joining his former team's front office as a scout, according to Bill Voth of the Panthers' official site.In January, Kuechly shockingly retired at 29 years old after eight Hall of Fame-caliber seasons in the NFL.The Panthers officially placed Kuechly on the reserve/retired list Tuesday.By waiting to do so until after June 1, the club is able to spread the veteran's $11.84-million cap hit over the next two seasons. He will account for $4.71 million in 2020 and $7.13 million in 2021.Kuechly was widely viewed as one of the best defensive players in the NFL throughout his career.After being taken at No. 9 during the 2012 draft, the linebacker made seven Pro Bowls, earned five first-team All-Pro nods, and won Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2012.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.While discussions about when NFL players will be allowed to return to their team facilities remain ongoing, they aren't expected to come back until training camp, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The majority of clubs have reopened facilities for a limited amount of personnel after the league closed them all in April to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.However, healthy players have yet to return, with only those needing medical treatment cleared to come back.Neither the NFL nor its teams has yet to confirm when training camps will be held, though the league announced Tuesday that teams must stay in their facilities and joint practices won't be permitted.Training camps usually begin in mid-to-late July. But with minicamps reportedly slated to begin as late as June 27, the NFL could be forced to push back the start of training camps.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a five-part series, theScore's football editors give a verdict on whether 2019 breakout players will continue their success in 2020.Next up are the running backs.QB | RB | WR | TE (Thurs.) | DEF (Fri.)Kenyan Drake, Cardinals Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 stats: 170 carries, 817 yards, 8 TDsThough he barely eclipsed 800 yards last season, it's understood that Drake experienced a breakout eight-game stint with the Cardinals. He recorded all eight of his touchdowns during that stretch and finished the year averaging 4.8 yards per carry, the fourth-highest mark in the league.Drake did it on limited carries, too, averaging just 15 rushes per game with Arizona. Excluding a 35-yard performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' top-ranked run defense, he averaged five yards per rush in the Cardinals' offense.The 26-year-old Drake will be the unquestioned bell-cow back entering 2020 after the Cardinals placed an $8.4-million transition tag on him and traded David Johnson to Houston. It'll be the first time he'll have the keys to a backfield and he'll have a full offseason to familiarize himself with Kliff Kingsbury's offense.With Kyler Murray spreading the ball to the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and Hakeem Butler in Arizona's Air Raid system, Drake won't have to do much more than what was asked of him in 2019.He may never put up gaudy rushing totals, but Drake's career 4.9 yard-per-carry average suggests his efficiency in 2019 was no mirage.Verdict: BREAKOUTAustin Ekeler, Chargers Mark Brown / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 stats: 132 carries, 557 yards, 3 TDs; 92 receptions, 993 yards, 8 TDsPressed into starting duty due to Melvin Gordon's holdout, Ekeler responded by putting together a career year in 2019. Though the 5-foot-10 back didn't explode as a rusher, he recorded eight touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards as a receiver.With Gordon gone, Ekeler will now front a committee that includes Justin Jackson and rookie Joshua Kelley. He may be the clear first option behind an improved offensive line, but that doesn't guarantee he'll replicate or exceed last year's numbers.Ekeler averaged just 34.8 yards per game running the ball last season. He hit 100 yards on the ground just once, a Week 14 blowout of the Jaguars, and it happened to be the only game in which he surpassed 70 rushing yards.The 25-year-old Ekeler makes his mark catching the ball out of the backfield, but his numbers could see a dip due to the departure of Philip Rivers, who averaged 36 pass attempts per game in 2019. With either Tyrod Taylor - who averaged 28 pass attempts per game in three years as a starter - or rookie Justin Herbert under center this season, it's likely the Chargers will lean heavily on their running game to protect their passer.Also, if Taylor starts, he could cut into Ekeler's carries, as the mobile quarterback averaged six rushing attempts per game as a starter.Expect a regression in Ekeler's numbers.Verdict: FAKEOUTJosh Jacobs, Raiders Steven Paston - PA Images / PA Images / Getty2019 stats: 242 carries, 1,150 yards, 7 TDsThe top running back taken in the 2019 draft, Jacobs' numbers last season should have come as no surprise. With little competition for touches and a stud offensive line blocking for him, Jacobs hit 1,150 rushing yards and seven touchdowns despite playing in just 13 games.The Alabama product would have accomplished even more - and had an even stronger case for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award - had injuries not befallen him. Jacobs suffered a fractured shoulder blade in Week 7, eventually missing three of the Raiders' last four games.Despite that, the Raiders star led the league in forced missed tackles, according to PFF.Opposing teams will load up against the run this season, but Las Vegas spent the offseason adding weapons to its pass offense. The additions of Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards, Lynn Bowden, Nelson Agholor, and Jason Witten will make it difficult for clubs to stack the box to slow Jacobs.Only injuries slowed Jacobs last season, and with a full year under his belt and another offseason to learn Jon Gruden's offense, he should be even more of a handful in his sophomore season.Verdict: BREAKOUTAaron Jones, Packers Stacy Revere / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 stats: 236 carries, 1,084 yards, 16 TDs; 49 receptions, 474 yards, 3 TDsWe'll open this section by stating the obvious: Nineteen total touchdowns is not sustainable.However, what Jones accomplished during his first year in Matt LaFleur's offense was nothing short of a breakout season. Jones had been knocking on the door the two previous years but had to share the load with Jamaal Williams. The combination of earning the full-time starting job and LaFleur's more run-focused approach did wonders for Jones.Jones was exceptional by almost every measure last season. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry overall and a stunning 5.6 yards per carry when he faced eight or more defenders in the box, according to ESPN's Matt Bowen. He was unstoppable in the red zone, where he recorded 14 of his 16 rushing touchdowns and scored on 42% of his carries from within the opponent's 20-yard line. Again, these numbers likely won't be replicated in 2020.But the Packers rode an improved running game and defense, and the ever-efficient Aaron Rodgers, to a trip to the NFC title game, and it should be expected that they will take a similar approach in 2020.Though many anticipated Green Bay would use its resources to add weapons to its passing game this offseason, Packers management veered from that approach. Instead - with the exception of the departure of longtime right tackle Bryan Bulaga - the Pack will have a similar roster entering 2020.Although it's realistic to anticipate a dip in Jones' counting stats, he's proven to be a dynamic back in a familiar offense that sorely needed balance.Verdict: BREAKOUTRaheem Mostert, 49ers MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images / MediaNews Group / Getty2019 stats: 137 carries, 772 yards, 8 TDsKyle Shanahan's offense can make a star out of just about anyone, and it was Mostert's turn by the end of last season.Despite garnering the same amount of carries (137) as Tevin Coleman, Mostert recorded 228 more yards, 1.6 more yards per carry, and two more touchdowns. Mostert was the lead rusher on the NFL's No. 2 running game.He scored a touchdown in every game from Week 12 to Week 17, then exploded for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game.Mostert's breakout year made Matt Breida expendable, but that doesn't mean his hold on the top job is permanent. The 49ers still employ a quartet of starting-caliber backs, including Coleman, Jeff Wilson Jr., and Jerick McKinnon.Shanahan figures to continue using a committee approach to his backfield, with Mostert getting the first crack. From there, the Niners will likely ride the hot hand.But with a top-flight offensive line that recently swapped in Trent Williams for retired left tackle Joe Staley, the best blocking tight end in the game in George Kittle, and Shanahan's outside zone running scheme, San Francisco's backfield - particularly Mostert - is set up for success.With more opportunity afforded to him in 2020 - he topped 14 carries in a game just once in 2019 - Mostert's stock should continue to rise.Verdict: BREAKOUTDamien Williams, Chiefs Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 stats: 111 carries, 498 yards, 5 TDsIn a crowded backfield complete with big names (LeSean McCoy) and unfamiliar ones (Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson), Damien Williams emerged as the Chiefs' preferred option in 2019.He appeared in 11 games and earned 10-plus carries in just four of them, but by the playoffs, it was Williams' name being called. He scored two touchdowns in Week 17, three in a divisional-round win over Houston, and another in the AFC title game against Tennessee. Many argue that Williams deserved Super Bowl MVP honors after he ran for 104 yards and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns.Such performances would have led many to believe the Chiefs would open the 2020 season with Williams as their starter, but, with the last pick on Night 1 of the NFL draft, Kansas City selected Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a dual-threat running back and an ideal fit for the Chiefs' dynamic offense.After the pick, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said the two backs would share the load, but he also referred to Edwards-Helaire as a franchise running back, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The LSU star burst onto the scene during the Tigers' run to the college national championship and it's realistic to assume he'll be expected to make a similar impact for the defending Super Bowl champions once he gets up to speed with their offense.Williams may not get the opportunities to prove 2019 was only a precursor.Verdict: FAKEOUTCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a five-part series, theScore's football editors give a verdict on whether 2019 breakout players will continue their success in 2020.First up are the quarterbacks.QB I RB I WR I TE (Thurs.) I DEF (Fri.)Lamar Jackson, Ravens Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2019 stats: 3,127 passing yards; 36 TDs/6 INTs; 66.1% completion percentage; 113.3 passer rating; 1,206 rushing yards and 7 TDsThere are breakout seasons, and then there's the magical sophomore campaign Jackson put together in 2019. In just one year, the Baltimore Ravens star transformed into an MVP, embarrassing those who believed he was a running back masquerading as a quarterback.Let's start with his unprecedented impact as a runner. His 1,206 rushing yards broke Michael Vick's quarterback single-season record by 167 yards, and Jackson played in one fewer game. The next closest quarterback in 2019 was Kyler Murray with 544 rushing yards. Jackson's average of 6.9 yards per carry was easily the league's top mark, and only nine other players (all running backs) eclipsed five yards per attempt, with Raheem Mostert leading that pack at 5.6 yards.But by many metrics, Jackson was also in a class of his own as a passer. His touchdown percentage of 9% was by far the league's best (only two other passers exceeded 6.5%), while his red-zone passer rating of 112.7 led all full-time starters. Even in areas where Jackson didn't finish No. 1, he was near the top. He ranked third in passer rating, tied for third in adjusted yards per attempt, and second in first-down percentage per attempt.When combining both elements of Jackson's game, only Patrick Mahomes and Drew Brees were arguably on his level in 2019. Jackson was first in ESPN's QBR (81.8), while Mahomes (76.3) was second, and Brees (71.7) came in third. In Football Outsiders' DVOA - which "represents value, per play, over an average quarterback in the same game situations" - Brees (39.8%) topped Jackson (34.2%), with Mahomes (31%) again rounding out the top three.In more simplistic terms, Jackson was nearly unstoppable in 2019. It's not hyperbolic to say we've never seen his skill set before, and one of the NFL's most talented, well-coached, and deepest rosters will continue to support him.Baltimore's defense ranked fourth in DVOA last season, and the team added rookie linebacker Patrick Queen and defensive end Calais Campbell to fix the unit's few issues. Additionally, receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is now healthy and should help Jackson improve his deep passing game, and inserting rookie J.K. Dobbins into an already dominant rushing offense just seems unfair.While Jackson could struggle to replicate his historic production in Year 3, that won't mean he's any less of a superstar. Mahomes went through the same process in 2019. The Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller's numbers declined after his MVP year in 2018, but his play was still elite - and he has the Super Bowl ring to prove it. Now, it's Jackson's turn.Verdict: BREAKOUTRyan Tannehill, Titans2019 stats: 2,742 passing yards; 22 TDs/6 INTs; 70.3% completion percentage; 117.5 passer rating; 185 rushing yards and 4 TDsIn what could become one of the biggest single-season outliers in NFL history, Tannehill took over for an ineffective Marcus Mariota and transformed the Tennessee Titans' offense into a run-and-gun juggernaut over 10 starts in 2019 (12 appearances). The ex-Miami Dolphins quarterback stunned the NFL while trailing only Jackson in passing touchdown percentage (7.7%), and finishing first in passer rating (117.5, which also ranked fourth all time) and yards per attempt (9.6). He also completed 70.3% of his pass attempts and threw an interception on only 2.1% of his throws.He's set himself an incredibly high bar to reach again in 2020. Looking back at his six seasons starting in Miami, it's clear Tannehill's 2019 campaign was a significant deviation from the rest of his career. Because Tannehill didn't start all 16 games in 2019, let's focus on the efficiency stats from his 2,911 pass attempts over 88 starts with the Dolphins:TD%INT%COMP. %YPARating4.2%2.6%63.5%7.087.0To hammer home the point, here are Tannehill's highest marks in each category as a Dolphin, which form his best combined "season." For example, his best touchdown percentage came in 2018 when he threw 17 scores in 11 games, while his best yards-per-attempt average occurred in 2016:TD%INT%COMP. %YPARating6.2%2.0%67.1%7.793.5That manufactured "season" still doesn't come close to Tannehill's 2019 production, aside from a similar interception percentage (2.1%).Of course, context is important. In seven years with the Dolphins, Tannehill was given little offensive continuity while working with four coordinators. In Tennessee, though, an underrated defense supports him, and a better offensive line than any he played behind in Miami protects the 31-year-old. He can hand off to human bowling ball rushing champion Derrick Henry, or throw to receivers who averaged the second-most yards after the catch in the league last season.But while every quarterback needs help, it's fair to argue Tannehill fell into a perfect situation, and regression is inevitable.Nick Foles, who posted the third-best single-season passer rating, just ahead of Tannehill, could be a very relevant comparison. Foles threw 27 touchdown passes against two interceptions in 2013, and that campaign is a glaring outlier in both his career and on the top 20 of the passer-rating list. Yes, Foles was named Super Bowl LII MVP, but he's at best an average starter who can get red-hot on occasion. Does Tannehill fall into that category, too?He was certainly a passenger, rather a driving force, during Tennessee's shocking playoff run. He completed 15 passes over the team's first two postseason games while Henry ran rampant before averaging just 6.7 yards on 31 throws during a double-digit loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Titans weren't scared off, inking Tannehill to a four-year, $118-million extension instead of using the franchise tag, which was saved for the star running back.Tannehill could make that deal worth it even if he never reaches his 2019 heights again, which is the most likely outcome. There have been late bloomers at quarterback, but it's rare for a passer to emerge as a top-five talent after turning 30 years old.Verdict: FAKEOUTKyler Murray, Cardinals Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 stats: 3,722 passing yards; 20 TDs/12 INTs; 64.4% completion percentage; 87.4 passer rating; 544 rushing yards and 4 TDsMurray won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, wowing onlookers with his top-level arm talent and electric rushing skills. However, like most young quarterbacks in their first NFL seasons, Murray's performances were inconsistent week-to-week. He was especially erratic during the first half of the year, but then came on strong over the final eight contests.The Arizona Cardinals quarterback threw just seven touchdown passes (and ran in another two) and was sacked 26 times in the first eight games, including an eight-sack outing against the Carolina Panthers. But the No. 1 pick found his feet in the second half despite his protection remaining poor, throwing for 13 scores and rushing for another two. Murray's interception total did jump from four in the first eight games to eight in the second half, but three of those picks came in one game against the Pittsburgh Steelers' third-ranked pass defense.Murray ended the season ranked 15th in QBR, ahead of veterans like Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. His effectiveness as a runner fueled Murray's relatively strong finish in the metric, with the rookie trailing only the record-breaking Jackson among quarterbacks in rushing yards. While Jackson is a unique threat on the ground and he far outproduced Murray in 2019, the former Oklahoma standout came close to matching the MVP's per-game rushing average from 2018 (34 yards for Murray, and 43.4 yards for Jackson). Murray likely hasn't scratched the surface of his potential as a runner.He also displayed elite downfield passing potential. Despite his diminutive size, he possesses great arm strength, and the quarterback's deep-ball effectiveness was clear, even with Arizona's lack of weapons. He ranked sixth in completion percentage above expected on 20-plus yard throws, according to Next Gen Stats. And while he took an alarming amount of sacks, Murray was often decisive and elusive when dropping back, taking 16 only hits during passing plays, a league-low among 16-game starters.With superstar receiver DeAndre Hopkins now in the building to jump-start a pass-catching group that averaged the fifth-lowest yards after the catch in 2019, and with Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury also through his own rookie struggles, Murray is primed for a true coming-out party in 2020. Could he become the latest second-year passer to take the league by storm?Verdict: BREAKOUTGardner Minshew, Jaguars2019 stats: 3,271 passing yards; 21 TDs/6 INTs; 60.6% completion percentage; 91.2 passer rating; 344 rushing yardsThe Jacksonville Jaguars' 2019 campaign was nothing short of a disaster. After inking a big-money free-agent deal to be the final piece of the team's puzzle, Foles suffered an injury in Week 1 and played poorly in the other three games he started. Meanwhile, star corner Jalen Ramsey forced a trade to the Los Angeles Rams.But the football gods saw the anguish of Jaguars fans and gifted them Minshew to keep their hopes alive.After Foles was lost to a clavicle injury, 2019 sixth-rounder Minshew was forced into action. Few expected much from the former Washington State standout, despite his prolific final college season. But Minshew put together one of the better rookie quarterback campaigns in recent years. His 21 passing touchdowns tied him for the 12th-most all time among rookie passers, and Minshew's 91.2 passer rating ranked 13th. Moreover, he led the Jaguars to all six of their wins last season.Minshew became one of the feel-good stories in 2019, and it would be fun for the entire league if the mustache king continues his upward trajectory. But progress isn't always linear, and environmental factors play a huge part in whether a quarterback can develop quickly.Jacksonville did little to improve its below-average offensive line, traded away key defensive stars Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye, and only added low-upside, injury-prone pieces on offense like Tyler Eifert and Chris Thompson. The Jaguars are now widely expected to be one of the NFL's worst teams in 2020.But even if Jacksonville loaded up to give Minshew a boost in his sophomore season, there was plenty of bad play from him in 2019 alongside the good. While his interception total was low, Minshew recorded the third-most fumbles (13, losing seven). He also finished 26th out of 30 qualifiers in QBR, and 22nd out of 34 in DVOA. The QB struggled in key situations like third down too, when he completed just 32.3% of his pass attempts for a first down, just behind Devlin Hodges and only ahead of Joe Flacco and Case Keenum.With arguably both a lame-duck head coach and general manager in Doug Marrone and David Caldwell in Jacksonville, star players like Yannick Ngakoue and Leonard Fournette eyeing exits, and only one difference-maker at receiver in DJ Chark, it's hard to come up with a worse place for a sophomore quarterback.Minshew surprised nearly everyone by flashing real starting-caliber potential as a rookie. But unless the Jaguars' talent is far better than most predict, the 24-year-old will need more time to prove he's not a flash in the pan.Verdict: FAKEOUTJosh Allen, Bills Bob Levey / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 stats: 3,089 passing yards; 20 TDs/9 INTs; 58.8% completion percentage; 85.3 passer rating; 510 rushing yards and 9 TDsAllen's rookie season in 2018 was one to forget. In 12 appearances (11 starts), the No. 7 overall pick threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (10), completed just 52.8% of his pass attempts, and averaged 172.8 yards through the air per game. The Buffalo Bills quarterback ended the season ranked 24th in QBR and 32nd in passer rating out of 33 qualifiers. He was also 32nd in clutch expected points added on passing plays, showing that his better QBR finish was mainly due to Allen's rushing skill.But, on the surface, Allen rebounded and logged a far more efficient sophomore campaign in 2019. In 16 starts, his completion percentage jumped six points, his interception percentage dropped from 3.8% to 2.0%, and his touchdown percentage spiked to 4.3% from 3.1%. Apart from rushing yards (and he still finished third in the league in that category among quarterbacks), Allen saw statistical improvement across the board. That all came as the Bills recorded their first 10-plus-win season since 1999, advancing to the playoffs for only the second time in 20 years. Yet it's probably too early to declare Allen a franchise quarterback.While his raw production was decent, and a big improvement over Year 1, advanced stats still shine a light on the passer's struggles.He finished 24th in QBR and 24th in passer rating out of 30 qualifiers in 2019. In DVOA, Allen ranked 28th out of 34 qualifiers, with only an assortment of over-the-hill veterans, backups, and rookies behind him. While his completion percentage improved, it still put him ahead of only Dwayne Haskins and David Blough. And Allen's accuracy was actually far worse than it should have been. He was expected to complete 62.2% of his pass attempts, according to Next Gen Stats, giving him the fifth-worst finish in completion percentage above expected (-3.7).With a true No. 1 target in receiver Stefon Diggs now in the fold, many expect Allen to take a massive leap in his third year. But it's hard to look at his accuracy and advanced stats so far and see a quarterback ready to fully take advantage of a precise route-runner like Diggs.And that's fine for now. With so many instant successes at quarterback lately, too many forget that most passers need years in the NFL to get up to speed. That especially applies to raw talents like Allen.Buffalo can challenge in the AFC if Allen takes another modest step forward as a passer and continues his top-tier rushing production, as the Bills should still field an elite defense. If Allen produces a breakout season, it'll come in 2021 at the earliest.Verdict: FAKEOUTStats courtesy: Pro Football Reference and Washington PostCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio spoke Tuesday about racism in America and compared it to what he's seen in the NFL."I think our problems in the NFL along those lines are minimal. We're a league of meritocracy, you earn what you get, you get what you earn. I don't see racism at all in the NFL, I don't see discrimination in the NFL," Fangio said, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.Fangio has been coaching in the NFL since 1986 - aside from the one year he spent as the defensive coordinator at Stanford in 2010. He made the slow climb from position coach to defensive coordinator before landing his first head coaching job with the Broncos in 2019.The 61-year-old said he'd like to see people of different races coexist in society much like they do in football."We all live together, joined as one, for one common goal, and we all intermingle and mix tremendously," he said. "If society reflected an NFL team, we'd all be great."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan announced Tuesday on Instagram that a free-agent deal he reached with the Houston Texans has fallen through.

Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson attended a protest in George Floyd's hometown of Houston on Tuesday.The 46-year-old died May 25 after now-former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd's neck to the ground with his knee for more than eight minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.NFL teams must hold this summer's training camps only at their main practice facilities rather than other sites, the league announced Tuesday."Training camps are required to be held at the club facility (which includes your home stadium)," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo, according to USA Today's Mike Jones. "The only exception will be if a club can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of a joint NFL-NFLPA medical task force, that it would not be feasible to conduct at their club facility."The NFL also announced that teams won't be allowed to hold joint practices this summer "in order to mitigate exposure risks.""We believe that each of these steps will enhance our ability to protect the health and safety of players and your football staffs," Goodell said.The league hasn't confirmed when camps will begin.Training camps were set to open for rookies in mid-July, with veterans joining a week later, according to the NFL's initial schedule. The Hall of Fame Game, which kicks off the preseason, is scheduled for Aug. 6 between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers.Several teams have long hosted training camps at locations other than their main facility.

Minnesota Vikings linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks criticized commissioner Roger Goodell's statement addressing George Floyd's death Tuesday on Twitter.The two teammates used an identical sequence of tweets questioning the league."Your statement said nothing," they said in one of their posts. "Your league is built on black athletes. Vague answers do nothing. Let the players know what you're actually doing."

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Starting the 2020 regular season is not considered feasible until the NFL and NFL Players Association reach an agreement on how to manage future salary caps, sources told Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Judy Battista of NFL Network.The NFL and NFLPA are preparing to discuss the cap, which is in danger of plummeting in 2021 due to potential revenue losses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The salary cap is calculated based on expected revenue.Each NFL team could miss out on somewhere between $40 million and $80 million if fans are not allowed to attend games in 2020, and the league could see as much as $4 billion to $5 billion vanish. Such extreme losses would likely shrink the cap significantly in 2021.But new TV deals will lead to an influx of cash in 2022 and could cause the cap to spike again. As a result, teams could struggle with cap volatility as they attempt to construct rosters.The NFL and NFLPA reportedly hope to reach an agreement on how to proceed before training camps begin. Camps are currently scheduled to open in late July.One possible solution could reportedly see the sides agree to borrow money from future TV deals in order to stabilize the cap in the short term, though such a move would lead to smaller increases in future seasons.The 2020 salary cap was previously set at $198.2 million. It has increased by approximately $10 million each year since 2013.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Remember those conservative, bore-you-to-death Baltimore Ravens offenses? Quarterback Lamar Jackson had about enough of that.The reigning MVP helped the franchise pace the NFL in both DVOA offense (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) and points per game last season. From the last five seasons, the 2019 Ravens' 27.7% DVOA offense - which measures a team's efficiency on a per-play basis - is second to only the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs.Will Baltimore make another leap in 2020, or come back down to earth? Let's dive into the player props for the upcoming season and see where there's value.Lamar Jackson - O/U 3,225.5 passing yardsOver: -110

Every bettor knows how risky it can be to rely on a Super Bowl champion to repeat the following year. The Patriots (2003-04) are the only franchise to do it this century, and it's only been accomplished eight times in NFL history and twice in the salary-cap era (since 1994).But for the runner-up? It's nearly impossible.Only three teams have ever lost in the Super Bowl and won it the following year: the 1971 Cowboys, 1972 Dolphins, and 2018 Patriots. Only eight runners-up have even made it back to the title game, including just one since the mid-1990s.What does that mean for the San Francisco 49ers this year? If past seasons are any indication, they could have a tough road ahead. Here's a look at every Super Bowl runner-up over the last 20 years and how they fared relative to preseason expectations (using data from Pro Football Reference):TeamTitle oddsWin totalRecordPlayoffs?San Francisco 49ers (2020)+80010.5??????Los Angeles Rams (2019)+140010.59-7NONew England Patriots (2018)+6001111-5YESAtlanta Falcons (2017)+16009.510-6YESCarolina Panthers (2016)+120010.56-10NOSeattle Seahawks (2015)+4501110-6YESDenver Broncos (2014)+55011.512-4YESSan Francisco 49ers (2013)+70011.512-4YESNew England Patriots (2012)+7001212-4YESPittsburgh Steelers (2011)+140010.512-4YESIndianapolis Colts (2010)+80010.510-6YESArizona Cardinals (2009)+28008.59-7YESNew England Patriots (2008)+3501211-5NOChicago Bears (2007)+1400107-9NOSeattle Seahawks (2006)+100010.59-7YESPhiladelphia Eagles (2005)+50011.56-10NOCarolina Panthers (2004)+18008.57-9NOOakland Raiders (2003)+12009.54-12NOSt. Louis Rams (2002)+350117-9NONew York Giants (2001)+150097-9NOTough luck for SB losersThere's no way around it: Losing the Super Bowl has been a curse for teams in the last 20 years.Since 2000, only five of 19 runners-up have cashed the over on their preseason win total, and nine of them missed the playoffs. Only one of those teams reached the Super Bowl (the 2018 Patriots), and only one improved its record from the year before (the 2013 49ers).For a while, fading the previous year's Super Bowl loser was the easiest bet in football. From 2001-08, the runner-up went under its win total in all eight seasons, averaging just over seven wins per year with only one playoff berth.The outlook for runners-up has improved in recent years - the over is 5-4-2 since 2009, and all but two have made the playoffs. Yet one of those came last year when the Rams (9-7) opened as preseason Super Bowl favorites at some shops but looked lost for much of the campaign.The results have been especially disappointing for teams that enter with high expectations. Of the 13 teams with a win total of 10.5 or higher - like the 49ers (10.5) this year - only three went over. Of the nine teams priced 10-1 or better to win the Super Bowl, two hit their win total, while three missed the playoffs entirely.Can the 49ers reverse the trend?The road back to the playoffs has been more favorable as of late, with nine of the last 11 runners-up reaching the postseason. That's good news for those betting on the 49ers, who have the NFL's third-shortest odds to reach the playoffs (-380).As for a deep run, though? Don't count on it. Many of the same issues plaguing past runners-up could affect San Francisco.Since the introduction of the salary cap in 1994, the best way to win has been to strike while your best players are on below-market deals. It's also what makes back-to-back Super Bowl runs so difficult, as many of those players are often too expensive to retain in consecutive years.The 49ers traded All-Pro defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the Colts this summer instead of signing him to an extension; veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders cashed in with the Saints. Even with those cost-cutting measures, Jimmy Garoppolo's percentage of the salary cap (12.9%) would be the highest of any title-winning QB since '94, which doesn't reflect well on the team's depth and flexibility in 2020.Injuries also tend to strike runners-up, many of whom enjoyed injury luck the year before. Though the 49ers weren't immune in 2019, they avoided injuries to their core contributors during their NFC title run. Regression looms, especially for a team that was ravaged by poor health in 2018 and carries injury risk with many of its key players.And then there's the schedule, which often knocks Super Bowl contenders down a peg the following year. The 49ers face the toughest slate in the NFC by traditional metrics and meet seven projected playoff teams in their final 11 games by betting odds.We've seen this play out in dramatic fashion in the last two years; the 2018 Patriots avenged their title loss with a Super Bowl win, while the 2019 Rams fizzled out. If you're betting on the Niners this year, history says you're better off expecting the latter.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement Saturday recognizing George Floyd and other black citizens who were killed while unarmed.Floyd died Monday in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes while Floyd was handcuffed on the ground. Floyd's death has sparked protests in several U.S. cities.In his message, Goodell extended condolences to affected families on behalf of the league and said the NFL remains committed to serving as an agent for social change:

In 2016, then-Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall followed Colin Kaepernick's lead and kneeled during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice.Marshall believes the public is finally seeing four years later why he, Kaepernick, and others took a knee."Back then, we were called rogues, people said that we didn't deserve jobs, but this is what we were talking about then," Marshall told ESPN's Jeff Legwold.Protests against racism and police brutality began across North America in response to George Floyd's death Monday in Minneapolis. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after now-former police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee for over eight minutes while Floyd was in handcuffs. Chauvin was fired and has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.Kaepernick and others who kneeled were vilified by many, including President Donald Trump."I think people are looking at (Kaepernick) now like, 'OK, maybe he knew,'" Marshall said. "People didn't want to hear the message after, 'Oh, they were kneeling.' They didn't want that message, weren't ready for it, didn't listen. I hope, and I look at it, I hope people are ready for the message. I really hope they're ready for change."An independent autopsy commissioned by Floyd's family determined he died by mechanical asphyxia caused by the knee on his neck, according to David K. Li of NBC News.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.A new NFL season brings new hope to teams that failed to meet expectations the year before. It's almost a certainty that at least one team fans and pundits expect to be a bottom feeder will surprise and compete for a division title. Last season, it was the San Francisco 49ers, who went from 4-12 to playing in the Super Bowl.Which team in the NFC is most likely to go from worst to first? We break down the field to find the best bet.Washington RedskinsOdds to win NFC East: +1000The Redskins should be much improved in 2020 under Ron Rivera and a new coaching staff. A lot will depend on the development of second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who struggled as a rookie for an offense that averaged an NFL-worst 16.6 points per game. The defense added stud defensive end Chase Young to an already talented line, so expect a big jump on that side of the ball.The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are cofavorites to win the NFC East, and while the Redskins are undervalued by the betting market heading into the season, they're probably still a year away from competing for a division title.Detroit LionsOdds to win NFC North: +1000On paper, the Lions may look like a dead team walking with a lame-duck coach in Matt Patricia. He's gone a disappointing 9-22-1 in two seasons with the Lions, so it's obviously time for the former New England defensive coordinator to win or find a new job.While the jury is still out on Patricia, the Lions weren't as bad as their 3-12-1 record last season. Detroit lost half its games by eight points or fewer, despite starting quarterback Matthew Stafford missing the last two months of the season.Patricia still has a lot of work to do, including fixing a defense that ranked 31st in the NFL last season. However, the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears all have major question marks entering 2020, so the Lions ascending up the NFC North standings isn't inconceivable.Carolina PanthersOdds to win NFC South: +1800The Panthers were a mess last season, and the franchise is starting over by parting ways with its longtime head coach (Rivera) and quarterback (Cam Newton). New coach Matt Rhule's first order of business will be addressing a defense that allowed just under 30 points per game last season. He started the rebuilding process by using all seven draft picks on the defensive side of the ball.The Panthers should be involved in plenty of exciting games this season. Carolina brought in Joe Brady from LSU to run the offense, while new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has plenty of talent at the skill positions to strike fear in opposing defenses.The Panthers will be better in 2020, but they play in a division with the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Though the Panthers will be entertaining, winning the NFC South is too much to ask.Arizona Cardinals Odds to win NFC West: +800The Cardinals are a popular sleeper pick this season, mainly because of an offense led by second-year quarterback Kyler Murray. He threw for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns last season on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Arizona averaged 22.6 points per game in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's first season and will be even better with the acquisition of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.The problem with backing the Cardinals is on the other side of the ball. Arizona finished last in total defense last season, allowing 402 yards and 27.6 points per game. The Cardinals are playoff contenders but will need to vastly improve on defense to win a division with the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams.Best betLions +1000The Cardinals are the most talented team in this group, but a big factor in teams going from worst to first is the strength of their division. On paper, the NFC West is tougher than the NFC North. The Packers and Vikings made the playoffs last season, but both teams look due to regress in 2020, while the Bears are one of the biggest mysteries in the NFL.All that uncertainty gives the Lions a chance to surprise and win the division. If Stafford stays healthy and the new-look defense improves, the Lions are the most likely team to go from worst to first in the NFC.Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie Henry Ruggs III suffered a thigh injury in a moving accident, his father confirmed to Wesley Sinor of AL.com."He was trying to move a trailer or something - move his furniture or something - and the trailer just kind of pinned him against a car or a wall or something," Henry Ruggs Jr. said. "He's pretty much OK, I'm about to go out there and see him in a little bit. It was just like a little open wound on his leg, a little incision. Like something had stuck him right there on his thigh a little bit."The wound isn't serious, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. However, Ruggs Jr. said his son is on crutches because he can't visit a doctor."With this COVID-19 stuff still going on, they wouldn't let anybody in," he said. "He's just having to walk on crutches. Not putting as much pressure on it."The Raiders declined to comment on the initial rumor in a statement obtained by The Athletic's Vic Tafur: "The Raiders are aware of a report regarding an off-field injury to Henry Ruggs III. Respecting Henry's right to medical privacy, the team will not be commenting on the report."Ruggs was the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was the first receiver chosen in a class that was stacked at the position.The Alabama product ran the fastest 40-yard time at the NFL combine with a 4.27-second dash. He posted 40 receptions for 746 yards and seven touchdowns with the Crimson Tide in 2019.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes issued a statement Monday addressing George Floyd's killing at the hands of a white police officer and the resulting protests across the United States."First, I send prayers to the family and friends of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmad Aubrey," Mahomes wrote. "As I have watched everything that has happened over the last week and even before then, I have tried to put my feelings into words."As a kid who was born with a black dad and white mom, I have been blessed to be accepted for who I am my entire life, but that isn't the case for everyone. The senseless murders that we have witnessed are wrong and cannot continue in our country."All I can think about is how I grew up in a locker room where everyone is accepted. We all need to treat each other like brothers and sisters, and become something better. Let's be the world where my little sister, generations to come, and even my future kids will grow up never having to experience these tragedies and instead love each other unconditionally! Love and unite!"He concluded his message with the hashtag #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd.Floyd's killing last week has sparked protests in several U.S. cities and prompted some of the world's biggest sports icons to speak out and call for social change.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement last week saying, "There remains an urgent need for action."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Think you have what it takes to be the Ken Jennings or James Holzhauer of the sports world? Find out by taking our latest quiz, made up of sports-themed "Final Jeopardy" questions from the iconic game show.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.I'd consider 2019 a small win for the Miami Dolphins' offense.Although Miami finished last in the AFC East and ranked No. 27 in DVOA in a rebuilding year, there were positives to build off.Wide receiver DeVante Parker flashed his potential, racking up career highs with 72 catches, 1,002 yards, and nine touchdowns. Ryan Fitzpatrick was perfectly reckless, stepping in as a bridge and throwing for 3,529 yards and 20 touchdowns, the most since his 2015 season. Call it a consolation prize, but the Dolphins were surprisingly entertaining despite mostly being uncompetitive.Now, the Fins have their franchise quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa, not to mention a well-rounded, young skill corps to boot. It could be another year of playing catch up for Miami in 2020, but there's a lot to like about the offense's potential.Here, we'll dive into the 2020 player props, featuring one of the best tight ends you don't know about.Mike Gesicki - O/U 57.5 receptionsOver: -115

Mitchell Trubisky is ready to fight for his starting job without resenting the Chicago Bears' decision to create a quarterback competition."(Trubisky) has been really, really good in the fact that he's taken this head-on," Bears head coach Matt Nagy said Monday, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "He's accepted it. He understands it. We're all so competitive, but we're human, too."There is a realness to the fact that, 'OK, you're going to bring somebody else in here and have me compete' - initially it's probably a shock. But then after that, it's like, 'Let's go.'"The Bears acquired Nick Foles early in the offseason to challenge Trubisky, who regressed in his third pro season. The former No. 2 overall pick threw for 3,138 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2019, averaging a career-low 6.1 yards per pass attempt.Chicago also declined the fifth-year option on Trubisky's contract, allowing the 25-year-old to become a free agent after the 2020 campaign."We're going to have competition throughout our entire team," Nagy said. "There are other competitions going on right now. Obviously, this is the focal point, and these guys have been great. I'm excited to see how it goes when we get to training camp, and we get to the preseason games and then to the season."They'll both handle it really well. Again, when you're honest with people, it makes things in life so much easier. These guys are competitors, and they're good people. They're going to make it work."Foles, a former Super Bowl MVP, spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Two Philadelphia Eagles teammates have an idea for the NFL if clubs end up playing games in front of empty stadiums due to the coronavirus outbreak.Offensive tackle Lane Johnson suggested that the league should start "mic'ing up everybody" in contests without spectators, and wide receiver DeSean Jackson approved the idea."It's going to get crazy," Jackson said on Johnson's "Outside The Lane" podcast. "I think they should, though, bro. They should give the fans the insight to really see what goes on in between the white lines. ... I know in the trenches it gets crazy, and I know out there on the outside, it gets crazy too, the conversations we going back and forth on."As for the prospect of playing without fans, Jackson added, "We're professionals and I think we'll all adapt to it, but it'll definitely be weird at first."The NFL currently plans to kick off the season on schedule with fans in stands. Some teams have reopened their facilities under the first phase of the league's reopening process, which limits the building capacity to 75 employees and doesn't allow players or coaches to return yet.Coaches will likely return to facilities next week, while teams will be allowed to reopen ticket offices and other customer-facing facilities beginning June 1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Athletes everywhere continue to get creative as they deal with their respective leagues being on hiatus. Some are better at it than others. Every Sunday throughout May, we'll look back on the week that was before crowning a quarantine king or queen. Here are the top isolation moments from the sports world over the last seven days.10. 'What up, 'Bron!'There's just something pure - and surprisingly soothing - about watching LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and JR Smith casually enjoy a bike ride in the Los Angeles sunshine. The excitement of this Lakers fan when he catches a glimpse of James only adds to the feel-good nature of it all.