With the NFL draft and the major part of free agency in the rearview mirror, rosters around the league are taking shape. In a four-part series, theScore's football editors rank all 32 teams by their total talent at quarterback, pass-catcher, running back, and defense. Depth charts are projections of teams' post-training camp rosters.We begin with the quarterback rooms.Position Group Rankings

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 the NFL will release a full 17-week schedule Thursday, its imposing a ticket refund plan should games be canceled or played without fans in attendance due to the current health crisis.Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all 32 teams, outlining a baseline for full refunds on tickets bought directly from the teams."All clubs will have in place a policy under which, if a game is canceled, or is played under conditions that prohibit fans from attending, anyone purchasing a ticket directly from the club will have the option of either receiving a full refund or applying the amount paid toward a future ticket purchase directly from the club," the memo reads, according to The Associated Press.Teams will be in communication with fans over the next number of days regarding refund details.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite frequent trade speculation, the Jacksonville Jaguars plan to have Leonard Fournette on the roster when the 2020 season begins."There were just some minor discussions with that but nothing substantial throughout the draft or prior to the draft," general manager Dave Caldwell told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. "I think the mindset is that we're going to go forward with Leonard on the team. I had a good talk with him on Friday. I know Coach (Doug) Marrone has had some discussion with him. He seems to be in great shape and mental frame of mind, and we feel that he'll have a great season this year."The Jaguars declined the 2021 option on Fournette's rookie contract and were rumored to have been shopping the former No. 4 pick.Fournette rushed for a career-high 1,152 yards and three touchdowns in 2019. He had a breakout campaign as a receiver, tallying 76 catches for 522 yards. Still, the former LSU star hasn't fulfilled the aspirations Jacksonville once had for him.Fournette has also drawn the ire of coaches and management at times throughout his tenure. He clamored for the Jaguars to sign Cam Newton to potentially supplant Gardner Minshew as the starting quarterback before the draft, which led Marrone to suggest the running back may have to explain himself to Minshew."I'm sure they'll be on the same page, they're both professional guys, and I'm sure a lot of it was taken out of context from my understanding," Caldwell said of the relationship between the backfield mates. "Gardner's a tremendous leader and I think Leonard will do his best and put his best foot forward ... I don't know what's taken place but I'm sure it won't be an issue."Copyright © 2020 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.With the NFL draft behind us and almost all of the notable free agents signed, it's time to identify this season's fantasy breakout candidates.In the last couple of years, we've led you to players like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Jones, D.J. Moore, and George Kittle before they became stars. So, you may want to commit the names below to memory ahead of fantasy draft day.Average draft position data courtesy of Fanball since best-ball ADP tends to be ahead of the curve at this point in the year. It's based on 12-team leagues with PPR scoring.Daniel Jones, QB, Giants Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyA year after being drafted sixth overall by everyone's favorite punching bag, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, Jones will enter his second NFL campaign with a little more respect on his name.Despite a slew of injuries to his pass-catching weapons, Jones averaged 21.16 fantasy points per game over his final seven contests in 2019, ranking sixth among all quarterbacks during that span. He threw for four or more touchdowns in three of those seven appearances and boosted his fantasy production by averaging 23 rushing yards per outing.While that might not seem like much work on the ground, it paces out to 360 rushing yards over a 16-game season, which would have put Jones fifth in the category at his position behind Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, and Deshaun Watson. It's an underrated aspect that gives Jones significant upside if the rest of his game continues to evolve.It'll also help if his excellent supporting cast can stay on the field. Evan Engram, Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Darius Slayton, and Saquon Barkley missed a combined 24 games in 2019. With that group active and with upgrades to the offensive line in place, Jones is poised to take another step forward.Head coach Joe Judge admitted the selection of tackle Andrew Thomas in the first round was a "tremendous move to help Daniel play more confident," according to The Post's Paul Schwartz. Jones was sacked 38 times as a rookie, which contributed to his 12 interceptions and 11 fumbles.We've seen several passers elevate their play as sophomores, and everything is lining up for Jones to push for a spot as a top-12 fantasy QB.Star potential: ★★★★☆

Drew Lock believes the upgrade in weaponry on the Denver Broncos' offense will help take his game to another level in his sophomore campaign."Puts a little extra confidence on my back," he told reporters Tuesday, according to Mike Klis of 9News. "And at the same time, those expectations do rise when you have so many weapons around you, but I'd like to say I hold myself to high expectations."The Broncos added two marquee wide receivers in the NFL draft, using a first-round choice on Jerry Jeudy before snagging KJ Hamler in the second round. The rookies will join Pro Bowl receiver Courtland Sutton and former first-round tight end Noah Fant in the receiving corps.The offensive additions have raised expectations for a Denver club that won four of the five contests Lock started as a rookie. The Missouri product threw for 1,020 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions, completing over 64% of his passes in 2019."I like to put pressure on myself in general," Lock said. "And I think the pressure I put on myself always outweighs the pressure that comes from the media or even friends and family."Lock and the Broncos will see the 2020 schedule Thursday when the NFL rolls out the regular-season slate for all 32 teams.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants claimed quarterback Cooper Rush off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys, the team announced Tuesday.Dallas cut Rush after signing Andy Dalton to serve as the top backup to Dak Prescott, though the latter still isn't signed for 2020.Rush spent three seasons with the Cowboys after making the team as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan. All three of his career pass attempts came in 2017.With the Giants, Rush reunites with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who served as his head coach in Dallas. He'll have a chance to earn the primary backup role behind sophomore Daniel Jones.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent cornerback Logan Ryan announced Tuesday that he won't re-sign with the Tennessee Titans.

J.J. Watt knows the Houston Texans lost one of the NFL's premier talents by trading DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals."Anytime you have a guy like Hop - who, in my opinion, has the best hands in the game and is obviously one of the top receivers of the game - it certainly catches your eye, that's for sure," Watt recently told Jimmy Traina of Sports Illustrated. "It's always tough to lose a guy like that, no matter what the situation is."The Texans were widely criticized for trading Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals without getting a first-round pick in exchange. Houston received a second-round pick and running back David Johnson for Hopkins and a 2021 fourth-rounder.Head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien aggressively remade his wide receiver corps after shipping out Hopkins, signing Randall Cobb in free agency before trading a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for Brandin Cooks.However, some have questioned whether Houston upgraded at the position. Hopkins established himself as one of the most dominant receivers in eight seasons with the Texans, racking up 632 catches for 8,602 yards and 54 touchdowns.While Watt is sorry to see Hopkins leave, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is focused on what he can control."It's above my pay grade and it's something that obviously the team and the organization feels is in the best interest of the team," said Watt. "So as a player on the team, I do my job and I go to work and I play the games, and the GM and the owners, they do their job and they try and do what they feel is best for the team. And so, all I can do is show up and go to work and hope that all the guys that we have are great contributors to our team."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Much of Don Shula's legendary career speaks for itself. He won more games than any other NFL head coach. He orchestrated what remains the only perfect season in league history. He persisted across multiple eras. What's harder to pin down is exactly how he did it.Most of the NFL's greatest coaches make an indelible mark on the game. Paul Brown was an offensive innovator. Vince Lombardi created the Packer Sweep. Bill Walsh cooked up the West Coast offense. Bill Belichick adjusts better than anyone, but he also consistently builds a roster that maximizes value and depth. What was it about Shula, who died Monday the age of 90, that set him apart?Shula retrospectives tend to describe him as an old-school taskmaster with a temper. His single-minded devotion to his work was so strong he asked his late first wife to run backward on the beach during their honeymoon, just to see what kind of athleticism she might be able to pass on to their children. But a lot of coaches are martinets with tunnel vision who like to yell at people.The Shula Method was more intricate, more technical. The best clue can be found in an NFL Films compilation video of his most overlooked triumph: the Dolphins' victory against the Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. To counter Minnesota's fast, aggressive defensive line, Shula developed a run-blocking scheme that included cross-blocks, traps, and misdirection. Quarterback Bob Griese threw just seven passes while running back Larry Csonka rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Miami won 24-7."Throughout all these plays, the theory was not only that Minnesota's defensive line could be negated by using its speed against itself, though that was one more common constraint," Doug Farrar wrote in his 2018 book "The Genius of Desperation: The Schematic Innovations That Made The Modern NFL." "Shula and his staff also devised ways in which the veteran acumen of the Purple People Eaters could be used to their advantage."Johnny Unitas, Don Shula, and Roman Gabriel at the 1967 Pro Bowl. Bettmann Archives / Getty ImagesSeriously, watch and listen as Shula narrates how the Dolphins executed this to perfection. It's not the kind of stuff that lends itself to easily digestible highlight clips. But it is the sort of strategic maneuvering that's foundational to the way football is played, and Shula constantly found ways to tailor his schemes to changing circumstances. As time went on and the sport evolved, he adjusted from being run-heavy to pass-first. He coached for 33 seasons - a period of seismic changes in the NFL. Yet in all those years with the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins, Shula had just two losing seasons, set 12 years apart.There were the 347 career victories. There were the back-to-back Super Bowl titles with the Dolphins, including the 17-0 perfect season in 1972. There was the 1965 playoff game with running back Tom Matte serving as his emergency starting QB - a game the Colts lost because the lone official stationed below the goalposts wrongly judged a missed field goal to be good. There was the Super Bowl appearance with David Woodley as his quarterback. There was the Dolphins' 38-24 destruction of the otherwise invincible 1985 Bears. Dan Marino was sensational in that game, but Shula knew what Marino's quick release could do along with the schematic flourish of using three receivers to neutralize the Bears' ferocious pass rush.But there were also profound disappointments. Shula's 1968 Colts lost to the Jets in Super Bowl III despite being 18-point favorites. And even though he had Marino to quarterback the league's most thrilling offense for more than a decade, the Dolphins from 1983-95 reached just one Super Bowl, suffering a blowout loss. Miami made the playoffs in three of his last four seasons, but Shula was gently pushed out anyway. In the end, he two won Super Bowls with Griese and Earl Morrall, but he failed to win one with Johnny Unitas and Marino.Shula's demanding approach to coaching seems barbaric by today's standards: four-a-day practices without water in the unrelenting South Florida heat. But he genuinely cared for his players, too. Colts defensive back Rick Volk was hospitalized after being knocked out twice by hits to the head in Super Bowl III. Shula spent that night at the hospital with Volk and his wife, Charlene. "It says a lot (about) the type of person that he was," Charlene Volk said during "Don Shula: A Football Life," "that he was more concerned about the health of his players and their families than he was about the game that just happened."Dan Marino and Don Shula in an undated photo. Bettmann Archives / Getty ImagesOne other anecdote from that "Football Life" special: Csonka recalled the time he found a Raiders game plan inside his locker in Oakland the day before a game there. He gave it to an assistant coach. After the Dolphins lost to the Raiders, Csonka asked what happened. The assistant said Shula had told him to throw the game plan in the trash. "Shula," Csonka said, "won't cheat."Shula was also responsible for rule changes to which he'd later have to adjust. As a longtime member of the NFL's competition committee, he worked to usher through two 1978 rules that were designed to benefit offenses and open up the game: a looser definition of what constitutes holding penalties on pass blocks, and restrictions that prevented defenders from bumping pass-catchers beyond 5 yards from the line of scrimmage.Shula had won his championships behind a technically proficient offensive line that powered a three-back rotation, but he would soon build his offenses around Marino's ability to throw the ball all over the field. Don Shula always adapted because he had to adapt. He won more football games than anyone - and coached for as long as he did - because he knew how to adapt.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.With every passing week, the quarterback market gets a little thinner and reality continues to set in: Jarrett Stidham is really going to be the New England Patriots' starting quarterback, isn't he?Oddsmakers sure think so, pricing last year's fourth-round pick as the overwhelming favorite to take the first snap of the post-Tom Brady era. Here are the odds for New England's 2020 starting quarterback battle, which will likely come down to two former Auburn signal-callers who've taken wildly different paths.PLAYERODDSJarrett Stidham-500Brian Hoyer+400Cam Newton+850Brian Lewerke+6000Jarrett Stidham (-500)When the Patriots went the entire 2020 NFL Draft without selecting a quarterback - even taking a kicker ahead of Georgia's Jake Fromm - the message was clear: Stidham is their guy.It became even more clear this week when former Bengals starter Andy Dalton signed with the Cowboys to be a backup, likely passing up millions of dollars and a starting gig elsewhere. The Patriots were as short as -135 to sign Dalton, which was admittedly a goofy line, but it's still a positive sign for Stidham when the betting market saw Dalton as a shoo-in for the job.While Brian Hoyer's familiarity with the Patriots organization seems intriguing, Stidham is the only quarterback still on the roster from a year ago, and all reports out of New England indicate he's the starter. If this line was even as short as -300, I'd suggest pouncing on it. At -500, it's a bit too tight. But it'd take a stunning turn of events for Stidham to lose this job.Cam Newton (+850)The only realistic way Stidham isn't taking the first snap of 2020 is if the Patriots take a chance on Newton, who would be arguably the most physically gifted quarterback Bill Belichick has ever coached in New England.The former MVP isn't as mobile as he once was, and injuries have cast doubts on his once-rocket arm, but a healthy Newton would still give the Patriots their best chance of repeating as AFC East champions. If New England wants him, would he sign? Newton has no intention of being as a backup, per The Athletic's Joe Person, which could complicate his immediate path to starterdom.If the Patriots promised him the starting gig, Newton would likely sign tomorrow. That doesn't seem like a Belichick move, though, so the better bet is to stay away altogether. Unless Newton changes his approach to free agency, it'll likely be the Stidham show in New England.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.

The New York Jets are signing veteran running back Frank Gore to a one-year contract, his agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Gore is returning for his 16th NFL season and will be playing for his third AFC East team in as many years.The future Hall of Famer played for the Miami Dolphins in 2018 and the Buffalo Bills in 2019. Gore will reunite with Jets head coach Adam Gase, who previously held the same position with the Dolphins.Gore sits third on the NFL's all-time rushing list and will turn 37 years old on May 14.

Following our recent series on the best teams never to win a championship, we're flipping the concept. This series will examine a selection of the most unlikely teams to reach the mountaintop. These teams can be ones that got hot at the right time, or those who belong to franchises that have not often tasted the Champagne of champions. Previous entries covered MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA of the 1970s and 2010s, and NCAA football.The suggestion reads like revisionist history. The twice-dynastic Patriots, unlikely champions? Today's college freshmen have never lived in a world where New England suffered so much as a losing season.We call that world the 20th century. Back then, the Pats' rare Super Bowl trips were fruitless, producing one 46-10 thumping from the generationally fearsome 1985 Bears and a 35-21 loss to the 1996 Packers. Worse, they didn't exceed five wins in a third of their first 30 NFL seasons of 14 games or more. In several cases, the Patriots fielded squads that rivaled, say, the recent Browns for ineptitude.Two telltale stats illustrate the depths to which this franchise once slumped. The 1990 Patriots went 1-15 and posted the NFL's second-worst point differential (-265) across a 16-game season. The 1981 Baltimore Colts, owners of the all-time low at -274, managed to win twice that particularly hideous year - in their season opener and finale, both times over a New England team that was also 2-14.Last week, theScore's Dom Cosentino identified the 2002 Super Bowl champ Buccaneers as the NFL's supreme outlier. Inferiority is Tampa Bay's everlasting default state; that team, and only that team, won it all nevertheless. The 2001 Patriots were no outlier, as the entire Bill Belichick era attests, but only with 20 years of hindsight.Bill Belichick. Focus On Sport / Getty ImagesNew England's ascent had to start somewhere, and the origins of those '01 Pats were humble. In the face of nonexistent preseason expectations, they rallied to a division title, benefited - Raiders fans, look away - from the infamous reversal of a called fumble on the field, and bucked the weight of a difficult few decades by beating the best offense ever assembled, all as their No. 1 quarterback evolved into a star.It just wasn't the guy they expected to fill the role.––––––––––The run-up to New England's first Super Bowl triumph began in earnest on March 7, 2001, when team owner Robert Kraft signed his franchise signal-caller to a 10-year, $103-million contract. The deal was the most lucrative in NFL history, a vehement endorsement that the player would be the Pats' go-to QB for life."Quarterbacks like this come around once in a lifetime," Kraft told Sports Illustrated that offseason.The QB was Drew Bledsoe, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 draft who guided New England as far as that Super Bowl defeat against Green Bay. Twice a 4,000-yard passer, and now 29, Bledsoe's play had slipped in concert with the Pats' slide down the standings over the past couple of seasons, bottoming with a distant last-place finish in the AFC East in 2000. Still, it didn't seem likely that any of his backups would supplant him: not the veteran John Friesz, soon to retire; not the youngster Michael Bishop, soon to be out of the league; and not fourth-stringer Tom Brady, who attempted three passes as a rookie.Drew Bledsoe (right) and Tom Brady in 2001. Boston Globe / Getty ImagesBrady, for what it's worth, was held in high regard by Dick Rehbein, the Patriots QB coach who died of heart failure at age 45 during the first week of the 2001 preseason. More than a year before Rehbein's sudden passing, he'd seen something in Brady during scouting visits to the University of Michigan - maybe his competitiveness, maybe his aptitude in the clutch - that reminded him of Brett Favre and Joe Montana. Rehbein encouraged Belichick to select the spindly, slow-footed prospect late in the 2000 draft."Twenty years from now," Rehbein said at the time to his wife, Pam, as recounted in a 2015 ESPN story, "people will know the name Tom Brady."Twenty years remained far off early in September 2001, when SI's NFL preview issue declared St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk the best player in football, made no mention of Brady, and picked the Patriots to repeat as AFC East cellar dwellers. "If Drew Bledsoe ever needed to play like a $103 million man, it's now," the magazine wrote, evidently doubting that the 22 free agents New England signed - among them running back Antowain Smith, wide receiver David Patten, and linebackers Bryan Cox, Roman Phifer, and Mike Vrabel - would make much difference.After the Patriots lost to the lowly Bengals on Sept. 9, their Week 2 home opener against the Jets produced the season's first indelible moments. One resonated beyond football. Following the 9/11 attacks, the NFL paused play for a week and then returned on Sunday, Sept. 23 with nationwide tributes to the victims and emergency rescuers. In Foxborough, Pats guard Joe Andruzzi was introduced carrying two American flags, and his three brothers, each a New York City firefighter who served at Ground Zero, were honored ahead of kickoff at midfield.New England lost the game 10-3 - and lost Bledsoe to injury in the oft-cited, inadvertent turning point in franchise history. Trailing by that score late in the fourth quarter, Bledsoe hustled to the right sideline on a third-down rollout, decided against ducking out of bounds for safety, and was crunched by oncoming linebacker Mo Lewis."It was the loudest hit I could ever remember hearing," Brady told the late journalist Don Banks for a 2016 NFL.com story. "Drew was so tough, and he got up and came to the sideline and his face mask was smashed." Your browser does not support the video tag. CBS, theScoreThe blow concussed Bledsoe and sheared a blood vessel in his chest, causing internal bleeding, but that damage was identified only after he returned for the next series. Bledsoe executed two handoffs and completed a short pass that was fumbled away before he left the field and, eventually, was rushed to hospital.In the meantime, the Patriots became Brady's team, starting with the second drive of the 24-year-old backup's career. Pressed into action with 2:16 left, Brady marched New England 55 yards in seven plays, but failed to connect on two last-gasp heaves to the end zone.If the significance of the substitution wasn't immediately apparent - Bledsoe was expected to miss some time and then resume starting - that was only true for a few more weeks. Brady showed himself to be a competent new No. 1 option; sometimes, he looked magnificent. In Weeks 3 and 6, he was efficient as New England blew out a soon-to-be familiar foe, the Colts and their All-Pro QB Peyton Manning. (This was the disappointing Indy season of Jim Mora's "Playoffs!?" fame.) In Week 5, Brady shredded the Chargers for 364 yards and two TDs, including one in the final minute of regulation that set up an overtime victory.The Pats were 5-4, and 5-2 with Brady starting, when the Rams arrived in Foxborough for a Sunday Night Football matchup on Nov. 18. Doctors had just cleared Bledsoe to return at a seemingly opportune time: New England had to try to keep pace with "The Greatest Show on Turf," the Faulk- and Kurt Warner-led offense that helped St. Louis surpass 500 points scored in three straight seasons.How's this for evidence of a sea change: the news barely registered. As Hartford Courant reporter Alan Greenberg wrote ahead of the game, "At this juncture, it could be argued, Bledsoe needs the Patriots more than they need him."The 2001 Patriots are honored in 2016. Adam Glanzman / Getty ImagesIn the end, St. Louis won 24-17 on ESPN, but despite Warner throwing for 401 yards and three TDs, New England's defense forced three turnovers and made an impression on the NFC side, the Super Bowl champs in 1999. As Bledsoe relayed to the Boston Herald in 2016, Rams coach Mike Martz sought out Belichick postgame to say something to the effect that the teams would probably face off again.“Which meant the Super Bowl," Bledsoe said, "because that’s the only other way we could have played them."Belichick's charges not only proved Martz prescient, but did so emphatically. Nine games remained for the 2001 Pats to play, including six before the playoffs, and New England won all nine.––––––––––Of the Pats' laurels from their 11-5 regular season - the AFC East title; Pro Bowl nods for Brady, receiver Troy Brown, cornerback Ty Law, and safety Lawyer Milloy - none were more important than the No. 2 seed in the conference, which granted them a first-round playoff bye and home field for a divisional round game held in a blizzard.This was the Jan. 19, 2002 matchup that New England fans remember as the Snow Bowl, and that Raider Nation still bemoans for referee Walt Coleman's enforcement of the Tuck Rule. A primer for the uninitiated: after an arduous first three quarters that featured 13 punts, and after a fourth-quarter drive on which Brady hit nine consecutive passes and ran for a touchdown, Brady dropped back to pass with 1:50 to go and the Patriots trailing 13-10. He pumped the ball and was rocked by blitzing defensive back Charles Woodson, forcing a fumble that would have ended the game. Your browser does not support the video tag. NFL, theScoreIn the 32nd year of their NFL existence, maybe the Patriots were due a little luck. What happened next is the stuff of legend: Coleman, upon review, overturned the call by ruling that Brady's arm motion made the play an incomplete pass; Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri subsequently nailed a 45-yard field goal through the storm; Brady completed eight straight passes on the first drive of OT, the last a 6-yard gain on fourth-and-4 in Raiders territory; Vinatieri, several plays later, booted a simpler 23-yard FG to send New England to the AFC championship.That game contained its own unforgettable storyline: the revival of New England's $103-million man. At Heinz Field on Jan. 27, with the Patriots leading the top-seeded Steelers 7-3 in the second quarter, safety Lee Flowers buckled Brady's legs on a blitz, spraining Brady's left ankle. In came Bledsoe for his first action since Week 2; he hurled a TD pass to Patten and, after halftime, watched from the sideline as the Pats' Antwan Harris scored on a blocked-FG return. Two late interceptions quelled Pittsburgh's comeback attempt, and New England won 24-17.The next passes Bledsoe threw were for the Bills, the division rival to which the Patriots traded him that April in exchange for a first-round pick. To Belichick, the dilemma before him heading into the Super Bowl - stick with the nine-figure backup or trust the nerve of his fledgling replacement - hardly constituted a controversy. "Tom Brady demonstrated in practice today that he is fit to play," the coach said, with characteristic concision, in a statement the Pats issued the Wednesday night before the game. "He will be our starting quarterback on Sunday."Today, Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans is the Pats' ninth-most recent championship appearance - and, remarkably, the last that their opponent was favored to win. The Vegas line, Rams -14, suited a 14-2 NFC champ that didn't trail by double digits all season, and whose leading stars, Warner and Faulk, finished first and second in MVP voting, respectively.Adam Vinatieri celebrates his Super Bowl-winning field goal. Boston Globe / Getty ImagesWhat followed was a transformative upset that ended one potential dynasty and launched another. The Pats hadn't allowed 20 points in any game since their midseason loss to the Rams. On Feb. 3 at the Superdome - coincidentally the site of New England's previous Super Bowl defeats - the defense intercepted Warner twice (once for a pick-6) and generally pounded his playmakers for three quarters. However, the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf found its form in the fourth and erased a 17-3 deficit with two clinical TD drives.The Patriots' game-winning final drive typified New England's season - who could have seen it coming? - and established Brady as a folk hero. With 1:21 on the clock, no timeouts, and the ball on the Pats' 17, Belichick dispatched his QB with instructions to score, not to kneel and reset for overtime."With a quarterback like Brady, going for the win is not that dangerous," Belichick said postgame, explaining his rationale via the same publication that had figured New England would finish last in the division. "He's not going to make a mistake."Smart thinking. Dick Rehbein's protege's passes were on point: a 5-yard completion to running back J.R. Redmond; eight yards and then 11 more to Redmond again. From his 41, Brady hit an open Brown for 23 yards and he was able to scamper out of bounds. Soon New England was in field-goal range, and soon Vinatieri's offering from 48 yards was true, sparking elation as time expired and effectively ensuring that every Patriots letdown that preceded the moment wouldn't be remembered much longer.Nick Faris is a 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.For two of the four quarterbacks taken in the first round of this year's NFL draft, the path forward is clear: Joe Burrow will be the Day 1 starter for the Bengals, and Jordan Love has a long way to go before taking over for the Packers.For Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, though, things aren't so simple. Both have proven veterans ahead of them but possess the talent and upside to start in Week 1. Will they? Here are the odds for both quarterback competitions with our best bets for each.Will Tagovailoa start in Week 1?PLAYERODDSRyan Fitzpatrick-350Tua Tagovailoa+200Josh Rosen+2500A few months ago, it looked like Tagovailoa might not play this season at all after a gruesome November hip injury at Alabama that likely cost him a few spots on draft night. But all signs have been positive in his recovery, and the prevailing belief is that he'll see some significant playing time this season if he's healthy.Just don't expect that to include Week 1. Despite starting 16 games just once in the last six seasons, Ryan Fitzpatrick has been the Week 1 starter in five of those years and started 13 games in 2019. Tagovailoa expressed confidence in his health entering 2020, but he's also gone on record as being open to the idea of sitting for a year as a rookie, and Fitzpatrick is the perfect option to ease Tagovailoa in.The best chance of Tagovailoa starting in Week 1 might be if the start of the season is delayed, giving him more time to heal, but that would likely mean no training camp to prove his competency to the coaching staff. Tagovailoa only started throwing a football again in recent months, and the Dolphins should be in no rush to trot out a recovering rookie behind a patchwork offensive line.Fitzpatrick is a competent enough quarterback to play a full season if needed, so don't expect the 'Fins to risk it with their franchise QB. Oh, and Josh Rosen? Sometimes we forget he's on the roster, too. Don't waste your money on him.Pick: Fitzpatrick (-350)Will Herbert start in Week 1?PLAYERODDSTyrod Taylor-400Justin Herbert+250Here's where it gets interesting. Tyrod Taylor was in almost the exact same position two years ago when the Browns drafted Baker Mayfield with the first pick but still rolled out Taylor as the Week 1 starter. It didn't last long - Mayfield was starting by Week 4 - but we only care about who takes the first snap.The Chargers have repeatedly indicated that'll be Taylor, even as they courted Tom Brady and were linked to other available options at QB. Last week, coach Anthony Lynn told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer that Taylor will enter the year as the Week 1 starter, but he stressed that "it's a competition" and that Herbert has a chance to win the job.That'll be tough if there isn't a traditional training camp for Herbert to show off his arm, but if there is? The Oregon quarterback comes in with a clean bill of health (unlike Tagovailoa) and has the upside to carry a loaded roster that is a solid QB away from making a legitimate run.Taylor is the safer choice, and he'll likely be the starter. Yet the Chargers are clearly impressed with Herbert, and if he wows them this summer, it'd be a waste of the team's talent not to give him a Week 1 chance. This is probably a stay-away, but we can't in good conscience lay -400 on Taylor staving off Herbert, so we'll take a small shot on the big-armed rookie.Pick: Herbert (+250)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.

"If you look good, you play good." - Deion SanderstheScore is counting down the 100 best uniforms in sports history, with a new post every weekday until May 15.May 4-8:

We may not have seen the last of "Beast Mode" in the NFL after all.Marshawn Lynch came out of retirement for a second time late in 2019, signing with the Seattle Seahawks prior Week 17 after the team lost three running backs to injury.Though it was assumed his career was over after Seattle was eliminated from the playoffs, the 34-year-old tailback refused to close the door on playing football in 2020."Well, it's almost on that 'expect the unexpected,'" Lynch told Scott Van Pelt on Monday, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson. "But just as far as right now, what I do know is, (I'll) keep it solid. My agent (Doug Hendrickson) has been in talks with Seattle, so like I said, we'll see what happens."If it works out and I get back up there, it is what it is. And if not ... I'm looking good. So I ain't really trippin' too much."Lynch carried the ball 30 times for 67 yards and four touchdowns in three games - including playoffs - last season. He's a five-time Pro Bowler and helped the Seahawks capture Super Bowl XLVIII at the end of the 2013 campaign.Seattle will likely look to add a veteran to its backfield as Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny return from major injuries.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Odell Beckham Jr. is no stranger to grand proclamations.After he was traded from the New York Giants, the boastful receiver said he planned to turn the Cleveland Browns into "the new Patriots." Instead, his new club stumbled to a disappointing 6-10 season and Beckham found the end zone just four times.Undeterred, the 27-year-old believes he'll bounce back in 2020."I would honestly say this is probably going to be one of my best seasons," Beckham said Monday, according to ESPN's Jake Trotter. "Bigger, stronger, faster - this my time."Beckham underwent core muscle surgery in January after suffering a sports hernia that quarterback Baker Mayfield said "wasn't handled the right way" by the team's training staff during the season."Pretty much, I was just f----- up the whole year. I really didn't try and say anything about it," Beckham added. "Probably one of the worst surgeries I've ever had. Recovery's going well. Guess I'm really just trying to put my body back together. I've been playing for 23 years, so for me, I'm trying to put it all back together in seven months."Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta said before the draft that he considered Beckham a building block for the club's "championship-caliber core."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The schedule for the 2020 NFL season will be released Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, the league announced Monday.The schedule is typically shared in April but was delayed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.The league still plans to start in early September, play a full 17-week season, and conclude with the Super Bowl in early February. However, the NFL has discussed contingencies that could be built into the schedule in case of a delay due to the COVID-19 outbreak.The five international games that were to be played in London and Mexico have been shelved.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time since the NFL draft, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz spoke publicly Monday about the team's decision to use a second-round pick on fellow quarterback Jalen Hurts.The selection was among the most surprising moves of the draft and led to questions about how the Eagles planned to use both quarterbacks in the near and long term.As for Wentz, he sees the addition of Hurts as a positive."I'm excited," Wentz said in a teleconference with reporters, according to Mike Kaye of NJ.com. "I've heard nothing but great things about Jalen, and the kid he is and the player he is, and I've gotten the chance to talk to him, just briefly, so I'm excited to add him to the fold and create a really good, healthy, competitive, challenging environment for all of us."The Hurts pick came as a shock largely because the Eagles signed Wentz to a four-year, $128-million extension in June.Wentz wasn't as stunned, however."It didn't really concern me," he said. "I think my reaction was kind of understood. I had a feeling that they were going to draft somebody, just given the way our roster is laid out, and trying to get younger. ... So there was no concern for me. I think the team showed their investment in me last year, and I have nothing but confidence and faith in them and they have nothing but confidence and faith in me. I think it's all about strengthening that position and this group that we have."Last season, Wentz carried the Eagles to a division title despite a rash of injuries on the roster. In the first quarter of their wild-card matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, he was knocked out of the game with a concussion. The Eagles turned to 40-year-old backup Josh McCown and weren't able to pull out the victory.Eagles general manager Howie Roseman already suggested the Eagles could use Hurts as not only a backup quarterback, but also much like the New Orleans Saints utilize Taysom Hill.Wentz didn't share any misgivings about ceding snaps to Hurts."Whatever is going to help us win," Wentz said. "I came to Philly, and since being drafted, all I've wanted to do is win and stand up and hold that Lombardi Trophy. Whatever that takes, and whatever that's going to look like, I'm on board."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hall of Fame and former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula died Monday at the age of 90, drawing a flood of condolences from around the NFL community."It's a sad day," Dan Marino, Shula's quarterback for 13 seasons, said on a conference call, according to Armando Salquero of the Miami Herald. "My condolences go out to Mary Anne and the family ... Beautiful man, great person."Shula was the coach of the NFL's only undefeated team - the 1972 Dolphins. He's also the league's all-time winningest coach and the only four-time winner of the Coach of the Year award."Coach Shula will truly be missed. He embodied the definition of greatness," Marino added. "He brought that winning attitude with him every day and made everyone around him better. I want to thank him for always believing in me. He made me a better player and person."Shula's resume also includes six appearances in the Super Bowl and two Super Bowl wins with the Dolphins in 1972 and 1973."If there were a Mount Rushmore for the NFL, Don Shula certainly would be chiseled into the granite," Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said in a statement. "He won more games than any coach in the NFL, and his 1972 'Perfect Season' team stands alone in the 100-year history of the league."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts are declining safety Malik Hooker's fifth-year option, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Hooker, 24, is now set to become a free agent after the 2020 season.The former 15th overall pick out of Ohio State has started 33 games since 2017 and has yet to play a full NFL season.Hooker amassed 51 tackles, two interceptions, and three passes defended through 13 games in 2019.The Colts allowed 248.9 passing yards per game last season, which ranked 23rd in the league. Indianapolis added a safety in each of the last two drafts, selecting Khari Willis in the fourth round in 2019 and using a third-round pick on Julian Blackmon this year.Hooker is the last 2017 first-rounder to reportedly be informed of a decision regarding his rookie contract. He joins 12 other players who had their fifth-year option declined, while the option was exercised on 17 players. Among the three safeties taken in the first round that year - the other two being Jamal Adams and Jabrill Peppers - Hooker is the only one to have his option declined.Also from the 2017 draft class, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey signed a contract extension that will be added to his rookie deal and defensive end Taco Charlton was released after stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. Charlton recently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.Teams have until the end of May 4 to make their decisions official.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets head coach Adam Gase is looking for ways to improve Le'Veon Bell's production, and he thinks the team's latest arrivals might help."I do think that we have some guys that can help maybe lessen the load on him to where it's not all on him," Gase told "Flight Deck with Rich Cimini" last week. "Hopefully, we can get some of the younger backs to where we can make a good one-two punch to where he can really excel instead of feeling like it's just all on him all the time. I do think we've added the right pieces ... to help him do that."The Jets' current running back options include second-year player Trenton Cannon, fourth-round rookie La'Mical Perine, and veteran Kenneth Dixon.Though New York lost wide receiver Robby Anderson this offseason, the team signed free-agent wideout Breshad Perriman and drafted Denzel Mims in the second round. The Jets also added several players to the offensive line, including first-round offensive tackle Mekhi Becton and veteran center Connor McGovern."If you have the vertical threats like I think we're going to have with the wide receivers now, hey, maybe we'll start seeing two-high zone instead of them just focusing on one guy in the receiving corps," Gase said, according to ESPN's Cimini.Gase added, "Now, all of a sudden, Le'Veon is seeing lighter boxes, which he didn't see a lot last year. We saw loaded boxes for the most part. We didn't do a good enough job winning in the passing game to open some of that stuff up."Though Bell's 311 touches in 2019 weren't eye-popping compared to his previous campaigns, he led the Jets by a significant margin. The next-closest players were wide receiver Jamison Crowder (79 touches) and running back Bilal Powell (66 touches).In his first year with the team, Bell was the only Jets running back to record more than 60 rushing attempts. However, the 28-year-old posted career lows in rushing yards per game (52.6), yards per carry (3.2), and touchdowns (three).Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the current WWE 24/7 champion, Rob Gronkowski knows anyone can challenge him at any time for his title belt - even Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians.Gronkowski spoke about that possible scenario on the latest episode of the "Gronk'd UP" podcast, and admitted he'd be OK losing his belt to Arians."Imagine coming out of the meeting room," Gronkowski said. "I'm like, looking to my left in the hallway coming out of the tight end meeting room, looking to the right to make sure no one else is out of the meetings yet - and then all of a sudden, I think I'm in the clear, I start walking down the hallway because the other players are in the meetings. And all of a sudden, Coach Arians just comes out of nowhere with a flying elbow, takes me out and pins me, and becomes the 24/7 champ."That would be legendary. That would be an honor to lose to him."Gronkowski captured the 24/7 championship after pinning Mojo Rawley at WrestleMania 36, which aired in April.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.The NFL has canceled its International Series games in London and Mexico City for the upcoming campaign amid the coronavirus pandemic, the league announced Monday.The league was set to stage four games in London and one in Mexico City in 2020. The Jacksonville Jaguars were to host two contests at Wembley Stadium, while the Arizona Cardinals were slated as the home team for a game at Estadio Azteca.The other two London matchups were scheduled to be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins hosting one each."The NFL's London Games have become a major part of the NFL season and the UK sports calendar," managing director of NFL UK Alistair Kirkwood said. "But the uncertainty in the current sporting landscape and the tremendous amount of long-term travel and planning required to stage successful London Games mean this is the sensible decision to make."The NFL International Series debuted in 2007 and has featured a total of 28 contests across 13 consecutive seasons.A full 17-week schedule for the 2020 campaign is set to be released this week, but the league is also preparing contingency plans in case the start of the season is delayed due to COVID-19.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.Just a couple of weeks ago, the idea of the Packers trading away Aaron Rodgers would have seemed outlandish. Then came the NFL draft, which saw Green Bay trade up to take polarizing quarterback prospect Jordan Love with the 26th pick and ignite conversations about Rodgers' future with the organization.A messy divorce appears inevitable, but when? If you think it happens soon, you can bet on Rodgers getting traded before the start of the 2020 season:Will Rodgers be traded before 2020 season?OddsYes+650No-1400Is there value betting on an early exit? Here's the case for and against Rodgers getting traded this offseason.The case for yesWhen there's smoke, there's often fire, and there's a whole lotta smoke right now.First, the acquisition of Love not only denied Rodgers a first-round running back or receiver for the 15th straight year, but it also cost the Packers a fourth-round pick. Selecting the "best player available" is one thing; trading up to grab a quarterback is another entirely.Even if the Packers' brass is committed to Love sitting behind Rodgers as it's claimed, it's easier said than done. Since 2006, the year after Rodgers was drafted, 40 quarterbacks were taken in the first round entering 2020. All but two of them started at least one game as a rookie: Brady Quinn (2007) and Jake Locker (2011), who combined to play six games in their first seasons.Then came the comments this past week from Brett Favre, who says he expects Rodgers to finish his career in another uniform and that the Packers may have "burned a bridge" with their notoriously chilly quarterback. Could Rodgers refuse to play and force a trade elsewhere, perhaps to New England or Las Vegas?The case for noThe case for trading Rodgers is logical and reasonable. The case against it is practical - and in the NFL, practicality usually wins.The Packers just reached a long-term extension with Rodgers last summer that included a $57.5-million signing bonus, so trading him this offseason would incur a massive dead cap hit and cost the team more than $20 million in cap space, even with his base salary taken off of the books. They also already paid Rodgers a roster bonus of nearly $20 million this offseason, so now isn't the time to trade him.Also, why would they want to trade him, anyway? Rodgers just led Green Bay to the NFC Championship Game, and Love is still a developmental prospect who appears far less ready than Rodgers was when he sat behind Favre 15 years ago.Even if Rodgers tries to force the issue, he'd sacrifice a large portion of his bonus money by holding out, and the Packers have little reason to move on anytime soon. They have all of the leverage, even if things reach a boiling point between the franchise icon and the front office.Will he get traded?There are some intriguing reasons to look at "yes" here, namely Favre's comments on Rodgers' potential reaction to the Love pick and the quarterback's reputation for wanting to call the shots within the organization. If he can see the writing on the wall, it's not hard to imagine him trying to force his way out.But it's not his call, and the almighty dollar rules all in this case. If Rodgers' dead cap hit was reasonable, this might actually be a compelling debate, but it's just too hard to imagine the Packers eating that much money to watch the face of their franchise play in another uniform. Will it happen in 2021 or 2022? Who knows. But don't bet on it happening before the 2020 season.Pick: No (-1400)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.

Hall of Fame head coach Don Shula died Monday at the age of 90, the Miami Dolphins announced.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Only four times in the history of the NFL has a team finished the regular season undefeated: The Chicago Bears did it in 1934 and 1942, the Miami Dolphins in 1972, and the New England Patriots in 2007. Because going unbeaten is so rare, odds for teams finishing the 2020 season 16-0 are long. Does any team have a realistic chance to accomplish the feat this year? Probably not, but here are the odds and top contenders to go unbeaten.Team OddsKansas City Chiefs+2500Baltimore Ravens+2500San Francisco 49ers+5000Tampa Bay Buccaneers+5000New Orleans Saints+15000Dallas Cowboys+20000Philadelphia Eagles+20000Green Bay Packers+25000New England Patriots+25000Kansas City Chiefs +2500Oddsmakers believe the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens have the best shot at going 16-0, and even they are a distant 25-1 to do it. Still, Kansas City is the most likely team to go undefeated because of one person: Patrick Mahomes. As we saw last postseason, Mahomes and the Chiefs' explosive offense can quickly erase a big deficit, making them a threat to win even when they don't play well. They came from behind in all three playoff games en route to winning a Super Bowl.Mahomes is 28-8 in his NFL career as a starter, and while going unbeaten is extremely difficult, anything is possible with him under center.Baltimore Ravens +2500The Ravens finished with the NFL's best record last year, going 14-2 behind league Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. After a 2-2 start, the Ravens won 12 straight games to close out the regular season. The scary thing is Baltimore could be even better in 2020 with the additions of defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe, along with an impressive draft class that adds to depth to a team already loaded with talent.The one question still surrounding the Ravens is whether the offense can play from behind. Baltimore fell behind early in its playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans and never recovered. A tough schedule that includes games outside the division versus the Chiefs, Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Indianapolis Colts makes the Ravens running the table unlikely.San Francisco 49ers +5000The 49ers are coming off a 13-3 regular season, and while recent Super Bowl losers don't have a great track record the following year, San Francisco looks built to buck the trend. The 49ers finished 2019 ranked top five in total offense, total defense, and rushing offense. The talent is there to make a run at an unbeaten season, but quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo must be more consistent. Jimmy G threw 13 interceptions last year despite San Francisco featuring the NFL's second-ranked rushing attack.The NFC is deeper than the AFC, and a brutal schedule with games against the Cowboys, Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks (twice) doesn't bode well for a 16-0 season in San Francisco.Tampa Bay Buccaneers +5000The Buccaneers are vastly overvalued in the NFL futures market and there is no better example than Tampa Bay being 50-1 to finish the regular season 16-0. To put this in perspective, the Saints are 150-1 to go undefeated and New Orleans has one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. The Bucs finished 7-9 in 2019 and will obviously be much better this season with the additions of quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski. But are a soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback and a recently retired tight end enough to improve the Buccaneers by nine games? No way.If you want to put a little pizza money on a long shot to go 16-0, pass on the overvalued Bucs and take a stab with the more talented Saints.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.

"If you look good, you play good." - Deion SanderstheScore is counting down the 100 best uniforms in sports history, with a new post every weekday until May 15.May 4-8:

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.To prepare for a scenario in which fans are allowed into venues during the 2020 NFL campaign, the Miami Dolphins have developed strategies for how to host games at Hard Rock Stadium during the COVID-19 pandemic.While appearing on "Good Morning America" on Monday, Dolphins president and CEO Tom Garfinkel revealed mock-ups of new stadium entrance points that would help the team comply with social distance guidelines."We would have times to come in for security at different gates so people would be separated out in terms of when they enter the stadium," Garfinkel said, according to ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "We would exit the stadium much like a church environment where each row exits so people aren't filing out all at the same time in a herd."The plans, which are the first revealed by an NFL team for 2020, also include hosting just 15,000 fans for games - Hard Rock Stadium usually holds roughly 65,000 - and designated spots on the ground leading up to gates that indicate the distance required between people as they enter.Additionally, Hard Rock Stadium recently became the first public facility to earn Global Biorisk Advisory Council accreditation, which is used to implement cleaning, disinfecting, and infectious disease prevention practices to control risks such as spreading the coronavirus."When our fans, players, and staff are able to return to Hard Rock Stadium, we want them to have peace of mind that we're doing everything we can to create the safest and healthiest environment possible," Garfinkel said. "We didn't want to create our own standard, we wanted to be accountable to the most credible third-party standard that exists."Working with the GBAC ensures compliances with critical guidelines for the highest standard of cleanliness and it is our hope that other venues will follow suit as we navigate through these unprecedented times."The NFL is still evaluating when team facilities can reopen amid the pandemic. Buildings will remain closed until every state holding a team lifts its stay-at-home mandate.The league is still planning to release a full 17-week schedule for 2020 but is also preparing contingency plans in case the start of the season is delayed.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The selection of Joe Burrow in the NFL draft has already led to the release of Andy Dalton, who quarterbacked the Cincinnati Bengals for nine seasons.The Red Rifle is one of several notable veterans who may have seen their replacement drafted in late April. Here are 10 others who could soon be told to pack their bags:Nate SolderSolder has been a massive disappointment for the Giants, and he's now expendable following the arrival of fourth overall pick Andrew Thomas. Unless New York plans to put one of them at right tackle, Solder has probably played his last game in the Big Apple.The Giants can cut him with a post-June 1 designation, spreading his lofty cap hit over two seasons.Yannick NgakoueIt seems like only a matter of time before the Jaguars trade Ngakoue, who has been lobbying for a fresh start elsewhere. There's little reason for Jacksonville to drag out his exit now after using first-round picks on edge defenders in back-to-back drafts, taking Josh Allen in 2019 and K'Lavon Chaisson in 2020.Adrian Peterson The Washington Post / The Washington Post / GettyWhile still moderately effective, Peterson isn't a game-changing running back anymore. At this point, his presence on the Redskins' depth chart stunts the growth of younger rushers like Antonio Gibson, who was drafted in the third round, as well as Derrius Guice and Bryce Love. Washington also signed Peyton Barber in free agency, leaving the Redskins with a crowded backfield.Larry WarfordThe Saints re-signed left guard Andrus Peat to a five-year deal in free agency, and they're expected to slot first-round pick Cesar Ruiz in at right guard, a position Warford occupied for the last three seasons. With only $750,000 of his $7.65-million salary guaranteed for 2020, Warford appears to be on the way out of New Orleans.Alshon JefferyIn an attempt to rejuvenate a lifeless receiving core, the Eagles drafted Jalen Reagor in the first round and John Hightower in the fifth round, and they acquired Marquise Goodwin in a trade. Guaranteeing Jeffery's salary a year earlier than necessary was a mistake, but the Eagles may still be able to trade him. Rumors of mutual discontent between Jeffery and the team have been flying for much of the last year.K.J. Wright Steven Ryan / Getty Images Sport / GettyWith his play slipping and injuries mounting - Wright underwent shoulder surgery after the 2019 season and a timeline for his return is unknown - the Seahawks may be ready to move on from the linebacker. First-round pick Jordyn Brooks is best suited to be a weak-side linebacker, meaning Wright could be forced to move to the strong side if Seattle brings him back for the final year of his contract.Malik HookerThe Colts reportedly shopped Hooker throughout the draft, but they didn't move him. Indianapolis may be ready to give up on the oft-injured safety now that Julian Blackmon, a third-round pick from Utah, is in the fold. The Colts are expected to decline the fifth-year option on Hooker's rookie contract, and both parties may be ready to start anew.Josh RosenRyan Fitzpatrick figures to serve as the veteran mentor for Tua Tagovailoa, leaving Rosen buried on the depth chart and without a role. While it's conceivable injuries could force the Dolphins to use a third quarterback in 2020, they're not likely to stash Rosen - a former top-10 pick who desperately wants to establish himself in the league - at the bottom of their roster.Haason Reddick Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyReddick hasn't lived up to expectations since joining the Cardinals, who can replace the 2017 13th overall pick with another early selection in Isaiah Simmons. With Jordan Hicks and De'Vondre Campbell occupying the other linebacker spots, the Temple product could be cut loose.Stephen HauschkaTeams don't draft kickers unless the plan is to replace the one already on the roster. Unfortunately for Hauschka - who's set to put a $3-million dent in the salary cap in 2020 - the Bills took Tyler Bass in the sixth round. The kicking job in Buffalo will be the rookie's to lose in training camp.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals aren't picking up the fifth-year option in linebacker Haason Reddick's contract, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.As a result, the 2020 season will be the final one in Reddick's contract with Arizona, barring a new deal.Reddick is the latest first-round draft pick from the 2017 class to have the option in his rookie contract declined. The options for Mitchell Trubisky, Solomon Thomas, Leonard Fournette, Corey Davis, John Ross, Garett Bolles, Jarrad Davis, Charles Harris, and Takkarist McKinley were also reportedly declined.In three seasons, Reddick has recorded 192 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. The inside linebacker and 13th overall pick started just five of the 16 games he appeared in last season.The Cardinals used their eighth overall draft pick in April on linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Eagles' decision to select Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second round of last weekend's draft was met with the sort of measured calm the city of Philadelphia is famous for. Which is another way of saying that pretty much every person in the Delaware Valley with even a passing interest in the Eagles has spent the last nine days preparing to light their hair on fire.The consternation from those who hate the move is not entirely irrational. But there's a logic to what the Eagles did. Let's break it down.Let me see if I have this straight. The Eagles already have a franchise quarterback in Carson Wentz. They'll be paying Wentz market-level money for the foreseeable future. They've also publicly committed to Wentz as the starter, right?Correct.OK, so after a 9-7 season that ended with a first-round playoff loss, the franchise needed to make upgrades at wide receiver, linebacker, offensive line, and in the secondary, just for starters. They addressed receiver in the first round by taking TCU's Jalen Reagor. But why would they use the No. 53 pick on what they admit will be a backup QB?Because as an organization, they understand that quarterback is the most important position in the game - if not all of sports - and that its actual value extends beyond who the starter happens to be. Hurts brings the added wrinkle of being a versatile player who can play a Taysom Hill-like role, which the Eagles have signaled they're open to having him do in some way.But when there are more immediate needs, isn't a backup QB a luxury?Not necessarily. Why would a backup QB be a luxury in today's NFL? Quarterbacks get hurt, and when franchise quarterbacks get hurt, it can ruin an otherwise good team's season. Look what happened to the Packers in 2017 after Aaron Rodgers went down. Or the 49ers in 2018, once Jimmy Garoppolo was lost for the season. Or Matt Stafford last year and ... OK, the Lions are an endless slapstick loop, but you get the idea.The flip side is what can happen with a good backup, such as the Saints going 5-0 when Teddy Bridgewater replaced Drew Brees in 2019. Across a 16-game season, just one or two wins can be the difference between making or missing the playoffs, earning a bye, or playing a postseason game at home. Not to mention what can actually happen in the playoffs.From left: Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, and quarterbacks Nick Foles, Nate Sudfeld, and Carson Wentz in the Super Bowl parade. Corey Perrine / Getty ImagesThe Eagles, of all teams, know this as well as anyone. They won a Super Bowl when Wentz got hurt and Nick Foles was their backup. In 2013, during Foles' first go-round as the stopgap in Philly, they won the division. In 2010, Michael Vick led them to a division title after Kevin Kolb got hurt. Jeff Garcia did the same after replacing Donovan McNabb in 2006. In 2005, when McNabb was injured and there was no solid replacement, the Eagles went 6-10. In 2002, A.J. Feeley filled in to win four games, which helped the Eagles earn the NFC's top seed. Understanding the value of the position has long been a hallmark of what the Eagles do. Owner Jeffrey Lurie acknowledged this two years ago to The Ringer's Kevin Clark:

The Dallas Cowboys are signing former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year contract worth up to $7 million with $3 million guaranteed, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.Cincinnati released Dalton on Thursday, ending his nine-year run with the Bengals after they drafted Joe Burrow first overall.With few starting opportunities available after free agency and the draft, the Katy, Texas, native opted for a backup role in his home state before likely heading back on the market in 2021.The Jacksonville Jaguars were looking for a veteran option to pair with sophomore Gardner Minshew, but Dallas lands Dalton as the immediate backup to Dak Prescott.Dalton enjoyed a stellar four-year college career at TCU, where he led the Horned Frogs to trips to the Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl. He started in all nine of his seasons in Cincinnati until he was benched for three games in 2019 in favor of Ryan Finley.Both Dalton and Prescott are currently only under contract for the 2020 season. The Cowboys used their franchise tag on Prescott, though he's yet to sign it as both sides continue to work toward a long-term extension.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals have informed receiver John Ross they're declining the fifth-year option in his contract, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.Ross is now only under contract with Cincinnati for the 2020 season.Ross has disappointed since vaulting up draft boards after setting a new 40-yard dash record with a time of 4.22 seconds. The Bengals used the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft on him, and Ross has rarely seen the field since.He didn't record a catch during his rookie season while battling injuries and only appearing in three games. He rebounded with seven touchdowns on just 21 receptions in 2018, but then Ross scored only three times on 28 grabs over eight games in 2019.Ross is scheduled to play out the 2020 campaign on a base salary of $2.7 million.The Bengals will field a new-look offense as well, with No. 1 draft pick Joe Burrow fronting an attack featuring veteran A.J. Green and rookie wideout Tee Higgins.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jameis Winston signed with the New Orleans Saints for the "Harvard education" in quarterbacking he'd get from Drew Brees and the team's coaching staff. But the opportunity to play his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also played a significant role."It was a time for me to learn from one of the best (Brees). And also being in the same division, I get a chance to play against Tampa Bay twice and get a chance to play some of the same teams, even though Carolina has a new head coach," Winston said Friday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access," per NFL.com's Michael Baca.The Buccaneers drafted Winston first overall in 2015. He spent the last five seasons as their starting quarterback and hit free agency after his 33-touchdown, 30-interception campaign in 2019.Head coach Bruce Arians said previously that Tampa Bay would re-sign Winston if it failed to land a proven veteran quarterback. But Tom Brady joined on a two-year contract worth $25 million per season, leading Winston to sign a one-year deal with the Saints reportedly worth $1.1 million plus incentives.Though he holds no ill will toward his former teammates, Winston is looking forward to the matchups against the Buccaneers."I can't wait to compete against them," Winston said. "It's going to be fun. I know Tom is going to bring his relentlessness and his attitude there, but it's going to be fun, and we're ready to compete. We've always been competing."When I was at Tampa, we got them sometimes and they got us sometimes. Last year (New Orleans) swept us, so I know (Tampa Bay's) going to try and come and get us this year, but I'm in that black and gold now, so I'm gonna be like, 'Who dat? Who dat say they gone beat them Saints?"There's no guarantee Winston will even see the field in 2020. Not only would something have to happen to Brees, but Winston would have to beat out fellow backup Taysom Hill for the job.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears are declining the fifth-year option for 2021 in quarterback Mitchell Trubisky's rookie contract, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Barring an extension, Trubisky will become a free agent after the 2020 season.The 2017 No. 2 pick is set to battle with Nick Foles for the Bears' starting job. Chicago acquired the former Super Bowl MVP for a fourth-round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars following a disappointing third NFL season from Trubisky.After helping lead the Bears to a 12-4 record and the NFC North title in 2018, Trubisky regressed to become one of the league's worst quarterbacks last season. The 25-year-old ranked 27th in touchdown passes (17) and 28th in both QBR (39.5) and passer rating (83.0).The two first-round quarterbacks drafted after Trubisky in 2017 - Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson - reportedly both had their fifth-year options exercised.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 the NFL is putting together contingency plans for a delayed season due to the COVID-19 crisis, the schedule release late next week won't have any major changes, league spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The schedule will be a full 17-week slate, including the season opener on Sept. 10 and the Super Bowl on Feb. 7. It will reportedly be released by May 9."We plan to start on time," McCarthy said.The league has reportedly planned schedule alterations that would allow the season to start up to five weeks later. Changes include moving the Super Bowl to the end of February and eliminating bye weeks and the Pro Bowl.The initial schedule also won't have any Saturday games despite the idea reportedly being discussed if the college football season is canceled.The NFL isn't considering gathering players in a centralized location in order to save the season, an idea the NBA, MLB, and NHL have explored, a source told Fowler.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After being cut by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, Andy Dalton is now a free agent for the first time in his nine-year career.But with many teams having already addressed their issues at quarterback this offseason, the veteran's options are limited. Dalton took issue with Cincinnati's approach to his future Friday in his first comments since his release."This year there were a good amount of quarterbacks that were available," Dalton told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com about potential trades. "I think it would have worked out differently if I had been a free agent when the new league year started. I was still under contract and that hurt me."In October, the 32-year-old similarly questioned why the Bengals chose to bench him right before the trade deadline, limiting his ability to search for a new landing spot.Dalton returned to the lineup after three games and helped lead the AFC North team to its only two wins of the year.The Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots are reportedly among the clubs interested in Dalton. Aside from those two teams, there are seemingly only backup roles available for Cincinnati's former longtime starter.As soon as the Bengals secured the No. 1 overall pick, many assumed they would kick off a new era by drafting Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow.The team did just that, and Dalton believes clubs around the league didn't push to trade for him because Cincinnati's draft intentions were so obvious."I'm sure teams knew (the Bengals) were going to take a quarterback No. 1 and they would release me and there was no reason to rush into anything," he said.In addition to the selection of Burrow, Dalton didn't seem long for Cincinnati due to his $17.7-million cap hit. The Bengals were uncharacteristically aggressive in free agency, and cutting Dalton wiped his entire salary from their books.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With 2020 draft prospects now in their new NFL homes, theScore examines the class and ranks the top 10 contenders for both the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards.Offense I Defense 10. Justin Herbert, QB, ChargersHerbert was among the first round's most polarizing selections, with many deeming him a reach by the Los Angeles Chargers. However, quarterbacks can win this award without top-tier production. Tyrod Taylor doesn't have a tight grip on the starting job and the L.A. fanbase could loosen it further by calling for the sixth overall pick and the excitement he'll bring.The fresh-faced passer has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL. Herbert just needs to be more creative when plays break down and speed up his mental process. With a potentially great defense to back him up and dynamic weapons like receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, running back Austin Ekeler, and tight end Hunter Henry, the former Oregon standout landed in a great spot to prove his doubters wrong.9. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Raiders Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / GettyThis award is historically dominated by quarterbacks and running backs. Anquan Boldin (2003), Percy Harvin (2009), and Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) are the only receivers to win it since the turn of the century, and Harvin's candidacy was boosted by his production as a returner. So while Ruggs is facing an uphill battle, he's entering an intriguing situation with the Las Vegas Raiders.Tyrell Williams is the Raiders' de facto top receiver, but he dealt with injuries throughout 2019 and is more suited as a No. 2. Hunter Renfrow shouldn't take away too many targets in the slot. Ruggs could, therefore, quickly establish himself as the Raiders' go-to weapon. His fit with an overly passive Derek Carr isn't ideal, but the former Alabama star's game-breaking speed could bring out the quarterback's aggressiveness.8. J.K. Dobbins, RB, RavensBaltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta envisions a four-headed monster at running back alongside reigning MVP Lamar Jackson in 2020. That sounds like a nightmare for opposing defenses, but it could limit Dobbins' upside compared to other rookie running backs. That said, while Mark Ingram is likely safe as the starter, Dobbins should quickly push Gus Edwards and Justice Hill down the depth chart.The former Ohio State star is also joining the most run-happy team in the NFL. The Ravens ran the ball 98 more times (596) than anyone else in the league in 2019, so even as part of a committee, Dobbins should get more than enough work. With his ability to score from anywhere on the field, Dobbins could win the award even in a timeshare with Ingram.7. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport / GettyDallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones loves getting shiny new toys, so he was likely pinching himself when Lamb, widely seen as a top-10 talent, slipped all the way to the No. 17 overall pick. Jones clearly thinks Lamb will be his next superstar, as the wideout was gifted No. 88 to uphold the legacy of Drew Pearson, Dez Bryant, and Michael Irvin. Lamb is guaranteed to sell a lot of jerseys, but will he be an equally big hit on the field?Dallas has a lot of mouths to feed. Amari Cooper just signed a deal to become the highest-paid wideout in the league, Michael Gallup racked up more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore, and Ezekiel Elliott always gets his touches. Dak Prescott almost hit 5,000 yards in 2019, and Lamb is far more explosive after the catch than the Cowboys' other receivers, but it will hard for the Oklahoma product to win rookie honors without quickly supplanting Gallup as the team's No. 2.6. Jonathan Taylor, RB, ColtsWith Marlon Mack coming off of his first 1,000-yard season for the Indianapolis Colts, Taylor's path to instant stardom is among the more difficult on this list. But due to the presence of an elite offensive line and a creative head coach in Frank Reich, the former Wisconsin running back - who is coming off back-to-back 2,000-yard campaigns - arguably has one of the biggest upsides in his rookie class.Taylor will need to prove he can catch the ball - he had only 25 receptions in 2019 - and protect the passer if he's to hit his Year 1 ceiling. But despite Mack's recent success, Taylor is already a better runner inside the tackles while being just as explosive. Mack is entering a contract year and Indy is unlikely to re-sign him after using a second-rounder on Taylor, so the rookie could easily wrestle away the starting job before midseason.5. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Broncos Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyFew came out of the NFL draft better than Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, who saw his offense radically improve. Jeudy, the crown jewel of Denver's draft, fell into the Broncos' lap at No. 15 overall to give the team a scary one-two punch with 2019 breakout star Courtland Sutton.The former Alabama star should receive a ton of targets. Sutton was by far the Broncos' leading receiver last season, and despite being traded at midseason, Emmanuel Sanders ended the campaign third on the team in yards. Jeudy is a highly developed route-runner and has the speed to attack defenses at every level of the field. If Lock has a sophomore leap, it's easy to see Jeudy challenging for 1,000 yards and six-to-eight touchdowns.4. D'Andre Swift, RB, LionsSwift is the rookie rusher with the clearest path to a starting role. The Detroit Lions do have Kerryon Johnson, but they drafted the former Georgia standout in the second round because of Johnson's inability to stay healthy. Even if the Lions want to use a running back duo, Swift is the easy choice to be the 1A.In three seasons at Georgia, he displayed a rare blend of power, speed, and agility. Aside from a lack of refinement as a pass-catcher, the 21-year-old is ready-made to produce immediately at the NFL level. Moreover, with Matthew Stafford coming off of another back injury, the Lions could look to lean heavily on their ground game to protect their quarterback.3. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / GettyTagovailoa is officially a member of the Miami Dolphins, who ultimately didn't need to tank to land the franchise passer they've been crying out for since Dan Marino retired. The big question for the Dolphins: Will Tagovailoa be healthy enough to start immediately? He seems to think so, and while Ryan Fitzpatrick played admirably in 2019, there is no logical reason to rob Tagovailoa of starting experience if his hip injury is no longer a concern.If he is the Day 1 starter, Tagovailoa should be in the mix for this award. Being a quarterback and a household name obviously help. And while the former Alabama star's supporting cast - especially the offensive line - leaves something to be desired, the likes of DeVante Parker, Matt Breida, and Mike Gesicki should give Tagovailoa enough help to engineer an impressive rookie campaign.2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, ChiefsWinning a Super Bowl gives you the license to make bold moves, and the Kansas City Chiefs did just that by making Edwards-Helaire the only running back taken in the first round. The reigning champions could've bolstered their defensive depth but instead decided to add another electric weapon to Patrick Mahomes' already terrifying arsenal. It's hard to argue with that plan.The Chiefs view the rookie rusher as Brian Westbrook turned up to 11. While Edwards-Helaire lacks top speed, it likely won't matter much with defenses honing in on Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid designing plays. Edwards-Helaire is already an outstanding receiving threat and should also create fireworks as a returner. If Damien Williams doesn't retain too many touches, the LSU standout could be the biggest challenger to his former backfield mate.1. Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals Jonathan Bachman / Getty ImagesNo prizes for guessing the award's top contender. While the Cincinnati Bengals aren't an ideal spot for Burrow due to their porous offensive line, defense, and a big question mark at head coach in Zac Taylor, the former LSU quarterback is more than talented enough to overcome his new team's shortcomings and produce a memorable rookie campaign.The good news for the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner is that Cincinnati's biggest strength is arguably its offensive weapons. If healthy, A.J. Green is an ideal big-bodied No. 1 target for a first-year passer. No. 33 overall pick Tee Higgins, slot weapon Tyler Boyd, and speedster John Ross round out a diverse receiving corps. Throw running back Joe Mixon into the mix, and Burrow has a great chance at replicating his spectacular college play in the NFL.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With 2020 draft prospects now in their new NFL homes, theScore examines the class and ranks the top 10 contenders for both the offensive and defensive rookie of the year awards.Offense I Defense10. Grant Delpit, S, BrownsThe Cleveland Browns believe Delpit can solve problems in their secondary. He's athletic, possibly the most polished coverage player in this draft, and his football awareness is outstanding. Though there are big questions regarding Delpit's tackling ability, he possesses the skills that separate awarded players, including making an impact through forcing turnovers, going after the quarterback, and creating tackle-for-loss situations.If the Browns manage to make their secondary a good fit for Delpit - and adding safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo, who are both good tacklers, might help - he has all the ingredients to put up a great rookie campaign, and even to become the first safety since Mark Carrier in 1990 to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year.9. Willie Gay Jr., LB, Chiefs Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGay's rookie-season narrative could be similar to Darius Leonard's rise. Leonard took home this award two years ago as a second-round debutant with the Indianapolis Colts. Though it's unfair to compare Gay to Leonard at this point, the latter also entered the league as part of a linebacker group lacking depth, and as a long shot for this honor.The Kansas City Chiefs' defense progressively improved last season, mostly because of specific players ascending and their secondary breaking out. But overall, the reigning Super Bowl champions received PFF's lowest grade for run defense, with the team's two starting linebackers (Damien Wilson and Anthony Hitchens) ranking 70th and 81st among 89 linebackers, respectively.Gay still needs to earn starting snaps, but he'll likely be one of the major contributors if the Chiefs' linebackers improve drastically in 2020.8. Xavier McKinney, S, GiantsThe New York Giants could finally be on track to build a reliable secondary after fielding one of the league's worst units. While they await the development of young players like safeties Jabrill Peppers and Julian Love and 2019 first-round cornerback Deandre Baker, the Giants landed veteran corner James Bradberry this offseason and used their 2020 second-round selection on McKinney.theScore's highest-ranked safety entering the draft should start from Day 1, and his impact might check all the boxes for what a defensive back can do on the field. In each of his last two seasons at Alabama, McKinney amassed 70-plus tackles (five for a loss of yards), three sacks, four forced turnovers, and one touchdown.His NFL transition won't come without challenges, but the 20-year-old's football awareness and technique might help him take the league by storm while receiving support from the Giants' promising group of defensive backs. The last Giant to win this award was Lawrence Taylor in 1981.7. CJ Henderson, CB, Jaguars Ed Zurga / Getty Images Sport / GettyA cornerback has been named Defensive Rookie of the Year only eight times. However, with corners under the spotlight while asked to stop the NFL's many talented receivers, the position is getting more individual honors. Consequently, a cornerback has earned this award after two of the last five seasons (Marcus Peters in 2015 and Marshon Lattimore in 2017).The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a massive rebuild, so don't expect them to be a main focus in 2020. Don't sleep, though, on what Henderson might do in the meantime, as the Florida product possesses an elite combination of man-to-man coverage skills and speed.The opposition likely won't be afraid to take shots against the Jaguars' young defensive backs this year, and Henderson can benefit from that while making his case for this award.6. Derrick Brown, DT, PanthersThough the Carolina Panthers' investment in pass rushing paid off last season (53 sacks), they couldn't defend the run and ended up allowing the most points per game in franchise history. The Panthers are now trying to build a monstrous defensive front, adding Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos with their first two picks this year.Lining up 2019 first-rounder Brian Burns and Gross-Matos on the edges puts Brown in a good situation on the interior of the defensive line. The former Auburn standout should get enough favorable individual matchups to continue impressing as an excellent run defender (31.5 tackles for a loss in college since 2017).He can also reach quarterbacks from the inside, similar to the last two interior defensive linemen to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year (Ndamukong Suh in 2010 and Aaron Donald in 2014).5. K'Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, Jaguars Don Juan Moore / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Jaguars' rebuilding mode is on full display here, as two of their players are featured on this list.Jacksonville pressured a lot of quarterbacks through its defensive scheme last season, and even though the team lost Calais Campbell, the development of linebacker Myles Jack and edge rusher Josh Allen can still ensure high production keeps coming from the front seven. Chaisson can join those talented young playmakers and benefit from being around a solid defensive front, just as Allen, a first-round rookie last year, did in 2019.Last season, three of the four finalists for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award led first-year defenders in sacks: Allen (10.5), Maxx Crosby (10), and Nick Bosa (nine). That means Chaisson, who possesses an eye-popping do-it-all skill set, now needs to translate his on-field impact to the stat sheet, which didn't happen often during his time at LSU. If he does, Chaisson could build a remarkable rookie campaign.4. Jeff Okudah, CB, LionsHow did rookie corners claim this award recently? Peters joined an already solid Chiefs defense and complemented it with incredible playmaking ability, while Lattimore locked up some of the NFL's best receivers, helping the Saints' defense to finish as one of the league's best after an awful campaign the year prior.Okudah doesn't display Peters' pick-6 instincts, but his coverage ability and technique might make him even better than Lattimore. If Okudah somehow steps up and changes the Lions' struggling secondary, he could become a front-runner for this award, as he'll need to prevail during tough matchups. Davante Adams, Adam Thielen, Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, and DeAndre Hopkins are among the receivers Detroit is scheduled to face in 2020.3. Patrick Queen, LB, Ravens Don Juan Moore / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's still mind-blowing that Queen fell to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 28 while becoming the fourth linebacker off the board. He's a great fit for this team and its defense in need of strong players up the middle after a couple of departures during free agency.Queen should be able to show his athletic ability, football instincts, and coverage skills immediately. The overall talent on the Ravens' defense may create a bigger challenge for him to stand out compared to other rookies. But eventually, the LSU product will be the one making things easier for his teammates.2. Isaiah Simmons, LB, CardinalsWhat won't Simmons be able to do in the NFL? He'll provide both a short- and long-term impact for the Cardinals with his overall talent. The team needed a complete and versatile player after struggling defensively in several areas, including points per game, yards allowed per play, and forced turnovers.The Cardinals will line up Simmons mostly in the middle of the field as a linebacker, but his time as a safety in college may lead to defensive-back snaps too. His size and athletic ability also give the Cardinals a mouthwatering man-to-man coverage defender against big pass-catchers in the slot.Simmons is made for the modern NFL, and his ability to impact the game in so many different ways can give him an edge for this award, like it did for Leonard and Bosa over the last two seasons.1. Chase Young, EDGE, Redskins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThere shouldn't be any surprises here. Young was not only the best defender in this year's draft, but he's also one of the most pro-ready prospects the NFL has seen recently. In Washington, he'll be the cherry on top of a very promising defense.Including Young, the Redskins have added four players to their defensive front using first-round picks since 2017 (Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Montez Sweat are the others). Last year the team accumulated 46 sacks, but the three first-round picks preceding Young have yet to reach their full potential.Though Washington didn't need Young, his arrival might be what takes the Redskins' defense to a new level, similar to what happened with the 49ers and Bosa last season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to a one-year contract with edge rusher Taco Charlton following his release from the Miami Dolphins, a source told Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports.The 2017 first-round pick recorded five sacks in 10 outings for the Dolphins. He collected four sacks in 27 games for the Dallas Cowboys, the team that drafted him, over the 2017 and 2018 seasons.Kansas City will add Charlton to a depth chart that Frank Clark and Alex Okafor lead at defensive end. Incidentally, the Chiefs lost Emmanuel Ogbah to the Dolphins in free agency.Charlton notched 18.5 sacks in his college career at Michigan, including 9.5 during his 2016 senior season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders were among the betting favorites to land Tom Brady in free agency, but quarterback Derek Carr wasn't concerned about losing his starting job.Carr, who's been the Raiders' quarterback for six years, said he keeps in constant communication with head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock, and they informed him an incoming free agent wouldn't supplant him."I can tell you that Mr. Mayock and Mr. Gruden both called me and said that they did their due diligence on everything. ... And they can tell you that in their own words. I am not going to say what they said, because it's kind of awesome and I don't want them to have to answer for it," Carr said to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. "But I felt very comfortable with what they said."Carr said he learned early in the process - after the Raiders held their player evaluations - that Brady wouldn't be brought in to replace him."I don't need them to say anything publicly. I know what's going on," Carr said. "I've never been blindsided by these guys. That would be the only time I'd be mad, but every word that they've said to me, they have stuck true to."The Raiders never submitted a formal offer for Brady, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Still, Carr understands his bosses had to check about the possibility of adding the future Hall of Famer."Yeah, let's be honest, the dude has won six Super Bowls. You have to be crazy to not watch his film and talk about it when he is a free agent. Right?" he said. "You're going to watch film of Tom Brady. Like, where he's at?"Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are not picking up the fifth-year option on running back Leonard Fournette, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.With his option declined, Fournette is scheduled to play the 2020 season on a $4.1-million, non-guaranteed contract. He was projected to make $8.483 million on the fifth-year option, according to Spotrac.Fournette, the fourth overall pick in 2017, has been the subject of trade rumors for weeks. Those reports began after Fournette publicly called for Jacksonville to sign free-agent quarterback Cam Newton to compete with Gardner Minshew.However, the Jaguars reportedly had trouble finding a trade partner for the three-year pro during the course of the draft weekend.The 25-year-old finished seventh in the league in rushing last year with 1,152 yards and three touchdowns for the 6-10 Jaguars.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes isn't sweating when his inevitable historic payday will arrive, and is instead focused on retaining his Super Bowl title."Obviously I want to be a Chief for a long time," Mahomes said Friday, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "I want to have a contract that says that and I can go out there and know I have that security. I understand and trust the Chiefs organization and everybody in it that they're gonna handle it the right way."I trust my representation that they're going to ease my mind and let me go out there and just love the game I love playing. So for me, whenever that happens, it happens. But I'm gonna focus on being the best football player I can be every single day."The Chiefs reportedly exercised his fifth-year option for 2021, giving the team an extra season of control while trying to come to terms on an extension that's all but certain to make Mahomes the NFL's highest-paid player.Mahomes reached the NFL's mountaintop last year in his third season, helping give the Chiefs their first Lombardi Trophy since 1970 with a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against the San Francisco 49ers.While some teams can get complacent after winning a title, the reigning Super Bowl MVP believes Kansas City has the right mental makeup to become the first team to repeat as champions since the New England Patriots in 2003-04."I think as a team a lot of the times when you win that Super Bowl you kind of relax," Mahomes said. "You feel like you've done it. You went out there and accomplished your goal and you relax a little bit during the offseason."But I think with our team, the little bit of a difference we have is it feels like every single guy on our team after we won the Super Bowl ... we definitely celebrated for a week or two ... and then after that it was that mindset that we're going to get back after it. We want to do this again."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.The intricacies of playing wide receiver often lead to longer adjustment periods for rookies, and the 2020 class could take even longer to make an impact with offseason programs abbreviated, if not canceled altogether.Now that oddsmakers have set receiving yards lines for a number of this season's freshman wideouts, let's dive in and predict whether players will surpass or fall short of their over/under totals.CeeDee Lamb, Dallas CowboysTotal: 850 receiving yardsTalent doesn't always equal opportunity. Lamb might be the best wide receiver in the 2020 class, but he's going to start the season behind Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup in the Cowboys' pecking order. Tight end Blake Jarwin will get his, too, and this is a team that loves to run the football, but there are more than enough touches to go around. Randall Cobb, Tavon Austin, and Jason Witten's combined 190 targets and 1,534 receiving yards are now vacant, and Lamb is sure to soak up a large percentage of them.Pick: OverHenry Ruggs, Las Vegas RaidersTotal: 800 receiving yardsTight end Darren Waller led the Raiders in receiving yards last season with 1,145. Tyrell Williams topped all wideouts on the roster with just 651. This team is desperate for a spark outside, and while Ruggs should provide it, his number still feels high. The rookie will be competing with fellow wideouts Williams, Hunter Renfrow, and the newly acquired Nelson Agholor for targets, while the Raiders are also loaded at tight end. Ruggs should make some explosive plays this season, but his volume likely won't allow him to surpass 800 yards. Just two of the last 17 wide receivers drafted in the first round have topped that mark.Pick: UnderJalen Reagor, Philadelphia EaglesTotal: 700 receiving yardsReagor is the most explosive wide receiver on the Eagles' roster - he runs a 4.22 40-yard dash - so you can bet Doug Pederson will find ways to get the ball into his hands. The TCU product produced at a high rate in college, turning 43 receptions into 611 yards last season (14.2 average) despite dealing with atrocious quarterback play. Volume won't be a big issue for Reagor either, with the oft-injured Alshon Jeffrey, DeSean Jackson, and Marquise Goodwin accompanying him on the depth chart.Pick: OverJerry Jeudy, Denver BroncosTotal: 900 receiving yardsThe Broncos are building something electric on offense. Jeudy is one of many new toys for quarterback Drew Lock, with the team also bringing in Melvin Gordon, K.J. Hamler, and Albert Okwuegbunam during the offseason. Add those names to a group that already includes Phillip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, and Noah Fant, and there are simply too many mouths to feed - on a team committed to running the football - to feel comfortable about Jeudy reaching this number.Pick: UnderJustin Jefferson, Minnesota VikingsTotal: 750 receiving yardsStefon Diggs' departure has left things wide open on the Vikings' depth chart at wide receiver, with Adam Thielen as the only proven commodity. Bisi Johnson and Chad Beebe are in line for increased targets, and free-agent signing Tajae Sharpe will throw his name in the hat, but those guys don't possess the sort of ability that Jefferson does. The rookie out of LSU is a well-rounded, NFL-ready talent who will have ample opportunities to fill the void left by Diggs' 94 targets and 1,130 receiving yards from 2019. Jefferson should see prominent reps as early as Week 1.Pick: OverAlex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A federal judge dismissed the City of Oakland's lawsuit against the Raiders, the NFL, and the league's other 31 owners tied to the Raiders' relocation to Las Vegas, according to Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.The antitrust and breach of contract lawsuit, filed in 2018, was an attempt to recover financial losses due to the Raiders leaving the city and vacating Oakland Coliseum.U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero of the Northern District of California said the damages in question aren't eligible for compensation under the Clayton Act.In the lawsuit, Oakland also argued that the NFL could support 42 teams, but in his decision Thursday, Spero said the city couldn't prove it was harmed by the league allowing only 32 teams.The Raiders' move to Las Vegas was approved via a 31-1 vote by the owners in 2017. The team is scheduled to play in the $2.5-billion, 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium this season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are confident in sophomore Gardner Minshew, but that doesn't mean head coach Doug Marrone won't explore the veteran quarterback market."(Minshew's) our quarterback there's no doubt about it, but one of the things that we're doing, we're still looking to make sure we're upgraded at each position. ... There are some veterans out there we might look at to bring in," Marrone said Friday on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football."The Jaguars and New England Patriots are reportedly among the teams interested in signing Andy Dalton, who was released by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday after nine seasons as the team's starter.Jacksonville traded veteran quarterback Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears earlier this offseason for a fourth-round pick. Foles was just one season into a four-year, $88-million contract.Minshew became a cult figure in Jacksonville as a rookie while starting in relief of an injured Foles from Week 2 to Week 9.Foles briefly returned to the lineup in the middle of the campaign, but his poor play allowed Minshew to retake the job and finish the season.Overall, the 2019 sixth-round pick threw for 3,271 yards and 21 touchdowns against six interceptions in 14 games, and his passer rating of 91.2 ranks as the sixth-best mark among first-year quarterbacks in NFL history (minimum 300 attempts).Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans are declining the fifth-year option on wide receiver Corey Davis' rookie contract, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Meanwhile, the team is picking up the fifth-year option for cornerback Adoree' Jackson, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport.Tennessee selected Davis fifth overall in 2017 and called Jackson's name 13 picks later.Davis, 25, amassed 43 catches for 601 yards and two touchdowns last season. He established career highs with 65 receptions, 891 yards, and four scores in 2018 after a rookie campaign in which he didn't record a touchdown.The Titans drafted wide receiver A.J. Brown in the second round in 2019 and the Ole Miss product led the team in catches (52), receiving yards (1,051), and touchdowns (eight) as a rookie. He also had one score on the ground.Adam Humphries, another of Tennessee's starting wideouts, signed a four-year, $36-million contract in March 2019. He totaled 37 catches for 374 yards and two scores through 12 games in his first season with the team.Jackson, meanwhile, has made an impact as a cornerback and kick returner since entering the league. The USC product recorded career lows in tackles (45), passes defended (six), and forced turnovers (zero) in 2019.He allowed a passer rating of 94.3 while in coverage last year, according to Pro Football Reference.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jadeveon Clowney is waiting for someone to match his asking price.The star defensive end, who was expected to be among the first free agents signed, "is just not in a hurry" to join a team despite continued interest from the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, a source told ESPN's Dianna Russini.While the Titans and Seahawks have reportedly both made multiple offers to the former No. 1 overall pick, none matched his price tag.Clowney apparently was aiming for $20 million annually but dropped his target to around $17 million or $18 million amid a lukewarm initial market.The lack of interest in the 27-year-old pass-rusher could be due in part to his lack of production in 2019 (he had a career-low three sacks for the Seahawks) and his extensive injury history (he's only played 16 games once in six seasons).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.Michael Thomas could have sat out the last three games of the 2019 regular season and still won the receiving yards crown. Want to guess the favorite for 2020? Yeah, it's an easy one.After reviewing the passing yards oddsboard on Wednesday, we'll do the same at the wideout position today. Does anyone have what it takes to dethrone Thomas?Odds to lead the NFL in receiving yardsPlayerOddsMichael Thomas+500Julio Jones+800DeAndre Hopkins+900Chris Godwin+1000Mike Evans+1000Odell Beckham Jr.+1200Tyreek Hill+1200Davante Adams+1400Adam Thielen+1600Amari Cooper+1600DeVante Parker+1600DK Metcalf+1600Keenan Allen+1800Kenny Golladay+1800T.Y. Hilton+1800JuJu Smith-Schuster+2000Stefon Diggs+2000Cooper Kupp+2500George Kittle+2500Travis Kelce+2500Will Fuller+2500Courtland Sutton+2800A.J. Green+3300Allen Robinson+3300Deebo Samuel+3300Emmanuel Sanders+3300Jarvis Landry+3300Sterling Shepard+3300Zach Ertz+3300D.J. Chark+4000D.J. Moore+4000Only displaying players with odds +4000 or shorterThe favoritesYou don't put up 1,700-plus receiving yards and not become the favorite for the following season. That's just math.Thomas has absolutely balled out since entering the NFL in 2016, and he's clearly the receiver to beat in 2020 at 5-1. I'm not sure there's anyone who can match the New Orleans Saints star if he stays healthy for 16 games.However, Julio Jones likely has the best shot. The veteran led the league in yards twice in the last five seasons and finished second behind Thomas during 2019.The dudsThese are the options I'm passing on at their current prices.Stefon Diggs (+3300)Diggs ranked No. 5 in yards per catch with the Vikings last season. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is coming off a year in which he posted the highest percentage of uncatchable passes on balls thrown 20-plus yards. This is a match made in hell.Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (+1000)I don't mind going over the total on Tom Brady's passing yards, but there are too many mouths to feed in the Buccaneers' offense for one of these receivers to lead the NFL in receiving yards.Odell Beckham Jr. (+1200)Beckham is almost always overvalued in this market. The scheme could hinder him in 2020, too, as run-heavy Kevin Stefanski is now calling the shots for the Browns.Best betsIf it were up to me, I'd pick Thomas. He's the No. 1 option on a mostly pass-heavy offense that should feast in the NFC South. However, a couple of others are worth a flier.Cooper Kupp (+2500)In their 2018 run to the Super Bowl, the Rams finished No. 23 in pass play percentage. During last year's 9-7 season that saw them miss the postseason, they ranked No. 8 in the same department. Which version will we get this season?The Rams want to run the ball, but I'm not sure they'll be able to in 2020. That leads me to believe there's a good price on Kupp, who led the receiving corps with 1,161 yards last season. He's been Jared Goff's favorite target over the last few years and should have more balls thrown his way without the presence of Brandin Cooks, who was traded to the Texans.D.J. Chark (+4000)I'm not sure how to put this lightly: The Jaguars are going to be awful in 2019. They aren't even favored in one game heading into the season!That tells me Jacksonville should be trailing on a weekly basis and be forced to throw the football religiously. I like the idea of taking a flier on Chark, who put up more than 1,000 yards last year despite not playing a full season and has a huge target share in a pass-happy offense.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to acquire former first-round defensive end Charles Harris from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a draft pick, a source told Jason Butt of The Athletic.The Dolphins will receive a 2021 seventh-round selection for the No. 22 pick in the 2017 draft, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Harris, 25, recorded 3.5 sacks across 41 games in Miami.